Kala‘e and Kalena Parish heading to the MACC Friday
Joining Henry Kapono for a show at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center on Friday, Big Island musician Kala‘e Parish has just released “Where I’m Going,” an exceptional album of country songs with a Hawaii focus.
ANā Hōkū Hanohano Award winner for his debut EP “Where I Reside” and “These Islands” video, Parish’s new album has helped his family heal.
“The album is a collection of some of my favorite songs that I’ve written within the past two and a half years,” he explained. “It was a healing project. A lot of the songs are about this journey that I had. In December 2021, me and my wife lost our daughter at birth. Ever since then this album was like my healing journey. It was my way of healing my family, healing myself, and bringing hope.”
While the plaintive ballad “Scars on Your Mama” explores the loss of his daughter Kamakoa, the album also features a number of fun, upbeat songs like the rousing rocking country of “Kickin’ Back.”
“There are a lot of upbeat songs that bring that positive and that groove I enjoy in music that I like to play,” he said. “So this album encompasses all of it.”
Among the highlights, the lively “Pretty Mama Dancin’” tips the hat to Makawao ladies, and on jazzy rocking New Orleans vibe of “Blow Your Mind,” he quotes the
Doobie Brothers’ “Black Water.”
“My dad is a big Doobie Brothers fan,” he said. “I grew up listening to the Doobie Brothers my entire life. And every time when I think of Maui, I think of cowgirls. I think of Makawao and the rodeo. I really hope that all the Maui cowgirls appreciate it. And so far from what I’ve been told, they love it.”
Another memorable track, the infectious opening “These Islands,” describes his love for Hawaii. “I moved away for college in
Oregon,” he recalled. “I was there for about five years, and that added to my country influence because I played football and everyone on my team loved country music. The song is relatable to a lot of people who go away and come back. It’s kind of my way of saying, home is irreplaceable. That song is encouraging everyone, including myself, we need to be home. We need to be back on our aina, our land and be rejuvenated in some way.”
Parish grew up loving country music and artists like George Strait and Garth Brooks, as well as the Eagles and the Doobie Brothers.
“Country music really resonates with me,” he said. “I took on country because I feel like it is who I am. Me and my wife have a small cattle ranch on the Big Island and we ride quite often. The cowboy lifestyle is definitely one that I love.”
Parish’s wife, Kalenaku, is a daughter of Kelly Boy DeLima and former keyboardist/vocalist with Kapena. Together they make magic as heard on their marvelous song “Heart & Soul,” which came out last summer. “She’s an amazing artist in her own right,” he noted. “She’s a beautiful singer and pianist, and she’s a songwriter as well. So we write songs together. I feel very lucky and fortunate.”
For their MACC show, he said Kapono will open, followed by Simmons Jr., “then we will come on, and we’ll all come back together for one huge finale. Henry has truly given us an opportunity not to just perform with him, and give us a moment in time, but to help us push our music to a broader audience. It’s amazing. We truly love him.”
Henry Kapono will perform at the MACC with guests Kala‘e and Kalena Parish, and Pat Simmons Jr. on Friday at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Artist 2 Artist series. Tickets are $45, $55 and $75, plus applicable fees, available at www.mauiarts.org.