Album of the Day: Israel «IZ» Kamakawiwo’ole, “Ka’ano’i”
Israel «IZ» Kamakawiwo’ole
Ka’ano’i (Cd Tropical Music B0000013US)
It’s hard to find a more suitable entry than this to start the month of August.
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, known as IZ by his admirers, was the most famous Hawaiian singer; in those parts he is revered exactly like Bob Marley in Jamaica.
When IZ died at the age of only thirty-eight from heart complications (he was a man of enormous build who due to a
glandular dysfunction weighed up to 340 kilos) a national mourning was declared throughout the Hawaiian Islands.
His sweet, almost angelic voice contrasted almost jarringly with his imposing appearance and managed to reach every type of listener, crossing social classes and language barriers and gaining him a notable following even in the United States.
Don’t expect a strictly folk recording of this repertoire or you’ll run the risk of getting really angry. IZ was definitely aiming for popular success through easy-listening arrangements that were aimed directly at mainstream radio; these records are a very pleasant testimony of a great pop singer, not necessarily of deep or committed songs.
His best-known song is the cover version of “Over the Rainbow”https://www.rockol.it/”What a Wonderful World” accompanied by the ukulele, which was so popular that it was included in films (“Meet Joe Black”), TV series (“ER”) and American commercials; you can find it in the album “Facing Future”, while in this “Ka’ano’i” IZ offers a different arrangement, much more rhythmic with a decidedly easy listening flavour.
The atmospheres always remain on a level of absolute lightness,
occasionally ruffled by reggae and Caribbean flavours (listen to “Margarita”, “Coney Island Washboard Woman”, “Kainoa” and the delicious version of “Sea of Love”) where the centre of attention is solely IZ’s voice capable
to transport you to the sunny beaches of Maui among palm trees and turquoise waters.
Obviously one can legitimately accuse the album of being yet another tourist-musical decoy, objecting
that authentic Hawaiian folk culture has nothing to do with this product, but why bother today?
Better to add a slice of lime to the ice cold beer and dream of the holidays that are about to begin.
Carlo Boccadoro, composer and conductor, was born in Macerata in 1963. He lives and works in Milan. He collaborates with soloists and orchestras in different parts of the world. He is the author of numerous books on musical subjects.
This text is taken from “Lunario della musica: Un disco per ogni giorno dell’anno” published by Einaudi, courtesy of the author and the publisher.