Rolando Sanchez Is Going Solo

Rolando Sanchez’s new solo album includes Amanecer, a song written by his father

Nicaragua-born Rolando Sanchez has been heating up the Island music scene with his Latin beats for the past 20 years.

Upon moving to Hawaii in 1984, Sanchez arrived looking for a fresh start but holding on to his passion for music.

“I had two prior bands in California and they were Latin pop style,” says Sanchez. “On one of our trips to Japan we had to stop in Hawaii, and I fell in love with Hawaii because it reminded me a lot of Nicaragua.”

Four years later he conceptualized the band Salsa Hawaii and landed an ongoing gig at Trapper’s Nightclub in the Hyatt Regency hotel.

“We were and still are the most popular Latin band internationally from Hawaii,” says Sanchez. “We performed everywhere throughout the state,

places like Aqua, Esprit Room, Hanohano Room, Blaisdell, Waikiki Shell … everywhere you can think of.”

After spending most of his music career in a band, Sanchez has decided to focus his energies on a solo album, Vamanos De Fiesta (Let’s Go Party), that released online this month.

“I’m pursuing something different, so it’s like starting a whole new road for me,” he explains. “For me, it’s a challenge because it’s throwing yourself out there to see what happens.”

Anelaikalani has released her fourth album

Sanchez collaborated with writers throughout the world, which led him to a new sound that he says, “is the music that I feel inside.”

The album features eight tracks: the title track as well as Fuego De Tu Cuerpo (Fire Of Your Body), Don’t Break My Heart (No Me Quiebres El Corazon), Baby Say You Love Me (Dime Que Me Quieres), Ella (She), Yo Te Quiero (I Love You), Piensa En Mi (Think OfMe) and Amanecer (Dawn).

“My father wrote the song Amanecer for my mom when they first met. I had promised him a while ago that I would record this song, so when I went back to Nicaragua to see my father because he was ill, I brought him the demo.

“Even very sick he’s telling me what chords were wrong, so I reworked it into what it is.”

Stay tuned for a CD release party that Sanchez says in currently in the works …

Another album that just bounced onto the music scene is Anelaikalani‘s fourth full-length release E Mau No.

The album joins a notable list of releases that have earned Anelaikalani multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Award nominations. Five years since her last release, Completely, this album pays tribute to her family’s rich history. It features favorites of old Hawaii: Ahe Lau Makani, Ke Aloha, For You A Lei, Ali’ipoe, Keawaiki, ‘Iniki Malie, Haleiwa Paka, Ni’ihau, Mauna Loa, Tu’u Grandpa, Mauna Kea and Your Baby Dreams.

Anelaikalani released her first album in 2000 when she was just 12. Now all grown up, she looks back and honors those who came before her. Accompanying her on this project are guest musicians and friends Kenneth Makuakane, Jeff Rasmussen, Salaam Tilman, Dave Tucciarone and Kamuela Kimokea, to name a few.

Released through Malie Music, E Mau No is available online at most major music stores …