Natalie Ai, 'E (2005)

Howard Ai, Pa'ahana (2008)

Ano, Fruit From the Tree featuring Ikaika Kahoano (1999)

Rachel Asebido, What Love Has Joined Together (1990)

BB Shawn, Live and Kickin’ featuring "Tears in Heaven" (1997)

BB Shawn, No Boundaries featuring "I Will Not Lie For You" & "Eleni" (1998)

BB Shawn, Finding My Way, "Hope Joanna" (1996)

Brother Noland, Mission Position featuring "Rockajama Music" (1991)

Brother Noland, Reef Runaway "Sing With the Stars" (1989)

Brother Noland, Sun Daddy (1993)

Calvary Chapel, Praise Be the Lord featuring "The Way,the
Truth & the Light" (1987)

Calvary Chapel, Praise in the Islands (1999)

Charo, Caliente (1994), and Gusto (1997)

Danny Couch, "For the First Time" single (1997)

Guy Cruz, Judgment Time (1998)

Ekolu, Down in the Valley featuring "Down in the Valley" (1999)

Ekolu, Shores of Wai’ehu featuring "Just One Night" (2001)

Ekolu, Back to the Valley (2004)

Ellsworth Simeona, Lets Do it Again featuring "Groovin" (2002)

Steven Espaniola, Ho`omaka (2006)

Troy Fernandez, Surfer from Palolo featuring "Haleiwa" (2000)

Fiji, Born and Raised featuring "Love" (1996)

First Verse, From the Top (2007)

Forte, Forte (1997), and Changes (1998)

Napua Greig, Pihana (2007)

GYS All Stars For the Dough (2003)

Hawaiian Style Band, Ohana featuring "I Will Be There" (1995)

Hawaiian Style Band, Rhythm of the Ocean featuring "Rhythm of the Ocean" and "Heiau" (1994)

Hawaiian Style Band, Vanishing Treasures, featuring "Love and Honesty" and "Live a Little" (1992)

Raiatea Helm, Sweet and Lovely (2004)

Raiatea Helm, Hawaiian Blossom(2007)

Ho’Aikane, Ano Kua Aina featuring "Seven Spanish Angels" (1987)

Ho’Aikane, Bulletproof featuring "Slowly But Surely" (1993)

Ho’Aikane, Massive (1995)

Holoholo Mai Maui, Various (2003)

Ho’onua, Have a Good Time featuring "Blue Light" (2000)

Ilona Irvine, "Merry Christmas Darling" single (2001)

Bobby Ingano, Steel Reflections (1998)

Jon & Justin, Y2J (2000)

Mike Ka’awa Hawaiian Groove (2003)

Robi Kahakalau, All I Want featuring "All I Want is You" (2000)

Robi Kahakalau, Keiki O’ Ka Aina featuring "Keiki O’ Ka Aina" (1997)

Robi Kahakalau, Sistah Robi featuring "Makua" 1995

David Kamakahi , Pa'ani (2004)

Dennis Kamakahi, The Gift of Music-Father to Son (2003)

Kani Makou, Easy Stylin' (2003), Cool State of Mind featuring "I'm Waiting" (2005)

Kapena, Future Frontiers featuring "Say I Love You" and "Kalena Koo" (1993)

Kapena, New Horizons featuring "Tropical Baby" (1990)

Kapena, Kapena featuring "Red, Red Wine" (1987)

Henry Kapono, Kapono (1992), and Hits (1993)

Henry Kapono, Song for Someone (1991)

Henry Kapono, Home in the Islands (1997)

Keahiwai, Local Girls, (2001), Changing, (2006)

Abe Keala, Abe Keala & Something Special (1989)

Weldon Kekauoha, Hawaiian Man, featuring "Hawaiian Man" (1999)

Weldon Kekauoha, Kanaka Maoli (2003)

Steve Kramer, Kettle of Dreams (2003)

Mahela, My Heart (2006)

Makaha Sons, Kuikawa featuring "Round and Round in Waikiki" (1996)

The Mana’o Company, Just Beyond the Ridge featuring "Drop, Baby, Drop" and "96°" (1990)

The Mana’o Company, True Inspiration featuring "Unity" & "Model T" (1991)

The Mana’o Company, Spread a Little Aloha featuring "A-L-O-H-A" (2002)

Maunalua, Maunalua (2000), Kuleana (2003), Ho'okanaka (2007)

Mililani, Mililani (1995)

Sean Na’auao, Fish and Poi featuring "Fish and Poi" (1997)

Sean Na’auao, Give Something Back featuring "Valley of Makaha" (1993)

Sean Na’auao, Christmas Album (2003)

Sean and Robi, Sean N. and Robi K. (2007)

Na Palapalai, Makani Olu’olu (2002), Ke 'Ala Beauty (2004)

Natalie Kamauu, "E" (2005)

Natural Vibes, All Natural featuring "Put a Little Lovin’ in Your Heart" (1998)

Natural Vibes, Getting High featuring "Come Around" (2000)

Native Roots, Tribute to My King (2000)

Nightwing, Nightwing featuring "Island Holiday" (1988)

