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John Cruz to play at ProArts Playhouse

Performing a handful of shows at Kihei's ProArts Playhouse this month, Hawaiian legend John Cruz is excited about a new song he will soon release, "Time to Build a Bridge," which addresses our polarized, divisive time.

Cruz's first new recording in many years, the song "talks about basically building a bridge back to each other," he explained. "These days it seems like politics is a deal breaker, and people are strongly entrenched in their ideas. Can we just pull people out of that mentality a bit? The song has a line, 'here we are all different kinds of people, we're here to build a bridge, we the people.' Can we step back a little and realize we all are entitled to our views and opinions and to express them. Let's not start killing each other over it."

Co-composed with his songwriting partner Mark Herschler, this potent message song sounds like a cross between what Marvin Gaye and Bob Dylan might sing. "It's got a groove that's kind of a R&B and soulful vibe, and the lyrics are kind of Dylanesque," he noted. "I got my neighbors singing background vocals. Sistah Robi Kahakalau's niece lives right next door with her husband and they're both singers. I'm hoping people will feel the spirit of the song and can groove with it. It's my first officially released material in years. It will be out within a month, and that will start opening the floodgates. I've got a backlog of songs that I'm waiting to put out."

Cruz will perform six shows at the remodeled ProArts Playhouse on South Kihei Road on Tuesdays between Aug. 10 and 24, playing solo at 5 p.m. and with a band at 7:30 p.m. Each concert is limited to only 50 attendees, and all seats are socially-distanced.

Living on Maui for almost four years, Cruz said he's pleased to have found a venue that meets many of his ideal requirements, "that the sound's great, it looks great, no alcohol, kids can come, and no TV screens. It only took three or four years, but I found the place. It's a new thing for them doing live music. I've done shows in clubs and bars, and dinner shows in restaurants, and I like the fact that at ProArts people are coming to hear the music. Even at the Blue Note a couple of weeks ago some people were talking through the whole thing."

Maui musicians backing him at the 7:30 p.m. shows will likely include keyboardist Sal Godinez, multi-instrumentalist Steve Sargenti, drummer Kris Thomas, and John Cua on bass. "I've been solo for so many years and since the pandemic I've been able to get together with a handful of musicians and get fuller arrangements on the songs," he said. "I'm going to mix it up every week and have different guests. Ideally people will see the show and come again."

One of Hawaii's most gifted singer-songwriters, Cruz has only released two albums since his remarkable debut in 1996. A multi-Na Hoku Award-winner, his acclaimed album "Acoustic Soul" sold more than 150,000 copies in Hawaii alone and included the local anthem "Island Style." His follow-up, "One of These Days," was named by Honolulu Magazine as one of the Top 25 Greatest Hawaii Albums of the New Century.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Acoustic Soul," Cruz is planning to release an updated version with some bonus songs including "Time to Build a Bridge." "There are two other songs that I recorded during the 'Acoustic Soul' sessions which didn't make it on the record," he said. "I'm still trying to navigate how to do things these days. The last thing I released was in the days of CDs, and the majority of my income used to come from CD sales."

A son of "Waimea Cowboy" Ernie Cruz Sr., Cruz pursued a unique musical path, leaving Hawaii as a young man for the East Coast, where he performed for more than 10 years. Back on Oahu he began debuting some of "Acoustic Soul's" songs at Ka'au Crater Boys concerts.

"I knew 'Island Style' was a special song, but I wasn't sure if it was going to translate around the world," he recalled. "At Tower Records on Oahu, the manager said, 'this record is going to sell forever.'"

Not setting out to be a maverick he said, "I've always done my own thing. I left Hawaii because I saw my uncles and aunties playing the same lounge for 20 years, and I couldn't see myself doing that. And there was hardly any radio support for anything original."

In recent years he has contributed to the Playing For Change video series, which raises money to build music and art schools for children around the world. He's covered Jimmy Cliff's "Sitting in Limbo" and Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and "Jokerman," and the Band's song "The Weight," with Robbie Robertson, drummer Ringo Starr, Lukas Nelson, and ukulele virtuoso Taimane.

His solo version of "Jokerman" has close to one million views on YouTube, with fans praising his passionate performance as one of the best Dylan covers ever. Forthcoming Change videos he will be featured on include "Mutineer" by Warren Zevon, and Bob Marley's "Rastaman Chant" fused with "Amazing Grace."

Grateful to live on Maui, he concluded, "I love Upcountry in Kula. It's a good time for me physically, mentally and spiritually. It's nice to be finally getting out there and playing again for an audience. I love live performance."

* John Cruz performs at the ProArts Playhouse in Kihei on Tuesday and on Aug. 17 and 24, with performances at 5 and 7:30 p.m. Shows are limited to only 50 attendees. Masks are required. Tickets are $52, with a minimum of two tickets per purchase, available at thelittleboxoffice.com/proartsmaui/event/view/143849. For more information call the box office at 463-6550.