EKK - Formidable Musical Trio Score New Fans
April 29, KCC-PAC
April 30, Island School

E-mails of appreciation pouring in....here is one example:
"Kudos again to you Carol for a great EKK season. Last Monday's really had an ohana feeling with different dancers coming up, and the everlasting medley of "Song of Old Hawaii". The performers seemed to have a lot of fun up there, and it was contagious. Annaleah"
Many folks came up and were at a loss for words to describe how they felt.

	Hoku teaching Ukulele group. Photo by Tashi

I sit here the morning after the Monday EKK, teary eyed, listening to my "Olomana Through the Years" CD, which may be dated but at the same time timeless in its appeal. What a magical two nights of music from three inter-generational musicians who bring a special magic to their performances. It's a magic that cannot be concocted but just IS.

Jerry Santos, Hoku Zuttermeister, Barry Kimokeo put on a concert that was memorable on many levels. Music that spawned nostalgia, traditional music with new sounds, daring music that stretched old boundaries; stories that spoke of the past but are woven into the present and look to the future; lyrics born out of deep respect for timeless traditions and brought to life in dance. It was ENTERTAINMENT...it was EDUCATION...it was an EXPERIENCE......

A wonderful addition was hula dancer Nalani Badua-Fernandes. Although Kawaikapuokalani Hewett was not at the concert, his presence was very much felt by the beautiful hula stylings of Nalani, many of them danced to the compositions written by Kawaikapu. Nalani's husband, also a hula dancer, added his graceful hula moves to the cheers of the audience.

	Most of the membes of the EKK perfect attendance group. Photo by Tashi

Jerry invited his long-time friend Cindy Combs, Kaua'i's ukulele lady and kiho'alo artist, to share the stage with him. Jerry told us that Cindy is the one who introduced him to Robert Beaumont out of which evolved the Olomana partnership. They sang a song together in which Cindy played the original recording on the CD. Cindy then sang her award-winning composition about gardenias.

Jerry expressed his appreciation for being on beautiful Kaua'i and acknowledged island hospitality where the chickens are killed and left on the side of the road for you .... great for people with no money. They were able to spend some time soaking up some Garden Island inspiration by driving the roads yet untraveled, one of Jerry's favorite things to do, and ended up near Kipu Kai at the base of Mount Haupu, Hoku's favorite mountain.

Jerry is the consummate storyteller, attributing much of it to his proud heritage stemming from the Azores Islands and partially trying to be kind to his vocal chords just recovering from laryngitis; but if he could sing like that after a cold, I would like to hear him when he is top shape. His voice is indeed heart wrenching in its purity as he shared his old favorites and many traditional songs. Especially endearing was his story and song for his Grandmother Freitas who was the midwife in Makaweli for her whole life. He even apologized later for wanting to share his stories, but the stories with the richness of the musical palette was indeed what made the concert so unforgettable.

His young cousin Hoku Zuttermeister, who was hanging around Jerry since he was knee-high, has blossomed into one of the most formidable new generation singers with a falsetto range that brought out screams, not only from all the aunties but everyone there. He sings a song first in his deep and melodic voice and then startles you on the next song by starting off three octaves high and holding. His first CD has been out just a few weeks and is already way up there in the charts. I am listening to it right now and can see why that is. What a gift!

	Tian Ascuena dancing hula. Photo by Tashi

Barry Kimokeo, not even twenty-five years old, is already quite amazing at wielding his chosen weapon. Ever so shy, he is dynamite when he starts to play any one of his complex arrangements on his guitar, and his expression is one of happy surprise when the crowd screams their appreciation, always taking a quick side glance and giggle at Uncle Jerry. There is definitely a strong influence by his idol Ledward Kaapana on many of his instrumentals, but he really is pushing the barriers with what he does with songs like "Yellow Bird". Sometimes he looks almost startled at the reaction he gets from the crowd. "Get used to it Bruddah .... there's a lot more to come your way!"

At the Monday night sing-along, the first strains of Jerry's voice singing the haunting phrases of " Come to me gently.......remember, be sure and be there" gives you chicken skin. This song came out of his adventure hiking down the mule trail all the way to Kalaupapa in the seventies when the Hansen's Disease Settlement was first coming into public eye. Jerry had a chance to experience the back-to-nature lifestyle sitting under the kamani trees and listening to the sounds of the wind and waves.

