"Kay, This One's For Gabby"

There is so much to say about "Bruddah" Iz (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole), I hardly know where to begin. Most people have heard his music, although they would be hard pressed to name him, (let alone pronounce his name), the song that made him well known, or where they heard it. His music was featured on "ER" in the episode "Saying goodbye to Dr. Green." His rendition of Somewhere over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World was also heard in movies, such as "Meet Joe Black," "Finding Forrester," and "50 First Dates." Iz was one of only 1,500 true blooded Hawai'ian's left in the world.



My grandparents lived on Ohau, for a number of years, in the 60's. I spent two summers there, when I was twelve and when I was fourteen. My fondness for Hawai'ian music started then. I learned to play the ukelele, to make traditional flower leis, and dance the traditional Hawai'ian way. I lived there as an adult, briefly, in the mid-70's, but I could never get over "island fever," and eventually moved back to the mainland.

Hawai'i, to me, was never the place you visit. It had it's own mystique. And the music has never left me. There is something so pure, simple and true in Hawai'ian music, and Iz was very much its spokesman. Alone, as a solo artist, or part of Makaha Sons of Ni'Ihau, the music was always representative of Hawai'i.

Iz was huge, figuratively and literally. Born May 20, 1959, and standing 6'2" and weighing in at 700 lbs., Iz passed away at age 38, on June 26, 1997. He sang with the Makaha Sons of Ni'ihau before soloing in 1993. Iz garnered many No Hoku Hanohano awards, including entertainer of the year. Iz never performed a song that didn't have a meaning to it. Gaylord Holomalia, co-producer of Iz's album "n Dis Life" said, "Sometimes when he played songs in concerts, he would end it with tears in his eyes. He never played just music. He lived it and the message."

Below is an excerpt from a book in progress by Jack Boulware about the life of Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, telling the story of Iz's recording of Over The Rainbow/In This Life. (For those that are not aware of who "Gabby" is, Iz's reference is to Hawai'ian slack key guitar player Gabby Pahinui).

Honolulu, two a.m. Music producer Jon de Mello is sleeping when the phone rings. It's Israel, one of the artists he represents for his Mountain Apple record label. And Israel is wide awake. He often has problems at night because his weight upwards of 700 pounds forces him to sleep while hooked up to an oxygen tank. He tells de Mello he wants to record, right now.

"You got transportation?" asks de Mello. It's difficult for Israel to move around, he needs a few people to help him get dressed, get in and out of places. The studio is about 15 minutes away.

"Yeah," says Israel. "My guys are here." "Get in the car," says de Mello. "I'll meet you over there." In the car, de Mello wonders what he wants to record. They've been discussing a bunch of possibles from a songbook. But it's Israel, you never really know for sure what he's going to do. A traditional Hawai'ian hula. A John Denver song. A theme from a TV show. Could be anything.

A young engineer named Milan Bertosa sits in his recording studio, waiting. He was planning to go home, until some Hawai'ian guy with a lot of letters in his name called up and wanted to record something right away. It's late, Bertosa is tired, but the voice was insistent, saying he only needed half an hour. A knock at the door, and there stands an unimaginable sight. De Mello, whom Bertosa recognizes, stands about five foot two and 100 pounds. Next to him, the largest man he's ever seen, a gargantuan six-foot-six Hawai'ian carrying a ukulele. De Mello introduces the two, they get Israel situated in a chair, and Bertosa starts rolling tape.

Israel leans into the microphone, says: "Kay, this one's for Gabby," and begins gently strumming the uke. His beautiful voice comes in, a lilting "Oooooo," then slips into the opening words of "Over the Rainbow," from "The Wizard of Oz." Bertosa listens behind the glass, and within the first few bars knows it's something very special. He spends most of his timer recording lousy dance music. This is otherworldly. An incredibly fat man, elegantly caressing a Hollywood show tune, breaking it down to its roots, so sad and poignant, yet full of hope and possibility. Halfway through the tune, Israel spirals off into "What a Wonderful World," the George David Weiss/Bob Thiele hit made famous by Louis Armstrong, then melts back into "Over the Rainbow." He flubs a lyric, and tosses in a new chord change, but it doesn't matter. It feels seamless, chilling. Israel plays five songs in a row, then turns to de Mello and says, "I'm tired and I'm going home." "Gets up and walks out," says de Mello. "Ukulele and a vocal, one take. Over." Israel never played the song again.

More here.