By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
John Cruz: "Overnight sensation" after 20 years.
For 20 years, John Cruz
By John Berger
has been doing it 'Island Style,' and finally,
the islands are taking notice
Special to the Star-BulletinWhen John Cruz was named "Most Promising Artist" at the 1997 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards last month, he appreciated the honor but felt he was accepting it under false pretenses. The thirtysomething Cruz has recorded and produced music for other artists for years. He just hadn't been doing it in Hawaii.
"I may seem new to people who are here now, but I've been playing professionally for over 15 years," he explained.
Soft-spoken and concise in his two trips to the Hoku podium -- his album, "Acoustic Soul," won the Contemporary Album category -- Cruz contributed one of the most striking musical moments of the night, playing his theme song, "Island Style," with the Ka'au Crater Boys.
"He was telling me, 'Hey, man, I've been doing it for 20 years,' and I understood his point," his brother, Ka'au Crater Boy Ernie Cruz Jr., recalls. "He was saying a lot of people he thought should have won didn't win. I told him, 'Soak it in, savor the win.' "
Ernie helped reintroduce John to the local club scene a couple of years ago. A call from Ernie got his brother a successful shot at Sharks (now Hot Lava); Cruz plays several instruments and was a
natural pick when the Crater Boys wanted a dependable bassist. The days when Cruz was known around town as "Ernie's brother" are long gone. He's a headline attraction statewide and beyond.
Agent Rick Davis says Hawaii has yet to fully assess Cruz's talents. "Where his great leadership and talents are going to come into play in the islands are in his ability as a producer and songwriter, to help other artists establish themselves and get an understanding of what the music business is about."
Cruz takes fame with quiet good humor: "Instead of driving to Kalihi to do a gig, you're flying to a gig in California, but here I am still doing my own laundry."
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
John Cruz, right, takes a break with engineer David
Tucciarone, center, and musician Matt Swalinkavich.
Completing a new album is his mission this summer. He's been cutting back on club work to give himself more time with engineer Dave Tucciarone at Studio Kahala. He's also taking on a limited number of projects producing albums for others.One of them is Matt Swa-linkavich, "The Ki Ho'alu Kid."
"We have a lot of the same interests and goals, and love playing music together," Swalinkavich said. "He's been a big influence on my music and my direction."
Saturday Cruz joins the Honolulu Symphony and guest conductor Matt Catingub for fully orchestrated arrangements of "Island Style" and "Shine On."
"There's some great music coming out of Hawaii right now," symphony Executive Director Michael Tiknis says. "I knew 'Island Style' would lend itself very easily to full orchestration."
"I gotta wear a shirt with a collar," Cruz says with a chuckle
"I think it's great going from playing East Village dives to the Honolulu Symphony. Hawaiian music is unique to Hawaii and having our symphony playing Hawaiian music is really cool."
Cruz grew up with music. His father, Ernie Cruz Sr., had several local hits in the late 1970s. By the age of 15 John was playing bass in his father's band. The Cruz Brothers (John, Ernie Jr. and David) became another early entry on his resume. But he was still in his teens when he decided that Hawaii wasn't happening for him.
"I didn't want to be doing the aloha-shirt hotel gigs for 20 years. ... It's a steady job and that's great, but there didn't seem to be any places you could play your own music. All the gigs seemed to be cover things."
Cruz didn't want to do "the L.A. thing" either, so he kept going east until he hit the Atlantic. Based in Boston, he'd drive to New York on weekends, check out the clubs till dawn and sleep in the car. Once he became a New Yorker he took every opportunity to learn more about the city.
"I was raised in Palolo housing and sold newspapers on the street before school so I was a city rat before I went to NYC, the biggest city with the most rats. I loved it. First six months I was there I'd walk for blocks and soak it in."
Cruz took the same approach to music.
"It was a great opportunity. Get a gig, show up and play. If they want funk, be as funky as you can. Reggae, rock. Whatever they want. I recording some solo demos and stuff, produced records for friends, and was musical director in a couple of bands and recorded with them."
After 12 years, he decided it was time to come home.
"I was chasing this musical dream of making it, showcasing for all the major labels, and getting to know the music business. I knew it was screwed up, but the more I learned, the more I saw how screwed up it really is. I said, 'I've been wanting to be a part of this?' And I saw people in the folk world doing it on their own without the major labels."
The rest is musical history and the Cruz family saga continues.
Sister Desiree Cruz had a guest spot on Rick Asher Keefer's "Hawaiian Lite" anthology. Another of his seven sisters contributed to the "Acoustic Soul" album. And, other Cruz family members joined Ernie Sr. on a new country album, "A Time and a Season."
In concert,with the symphony
John Cruz joins Na Leo Pilimehana in a performance with the Honolulu Symphony:
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
