This sixteenth album of steel guitar instrumental music combines stylings representative of Hawaiian music with the music of The Shadows in alternating groups of threes. This is in continuation with the previous “Shadows on Steel” and “Shadows on Steel – Encore” and “Marvin on Steel” albums. It was during the fifties that Hank Marvin used a Fender Stratocaster with the whammy bar, bending the strings to get the “steel guitar” effect which he perfected to create a superbly expressive timbre. An 8-string “Steelocaster”, a custom lap steel modeled on a Stratocaster, and an electroacoustic Jackson-Charvel were the lead instruments.The first hree tracks represent flowers, islands, and the sea…Jacaranda (Pua Jacaranda): This is an original composition , inspired by the soft purple colours and the sweet aroma that softly floats through the air during bloom where I live in Southern California. With its almost fluorescent blossoms set against delicate, fern-like foliage, the jacaranda tree is an annual signal that spring is ending and summer is on its way. In California, they first bloom almost exactly the month of June, with a second bloom in the fall, though not as spectacular as the spring bloom. In Hawaii, the Jacaranda most often blooms between April and May, just in time for Lei Day. Jacaranda trees line some of the roads, and also the hillsides at higher elevations on the way to the Haleakala crater in Maui, putting on a dazzling display of color. Jacaranda trees adorn streets all over the world from Australia to Argentina to South Africa to Nepal.Played here on the Steelocaster , A6 tuning. The tune is in the key of D. The first parts of the recording used the neck pick-up (switch position 1) the second with the harmonics used the middle pickup ( switch position 3) and the last used the bridge pick-up (switch position 5). If you listen carefully you will notice three different timbres on the same steel guitar. The other instruments used were a Roland E-09 keyboard sampler and an old classical Crown guitar, tuned to D9 (D-A-D-F#-A-E) to emulate a slack key guitar. All tracks were performed by me.So, sit back, close eyes, and enjoy the aroma of the jacaranda tree...!I Kona: Here is my interpretation and arrangement of this timeless Hawaiian classic composed by. This tune is often sung at the Hawaiian functions I attend. I first heard a version of it by Dennis Pavao, accompanied by Bobby Ingano's magical steel. Other influences: the Ken Emerson instrumental version, the version sung by Ledward Ka'apana, then the version by Kai Ho'opi'i. Accompaniments to the Steelocaster on flute, and on bass and rhythm guitars. All tracks by me.Whispering Sea: There are a few tunes with this name, but in my view none as pretty. This is for you Oh sea that whispers upon the sand/ Sands that are cherished by my lovely sweetheart, held in my embrace/Thoughts come to mind, that warms the heart /And seem to say This is for you Oh sea that whispers upon the sand. all tracks by me.Three tunes from the 70s…Three Times A Lady: a 1978 single written by Lionel Richie and it was first recorded by the Commodores. It was recorded on the Motown label, owned by an American record company. The name, derived from motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music by achieving a crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its soul-based subsidiaries were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as"The Motown Sound", a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence. The Shadows recorded an instrumental of the song on their Moonlight Shadows album (1986).This instrumental version has the lead played on Steelocaster A6 tuning with an accompanying rhythm track on a Martin Custom X acoustic guitar.. Backing by Ian McCutcheon and Dave Prickett. Key of A/D.Crying: With its sometimes static chord structure punctuated by augmenteds and minors,"Crying" was first released in July 1961 and quickly rose to the top of the US charts. In 1987, Orbison rerecorded the song as a duet with K.D. Lang as part of the soundtrack for the motion picture, Hiding Out. Their collaboration won the Grammy Award for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. In 2002,"Crying" was honored with a Grammy Hall of Fame Award. In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked it #69 on their list of the"500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Several cover versions have been recorded, from Hank Marvin's instrumental to vocal versions by BJ Thomas, Don McLean ( #1 hit in the UK Jun/July1980), Dottie West, Lynn Anderson, and others. He is quoted as having written this as the result of an encounter he had with an old flame with whom he still was in love with. He refused to say how much she meant to him, and when he ran into her again it was too late. Played here on the Steelocaster, key of G - C. All accompaniments by me. California Blue: from Roy Orbison's posthumously released LP in 1989,"Mystery Girl" . Played