GEORGE F. LEE / STAR-BULLETIN
Jake Shimabukuro and Guy Cruz rock the house
during the Sunday Sunset Happy Hour at
Gordon Biersch Brewery.

Pure jam
at sunset

Colón inaugurates
waterfront event

By Chris Cottrell
star-bulletin

Colón is groovin'. Jake Shimabukuro's fingers fly fast and furious over ukulele strings. Andrew McClellan plucks a bold bass-line, while Lopaka Colón palm-pounds conga drums. Guy Cruz releases a powerful roar, "American Woman!..."

It's Sunday night in the outdoor bar stage at Gordon Biersch, and a crowd of microbrew and music aficionados cheer and flash shakas and smiles as Colón winds down the encore song.

Wade Faildo (Bruddah Wade on-air), program director for Hawaiian 105 FM KINE, couldn't have been happier with the show. "They had the crowd in the palm of their hand, they could do no wrong," said Faildo.

Indeed they could not.

GEORGE F. LEE / STAR-BULLETIN
From left, Glenn Cooke of Honolulu, Meredith Day
of Aiea, Dave Browning of Aiea and Clement Chang
of Honolulu share a toast during the Gordon Biersch
Sunday Sunset Happy Hour.

"We love all the guys, but we've been fans of Jake since his Pure Heart days," said a jovial George Medina, of Kapolei. He sips a copper-hued ale and continues, "Watch his hand, that's speeding ticket, pull 'em over, that sucker's hot ... Jake's on fire!"

Inspecting the band, Medina's wife Carol teases him, wishing, "If I was only younger."

This premiere evening of "Sunday Sunset Jams" is being sponsored by the radio station and Gordon Biersch through September.

Locals and tourists rocked throughout the evening, in between bites of fish filets and sips of frothy brew. The kitchen was always ready to sizzle up fresh pizza and seafood delights or serve up pupus like their rich garlic fries, on special at $1.05.

"We like bringing more of a local crowd to a casual venue, and the bands like playing here as well," said Gordon Biersch manager Leber Fitzpatrick.

Ukulele master Shimabukuro, 24, percussion; bird-call extraordinaire Colón, 26; and guitarist and lead vocalist Cruz, 33, dissolved Pure Heart last year to form Colón. Adding punk- and reggae-influenced bassist Andrew McClellan, 30, the group is less concerned with adhering to the strictures of local Hawaiian music, and instead envisions new sounds reflecting their eclectic backgrounds.

Shimabukuro says the music is "more emotion and feelings (than any one style)."

And while we're quoting the band, Lopaka Colón adds, "I love my mom."

Sunday Sunset Jams Where: Gordon Biersch, Aloha Tower Marketplace When: 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sundays through September Call: 599-4877

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