FulaBula Fest expands to two locations

By PAM KRAGEN - Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 25, 2008 10:27 PM PST ∞

If turkey leftovers and televised football don't appeal to you this weekend, Semisi Ma'u has an alternative form of entertainment for North County music lovers. The Oceanside bandleader is hosting his ninth annual FulaBula Fest 2008 in two Leucadia locations this weekend, and all money raised will benefit a local school orchestra.

Ma'u, who was born in Tonga and moved to Oceanside in 1978, taught music for many years at a private Del Mar elementary school. But when his two sons ---- Keli (now 26) and Tonga Ross-Ma'u (now 23) ---- attended public school, Ma'u learned that arts funding for public schools was limited. Both boys played in the orchestra at Oceanside's Lincoln Middle School ---- Keli played cello, Tonga played viola ---- and the orchestra director told Ma'u that many students who wanted to join the band couldn't afford instruments.

So in 2000, Ma'u asked a group of his fellow North County musicians to lend some time to the first FulaBula fundraiser, and a tradition was born. Over the years, the FulaBula Fests have raised money for more than 20 violas, violins and cellos for middle-school orchestras in Oceanside and Vista.

The beneficiary for this year's FulaBula festival, as in 2007, is the Vista Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, an arts magnet school in Vista's Townsite community. Last year's FulaBula event raised $1,500 for Vista Academy, which was used to buy uniforms and sheet music for the elementary- and middle-school orchestras and to send some musicians to a regional competition, according to Jennifer Bradford, president of the Vista Academy Foundation.

This year's FulaBula funds will be used to underwrite an after-school music program that students can join for an annual fee of just $50. All instruments, music and instruction are paid for by the school and its foundation, Bradford said.

"Being an arts magnet school, we know parents and students are making a choice to be at our school, and with the budget cuts, we're getting hit hard on the things that attract people here," Bradford said. "So it's the priority of the foundation to provide things for our students that the state can't and to give the students opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have."

Something new this year is the expansion of the FulaBula Fest to two locations in Leucadia. Le Papagayo restaurant, host of the festival for the past several years, will host all of the solo performers this year, while the Calypso Fish House will host all of the musical groups.

The lineup this year includes Semisi & FulaBula, Ion Bennett, the Flounders, the Steamers, Jeff Moore, Jerry McCann, Eric Foster, Moonlight, Adrienne Nims and Spirit Wind, Keli Ross-Ma'u, Celia Lawley, Rick Ross, Vili Makihele, Ricky Small and the Talls, Doug Allen, Chill Boys and Gregory Michaels.

Ma'u said both restaurants will offer special meal deals at family-style prices, and a portion of proceeds will benefit the FulaBula fund.

The festival will conclude at 4 p.m. Nov. 30 with a screening of Keli Ross-Ma'u's film documentary "In the Panyard," a film he made about steel drum music while a student at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., based on his studies abroad in Trinidad and Tobago. The film has been accepted at nine national film festivals and was a finalist in the Best Student Documentary category at the Independents Film Festival in Tampa, Fla.

FulaBula Fest 2008

Where: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30

Where: Le Papagayo restaurant, 1002 N. Coast Highway 101, Leucadia; Calypso Fish House at 190 N. Coast Highway 101, Leucadia

Admission: Donations benefit the Vista school of Visual and Performing Arts

Info: (760) 944-8252

Schedule at Le Papagayo:

Nov. 29

11 a.m. to noon ---- Semisi Ma'u (island groove)

12:15 to 1 p.m. ---- Eric Foster (classical and originals)

1:15 to 2 p.m. ---- Surprise guests

2:15 to 3 p.m. ---- Jeff Moore (blues rock)

3:15 to 4 p.m. ---- Jerry McCann (originals and rock)

Nov. 30

11 to 11:45 a.m. ---- Vili Makihele (Hawaiin music)

Noon to 12:30 p.m. ---- Rick Ross (jazz)

12:35 to 12:50 p.m. ---- Semisi Ma'u (Originals)

1 to 1:30 p.m. ---- Celia Lawley, Fiddlegirl (country rock)

1:45 to 3:45 p.m. ---- Surprise guests

Schedule at Calypso Fish House:

Nov. 29

11:15 a.m. to noon ---- Keli and Tonga Ross-Ma’u (island groove)

12:15 to 1 p.m. ---- Doug Allen / Mar Dels (rock)

1:15 to 2 p.m. ---- Chill Boys (blues rock)

2:15 to 3 p.m. ---- Gregory Michael (R&B)

3:15 to 4 p.m. ---- Adrienne Nims and Spirit Wind

Nov. 30

11 to 11:45 a.m. ---- Ricky Small and the Talls (originals, rock)

Noon to 12:34 p.m. ----Eric Foster (Latin)

1 to 1:45 p.m. ---- Keli & Tonga Ross-Ma'u with Gabby Madden (funky jazz)

2 to 3 p.m. ---- The Steamers (country rock)

3:15 to 4 p.m. ---- Surprise guests

4 p.m. "In the Panyard" steel drum documentary screening