Take a journey Sunday through the big band era featuring standards from 1920 to 1980, in Kona.
Nineteen artists, including vocalists, saxophonists, trumpeters, trombonists, a pianist, a guitarist, a bassist and drummer, will take the stage for this two-hour Island Swing Orchestra, which gets underway at 2:30 p.m. at Aloha Theatre in Kainaliu. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.apachawaii.org or at the door.
The group will play the historical first big band hit by Fletcher Henderson’s “King Porter Stomp,” as well as arrangements by Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Les Brown, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich and others.
“Our audience is mostly people who remember the music from when they were young — 1940 to 1970,” said Marius Stranger, the orchestra’s creative director. “Most of the songs we play were big hits back then, but our goal is also to present the classical Big Band music to a younger audience who are less used to listening to this style of music.”
The singers will cover pieces by Doris Day, Diane Schuur, Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Bobby Darin and others. Also on the set list is a rendition of the James Bond theme song.
The Island Swing Orchestra is a dedicated group of professional and advanced music students from the University of Hawaii at Hilo. They range in age from high school students to seniors. Three of the musicians hail from Kailua-Kona, two from South Kona and the remainder from East Hawaii.
The group performs classic big band favorites from the 1920s through the 1980s, including ballroom, Latin, swing and waltzes, making it one of a kind in the islands. The Island Swing Orchestra is a nonprofit organization, created under the direction of Stranger, of Norway.
Artists performing in Sunday’s show include: Kauilani Trainer, Lisa Taylor and Marius Stranger (vocals); Roy Kimura, Paul Lindbergh, Jean Pierre Thoma, Grayson Ishihara and Adrian Jones (saxophone); Claton Mine, Michaeloha Elam, Charles O’Kelly and Thaddeus O’Connel (trumpet); Reid Tsuji, Jerry Brown and Garry Russel (trombone); Annu Shinaoya (piano); Firmin Oliveira (guitar); Brian McCree (bass); and Noa Eads (drums).
Can’t make Sunday’s show? The group performs 9 a.m. Saturdays at Le Magic Pan in Hilo.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.apachawaii.org or at the door.
Info: Marius at 339-0084, www.facebook.com/islandswing