Tiki Party 4

I'll take a cold Mai Tai over a bowl of poi any day of the week, and that’s coming from an honorary brah who’s spent enough time on mopeds around Diamond Head to know better. This music hits a different way for me—it’s the sound of grabbing pupus at the Shorebird or those hazy mornings heading down the road to Hana. I actually got into collecting records because of the Moffat family, spending time in Tom’s studio back in the day and even though I was keeping the dial on Q-FM and not KPOI. This session of Tiki Party is basically the encore to my own wedding reception, ditching the slow stuff for the kind of backyard rhythm that actually moves. If you can't make it to the islands today, just fire up the grill by the pool and let this be the soundtrack to your own mainland kanikapila. It’s an absolute Pick for when the sun is out and the grill is started.

Tiki Party 4

64 Kalapana - Naturally

65 Cecilio & Kapono - You And Me

66 Kulana - Typical Hawaiian Day

67 Brother Noland - Coconut Girl

68 Loggins & Messina - Lahaina

69 Bruddah Waltah - Sweet Lady of Waiahole

70 Peter Moon Band  - Cane Fire

71 Justin Young - Shake Me

72 Jimmy Buffett - Volcano

73 Kolohe Kai - Ehu Girl

74 Pablo Cruise - Island Woman

75 Ten Feet - Windward Skies

76 Robi Kahakalau - Pi'i Mai Ka Nalu

77 Kimié Miner - Bamboo

78 Anuhea - Higher Than The Clouds

79 Pure Heart - Tokada

80 Kapena - Reggae Train

81 Natural Vibrations - Put A Little Love

82 Big Every Time - Don't Stop

83 Henry Kapono - Friends

84 Mackey Feary Band - You're Young

Tiki Exotica 2

What I like about these two volumes (yesterday and today) of my pick of Tiki Exotica is that there is some old and some newer artists here. You don't hear this on the radio, and yet there are still artists making this music. It's got a great feel to it. Obviously, the bird sounds on a few tracks help (or maybe hinder) that depending on where you are coming from. You might hear this at a Polynesian restaurant or bar, but not much anywhere else. So, enjoy some of these rare tracks on these two volumes. Play these compilations, make yourself a rum drink with some fruit juice, find some mini umbrellas, a good book (or close friends) and relax. Heat up your hot tub and just hang out. And lets all hope more bands decide to join us with their interpretations, so we can make a volume 3.

Tiki Exotica 2

20 The Surfmen - Fire Goddess

21 Martin Denny - The Enchanted Sea

22 Pagan Rites - Black Sand

23 Ted Auletta - Adventures In Paradise

24 Out Islanders, The - Moon Mist

25 Les Baxter - Oasis Of Dakhla

26 Combustible Edison - Breakfast At Denny's

27 Elisabeth Waldo - Within The Temple Of Macuilzochiti

28 Sun Ra & His Arkestra - The Nile

29 The Markko Polo Adventurers - Rain in Rangoon

30 Russ Garcia - Lost Souls Of Saturn

31 Paul Page - Castaway

32 Les Baxter - Tropicando

33 Arthur Lyman - Taboo

34 Walter Wanderley - Summer Samba

35 Mr Ho's Orchestrotica - Mini Skirt

36 Chaino - Jungle Mood

37 Pink Martini - Bolero

38 Tito Puente - Call Of The Jungle Birds

Tiki Exotica 1

Exotica was around since the 50's, but I wasn't around then. I discovered it for myself in the early 80's. I was fascinated with Ultra Lounge Bachelor Pad everything. I wanted a tiki bedroom, started wearing Hawaiian shirts (which I still wear to this day) and got enamored with Exotica music. Like most people, I suppose Martin Denny and Arthur Lyman are the early touchpoints. For me, I went in multiple directions with it. First, the complete world of exotica, then Polynesian, then the rest of the world. It got me into so much other music. Not just because of my Pacific Island background, although I'm sure that helped. It also branched into Surf and Punk, even though this sounds like none of that. Just outlining my musical journey and the forays into fashion and architecture because of it. I looked back at some of my parents' dance parties, including the luaus and wonder why did it take so long? Anyway here is part one of my Tiki Exotica picks. It covers some of the "hits" but also some more obscure songs. Perfect for cocktails at a pool party.

Tiki Exotica 1

01 Stanley Black and His Orchestra - Caravan

02 Sabu Martinez - Sorcery

03 Chaino - Swamp Girl

04 Frank Hunter And His Orchestra - White Goddess

05 Tipsy - Tuatara

06 Dominic Frontiere And His Orchestra - House of Pleasure

07 Piero Umiliani - Risaie

08 Martin Denny - Hypnotique

09 Martin Denny - Quiet Village

10 Robert Drasnin - Chant Of The Moon

11 Nino Nardini & Roger Roger - Bagheera

12 Esquivel And His Orchestra - Nature Boy

13 Milt Raskin - Moon Festival

14 Eden Ahbez - Banana Boy

15 The Markko Polo Adventurers - Scheherezade

16 Warren Barker - Lotus Land

17 Creepxotica - Haunted Hula

18 Don Tiki - Primitiva

19 The Gene Rains Group - Far Across The Sea

Tiki Party 3

This is the last of the Tiki Party pick, but more related songs will be coming. Please play this at a tiki party to get the full flavor of the songs and be sure to leave comments of your favorite tiki party songs. Remember that Exotica is coming. You may be wondering about the cover that I designed. I love those tiles and plan on getting some just like it for my new tiki bar (don't ask what happened to the old one - just suffice it to say that I hate my HOA), have a drink in a coconut and think of me when you do.

