At the forefront of today's ukulele revolution is Kalei Gamiao, touting licks more like a super group guitarist than your typical strummer. This Na Hoku Hanohano Award finalist’s modern cutting edge style expands the ukulele’s reach well beyond its musical boundaries. “Redefined” is a collection of eight impressive originals and three imaginative favorites. Recorded by award winning engineer, Bob St John, Kalei had the solid backing of the extremely talented Fred Alcain on drums, Chris Sanders on keys and Scot Mearig on bass.
Kalei’s renditions of Bill Withers’ classic, “Ain’t No Sunshine,” the popular “Office Theme,” and Jon Forman’s “Only Hope,” showcase his creativity and flawless technique. His originals, innovative ukulele arrangements mixed in a fusion of jazz, rock, and pop, demonstrate his power to transform and redefine the ukulele as we know it. “2011" represents the energized bliss that Kalei experienced during a year filled with memorable moments. Listening to a friend play his bass motivated Kalei to pen the buoyant, “Feel the Beat.” The hook for the driving "Mach 4," came upon Kalei suddenly: “One day while I was practicing I came up with this cool riff and could not get it out of my head.” With a hint of R&B and Alternative, a friend came up with the title for "Soulfire" after an entire day of listening to Kalei playing the melody line. "From the Heart" is a tribute to a group of Kalei’s closest friends: “I could close my eyes and see their smiles and my ears would fill with laughter.” "Four String Fury" is Kalei’s brilliant interpretation of an approaching storm: “With thunder rolling, lighting stretching its hand across sky, waves smashing against the shore, and gusts of wind pushing against the trees, a storm like this is hard not to fear.” The exquisite picking in "Waltz with Me,"a love song inspired by the phrase "dance with me," doesn’t need lyrics to get its message across. Moved by an amazing photo of the ocean, “The Unknown” takes the listener on a journey from the ocean surface to the depths of the sea: “Music can be calm and gentle but it can also be furious and intense like the ocean.” “Redefined” is ukulele music for the twenty first century in glorious
Kalei Gamiao style.
Kalei Gamiao
“Redefined”
Ukulele Instrumentals for the 21st Century
“Kalei's music and 'ukulele prowess will take the 'ukulele to new heights!” -
Song list: (1) 2011, (2) Feel the Beat, (3) Ain’t No Sunshine, (4) Mach 4, (5) Soulfire, (6) From the Heart, (7) Four String Fury, (8) Office Theme (U.S. Office Theme) (9) Waltz with Me,
(10) Only Hope, (11) The Unknown
neosproductions@hawaii.rr.com www.neosproductions.com 808 625 5586
To download PDF
file of Press Release
Title: Redefined
Artist: Kalei Gamiao
Catalog Number: V116
UPC: 7 43083 11162 0
Label: Neos Productions
Distributor: The Mountain Apple Company
Category: Adult Contemporary/World
Format: Digipak
Release Date: July 10, 2012
Ukulele Hawaii