Legendary musician Mark Knopfler described heaven as a place where folk and jazz music meet the blues. If that’s the case, then heaven is making a special trip to the Big Island June 4 through 7 for the Fourth Annual Big Island Jazz & Blues Festival at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
The soulful, rhythmic sounds of jazz and blues will resonate through the Kohala Coast with performances from Grammy-award winning legends and Na Hoku Hanohano award winners.
“This year, we have jazz legend Louis Hayes coming who’s played with everybody from John Coltrane to Miles Davis and hundreds more on some of the best jazz recordings ever made,” said Founder, Ken Martinez Burgmaier. “He’s a true living legend and it’s the first time he’s played on the Big Island. We’re also bring in the Saturday Night Live Band from NBC. From New Orleans we’re bringing in the Great Iguanas, they’re kind of a jazz, blues, rock-a-billy-type band.”
Blues is a musical genre that originated in the late 19th century among black communities in the deep south. The style fuses traditional African music with gospels, field songs, and sultry ballads. Early blues renditions often reflected the social struggles and strife within African American society. The first documented appearance of the blues dates back to after the Civil War and is often associated with the freedom of slaves in America.
“Every year, the festival is sold out,” said Martinez Burgmaier. “It’s a fun, exciting time, and it’s one of those experiences that’s historic. These musicians always jam together which is unheard of at most festivals, especially with the magnitude of these great entertainers playing together in such an intimate, ocean-front setting. To create a festival of America’s original music art form, jazz and blues, is an honor. It’s magnificent. Every person should experience it.”
Also included in the lineup are Jazz Hall Of Fame inducted and Grammy-nominated Bobby Watson; two-time Grammy winner Howard Levy of Bela Fleck & the Flecktones; and Blues Music Award winner and Harmonica Master Johnny Sansone. Other headliners include The Iguanas, who took home multiple awards this year at Best of New Orleans; Na Hoku winner and jazz guitar master Benny Uyetake, who was born and raised in Hilo; The Jazz Alley TV Trio; and The Honokaa Select School Jazz Band with Gary Washburn.
The venue for the festival is the oceanfront stage at the luau grounds at Mauna Kea Beach Resort.
“We understand the importance of the arts and are privileged to be able to assist with bringing the festival back to the island for all to enjoy,” said Craig Anderson, general manager of the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
“The Mauna Kea Beach chef has created a great menu of food,” said Martinez Burgmaier. “On Friday night, we’re doing a jazz blues sneak peak. The hotel will provide pupus and drinks in an intimate setting. It’s a meet-and-greet and a ‘talk story’ with the musicians. On Thursday, we’ll have a kickoff at the Redwater Cafe in Waimea, where the musicians will give us a taste of what they’re all about, and on Sunday, we’ll have a brunch with the musicians that sells out every year. Music and the arts is vital to every community and we are humbled to have such an extraordinary opportunity to bring such a historic jazz and blues festival back to Hawaii Island.”