July Is A Parade Of Hit Shows At Blue Note Hawaii

July is back to back action with a parade of local and national acts at Blue Note Hawaii. The "Concert King of the Philippines" Martin Nievera returns by popular demand for a three-night series, legendary folk artist Bruce Cockburn performs for two nights only and the Blue Note Comedy series explodes with superstar Marlon Wayans for two shows only. Other national acts include Alex Bugnon and Karla Bonoff.

Local audiences will be thrilled by the stellar lineup of artists including the return of Willie K to the Blue Note stage, as well as Ivory City, Kuana Torres Kahele, The Treasure Tones, Hawai'i's premiere African Dance Band Jamarek, Amy Hanaiali'i celebrating the Great Women of Jazz and Blues, Maggie Gould, Yoza and the ubiquitous Robert Cazimero continuing his seasonal residency with a celebration of the music of the summer. Kapena makes their long-awaited debut, followed by Josh Kaye & Friends with Stu Ham, singer-songwriter Lana Kei, DeShannon Higa and his Subtonic Orchestra and Mango Season returning to the stage. Mike Lewis and Friends have a series of shows celebrating an evening of the music of Anita Baker featuring Ginai and the third annual Best of Hawai'i's High School Jazz Bands extravaganza on July 4th.

A 15% kama'aina discount is available to residents for most shows. This is available online with code MAHALO15, as well as in person at the box office. Parking is validated at the OHANA East Hotel for $6 for four hours, and at the Outrigger Waikiki for $15 for four hours valet.

The full July Blue Note Hawai'i lineup includes:

Ivory City

July 3

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

A young band with raw talent - this is what Ivory City brings to the plate. Kickstarted by Jon Banquil in 2014, Ivory City came from humble beginnings. Drawing influences from bands such as The 1975, Explosions in the Sky, M83, and Haim, the group has aimed to serve an indie-pop vibe to their music as well as other elements.

Mike Lewis Presents: The Best of Hawai'i's High School Jazz Bands

July 4

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

For the third year in-a-row Mike Lewis presents a 4th of July Celebration showcasing the best of Hawai'i's High School Jazz bands. This year will feature both Waipahu and Kailua High School Big Bands.

Martin Nievera: Back By Popular Demand

July 5-7

Tickets: Table & Booth $45, Bar $35

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

"Concert King of the Philippines," singer, songwriter and actor, Martin Nievera has sold out concert venues all over the world and has released multiple platinum-selling albums. He currently is one of the main hosts of the "ASAP ROCKS" variety show on The Filipino Channel.

Kuana Torres Kahele Presents Lana'ika'ula: A Tribute to Lana'i

July 8

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Kuana Torres continues Music for the Hawaiian Islands with a tribute to the island of Lana'i, featuring special guests Na Kumu Sonny Ching, Lopaka Igarta De Vera and Halau Na Mamo O Pu'uanahulu. Kuana has been involved in the music and hula scene of Hilo since he was 6 years old, training as a kane dancer under legendary Hilo kumu hula Johnny Lum Ho. Kuana continues his Music for the Hawaiian Islands with his tribute to Kaua'i.

The Treasure Tones

July 9

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Although based in Honolulu, Hawai'i, The Treasure Tones' musical roots are firmly imbedded in the late 1960s rocksteady sounds of Jamaica. While many proclaim that the "Glory Days" of Jamaican music were its Roots period of the mid to late 70s, The Treasure Tones prefer to hearken back to a decade prior: when the "one drop" beat first took Jamaica by storm, and when the riddims that are still being revived in the Dancehall today first made their initial impact.

Jamarek: Hawai'i's Premiere African Dance Band

July 10

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Jamarek is Honolulu's premiere African dance band. Its members have performed around the world and now play for the people of Hawai'i, bringing African and Latin-inspired music to the people of the Pacific. For this concert, the band will play selections from their album "Fechal" (meaning "dance!" in the West African language Wolof), as well as an array of newly arranged songs.

Tribute to The Second Great Miles Davis Quintet (1964-1968): DeShannon Higa & Quadpod

July 11

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

DeShannon Higa & QuadPod present a tribute to Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet. The Quintet consisted of Herbie Hancock on piano, Ron Carter on bass, wunderkind Tony Williams on drums and saxophonist Wayne Shorter. Although Davis was the leader, the group blended together as a single unit, rarely taking excessive solos and focusing on "playing the song rather than the instruments."

Alex Bugnon

July 12-13
Tickets: Tables & Booth $35, Bar $25

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Jazz pianist Alex Bugnon has been a prolific, energetic force on the contemporary music scene for more than two decades. A renowned musician/composer/bandleader, Bugnon hails from the picturesque town of Montreux, Switzerland - site of the world-famous Jazz Festival, and over these past few decades, Bugnon has built a strong and loyal fan base across the country and around the world.

Amy H?naiali'i Celebrates the Great Women of Jazz & Blues

July 14-15

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Singer-songwriter, Amy H?naiali'i remains Hawai'i's top selling female vocalist of all time. H?naiali'i's success as a recording artist speaks for itself and is evidenced by a multitude of awards and acknowledgements, including five GRAMMY nominations for Best Hawaiian Music Album. Amy's albums have also garnered 22 N? H?k? Hanohano awards - Hawai'i's equivalent to the GRAMMY awards.

Maggie Gould Ft. Nanny Assis "Todo Amor" CD Release Concert

July 16

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15
Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Maggie Gould and Nanny Assis styles range from jazz and Latin to boss nova and soul. The duo has the ability to make any audience dance and "sweat 'til they can't sweat no more." Their show will feature songs from their newest album "Todo Amor."

