Back to Kohala by Kohala

He grew up on Mercer Island, Washington, his first introduction to formal music lessons was at age 8 as a violin student, and at age 12 he discovered the guitar and performed with various bands throughout Washington State during his teens. He attended undergraduate school in music at Cornish Institute and The Evergreen State College and received an M.A. degree in music from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where he taught classical guitar at the University of Hawaii for nine years. While Charles is known throughout Japan and the US for his role as the lead guitarist for KOHALA, he is also known internationally as a composer and producer. Charles is the first recipient of the Grammy Award for "Best Hawaiian Music CD" (Producer, Slack Key Guitar Volume 2, Various Artists), is a multi Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner, and has won Producer of the year (2005) at the Hawaii Music Awards. His recordings have reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Chart and the Billboard New Age Music Chart. Five of his guitar recordings have charted in the top 10 on national radio charts in World, Smooth Jazz, and New Age. Charles works out of his Lava Tracks Recording Studio in Kamuela, Hawaii and is the President of Palm Records.

Recaido, born and raised in Hawaii, performed and recorded with the group Summer, which toured in the US and Japan in the late 70s with Kalapana. Summer was a headliner at "Toppe Ada Shoppe", the hotspot in Honolulu in the 70s that spawned the contemporary renaissance of music in Hawaii. Recaido also lives in Waimea in the Kohala region and works as an independent engineer and producer in between KOHALA tours and recording projects. Recaido has performed on a Grammy Award winning CD. Teves grew up on Oahu, and like Recaido, frequently performed at the "Toppe Ada Shoppe" in Honolulu. He performed and recorded with the group "Akona", played in the band "Solbrea" with Brother Noland, and played and recorded with Recaido in a band called "Pahoehoe". Teves lives in the coffee growing belt of Hawaii near Kona on the Big Island.

AWARDS:

 GRAMMY AWARD (2005): Charles Michael Brotman, Producer, Slack Key Guitar Volume 2 (Palm Records)

 HOKU AWARD (2005): Charles Michael Brotman, Producer, Hula! Big Island Style

 NAMMY AWARD Finalist: "Best World Recording": BACK TO KOHALA (2003)

 HOKU AWARD Finalist: Kohala, Cool Breeze (2003), Lullaby (2001), Flying (2000)

RADIO CHARTS:

 USA: Top 10 on New Age Reporter and NAV

 Japan: Top 10 on Oricon

KEY VENUES HEADLINED:

 Japan: The Blue Note, Osaka; Sweet Basil, Tokyo; The Blue Note, Fukuoka

 Hawaii: The Hamakua Music Festival; Maui Arts and Culture Center; McCoy Studio Theater; Aloha Theatre; The Atherton Theatre

RECORDINGS:

"KOHALA" (Palm Records1998), "ISLAND TREASURES" (Palm Records 1998), "FLYING" (Palm Records 2000), "LULLABY" (Palm Records 2001), "BACK TO KOHALA" (Palm Records 2002) "COOL BREEZE" (2003)

REVIEWS

 Wind and Wire

"These three artists have recorded some of the most beautiful acoustic instrumental tunes I've

heard in a few years - this music is fantastic! Kohala are exceptional talents ... ", Bill Binkelman

 The Honolulu Advertiser:

"KOHALA...A new ethereal beauty with quiet uncluttered arrangements...The beauty and charms that constitute Hawaii." Wayne Harada

 The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, John Berger

"KOHALA...Call this exquisite!"

"The tranquillity and delicacy of their arrangements...the interplay between the instruments...merits attentive listening."

 Billboard Magazine:

"Palm Records; their top artist is KOHALA, an acoustic guitar trio residing on the Big Island poised to conquer Japan..."

 Aloha Joe Radio :

"Cool Breeze ... mesmerizing ... KOHALA ... these talented Big Island artists who continue to amaze us with their sensitivity, inventiveness and magical sounds."

 Islands Magazine:

"For simply beautiful guitar instrumentals, look no farther than ...KOHALA..." Dewey Schurman

 Honolulu Magazine:

"One of the most soothing CDs we've heard in a long time is KOHALA..." John Alves

 Contemporary Jazz Review:

"Brotman is certain to have a bright future in contemporary jazz" Dan Margules

Average Customer Review: