LIHUE — Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers will headline Kauai’s Sixth Annual Red Clay Jazz Festival Saturday at Kauai Lagoons. Smith and her seven-piece band (playing four horns, piano, bass and drums) are recognized for classic blues
LIHUE — Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers will headline Kauai’s Sixth Annual Red Clay Jazz Festival Saturday at Kauai Lagoons. Smith and her seven-piece band (playing four horns, piano, bass and drums) are recognized for classic blues and jazz in the style of the 1940s and 1950s.
Based in San Francisco, the group tours internationally and has won a number of awards and acclamations by the press. Also featured will be the Maui Jazz Quartet with world-renowned percussionist, Emil Richards, and the Pro-Am Band from Kauai, a 12-to-15 piece jazz ensemble. The main concert is held in an outdoor setting overlooking the ocean at Kauai Lagoons, with tent seating, lawn seating and several specialty restaurants providing food and beverage booths. Jam sessions, workshops and a party are planned Wednesday through Friday.
New for this year’s festival will be a 2-hour blues workshop, held at Kauai Community College on Thursday. Smith, her pianist Chris Siebert, drummer Paul Marchetti from the Maui Jazz Quartet and Kauai jazz musician Kirk Smart will be on hand to teach aspiring musicians blues composition and blending.
The workshop is structured to provide four concurrent sessions. Each will focus on a specific instrument with a blending of all instruments at end of the session.
Leading up to the main concert will be jazz jam sessions on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a Meet the Artists party on Friday. Jam sessions on Wednesday will be at the Kauai Marriott Aupaka Terrace Bar (in Lihue) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. featuring Ron Margolis and the Keoni Loa jazz Quartet; and will be at The Shops at Kukuiula (in Poipu) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with the David Braun Group.
Jam sessions on Thursday are set for Aloha Beach Resort (Wailua) from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. featuring the Amit Heri Trio. Friday’s “Meet the Artists” party will be held at The Shops at Kukuiula, a fundraiser for jazz education from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Hosted by the Kauai Concert Association, major sponsors for the Red Clay Jazz Festival include Kauai Lagoons, Koloa Rum, the Hawaii Tourism Authority and Kauai County.
The first Red Clay Jazz Festival took place on Kauai in 2008, stemming from efforts by the Kauai Concert Association (KCA) to bring jazz artists for concerts and to provide educational opportunities for local students.
The W.S. Pete Robinson Memorial Jazz Fund, given to KCA in 2003 when the organization dreamed of organizing a jazz festival, seeded those efforts.
Festival schedule
For more information and tickets, go to redclayjazz.org.
Wednesday
Ron Margolis & Keoni Loa Jazz Quartet
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Kauai Marriot Resort and Beach Club, Aupaka Terrace Bar
Wednesday
The David Braun Group
6 to 7:30 p.m.
The Shops at Kukuiula, Palm Court
Thursday
Amit Heri Trio
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Aloha Beach Resort, Kuhio Lounge
Thursday
Kirk Smart Quartet
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Tiki Iniki, Princeville Shopping Center
Thursday
Blues workshop
2 to 4 p.m.
Kauai Community College
Conducted by the Red Clay Jazz Festival featured artist, Lavay Smith; her pianist Chris Siebert; drummer, Paul Marchetti of the Maui Jazz Quartet and Kauai jazz musician, Kirk Smart. $20.
Friday
Meet the Artists
5:30 to 9 p.m.
The Shops at Kukuiula, Poipu
Saturday
Red Clay Jazz Festival
3 to 9 p.m.
Kauai Lagoons
3351 Hoolaulea Way, Lihue
Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Maui Jazz Quartet and Kauai
Pro-Am Show Band
