Natural Vibrations

Hawaiian reggae band

Natural Vibrations

Origin| Kahalu'u, Hawaii, United States
Genres| Reggae, Rock, Pop, Hawaiian
Years active| 1992–Present
Labels| Cinnamon Red Records
Go Aloha Entertainment
Members| Wayne Enos
Sam Ites
Lucas Hom
Wayne Tejada
Pu'unui
Shane Abraham
Jehua Evans
Past members| Penidean Pua'auli
Kayton Macariola
Keoni Macariola
Ricky Ibarra
Tony Saenz
Ekona Ravey
Jamin Wong
Brett Cummings
Max O'Leary
Timothy Pacheco
Stacey Medeiros
Website| www.naturalvibrations.com

Natural Vibrations, (Natural Vibes for short or known by their fans as Natty Vibes), is a reggae band originally from Kahalu'u, Oahu, Hawaii, based out of San Diego, California with rock and pop influences.[1] The band has received several awards at the Hawaii Music Awards and three Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.[2][3]

## History

[edit]

### Formation

[edit]

Natural Vibrations was formed by a group of friends who loved playing music; Penidean Pua'auli (lead vocals), Shane Abraham (keyboard, vocals), Kayton "Sly Mongoose" Macariola (percussion, vocals), Ricky "Koa" Ibarra (drums), Keoni Macariola (bass), and Wayne Enos (guitar, vocals) in 1992. They created a unique Hawaiian reggae sound with a party and dance style energy, which is described as "Jawaiian" (infusing Hawaiian music with Jamaican reggae).[4] They became the premiere Hawaiian reggae band at backyard parties and festivals. Romantic love songs and smoking marijuana is a common theme in the band's songs.[5]

### Balls Rolling and All Natural

[edit]

The band's first studio album, Balls Rolling, was released on June 1, 1996, and was a strong debut.

Their second album, All Natural, which was released on Cinnamon Red Records in late 1998. It won the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for best reggae album of the year in 1999.[6]

### Getting High & The Circle

[edit]

Drummer Koa Ibarra was eventually replaced with Stacy Medeiros in 1997, and in 2000 Jehua Evans replaced Keoni Macariola on bass.

In 2000, the band's third album, Getting High, also released on Cinnamon Red Records, won them a second best reggae album award at the Hawaiian Music Awards.

Natty Vibes won the best reggae album category a third time for their fourth album, The Circle on September 2, 2003, which was released on their own label, Natural Vibrations Records. The album also peaked at #12 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart.[7]

### From The Heart & Best of album

[edit]

After five years in which the band concentrated on performing internationally and spending time with their families, their fifth album, From the Heart, was released on April 17, 2007,[1][8][9] which in 2008 won a third best reggae album award at the Hawaiian Music Awards. The album gave them their highest Billboard chart placing, peaking at #5 on the Top Reggae Albums chart.[7][10]

Their first compilation album, Ultimate Vibes, The best of Natural Vibrations, released on May 31, 2009. It peaked at #15 on the Billboard Reggae Albums chart.

### Got This Music

[edit]

Fatty Vibes released their sixth studio album, Got This Music, on September 6, 2011, on Go Aloha Entertainment. It was the band's first LP in five years. The album peaked at #12 on Billboard Reggae Albums charts.[3][11] The album featured collaborations with Papa T from B.E.T. on two tracks and Jay 2boi, as well as Penidean's daughter Quela Pua'auli-Puahi singing a duet with her father.[12]

After a couple years, Natty Vibes released two singles in 2013, "Make You Stay" on February 2 and "Let It Grow" featuring Marlon Asher on July 16. But the band slowly dismantled after.

### Departure of Penidean

[edit]

In July 2014, after 23 years in Natural Vibrations, Penidean Pua'auli decided to leave the band and move back to Hawaii to focus on family and concrete on a solo career under the name "Peni Dean". He reunited with Kayton Macariola who joined his band on percussion and vocals, and worked on several tracks together.

### Reunion

[edit]

Penidean returned for a Natural Vibrations island-wide reunion tour called The Mahalo Tour in January 2018. It had been five years since the original members performed together and the concert included a two-hour set with over 30 of their greatest hits. It included special guests Three Plus Ekolu, Ho'onu'a, Malino, and Ten Feet.[13]

Penidean was once again on lead vocals for the single "Better Believe" which was released on August 8, 2019.[14]

### Legal battle

[edit]

Penidean did not permanently return to Natty Vibes since the reunion tour. He continued to be a solo artist, along with bandmate Kayton Macariola. Despite writing most of the songs, the band asked him not to perform from the Natural Vibrations catalog while on stage as a solo artist like in the past, going so far as to order a cease and desist order from his former band.[15]

### Continuing band

[edit]

Natural Vibrations was scheduled to perform at the 2020 and 2021 California Roots Festival, but both were postponed then eventually canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] On May 27, 2022, Natural Vibrations current lineup performed in "The Bowl" at California Roots Festival.

