RECORDINGS

$13.00

The Honolulu Advertiser
May 30, 2008
Review By Wayne Harada

Genre: 'Ukulele instrumentals.

Distinguishing notes: Herb Ohta Jr. and Daniel Ho, who have collaborated twice before, put their swift and agile hands to the service of surf-inspired instrumentals here. It's acoustic heaven, really.

The title refers to Waikiki surf — generally 2 to 3 feet, large enough for some wave action, small enough to be safe for newbies on boards. This sit-down-and-unwind-uke-strumming makes a good accompaniment.

The songs includs "Surfing Walls," "Slack Tides" and "Expressions" — the latter pair also found in the musicians' solo albums. "Wave," Antonio Carlos Jobim's bossa nova fave from Ohta's dad's repertoire, still has Latin and romantic inflections. (Dad is, of course, Herb "Ohta-san" Ohta.)

"Pahala We Go" has Big Island influences, composed while the duo taught uke with pal Keoki Kahumoku, and this playful scenario sets the right tone as the opening track.
Another joint effort, "Night Surfing," is a bit more tranquil and calming.

Wordless in its revival here, "Laupahoehoe Hula" (also called "The Boy From Laupahoehoe") brings back the Irmgard Aluli and Mary Kawena Pukui classic for a new generation of strummers to explore and adopt.

Our take: Just in time for summer listening, "2 to 3 Feet" adds up to casual and comforting fun.

The Star Bulletin
May 23, 2008
Island Mele
Review By John Berger

Herb Ohta Jr., and Grammy Award-winning producer Daniel Ho add a third chapter to their productive musical collaboration with this addition to their "'Ukuleles in Paradise" series. Most of the melodies are originals, but the duo shows their skill as arrangers by including three by other composers.

As with their previous projects, Ohta plays a conventional four-string ukulele, while Ho uses a six-string instrument. And, once again, there is no additional instrumentation. None are needed.

Instrumental albums often seem intended for background music or even as ambient noise, but the duo's craftsmanship consistently deserves attentive listening. The interplay between the two musicians, and the tonal interplay between distinctly different instruments, keeps their work interesting through repeat plays. Their interpretation of "Laupahoehoe Hula," for instance, contains just enough in the way of melodic references to make it an imaginative departure from the standard arrangement.