Posted on: Monday, August 2, 2004
MUSIC REVIEW
This year's jazz festival may be its best
By Joseph Rothstein
Special to The Advertiser
The O'ahu portion of the 11th Hawai'i International Jazz Festival ended in a blaze of pyrotechnic virtuosity Saturday night at downtown Honolulu's sumptuous Hawaii Theater.
International Jazz night The balance of the concert was likewise devoted to small-group jazz, with plenty of opportunities for extended blowing. Opening act Gypsy Pacific recreated the guitar and violin sounds of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grapelli, featuring incredible double-time guitar picking by group leader Tom Conway.
Legendary local reed man Gabe Baltazar slowed the pace in a set of duos with guitarist Doug Mac Donald. Mac Donald, a former Hawai'i resident who now makes Los Angeles his home, plays hollow-body electric guitar in a sweet and mellow style that was a perfect complement to Baltazar's fluid alto sax and clarinet stylings. Baltazar, who always seems to enjoy himself, tried out his vocal chops and had the crowd laughing knowingly with his kolohe, local-flavored lyrics to "Route 66" ("Routes H-1, 2 and 3") and "The Girl from Ipanema" ("The Girl from Tin Can Beach").
Singer Mihana Souza epitomized the spirit of aloha in a set that began with her family 'oli and included songs composed by her beloved mother, Irmgard Aluli. Souza, who performed with her mother for years in the group Puamana, has a velvety voice that, in spare arrangements for bass and guitar, blended beautifully with the Festival's "Swingtime in Hawaii" theme.
The Honolulu Jazz Quartet offered a more contemporary jazz sound, with a set of originals by bassist and band leader John Kolivas. Kolivas supported many of the acts during this year's festival, and it was fun to hear him as he and his mates took the spotlight for themselves.
Alto saxophonist David Choy closed out the evening with a set of high energy, rock-inflected roof-raisers. Fronting a five-piece band that included synthesizer, electric bass and electric guitar, Choy showed why he has become an in-demand session player in Hollywood as well as in Hawai'i.
During its 11 years, the Hawai'i International Jazz Festival has become a fixture on Hawai'i's culture calendar, and this year's edition may have been the best yet. The mix of great musicians, crisp pacing and smooth behind-the-scenes operation made for two memorable nights and set the stage for more to come.
At his day gig, Joseph Rothstein is a certified financial planner practitioner.
Composer/pianist Lalo Schifrin and bandmate James Morrison provided the undoubted highlight of the show with a set of Schifrin originals, featuring multi-instrumentalist Morrison on trumpet, trombone and flugelhorns. That Morrison can play so many instruments is impressive; that he plays each so well is nothing short of amazing. From screaming trumpet solos to breakneck trombone riffs, Morrison had the crowd alternately holding its breath and screaming for more. In response, he alternated licks between trumpet and trombone in quick succession before the quartet encored with Schifrin's signature TV and movie theme, "Mission Impossible."
Hawaii International Jazz Festival
