Pikake & Pearls: Helen & Randy’s Website

Tim Mayer is a trusted friend, expert musician, and mentor that I’ve had the good fortune of being friends with, since we first performed together back in early 2005. (Abe and I hired him to be one of the doublers in the sax section of the WAITIKI Orchestrotica, a big band side-project of WAITIKI’s at the time. Eventually we added him to the roster of the WAITIKI Quartet, which has blossomed with his contributions.

Tim immerses me in the many graces of life, that help me to endure the endless Boston winters: Central- & South-American cuisine, Latin jazz, rides in his ‘73 Ford Pinto (just 2,000 original miles!), and mid-century tiki cocktails (i.e. the Mai Tai). He’s also a polyglot who regularly speaks Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian, plus Italian, French, German and whatever other languages are needed when we’re gigging domestically or abroad.

Alto flute and violin make an excellent combination, and thus WAITIKI’s signature sound was born. This summer has been a great synergistic example of music-making and friendship. Often Helen and Tim play melodies and countermelodies to one another. Here’s a picture from our show in Berlin, Germany with The WAITIKI All-Star Exotica Septet. In the background are our friends Zaccai Curtis (piano) and Lopaka Colon (bird calls and percussion).  Photo by Jason Goodman. 

We affectionately call Tim “The Mayor”: His amiable nature and everlasting goodwill follow him wherever he goes, and thankfully spreads to all. You’ll like him when you meet him too!