HONOLULU, HI–(Marketwire – August 31, 2010) –  Released today, CJ Helekahi’s debut CD “Ka Mahina” shares music inspired by Hana, Maui with the world. Known to many as “Boom,” CJ has a reputation for the beauty of his voice, from his soaring tenor to his caressing falsetto. With the release of “Ka Mahina” (The Moon), CJ comes full circle with music that embodies the pure spirit of tropical Hana and highlights his unique vocal abilities and range. Guest artists Kaiolohia Funes Smith, Leokane Pryor and Pekelo Cosmo join CJ on “Ka Mahina” to create a Hawaiian music experience unlike any other.

Visitors to the legendary Hotel Hana-Maui have long enjoyed CJ’s intimate performances, and after years of local acclaim, he is bringing his voice — and love of Hana — to fans everywhere. On “Ka Mahina,” each song leaves a lasting and meaningful impression, including CJ’s special favorites: “Church in an Old Hawaiian Town,” “Hele Mai” and “Mahina ‘O Hoku.”

“‘Church in an Old Hawaiian Town’ is one of the first that I learned, and a favorite that I love to sing,” said CJ Helekahi. “It builds so much feeling within me whenever I perform it. It’s not the lyrics that get me; it’s the memories of all the musicians that I’ve played with and the experiences that we all shared singing this song. I sang this song with the very first group of musicians that invited me to sing with them, and who gave me the chance to sing at Hotel Hana-Maui. Three out of five of these musicians have passed before their time. With this song, I give them so much aloha and mahalo.”

“Ka Mahina” features original songs by CJ, whose songwriting style is drawn from many sources, including musicians he performed with at the Hotel Hana-Maui. For inspiration, CJ looked no further than his music-immersed childhood.

“My most memorable influence is my grand-mom, Clara Tolentino,” said CJ. “When I was much younger, my brothers, sisters and I spent a lot of time with our grandparents and relatives due to my parents’ busy work schedules. Where my grandparents lived, there was no electricity to play Atari or watch TV like the rest of the town, so my grandparents and relatives spent a lot of time singing. They sang many different songs, but I noticed my grand-mom humming this one tune, ‘Hele Mai,’ a lot. After she passed, I didn’t hear or play the song until I started this project.”

“Singing ‘Hele Mai’ means so much to me; to sing it brings me back to those times watching her hang clothes on the sundried line or sitting in her chair sewing a blanket hearing her humming away,” continued CJ. “That is the way I remember my grandparents.” 

Produced by Dave Tucciarone and distributed by the Mountain Apple Company HAWAI’I, “Ka Mahina” includes four original and six classic songs.

“Ka Mahina” track list:
1. Hilo Hula
2. Mele O Lana`i
3. Aloha Kaua`i
4. Church in an Old Hawaiian Town
5. Never This Lucky
6. Mahina ‘O Hoku
7. Ka Mahina Malamalama
8. What Aloha Means to Me
9. I Will Never Leave You Hana, Maui
10. Hele Mai

For more information about CJ Helekahi and Hawaiian music, visit http://mountainapplecompany.com/cjhelekahi and connect with CJ on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/CJ-Helekahi/186495576356.

About The Mountain Apple Company HAWAI’I: The Mountain Apple Company HAWAI’I is a multifaceted record label that also publishes, licenses, produces, and distributes scores of island music. The Mountain Apple Company HAWAI’I provides talent management and consulting for many of Hawaii’s most successful entertainers in addition to providing innovative concert and talent promotion, stage design, and production. For more information, visit http://mountainapplecompany.com.

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