GRACIAS SENØR – Ames & Mary Anne Anderson – Tribute to Our Immigrants

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Jason interviews Multi-faceted ANDERSONs Ames & Mary Anne, musicians and composers locally on Maui, and more from the mainland Pacific Grove and Cambria, California and decade-plus Maui kamaina, introduce a song entitled “Gracias Senior” and more. It’s a beautiful message to introduce in the challenging times we are living in. Lots of love and respect in the air…

Summary & transcript

November 24, 2025 Jason Schwartz with Ames and Mary Anne Anderson on Maui Neutral Zone Show

[00:07 → 02:40] Introduction and Background of Guests

• The show opens with host Jason Schwartz welcoming viewers and introducing the guests, Ames and Mary Anne Anderson, known locally as the Simple Pleasures Band. They are accomplished musicians who perform both individually and as a duo, with Mary Anne focusing on jazz and Ames on acoustic and string instruments.
• Mary Anne recently performed a themed show called Café Musique featuring French jazz songs, supported by a talented band including Ames.
• The Andersons have been coming to Maui intermittently for over a decade but moved permanently about two years ago. Ames was balancing work as a contractor in California but has since wrapped up those commitments, leading to more focus on music and community involvement in Maui.
• The couple shares a unique personal history: they discovered their great-great-grandfathers knew each other in the 1860s, adding a poetic dimension to their connection. Ames’ musical journey includes guitar, mandolin, dobro, and ukulele, showing a lifelong passion for string instruments.

1. 1. 1. 1. [02:40 → 08:44] The Lahaina Fire and Creation of “Ghost Wind of Lahaina”

• The conversation turns to the devastating Lahaina fire of August 2023. Ames recounts narrowly escaping the fire while working on a house nearby, with the fire coming within feet of the property.
• The couple sheltered displaced families in their condo building following the fire. Jason shares how he was inspired to write a poem called Ghost Wind of Lahaina after hearing about the tragedy, which Ames then set to music with help from local musicians.
• The song is a somber, emotional tribute to those lost and the destruction of Lahaina, evoking the sorrow and shock of the event. It’s described as not a “feel-good” song but a truthful expression of grief and remembrance.
• The song was recorded at Lyman Studios with contributions from Bruce Bogey, Dave Graber, and Jimmy C., and is available on Ames’ website, jazzmar.com.

1. 1. 1. 1. [08:44 → 16:48] Community Response, Aloha Spirit, and Future Vision

• The Andersons discuss the powerful community response after the fire, comparing it to the unity seen in New York post-9/11. They emphasize the aloha spirit as a guiding principle for healing and rebuilding.
• Jason reveals his personal vision to use his real estate commissions to fund nonprofit efforts aimed at revitalizing Maui’s local economy through art, music, and cultural events.
• The conversation highlights the immense local talent on Maui and the importance of community-driven initiatives to aid recovery and environmental solutions.
• Ames and Mary Anne are praised for their generous contributions to community events and charity performances.

1. 1. 1. 1. [16:48 → 23:28] Ames’ Return to Songwriting and New Compositions

• Ames candidly shares that he had not focused on songwriting for 50 years due to career demands as a contractor. Since moving to Maui, inspired by the environment and Mary Anne’s encouragement, he has written 35 new songs since August 2023.
• The first new song they recorded together is Hanamoon, inspired by a full moon seen through palm trees in Hana. The song is a melodic, poetic tribute to the beauty of Maui’s landscapes and the sense of home.
• The Andersons discuss other recent songs including personal dedications and tone poems, such as one about Ames’ grandmother’s house and its evocative smells.
• Mary Anne and Ames reflect on rediscovering and nurturing musical creativity later in life, encouraged by Maui’s magical atmosphere.

1. 1. 1. 1. [23:28 → 31:30] Gracias Señor – A Song of Gratitude and Inclusion

• Ames explains the story behind Gracias Señor, a song written in both Spanish and English to thank Mexican laborers and their families for their hard work and contributions to the community.
• The song addresses themes of unity, respect, and gratitude toward immigrant workers who are essential yet often overlooked in society.
• The lyrics aim to be inclusive and non-offensive, promoting healing and togetherness amid social and political tensions.
• The project involved 18 community members singing together, with only three paid musicians, reflecting a grassroots spirit of collaboration and aloha.
• The music video was created by Julian, a young Mexican-American filmmaker supported by Ames through scholarship efforts. Julian produced an impactful visual accompaniment, enhancing the song’s reach and emotional power.

1. 1. 1. 1. [31:30 → 38:55] Impact and Vision for Gracias Señor

• The song and video are available on YouTube and Ames’ website, jazzmar.com. The video includes subtitles in both Spanish and English to maximize accessibility and impact.
• The Andersons hope Gracias Señor will become a movement encouraging unity and gratitude across cultural divides, highlighting the indispensable role of Hispanic and Filipino workers in the American economy.
• Jason shares a vision of leveraging the song’s popularity to raise funds for a nonprofit called Tools for the Trade, which would provide scholarships and resources to young people volunteering in their communities to pursue careers in gardening, nursing, hairstyling, and more.
• The nonprofit idea focuses on community engagement, work ethic, and practical support, aligning with Maui’s spirit of resilience and mutual aid.