## Lineup

[edit]

### Current band members

[edit]

* Wayne Enos – Guitar, Vocals (1992–Present)
* Sam Ites – Drums, Vocals (2021-Present)
* Lucas Hom – Keyboard, Vocals (2021-Present)
* Pu'unui – Bass, Vocals (2020-Present)
* Wayne Tejada – Lead Vocals (2021-Present)
* Shane "SKA Squiddy" Abraham – Keyboard, Vocals (1992–Present)
* Jehua Evans – Guitar, Bass, Vocals (2000–Present)

### Past band members

[edit]

* Penidean "Peni Dean" Pua'auli – Lead Vocals (1992–2014, 2018)
* Kayton "Sly Mongoose" Macariola – Percussion, Vocals (1992–2015, 2018)
* Keoni Macariola – Bass (1992–2007)
* Ricky "Koa" Ibarra – Drums (1992–2000)
* Tony Saenz – Drums (2014–2016)
* Brett "Big Chill" Cummings – Saxophone, Vocals (2016)
* Ekona Ravey – Bass, Vocals (2014–2016)
* Jamin "Chief Raga" Wong – Guitar, Vocals (2014–2016)
* Max O'Leary – Trumpet
* Timothy Pacheco – Drums
* Stacy Medeiros – Drums (2000–2014)

## Discography

[edit]

### Studio albums

[edit]

Natural Vibrations Chart History[citation needed] Year | Album | Label | Billboard peak

|
|
|

1996 | Balls Rolling | Cinnamon Red Records | —
1998 | All Natural | Cinnamon Red Records | —
2000 | Getting High | Cinnamon Red Records | —
2003 | The Circle | Cinnamon Red Records | #12
2007 | From The Heart | Natural Vibrations Records | #5
2011 | Got This Music | Go Aloha Entertainment | —

### Compilations

[edit]

* Ultimate Vibes: The Best of Natural Vibrations (2009), Natural Vibrations Records – Billboard Top Reggae Albums #15

### Singles

[edit]

Title | Release Date | Album

|
|

"Balls Rolling" | 1996 | Balls Rolling
"Nice Day" | 1996 | Balls Rolling
"Luv Me Know" | 1996 | Balls Rolling
"Come & Skank" | 1996 | Balls Rolling
"Put A Little Love" | 1998 | All Natural
"One on One" | 1998 | All Natural
"Into Me" | 1998 | All Natural
"Chronics" | 1998 | All Natural
"Green Harvest" | 2000 | Getting High
"Bettah World" | 2000 | Getting High
"Getting High" | 2000 | Getting High
"Put Some Time" | 2003 | The Circle
"Never, Never" | 2003 | The Circle
"Hot Like Fire" | 2003 | The Circle
"Maryjane" | 2003 | The Circle
"Hopin' & Prayin'" | 2003 | The Circle
"Freedom Fighter" | 2003 | The Circle
"Natural Vibrations" | 2003 | The Circle
"Okana Road" | 2007 | From The Heart
"You and I" | 2007 | From The Heart
"So Nice" | 2007 | From The Heart
"Where Is The Love" | 2007 | From The Heart
"How Would I Know" | 2007 | From The Heart
"Lovin' You Too Much" | 2007 | From The Heart
"Squeeze My Head" | 2007 | From The Heart
"Irie Sensation" | 2007 | From The Heart
"Shawty" | 2009 | Ultimate Vibes: The Best of Natural Vibrations
"Man Down" | 2009 | Ultimate Vibes: The Best of Natural Vibrations
"Party & Dance" | 2011 | Got This Music
"Anxiously Awaiting" | 2011 | Got This Music
"The Vibes" (feat. Jay 2boi) | 2011 | Got This Music
"Sensi Nation" (feat. Papa T) | 2011 | Got This Music
"Don't Worry" (feat. Quela Pua'auli) | 2011 | Got This Music
"Sounds So Easy" | 2011 | Got This Music
"Are You Ready" | 2011 | Got This Music
"Make You Stay" | February 2, 2013 | (Single)
"Let It Grow" (feat. Marlon Asher) | July 16, 2013 | (Single)
"Better Believe" | August 8, 2019 | (Single)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Crisp, Andrew (2012) "Natural Vibrations Come from Hawaii to Boise", Boise Weekly, May 9, 2012.
2. ^ "Briefly Music", The Register Guard, May 24, 2013.
3. ^ a b Berger, John (2011) "Vibes' sixth album highlights members' talents, originality", Honolulu Star-Advertiser, September 4, 2011.
4. ^ "Natural Vibrations". Hawaiianreggae.org. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
5. ^ Greenberg, Adam "The Circle Review", AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2014
6. ^ "1999 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards", Billboard, August 14, 1999, p. 40. Retrieved June 18, 2014
7. ^ a b "Billboard Albums", Allmusic. Retrieved June 18, 2014
8. ^ ""From the Heart" by Natural Vibrations", The Molokai Dispatch, May 9, 2007, p. 10. Retrieved June 18, 2014
9. ^ "From the Heart Review", AllMusic. Retrieved June 18, 2014
10. ^ Genegabus, Jason (2007) "Talking Story from the Heart", Honolulu Star-Bulletin, May 25, 2007. Retrieved June 18, 2014
11. ^ Mossman, Bill (2011) "Picking Up Good Vibrations", MidWeek, August 31, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2014
12. ^ "Natural Vibrations | Reggae from San Diego, CA". ReverbNation.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
13. ^ "Natty Vibes Announces Island-Wide Mahalo Tour". Mauinow.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
14. ^ "New Single Release: Natural Vibrations "Better Believet"". Musicbailout.net. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
15. ^ "Reggae Band Asks Former Singer To Zip His Lips". Honolulu Civil Beat. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
16. ^ "Dates: Natural Vibrations". Reggaeville.com. Retrieved 30 December 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz