In 1999 Dame Kiri Te Kanawa released ‘Maori Songs’, her 2nd collection
of Maori folk songs
and prayers. The album went on to sell 90,000 units in NZ alone, achieving
6 times platinum
status.
That project was initiated by prominent NZ pianist/arranger Carl Doy, who has
13 years later
created the follow up album ‘Waiata’. After many months of planning Dame
Kiri returned to
NZ in July to record her vocals for the album at Carl’s Brown’s Bay home
studio. Carl Doy had
earlier scored the accompaniments for our own NZSO and the Auckland
University’s Chamber
Choir, with renowned actor and Maori speaker George Henare as ‘guide and
philosopher’.