[38:55 → 46:46] Personal Stories, Poetry, and Community Reflections

• The conversation touches on Ames’ songwriting process, including a song inspired by his grandmother’s house and its unique smells, emphasizing the deep personal and emotional roots in his music.
• Mary Anne expresses excitement at witnessing Ames’ creative resurgence, highlighting their shared artistic journey.
• Jason reads a Thanksgiving poem emphasizing gratitude for people, relationships, and community rather than material things. The poem evokes warmth, family, and remembrance of loved ones, resonating with the themes of the show and season.
• The Andersons discuss the importance of Maui as a home and a source of inspiration, sharing their love for the island and the supportive local culture.

1. 1. 1. 1. [46:46 → 56:38] Closing Remarks and Upcoming Performances

• Jason announces Simple Pleasures Band’s upcoming performance on December 5th at Coffee Attic, a fundraising event benefiting the food bank, with a $10 donation and a request for non-perishable food items.
• They mention special guests, including notable Maui musicians Bruce Bogey (saxophone) and Michael Ferenczi (guitar), emphasizing the depth of local musical talent.
• The Andersons affirm their commitment to Maui as their permanent home, sharing personal ties to Cambria and Pacific Grove but expressing deep attachment to Maui’s unique environment and community.
• The show closes with a live performance of Gracias Señor, reiterating the song’s message of gratitude, unity, and hope.
• Jason thanks Ames and Mary Anne for their contributions and reminds viewers to visit jazzmar.com and YouTube to access their music and videos.

1. 1. 1. Key Insights and Themes

• Community Healing Through Music: The Andersons use their art to respond to tragedy, foster unity, and promote cultural appreciation in Maui’s recovery after the Lahaina fire.
• Cultural and Social Inclusion: Gracias Señor stands out as a heartfelt acknowledgment of immigrant laborers’ essential roles, promoting empathy and gratitude in a divided social climate.
• Personal Artistic Renewal: Ames’ return to songwriting after decades shows the transformative power of environment and encouragement, highlighting the creative potential at any life stage.
• Vision for Social Impact: The proposed nonprofit Tools for the Tradealigns music, community service, and youth empowerment, aiming to build sustainable local economic and cultural growth.
• Maui as Home and Inspiration: The island’s welcoming spirit nurtures creativity and community bonds, making it a haven for artists and activists alike.

1. 1. 1. Keywords

Maui, Simple Pleasures Band, Ames Anderson, Mary Anne Anderson, Lahaina fire, Ghost Wind of Lahaina, Gracias Señor, community healing, aloha spirit, songwriting, immigrant labor, nonprofit vision, Tools for the Trade, music video, cultural unity, Thanksgiving poem, local music scene, Maui Neutral Zone.

1. 1. 1. FAQ

Q: Where can I find Ames and Mary Anne Anderson’s music?
A: Their music, including Ghost Wind of Lahaina and Gracias Señor, is available on jazzmar.com and YouTube under Ames and Mary Anne Anderson.

Q: What is the message behind Gracias Señor?
A: It is a song of gratitude to immigrant workers, emphasizing unity, respect, and the vital contributions of Hispanic and Filipino communities.

Q: How can the community support the Andersons’ vision?
A: By attending upcoming shows, donating to nonprofits, and spreading the message of aloha, gratitude, and cultural inclusion.

Q: What is the Tools for the Trade concept?
A: A nonprofit idea to provide scholarships and tools for young people volunteering in their communities as a path to career development.

This comprehensive summary follows the original flow of the interview, capturing essential moments, stories, and insights while reflecting the heartfelt and community-centered spirit of the video content.

Transcript

00:07

Wow, it’s Monday. It is almost December 2025. Aloha, everyone.

00:17

Welcome to our show. This is Jason Schwartz here at the Neutral Zone, mauineutralzone.com. We are hosted by KAKU 88.5 FM, the voice of Maui. And we’re simulcast on Akaku Maui Community Media, channel 55. But you can find all our shows up on the web.

00:39

On YouTube, but we have a page. MauiNeutralZone.com When you go there, you not only can see this show, but you can see all our shows. I think we’ve got 400 or so up there. And then search by all the words we say. So it’s…

00:55

You should go up there. It’ll really thrill you. Another thing that’s thrilling. I have gotten these guys away. What you’re seeing is two beautiful people. This is Mary Anne and Ames Anderson. Aloha.

01:10

known here on Maui as Simple Pleasures. They’re a Simple Pleasures band, and also I guess you guys go out as individuals as well, right, in music. She does her thing. I do my jazz. You sure do.

01:26

Last night you were at the Chocolate Factory singing in French, of all things. Well, I like to do themes. You know, I’ve done Brazilian and I’ve done jazz goes to the movies. And I thought I would take some of the typical jazz songs and do them in French and do some French classics. So we called it Café Musique. And we had a wonderful band. We had Paul January on keys and trumpet.

01:50

Dave Graber on bass, Jimmy C on drums, and Mr. Ames over here joined us on another song that I wrote about Paris. So we had a wonderful evening. Oh, it’s great. For some of you who may not have seen these guys, they are out there, and they are incredible givers to this community. We see them playing at all kinds of charity events besides. But when you see Simple Pleasures Band, you’re going to be thrilled. It’s just really beautiful. When I first met them, I thought,

02:20

Who are these guys? Where did they come from? You guys haven’t been in Maui in eternity, right? Been here a year maybe, a little more? Well, we’ve been coming on and off for quite a long time, about 12, 15 years. Wow. And finally we just said, okay, let’s do it. Let’s just do it. So we moved permanently almost two years ago.

