My son Alexander playing with his steel drum ensemble at the State Theater in Carlsbad, CA. His teacher, a gifted pianist and arranger explained that the word Kainga comes from the language of the Tonga, a Pacific island where his family is from, and means 'coming together' or community. And so we did have community tonight around the steel drum which is actually from the Caribbean.
Alexander in the white fedora and his best friend Guthry Hahm without fedora.
They started with Santana's Evil Ways then played Winter Wonderland, the head-banging I Don't Wanna Be (Davin DeGraw) and finally Dog Days Are Over (Florence and the Machine)
The closing act... (the girls brought the fedora's and deemed the group The Fedorables for the night.) There'd been several other groups earlier of equally inspiring yet older kids and even adults, with solos on the drums and some galloping 16th notes, a sublime steel-drum dream version of Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, and a nod to Dave Brubeck.
Taking their bows....my son in front in blue and his friend, beside him.
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