Gregg Perry & Peck Tunes LLC & Perryscope Records: Press

Brilliant!”
Brad Freeman
Program Director, KHBC Radio

“Excellent Production!”
Derek Pacheco
Program Director, KBIG Radio

“...a wide range of musical
genres...another powerful
message.”
John Berger
Honolulu Star-Bulletin

“Wow! What an incredible album.”
Tom Averna
Founder
Radiopositive & Positive Radio Music

“Seldom if ever has the impending release of a CD caused as much stir as that of “We Are `Ohana - Songs Of Hope...”
John Burnett
Arts & Entertainment, Hawaii Tribune-Herald

“Island Naturals is proud to support this remarkable new music project. “
Russell Ruderman
Owner Island Naturals

“The eclectic and tasty mix includes ancient Hawaiian chant, rap, hip-hop, reggae, rock, contemporary pop, country-rock, contemporary and urban R&B and Hawaiian slack key. I was simply floored by what I heard...this is, put quite simply, in my estimation, the best written, conceived and produced pop CD
recorded to date on the Big Island...already a local hit...it is all flawlessly
executed...both my thumbs are up - way up!”
John Burnett
Island Beat, Hawaii Island Journal

WE ARE ‘OHANA - SONGS OF HOPE
by Hawai’i Island Performing Artists (Kumanu)
Perryscope Records

Genre: World music.

Distinguishing notes: Island singers, composers and musicians — some known, some new — join forces against substance abuse and addiction with songs of hope and inspiration. Participants include Keola Beamer and his mother, Nona Beamer, on “Kaulana Na Pua,” bringing generational strength to the vintage favorite that boasts spoken lyrics by Auntie Nona and stunning ki ho’alu by Keola; Bruddah Kuz, sharing Jawaiian jams on “Hawaiian Soljah”; James McWhinney, providing more contemporary power on “Hawaiian Spirit”; Damon Williams, demonstrating his romantic aura on a couple of tracks such as“Your Heart Will Lead You Home” and “Happy Today”; Howard Shapiro, waxing enthusiastically about “Sunny Day”; Rupert Tripp Jr. providing an inspirational message on “Soar Above It All”; Faith Rivera, showcasing strength and commitment on “Believe”; Glynn Motoishi, advocating “Winds of Change.”

The outlook: The mixed-plate format provides a variety of moods and styles as well as a cooperative spirit.

Our take: Something for everyone to explore.

Seldom if ever has the impending release of a CD caused as much stir as that of “We Are `Ohana - Songs Of Hope,” The 15-cut album is an eclectic mix of artists and music with a message; proceeds will go to fight the burgeoning problem of substance abuse and addiction on the Big Island.

Featured artists on the CD include, Aunty Nona Beamer, Keola Beamer and Kaliko Beamer-Trapp, Bruddah Kuz, Faith Rivera, Rupert Tripp, Jr., James McWhinney, Damon Williams and Glynn Motoishi. The simple yet striking album cover is designed by artist Wendy Duke. The two masterminds behind the project are executive producer Howard Shapiro and producer Gregg Perry.

The album has already been featured in its entirety on KHBC Radio and at least one of the songs, “Your Heart Will Lead You Home,” a song written by Shapiro and sung by Williams, is already a local hit, immediately lighting up the request lines to the “Top Five at Five” on KWXX Radio.

There is a CD release reception tonight from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wailoa Center in Hilo. The CD will be played in its entirety and it will be an opportunity for the public to meet and greet the producers and artists. Billy Kenoi, mayor Harry Kim’s executive assistant will be there, as will Andy Smith, East Hawaii Liason for Gov. Linda Lingle.

Perry said that “We Are `Ohana” was conceived over several months in stages of an ongoing conversation between him and Shapiro.

Last September (2003), a filmmaker from Honolulu named Edgy Lee had a documentary on the ice epidemic in the islands and Governor Lingle was so taken by it that she prevailed upon all the local network affiliates - ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS and FOX - to run it simultaneously,” Perry recalled.

“Howard saw that and was really moved by it, and he wrote the song ‘Your Heart Will Lead You Home.’ ‘Then in November 2003 he called me and said, ‘I have a single I really want you to produce. I just want to give it away as an inspirational song to treatment centers, whoever wants if for free, just as an inspiring message about substance abuse and addiction.’ ‘Then Billy Kenoi heard about it and said, ‘It would be really cool if we got all of these people together and did a whole album.’ “Howard and I met with him a couple of times and then Howard and I thought that one way to make this work is to assemble all these people, make this inspirational record and make it phase one of three phases.”

Phase two is an ongoing outreach program with the producers and artists going into the community targeting schools, communities, treatment centers and prisons. Phase three is the creation of ACT (Action-Communty-Teens), a community volunteer program that provides substance abuse and addiction recovery information and promotes active participation of young people in projects that enhance the quality of life in local Hawaiian communities.

“That’s how we approached this project, as something bigger than just the CD,” said Perry, who is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict celebrating 17 years of sobriety.

Perry and Shapiro originally conceived that artists would just submit already completed recordings or written songs for recording, but in actuality, they ended up writing or co-writing nine of the 15 songs on the CD and recording most of it at Perry’s home studio. The result is both eclectic and electric, one of the best produced projects to date from the Big Island with styles including ancient chant, rap, hip-hop, reggae, rock, contemporary pop, country-rock, contemporary and urban R&B and Hawaiian slack key. Williams rendition of “Your Heart Will Lead You Home” has whetted local appetites for the CD. Perry wanted Williams to sing it; Shapiro admits an initial reluctance.