02:40

Wow. Yeah, I was going back and forth a little bit more because I’m a contractor. We have a house in Cambria, California. I had clients there and jobs. I was trying to wrap up, but kind of wrapped up a little sooner than I thought. That will lead us to a little future discussion. There’s a story in that. Yes. I’m sure there will be.

03:02

This may sound like a funny question. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were in Cambria and you met this woman somehow. But she wasn’t always from Cambria. No, I met her a little further north in Pacific Grove. He came to fix the light bulb on my front porch. Yeah, it was sort of a fix. A little more complicated. Well, it was a fix. I mean, it wasn’t. I know I’m a blonde. But we discovered that our great-great-grandfathers knew each other.

03:32

Oh. Back in the 1860s. And so we thought, okay, there you are.

03:38

Yeah, yeah. And you traced your history and decided, hey, we can bring the two grandparents together. We’re going to get together. I think we had DNA cultural memory, emotional memory. And he was already playing music, right? You were playing music at the time? No, I was singing jazz. And I hadn’t played this kind of music that we do, the acoustic stuff, in years. I had a very serious injury in my arm. I said, I don’t play guitar. And he said…

04:07

I can help you out a little bit. I wasn’t playing much, but I played guitar. The Beatles came out when I was like 11, and I started playing guitar in a little Beatles band. Then I put it down and then picked up a guitar in college, started playing a little folk. And then after college, I was in Vermont, and a friend of mine turned me on to Ralph Stanley, Bill Monroe, and Bluegrass. I picked up a mandolin, and then a dobro, and then…

04:34

Moved here and picked up ukulele. Yeah, you play all kinds of instruments. He’s a string man. He plays everything with strings on it, including me, and I’m high strung. And I’m rich on it.

04:47

Wow. And you guys have been together now a while. About 25 years almost. Wow. Because I could never tell that you guys were in any way, you know, not just playing forever. But 25 years is a pretty healthy time. Yeah. Yeah. Well, we’re glad you came here. And I myself have had the great pleasure to see you fairly regularly because you play at one of the churches here locally.

05:13

And we have featured you, too. Yeah, I’ve sung a couple of times. Yeah, you’ve sung with us a few times. We played at the Coffee Attic for a while. We have another gig at the Coffee Attic December 5th. Oh. Downstairs, first Friday. Can I come? Yes, hell yes. You can come and you can sing a song with us, too. Oh. I think Be the One is the one. Be the One. David Frazier. Yeah, David Frazier. Our local David Frazier does that song. It’s a great tune. It’s a great tune. We love David, The Breakfast Club, and we love his music.

05:39

He played on Gracias Senor too, and that’s a future story. You guys are going to hear all kinds of things. If we had the room in here, we’re a little studio, so I told them, don’t bring your instruments. There’s really no way to kind of do it justice. So they gave me a couple of MP3s that we’re going to play as we go along. And I remember right after the fire that happened in Lahaina,

06:08

in august of 23 so you guys are here a while and we’re here we’re going to go there that day you know to the beach yeah i said i don’t want a dermabrasion on the beach it’s too windy

06:18

Oh, so you didn’t go. We would have been up at Baby Beach. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The dojo. Wow. Oh, it was a dojo. Dojo, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Wow. So I decided to go up country, and I was working on a house there. I told John Yanell, a buddy of mine, I was working with, at 3 in the afternoon, I think I’m going to come down, it’s a little smoky, and it turns out the house we were working on, four houses right around there burned to the ground. What? The house we were working on, fire came within four feet, and…

06:45

Then we came home to find out. Then we came home, and we don’t watch news. So we’re in Maalaea, which is not downwind. We didn’t see any sign of any smoke or fire. We went to bed that night, woke up the next morning, and there were people downstairs in the office looking for somewhere to stay. We happened to have a second condo in our building, so we did put up a few families for quite a while. But we lost a friend, and the next morning I was pretty stupefied.

07:15

And Ames came in and he said, what? And I said, Ghost Wind. He said, what’s that? I said, I don’t know. And I’m a poet. I’ve written several books. And he said, go write it. So I wrote a poem called Ghost Wind of Lahaina, dedicated to Carol. And so we just…

07:32

sat with it for a while, and a friend of ours who’s a New Yorker, who’s a songwriter, took the poem, Carol Hartley, I was thinking of her last name, Carol, and he put the poem to music. I knew Carol, too. Carol Hartley, yeah. Yeah, she died in the fire. She was the first one to be identified.

07:48

So he put the song to music, and we honed it and worked it and workshopped it, and then it turned into the song Ghost Wind of Lahaina. It’s not a feel-good song. It’s not a pretty song. I wanted to be able to express how I felt at the moment and the shock and the sorrow. It’s a pretty real moment, right? Yeah. Well, I’m going to…

08:14

I’m going to play it for you guys. I’m going to go dig it out of my phone here. Yeah, we went down to Lyman Studios, and bless his heart, Bruce Bogey came and played on it, and Dave Graber, and Jimmy C., my guys. And we recorded it down there, and it’s made its way around quite a lot. Well, you guys are going to hear it now, too. It’s also on my website, jazzmar.com. Spell for me. J-A-Z-Z-M-A-R.

08:44

Or you guys on the radio, I need to spell it out for you. Because we’re going to put it on screen here for everyone as well. Well, let me start it, see if we got it. Ready? Here we go. You can listen with your headphones if you want to hear it. You’re hearing it?

