Kona Jazz Experience & Volcano Art Center Events

Aloha Theatre in Kealakekua hosts the eighth annual Kona Jazz Experience at 7 p.m. Jan. 12.

This year’s experience once again brings together acclaimed jazz artists to perform a combination of jazz, soul, tango and reggae to tempt audience members’ earbuds.

Kona Jazz Experience also is proud to debut original music by jazz composer Ann Hoku Lyn.

This year’s show will feature Lyn on trumpet, Russ McKinnon on drums, Matt Spencer on bass, Loren Wilken playing piano, Truth Musiq on guitar and harmonica, Binti Bailey and Jeannine Guillory on vocals and Amanda Trusty, who will tap dance.

The opening set will be by the Big Island Music Academy All-Star Jazz Band and special guests. The Big Island Music Academy teaches students ages 10 and older how to play a variety of instruments including bass, guitar, drums, ukulele, congas, piano, trumpet, flute, saxophone, trombone and vocals. It provides music instruction tailored to each student’s unique strengths and goals.

All proceeds from this year’s show will benefit the nonprofit Aloha Theatre.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for those 18 and younger and can be purchased at AlohaTheatre.com.

Volcano Art Center presents the first program in its 2019 Hula Kahiko series at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 12 with a performance by Na kumu hula Pelehonuamea Harman and Kekoa Harman with Halau I Ka Leo Ola O Na Mamo.

The students of Halau I Ka Leo Ola O Na Mamo come from the Hawaiian language immersion K-12 school Ke Kula ‘o Nawahiokalani‘opu‘u. For the past eight years, their mission has been to perpetuate the Hawaiian language and culture through mele and hula.

This performance is part of a year-round series sponsored by Volcano Art Center as a part of its Hula Arts at Kilauea programming. For the Hula Kahiko series, hula halau from throughout Hawaii are invited to perform each month in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting at the kahua hula (platform) in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Performances are presented authentically in an outdoor setting, rain or shine, without electronic amplification. Audience members are encouraged to bring sun and/or rain gear and sitting mats.

In conjunction with the Hula Kahiko performances, the public is invited to join Native Hawaiian cultural specialist Loke Kamanu and ohana on the lanai of the Volcano Art Gallery for a Na Mea Hula (All Things Hula) demonstration. Learn a hula, use various hula implements or try your hand at lei making. These cultural demonstrations are hands-on and family friendly and occur from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Hula Kahiko performance days.

Performances are free, but park fees might apply.

For more information, visit www.volcanoartcenter.org or call 967-8222.