On Friday, December 27, 2024, the Jazz Maui 2024 Maui Music Festival presents the Chicago-based Belford Hernandez Quartet featuring  keyboardist Belford Hernandez, saxophonist Craig Roselieb, bassist Ashton Yarbrough, and drummer Nolan Wren.  Special guests trumpeter Pete Ellman and vocalist Joy Belt-Roselieb are joining the band for this evening of original jazz music. The show begins at 7:30pm and tickets are available at www.ProArtsMaui.org/event/jazz12-27-24/

 A native of Venezuela, Belford Hernandez is an accomplished pianist, composer, and conductor.  He is the current choir director at Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Illinois, and is also the director and founder of the Cantores Community Choir, located in Downers Grove, Illinois.  Belford has recorded several solo piano albums, and is the jazz pianist for the Belford Hernandez Quartet. The group’s latest recording features several of his original compositions for the quartet, as well as solo piano, and as a duo with Craig Roselieb on saxophone.  As a composer, Belford has also written and published several choral and instrumental works.

 Craig Roselieb plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophones with the Belford Hernandez Quartet. This group has  recorded several of his original jazz compositions that have been rearranged for small jazz combos.  Craig retired in 2018 from a 33-year career teaching high school bands in Downers Grove, Illinois. Now an active jazz saxophonist, teacher, clinician and composer, Craig performs weekly on alto saxophone with the Pete Ellman Big Band NFP in Naperville, IL.  The band's latest album, “Live at The Venue” features eight of his original jazz big band compositions, and the group has recently shared the stage with several jazz artists including Jeff Coffin, Dave Weckl, Louis Dowdswell, Bob Reynolds, Ernie Watts, Brad Goode, Steve Wiest, and Tom “Bones” Malone.

 With multiple talents and experiences in musical theater, vocal jazz and classical soprano singing, Joy Belt-Roselieb has dedicated the last 25 years of her career to teaching vocal music at South High School in Downers Grove, Illinois.  Her highly advanced students have produced amazing concert performances year after year in places from Illinois All-State Festivals, to venues in New York, London, and Austria.  As a musician, Joy is equally at home on stage as a big band jazz vocalist, directing high school musicals and choral ensembles, or as a soprano soloist with professional choirs and orchestras. Her passion for singing can be heard in the rich and smooth tones of her jazz voice all the way through the thrilling coloratura of her operatic brilliance.

 A Maui resident, bass player Ashton Yarbrough started as a classical bassist in an orchestra but has played all kinds of music including jazz, musical theatre, gospel, funk, rock and mariachi. He also works as a piano teacher and accompanist.

 Jazz Maui, a branch of the 501(c)-3 nonprofit Arts Education for Children Group (www.aecg.org), provides opportunities for participation in high quality jazz music education and performances. Throughout the year The Jazz Maui 2024 Maui Music Series presents Sunset Jazz every Sunday and the Pau Hana Series every Friday in Lahaina, outstanding visiting virtuosos in a bi-monthly concert series in Kihei, and special concerts, clinics and classes held at various venues around the islands. Jazz Maui supports “Sheryl Renee Salutes” at ProArts. Selected performances presented by Jazz Maui are live-streamed on the organization’s website: www.JazzMaui.org.

 The Jazz Maui 2024 Maui Music Festival is supported by Hawaii Tourism Authority through the Community Enrichment Program and by Maui Visitors and Convention Bureau.

 For more information, visit www.JazzMaui.org.