Tiki Party 3

42 Brothers Cazimero - Home In The Islands

43 Na Leo Pilimehana - I Miss You My Hawaii

44 Don Ho - Pearly Shells

45 Beamer Brothers - Mr. Sun Cho Lee

46 Paul Page - Tahitian Love Song (feat. Jerry Byrd & Rainbow Trio)

47 Beamer Brothers - Honolulu City Lights

48 Sean Na'auao - Fish and Poi

49 The Tikiyaki Orchestra - Aloha, Baby !

50 Don Tiki - Barbi In Bali

51 Cecilio & Kapono - About You

52 The Throwdowns - Kihei Town

53 Rap Reiplinger - Man With The Cho-Cho Lips

54 Jack Johnson featuring John Cruz and Jackson Browne - Island Style

55 The Throwdowns - Shake Your Bones

56 Rupert Holmes - Escape (The Pina Colada Song)

57 Jan & Dean - Hawaii

58 Na Leo Pilimehana - Local Boys

59 Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - Hele on to Kauai

60 Willie K - Spirits In The Wind

61 Ho'aikane - Kona Red

62 Sting - My Funny Friend And Me

63 Mana'o Company - Drop Baby Drop

Tiki Party 2

I feel like some people may misinterpret that this is all Hawaiian Island music. It isn't. Although there is quite a bit from the Hawaiian Islands. That wasn't a deciding factor in this pick. Although that feel is quite important to it. Tiki tends to be associated with Hawaii, but can be and in this case is being used as a reference to Polynesian islands. But as you can tell, the Beach Boys are neither. One of my favorites on this volume is from comedian Rap Reiplinger. I cracked up, the first time I heard his albums (and I got all I could find) including this parody of Glen Campbell. Very funny, if you know the Hawaiian Islands at all. Unfortunately he's not with us anymore, but do check out his work. He's hilarious.

Tiki Party 2

21 Andy Cummings & His Hawaiian Serenaders - Waikiki

22 Keali'i Reichel - Kauanoeanuhea

23 Jack Johnson - Better Together

24 Jump5 - Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride

25 Hawaiian Style Band - Love And Honesty

26 Brothers Cazimero - Waika

27 The Waikikis - Hawaii Tattoo

28 The Aqua Velvets - Tiki Beat

29 Mark Keali'i Ho'omalu & Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus - He Mele No Lilo

30 Moke Boy - Baby Mine

31 Beach Boys - Kokomo

32 Kui Lee - I'll Remember You

33 Olomana - Kanaka Wai Wai

34 Keali'i Reichel - E O Mai

35 Olomana - Ku'u Home O Kahalu'u

36 Loyal Garner - Shave Ice

37 Hapa - Ka Uluwehi O Ke Kai

38 Don Tiki - Exotica '97

39 Willie K - Waterfall

40 Gabby Pahinui - Hi'ilawe

41 Rap Reiplinger - Puka Shell Tour Guide

Tiki Party 1

I am part island boy. I wasn't born on an island, but I have island in my blood (and have one of those ancestry kits to prove it). Part South Pacific Islander. Growing up, I just knew in my bones that I loved the sea, warm tropical weather. I was at home on a boat and loved every moment anytime I visited an island. Unfortunately I live a long way from any island. But I can get closer by listening to this pick. This tiki pick includes some of my favorite songs to play at a Tiki party. Three volumes of songs that were NOT played at my tiki wedding and not including my Tiki Exotica pick. All those will be posted sometime in the future. I did have this playlist posted before on Butterboy's great site, go check it out. But now it comes on here. Enjoy it.

Tiki Party 1

01 Melveen Leed - My Little Grass Shack

02 Israel IZ Kamakawiwo'ole - Take Me Home, Country Roads

03 Ginger Baker Trio - Rambler

04 The Tikiyaki Orchestra - Theme For Jetsetters

05 Ka'au Crater Boys - Guava Jelly

06 Elvis Presley - Blue Hawaii

07 Jack Johnson - Bubble Toes

08 Hawaiian Style Band - Let's Talk Story

09 Imua - Menehune Beach Bum Boogie

10 Leon Russell - Back To The Island

11 Duane Eddy - Gidgest Goes Hawaiian

12 Na Leo Pilimehana - Flying With Angels

13 Hapa - He'eia

14 Jerry Byrd - Theme From Adventures In Paradise

15 Don Tiki - Bam-Boozled

16 Ledward Kaapana - I Kona

17 Train - Mermaid

18 Mark Yamanaka - Lei Pua Kenikeni

19 Keali'i Reichel - Maunaleo

20 Peter Moon Band - Island Love