Roland and Robert Cazimero, and award-winning collaboration for 30 years. - Photo: Courtesy of Mountain Apple Company

Making musical magic

Award honors 30 years of music making for Brothers Caz

By T. Ilihia Gionson/ Ka Wai Ola

It started with two brothers, an upright bass, and a 12-string guitar. Three decades and 38 albums later, The Brothers Cazimero are synonymous with Hawaiian music. And after winning more than a dozen Nā Hōkū Hanohano awards over the years, Robert and Roland Cazimero were honored earlier this year with the most prestigious award given by the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts: the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The seeds that grew into a long, illustrious music career were planted early in the Cazimero boys. “We always sang from when we were born,” Robert said. “The doctor slapped us and we sang.”

“Mom tried to help us in the language, but we didn't listen when we were younger because we thought it was stupid. We would always sing in Hawaiian, but it's just that now, because I understand it a little bit better, I like it a lot,” Robert said.

The first three albums that the Brothers recorded were with The Sunday Mānoa. “There were several Sunday Mānoa before we got together, others in the band. We were the last combination. It was a combination of fate and destiny, Peter (Moon), Roland and I,” Robert explained. And after those three albums, they knew that the time had come to explore different avenues. “The Sunday Mānoa made great music, at the height of what they're calling the Hawaiian Renaissance, and it was time for us to move on. We just grew out of the situation.”

Thus was born The Brothers Cazimero. Over their three-decade career, the duo has won more awards than the brothers have room for. But the magic isn't limited to the studio. The Brothers Cazimero have played for audiences at Carnegie Hall in New York City, the Hollywood Bowl, the World Expo in Brisbane, Australia, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and at annual performances in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle. And let's not forget 30 years of May Day concerts at the Waikīkī Shell.

In March, The Brothers Cazimero received Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Hawai'i Academy of Recording Arts. When learning that they would be given the award, Robert was thankful. “Thank God we're not dead!” he said. “You've got to be old to win these awards. Got to be old or got to be dead. And we're in one category so far.”

“It was interesting to hear our accomplishments. We don't sit down and go over all the stuff we've done and how well we've done,” Robert said.

After spending the last three decades making award-winning music, the brothers have a new perspective on awards. “After a while, it's not for the award. … It's just to put out something good. If we receive anything, a Hōkū or Grammy or something, great. But if we don't, it's okay. It was always the music,” Roland said.

In fact, the award recognizing a lifetime of achievement is in a special place in Roland's home. “My wife put the Lifetime Achievement Award up on the icebox. Every time I open the icebox, there it is!

So what are the brothers proudest of? “I think for me the biggest accomplishment is that we didn't let our people down, especially the ones that passed the torches on to us,” Robert said. “We've always worked hard to make sure that we honor them and that we honor our people in a way they can be proud of.”

Although Hawaiian music is on the rise in popularity, Robert has a cautious outlook toward the future. “I think that Hawaiian music, like Hawaiian culture and Hawaiian people, I think are constantly in jeopardy. I don't think it's ever going to be safe for us,” he said. “Because the kūpuna from when we were first starting off were afraid for the music, I think it behooves us to be afraid for it too, even as we see hope before our eyes.”

“When we were younger, we were constantly being put down because the kūpuna thought that we were just bebopping it a little bit too much. However, there were those kūpuna who were willing to share and stick out their necks to tell us to keep going and would be there to help us when we needed it. Aunty Vicki Rodrigues, Maiki Aiu Lake, Aunty 'Io Boise-Rodrigues, Nina (Kealiiwahamana), Kahauanu Lake, Gabby Pahinui, people who today are considered legends. Aunty Genoa, would say to us, “You boys keep going, you're doing really good.”

At the end of the day, though, it's all about the music. “Recording more albums is cause for inspiration, continuation and hard work. Music is what we do and what we love. One never loses excitement doing what he or she loves,” Robert said. Roland sums it up: “I love singing with my brother, playing music with my brother. It's magic.”