"It's been a busy year since our 25th Lei Day last year," said Robert Cazimero, who is putting his head together with brother Roland's to launch the first of the next 25 years of community May Day celebrations. "It seemed like yesterday that we were struggling to get ready for No. 25. And here it is, No. 26."

The plan, he said, was to think as though they were rewinding the clock. Relive yesteryear a bit.

"We've invited our guest stars," he said of that tradition. "Now, it's just a matter of doing the show."

The event, of course, is the communitywide celebration in which folks make, give, wear or buy a lei, then gather en masse to enjoy a parade of Hawaiian songs, chants and dances performed by The Caz and guest halau.

Naturally, Robert's Halau Na Kamalei and featured dancer Leinaala Heine Kalama's Na Pualei O Likolehua halau will join in.

Robert has been on work overdrive recently, bringing his music to diners at Chai's Island Bistro at Aloha Tower Marketplace, where he performs on solo piano (he sings, too) Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with Roland aboard to form The Caz on Wednesdays.

"All that changes when summer comes along," he said of the scheduling. That's when he'll be less visible at Chai's as he returns to his traveling ways.

The outbreak of the Iraq war and, more recently, the red-alert on SARS, have kept him homebound. He used to visit Japan perhaps once a month, but no more.

"But I have to think of my boss, Chai (Chai Chaowasaree, the owner-chef); I cannot just up and leave," said Cazimero.

"But traveling brings new insights and experiences to the show and stage. Traveling makes you appreciate home a lot more, how lucky we are to live in Hawai'i."

Heightened security has taken some of the pleasure out of traveling, too.

"It doesn't stop me, because I love to travel, but you have to stop and think of things like SARS and airport hassles. The biggest concern is at airports, though I might have a problem if I were going to China. But not Japan."

With that kind of stress, said Cazimero, May Day offers relief from aggravation — a time to relax and enjoy the riches of Hawaiian music.