09:15

Hurling down wings of fire Jodo mission gone Carried away with the leaves, the nests, and the hope Ghost wind of life

09:35

Hurling down wings of fire Gone is the homestead That sheltered the secrets and stories of old Scorched fruit litters the ground Skeleton cars all around Lost souls never found

10:03

The sacrifice of a town to a ghost

10:59

Ghost wind behind Shattered pieces of china Trees sparkle and split Hot ash tucked into clouds That smother the soul

11:30

Howling down wings of fire. Shrieking like banshees. Holding souls in their arms. Then disappear.

11:44

Scorched fruit litters the ground. Skeleton cars all around. All the lost souls never found. Oh, the sacrifice of a town to ghost we.

12:19

With the cymbals. You made the sounds. Jimmy did it with cymbals. Wow. Yeah.

12:47

What a song, huh? Yeah, it’s pretty powerful. I bet a lot of people that hear it just have a lot of respect for what happened. Yeah, it’s not a happy song. No, it evokes a lot of emotional. It really is. Even when I hear it, you know, what can I say? Yeah.

13:08

It’s my truth. Everybody has. You know, as a poet, and I’m sure you understand this, what we try to do is to tap into our source, and whatever the source tells us, that’s what we say. That’s what we write. Well, it was very…

13:26

I don’t want to say haunting. It was very, you get into the mood of it and you can almost feel the tension of that whole time. Yeah, it’s hard to go back. You don’t want to bring it back, but you don’t want to forget the reality of it. Well, it has actually inspired me to rekindle, or let’s say put extra flame under what I’m doing.

13:52

I don’t know if I ever told you that quickly. Way back, I had thought about a lot of things about environmental solutions for Maui and was ready to do something early on.

14:06

And politically, whatever, it’s a longer story, it didn’t happen. But after the fire and realizing how much need we have to rekindle people wanting to come to Maui, you know, they were like, please don’t come to Maui, we’re healing. And that somehow became, don’t go to Maui, don’t go to Maui. And it kind of really set our economy, everyone here, back.

14:29

back on our heels and I thought you know that idea that I had that could be used way back when that was ahead of its time might now happen at the right time or you know God’s perfect timing yeah

14:45

to rekindle and promote art and music and culture of the island, raising money through what we do to do environmental solutions, and make us an example to the world of people can pull themselves up by their own bootstraps. Well, there’s the incentive. The incentive is there. I never saw and felt so much aloha as I did after the fire. People said that it was similar to New York after 9-11.

15:10

People were gathering together. We were doing benefits here, there, and everywhere, particularly for the food bank and Maui Strong Foundation. People were all gathering together as a response to, okay, let’s live this aloha spirit. You know, the aloha spirit is a law. There’s the aloha spirit law. And we’re just abiding by what’s right. And as non-natives…

15:35

And we who come from other places, we still have a respect for and a love of and a desire to fit in with this environment in our own creative way and to participate in it in the best way we know how. Yeah. I tell you, a very moving event.

15:55

The island is in repair. And, you know, we have traffic for Lahaina too. I’ve heard people say it’s going to take five years to get Lahaina. And I said, oh, are we kidding? That sounds like an official statement. It’s going to be longer. Yeah, hell yes. So…

16:12

That’s what makes me realize that we could do it ourselves. I’m a realtor. What if I give most of the real estate commission into the nonprofit to do shows and to regenerate this local economy? So that’s what you’re going to be seeing more of. And I know you guys are going to be part of it. There’s so much talent. Unbelievable talent here, isn’t it? Everywhere. Yeah. And you guys are part of it. Mm-hmm.

16:37

You guys have been terrific. When I first got here, I didn’t really know who you were and what you do, but the more I get to know you, not only do I love you, but I respect how much…

16:48

you give, and how much from your heart. Really beautiful. That’s the source. So they can find ghostwindowline at jasmar.com? Yeah, that’s on the website as well. Okay. Now, so you guys have been writing songs? You sort of…

17:07

What I understand is you were not really focused on songwriting. No, not for 50 years. 50 years. I was busy. He was about 12, maybe. You know, I had some time in college. I went to college in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts. Beautiful. And, you know, I didn’t want to go to Wall Street, didn’t want to live in the city. So I worked the Berkshires a lot and just was writing and playing my guitar and wrote a couple of tunes in.

17:35

And then took a little 50-year hiatus while I was contracting my ass off, you know, with 12, 15, 17 guys. On the wheel. Wow. Yeah, big stuff in Pebble Beach and the Bay Area, you know, Hillsborough area.

17:51

But I’ve been busy here, but I’ve been balancing a little bit more. And I don’t know what a combination of stuff, you know, Mary Anne’s always inspiring me, the weather’s and the ocean’s inspiring me, but I think having a little more time.

18:08

gave my head my mind yeah a little freedom yeah so i i’d wake up at like three in the morning and these tunes were were there and so since august i’ve written 35 songs whoa and um and a couple of them uh we’re we’re gonna hear uh and uh anyways wow that’s incredible you suddenly are a fountain yeah i told them please put your muse on a schedule yeah

18:36

But we love going to Hana, and I think that’s what inspired you to write one of the first ones that we actually recorded, again with Bruce Bogey. Hey, Bruce. Called Hana Moon.

