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EKK Wrap – Crazy Eddie and John Cruz

E Kanikapila Kakou is no longer Kauai’s little hidden gem. It appears that the word is out and folks show up every single Monday night from Ireland, Canada, Germany, and other countries and from Minnesota, New York, Oregon and practically every state in the nation. We even get folks visiting from other Hawaiian islands.

And from the gleeful parting comments from many of our local folks and visitors, they are delighted about the whole package - from the beautiful leis they receive to the funny stories shared, the amazing talent that they can enjoy from very close up and the new friends that they make.

Next Monday night, March 20, Robbie Kaholokula and his talented Ohana - Puamohala, daughter Lei U’I, son Baron - will be sharing stories and photos of their family’s music and the evolution of the Na Kaholokula recording group. They will be sharing songs such as Pua Olena, Ululani E, Ke Ahi Wela, and Kealii.

Years ago they came as a group to E Kanikapila Kakou and the harmony was simply superb…outstanding. When Robbie’s wife Puamohalo went up to dance the hula, everyone just held their breath because she was song in motion.

Be there or be square.

This past Monday, we starred an unlikely duo, who revealed that they found out they grew up together in Palolo housing and rekindled their friendship when they met last year at the Kauai Music Festival.

Eddie says, “John and I thought we were going to teach students,” and they were surprised to come face to face with over 200 enthusiastic local folks and visitors, most of them adults.

John worked with the ukulele group while Eddie worked with the guitar group and then they swapped places so they could share their instrumental techniques with each instrumental group.

Crazy Eddie shared some of his favorite compositions from the over 1000 songs he has composed to date. His tongue-twisting song “Who Caught the Kala?” names every single Hawaiian name of fish that grace our island meals; how he fits it altogether in a single song is really quite ingenious.

Another popular Crazy Eddie song goes something like “I like eat lichee but I no like pick lichee” and it goes on and on about every thing he wants to eat but don’t want to pick….including pickled mango and Kukui brand guava jelly. It’s hilarious and everyone living in Hawaii can relate to his choices of island delicacies.

Watching Eddie sing with his foot stomping and his wild hair flailing with every energetic bob of his head is funny to watch, but he says he lets his group sing the songs and he stays in the background so he doesn’t “screw it up.”

John Cruz sang a number of his own compositions including “Island Style” and “Shine on”, two of the songs that he taught us following the intermission. He will be sharing the stage with Makana at the March 25 benefit for the “Cambodia’s Children Benefit” at Blossoming Lotus Restaurant.

The huge torrents of rain came pounding down on the roof and some folks, nervous about driving in the stormy rain, took leave at intermission, but many remained to learn the songs shared by Eddie and John. “Hawaii Aloha” sang by everyone cements the experience as one of heartfelt sharing at another Monday night of EKK.

Carol Yotsuda

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