Blue Note Hawaii Sets June Lineup
By: Tyler Peterson May. 26, 2016
For Blue Note Hawaii, the state's premier venue for the world's most celebrated artists, June begins with one of the most celebrated singer-songwriters in recent history, Christopher Cross, followed by a Reggae Meets Jazz series with Monty Alexander Harlem Kingston Express, contemporary jazz instrumentalist group Acoustic Alchemy and Grammy Award-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton. June also brings a host of local talent including Adagio, Willie K, Paula Fuga, Darren Benitez, Hotclub of Hulaville, Rolando Sanchez, Little Albert and Jake Shimabukuro. Blue Note Hawaii also continues Gospel Brunch every Sunday with a 1:00 p.m. show time and doors opening at 11:00 a.m.
Additional outreach to locals is the 15% kama'aina discount available to residents for all shows at all price levels. 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.
The full June Blue Note Hawaii lineup includes:
Dates: May 31 and June 1 - 5
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $75, $55, $35
Christopher Cross made history with his 1980 self-titled debut album, winning five GRAMMY® Awards, including-for the first time ever-the four most prestigious awards: Record of the Year (for the single "Sailing"), Album of the Year, Song of the Year (also for "Sailing"), and Best New Artist. Now, 30+ years after his extraordinary emergence into the music business, Cross continues his recording and performing career with a new album, Secret Ladder, that evokes the artistry of such great singer-songwriters as Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman while addressing contemporary concerns head-on - a combination which is sure to please his loyal fan base. "My passion and commitment to music haven't diminished a bit, and I make no apologies for exploring mature subjects," says the San Antonio native, now living in Austin after decades in Southern California.
Adagio
Dates: June 6
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $35, $25, $15
Since 2012, Adagio has been bringing a unique brand of R&B/neo-soul influenced jazz to the Honolulu music scene. The band plays regularly at Jazz Minds where it has been performing since its inception. This year they have been selected to represent Hawaii jazz at the Red Clay Jazz Festival on Kauai in August. The group is formed by vocalist Riya Davis, bandleader and keyboardist Joshua Kaye, drummer and vocalist Bonny B. and bassist Mark Tanouye.
Reggae Meets Jazz: Monty Alexander Harlem Kingston Express
Dates: June 7 - 12
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $45, $35, $25
In a career spanning five decades, pianist Monty Alexander has built a reputation exploring and bridging the worlds of American jazz, popular song, and the music of his native Jamaica, finding in each a sincere spirit of musical expression. In the process, he has performed and recorded with artists from every corner of the musical universe and entertainment world: Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Brown, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Clark Terry, Quincy Jones, Ernest Ranglin, Barbara Hendricks, Bill Cosby, Bobby McFerrin, Sly Dunbar, and Robbie Shakespeare, among others. Monty Alexander's collaborations span multiple genres, styles, and generations. His projects have been as varied as assisting Natalie Cole in her tribute album to her father, Nat "King" Cole in 1991 (the resulting album, Unforgettable, won seven Grammy Awards), performing George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" under the direction of Bobby McFerrin at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and recording the piano track for the film score of Clint Eastwood's Bird, a movie about the life of jazz titan Charlie Parker.
Hotclub of Hulaville: Hulaville with Strings
June 13, 2016
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Ticket prices: $35, $25, $15
With Hot Club of Hulaville, you never get just a concert. This Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winning band never fails to please with swing jazz inspired by Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club of Paris. The veteran combo of Duane Padilla on violin, Sonny Silva on guitar, Joshua Kaye on keyboards, Willow Chang on vocals, and Aaron Aranita on woodwinds, have expanded their usual café bistro instrumentation to include a full rhythm section and string ensemble to the Blue Note stage including bassist Ernie Provencher.
Acoustic Alchemy
Date: June 14 - 19
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Ticket prices: $45, $35, $25
Triple Grammy-nominated artists Acoustic Alchemy are fast approaching their quarter century of recording since 1987's Red Dust and Spanish Lace established the ensemble as an ever-evolving force in contemporary jazz. The road to instrumental stardom began when Webb and Carmichael provided the one-off-in-flight entertainment for a Virgin Airlines England to America flight, in search of an elusive recording contract; they often liked to say they "played their way to America." Signed to the MCA Master Series label by Tony Brown, their popularity took off in conjunction with the rise of the New Adult Contemporary radio format.
Rolando Sanchez
Date: June 20
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $35, $25, $15
Born in Masaya, Nicaragua to a musically artistic family, Rolando Sanchez is a percussionist, singer, songwriter, recording artist and producer who surpasses the boundaries of traditional sounds with a mixture of Latin Jazz and Latin Rock. On timbales and congas, his music is alive and contagious. Over the last 20 years he has accumulated numerous awards, certificates of recognition and proclamations. Rolando has been featured in many television shows, specials and music videos in Hawaii and Tahiti, as well as write-ups in national, international and local magazines, newspapers, trade magazines and periodicals.