“That was difficult, because I had recorded it with Gregg and used it at some events addressing the issue of ice,” he said. “I’d played it at candlelight vigils, so it was close to my heart. But when I heard Damon’s rendition, I told Gregg to go ahead and record it with him. I had chicken skin the first time I heard it.”

Other surprises on the CD include McWhinney, who was in America’s most famous reggae band, Big Mountain, belting “Higher Ground,” a rocker composed by Shapiro as well as Glynn Motoishi, front man of the hard-rock band Living In Question, crooning “Winds Of Change,” a contemporary pop ballad co-written by Shapiro and Perry.

“ I started writing music in 1975,” Shapiro said. “I wasn’t musical. I didn’t play an instrument and all I wanted to do was hook up with good vocalists and younger Native Hawaiian friends in Waianae and Makaha. It never happened. So I was forced to go out and sing and record my own music. But almost 30 years later, what I wanted to do with my own music is happening now. When I hear Damon, James McWhinney, Glynn Motoishi, these phenomenally talented singers do our music, it’s wonderful. They just take it to its very essence.

“We Are `Ohana - Songs of Hope”

Hawai’i Island Performing Artists
Perryscope

Howard Shapiro and Gregg Perry wanted to do something about substance abuse on the Big Island, so they wrote songs with positive themes, and invited other Big Island artists to join them in creating this album. Perry is the primary producer, arranger and studio musician, but there are enough other artists involved to give each song distinct textures. There’s a wide range of musical genres represented as well.

Perry shares credit with Keola and Nona Beamer for an extended version of Keola’s early-1970s slack key recording of “Kaulana Na Pua.” James McWhinney exemplifies the postive theme as feaured vocalist on a rock ‘rap song, “Hawaiian Spirit.” So does writer/recording artist Iopa Maunakea with his reggae contribution,
“Hawaiian Soljah.” The aptly titled “Hope” closes the album with another powerful message.

This compilation CD, which includes several of the Big Island and beyond’s most talented singers and musicians, is part of a three-phase project to combat substance abuse and addiction on the Big Island. We Are `Ohana - Songs of Hope is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Howard Shapiro, the executive producer, and songwriter-musician-producer Gregg Perry.

We Are `Ohana covers several mostly pop genres, but nine of the 15 cuts were written or co-written by Perry and Shapiro and this is, put quite simply, in my estimation, the best written, conceived and produced pop CD recorded to date on the Big Island.

Artists include Keola and Nona Beamer, Kaliko
Beamer-Trapp, Bruddah Kuz, Faith Rivera, former
Big Mountain vocalist James McWhinney, Damon
Williams, Living in Question front man Glynn Motoishi, Rupert Tripp, Jr. and Shapiro.

Major surprises include Motoishi singing “Winds of Change,” a pop-rocker totally unlike LIQ’s hard rock; and McWhinney doing a rap on “Hawaiian Spirit” and singing rock instead of reggae on “Higher Ground.” Williams’ “Your Heart Will Lead You Home,” an adult contemporary ballad written by Shapiro, is already a local hit. Whether cast against type or typecast, it is all flawlessly executed.

We Are `Ohana is a stunning compilation of much of the island’s best talent, coming together to make music and to fight the scourge of drug addiction. It is available in stores locally, or on Perry’s web site at
www.pecktunes.com. The producers and artists are also available for presentations at local schools, community groups, businesses and jails and prisons. There is also a We Are `Ohana concert tentatively scheduled for Saturday, February 5, 2005 at Hilo’s Palace Theater. There will be more details available at a later date.

We Are`Ohana: A few weekends back, songwriter-musician-producer Gregg Perry invited me over for a listen to the final mix of a project he and Howard Shapiro, a singer-songwriter known for his social consciousness, had just finished and were sending off to the mainland for mastering and pressing. I was simply floored by what I heard that day.

The end result, We Are `Ohana • Songs Of Hope, is scheduled for a November 8 release. The full length CD is part of a three-part project sponsored by Performing and Fine Artists for World Peace, Shapiro’s non-profit organization, and features several of the Big Island’s best musical talent coming together to help create ACT (Action-Community-Teens), a community volunteer program to provide substance abuse and addiction recovery information and to promote the active participation of young people in projects to enhance the quality of life in our local communities.

Artists on the CD include Nona Beamer, Keola Beamer, Kaliko Beamer-Trapp, Bruddah Kuz,
Rupert Tripp, Jr., Damon Williams, former Big Mountain vocalist James McWhinney and Living in Question front man Glynn Motoishi.

The eclectic and tasty mix includes ancient Hawaiian chant, rap, hip-hop, reggae, rock, contemporary pop, country-rock, contemporary and urban R&B and
Hawaiian slack key.

The CD will be available at retail music outlets throughout Hawai`i upon its November 8 release, and a CD reception will be held at Wailoa Center for the Arts in Hilo, Friday, November 12, from 5 to 8 PM.

I will be reviewing the CD in a later issue of HIJ. But I can tell you already that both my thumbs are up - way up!