From a review by: Aloha International Steel Guitar Club Magazine

Well, Bruce Clarke in Australia has done it again! The latest two CD's that he produced are stunning. It Is unbelievable how he can came up with such clean recordings! The first one I'll tell you about is "Radio Sol" This CD is by Sol Hoopii and his Hawaiians playing his eight famous 1938 electric steel instrumentals... This CD is a must for collectors! The second CD that Bruce Clarke just produced is of the one and only Lani McIntire and his Hawaiians.

Review by: The Honolulu Star Bulletin

No Hawaiian steel guitarist had more influence on the worldwide popularity of the instrument in the 1920s and '30s than Ho'opi'i. His recordings inspired a generation of would-be steel masters in locales ranging from England to Indonesia and from Canada to Australia. This collection of digitally remastered recordings captures Ho'opi'i near the end of his career but playing with a force and dexterity that few have matched. The highlights for steel fans are the tracks that display Ho'opi'i's brilliance as a soloist. Most of the other cuts are transcriptions of mid-'30s radio broadcasts he played as a band leader. The vocal arrangements reflect the pop sound of the era, but Ho'opi'i's technique is timeless. Concise annotation explains Ho'opi'i's importance as a musician and includes information on the tunings he used.
John Berger, Hawaiian Music Reviewer

Bruce, Package received this morning - I just played the Sol Hoopii and am almost speechless . Unbelievably good! Generally I prefer his earlier sides with the tricone but this must be the best Sol reissue ever. And thanks for the free cd too. In fact the Sol is so good I just ordered an extra copy to be mailed as a gift direct to my pal in Hawaii, Ken Emerson (a brilliant acoustic steel player himself and big fan of Sol's). Best wishes,
Les Cook, Glossop, UK

Review, Radio Sol & Andy Iona Vol. 5 by: Blues And Rhythm Magazine, UK

In the five days that I've had these CDs, Sol Ho'opi'i has only been taken off my deck so that Andy Iona could be put on it. The Iona disc is mightily impressive, but the Ho'opi'i has become an instant favourite. It is made up of nine transcriptions cut for radio play during the thirties and eight tracks recorded for general release in 1938. Unfortunately the notes don't specify which are which and I don't have a Hawaiian discography (is there one?). Whatever, a good half of the tracks are instrumentals and only a few of the vocals are in English. This suits me very well as 'Hawaiian' songs in English tend to be either over-romantic moonings or 'Snappy' novelty numbers and I prefer to hear the thrilling falsetto leaps, harmonic collaborations and tonsil-testing staccato chants of the more traditional stylings.

As the Andy Iona CD is fifth in a series, you might think that it was getting towards the sweeping-up stage. Well, I haven't heard the previous volumes, but there is nothing about this one to indicate that its contents are anything less than prime. Again there are plenty of instrumentals and many Hawaiian vocals among the nineteen tracks and one of the few English songs, 'Some Hawaiian's Lying', is a unique putdown of Honolulu. Neither disc has anything as emetic as'Ten Tiny Toes' included in its contents. Both Iona and Ho'opi'i were master guitarists employing sparkling technique along with the ability to grandstand in breath-taking style when the occasion called for it. Their work on these disc ranges from delicious dreaming to coruscating virtuosity.

If Hawaiian guitar blows your mind, these discs could leave you in a corner mumbling quietly and counting your fingers. Both discs have attractive coloured liners and notes by label owner Bruce Clarke. These are never less than interesting, but I must admit that I would like to see more discographical information included (always assuming that it is available). Sound reproduction is generally good, although you must be prepared to accept some 78 surface noise that could not be eradicated.
Kelth Briggs, Reviews Editor

Bruce, I just listened to Radio Sol. Great work on the restoration. Thanks for the tab.
George Garner, North Carolina, USA