Kapono, top local musicians join forces for Maui fire relief
Benefit concert set for Saturday at MACC
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When Henry Kapono began organizing a major Maui disaster relief benefit at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, he contacted a few friends and all were eager to help.
"They were all in," Kapono explained. "It's a whole group of great talent and it wasn't hard to get them to jump in because they want to do as much as they can. It's a benefit for the people who have been in that unimaginable tragedy and everybody is doing this kokua. They all want to be there and that's great because you know they'll put their passion in the music and whatever they do."
Presented Saturday as part of the MACC's "Wildfire Benefit Concert Series," the lineup of the "We Are Friends Maui" concert so far includes Robert Cazimero, Brother Noland, Mick Fleetwood, Kalapana, Amy Hanaiali'i, Sistah Robi, Jake Shimabukuro, Makana, Kimie Miner, Tavana, Na Leo's Angela Morales, Ana Vee, Kala'e Parish, Kealoha and George Kahumoku's Slack Key Ohana. Alaka'i Paleka and Shane Kahalehau will emcee.
The participating musicians will have their own sets "and then we'll have them collaborating with other people," said Kapono. "It will be a big celebration of music and artists coming together and putting out everything they've got."
A number of Maui musicians impacted by the Lahaina fire will also participate, including Lahaina's Avi Ronen. One of many who lost their homes in the Lahaina fire, he was the owner of Lahaina Custom Guitars.
"It destroyed my life completely," Ronen said. "It destroyed my children's life. We lost our home and all my guitars. All my personal recordings with Willie K for the last 25 years went with the fire. Everything's gone. It's stuff that is completely irreplaceable. All my guitars are irreplaceable. I played those guitars live with Willie. I had moments with those guitars that are out of this universe."
Amidst the tragedy and the loss of his home, Ronen is looking forward to playing in the benefit concert with Kapono.
"I don't even know what I'm playing, but I will do my best," he said.
Kapono said Ronen will join his band for a couple of songs and that they wanted to include impacted musicians.
"He's a great guitarist," Kapono said. "We are trying to incorporate musicians that have lost everything. They're asking if they can be a part of it."
Kapono had planned shows on Oahu and Maui to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the forming of Cecilio and Kapono. The fire prompted him to shift the focus to benefits. A major array of talent gathered at the Tom Moffatt Waikiki Shell on Aug. 26, with a portion of proceeds contributed to the "We Are Friends Maui" program.
"The show at the Shell was epic," said Kapono. "We had screens with old C&K photos and people in the audience were crying, laughing and singing. It was a really an amazing night. If the Lahaina disaster hadn't happened, we probably would have continued the 50-year anniversary, but we just felt this is more important."
When asked how he felt about celebrating 50 years of playing C&K music, Kapono marveled, "It is amazing to even think it's been 50 years."
"How fortunate and how grateful I am that the music just continues to be a part of Hawaii," he said. "I'm so proud of it. It makes my heart feel just so grateful."
Kapono recently revived one of his signature songs, "Sailin'," teaming with Jake Shimabukuro for a poignant version on the ukulele legend's new "Grateful" album.
"It came out really beautiful," Kapono noted. "It has another soul or spirit to it. We're planning on doing that for the (Maui) show. Jake is so talented. It was one take. I love that song. I wrote it for my dad."
The two musicians also teamed during the Hana Hou Festival on Sept. 8 in Honolulu -- which also raised funds for Maui relief efforts -- where they performed Jimmy Buffett's "A Pirate Looks at Forty," as a tribute to the late musician. They will also perform it at the Maui benefit.
Saturday's concert will also benefit the Henry Kapono Foundation, which Kapono set up during the COVID-19 pandemic to help fellow musicians and music industry personnel. The foundation is currently assisting musicians who were impacted by the fires. For more information, visit HenryKaponoFoundation.org.
"My foundation supports music and the musicians," he explained. "During COVID, we gave $500 food cards from Foodland and that made a difference. Everybody lost their jobs, so that $500 came in real handy at the right time. We've been getting a lot of requests now for those cards and musicians are so appreciative. It makes us feel good that we can do something like that."
The "We Are Friends Maui" benefit concert is presented at the MACC's A&B Amphitheater at 4 p.m. Saturday. Gates open at 3:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Hawai'i Community Foundation's Maui Strong Fund and the Henry Kapono Foundation. Tickets are $15.50 (general admission on lawn with no seat), $45.50 (reserved seat) and a $150.50 VIP "Hanging With Henry" package, all plus applicable fees. The VIP package includes premium seat, VIP entry gate, access to the Yokouchi Pavilion bars and restrooms, photo opportunity with Kapono and a keepsake laminate. Tickets are available online only at MauiArts.org.
The show will be filmed and livestreamed on the MACC's website, Facebook page and YouTube channel. To tune in, visit MauiArts.org, www.face
book.com/maui.arts/ or www.youtube.com/user/MauiArtsCulture.