18:48

Yeah, it was like the first song I’d written in 50 years. Wow. And yeah, some really nice clients of mine have a house. I stay in their ohana when I work, and they had three palms in the backyard, and it was a full moon night. And I went outside, and the full moon was right in between the three palms, and I took a shot of it. And so the palms are like reaching up to the moon, and that’s sort of where the chorus comes from. Mm-hmm.

19:12

And I woke up at 6.30 in the morning with a new text message with a new song and went in there and we threw on some harmonies and then went into the studio and that was that. You guys ready for it? You are. I can see it on your faces. Hanamoon by Ames Anderson. Hanamoon. Let me see here. Here we go. All right. If you want, you can hear it with the headphones and I’ll turn that on. Here we go. Hanamoon.

19:45

Hanamun, Hanamun Reaching home to Hanamun You light the sand, you light the sea You light the way back home for me Hanamun

20:10

A million stars fill the skies. A million stars fill my eyes. A silence that no ears can hear. You take my heart. You take my fear. On the moon, on the moon.

20:34

Reaching homes to Hanamun You light the sand, you light the sea You light the way back home for me No beginning, there is no end Another curve, another bend

21:02

Leave me there and there I’ll be Then bring my love back home to me guitar solo

21:44

On a moon You light the sand You light the sea You light the way back home To me To your night I will return To look and listen And ever yearn For the peace you’ve given me

22:13

The gift of peace, someday I’ll be. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu. Hanamu.

22:43

Wow. Two very different songs. Your brain is really scrambling it up, having fun. Her brain was, yeah, I didn’t have much to do with Ghost Wind. I played a little guitar on the recording, but it was mostly Mary Anne and Steve Nathanson that came up with Ghost Wind.

23:04

Well, you guys are having fun. Yeah, if you’re not having fun, punch out and go home is my motto. 35 songs. My goodness. And so then I wrote four or five others. I wrote one for Blaine and Emily at our church when Emily passed, and a friend of mine in Cambria passed. I wrote a song for his widow. And then…

23:28

And as I said, I’ve been a contractor for all these years working in Cambria. And I had a helper there, a Mexican guy named Fernando. And so I was having to go back and forth quite a bit to Cambria to take care of those clients and come here and start a business.

23:43

And I just, I gave the reins to Fernando. I said, do all you can to try to keep me away. And he has done such a great job, so responsible, so skilled at all the crafts that he’s learned over the past three or four years. I’ve been training him. And so now my clients say,

24:07

You know, we really loved your work, but, you know, feel free to stay in Maui because Fernando’s doing a great job. So I told her one day, we were in the water, and I said, I think I’m going to write just a little tune to Fernando, a song of thanks. Just in Spanish, a lot in Spanish, maybe half Spanish, half English, just to thank him for his work and his wife and everything.

24:31

to take care of what’s happening to the Mexican population. Just be careful. But just mostly thank you for all your hard work. And then the next morning, Gracias, Senor, came out at 3 or 4 in the morning, and I sent it to her. Mary Anne, get up, get up. I need you. He does that alone, and then I come and I put a little polish on it.

24:54

Yeah, this one she definitely helped with, and we got some help from an Argentine friend, sort of get the Spanish. Spanish language. Correct. Pronunciation and phrasing. And then we worked somewhat a little bit on the English phrasing and came up with a song, which is half-half Spanish and English. Yeah. Well, you know.

25:16

I’m sure that’s why you did it, because this time in our country, maybe you’re not watching the news, but you probably know. Not much. You know, I last night saw Cabaret. Oh, yeah. And I’d never… I couldn’t believe it. Ariel was like, wow, you never saw Cabaret. And it ended. I mean, the whole thing was… Yeah. Nazi, Nazi. It was a Nazi thing, and I think…

25:41

How timely is something that points out that this kind of thing could happen here and anywhere? You know, we don’t want to compare, but let’s just say our country is going through things that really need to bring out in.

25:56

all of us where our love is coming from. After the fire, you know, when I went out and started talking to people out in the West Side about what happened after the fire, there were undocumented people that are in our community that have been in our community for many years. I never looked to see someone’s papers. But

26:18

When the problems happened, they were shoulder to shoulder, belly to belly with all of us. The fact that we are now separating people out and doing all the things that are happening really is the horror. But your song…

26:36

Thank you, Fernanda.

26:56

Ames and I both know, me as a writer and songwriter, but you also as a songwriter, to be able to express that. And we do have a responsibility. But one of the things that we really, I believe, which is where I think this song is really going to take wings, it’s already crawling, it’s already got legs, is that it offends nobody. It is a just say two words. It’s so easy to just say thank you.

27:24

And I see, I mean, I’m giving myself chicken skin because I really feel that it’s a movement. It’s something that needs to, we need to unite. There’s so much disparity. There’s so much separation in society. And you see it in families and you see it on the streets that we have to find a way to come together. And I think you really, you pressed right on the heartbeat of what’s necessary here.

27:50

Well, I know that this country would stop in a day if all the Hispanic labor went on strike. You know, it’s that important. They do jobs no gringo, no Howley is ever going to do. You know, meatpacking plants and picking. And Filipino. Don’t forget Filipino. Yeah, just…

28:07

All the people that have come here that don’t have any qualms about doing whatever it takes to be able to be here and appreciate being here and came from places where they couldn’t live and just be. No, they had to work. And they came here.

28:26

thinking of that dream that we all live and many of us really take for granted about America. And we’re still asleep, so let’s wake up and say thank you. Yeah, it’s easy to do.

