WAILUA — A unique restaurant in Wailua offers musicians a place where they can have an intimate session, performing on a makeshift stage under a tarp, only inches away from the dining room, an actual backyard decorated with a gracious
WAILUA — A unique restaurant in Wailua offers musicians a place where they can have an intimate session, performing on a makeshift stage under a tarp, only inches away from the dining room, an actual backyard decorated with a gracious mess of styles. As funky as it sounds, for most who venture there Caffe Coco becomes their favorite place.
A brand new band called Iris started playing there a few weeks ago, taking advantage of the unique set up of Ginger Carlson’s groovy restaurant. Every two weeks customers are graced by Iris Downey’s soulful voice, Steve Gredel’s experienced bass and Gabriel Monahan world-flavored congas.
“We put a twist on a lot of songs,” Downey said. “We’re trying to have a little bit of everything.”
Michael Jackson’s “The Way you Make me Feel” takes a different turn, nearing Country music while flirting with blues. Bob Marley’s timeless reggae songs “Three Little Birds” and “Waiting in Vain” straddle in the jazz neighborhood.
Marley himself never performed “Waiting in Vain” onstage. His wife Rita forbade him, because he composed it for another woman. The modern-day prophet for sure smiles in satisfaction from wherever he is every time someone else plays it live.
Downey does a beautiful version of Bonnie Raitt’s “Angel from Montgomery,” which she said was the first song she ever learned how to play on a guitar.
The trio sings mostly covers, but since Downey is also a songwriter, they throw in some of her original stuff in the mix. “Can’t get you out of my mind” shows an unusual maturity for a songwriter who has just started.
Vermont native Downey has arrived on Kaua‘i only six months ago. The young self-taught musician, not even old enough to drink, sings with the confidence of a veteran.
“I started off playing saxophone,” Downey said. “I realized that I really like to write songs as well, so I taught myself how to play guitar.”
Monahan, just a little older than Downey, carries a portfolio that would envy any Beatnik Generation survivor. He has lived in Hawai‘i for half of his life, spending about five years between O‘ahu and the Big Island, and the last 10 years on Kaua‘i. The other half of his life he spent between the Mainland and Japan.
“I’m a local from the planet Earth,” he jokes.
Monahan has been hooked on drums for about ten years. His first drum teacher studied in Cuba, and brought back with him a thump only those guys from Fidel’s island have. The humble Monahan, who says he is not as “good as those Cuban masters,” picked up his teacher’s style, but also added a lot of different flavors to his drumming.
The eldest member of this brand new band is veteran musician Gredel, who has been playing for over four decades. The light-hearted musician used to play even before the Beatles became famous.
“I did a little bit of everything, always meeting people and playing different kinds of music,” Gredel said. The New York native even confessed to have sung inside subway stations in the Big Apple.
Only a great thing could come out of a group with such distinct ages and backgrounds.
“It’s an interesting thing,” Downey said. “We’re kinda like blending and making this mixture of sound.”
Listening to music at Caffe Coco is an absolutely unique experience. The acoustics are not the best, it looks like the furniture was bought in several different garage sales, blue rocks layer the floor, and tarps and umbrellas protect the tables and stage from the occasional rain. Because of (or despite of) all this, it’s easy to fall in love with the place.
“There are people who come here and are uncomfortable because they don’t see the symbols,” said owner Ginger Carlson, explaining that there are no liquor neon lights or coca-cola banners. “Most people are delighted to have something different.”
“I wanted a place where people would feel like they were coming to my backyard for dinner,” Carson said. “You can find that here.”
The health-oriented restaurant, as Carlson put it, has been opened for 13 years, and it’s her fourth successful enterprise as a restaurateur.
Some of the highlights of Caffe Coco go to the appetizers; tofu pot-stickers with sweet-and-sour mango sauce, samosas filled with Okinawan sweet potatoes and served with mango chutney, and an incredible Thai curry pumpkin soup that Carlson shamelessly says: “I’m real proud of that.”
Downey, Monahan and Gredel will be playing again this Tuesday, from 7 to 9 p.m., and will take a break until March 2. For those who can’t make it to Caffe Coco next Tuesday, Iris will be playing the following night, Wednesday at Trees Lounge.
Take the time off and listen to some great music, while relaxing in Carlson’s backyard with your favorite glass of wine and some of the best and healthiest food on Kaua‘i. Caffe Coco has no liquor license, so you can bring your own bottle of wine or beer of choice.
