PUHI — For many musicians, hands are the keys to their art. “Yes, they do hurt,” said Eric Gruber in answer to a student’s question. Gruber was referring to his hands following an intense session on the upright bass during
PUHI — For many musicians, hands are the keys to their art.
“Yes, they do hurt,” said Eric Gruber in answer to a student’s question.
Gruber was referring to his hands following an intense session on the upright bass during a music outreach program with Devin Phillips and New Orleans Straight Ahead yesterday at the Kaua‘i Community College Performing Arts Center.
Andrew Oliver, the pianist for the jazz ensemble, added that during the group’s stay on O‘ahu where it performed at the Manoa Jazz Festival, Gruber and the rest of the group were swimming when all of a sudden, he raised his hands above the water.
When asked about the gesture, Gruber said he noticed how his hands were “pruning” and was afraid it would affect his performance on the bass. To avoid this, he finished his swimming by holding his hands above water.
Both Oliver and Gruber were on hand with Devin Phillips and New Orleans Straight Ahead as part of the music outreach program hosted by the Kaua‘i Concert Association which celebrated its season opener with a performance by Phillips Sunday night.
“This is the first musical service project of the year,” said Judy Arrigo, a board member for KCA, who laid out season programs for the arriving students. “This project is also a first since the students are from the private schools on the island. Today we have students coming from St. Catherines, Kula, Island School, Kahili Adventist as well as some home school students.”
Arrigo said they’ve always done projects for the public school students, and this time, KCA felt they needed to open up the program to private school students.
Dan Spriggs, another KCA board member, said, “Last year, we reached about 10,000 kids through the musical outreach program which covered eight different sessions.”
Spriggs said during these musical outreach sessions, the featured KCA performer either goes out to the schools, or the students come to where the musician is performing.
As an example, Spriggs said the Shanghai String Quartet took its session to Kalaheo School where it ended by giving a schoolwide concert.
Similarly, a visiting guitarist traveled to Kilauea School and ended by performing for the entire student body in the school’s grass courtyard.
“This is a great cultural and musical experience for the students,” Spriggs said.
Phillips, who opened the KCA season Sunday night to an audience of about 300 people, said he has been playing the saxophone since he was 8 years old.
“Our absolute favorite is to play for people who don’t know jazz so we can change their mind,” Phillips said.
Phillips, in answer to another student’s question, said his music is inspired in part by listening to John Coltrane’s music much as a child is inspired by parents when learning how to talk.
Demonstrating his prowess on the tenor saxophone, Phillips put his words into action as he led New Orleans Straight Ahead through “My Favorite Things,” a number from “The Sound of Music” which had been adapted by Coltrane.
Following the session, he opened the auditorium for discussion and the audience’s interpretation of the piece. Phillips told the audience about his CD, “Made in the Water,” available through his Web site.
Pieces from that disc may have been inspired by the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina which forced Phillips, born and raised in New Orleans, to relocate to Portland, Ore., where he currently lives.
Oliver, too, has a CD he recently released as the Andrew Oliver Sextet and featuring Gruber on bass.
Phillips said the music the group offers is similar to conversation, asking the students, “How hard is it to carry on a conversation between friends?”
Spriggs said the next KCA musical outreach program is a joint venture between KCA and the Honolulu Symphony later in November.
The highlight of that program will have the symphony breaking down into ensembles and visiting the different schools.
Additionally, Spriggs said there will be two free concerts: one for the school students on a first-come, first-serve space availability basis; and the other being a free concert for the public.
For more information, visit the KCA Web site at www.kauai-concert.org
For more information on Phillips, visit his Web site at www.devinphillips.com
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.
com
