KAPA‘A — It was just an ordinary Wednesday for many Trees’ regulars. Slowly, they walked into the hip lounge expecting to see a local boy who usually plays on those nights. But surprised they were, and soon most would be
KAPA‘A — It was just an ordinary Wednesday for many Trees’ regulars. Slowly, they walked into the hip lounge expecting to see a local boy who usually plays on those nights. But surprised they were, and soon most would be asking: “Who is this new guy playing?”
It turns out that Pete Kartsounes was not the “new guy.” His show had been highly anticipated. After all, it’s the fourth time the Colorado musician has come to Kaua‘i, where he now enjoys a good following.
But for those who didn’t expect Kartsounes, it definitely must’ve been a shock to see the small-framed guy, dressed in plain clothes and wearing a hat and a week-old beard, absolutely ripping and bending the air with some of most soulful songs played at Trees.
The songwriter/musician would pull some vibrant blues, mix it up with folk, sometimes using a harmonica as a slide, stepping into some swinging soulful music, to switch to bluegrass while playing the harmonica.
It gets even more interesting as you find out only two songs Kartsounes played were not his own. One was a Beatles’ song, and the other was Grateful Dead’s “Eyes of the World.”
“I’m a huge Dead head,” confesses Kartsounes, adding that he has jammed with Bill Kreutzman, a former member of Jerry Garcia’s band who now lives on the island.
You could say Kartsounes is an artist with a social conscience, or you could also argue he is an artist with a big heart. Truth is, he has both, and because of this he has started Hike 4 Cancer, a non-profit organization that helps children battling cancer.
Since 2007, every summer Kartnouses and his band set foot on a 500 mile Colorado trail spanning from Denver all the way to Durango. For six weeks the band hikes and stops in different towns, playing benefit concerts.
All the proceeds of the shows go to There with Care, an organization that provides practical services for children and families facing difficulties in dealing with the illness.
It all started when a friend of Kartsounes asked him to hike the trail.
“I said yes to it, and then I decided to make it mean something, to make it count,” Kartsounes said. “So I decided to start a foundation.”
He then told his friend John Peleaz about his project, who quickly “jumped onboard.”
Kartsounes is no stranger to the power of the music, and realized that his art could be a good vector to help those in need. “Everybody wants to be a part of a good thing, and the music fills that in a community.”
Why did he choose to help the children? Kartsounes shrugs, humbly. “I wanted to do something good, and I chose cancer and I chose kids.”
The talented musician has been playing professionally for 15 years. He picked up the guitar only three years before his first paid gig, but had been involved in a choir as a child, which gave him a head start as a musician.
Many of Kartsounes’ friends have already hit big, some have a Grammy nomination or even a medal to show for. But the musician keeps his head on his shoulder.
“The grass isn’t greener in the other side,” Kartsounes said. “When I was younger I wanted to be something, I never knew what that was, and now I’m just happy to be living the moment.”
Kartsounes will be playing again tonight at Tahiti Nui, in Hanalei; and at Trees on February 12, his last night on the Garden Island.
For more information on how to help out Kartsounes’ non-profit organization, go to www.hike4cancer.org.
