Three smooth jazz greats are set to hit the shores of Kaua‘i in late October for a benefit concert for the YWCA Women’s Shelter. The weekend of jazz starts on the South Shore on Oct. 27, followed by a North
Three smooth jazz greats are set to hit the shores of Kaua‘i in late October for a benefit concert for the YWCA Women’s Shelter. The weekend of jazz starts on the South Shore on Oct. 27, followed by a North Shore concert the next day.
All this week, bios of the artists are appearing in the pages of The Garden Island. The first bio — Euge Groove — was in Monday’s paper. Yesterday’s bio was keyboardist Gregg Karukas. Today’s artist bio is saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa.
Save the newspaper for those days with artists’ bios because, starting tomorrow, BB Choi of FM97 Radio will start giving away free CDs by the artists and tickets to the concerts. Listen to FM 97 between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. beginning Thursday. The first designated caller who can answer a question based on the information contained in the bios wins a free CD or a set of tickets to the concert.
Jeff Kashiwa was the featured saxophonist of the popular contemporary jazz group The Rippingtons for 10 years and can be heard on six of their chart-topping releases. He appeared on Rippingtons recordings such as “Welcome to the St. James Club,” “Curves Ahead,” “Weekend in Monaco” and “Sahara.”
Kashiwa was working for a grocery chain by day and playing weddings on the weekends when he met then-Rippingtons bassist, Steve Bailey. Eventually, Kashiwa was hired for a gig in Racine, Wisc. during the Tourist in Paradise tour. He played so well that Freeman hired him full-time.
In addition to recording with the Rippingtons, he has toured extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Asia with compositions that offer a broad range of instrumental textures and moods.
Kashiwa started playing clarinet at age 10 but once he heard the saxophone in a jazz setting, he knew instantly that was the instrument he wanted to play.
As a teenager, he formed a funk band in high school and played cover tunes of The Crusaders, Earth, Wind & Fire and more. He studied jazz at Berklee College for two years and while there, he auditioned for and won the second alto spot in Disney’s All American College Band. While working on his Bachelors of Music at Cal State Long Beach, Kashiwa took to the road for a while with the ska/reggae/R&B outfit The Untouchables. His recent CD is “Another Door Opens.”
Kashiwa has formed creative partnerships with Rippingtons’ keyboardist Dave Kochanski, bassist Brian Bromberg, Dave Hooper, Marc Antoine, Steve Oliver, Tony Guerrero and famed keyboardist Jeff Lorber. He can be heard on a number of movie and television soundtracks including the main theme for ABC’s “All My Children.”
Cjazz Productions presents
Jazz On The Shores
Oct. 27- Grand Hyatt Kauai
Oct. 28- Princeville Resort
Sponsored by
The Garden Island Newspaper and
Road Runner Internet High Speed
For ticket information,
call the YWCA — 245-5959
Reduced room rates at Hyatt and Princeville
Call 800-742-2353 (Hyatt) or 800-826-4400 (Princeville)