Amy Hanaiali'i

Sep. 3, 2012

REVIEW BY JOHN BERGER / jberger@staradvertiser.com
‘My Father’s Granddaughter’
Amy Hanaiali‘i (UA)

In the 17 years since the release of her debut album, “Native Child,” in 1995, Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom has proven herself one of the most versatile island singers of her generation. Recording at various times as Amy Gilliom, Amy, Amy Hanaiali‘i Gilliom, and in recent years primarily as Amy Hanaiali‘i, she has displayed her command of traditional Hawaiian falsetto, big band jazz and mainstream pop. In a recent theme album for celebrity marine artist Wyland she showed that she is also a credible blues singer.

The breadth of her repertoire during the past decade may surprise those who think of her primarily as a Hawaiian falsetto singer and imagine her paying her dues years ago singing in the rain at neighbor island carnivals or backyard fundraisers. The truth is that she had an MFA degree in musical theater, and extensive formal training, years prior to the release of her first Hawaiian falsetto album, “Hawaiian Tradition,” in 1997. It’s the training and artistic vision she acquired while building that larger resume that results in this album being such a beautiful calling card. Hanaiali‘i can rock and belt and work the ha‘i (break) between her lower and upper vocal registers when singing Hawaiian falsetto, but this album shows how compelling she can be when singing soft and delicate with only one or two acoustic instruments behind her. She is a remarkable interpreter of what is described as “the Great American Songbook” — pop songs written before the advent of the modern Rock Era in 1955. She includes several of those pop standards here.

Hanaiali‘i reveals in the liner notes that the album is about family. It marks the death of her father, Lloyd Gilliom, and celebrates her love for her daughter, Madeline Austin, who is pictured on the cover and elsewhere in the album art. Mother and daughter share writing and performing credits for “Hihimanu,” a gentle lullaby that is a soothing memento of love shared between parent and child. A second song, “Sleep Little Baby,” which Hanaiali‘i sings acappella, also has direct family connections; she writes that it was written as a lullaby for her father by his step-father, Hawaiian musician Sam Koki.

Two Hawaiian songs — performed with a solo piano as primary accompaniment — come from her productive musical partnership with Willie K. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” and “When You Wish Upon A Star,” pop classics both, are two more examples of how vocal talent can be showcased perfectly with simple yet elegant arrangements.

In responding to the emotions she’s experiencing at this point in her life, Amy Hanaiali’i has created an album that will bring comfort to countless others. She invites you to share these songs with your children as she has shared them with Madeline.
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John Berger has been a mainstay in the local entertainment scene for more than 40 years. Contact him via email at jberger@staradvertiser.com. - Honolulu Pulse powered by the Honolulu Adviser

Jeanne Cooper
Published 4:00 am, Sunday, December 10, 2006


"Royalty" is not a word used lightly in Hawaii, the only state in the union with real palaces, not to mention a small but passionate monarchist movement.

But if rock 'n' roll has a king and pop has a prince (or Prince), it should be no surprise that Hawaiian music has its own noble lines. Staking the best claim to the title of "the people's princess": singer-songwriter Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom, who performs a Christmas concert Monday at the Castro Theatre.

Not yet 40, Gilliom is widely venerated in Hawaii, where her traditional-style, falsetto-inflected music, mostly sung in Hawaiian, has won numerous awards since her first album, 1995's "Native Child." On the mainland, island transplants and returning tourists flock to see her at venues such as Stern Grove and the Palace of Fine Arts; her live album with longtime collaborator Willie K, which includes some of those San Francisco performances, was one of the first nominees in the new Grammy category of best Hawaiian album, introduced at the 2005 awards.

Royalty is even part of her name: Loosely translated, hanai means adopted, ali'i means royal.

Although she's actually very down to earth in person, Gilliom wouldn't mind expanding her musical dominion a little further. "Generation Hawaii," her latest album under consideration for a Grammy nomination, was produced by Michael Ruff, who has worked with Chaka Khan.It contains her usual stirringly lush arrangements of original and classic Hawaiian songs, but also shows off her jazz heritage (the seductive "In Hilo Town") and includes a bonus track ("Jewel") previewing an all-English album currently in the works.

"I need to open up the market a little bit, open up people's minds," Gilliom says, calling from a Honolulu hotel in between concerts and caring for her infant daughter, Madeline. "Celine sings in English now, but her past albums were all in French."

For the new album, due in October, Gilliom is working with Allen Sviridoff, producer of the "Syriana" soundtrack and onetime manager of Rosemary Clooney. They joined forces after Gilliom recorded "What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?" for his "Return to Romance" CD, released in October. Given the romanticism of much Hawaiian music, and Gilliom's full-bodied yet controlled vocals (think Patsy Cline, or Judy Collins if she could yodel), it sounds like a good fit. But it doesn't mean she's leaving all thoughts of Hawaii behind.

