KEOLA BEAMER - Ka Hikina O Ka Hau (The Coming of the Snow) CD 2006 (Slack Key Guitar)  Brand New/Sealed

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Ka Hikina O Ka Hau is definitely a different route for Keola Beamer, a change from his usual mellifluous slack-key work. This takes him into classical music, both relatively modern (Satie) and early (Dowland), but not playing it completely straight: instead, he layers several guitars, in different tunings, to create each piece. And even when he offers an original piece (which, incidentally, is the most satisfying material here), George Winston adds subtle and unusual piano accompaniment (he also plays guitar on another track). There's plenty of impressionist music, and it's here that the layering exercise, though necessary, seems most strained. There's no real flow to the Satie Gymnopédies, but neither do they float the way they should (this is often also true of the other classical pieces). The traditional Brazilian "Tutu Maramba" doesn't bristle with rhythm, while Mendelssohn's Venetian Boat Song has its melody broken up

1		Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening
2		Poli'ahu (The Mauna Kea Snow Goddess)
3		The Little Drummer Boy/Winter Aloha
4		Gymnopedie For Piano No. 1
5		Gnossienne No. 3
6		Gymnopedie For Piano No. 2
7		Gnossienne No. 4
8		Gymnopedie For Piano No. 3
9		Pavane For A Sleeping Beauty
10		Lullaby Of The Cat
11		Chiquilín de Bachin
12		Milonga
13		Tutu Marambá
14		Cantar Montañés
15		Spinning Song
16		Song Of India
17		Venetian Boat Song
18		The Nightingale (El Rossinyol)
19		If My Complaints Could Passions Move
20		Come Heavy Sleep