by Abi Braceros | Mar 15, 2024 | Artists 2023, Artists 2024
Drummer Kevin Garland started his musical journey at UNC Colorado as a jazz major and went on to expand his studies to include music, recording arts, and technology. A founding member of the funk band Three to 5, Kevin has also performed with various other bands including Desert Hollow, Soul Kitchen, and Espresso. In addition to his tight and technical playing, Kevin brings a unique sense of spirit and rhythm – perhaps due to his time in Ghana, where he had the rare opportunity to enhance his skills by learning the art of traditional gahu drumming.
by Abi Braceros | Jan 31, 2024 | Artists 2023, Artists 2024
A Tokyo native, Meg Okura is a Grammy-nominated violinist and award-winning composer based in the Bronx, New York. As a teen, Ms. Okura toured Asia as the soloist and concertmaster of the Asian Youth Orchestra. At 19, she made her U.S. solo debut at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She earned B.M. and MM degrees from the Juilliard School as a violin performance major, only to make a difficult switch to jazz upon graduation. She has toured internationally as a violinist, appearing at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Barbican Hall in the U.K., Madison Square Garden, Village Vanguard, Blue Note Tokyo, Hollywood Bowl, and numerous jazz and Jewish music festivals worldwide with many jazz greats such as Lee Konitz, Michael Brecker, Tom Harrel, Steve Swallow, Sam Newsome, Diane Reeves, as well as David Bowie, Pharaoh’s Daughter, Cirque du Soleil, Emilio Solla, and many others.
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by Abi Braceros | Jan 31, 2024 | Artists 2023, Artists 2024
Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist, composer, and singer/songwriter Kevin Hays’s many recordings have received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Downbeat Magazine and Jazz Times, as well as the “Coup de Coeur” award from the Académie Charles Cros (France). Kevin has appeared on numerous albums as a guest artist, recording with Chris Potter, Bill Stewart, Joshua Redman, Jeff Ballard, Nicholas Payton, and Al Foster, among many others. Notable collaborations include a piano duo project with Brad Mehldau (Modern Music – Nonesuch), world tours with James Taylor, Sonny Rollins, John Scofield, Joe Henderson, and Roy Haynes.
by Abi Braceros | Jan 31, 2024 | Artists 2018, Artists 2023, Artists 2024
Shea Derrick, a Texas native, has been singing for the past twenty years. With a soulful, rock, funky flair- this songstress captures her audience with each flawless note that will have you singing or dancing along. You can see her on Maui with one of her two talented and funky bands, Shea Butter and the Cream or Shea Derrick and the Full Flavor Band.
by Abi Braceros | Jan 31, 2024 | Artists 2023, Artists 2024
Gibran Vicente is a vocalist and guitarist with a love for bossa nova, jazz and funk.
