Review of Hawaiian & Hawaiian Guitar Records

Review of Hawaiian & Hawaiian Guitar Records

1891 - 1960

Written and Compiled by T. Malcolm Rockwell

Mahina Piha Press

Running a company like Document puts me slightly on the back foot when it comes making any criticism about the activities of someone like T. Malcolm Rockwell. Certainly, I rarely tell anyone to get a life these days.

Projects like these are so commendable for two main reasons. I’m sure that you will be ahead of me here. First, there is the fact that the cloud of mystery that hangs over the huge body of recording suddenly disperses and there we are, everything that we need to know about the recorded output of hundreds and hundreds of artists. Second, the sheer task of such an undertaking, which in this case, has taken fifteen years of research.

The discography comes in CD form . It can be a little tricky to open at first but once that you figure out which suits your computer best, with guides by the author in the printed booklet notes, then what you are faced with can only be described as astonishing (I found that the best way is to open it for me was through Acrobat Reader).

In pdf format this innocent looking disc contains a discography that is the equivalent to 1,398 pages! On screen there is a bookmark index so that the user can quickly go to a front page with a short explanation for each of the ninne categories covered; Chants, Hawaiian Melodies, Hapa-haole, Haole, International, Popular, Religious, Steel Guitar, Historical & Spoken Word. There is a quick A to Z bookmark along with notes on labels, abbreviation indexes etc. Then, of course, there is the standard word search that can be used from within the Edit drop down list on the tool bar. Discographical details are full and concise set out  in the ortodox layout showing main artist and where appropriate, supporting musicians. Date and venue recording is there along with matrix and issue numbers including details for international as well as USA recordings.

This amazing discography should be on the shelf of anyone with an interest in vintage Hawaiian, World or Steel Guitar recordings. At $75.00 it’s a snip and can be ordered by visiting www.78data.com