KAILUA-KONA — When musician Johnny Nicholas and the Honokaa Dragon Jazz Band collaborate, it’s guaranteed to be a good time on the Big Island.
“We just have the best time,” Nicholas said. “It’s hard for me to not gush about these kids. They are that good, and they are that sweet.”
For the fourth straight year, Nicholas and his band Hell Bent will be in Hawaii performing with the Dragon Jazz Band, this time for three shows on the Big Island — at the Honokaa People’s Theatre on Friday, at the Hilo Palace Theater on Saturday and at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar in Kailua-Kona on Sunday.
Led by Honokaa music director Gary Washburn, the students performing this year are Marito Torrano, Julie Perez-Nava and Czar Agustin on trumpet; Stephanie Onza and Joshua Candelario on saxophone; Mollie Green on trombone; Francis Alutra on piano and bass; Kaleb Yamasaki on guitar and vocals; Nic Altura on bass; Falyn Sabastian on drums; and Kaylynn Iona and Kacy Sanchez on vocals.
“Playing with these kids, watching them absorb what they’re learning, seeing the smiles on their faces and watching them really get it when we work on these songs and when they’re performing, it’s just terrific,” Nicholas said.
Nicholas is a blues musician who currently resides in Austin, Texas. He was a member of the group Asleep at the Wheel and has had a successful career as a solo artist as well. Despite his own prolific career, Nicholas looks forward to playing with the Dragon Jazz Band every year.
“A great moment was playing at the Hawaii Theater in Honolulu, and that was incredible,” Nicholas said. “A beautiful venue with a full house of people, and the kids just knocked it out of the park.”
The group has a smaller tour this year and will stay on the Big Island. Previously, Nicholas and the students had traveled to Maui, Oahu and Kauai.
”We’ve kind of scaled that down for now, to just performing on the Big Island because of logistics, but I’m hopeful for it in the future,” Nicholas said. “Maybe next year, or once we get more support. You know traveling between islands with all that gear and kids and the whole thing, it’s a real challenging thing. So we’re just happy to be doing stuff on the Big Island for now.”
Nicholas wants to see the community on the Big Island support not only the Dragon Jazz Band, but the other schools on the island and their arts and music programs as well. He considers supporting arts in schools to be one of his greatest passions.
“A person who is going to be a successful, healthy, human being and a good part of society, they have to be well-rounded,” Nicholas said. “Even if they’re not going to be a musician. If they don’t have a good knowledge of the arts and they aren’t able to find in themselves expression through art, theater or anything like that, they’re being cheated.”
Nicholas and Washburn created the annual collaboration after meeting through a mutual friend. The two musicians can both see the musical talents the Honokaa students have, as well as the importance of teaching music to a younger generation.
“Gary’s program, I’ve got to say, that guy is an extremely gifted teacher,” Nicholas said. “He has taken these open, beautiful young minds and has been able to inspire them. And that’s the mark of a really gifted teacher to be able to convey a love of music and the actual musical skills.”
Washburn said he’s always been given a lot of freedom from the school administration when it comes to Honokaa’s music program, which allows him and the students to participate in activities such as playing with Nicholas. It’s part of his mission to teach his students how to become professionals themselves.
“I decided that I was going to approach the program from a vocational point of view, meaning trying to educate the students about music so that when they graduate they can use it to get into the music business locally and add to their income,” Washburn said. “Some of my alumni perform at the hulas on the island. I have students that have won Hoku awards, I have one that won a Grammy award last year and I have a number of students on the mainland who make their living playing and writing music.”
It’s not all business for Washburn and his students though. One reason he considers himself to be a good music teacher is an emphasis on fun, which is what the Dragon Jazz Band and Nicholas look forward to every year.
“Having fun is a very important aspect of playing music. It’s like anything really, if you aren’t having fun, you shouldn’t be doing it,” Washburn said. “It’s funny because when Johnny was down in Austin, we were talking on the phone and I said, ‘Johnny, man hurry up and get here so we can have fun.’ And he said, ‘That’s why I’m coming.’”
Info: Johnny Nicholas and the Honokaa Dragon Jazz Band will play at 7 p.m. at the Honokaa People’s Theatre, 7 p.m. at the Hilo Palace Theater, and 5 p.m. at Gertrude’s Jazz Club in Kailua-Kona. Tickets and prices can be purchased at each venue’s website.
