Legendary performers will play with the best musicians Hawaii has to offer in the sixth annual Big Island Jazz &Blues Festival June 1 to 4 at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Kohala Coast.
Attendees of the June 3 Big Island Jazz and Blues Festival main event from 5 to 9 p.m. will be treated to performances by Grammy Award winner Russell Malone; Grammy Award winner Eric Marienthal; Jazz Hall of Fame Legend Bobby Watson with Pamela Baskin-Watson; Grammy Award winner Wayne Toups; The Iguanas; Na Hoku Hanohano Award winner Benny Uyetake; saxophone master Rock Hendricks and Grammy Award winner Gary Washburn and the Honokaa Select Jazz Band.
Festivities get underway on Thursday, June 1, with a kickoff event at Redwater Cafe in Waimea from 6-9 p.m. Call 885-9299 for reservations.
On June 2, from 6-9 p.m., there will be a VIP meet and greet at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel’s Copper Bar featuring live jazz and blues.
After the main festival day, there will be a Sunday Jazz Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on June 4 at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.
The festival is the brainchild of Ken Martinez Burgmaier, who also promotes similar festivals on Maui, Molokai and Lanai. No outside food, coolers or chairs are allowed.