Owana Salazar, Wahine Slack ‘N Steel (2002), Hula Jazz (2004)

Pai’ea, Pai’ea (2000)

Paka Smith, Let’s Stay Together (2000)

Palolo, Hawaiian Girl featuring "Hawaiian Girl" (1999)

Positive Groove, Positive Groove (2000)

Jeff Rasmussen, Without You featuring "Come Sail Away" (1990)

Rolando Sanchez, Ahora (1991)

Jordan Segundo, Jordan (2004)

Soul Free, Endless Paradise featuring "Boom Child" and "Lover Boy" (2001)

Soul Free, Soul Free featuring "Dr. of Love" and "L-O-V-E" (1999)

Sudden Rush, Ea (2002)

Three Plus, For You featuring "Undercover Lover" (2002)

Three Scoops of Aloha, Poka’i Bay featuring "Sweet Lady of Waihole" (1987)

Tiffany Thurston, L.I.F.E (2008)

Tiny, Tiny CD1 featuring "Bluer Than Blue" & "So Amazing" (2001)

Tiny, Tiny CD 2 featuring "Kiss Me" (2002)

Traci Toguchi, Feel the Breeze (2006)

Tropical Knights, Tropical Knights featuring "Sweet and Slow" (1993)

Typical Hawaiians, In a Positive Vibration featuring "Crazy" (1999)

Various, Pride of the Islands featuring "On and On" (2000)

Various, Pure Aloha (2003)

Al Waterson, Songs in the Key of Love (1999)

Jon Yamasato, Best of 1996-2006 (2006)

Hoku Zuttermeister , 'Aina Kupuna (2007)


Please excuse any non-intentional omissions.

Here’s some personal notes from Dave about some of his favorite recordings.

What To Say

We were working on Forte’s second album “Changes”, when the girls approached me about writing a song together. I said, “why not!”, and we came up with this little diddy. I always loved the close, tight four-part harmonies on Janet and Michael Jackson’s recordings, and I wanted to do something like that with the girls. They had a great work ethic in the studio and would do it until it was right. Their blend was more than I could have hoped for.

Heiau

One of my favorite Bryan Kessler compositions. I loved it immediately the first time I heard it. I worked real hard with Bryan, forming and shaping each melody line, and he sang it beautifully. One of my favorite parts of the song is at the transition back to the chorus after Leina’ala’s classic chant. I asked Bryan to play a slack key vamp, and at the key change, I double-tracked Wade Cambern playing a 12th fret harmonic on a 12-string guitar tuned to a  C chord. I always see the sun breaking through the clouds at that moment.
There was some controversy about the potential “paganism” intoned by the theme of the song, so it was not included on the “Vanishing Treasures” CD. Bryan and Wade visited Reverend Akaka at Kawaiahao Church in the meantime for his opinion. He stated that he was maybe “too Hawaiian for his Christianity”, but he thought the song held no negative religious connotations. So, it was released as a single, and later included on the “Rhythm of the Ocean” CD.

Jungle Rain

The Mana’o Company were young, talented and eager to make a great CD in 1989. They displayed patience and maturity beyond their years, and worked as hard as anyone I’ve worked with to make a lasting project. Jungle Rain is a difficult four-part harmony song to perform. After trying several different methods, I decided to isolate three singers from each other, and have them sing one verse at a time. I then went back and listened to each part and corrected where necessary. Once the verse was complete, I would then double-track it and correct until it was right. Then, we would go on to the next verse, chorus, etc. using the same process. After their parts were completed, I then added the fourth part. Sean Na’auao’s father, Lani, gave the guys a wonderful vocal arrangement, and their blend and performance were classic. Also, on the title song of the album, “Just Beyond the Ridge”, I arranged the beginning and end vocals for five-part harmony. That’s Sean Na’auao singing all the parts doubled.

Tradition

After the release of the first CD, “Just Beyond the Ridge”, the now seasoned performers of the Mana’o Company came back to record “True Inspiration”. It was a much heavier, reggae-influenced album. John Baricuatro Jr. hit what I call  a “hole-in-one” on Tradition. He sang it all the way through in only one take. In the 20+ years I’ve been professionally recording, I can count the amount of times this has happened on one hand. He doesn’t sing perfectly at the very end, but I didn’t change it because I liked how it complimented the darkness of the track.

Every Child A Promise

One of my favorite Sistah Robi tracks from Keiki O Ka Aina. I LOVED the blend of Robi, Fiji, and John Cruz, and their individual stylistic contributions. Great song, great performances.

Rhythm of the Ocean

I really enjoyed working on this title track of the second Hawaiian Style Band album. Robi and Fiji were great, and Wade Cambern wrote a great song. The guys wanted to mix in LA at Mad Hatter Studios (Chick Corea’s). For this CD, I would spend from 8-10 hours mixing per song. It was a real joy having that luxury of time and working in a first class facility. (If you listen closely to the beginning of Rhythm of the Ocean, you'll hear me say "Rhythm 52". I was poking fun at the band for how many takes we were doing when trying to record the basic rhythm track. We decided to leave it in).