Carrere Sings Nostalgic
Hawaiiana partially satisfies

Desireé Moana Cruz

Honolulu born and raised Hollywood actress Tia Carrere is coming home-sort of-with a new CD, Hawiiana.
Best known as Cassandra, the singing and electric guitar playing rock and roll hottie in the 1992 comedy flick Wayne's World(with Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey), Carrere has had other big roles including the villainous Juno Skinner in True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger and the voice of big sister Nani in Disney's animated Lilo and Stitch. As many know who watched her strut her stuff in Season 2 of CBS's Dancing With the Stars, Carrere has proven she is a triple threat who can sing, dance and act.
In 1993 Her first solo CD, Dream, hit platinum in the Philippines. That same year, Carrere was featured on the soundtrack of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm, performing the ending theme, "I Never Even Told You."
Carrere sees Hawaiiana as an opportunity to "share some of my favorite songs from the place I was born and raised and long to return to-Hawai'i." Carrere takes a musical stroll back to Kalihi Valley and the cherished memories of good fun and family gatherings. A few songs are dedicated to her young daughter, Bianca, and signal a tender perspective that motherhood often brings.
Produced by two time GRAMMY Award winner Daniel Ho, Hawaiiana includes 11 tracks-including well-known titles like Queen Liliuokalani's "Aloha 'Oe," Iva Kinimaka's "He Aloha Mele," Helen Desha Beamer's "Pupu Hinuhinu," Kui Lee's "I'll Remember You" and James Kaholokula, Sr.'s "Pua 'Olena." Other traditional songs such as "Hi'ilawe," "Ku'u ipo I Ka He'e Pu'e One" and "Po La'i E" make the final cut.
Ho and Carrere met as high school competitors in the popular Brown Bags To Stardom talent contest in the early 1980s, and each has gone on to achieve major successes in music and film.
One can imagine the two friends waxing nostalgic over the good old days. Carrere's voice is lovely and sure and invokes a sincere joy in revisiting these songs that are close to her heart. Ho adeptly accompanies her with classic ukulele and slack key stylings.
Still, this intimate glimpse is just that, only a glimpse into a musical moment in the life of one of Hawai'i's most beloved actresses. Carrere's interpretations are basic and leave us wanting more. Her version of Joe Raposo's "Sing" (made famous by Karen Carpenter) sounds exactly like Carpenter-in a weird karaoke kind of way. Upon closer inspection, the listener is left with more questions than answers. Where's Tia? How about an original composition or two? Why didn't Ho give us something more personal?
For the legions of fans who have followed Carrere's rise to stardom, this feels more like a quick public appearance instead of a homecoming. After watching her for years on the big screen, we want something more, a real sense of what it feels like when a local girl makes it to the big time.
The accomplished Carrere has been wowing audiences ever since she left the islands for Hollywood in the early 80's. I guess we're just used to being wowed.
Hawaiiana is available at all major music outlets. Visit tiacarrere.com or danielho.com
Kris Kato
Honolulu, Hilo, New York, Cannes? Plagued by a burning desire to study filmmaking, former Hawai'i Community College student Kris Kato took a leap of faith and headed out to NYC a year ago to attend the New York Film Academy. Within this short time frame, Kato has written, produced and directed his first film project.
Immersed in the international sights and sounds of the Big Apple, he took note of the myriad of immigrants, each with their own distinct culture and religion, and was inspired to write "Foulard," a 20 minute short about the 2004 French law that banned the wearing of Islamic headscarves in public schools.
Kato, a long time Hawaiian Studies enthusiast, was moved to draw parallels in what he viewed as "the similar struggles that ethnic peoples face everywhere." Recently returned from France, where his debut film was accepted in the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival, he was accompanied by his father, producer/photographer/ former Bamboo Art Gallery owner (and long time Hilo resident) Nick Kato, who himself recently returned from filming the voyage of the canoes Hokule'a and Alingano Maisu as they traveled to Micronesia and Japan.
The younger Kato will continue to study in New York and focus on acting classes this summer at the famed Atlantic Acting School, founded by David Mamet, whose guest lecturers have included Sam Sheppard, Gore Vidal, Mary Steenburgen and Ted Danson.
"This will help make me a better writer and director," Kato says.
Aloha a hui hou as the beat goes on…
Reach Desiree at islandbeat@hawaiiislandjournal.com.
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