Jazz and blues fans on Hawaiʻi Island are getting ready to celebrate some of the genre’s top musicians.
Ken Burgmaier's passion for both styles of music drove him to create the Big Island Jazz and Blues Festival.
Several Grammy and Nā Hōkū Hanohano award-winning artists will be performing at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel's oceanfront venue. The lineup includes Donald Harrison, Wayne Toups, John Keawe, Loren Wilken and others.
"Within steps of the ocean, the stage is right there. So we have to get the most beautiful sunsets. It's under some beautiful kiawe trees, we got a lot of canopy covers and monkeypod trees. And it's just it's one of the most breathtaking settings for a music venue," Burgmaier said about the venue.
It marks its 10th anniversary with a concert this Saturday. Burgmaier is also known as an award-winning film producer who has managed to combine his love for music and documentaries into one.
The event takes place on June 3. Tickets can be purchased on their website.
This interview aired on The Conversation on May 30, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
