Is there Hawaiian blues? Well sure, blues is about what you're
feeling, not where you're from. John Akapo lives in Hawaii, his heritage
is American Samoan, but actually picked up on the blues when he was
growing up in Alaska. He's developed his own idea of the music while
working as everything from a luau musician to hip-hop producer so this
is definitely his own take on the genre.
Akapo
takes his cue from the acoustic Delta blues, with a small group that
features lots of slide, a couple of guitars, bass and harmonica. Yes,
you can feel the campfire/luau connection in the small group vibe and
the laid-back, good-time approach. He has a warm, welcoming voice, lots
of character, and reminds me a little of Keb'Mo', a bigger version. He
does well on the three covers here, toe-tapping versions of the familiar
I Can't Be Satisfied and Ramblin' On My Mind. It's the originals that
stand out though, Maui Drive takes us on an Island tour, and describes a
fine Hawaiian day. Hindsight (Missionary Blues) is the standout, a solo
piece with just ukulele, a too-late warning to about the colonials
arriving: "Can you hear them calling? Don't show them how you eat/They
don't want what grows there, just the ground beneath." It turns out
there is a Hawaiian blues after all.
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