[CD] The Original Collection - Daniel Ho
[CD] The Original Collection - Daniel Ho
A collection of thirty-seven re-mixed and re-mastered songs - all original compositions - from four of Daniel's previously released albums: Simple as a Sunrise, Sunny Spaces, This Dream Begins, and ʻikena (with Tia Carrere).
Songs with an asterisk* are included in the 'Ukulele Songbook, also available as a PDF+MP3 download.
Song with a plus sign+ are included in Slack Key Guitar: The G Kilauea Tuning, also available as a PDF+MP3 download.
Disc One
1. Off to Work (3:05)
2. Cup of Joe* (4:34)
3. Come See Her Smile (4:23)
4. Quiet & Blue (4:01)
5. Along for the Ride* (4:35)
6. Simple as a Sunrise (3:56)
7. Watching, Waiting... (3:52)
8. I Do (4:41)
9. Stronger & Stronger (4:49)
10. Living in Paradise* (4:30)
11. Suncatcher (5:19)
12. Some Breathing Space (4:01)
13. For Eternity* (4:22)
14. No Apologies (2:56)
15. The Song You Wish I'd Sing (3:48)
16. No Resistance (4:14)
17. There Are No Words (3:06)
18. Wishing Well (4:22)
19. Sunny Spaces (1:34)
Disc Two
1. Coolest Drop of Rain (3:51)
2. I Am Invisible (4:33)
3. Dear Jane (5:15)
4. When I Close My Eyes (4:27)
5. The Holy Road (3:32)
6. Suspended On Air (3:19)
7. The Best That I Can ( 3:31)
8. Nobody Else (4:05)
9. My Nature, My Heart (3:05)
10. Peace of the Ocean (3:36)
11. Soon It Will Be Christmas (3:42)
12. The Spam Song (3:23)
13. Welo (3:27)
14. Kuʻu Ipo My Darling (4:10)
15. Hula in Seven (1:36)
16. The Breakfast Song (Pineapple Mango) (2:49)
17. Papahānaumoku (3:07)
* Bonus Track: Mele Hoʻokuʻu (1:30)
NOTE FROM DANIEL:
I’ve tried all kinds of things in music, and have found writing and singing songs to be one of the most rewarding. Songwriting is healing, revealing, and a fun way to retell old stories. This audio diary of thirty-seven songs spans three decades—from earliest works, Nobody Else and Soon It Will Be Christmas, which were written in high school, to recent songs that include my first recordings in the Hawaiian language, like Welo and Kuʻu Ipo My Darling. Revisiting these songs brought back fond memories as well as others that I’d rather not relive.
It also chronicles my evolution as a musician. Interestingly, for as much as I have written, practiced, and performed, it doesn’t seem that my writing, singing, or playing has changed significantly over the years. One thing that has improved is my audio engineering, which is, in part, due to the advanced sound tools available (a musical gift from technology).
As my career leads me in different directions and teaches me new skills, I felt it was the right time to refine these songs—by remixing, remastering, and occasionally adding new parts—and present them as a complete collection. Though they were recorded over a period of many years, the timelessness of acoustic instruments provides coherence and continuity. The acoustic guitar tracks I recorded twenty years ago sound exactly the same as the ones I recorded yesterday!
I am infinitely grateful to my co-writers who helped bring these songs to life; to the remarkable musicians and vocalists who shared their talents on these albums; and to my listeners, with whose support I am able to continue doing what I love.
A collection sometimes indicates that an artist’s creative muse has flown. Thankfully, I still wake up every morning inspired to learn or to compose something unique. In recent years, I have been exploring Taiwanese Aboriginal music, Mongolian music, rock, classical, and world music. I hope to continue this journey for another three decades, and when it is over, I’d love to share my adventures with you in a collection of songs just like this one!
Aloha pumehana,
Daniel