Nā Hōkū Hanohano Musician Pōmai Brown - CD Cover Photos by EMotion Galleries

Pomai Duets at the Piano with Legendary Friends

Pōamakaʻi is most famously recognized as the actor who played the role of “Nick” in the Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore romantic comedy 50 First Dates launching an acting career which has since included guest roles in independent films, commercials, and the contemporary Hawaii Five O. Pōmai is performs regularly as a featured musician at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and Waikoloa Beach Marriott as well as at the Halekulani Hotel's House Without A Key with Ocean Kaowili, Harrison Murray, and hula dancer Kanoe Miller.

Pōmai and photographer Ranae Keane-Bamsey worked together as musician/hula dancer for 3 years at Lava Lava Beach Club; and when Pōmai wanted to release the album Pomai Duets At the Piano with Legendary Friends, he asked Ranae to take the photos for the album cover. This evening the album Pōmai Duets at the Piano with Legendary Friends has been nominated for a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award! Go behind the mele of each track and learn about the composer and stories

The Hoku Awards, are the premier music awards in Hawaii, and are Hawaii's equivalent of the Grammy Awards. Nā Hōkū Hanohano means "Stars of Distinction" in Hawaiian – "hōkū" means "star", "nā" makes it plural, and "hanohano" means "glorious, worthy of praises".  Pōma’i has been nominated for Most Promising musician, best wishes to you Pōmai! This blog post will share the images used in the alum design as well as some extras from the photo session.

Pōmai was born and raised in Honolulu, running around the streets of Kalihi, spending afternoons in the canals of Kapālama catching crawfish, eating Icee from Shinsato Store and playing his favorite childhood game, ʻTinkalaʻ, with other neighborhood kids. After attending five years of elementary school at Kamehameha his family relocated to Hilo where he joined the Waiākea Intermediate School Ukulele Band under the direction of George Camarillo Sr. At age 10 he began performing regularly on his ukulele with his Aunty Myra ʻKolaniʻ Chartrand at the Waiākea Villa Resort and the Kilauea Military Camp (KMC). She was very instrumental in teaching him many classic Hawaiian Hula songs that he still performs today.  Returning back to Kamehameha Kapālama for High School, Pōmai excelled in the Concert Glee Club, Orchestra, KS Marching Band as well as Film, Radio and Television courses. Post high school musical endeavors allowed for travels to US Mainland, Japan, Tahiti, Sāmoa, Mexico and Norway. He began Hawaiian steel guitar lessons with Jerry Byrd and continues to play this unique instrument at various resorts on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. He is currently working on plans to build a Hawaiian Cultural Center on the Waikoloa Coast of the Big Island focusing on the perpetuation of Traditional Hawaiian Arts, Crafts, Music, Hula, Fishing and Farming lifestyles of his Kūpuna.

The photos for this album cover were taken at the Mauna Lani Resort, the last resort in the Big Island that still has an entertainment area with a grand piano. The piano is in the lounge which opens up to a beautiful tropical garden, that leads out to the beach. It is a very special location. This was the very last day the Mauna Lani was open before changing ownership to the Auberge Resorts Collection. We hope Auberge Resorts will support live music and piano enthusiasts as the old Hawaiiana Showrooms carrying on the great tradition.

Musician: Pōmakaʻi Brown

Venue: Kalāhuipua Mauna Lani Auberge Resorts Collection

Photography: Ranae Keane EMotion Galleries

© 2019 Ranae Keane-Bamsey Photography