Best of all, the playful banter and spontaneity of their fun and music as they challenged each other to put forth the best of their musical repertoire, especially in the round robin of one-verse medleys built around Liko Martin's song about far away places with the hui "...sing me a song of o-o-o-old Hawai'i..." If eye contact did not bring forth the next person's song, they pointed fingers at the next person in line. They ended the first half of the concert and EKK Monday with this and it really left everyone breathless and excitable .... there was a mad rush by the audience just to be near the musicians during the break at EKK.

	Tian and Mom Jodi overjoyed to tears. Photo by Tashi

Monday night was packed with a lot of good- natured bantering and laughter, Jerry's twinkle-in-the-eyes kolohe translations of lyrics and hidden meanings in songs, hula dancers popping up all over the room, and group singing. Somewhere in there we managed to sing "Nani" by Alice Namakelua led by Barry, "Meleana E" led by Hoku, and Jerry taught "E Ku'u Sweet Lei Poina'ole" composed on the steps of the Queen Emma Summer Palace in Nu'uanu by his mentor, Emma A. K. DeFries. Jerry's poignant story of being homesick for Kahulu'u while suffering in a heater-less fourth story flat in cold SanFran aroused feelings of homesickness that everyone has at one time or another experienced for Hawai'i; everyone sang "Ku'u Home O Kahalu'u" with great empathy.

They engaged the audience Kanikapila-style with songs that had easy hui like "teve...teve" and "we love you island style" where Jerry made up funny new verses about Barry as we sang along. Barry was fun to watch as he hiked up his shoulders with each giggle and his facial expressions were so genuine and spontaneous, reflecting everything he was feeling. Hoku sang "Kipu Kai" with renewed sensitivity, having driven as close as was allowed on the dirt roads leading up to Kipu Kai on the other side of Mount Ha'upu. "Moanalua" is definitely a song in which he shares his essence.

Jerry wove messages of caring for our limited island resources and 'aina in between his songs; somehow a message delivered with a song seems to have a greater impact on one's consciousness. "You need to be out there a whole lot more," I told him later. Apparently, others have sent him the same message... that it's his kuleana to share his "gift".

Cameras were flashing left and right as if a photo would grab hold of a piece of that music. Many were singing along, and hula dancers were popping up all over the place and some even doing sit-down hulas...the songs were irresistible to the dancers -- Jeanne Kapolei Michioka, Fern Merle Jones and Jerry's long time friend Kahulu Palmeria danced with Hewett influences; beautiful young willowy Tian Ascuena did her parents proud with her sensuous hula; Barbara Prigge and Jean Yim shared their robust dance moves and Leilehua Ornellas could say she celebrated her birthday to music by Jerry and gang.

At the end of the evening, I tried to get a group photograph of the three musicians and almost gave up because there were aunties sitting four-deep on each side and in front of Hoku and wresting him loose from their adoration was pretty painful for all. When I managed to get camera-shy Barry to the stage and went to find Jerry, it was a bit frustrating, because his fans were whisking him from one corner of the room to another. This went on and on until I had to use my "Vice Principal" voice to get the photo op done.

Staging this concert had its challenges from faulty communication caused by computer/internet problems and working with overzealous fans hell-bent to see that when Jerry comes to town, he get the full Kaua'i aloha treatment .... which I am sure he and "company" truly experienced.

Vigil Alkana, Jodi Ascuena, Lionel Medeiros, Mary Neudorffer, Rocky Pau, Sandra Rice, Annalia Russell and Diane Wry -- folks with Perfect EKK 2007 attendance were awarded their own copy of Hoku's new CD release -- " 'Aina Kupuna". Liner notes by Robert Cazimero say about Hoku: "...He is, without doubt, one of the finest young musicians and singers in Hawai'i today. Easy going yet steadfast in his commitment, this practitioner of Island Music deserves the recognition his new CD will bring. Once in your homes, hear for yourselves the talent, the dedication, the promise, that Hawaiian music thrives. In trademark "old fashion" guitar style and with the elegance of a voice that bridges yesterday and today, I present my friend, our friend, Hoku Zuttermeister."

Aloha all for your interest in Hawaiian music and support of our E Kanikapila Kakou program and we hope to see you all again to celebrate our EKK 25th SILVER anniversary in 2008.

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

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.