LOCAL BOYS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN...

The spirit of fun in playing Hawaiian music was so contagious that the participants at E Kanikapila Kakou were just caught up with the joy of singing, of playing ukulele/guitars, and just watching the performers as they jammed away the evening. Everyone was just beaming at the end.

	The Mike Young Gang,

Mike Young, along with his gang of Ron Coates, Tony Wichmann, and Rocky Pau plus Kekai Chock and Conrad "Kona" Giminez just brought down the house with sheer enthusiasm in a three hour sharing session that left everyone breathless with laughter.

The ukulele hour went off without a hitch although the musicians had to play musical groups in order to teach the ukulele players and the guitar players separately, so both Mike and Kekai switched groups to do their thing. The early birds were so attentive and respectful of the instruction going on and kept their wala'au to whispers so it was a pleasure for everyone. We even set up a "TALKING ZONE CAFE" outside so those who needed to chat had a place to hang out. "no worry...we get 'um!"

Mike Young led off with his beautiful "Nani O Kaua'i" that speaks of his love for his island home. He and Ron Coates did the vocals while Ron played the steel guitar, Tony on Guitar and Rocky on ukulele.

Kona Giminez just enjoys singing.

"Kaleponi" about a local boy going to California and asking his girlfriend what he should bring back for her was full of tongue-twisting Hawaiian phrases; the audience just loved it when Mike challenged them to sing it fast, then faster, and then fastest....but even with half Malahinis in the audience, everyone managed to get through the tongue twisting chorus with various degrees of skill and lots of laughter. Can you imagine how impressive our visitors will sound when they go back to the mainland and sing "Kaleponi" to their friends and neighbors?

When Mike sang "Kauai, Say You Love Me Once Again", a song on his first Wave Riders Against Drugs CD, Jerry Brocklehurst could not resist sitting at the piano to add his music to the poignant song. Mike talked about his pure Hawaiian grandmother Hattie Kaaua who lived in Waipio Valley where the beautiful Hi'ilawe waterfall cascades; he sang "Hi'ilawe" with Ron's amazing picking on the ukulele. Can't believe Ron picked up the ukulele just two years ago. They also sang "Ku'u Lei Awapuhi" by Emily Taylor.

"Ukulele Man" was one of the songs Mike taught and everyone had it down pat because they learned it in the instrumental session. The singing was zesty and it was much easier than "Kaleponi" and just as much fun.

"Some Country Still Remains", a very timely song written by Mike and Tony captures the sentiment of island residents as they see many island ways and favorite places disappearing with the inevitable encroaching "progress". "The Ocean is My Home", written by Mike for his dear friend Kaui Low, a phenomenal musician who participated with EKK before his untimely death, was sung with such passion. He ended his portion of the evening with "The Queen's Unanswered Prayer."

Kekai Chock, a stickler for proper pronunciation of Hawaiian words, shared a quick lesson on the Hawaiian words that describe various types of water - waterfalls, rains that makes a sticky sound as they slap your body, heavy rains that blow down the grass shack, the Hanalei rains that soak through your skin in seconds. He and Kona sang "Kaualoku", one of the most famous waterfall described in a song of the same name.

It is a very local style to not embarrass old folks by putting the real name of a person you adore into your songs, so often girls are identified by the name of a flower. He sang Andy Cumming's "Pikake" about a girl whose real name remains unrevealed.

They taught us "Na Ali'i" and "Ku'u Hoa", two songs from the Na Mele song book. We all sang it as best we could. Then Kekai broke out his very special guitar by Steve Grimes, a guitar he ordered in 2001 and finally received in 2006, but it was worth the wait for such a beautiful instrument .... definitely not an instrument for beach picnics.

This time, Kekai and Kona ramped up the music and sang both songs in an up tempo and with a lot of fancy fingering. It was amazing to watch Kona as his feet was dancing away in every which direction while he strummed away and sang his heart out in absolute glee...Anne O'Malley described his playing with these words: "I can't remember when I witnessed someone having so much sheer, pure fun with his music as Kona. He and Kekai were in synch, and then at the end, he still wouldn't quit, kept playing with Ron Coates. Such an animated guy!"

To close the evening, all the musicians got back on the stage and asked for requests and someone shouted "Me Ke Aloha Ku'u Home O Kahalu'u" by Jerry Santos. The musicians sang the song so beautifully and so passionately that Jerry would be proud. Many in the audience knew the song so it was awesome to hear so many voices singing together.

Of course for our EKK finale concert on April 29 and our last Monday night on April 30, we will have Jerry Santos here in person to sing his song with his cousin Hoku Zuttermeister and the amazing young talent, Barry Kimokeo.

Coming up...another phenomenal musician will be our EKK Monday, March 19 presenter, Jeff Peterson, 2005 Grammy winner in Hawaiian Music whose unique guitar stylings combine his love of Hawaiian music and classical and jazz music. He will also be opening the Sunday night concert at KCC-PAC when the Descendance Australian Aborigine Dance Troupe performs.

Tickets should be picked up EARLY, EARLY, EARLY at the ticket outlets so I won't have to field so many frantic last minute phone calls. Tickets will be picked up on Saturday, March 17 from Magic Dragon and Toys, Bounty Music, Hawaiian Music Huts in Princeville and Coconut Plantation, Kauai Discount Activities in the Aloha Center, Island Soap and Candle in Koloa, Scotty's Music in Kalaheo, and by emailing <giac@hawaiilink.net> for "will call" tickets.

E Kanikapila Kakou Hawaiian Music Program is funded in part by the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, the County of Kaua'i Office of Economic Development, and Garden Island Arts Council supporters. Space generously provided by Island School.

Garden Island Arts Council programs are supported in part by the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts through appropriations from the Legislature of the State of Hawai'i and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Carol Kouchi Yotsuda, E Kanikapila Kakou 2007
Celebrating 30 years of "bringing ARTS to the people and people to the ARTS