Band Sparks Memories In Song

Amy Fukunaga and Barry Jay of Ebb Tides perform before their audience of kupuna during a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Manoa Cottage Kaimuki. Photo from Calvin Hara.

A longtime island band is bringing back the old days and the old songs on a regular basis to residents of a skilled nursing facility in Kaimuki.

Larry Fukunaga, who founded Ebb Tides in the 1960s, is an active musician and entertainment director of The Ebb Tides, and he just happened to know of a good band that’s still around.

Together with his wife Amy, hula by Kaliko and fellow musicians Barry Jay, Fred Oshiro, Mike Sakamoto, Charta Leong, Jolene Kim and Joy Teraoka, Fukunaga delivers a sentimental musical trip to residents via ukulele, guitar and the Okinawan sanshin

The repertoire ranges from numbers like Kimi To Itsumademo to God Bless America.

“The music brings back memories for all,” said Calvin Hara, administrator of MCK, which specializes in dementia care. “And it is heartwarming to see residents smiling and singing along with them.”

For more information, call the band at 732-5103 or MCK at 426-7850.