on the Steelocaster, Key of D, accompanied by : Joel Casino: Rhythm guitar 1 (Gibson Humming Bird Artist, 2007)Gil Mosard : Rhythm Guitar 2: ( Gibson J45, 2005). Stratocaster accompaniment and keyboard tracks by me. Overlays on an original backing track by richard mbt.A Place in the Sun: One of the late great Jerry and xxx Lordan's loveliest tunes, alongside"Apache" and"Wonderful Land","A Place in the Sun" was recorded by The Shadows but remains one of their lesser known tunes. Written in the key of F, the verse chords are an intriguing Eb/F/Fmin/Bb/Bbmin with a Db/F#maj7/Fm/Bbmin bridge This arrangement is adapted for steel guitar lead, and I have taken some liberties with an improvised ending. The arrangement and all tracks are by me. Instruments used: Steelocaster steel guitar, GIbson" Chet Atkins" and Martin Custom X for the guitar accompaniments and rhythm guitar respectively, and a Roland E-09 for the sampled sounds. Surround Me With Love: I heard this tune often on KCCN radio during our first visit to Hawaii around thirty years ago, and the magic still remains. Oliver Kelly was the singer. The composition by Norris Wilson and Wayland Holyfield was also recorded by country singer Charly McClain. This arrangement for steel guitar is mine. Steel guitars: Charvel-Jackson electro-acoustic, open D tuning, and the Steelocaster A6 tuning. Joel Casino plays rhythm guitar, bass, and accompaniment guitar. The cello, accordion, vibraphone tracks were recorded using Roland E-09 sampled timbres. Key of F. Maui Waltz: Composition by Bob Nelson. Played on A6 Steelocaster and Dmaj Charvel Jackson electro-acoustic. All accompaniment backing tracks by me.I hear the Maui waltzIt brings back memoriesI hear the Maui waltzAnd you are haunting meThe night you told meThat you loved me soBut no one told meThat when the dance was throughI'd be losing youI hear the Maui waltzAnd my arms are empty nowI hear the Maui waltzBut it doesn't hurt somehow'Cause you're here with meWhen the music starts to playPlay on, play on Maui waltzThree instrumentals influenced by Hank Marvin…Amarantine: is the title tune of an album of the same name by Irish musician Enya. The album was released on November 22, 2005. It won the Grammy in 2007 for Best New Age Album and is the third top selling new age album of the 2000s in the US. The amaranth colour is a shade of deep purple-red. The word is taken from ancient Greek and means everlasting or immortal (the same as the amaranth flower). The album was launched in the Castle of Vaux Le Vicomte near Paris. Record company Warner gave Enya an impressive banquet starting with fireworks set to the new music. Enya wore amaranth dresses throughout the entire promotional tour."We called the album 'Amarantine' to mean everlasting. Poets use the word to describe an everlasting flower and I loved the image of that." -EnyaEnya's signature sound uses simple arrangements with extensive multitracking vocals. The vocals are performed individually, and are then layered together to form a virtual choir, although all the voices are Enya herself.This instrumental version has three steel guitars playing the lead: the Steelocaster, a Charvel Jackson electro-acoustic, and a MSA Classic XL pedal steel. Key of Ab. The other instruments used on this recording were a Martin Custom X guitar and a Roland E-09 keyboard.You Only Live Twice: (1967) is the fifth spy film in the James Bond series, and the fifth to star Sean Connery. The film's screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, and loosely based on Ian Fleming's 1964 novel of the same name.The soundtrack was the fourth of the series to be composed by John Barry. He tried to incorporate the"elegance of the Oriental sound" with Japanese music-inspired tracks. The movie soundtrack song is widely recognised for its striking opening bars.Played here on the Steelocaster A6 tuning run through an Alessis Quadraverb with patch #51"Walking on Air", Fender Hotrod and an Punch Factory compressor. The base backing track is from Music Minus One and four rhythm guitar tracks were added: Martin Custom X and Gibson Chet Atkins, two acoustic and two electric. Key of B. The first mix has been replaced by this second mix with the steel guitar more prominently featured, as requested by many listeners.Carillon: This beautiful composition is credited to Herbie Flowers and Ian Gomm, and was first performed first by Sky. Sky was a super-fusion group from the late 1970s and early 1980s who combined the elegant romanticism and technical proficiency of Australian classical guitarist John Williams, with the funk and world music influences of Herbie Flowers and Tristan Monk of the UK. They were an extraordinary group, largely unheralded, but revered by musicophiles for decades for their adventurous approach to instrumentation and their genre defying arrangements. A carillon is a musical instrument consisting of an arrangement of bells that is typically housed in the belfry (bell tower) of a church