Moon Of The Southern Seas - Haunani

Tangi Tahiti

Moonlight And Shadows

Moon Of The Southern Seas
Romantic Songs Of The Islands By Haunani
Recorded in Hawaii by Webley Edwards
Capitol Records
T1381
1960

This LP is terrific and made that way, in no small part, by the arrangers who found ways to make the album more than just another "Hawaiian" set by showcasing or "blending" Haunani's big deep lush voice with creatively simple but effective period mood flavored arrangements.  The engineering is also excellent.

From the back cover: The accompaniment for Haunani was first arranged by three of the most experienced arrangers in the island – Clem Low, Ben Kalama and Webley Edwards – and the touch of all three is evident in most of the songs. Yet, in some instances, as Haunani and the singers and musicians suddenly improvised to different, sometimes simpler but even more expressive ways of singing. One example is the song Tangi Tahiti, where Haunani instinctively turns momentarily from English to pure Tahitian, the better to express herself.

From Billboard - June 13, 1960: The deep-voiced Hawaiian thrush sings with rich simplicity and heart on a group of varied themes, ranging from the Polynesian beat of "Tangi Tahiti" and "Liliu E" an enduring Hawaiian chant-song to "Bali Ha'i and – in French – "J'Attendrai."

Beyond The Rainbow
Tangi Tahiti
Liliu E
Moon Of The Southern Seas
J'Attendrai
Ukulele Lady
Moonlight And Shadows
Marcelle Wahine
Bali' Ha'i
Paoakalani
Hola E Pae
I'll Be Seeing You