Page 3
One of Benny's most enviable and unique gifts is an impeccable sense of
counterpoint and harmonic prolongation displayed in his arrangements, all of
which are meticulously planned. In I Didn't Know What Time It Was, beautiful
moving lines and broken chord patterns appear in the voices below sustained
melody notes, just as one would hear in a symphonic arrangement or a classical
piano solo.
Benny loves Ka Wai Lele O Nu'uanu so much that he includes two versions:
one with accompaniment and, as a closer, a version without accompaniment,
where the intricacies of his chord voicings can be more clearly heard.
All of the above represent the several hallmarks in Benny's 'ukulele playing.
He is an innovator many times over and a master with no peers of so many
techniques. Additionally, he is one of the few 'ukuleleists capable of playing
effectively without any accompaniment, as is demonstrated in half the numbers on his CD.
This CD project started out as a gift from Benny for his children and their
children, but it is destined to become a classic. He elevates 'ukulele playing to new
heights, thus raising the bar for all future 'ukulele soloists. Thanks to Benny, this
humble instrument of folk origin will be taken a little more seriously from now on,
and 'ukulele playing will never be the same.
Byron Yasui
Professor of Music, University of Hawai'i
Honolulu, October 18, 2004