Reflecting on Warmer Times
Today as the temperature drops and the rain begins to fall, soon followed by snow, I think back on the summer where I spent two months on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. It was a magical time of climbing the mountains on the island, walking the pristine beaches, absorbing the most amazing sun and experiencing one of the greatest highlights… Playing as the drummer for the Kauai Vibe Tribe. The Kauai Vibe Tribe is a group of local musicians headed by Francesco Garripoli who sings and plays guitar, Master Will Lydgate on bass, the talented and lovely Ms.Elle on backup vocals and ukulele, and yours truly on djembe.
Therapeutic Rock and Roll
In most of my travels I play on my own primarily any therapeutic manner so to jam with these guys and play this fun music
was a real thrill. The first time Francesco came over for us to rehearse was a great experience. He is a prolific songwriter, and really comes from the heart as he plays his beautiful Taylor guitar, (or Fender Strat if he’s in an electric mood) and sings with passion. As I entered in with the drum a beautiful smile came on Francesco’s face and it was clear that there was a merging of souls as well as music. The first time the group got together to practice it was clear that the same connection existed between Will and myself. As Francesco began to play his first song I could feel the funky vibe laid down by the bass guitar. Without looking, I began to lay down a beat complementary to the bass line I was hearing. The groove got tighter and I looked up to see a huge smile on Will’s face as our rhythms merged to create a beautiful foundation for Francescos song. All in all it was a fantastic experience.
Practice Pays Off
We performed at the Trees Lounge in Kapaa. The place was jammed and we rocked the house all night long. One of the funny stories involves Francesco and one of the residence on the island. One of the songs that we did, I think it was the only cover, I take that back it was one of two covers that we did, is a song called “ Wooden Ships” by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It just so happens that Graham Nash lives on the island and from time to time will pop in to local bar to check out the music. It suddenly hit Francesco’s awareness that Graham could very possibly come to Trees that night to hear us play. So in a respectful and somewhat intimidated voice Francesco says “if Graham is there, I am not singing Wooden Ships”. Will playfully responded “come on Francesco, Graham is a really nice guy and would be honored to hear you sing his song”. Well Graham never showed up and we did a great job on the song and believe it or not I’m actually going back for an encore.
Come and Join Us This January
You have nothing more important to do in the month of January 2011. On January 22,2011 the Kauai Vibe Tribe will be making another appearance on the island. This time in addition to the rocking band that we had we will be featuring the amazing Mr. Terry Kingen on lead guitar. This will be an amazing show. January is a beautiful time to go to the island. The whales are jumping all over the place, breaching I guess is the correct term. The Kauai Vibe Tribe will be playing at some local venue, to be announced, And the following weekend will be the Kauai Wellness Expo! So there are all kinds of wonderful reasons to head to the island in January. And for those of you looking forward to a summer vacation, I will be facilitating three workshops this coming summer on the island so stay tuned for more information.
Please Check Back
Well I guess it’s time to do a little work, make a drumming video, and handle some paperwork. Thanks for sharing this delightful memory with me I look forward to reading your comments!