"Jewel," written by Ruff, may feature an anthem-style adult-contemporary arrangement, but it "talks about our Hawaiian people being like a jewel on the sand, polished by the wind and sea," Gilliom says, "so the rest of the world can see where I'm coming from as a Hawaiian woman and an entertainer."

The new album will have "a hint of steel guitar, a hint of ukulele and a lot more crossover" -- and that's not a dirty word in any language she speaks.

"I'm very much like my grandmother," Gilliom says, referring to the late Jennie Napua Woodd, choreographer of "Pagan Love Song" and other Hollywood films set in Hawaii and the tropics in the '30s and '40s. "She was a Molokai girl and half-Hawaiian who stayed true to her roots but also did crossover back then. She was one of the pioneers who did that, and that's one reason why Hawaiian entertainers are loved all over the world."

Woodd, who died at age 90 in 2003, bequeathed her granddaughter another musical legacy by marrying one of Tommy Dorsey's musicians, who became Gilliom's grandfather. Personally passionate about jazz and R&B, Gilliom sang with an African American choir in Southern California when she was studying musical theater in San Diego after high school and dating Jamie Foxx, then a voice major. - SF Gate of the San Francisco Chonicle

July 4, 2013

Every May, the island music scene is abuzz with the excitement of the annual Na Hoku Hanohano Awards that are presented by the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts (HARA) on O'ahu. Fly to Honolulu around the third weekend in May and you are likely to see the bright lights of island music trekking over to garner another award, or the rising stars making the pilgrimage in the hopes of winning their first one. It's like the Grammys: You can see lots of great performers and a showcase of performances all in one grand evening!

But not all of us can fly over for the festivities. That's where the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (The MACC) steps in to help bring the best of the islands (and the world) to Maui. As soon as the awards are announced, MACC programmers intercede for the Maui audience and try to book as many of the award-winners as can make for it for one beautiful concert in one beautiful venue.

This year, the third annual Na Hoku Hou! concerts at The MACC will take place on Saturday, July 13. The lineup is stellar, with both familiar favorites and brand new names.

- See more at: http://www.mauiweekly.com/page/content.detail/id/511479/Na-Hoku-Hou-.html?nav=39#sthash.wf8XfkXT.dpuf - Maui Weekly

May 27, 2013
By CHRIS SUGIDONO - Staff Writer (csugidono@mauinews.com) ,

Maui native Amy Hanaiali'i Gilliom took home two awards at Saturday night's 2013 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Hailed as Hawaii's top-selling female singer of all time, she was named Female Vocalist of the Year and her album "My Father's Granddaughter" was named Contemporary Album of the Year.

"You know, I'm a huge supporter for Hawaii music and I was playing at the Smithsonian during the awards so i couldn't be there," she said in a phone interview Sunday from Washington, D.C. "So it was kind of a bittersweet thing for me, but of course I'm honored to receive this from my fellow entertainers."

Other Mauians receiving awards included Kamakakehau Fernandez, who won Extended Play of the Year for his album "Wahi Mahalo," and Kenneth Martinez Burgmaier, who won Compilation Album of the Year for his joint-production of the CD "Lana'i Slack Key Festival: Live Kiho'alu At Ko'ele."

Gilliom has now won 21 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, known as the Hawaiian equivalent of the Grammy Awards, including five for Female Vocalist of the Year.

Released in 2012, her award-winning album was dedicated to her father, Lloyd Gilliom, who "helped to shape her outlook on life."

"In the middle of recording this production I suffered the loss of my father," she said. "I am where I am in my career because of the hard work of my father. The songs on this album brings me back to lullabies sung by my father and his mother, Jennie Napua Woodd.

"A year has passed and I still miss him and his guidance. These awards are dedicated to my father and to all who have come before me and (on) whose shoulders I stand."

Makawao resident Burg-maier led a team of producers including Dave Lower of Lahaina, Kevin Brown of Waiehu and Benny Uyetake of Haiku on their way to their award.

The CD was a live recording of various artists playing at a free slack key festival at the Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele, last year.

"I'll tell you what, the competition we were going up against . . . they were some pretty well-known and respected producers," Burgmaier said in a phone interview Sunday. "There were five of us in there, and we weren't sure if we were going to win. But when we went to our table to sit down, lo and behold they called our name.

"It was a very happy and exciting feeling, and we were, like, wow. . . . I'm so happy for all of the people in Lanai because this is the first time Lanai has won an award in the 36 years they've had these awards."

The idea for the CD came to the group on the ferry ride to Lanai for the festival, he said. Burgmaier had done a festival at the hotel before and gave a DVD to the artists who would be playing at the festival.

"The were all blown away at how clean the sound was," he said. "We were talking and (artist) Jon Keawe turns to me and said maybe we should do a live CD. It all came together after that in 60 days . . . all because of a little ferry ride from Lahaina to Lanai. It's funny how things can happen."

* Chris Sugidono can be reached at csugidono@mauinews.com.
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