Longtime musicians and friends Tarvin Makia (left) and Keola Donaghy have joined forces with renowned Hawaiian music composer/producer Kenneth Makuakane and veteran Nashville musician Jeff Dayton to create the group A‘ea‘e and put out an album of country-flavored and contemporary Hawaiian music. — Deanna Kamake‘e‘aina Reece photo
Four veteran musicians from Maui, Oahu and Nashville have teamed up to form the new group A’ea’e and release a wonderful debut EP featuring a unique brand of country-flavored and contemporary Hawaiian music.
The stellar ensemble combines the talents of Maui’s Tarvin Makia and Keola Donaghy, Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning composer/producer Kenneth Makuakane and Nashville-based musician Jeff Dayton. While they’re longtime friends and occasional collaborators, the recording marks the first time all four have teamed on a creative project.
“I’ve known Tarvin for over 40 years, Ken for 25, plus Jeff for 10,” Donaghy, an associate professor of music and faculty coordinator of Music Studies at UH-Maui College, said last month. “Ken and I have been writing music together for over 20 years, and I’ve always wanted to do something that would sound a bit more contemporary, with drums and electric guitar. You don’t often hear Hawaiian language material being performed that way. I wanted contemporary, but also add a country feel.”
Reflecting the members’ long-standing and distinguished activity in the music industry, the band name translates as the “mixing of a dark or brilliant color with a lighter one, as feathers in a lei; of dark hair of a young person with streaks of gray,” Donaghy explained.
Donaghy is a prolific composer of Hawaiian language songs, with Keali’i Reichel, the Pandanus Club, Willie K and Amy Hanaiali’i recording his compositions. He has produced five CDs by students in his Institute of Hawaiian Music program at UH-Maui, with three winning Hoku awards.
A Maui resident for more than 40 years, Makia’s credits include the groups Hau’ula and Mele ‘Ohana, and a few years playing bass with Hapa. He most recently released the Christmas album of original music, “Makia Kalikimaka.”
A legend in the Hawaii music industry, Makuakane has performed with the groups Ka’eo and the Pandanus Club. As a solo artist his recent recordings include “Na Mele Pule” and “Simply For Ke Akua.” Honored with 21 Hoku awards, he received the Hawai’i Academy of Recording Arts “Lifetime Achievement Award” in 2015.
Dayton’s career history includes 15 years as guitarist and musical director for Glen Campbell. He toured with Lee Greenwood and Kenny Chesney, and has performed with Willie Nelson and Vince Gill. On Kauai, he has taught composition at the annual Songwriters Music Festival.
With all four musicians contributing to “A’ea’e,” three of the five tracks are original songs. Donaghy composed “Aia I Kilauea (‘A Mai)” after a visit to the Halemaumau Crater several years ago, and Makuakane added the music. Inspired by his love of the sea, Dayton contributed his charming composition, “When The Ocean Sleeps.” And the final track, “I Ka La’i O Lahaina,” is a new interpretation of one of Donaghy and Makuakane’s earliest collaborations, with Rascal Flatts’ drummer Jim Riley playing on the song.
Other musicians helping out on the project include Nashville drummer Andy Peake and L.A.-based percussionist Larry Salzman.
Two tracks are Hawaiian interpretations of well-known English songs. One of the album’s highlights sees the musicians transform Gaylord Holomalia’s song “Lover of Mine,” popularized by Kalapana and Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. Donaghy’s lovely Hawaiian language version, “Ku’u Ipo Ma Ke Kai Loa,” features Makia singing with his daughter, Mapuana Makia.
And the classic country song “Tennessee Whiskey” gets a Hawaiian twist. Composed by Dean Dillon, it was originally recorded by David Allan Coe, and later covered by George Jones and more recently by Chris Stapleton. Donaghy secured Dillon’s blessing to create a unique Hawaiian language version.
“With ‘Tennessee Whiskey,’ I reached out to Dean (Dillon) and asked, ‘Would you mind if we record
it?’ ” Donaghy explained. “He was sure. With ‘Ku’u Ipo,’ based on Gaylord Holomalia’s ‘Lover of Mine,’ it translated really easy. I really don’t like doing translations too much. I get a lot of requests to do it, and you can translate word for word or thought for thought, but you usually end up with something that doesn’t sound like something that a Hawaiian speaker would say.”
“A’ea’e” is available on all major digital download and streaming services, such as Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music.
“It’s a little different,” Donaghy concluded. “It was really for the fun of it and the friendship. I hope people will warm up to it.”
The four will be performing songs from the EP at the Blue Note Hawaii at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort on May 7.
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