Their first album as a trio was "Ke Alaula," which can be translated as "the dawning." It did indeed mark the dawning of a glorious new chapter in the careers of Jerome Koko, John Koko and Louis "Moon" Kauakahi, a k a the Makaha Sons.
By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.comNow another new chapter in the trio's long career opens; Kauakahi is retiring (from his day job, that is) and that means that, perhaps for the first time ever, the group can consider themselves "full-time, go-anywhere" musicians.
"Pretty much everything was worked around Moon's schedule (these last few years)," Jerome Koko said recently during lunch at one of their favorite eateries, Sam Choy's Breakfast Lunch & Crab.
"John had a full-time job before, I had a full-time job before, I retired in '91, John retired last year and Moon's retiring this year, so pretty much everything's going to be strictly music with Makaha Sons," Jerome said. (He was in the construction business for 14 years, his brother did auto upholstery and Kauakahi is retiring from active duty in the Hawaii National Guard.)
As part of their transition to a full-time concert tour schedule, the Sons are following the example set by another dynamic trio, Na Leo, by taking charge of their own management and business affairs. As Jerome explains the division of labor, he does the booking, John handles the secretarial work and Moon is responsible for "taking care of all the musical stuffs."
Friends and fans of the group who'd like to congratulate Sergeant First Class Kauakahi on his upcoming retirement from the Hawaii National Guard can catch them at Bishop Museum tonight.
"The concert at the Bishop Museum will be one of the concerts you can catch us here before we go on tour," John said. The Sons are planning to play for about two hours and John says there will be no set list.
"We don't have a set show. Whatever (Jerome) does, we pretty much follow him."
"Sometimes we do the old stuff we used to do in the early '80s," Jerome added. When the beloved Israel Kamakawiwo'ole was still a member of the Sons, "in the early '80s, towards the end of the night, Israel loved his reggae stuffs and every once in a while we used to fit it in.
"'Cocaine' was a popular song that used to get the crowd all wild ... and 'Pakalolo,' that he wrote ... and the 'Cocaine' medley used to be one of our big (club) hits."
But the Sons are best known as staunch Hawaiian traditionalists, with English-language songs as "Hawaii '78," "White Sandy Beach (of Hawaii)" and "Drums of the Islands" part of their repertoire for years. They've recently expanded it to include Christmas songs and some of the hapa-haole standards long associated with Hawaii.
And, like most born-and-raised Oahu residents, the Sons first explored Bishop Museum as school kids.
"That was one of the excursions we used to go every year, get to see all the artifacts. That was pretty much the first time I went," Jerome said, describing the trip as a special treat for kids like him and his brother from Leeward Oahu.
"It's been really good this whole year," Jerome said, summing up the Sons' current schedule. The band has been preparing to record another album in October for release in April 2003 (all too many local groups release albums a month or two before Christmas and get lost in the glut).
In the meantime, they're anticipating the "dawning" of being full-time Makaha Sons.
Where: Bishop Museum. 'AIG Hawaii presents
Moonlight Mele on the Lawn'
When: 7 p.m. today.
Admission: $15 ($10 for AIG Hawaii policyholders w/proof of eligibility; $5 Bishop Museum members w/proof of membership). Tickets available at Bishop Museum, Ticket Plus, and at the door
Call: 847-8290
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