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Click on album cover for high resolution jpeg. 2 to 3 Feet—the ideal Waikiki surf conditions as measured by Hawaiian surf reports. Not too big, not too small, but just right for catching that long and easy ride to shore. 2 to 3 Feet is also the third in Herb and Daniel’s `Ukuleles in Paradise collaborations. It picks up where their last album, Step 2, left off. This `ukulele outing offers surf-inspired original melodies and refreshing takes on seaside standards. Perfect for enjoying any ride—in or out of the water. |
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| Song List
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| Reviews
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"2 To Three Feet: 'Ukuleles in Paradise 3" Herb Ohta Jr., and Daniel Ho (Daniel Ho Creations) 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.
Uke sounds of '2 to 3 Feet' catches wave of fun "2 to 3 Feet" by Herb Ohta Jr. and Daniel Ho 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. |
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| Album Notes
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| Lucky we live Hawai`i… Miles and miles of blue skies, verdant greens, sanctuary-like beaches and glassy waves. A picture-perfect image that remains clear in our minds regardless of how near or far Hawai`i may be. With such splendor as a source of inspiration, it’s no wonder these melodies came to us so fluidly. We stay true to our formula of acoustic simplicity—Herb playing mainly on the left speaker and Daniel on the right. Title track included, these songs highlight our third collaborative effort: Pahala We Go is a funky piece that sprang to life in the Ka`u District of the Big Island while teaching `ukulele classes alongside Keoki Kahumoku. On a side note, this lively escapade even included a wiggly dance in its beginning stages of composition. Wave and Bodysurfing are memorable tunes that we grew up with. The latter is an Ohta-San classic. As if this song wasn’t difficult enough, we decided to play it with a swing. Jazz the Glass is an old school reference to riding the waves. In this piece, the left hand moves up and down the neck of the `ukulele, akin to a surfer carving a wave. Surfing Walls. “Walls” refers to the beginner’s surf spot across the street from the Honolulu Zoo. We imagined strumming charangos on this billowy, Latin-influenced tune. Slack Tides and Expressions are up-tempo originals that were previously recorded on our solo albums. This time, we wanted to have some fun with them as `ukulele duets. Alchemy Hour, in surfing lexicon, refers to a period of time when elements magically come together—perfect waves that serve as a portal to enlightenment. For us, it’s that feeling we get when everything just clicks during a live performance. |
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| Credits
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Herb Ohta, Jr. & Daniel Ho play KoAloha ‘ukuleles. www.herbohtajr.com Record Label: Daniel Ho Creations Recorded: January & April 2008 Release Date: May 2008 |
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