May 1, 2025
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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Jul 22, 2024
Pianist and vocalist Sal Godinez is a well-known favorite on Maui. He has played with some of Hawaii’s most popular entertainers including Benoit Jazz Works, Amy Hanaialii Gillom, Willie K, and Melveen Leed. Originally from California, Sal has been a professional musician since the age of 15. His first interest was classical music but in college his horizons broadened to jazz, funk, salsa, Brazilian and indigenous genres. Before moving to Maui, he toured across the mainland United States playing with different bands.
Jul 22, 2024
Saxophonist Bruce Boege has played jazz music from Hawaii to Hungary in various groups. He began as the lead guitar player and a singer in the Ravens for a few years then learned the saxophone and began playing jazz in the 1970s with The Bel Isle Trio in Belfast, Maine. He was a member of the Maryanne Driscoll quintet, an avant garde jazz group that toured Hungary, and has played at the Paradise Club in Boston, Birdland in New York City, The Left Bank Cafe in Maine with Miles Evans, and in concerts with James Williams (piano player with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers). Bruce moved to Maui in 2008, played with The Soul Kitchen Band, and setup a recording studio on island mostly to record for others but also to write and record his own songs.
Bruce also operates his Limin Music recording studio in Kihei.
www.liminaudiomusicstudio.com
Jul 22, 2024
A versatile drummer, Jimmy C’s eclectic, street-wise drumming style results from years of layering a variety of musical genres such as jazz-fusion, Dixie-cowboy, and Philly doo-wop: he plays rock ‘n roll, country, and show tunes as well as jazz. Although he mostly performs live, Jimmy is also a recording artist.
Apr 12, 2024
The dynamic versatility of Colorado’s Sheryl Renee comes from a literal lifetime in and around the entertainment business. An audience favorite, Sheryl moves effortlessly between music genres, artistic avenues, and her entrepreneurial pursuits. Her voice can be heard on hundreds of recordings and commercials. She gets great joy from nurturing and introducing extraordinary talent.
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Apr 12, 2024
Paul January got his first paying gig when he was 11 years old, playing piano for a children’s fashion show in Denver, Colorado. By 1972 he was attending music school, teaching piano and trumpet, and working every weekend, and when his former piano teacher said, “Let’s move to Vegas and play in the orchestras!” he was all in.
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