28:40

Well, I’m going to play the song for you. I may play it again later. And there’s a video. Now, what’s going to happen is if you’re on television or watching through simulcast, when you’ll see it up at Maui Neutral Zone, it’s going to have the visuals on this one because we’re getting it from a young man who…

29:00

There’s another good story. Tell that one. Julian. I was on a scholarship committee in Cambria, California, and we were giving scholarships to kids out of high school, and this is a Mexican-American kid who said, I want to be a filmmaker. So I interviewed him, and I said, if this kid doesn’t get a scholarship, I’m off the committee. You have to give this young man a chance.

29:23

So he went to film school in L.A. for two years, has since made two movies, full-length movies. One of them was in a festival. One prize is in a festival. He’s 24 years old. Wow. Slav Town Production. Julian, I love you, kid. And I said, Julian, I need a website. Oh, I can make that for you, but I don’t have a computer to do so.

29:44

Well, I was fortunately in a position where I could buy him his first computer to make with all of the stuff that he needed to do it. I don’t know what you call those apps, whatever. Yeah. And he made my website, jazzboy.com, a beautiful job. And we’ve always kept in touch. So when we were finished with this project, I contacted him and I said, Julian, we’ve got a project for you. And within a week, he came back with video.

30:10

That just blew us away because he took the message and he made this picture story out of it. I gave him maybe two or three notes. Three days later, he came up with the finished product. And that’s what’s showing now. We will be making some changes. We’re going to be putting subtitles on the video. Subtitles in English when we’re singing Spanish and in Spanish when we’re singing English. So you were involved in this project. That’s right.

30:36

We had people who came in from the community, 18 people on this project, and I only paid three. Nobody wanted any money. They said, this is our We Are the World moment. And I’m so proud of you and all of our friends who came down to the studio one night and offered their beautiful voices and their enthusiasm just to say thank you. And here we go. Gracias, senor.

31:30

Gracias Señor por lo que ha dado Su honestidad y amistad también Y gracias a su esposa por su trabajo Duro para su familia aquí

32:04

For all you have given to me, my thanks I give to you.

33:03

Thank you.

34:08

You came into the world for you and your family. You have done as you said, to you you need to stay true. This country is on fire for the strength you have given.

34:30

For all you have given to me, my thanks I give to you. Gracias, Señora, por todo que ha dado. Gracias, Señora, por todo que ha hecho.

35:16

Thank you, Lord.

35:49

Nice song huh?

35:53

Jazmar.com. Do they find it up there as well? Yeah, but on YouTube. We’re really looking to spread it on YouTube because we think that that’s a great way to reach the public. So just go to YouTube and look for Ames and Mary Anne Anderson. Ames is like James with no J. So Ames and Mary Anne Anderson. Gracias, senor. Because there’s a lot of gracias, senor. Mary Anne with an E? With an E. And gracias, senor. And it’s on YouTube. And…

36:21

We want that to spread. Yeah. You know, it’s not only for us, but it’s just sort of for healing in America. I think it’s terrific. And just one little side note, which we’re very proud of. I’ve got a good friend in Cambria named Bob Cowan.

36:40

who was from Bakersfield. His brother played baseball with Mickey Mantle. Anyway, he moved to San Diego and went to San Diego State and opened a guitar shop called Blue Ridge Guitars in Encinitas in the late 60s. And it was very successful, you know, that time of history. And then he and a partner, singer-songwriter friend of his named Jack Temption, opened a nightclub in Encinitas.

37:04

And Jackson Brown and Tom Waits and the Eagles were all around. So Jack wrote a tune and gave it to Don Henley or somebody. And he said, oh, I think I like that tune. We’ll record it. And it was a peaceful, easy feeling. You know, it’s interesting. I always saw Jackson Brown’s name and Jack Temption. Yes.

37:24

Yes. Well, that’s it. And so Bob sent it to Jack. He sent this. And Jack wrote back to Bob, and Bob sent it to me, and he said, this is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever seen. It’s so difficult to simply put a powerful message into a very simple context. I think it has wings, and it can go wherever it wants to go. So we don’t know where that is, but we’re, I don’t know.

37:53

And we also believe that Julian, our filmmaker pal, was able to put into visual, tell the story with the visuals.

38:02

Well, when you guys on TV, you’ve already seen it. But you’re going to see it again. And it’s just so beautiful. Every time I’ve watched it, I’ve watched it already a few times. It is very moving because the message is such a powerful, simple, important message. What does it take to say thank you? For hard work. Job well done and how we all…

38:28

come together in unity, right? Yeah, now in the time of Thanksgiving, you know, we have so much to be grateful for. And it’s not that we’re trying to tell anybody anything. We’re just trying to share what we feel. And we find that a lot of people feel the same way. Yeah. Well, we still have enough time. I wish I asked you to bring your instrument. We’ll do a little soft shoe routine. Yeah.

38:55

So what are you going to do with 35 songs? Have you found, I want to say, many people write songs, but then they find the jewels and you find a lot of good. Do you think you got a lot? I think there are a few more. Some of them are like poems with a very simple melody. You wrote this beautiful tone poem about the scent of your grandmother’s house. Yeah, yeah.

39:22

It’s like a town poem almost. It’s beautiful. Yeah. She lived in Hanover, New Hampshire, Dartmouth College. And I remember as a kid going there, and there were like five distinct smells from the engine smell of the garage with her big Cadillac to the old linoleum of her kitchen with the floor and the hyacinth.