Willie K

July 17

Tickets: Table & Booth $45, Bar $30

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

The Hawaiian phenomenon Willie K is undoubtedly the only artist in the world who can go into an Irish pub in the middle of Maui and play anything from indigenous acoustic Hawaiian music to jazz, reggae, rock, country and even opera leaving everyone within earshot slack-jawed in astonishment.

Yoza

July 18

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Local R&B singer Yoza began playing music at a young age, excelling as a saxophonist she earned a full music scholarship to Hawai'i Pacific University. She would go on to win the 2014 Na Hoku Hanohano Award for "R&B Album of the Year."

Robert Cazimero: Concerts for All Seasons - Summer

July 19

Tickets: Premium $45, Loge $35, Bar $25

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

In the 1970's, Robert Cazimero was instrumental in the resurgence of Hawaiian music and culture. That resurgence began a career that almost thirty years later is stronger than ever. Musician, composer, kumu hula; his work in all of these areas is well-known throughout the world.

Bruce Cockburn

July 20-21

Tickets: Table & Booth $45, Bar $35

Shows at 7:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00

Legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn continues to find inspiration in the world around him and concentrating those ideas into his music. In 2017, he won the inaugural People's Voice Award at the Folk Alliance International conference and was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Blue Note Comedy Series:
Marlon Wayans
Presented by 93.9 The Beat & Hawaii News Now

July 20-21

Tickets: VIP $65, Tables & Bar $45

Shows at 10:00 p.m., Doors at 9:30 p.m.

Marlon Wayans is an actor, producer, comedian, writer and film director. His films have grossed more than $736-million in domestic box office, and on TV, his NBC sitcom "Marlon" was the summer's #1 new scripted series. As a standup comedian, Wayans recently filmed his first-ever stand-up comedy special, released on Netflix, and continues to sell out nationwide adding shows across the nation weekly.

Karla Bonoff

July 22-23

Tickets: Table & Booth $45, Bar $35

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Karla Bonoff's legacy as a writer and perseverance as a performer are spoken best in a Billboard Magazine review of Karla's "All My Life" recording. "Long before Alanis and Jewel, there was a breed of singer-songwriters whose earthly anthems of soul-searching, heartache and joy touched souls in a way few can muster today."

Kapena

July 24

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

In the early 2000s, Kapena band leader Kelly Boy introduced Hawai'i to the next generation of Kapena, his three children-Kapena, Kalena and Lilo. The group continues to be one of Hawai'i's premier island bands, embracing the unique sound of their "electrifying" music that fans fell in love with when they first heard the group.

Josh Kaye & Friends Ft. Stu Hamm

July 25

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Josh Kaye & Friends return to Blue Note Hawai'i with special guest bassist Stu Hamm. Stuart Hamm is an American bass guitar player known for his unconventional playing style and solo recordings, as well as his studio and live work with numerous artists including Steve Vai, Frank Gambale, and Joe Satriani.

Lana Kei

July 26

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Lana Kei is an 18-year-old singer-songwriter from Honolulu, Hawai'i. Brought up in a musical family, she started performing around the island with her family group "Da Famili," at age 10. At age 15 she won Hawai'i Stars, at 16 she won a singer-songwriter contest and at age 17 she released her first single, as a solo artist, "Rock With Me."

Music of Anita Baker: Mike Lewis Ft Ginai

July 29

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

Trumpeter Mike Lewis and vocalist Ginai return to Blue Note Hawai'i with a tribute to R&B singer Anita Baker. Regarded as one of the most popular singers of soulful romantic ballads during the height of the contemporary R&B in the 1980s, Baker has won eight GRAMMY Awards with five platinum albums and one gold album to her credit.

DeShannon Higa & Subtonic Orchestra

July 30

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

The brainchild of trumpeter DeShannon Higa, Subtonic Orchestra is a jazz ensemble, clothed in and personi?ed by contemporary funk, hip-hop and Latin colors. The group remains focused on being an improvisational band, but re?ned through orchestrated voicings and arrangements, which makes for a smooth and impactful listening experience

Mango Season

July 31

Tickets: Premium $35, Loge $25, Bar $15

Shows at 6:30 & 9:00 p.m., Doors at 5:00 & 8:30 p.m.

N? H?k? Award-nominated Mango Season brings its soulful, introspective, and full-of-funk sound for a night of disco fever. This evening of music will feature some of the best music of the disco era including Donna Summer, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire and Chaka Khan. Dancing in the aisles is encouraged for this funkified night of '70's dance fever.

About Blue Note Entertainment Group

Blue Note Entertainment Group, founded in 1981 by Danny Bensusan, is a multi-faceted entertainment company that owns and operates New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, Highline Ballroom, Subrosa, and Lucille's Grill; The Howard Theatre (Washington D.C.); and Blue Note Jazz Clubs Worldwide (Tokyo and Nagoya, Japan and Milan, Italy, Beijing, China, Napa, California, and Rio De Janeiro, Brazil). The company also programs the Regattabar Jazz Club (Cambridge, MA). Blue Note Entertainment Group presents shows outside of its club network. The annual Blue Note Jazz Festival was established in 2011 and has since grown to become the largest jazz festival in New York City each June. Subsidiaries of Blue Note Entertainment Group include the GRAMMY-nominated record label Half Note Records, whose catalogue includes over fifty titles recorded live at New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, as well as Blue Note Travel, Management Group and Media Group.

 

---

Join Team BroadwayWorld

Are you an avid theatergoer? We're looking for people like you to share your thoughts and insights with our readers. Team BroadwayWorld members get access to shows to review, conduct interviews with artists, and the opportunity to meet and network with fellow theatre lovers and arts workers.

Interested? Learn more here.

---