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Popular reggae band Rebelution returns to Maui on Sunday for a date on its "Falling Into Place Hawaii Tour," promoting the release of the group's fifth album, which was just nominated for a Grammy Award.
"We named the album 'Falling Into Place' because all of our varied inspirations and experiences came together into one cohesive collection of music that we all really love," explains Rebelution's lead singer/guitarist, Eric Rachmany. "Reggae is a big part to our sound, but we are exploring new territories with each album."
Full of crowd pleasers, "Falling Into Place" makes effective use of a horn section to enrich the band's sound. Add an infusion of positive lyrics, Rachmany's smooth vocals and artful production by the likes of Dwayne "Supa Dups" Chin-Quee (Bruno Mars, Eminem) and Donovan Bennett (Sean Paul, Morgan Heritage) and Rebelution scored another winner.
Topping the Billboard Reggae Chart, the band is now tied with UB40 and Beenie Man for the third most No. 1's on the chart, following Bob Marley and Matisyahu.
Formed in 2004, while its members were attending Santa Barbara College, Rebelution includes Rory Carey on keyboards, drummer Wesley Finley, bassist Marley Williams, and Zach Meyerowitz, who tours with them on trumpet.
Hawaii quickly caught on to their bright sound, with reggae fans in our state calling radio stations to play "Safe and Sound," from their 2007 breakthrough album "Courage to Grow." With each successive album, from "Courage to Grow" to "Bright Side of Life," their popularity increased, leading to major festival dates at Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and Glastonbury in the U.K.
With "Peace of Mind" in 2012, the band took the unusual step of releasing a triple CD all for the price of one -- a standard studio album, a stripped-down acoustic version of the same songs and a dub remix of all 12 tracks -- with each CD presenting unique facets of the band.
In 2014, they released "Count Me In," an infectious recording that highlighted the band's desire to inspire fans to have a positive impact in their lives. The album featured a couple of special guest appearances, dancehall singer Collie Buddz on the track "Hate to Be the One" and legendary reggae vocalist Don Carlos on "Roots Reggae Music."
In August, they released the concert album/DVD "Live at Red Rocks," recorded in Colorado last year.
Pepper and New Kingston will open Rebelution's show. Formed in Kailua Kona in 1997, Pepper relocated to the Mainland a couple of years later. Their recordings include "Pink Crustaceans," "Good Vibrations" and "Stitches."
Based in Brooklyn, N.Y., New Kingston is comprised of three brothers, who create what they call "Reggae Crossover," blending elements from reggae, R&B, pop, jazz and hip-hop. They've worked with Morgan Heritage, Shabba Ranks and Collie Buddz.
* Rebelution's "Falling Into Place Hawaii Tour" will be presented at 6 p.m. Sunday in the Maui Arts & Cultural Center's Yokouchi Pavilion & Courtyard in Kahului. Pepper and New Kingston will open. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 day of show (plus applicable fees), and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org. The event is open to all ages.
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We lost another legend last week with the death of Palani Vaughan. Best known for albums honoring King David Kalakaua, Vaughan was inducted into the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame in 2008.
"Music was calling to me and I wrote a song called 'Voices on the Wind,' " Vaughan recalled in a 2013 Maui Beat interview about his affection for the Merrie Monarch. "I was feeling these things, like kupuna spirits talking to us and guiding us, and we have to try and follow the direction they want us to go. Eventually that led me to King Kalakaua. All of our kupuna of the past are very conscious of preserving Hawaiian blood and the Hawaiian nation. I just do what other Hawaiians have been doing from the time immemorial."
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Multiple-Grammy-winning legend Kris Kristofferson will perform a solo acoustic concert in the MACC's Castle Theater at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
His latest release, "The Cedar Creek Sessions," was just nominated for a Grammy for Best Americana Album. Recorded live, the two-disc set features stripped-down versions of some of Kristofferson's most revered tunes.
* Advance tickets are $30.50, $45.50 and $58.50 (plus applicable fees) and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
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Newly Grammy-nominated Maui musician Kalani Pe'a," will feature songs from his wonderful debut album, "E Walea," in a free show at 6 p.m. Friday at the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center in Kahului.
Kalani was nominated in the Regional Roots category, which since its inception in 2012, has not been won by any Hawaiian artist.
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The Maui Chamber Orchestra will present its Christmas Holiday Concert this weekend at the Historic Iao Theater in Wailuku.
The concert features Telemann's Concerto in B-flat Major for 2 flutes, 2 oboes and strings; Bach's Magnificat in D major, with the Maui Masterworks Chorale; Leopold Mozart's "Toy Symphony"; and Rutter's "Brother Heinrich's Christmas," with narrator Dale Button. Maui Masterworks Chorale will also sing various Christmas carols with the orchestra.
* Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday. Sunday's concert will also include "Conversations with the Conductor" with Robert E. Wills at 1.30 p.m. Tickets range from $27 to $55 and are available at www.mauionstage.com.
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Performing in the MACC's McCoy Studio Theater at 7:30 p.m. Friday as part of their "Home for the Holidays Tour," the musicians of Streetlight Cadence are eager to return to Hawaii.
"It's so cold in California right now," says Streetlight's Chaz Umamoto. "We're freezing. We're really looking forward to coming back home."
Their latest CD of reimagined Christmas favorites, "Home for the Holidays," will be available at the show.
* Tickets are $20 and $30, with a limited number for $45 seats for sale, (plus applicable fees) and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
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An inspiring, soulful artist, blessed with an emotive vocal style reminiscent of a mellow Eddie Vedder, Trevor Hall casts spellbinding songs with an acoustic roots base, flavored with reggae, electro-pop, Indian and some Native American influences.
Whatever subject he illuminates, his songs resonate with conviction. They uplift with a joyful spirit that is both comforting and hopeful.
At the age of 16, Hall recorded his first songs, and the following year he left his South Carolina home to study classical guitar at Idyllwild Arts Academy. It was during this time that he came across a photo of the Indian master Neem Karoli Baba.
Since that moment, he's been a frequent visitor to India where he spends time at the Yoga Vedanta Kutir ashram in Allahabad, and he helps raise funds for its orphanage.
He released his official debut album, "Trevor Hall," in 2009, which featured the single "Unity," written and performed with his longtime friend Matisyahu. His follow-up album, "Everything, Everytime, Everywhere," debuted on the iTunes Rock Chart at No. 3, and iTunes Top Albums at No. 12.
In recent years, he's toured with Matisyahu, SOJA and Michael Franti. One of his songs, "The Lime Tree," was featured on the "Shrek the Third" movie soundtrack. Hall's 2015 album, "Chapter of the Forest," included a tribute to our sacred mountain, "O Haleakala."
"My wife and I took our honeymoon to Maui," Hall explained. "We stayed just below Haleakala and went up there and felt a powerful connection."
Composed while living on Maui, his latest album, "Kala," takes its title from the Sanskrit word for time.
"This album mirrors my journey with time, my journey to surrender more deeply to it," said Hall. "'Kala' is about time the healer, time the teacher, time the friend and all the lessons within. My hope and prayer is that these songs and stories help inspire us to look at this journey of life in all its vastness rather than its limitation."
A Decoy Music review praised: "There are few people making music as genuine, authentic, earnest, appreciative, thankful and joyous as Trevor Hall in the world today."
* Trevor Hall will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the McCoy Studio Theater at the MACC. Pat Simmons Jr. will open. Tickets are $30, $45 and $65 (plus applicable fees) and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
Photo courtesy the band