39:45

in the sunroom and the smoke in the living room. And then my grandfather had a studio in the cellar, and that had a really musky smell. And so it hit me that this was the only house I know of where I have five distinct smells filling my head. So I wrote this song about 12 Rope Ferry Road on Ockham Pond.

40:07

Yeah, yeah. It’s very exciting to me because I believe that it’s always been in him. It’s always been there just under the surface, the layer is there. And now that you’re opening that up, it’s very exciting for me, who’ve been writing lyrics and songs and poems for the past 50 years, for him to come up with this killer Grazie Signore and all of his other ones too. It’s very exciting that we share that. We’re really happy to have you here in Maui.

40:36

We’re happy to be here. Yeah, it’s part of it. It’s all part of it. It’s a magical place, and it’s bringing out stuff in me I never knew was there. It’s there. And this was a big part of it. First time I stepped foot on Maui, the soil knew my toes. And I walked out on the runway of the airport, and I thought,

40:57

Wow, this place. I wonder what it would like to be mayor. Isn’t that a funny first thought? I ran for mayor in 1994 as a Green Party guy. And then that’s a whole story by itself. I’ll vote for you to do it again. But that politics got in the way of me progressing. What a surprise. It’s hard. But aren’t we over that, aren’t we?

41:18

many of us are i mean that’s why this song gracia senor has so many legs i mean not only as people but just in general well it could do a lot uh you know more than a political speech or or whatever it’s because music is so powerful yeah and the video is so moving visually so i have a vision for this song i’ll share it with you please

41:41

A very dear friend, Tom Lenoble, suggested that we start a 501c3 and start raising money for a nonprofit. And I had this idea probably 15 years ago called Tools for the Trade. So you’ve got this money in a 501c3. Maybe this kid wants to be a gardener. So he or she volunteers for the city for 50 hours, gets a certificate, and gets $1,000 for tools.

42:08

A girl wants to be a hairdresser. She volunteers at the Hale Makua for 50 hours, gets her certificate, gets $1,000 for all her tools. Maybe somebody wants to be a nurse. They volunteer at the hospital for 50 hours, get a certificate, get a scholarship to go to school. It’s very easy because when you find people working toward a goal that they know they have and participating in the community to do so, what better way to provide tools for the trade?

42:35

So that’s a bigger vision and concept that I have that what we can do if this, in fact, does get big, sell merchandise, sell T-shirts, sell hats. Yeah, we’ve got hats and T-shirts ordered. We’ve already got the design for that, honey. You know, they’re beautiful. And turn it around and make this community even stronger.

42:54

Well, then you’re kind of on the same wavelength as me. That’s exactly what I think. Yeah, there we go. And that’s why we’re all together. Because my goal is to set up a linking of the non-profits to do the things that we’re talking about, to fuel the resurgence of this Maui community.

43:13

Or any community. And be an example. Whatever we do, whenever we put it out, love and goodwill should be just in faith. And Franklin Roosevelt, after the Depression, the whole thing was based on… I think work is really key and essential to a happy human life. I think it’s important to produce. And so the more we get people working…

43:38

uh the better and uh so that’s just what i feel better about themselves exactly exactly prove everything that’s great so that’s so weird i was gonna think that i was gonna play the song at the end of the show but i’m gonna play it now again just because i like it i’m gonna play it again

44:00

And go on to YouTube, folks, and spread it to people, and tell them to spread the word, because the message is just so simple. Gracias, senor. Easy to find. It’s so simple. Do you have a link from your website? I’m sure you have from your website. It’s on my website also, jazzmar.com. But you can send them up there, probably. Yeah, yeah, it’s on there. But, you know, just… Well, it lives on YouTube, right? Yeah, and it’s great to see it on the big screen TV, too. Oh, it’s spreading like a wildfire.

44:25

Put it on a big screen. After the football games, Thanksgiving, just check out Gracias Senor. Or during the halftime. That’s it. That’s it. Instead of watching. Who’s playing this year? I don’t know. Dallas always plays. No, that’s a Super Bowl. Oh, that’s a Super Bowl. Thanksgiving’s got other games. Dallas and Detroit. And a third game. That’s right. That’s right. Thanksgiving games. Detroit Lions. Can I read my Thanksgiving poem? Sure, sure, sure. Love it. Do we have time?

44:54

Yes, in fact, we have 11 minutes, although four of them are going to be gracias saying, you know. Well, this is a gracias poem. I read it yesterday. You heard it. I did. This is called On Thanksgiving, and it’s my message to all of us and myself. Let us give thanks for all our many blessings, for the little children who see the world with eyes of wonder.

45:18

for the youth whose budding strength lifts our hearts and spirits, for those who take care of us and keep us safe, our parents and providers, our nurses, teachers, soldiers, and let us not forget the silver wisdom of our elders.

45:38

We are grateful not for things but for people, for good health and friendship and satisfaction with our work. If we had nothing but stone soup, yet someone to share it with, we would sip the warm liquid love and feel fulfilled in the glow of candles, in the soft web of family and friends.

46:02

Let this day live forever in our hearts so that when we are old or if ever alone or cold or hungry, we can recollect these precious hours with joyful gratitude for the hands that prepare the food, the voices that gently rise from the hearth, the sweet aromas wafting through the kitchen. Our souls will carry these senses forever.

46:29

Let us eat, enjoy, be well together, and take a quiet moment to remember those who have departed, for they wait for us at the greatest table of all. That’s beautiful.

