2016 East Meets West Festival and Concert, Nov. 4-5

Jazz Maui, produced by the Arts Education for Children Group, presents the East Meets West Festival on Friday, Nov. 4 and Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016 with some of the best jazz musicians in Hawai’i to be featured in concert.

The long-term goal of the festival is to team with the Maui County Sister Cities Foundation to encourage cross-cultural musical collaborations and attract a worldwide range of musical educators and performers to Maui. New compositions and musical arrangements will be introduced at the concert, highlighting variations on the east meets west theme.

Headlining the concert on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 6:30 p.m. in Historic ʻĪao Theatre on Market Street in Wailuku are the Hawai’i Jazz All-Stars, featuring veteran jazz performers DeShannon Higa on trumpet, Reggie Padilla on tenor saxophone, Ethan Capone on piano, Jon Hawes on bass and Darryl Pellegrini on drums. These all-stars of jazz were assembled as a group for the first time to perform at the Blue Note on O‘ahu earlier this year.

During the East Meets West Festival concert, Higa will premiere his original arrangement of an old Taiwanese Hokkien folk song, “Longing for the Spring Breeze.”

Maui’s popular youth taiko drum ensemble, Zenshin Daiko, under the direction of Anthony Jones, will entertain the audience with a combination of Japanese taiko and western percussion. In one arrangement, Siuai Lau Fo will feature a variety of Polynesian percussion instruments.

The Chop Suey Jazz Orchestra, directed by Casey Nagata and composed of a mix of Maui musicians and vocalists who enjoy performing together, will showcase their blend of traditional eastern and western jazz.

King Kekaulike High School’s Na Ali’i Big Band will open the concert. Maui comedienne, Kathy Collins, will serve as mistress of ceremonies.

On Friday, Nov. 4, trumpet soloist and recording artist, DeShannon Higa will conduct a jazz music workshop at King Kekaulike High School on Kula Highway in Upcountry Maui. The workshop runs from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. and is open to the public.

It will be followed by an advanced jazz musician rehearsal from 4 to 5:30 p.m.

Higa’s 30-year career highlights include performing globally with such notable artists as Al Jarreau, Diana Krall, Wynton Marsalis, Jake Shimabukuro and Keali‘i Reichel. He was a featured soloist on the 2016 multiple Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award-winning record, Jimmy Borges, and currently leads several bands: Subtonic Orchestra, Quadpod and The DeShannon Higa Big Band. Higa is also a member of the Hawai’i Jazz All-Stars. To register for the jazz workshop, call (808) 283-3576.

Ticket prices for the festival concert are $25 general admission, $20 senior adults and $15 students. To purchase tickets, go to MauiOnStage.com and click “buy tickets.”

AKAKU Maui Community Media will video and live stream the event. A post-event video of the concert will be made available to all Sister Cities of Maui County.

Hawaiʻi Jazz All Stars, courtesy photo. On November 5 is Jazz Maui’s 2016 East Meets West Festival concert, showcasing of some of Hawai‘i’s best jazz musicians along with highly talented Maui orchestras and student musical groups. Award-winning trumpet soloist, band leader and recording artist, DeShannon Higa is the featured performer and conductor of a jazz/improv workshop.

DeShannon Higa playing trumpet on the beach, courtesy photo. On November 5 is Jazz Maui’s 2016 East Meets West Festival concert, showcasing of some of Hawai‘i’s best jazz musicians along with highly talented Maui orchestras and student musical groups. Award-winning trumpet soloist, band leader and recording artist, DeShannon Higa is the featured performer and conductor of a jazz/improv workshop.

Chop Suey Jazz Orchestra (2015), courtesy photo. On November 5 is Jazz Maui’s 2016 East Meets West Festival concert, showcasing of some of Hawai‘i’s best jazz musicians along with highly talented Maui orchestras and student musical groups. Award-winning trumpet soloist, band leader and recording artist, DeShannon Higa is the featured performer and conductor of a jazz/improv workshop.

Zenshin Daiko (2015), courtesy photo. On November 5 is Jazz Maui’s 2016 East Meets West Festival concert, showcasing of some of Hawai‘i’s best jazz musicians along with highly talented Maui orchestras and student musical groups. Award-winning trumpet soloist, band leader and recording artist, DeShannon Higa is the featured performer and conductor of a jazz/improv workshop.

Na Aliʻi Big Band Saxophones, courtesy photo. On November 5 is Jazz Maui’s 2016 East Meets West Festival concert, showcasing of some of Hawai‘i’s best jazz musicians along with highly talented Maui orchestras and student musical groups. Award-winning trumpet soloist, band leader and recording artist, DeShannon Higa is the featured performer and conductor of a jazz/improv workshop.