Na Ali'i Big Band Jazz I (Advanced Jazz)
2012-2013 Big Band, courtesy of Eveline Wunder Photography
The Na Ali'i Big Band is one of Hawaii’s premier ensemble for traditional and contemporary big band-style jazz and swing. Ranging from Basie to Maynard, this after-school course focuses on the stylistic elements of jazz music as well as improvisational soloing.
One of three jazz ensembles offered at KKHS and one of nine total performing groups within the music program, this audition-only jazz band meets twice a week and performs at local venues and events, including the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Iao Theater, Maui Tropical Plantation’s annual Coffee Festival, Shops at Wailea, Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center, Maui Fair, Lahaina 4th of July Celebration, Jazz Maui’s Jazz, Blues, & Beyond and East Meets West Festival, Maui Jazz & Blues Festival, Wailuku First Friday, Makawao Third Friday, Maui Sunday Market, and at the school’s very own $35 million state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center which recently opened its doors in the spring of 2018.
The Na Ali'i Big Band is also a course in which students can try out new instruments. In the past, the group has had many students successfully transition from nontraditional jazz instruments such as the flute, clarinet, horn, tuba, and violin to the standard big band instrumentation: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, drums).
In recent years, the Na Ali'i Big Band has collaborated with or opened for the following guest musicians: saxophonist Sal Lozano (Big Phat Band, Johnny Mandel, Tom Kubis), the Katie Thiroux Trio with Justin Kauflin, saxophonist Paul Contos (Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Monterey Jazz Festival Education Program), pianist Tommy James (Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, the Temptations), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis (Jazz Messengers, Elvin Jones, Branford Marsalis), trumpeter Eric Miyashiro (Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Blue Note All-Star Jazz Orchestra), trumpeter Mike Lewis (Buddy Rich, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennett), Hoku Award-winning vocalist Ginai (Hot Club of Hulaville, Hula Joe & the Hutjumpers, Blue Note Waikiki), drummer Lafrae Sci (Sonic Black, Nancy Sinatra, Jazz at the Lincoln Center), trumpeter Daniel Henderson (BYU-Hawaii Director of Jazz), Hoku Award-winning trumpeter DeShannon Higa (Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Bop Tribal), vocalist Sheryl Renee (Candi Staton, String Cheese Incident, The Contribution), two-time Grammy-winning percussionist Arturo O’Farrill (Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra), trumpeter Jim Seeley (Ray Charles, Jim Seeley/Arturo O’Farrill Quintet), Grammy-winning trombonist Dave Glenn (Gerry Mulligan, Diana Ross, retired Whitman University Director of Jazz), saxophonist Tim Ishii (UT-Arlington Director of Jazz), eight-time Po’okela-winning vocalist Shari Lynn (George Shearing, Brothers Cazimero, Jimmy Borges), trumpeter Valery Ponomarev (Jazz Messengers, Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton), trumpeter Michael Lenke (Ray Charles, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson), saxophonist/flautist/composer Robert Spittal (Gonzaga University Director of Music), and saxophonist David Fague (UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, Gonzaga University Director of Jazz)
One of three jazz ensembles offered at KKHS and one of nine total performing groups within the music program, this audition-only jazz band meets twice a week and performs at local venues and events, including the Maui Arts & Cultural Center, Iao Theater, Maui Tropical Plantation’s annual Coffee Festival, Shops at Wailea, Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center, Maui Fair, Lahaina 4th of July Celebration, Jazz Maui’s Jazz, Blues, & Beyond and East Meets West Festival, Maui Jazz & Blues Festival, Wailuku First Friday, Makawao Third Friday, Maui Sunday Market, and at the school’s very own $35 million state-of-the-art Performing Arts Center which recently opened its doors in the spring of 2018.
The Na Ali'i Big Band is also a course in which students can try out new instruments. In the past, the group has had many students successfully transition from nontraditional jazz instruments such as the flute, clarinet, horn, tuba, and violin to the standard big band instrumentation: trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, drums).
In recent years, the Na Ali'i Big Band has collaborated with or opened for the following guest musicians: saxophonist Sal Lozano (Big Phat Band, Johnny Mandel, Tom Kubis), the Katie Thiroux Trio with Justin Kauflin, saxophonist Paul Contos (Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Monterey Jazz Festival Education Program), pianist Tommy James (Duke Ellington, Lionel Hampton, the Temptations), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis (Jazz Messengers, Elvin Jones, Branford Marsalis), trumpeter Eric Miyashiro (Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Blue Note All-Star Jazz Orchestra), trumpeter Mike Lewis (Buddy Rich, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennett), Hoku Award-winning vocalist Ginai (Hot Club of Hulaville, Hula Joe & the Hutjumpers, Blue Note Waikiki), drummer Lafrae Sci (Sonic Black, Nancy Sinatra, Jazz at the Lincoln Center), trumpeter Daniel Henderson (BYU-Hawaii Director of Jazz), Hoku Award-winning trumpeter DeShannon Higa (Gladys Knight, Diana Krall, Bop Tribal), vocalist Sheryl Renee (Candi Staton, String Cheese Incident, The Contribution), two-time Grammy-winning percussionist Arturo O’Farrill (Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte, Lincoln Center Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra), trumpeter Jim Seeley (Ray Charles, Jim Seeley/Arturo O’Farrill Quintet), Grammy-winning trombonist Dave Glenn (Gerry Mulligan, Diana Ross, retired Whitman University Director of Jazz), saxophonist Tim Ishii (UT-Arlington Director of Jazz), eight-time Po’okela-winning vocalist Shari Lynn (George Shearing, Brothers Cazimero, Jimmy Borges), trumpeter Valery Ponomarev (Jazz Messengers, Charles Mingus, Lionel Hampton), trumpeter Michael Lenke (Ray Charles, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson), saxophonist/flautist/composer Robert Spittal (Gonzaga University Director of Music), and saxophonist David Fague (UNT One O’Clock Lab Band, Gonzaga University Director of Jazz)
2011-2012 Big Band, courtesy of Trish Barker Photography