46:46

Well, you guys, I have two things I was going to do at the end. We’re going to get that. You guys are just full of guns. One little aside. When you watch Gracias, Senor, there are two little cell phone cameos. After it was wrapped up, we got to thinking, well, I’d like to get Fernando in the video. And then I got to thinking, my son married a Mexican woman. He lives in Madera in the Central Valley.

47:13

And I’d love to get my son in just because he’s my son. Cameo. And he’s got two little kids. They have two little kids. So the first cell phone cameo you see on Gracias, Senor is Fernando and his wife and his little boy and his dog. And the second one is of my son and his family. So that’s who’s on the cell phones. You guys are so wonderful. I don’t know what to do with you. Just kick us out.

47:41

Well, you know, I stopped them from bringing their instruments, so you’re going to have to go and see Simple Pleasures Band. December 5th. December 5th. Coffee Attic, downstairs, first Friday, 6 to 9. And it’s a $10 cash donation, but…

47:57

It’s in benefiting the food bank, so bring a non-perishable piece to donate for the food bank. So that’s the deal. It’s only $10, but bring a non-perishable item for the food bank. We’ve got some guests coming, too. Yeah, we’ve got special guests, Bruce Bogey, Michael Forenzi, and that guy over there, Chase. Mr. Soule.

48:16

Oh. Well, Bruce Bogey, some people know these guys. Bruce Bogey, I remember him and think of Saxophone. Yeah, Saxophone. He’s the one who played on Gracias. No, he played on Hanamoon. And Ghost Wind. And Ghost Wind, yeah. And he’s got his own studio thing going on. Lyman Studio at the Pro Arts Theater. Right. And…

48:43

Yeah, you have really beautiful, incredible musicians. Michael Ferenczi is such a nice guy. Yeah, he starts the whole song with his little guitar reference. Isn’t it amazing what kind of people we have here on Maui? We have a glut of talent. Yeah.

49:00

Young and old. For you people that aren’t on Maui, we would welcome you to visit now. There’s plenty of great things going on that are still going on. Yeah, every night. The people here, all the people here, are very appreciative of having you come and be part of our community because we…

49:21

And I’ve been here 37 years. I can hardly believe it’s been that long. It’s welcoming. It’s the e como mai. It’s a very welcoming, open place. That’s what I’ve experienced. And it attracts beautiful people like you.

49:35

Well, thank you. Thank you. We’re fortunate. Yeah. We’re blessed and we’re fortunate to be able to live here. So you’re pretty much thinking this is where you want to be? Are you thinking anywhere else coming on? Nothing? No. I came here and never left.

49:51

We walk the beach every day, and we squeeze hands and say, we really live here. This is home. Yeah. I go back to Cambria a couple times a year. It’s a beautiful place there, just south of the Big Sur near Hearst Castle. And see my son and see Fernando take care of a little business, but mostly here. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Good friends. Well, you’ve been there a long time, right? A long time you were there.

50:14

About 15 years in Cambria. Before that, we lived in Pacific Grove. Yeah, another beautiful place. In the Monterey Bay area for quite a long time. Both areas I know and love, although I haven’t seen them in 37 years. Wow. Cambria hasn’t changed, but Monterey has quite a bit. Cambria hasn’t changed. Not much. It’s a nice little hamlet. Well, it’s starting to. A little bit. Well, I remember Morrow Bay. Yeah, right down the road.

50:37

It’s like small and quaint. Why would you want to change it? That’s what they said about Maui, remember? Right. Everything changes. Everything changes. But that one stayed. That’s beautiful. So you can go visit Cambria, too, in St. Louis. That’s right. You won’t see Fernando unless you… You can hire him. He still works. We have an Airbnb there if anybody wants to. That’s right. We’re happy to be here. We’re just happy.

51:05

Yeah, knock on wood. Every day. Because you never know. And happy to know you and meet you. Thank you for this opportunity.

51:16

I hope you’ll come back and play some music here. We have such a little room. I guess you’d play mandolin. It goes that way. And we have Rita Massey plays bass with our band. And Tim Stokes plays drums. You know, we have these wonderful Maui people who are mostly just doing it for the love of it, you know. Yeah.

51:37

And that’s what Maui is, right? Maui really is just a special place. And there’s so many wonderful people here. But yeah, we’d love to come back and we’ll play next time. Yeah. And…

51:53

I hope you guys won’t mind. I don’t know which order to do this, so let’s see. We’ve got four minutes. How long has Gracia seen you? Four and something. So we’re going to start with that, and if we have time, we’ll see what we do then. But get ready. Here we go. Here we go.

52:36

Gracias, Señor, por lo que ha dado. Su honestidad y amistad también. Y gracias a su esposa por su trabajo duro para su familia aquí.

53:09

You came here to work hard For you and your family You have done as you said To you will you stay true This country is stronger For the strength you have given For all you have given to me My thanks I give to you

54:11

Thank you. Thank you.

55:15

You came here to work hard For you and your family You have done as you said To do what you’ve stayed through This country is stronger For the strength you have given For all you have given to me My thanks I give to you

55:45

Wow.

56:09

Well, we are out of time. You’re going to have to go up there and find it again. Remember, jasmar.com. Gracias, and you’re on YouTube. Ames and Mary Anne Anderson, thank you for being my guests. It’s been happy to have you here, and we will be seeing you again. Everyone, please have a good week. We will see you next week.

56:38

Thank you.