The “Westside regulars” at Salt Pond Beach Park got a special treat Sunday. The Happy Enchalata, Kaua‘i’s bluegrass band, hosted their quarterly Pickin’ in the Park jam session, attracting musicians from all over for a day of music and fun.
The “Westside regulars” at Salt Pond Beach Park got a special treat Sunday. The Happy Enchalata, Kaua‘i’s bluegrass band, hosted their quarterly Pickin’ in the Park jam session, attracting musicians from all over for a day of music and fun.
“It’s nice of them to have this for people,” said Joe Kauahi, a retired police officer and one of the beach-going regulars.
The roots of bluegrass, according to Wikipedia, stem from the music of Scots-Irish immigrants, fused with rural, African-American-inspired jazz and blues that hail from the southeastern states.
The jam session venue is open to anybody who wants to join in, even those who haven’t touched their harmonica or violin in years. Tourists who have brought instruments with them are also welcome.
Pat Jones from “South of the Mason-Dix,on Line,” was one such visitor. Jones said he saw the announcement in the paper and decided to participate. He has been playing his back packer, a small guitar, with people playing their ‘ukulele on the beach.
Jones said he came across a tourist from Japan playing a “jazzy thing” on his guitar at ‘Anini and dolphins came up. The Japan tourist told Jones that happened whenever he played.
Paul Iwata, who hangs out at the beach park daily, said it was something different to be able to listen to the music.
This event marked the third jam session of its kind. The site has alternated between Lydgate Beach Park and Salt Pond. The idea for the session came from Bluegrass Hawai‘i, the traditional and bluegrass music society for the islands, via Denice and Marty Sheffer.
There is a monthly Pickin’ in the Park on O‘ahu the Sheffers thought the concept would fit into the “‘ohana thing” on Kaua‘i.
“I’m all big on let’s keep the talent here,” Denice Sheffer said. “The big picture thing is, wouldn’t it be great if Kaua‘i were the Mecca for music?”
Tero Stafford of Port Allen had his bucket bass ready to go “for later.” Stafford plays ‘ukulele and has lots of friends in the band. He and his wife, Sue, planned to stay, “the whole time.”
Sheffer is the leader of The Happy Enchalata. He started the original band in 1985 in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. He moved to the Big Island in 1990 and came to Kaua‘i to help the re-building after Hurricane ‘Iniki. He was hired by the Waimea Baptist Church to do its renovations.
His band partner, Mark Keyser, moved here in 2000 and the band started playing again in 2002. In May 2004 they opened for Ledward Ka‘apana, Rob Ickes and Tim Stafford at the Bluegrass Beat meet Hawaiian Heat concert. They have also played at the annual Banana Poka Festival, Hanapepe Block Party and Taste of Hawai‘i.
Acoustic instruments are non-electric, but The Happy Enchalata does have plug-ins.
“We have a very eclectic group,” Sheffer said. The music at Pickin’ also covers a wide spectrum.
The band has changed over the years. They are currently at 10 members: Marty Sheffer on mandolin and vocals; Denice “Peaches” Sheffer on percussion and vocals; Jimmy “DelaMash” on dobro and harmonica; Scott “YA” Kaduce on saw and juice harp; Steven “Red Brick” Meredith on washboard and harmonica; Michael Barretto on banjo, guitar and vocals; Bill Dick on fiddle; Larry Heller on bass; Amos Merkle on guitar; Doug Gates on mandolin and sound.
They are frequently joined by Gary Claunch on percussion, guitar and vocals.
For the band, participants and spectators, the Pickin’ in the Park jam sessions are “big, hairy fun.”
The next session will be Sept. 30, at Lydgate. Pickin’ in the Park will return to Salt Pond in December.
Those who follow the bluegrass circuit on O‘ahu, Maui and the Big Island can find out what’s happening on Kaua‘i through the bluegrasshawaii.com neighbor island link, Marty Sheffer said.
