Drummer Howie Rentzer has played in lots of top 40 bands in Boston and Los Angeles and in Honolulu where he played with Jimmy Borges, Carol Kai, Maria Muldaur, and Bobby Enriques. On Maui he has performed with Henry Allen, George Benson, Mose Allison, and Greg Karukas. Howie has opened for Kenny Loggins and was in the band for Howie Mandel’s comedy show.
David Graber, upright and electric bass, is originally from Winnipeg Manitoba Canada and now lives with his wife, Emelyn, in Maui. He received his Bachelor of Music in jazz studies, with distinction, from the University of Calgary (and was awarded the Margaret Locke Scholarship for strings). Dave graduated from Grant Mac Ewan Community College (and was awarded the Edmonton Jazz Society Scholarship). He studied privately with Gary Willis from Tribal Tech and Charles Banacos of the New England Conservatory and the Berklee College of Music. David has performed music (including jazz, Latin, and contemporary styles) in festivals throughout western Canada and the USA including aboard Carnival Cruise Lines. He has performed on recordings and has written for Mel Bay’s Bass Sessions. Dave has played with artists such as Sheryl Renee, Larry Coryell, Eric Marienthal, Willie K, Skip Martin, Donald Harrison, Steve Turre, Jimmy D, Delfeayo Marsalis, Fareed Haque, Mark Gabriel Hasselbach, and Glen Goto to name a few.
Chad Lefkowitz-Brown is a New York-based saxophonist and recording artist recognized for his work as a soloist in the genres of jazz and pop music. Hailed as a “Sax Phenom” by the New York Daily News, Chad is a featured artist on two Grammy winning albums, and has toured through six continents playing venues from Carnegie Hall to the Super Bowl. As a bandleader, he has headlined jazz venues and festivals around the world. As a soloist, Chad has joined acts like Chris Botti, Arturo Sandoval, and Christian McBride. No stranger to the big screen, Chad has been featured on numerous TV shows with pop icons like Taylor Swift, rock legends like Don Henley, as well as the Hollywood film, “Here Today” with Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish.
Visit www.chadlb.com
A professionally trained piano player since the age of six, Gilbert Emata relocated to Maui from the greater San Francisco Bay Area in 1993. With his love of so many different genres of music, Maui has been the perfect melting pot of musicians he has worked with over the last 30 years including Ekolu, Willie K, Amy Hanaiali’i Gilliom, and Asian Blend. Currently, Gilbert is working convention venues with The Drivers and performs every Saturday night at Kula Lodge with Gina Martinelli.
Kiah Abendroth is a third generation female trumpet player. She holds a Master’s Degree in Music from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, specializing in classical trumpet performance. Her instructors include renowned trumpeters Judith Saxton, David Washburn, and Dean Boysen (as well as her father, Roy Abendroth, and the inspiration of her mother and grandmother, Lori and Beverley). Although Kiah’s training is classical, she also enjoys playing free improvisation, jazz, world, reggae, sacred music, folk and other music genres. Kiah has performed with artists such as Ozomatli, Elijah Ray, Fantuzzi, Amber Lily & Tubby Love, in addition to various chamber orchestras, pit orchestras and jazz ensembles in New York City and around the USA. During her time in NYC, Kiah was honored to be the producer and soloist for an original production at the Lincoln Center Institute, “Introspection,” which featured classical works, original poetry, and an original philosophical ballet.