and operated by a keyboard and pedals. An example is Big Ben in London. A carillon has unusual harmonic characteristics with strong overtones above and below the fundamental frequency with acoustic peculiarities by way of the prominence of the minor third. This plaintive rendition on lap steel guitar featured the Steelocaster, for the first and harmonics ending parts, into an Alessis Quadraverb. For the fuzz timbre the Steelocaster was routed into a Johnson J-station. A Boss foot-pedal FV-300L was used for the first and fuzz timbres. A plectrum was used for the fuzz timbre. Backing by Ian McCutcheon and Dave Prickett. Additional rhythm guitar (Martin custom) and"carillon" (Roland E-09 sampler) by me. Key of F. This is dedicated to the memory of Paul Morley. Finally, three Hawaiian tunes…I Am Hawaii: And while on the James Michener mode...I am Hawai'i, I am forever... A lyrical and haunting melody, written for the 1966 film"Hawaii". It was composed by Elmer Bernstein (April 4, 1922 – August 18, 2004) best known for his many film scores. In a career which spanned fifty years, he composed music for hundreds of film and television productions."Hawaii" is a 1966 Hollywood film based on the novel of the same name by James A. Michener.Played here in an orchestral setting (conch shell/ strings/cello/ percussion) with steel guitar in a supporting role.The arrangement is mine. The bass track was performed by David Das and all other tracks were performed by me. The keyboard sampler used was the Roland E-09. The steel guitar is the Steelocaster A6. The rhythm guitar was a Martin Custom X. Played in the Key of C.Lyrics: I am Hawaii, I am forever I will always be kind to you May gentle rain wash your cares far out to sea Come you dreamers and dream with me I am Hawaii, I am the flowers Whispering waters enchanted hours Come you lovers, come to forever I am Hawaii, I'll bring you loveAdventures in Paradise: is an American television series of the 60s created by James Michener. The title tune was made famous byThe Atlantics, an Australian surf rock band founded in 1961. The group celebrated their 50th Anniversary of their first album this year. Over the years The Atlantics have re-emerged sporadically. In 1999 they three reformed on a more permanent basis with guitarist Martin Cilia, whom I had the pleasure to play with at Huntingdon Beach about a year ago.Played here on the Steelocaster, A6 tuning, key of A. The arrangement and all the backing is mine: - Roland E-09: strings, rhythm and bass, percussion- Gibson Chet Atkins: rhythm guitar.To You Sweetheart, Aloha: Just got back from Waikiki, loads of fun. While there, I happened to I meet up with a talented group with whom I spent many hours jamming at the beach and at Ala Moana Center. One tune that kept coming back was Harry Owens' 1935 hit"To You Sweetheart, Aloha". This recording is dedicated to them and to all the musicians I met in Waikiki last week.The main steel guitar lead is played on an electroacoustic Charvel Jackson converted to lap steel, DADF#AD tuning. The synthesizer is a Roland E-09, the rhythm guitar a Martin Custom, and the second steel part is played on the Steelocaster A6 tuning. Key of F. All tracks were played by me and the arrangement is mine, trying to emulate the twin sax and steel guitar of the Billy Vaughn orchestra of the 60's. To you sweetheart AlohaAloha from the bottom of my heartKeep the smile on your lipsBrush the tears from your eyesOne more Aloha then it's time for goodbyeTo you sweetheart AlohaIn dreams I'll be with you, dear, tonightAnd I'll pray for that day when we two will meet againUntil then sweetheart AlohaTo you sweetheart AlohaIn dreams I'll be with you, dear, tonightAnd I'll pray for that day when we two will meet againUntil then sweetheart AlohaGirl: was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an original idea by Lennon and performed by the Beatles on their 1965 album Rubber Soul. Played here on the Steelocaster A6 tuning. A custom track from RIchard mbt of the UK was augmented by me with two rhythm guitar tracks using a Martin Custom, and an accordion track using the Roland E0-9. Key of Eb.Chu Chi: A steel guitar version of an earlier recording by The Shadows ...with a bit of a twist... key of A going on B. Backing by Gary Taylor.The Power of Love: was co-written and originally recorded by Jennifer Rush in 1984. Céline Dion subsequently made it a worldwide success and it has been translated into several languages, becoming a pop standard. It is the second single from Céline Dion's album, The Colour of My Love which was released in November 1993 in North America, and the next year the rest of the world. The Shadows recorded it in 1986 on their"Moonlight Shadows" album.This version on lead steel guitar was performed on the Steelocaster with an Alesis Quadraverb GT into the mixer. The rhythm guitar track was recorded with a Martin Custom X. All other backing is by Ian McCutcheon and Dave Prickett of the UK. Key of E.