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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
 Posted - 06/08/2007 : 9:46:47 PM
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Faith Ako is a trip. She's worth a trip. We made a trip, by way of Mumm Napa on the Silverado Trail, through Calistoga, and over the mountain (don't want to get tied up in that 101 North, especially on a Friday) to Jim Cramer's house. Some talk, some picking, some great munchies.
Then up to the Kona Cafe in Windsor. 101 is OK by 7:15 or so, we're there in no time. The Cafe is a cozy place in a mall just a few minutes from the freeway, clean and nicely decorated. The house is prety full, but we found a table easily.
Faith sings with a relaxed, easy manner and her sound is full and sweet. Her `ukulele style is a so solid rhythm that really carries the song. And she sings all the good ones, one after another or medleyed together, she took us from one favorite to another. Anyone who's a fan of Hawaiian music will really enjoy her performance.
The food was a pleasure, mixed plate including options of laulau, kalua pork and cabbage, the rest. Good, authentic flavors except maybe the mac salad maybe, and generous servings.
The dancers were a trio of friends from Kumu Shawna's Halau Hula Na Pua O Ka La'akea and they put the exclamation point on the evening.
Folks came and went all through the evening, and the house never emptied until Faith unplugged and led us through "Hawai`i Aloha."
The trip home took a little over an hour. A long haul at 10:30 at night, but worth it.
Fran
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E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
Edited by - Fran Guidry on 06/08/2007 9:50:54 PM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2007 : 01:09:57 AM
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Fran - I love your reviews. Very descriptive...makes me feel I was there (and I sure wish I was). You've got a great talent for it. Kind of like writing a personal journal, but you are kind enough to let us share.
Thank you. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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mike2jb
Lokahi
USA
213 Posts |
Posted - 06/09/2007 : 06:28:44 AM
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Thanks for the review, Fran. We were lucky to see Faith a week ago at the Mystic theater in Petaluma, not quite all the way up to Windsor. I guess it's a larger venue than Kona Cafe, but her warmth still came through.
She was accompanied by the duo Mele `Ohana from Maui (you can catch them Sundays at the Maui Prince in Makena when you're over there) with great singing and playing all the way around. The three of them billed themselves as "3 Scoops of Aloha," and they truly were.
Kumu Shawna brought the whole halau, so we were treated to dancers eight at a time, with what seemed like a different costume change each time they came back up on the stage (hoo! those girls musta had to rent a trailer just to carry all dem dresses).
I'll be trying to catch up with Faith up in Windsor soon, because this was sure a great performance, and the fans thought so, too--lots of enthusiasm in the audience. Wish I'd had your advice about taking 101 on a Friday evening, though. It was a little under two hours to get there from SF; only 35 minutes to get back home. Live and learn.
We were also treated to a local trio whose name I never caught, entertaining us with some well-performed standards as we waited in line outside for the theater doors to open. You know you're at a Northern California Hawaiian event when you see a line of folks in aloha shirts, teeth chattering in the 56 degree California "summer," singing along with the musicians. |
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JimC
Lokahi
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2007 : 06:56:50 AM
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There was a lot of Aloha in Windsor Friday night.
What Fran forgot to mention is that he sat in and accompanied Faith with his smooth slack key. It rounded out the sound nicely and the group from Maui celebrating a birthday were especialy pleased
There are new owners at the Kona Coffee Cafe and they are commited to keeping the Aloha spirit of the place intack. Their son is learning to be the barista and is very enthusiastic to please.
So if your in the Windsor area stop by and support |
Jim
http://www.ohanahulasupply.com
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