Aloha kakou,

I just wanted to drop a quick blog. We just got back from Idaho where I played at the Pocatello farmers market. It turned out real nice and I just wanted to report. I was planning on heading up and playing mostly the kind of stuff that's on my page, and only briefly touching on the Hawaiian mele. I thought that it being Idaho, people wouldn't really get into the Hawaiian music. I was wrong.

We drove up early this morning (beautiful drive), and stopped off at Elmer's (a restaurant) for breakfast where I had the best Strawberry crepes and coconut mango syrup I've ever had (who would've thought?).

The set up was awesome, I was sitting on a picnic table and we duct taped the microphone's to the mic stands. It was a lot of fun. So I started to play and someone asked if I played slack key, I said yes, played a song and after that it was all over. People with a love for Hawaiian music came out of the woodworks (what does that expression mean?). There were about 10 people who were either born in Hawai'i or who had lived there for a considerable time, and a number of people who had been and loved it.

Yes there were the requests for Blue Hawai'i, Tiny Bubbles, and the Hukilau song (which I played . . . good times), but there were also requests for Opae e, and Kaua'i Beauty (which I also played). It was amazing to be able to see the looks on the people's faces as they heard this music played live for in some cases the first time since they left home. I'm not trying to say that the music was played incredibly well, but I'm saying that there's power in that music. I watched a couple of older Japanese . . . couples from Kaua'i and to see the joy in their faces as they heard this music was just amazing. This Hawaiian guy from O'ahu who had just moved to Pocatello for work came bounding up to where I was playing with a light in his eyes and asked if I could play a certain song. He was like a little kid hearing the music. He couldn't stop smiling. It was awesome. This older haole guy who had lived in Hawai'i for 30 years or so, asked for Opae e. As I played, he sat back in his chair, closed his eyes and let the music just wash over him. I could've sworn I saw a tear. I felt so privelaged to be able to be there, and to be able to share the music. What an experience.

Again, I don't relate that to say what an incredible musician I am or anything along those lines, but relate it by way of saying what an incredible thing Hawaiian music is. I know how it makes me feel to play the music, but to see similar feelings in other people was something totally unexpected on my part, and I feel so blessed to have been able to experience that.

Well, I'd better get going, but wanted to report on the gig.

Also of note, on our way back we went to a small kine family get together in a city just passed Preston Idaho which was also great. I played Ki ho'alu there as well, and listened to my grandfather play Edelweiss on the harmonica. Great stuff. Incidentally, Preston is where they filmed Napoleon Dynamite and we saw some familiar spots from the movie. That was pretty fun too, but if any of you ever get the chance to make that drive between Utah and Pocatello and back again by way of Preston, Logan and Cache Valley, take it. It was a beautiful drive.

Aloha,

Kimo