Date: June 21
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $45, $35, $25
Raised on Maui, Willie Kahaiali`i (a.k.a. Willie K) has been entertaining audiences with his music since the age of 10. He has evolved into an eclectic and charismatic singer, songwriter, entertainer, and now actor. One of Hawaii's most versatile talents, Willie performs a myriad of musical genres, including Hawaiian, Jazz, Blues, Reggae, Rock, Country Western, and even Opera.
Paula Fuga
Date: June 22
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $35, $25, $15
Praised for her originality in song composition and ability to stir the deepest emotions with spellbinding and soulful vocals, Paula Fuga has established herself as one of Hawai'i's most respected live performers. Starting off as a poet, she bloomed into a songwriter when she began playing the ukulele in high school, studying under master-instructor Roy Sakuma. Upon the release of her debut album "Lilikoi," Fuga was awarded the Na Hoku Hanohano Award for Most Promising Artist. Currently, Fuga continues to widen her fan base as she embraces different genres of music with her signature entrancing vocals. She hopes her new album, entitled "Rain on Sunday," will be out before the end of 2016. She plans to keep traveling the world as she lives out her dream and shares her gift with a message of love.
Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton
Dates: June 23 - 26
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Ticket prices: $55, $45, $35
Lisa Fischer is stepping into the spotlight at last. After four decades of singing background for icons like the Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, and Nine Inch Nails, Lisa is finally offering her own humble, heartfelt song, accompanied by her inventive new band Grand Baton. The past 18 months have been a whirlwind, with performances at the Newport and Monterey Jazz Festivals, at the Hollywood Bowl, and in major cities all over the world. The unexpected success of the Oscar-winning documentary "Twenty Feet from Stardom" (2013) altered the course of Lisa's musical journey. The film told her story, complete with clips of her 1991 Grammy-winning R&B hit "How Can I Ease The Pain," live footage of her legendary duets with Mick Jagger on "Gimme Shelter," and glowing testimonials from famous colleagues like Sting, Patti Austin, and Chris Botti. It showcased her virtuosity and vulnerability, opened a window on her sometimes lonely life on the road, earned her a second Grammy Award, and left audiences eager to see and hear more.
Darren Benitez
Date: June 27
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $35, $25, $15
Darren Benitez grew up surrounded by music. In his earliest years, he loved the sound of his mother and uncle's voices and grew up listening to Dennis Pavao, Aunty Genoa Keawe, Hoopii Brothers, Hui O Hana (Ledward and Nedward Kaapana). Renowned as one of Hawaii's best falsetto singers, he also plays the slack key guitar and the piano. Darren continues to grow as a musician and artist. He has a very special place in his heart for the people of Hawaii.
Little Albert
Date: June 28
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $35, $25, $15
"Little Albert" Maligmat, multi-talented vocalist and instrumentalist, performed with his family band, The Rocky Fellers, at the age of seven, opening for great legendary artists such as Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr. George Burns, Carol Channing, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, Rich Little, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers and Flip Wilson among others. The Rocky Fellers's album "Killer Joe" was a #1 recording hit with Scepter recording label in 1963. The band performed at the fame Apollo Theater with Stevie Wonder, Patty Labelle and the Blue Belles, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Cherelles and The Four Tops. Other performances include with groups The Society of Seven, The Mob, Liz Damon and the Orient Express and his own Little Albert's Workshop. His television appearances include Dinah Shore, Ed Sullivan, Jack Benny and Jackie Gleason.
Date: June 29 - July 1
Showtimes: 6:30pm & 9pm
Doors: 5pm & 8:30pm
Tickets: $55, $45, $35
Known for his energetic strumming on the ukulele, Jake's performance incorporates elements of thoughtful, sophisticated arrangements to spontaneous, improvised passages. In addition to his original compositions, his repertoire includes Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody," Schubert's "Ave Maria" and Cohen's "Hallelujah." In the years since the airing of the YouTube clip that launched his career, Jake has collaborated with an array of artists that include Yo-Yo Ma, Jimmy Buffett, Bette Midler, Cyndi Lauper, Jack Johnson, Ziggy Marley, Dave Koz, Michael McDonald, Bela Fleck and The Flecktones, Tommy Emmanuel, and Lyle Lovett - as well as orchestras around the world. He's sold out world-class venues, played at Bonnaroo, SXSW, the Playboy Jazz Festival, Fuji Rock Festival, the influential TED conference, and even performed for Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, England.
Blue Note Gospel Brunch
Every Sunday
Tickets: $47 for the brunch and show. There is a 15% Kama'aina discount excluding gratuity.
Showtime: 1:00 p.m. (Doors open at 11 am)
The Blue Note Gospel Choir, an international cast of extraordinary vocalists and musicians, has united to create the most exciting gospel choir in the Pacific Rim. Guests will savor finger-licking good food from our award-winning chef while the uplifting music of The Blue Note Gospel Choir moves your spirit and your feet.
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