Jul 18, 2023
Dr. Joie Yasha is a passionate musician and a talented instrumentalist. Based on Maui, she has a storied history of live performances, musical arrangements, and recording sessions. With a professional career in Atlanta, GA, Ithaca, NY, India, and Maui she has toured the US and Europe. As a member of the Clark Atlanta University Jazz Orchestra, she toured Europe and played the following jazz festivals in the year 2000: The Hague, Montreux, Jazz Vienne, Paris, Brussels, Rome and Florence. In addition, as an orchestra member, she was in concert with Nancy Wilson, Gladys Night, Lou Rawls, Lilo Shifffron, and James Moody. Since then as an independent musician she has been in concert with Grammy winning and nominated artists including Mauisiki Scales and the Common Ground Collective (album Passages: The Water Brought Us), Kebbi Williams, John Cruz, Samite, Phillip Harper, Roy Ayers, B.B. King and in ensembles supporting Donald Byrd and Joshua Redman at Cornell University, her graduate school alma mater. She is a musician with Maui Jazz and Blues Festival 2016 (to present) along with award-winning musicians Benny Uyetake (Na Hoku), Rock Hendricks, Larry Coryell, Delfayo Marsalis, and Javon Jackson. Additionally, she has headlined at the Blue Note Hawaii where she has also been regularly featured with the Mike Lewis Big Band. She is a frequently featured artist with Jazz Maui Festival 2018 (to present) where she has played in concert with Quincy Jones and Clark Terry protege Justin Kauffman and Katie Thiroux.
Jul 7, 2023
Jimmy Vivino (aka Jimmy V) has always considered himself “a blues man with a job”. Although best known for serving 26 years as Conan O’Brien’s musical director, guitarist and bandleader, his experience in the music business predates that by 20 plus years.
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Jul 3, 2023
In addition to her own award-winning and nationally-acclaimed CDs, her background vocal work can be heard on Brother Iz’s “Country Roads” and “Hawaiian Superman”. Live on-stage, Ginai was a regular at the Blue Note Hawaii in Waikiki performing tribute shows to such stars as Natalie Cole, Sade, and Anita Baker. She has been a guest performer with the Honolulu and Long Beach Symphonies and has been the opening act for artists such as Ray Charles, Lou Rawls, Bruce Hornsby, and Diana Krall to name a few. Her work includes stints with the swing band Hula Joe and The Hut Jumpers, the gypsy jazz group Hot Club of Hulaville, and touring internationally with Legends in Concert as Whitney Houston.
Jun 9, 2023
The Makai Jazz Group is composed of drummer Jimmy C, keyboardist Jeff Hellmer, saxophonist Bruce Boege, and bassist Dave Graber.
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May 26, 2023
Keyboardist Toby Couture was born in northern New York to a music family. His father was a folk musician and his mother played classical music. Toby attended the Conservatory of Music SUNY Purchase College, studying jazz piano, classical guitar, percussion and French language, graduating cum laude. After traveling Europe to practice French and German, Toby worked for years as a freelance musician, bandleader and composer, and also released the album “As You See” with German guitarist Daniel Friederich. Since moving to Maui over ten years ago, he has worked with many local musicians on Maui including Willie Nelson, Marty Dread, Guerilla Jazz, and his own projects. He has composed several suites of neo-classical music for local dance company Adaptations Dance Theater, as well as producing and recording work other local artists.
