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Thursday Throwback: Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole

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[mp3j track=”Somewhere-Over-the-Rainbow.mp3″]
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After a treacherous face off with Mother Nature here in New York City,  Israel Ka’ano’i “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole transports us away from our worries to the beautiful islands of Hawaii with his smashing rendition of the classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.  Check out the video below for extra sunshine.

The skilled, Honolulu-born ukelele player, whose life was cut short in 1997, blended together genres such as reggae and jazz, leaving behind a legacy for Hawaiian music unmatched by any other musician from the Aloha State.  Somewhere Over the Rainbow gained him much mainstream popularity posthumously, in part due to its appearances on several major motion picture soundtracks.

A trip into Iz’s body of work reveals a poignant position on Hawaiian culture, calling for preservation of the sacred land.




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