At Lutheran Church of Honolulu, we enjoy music of all styles and from all places. The last several years we have been hosting and providing a space for jazz, Hawaiian music, and a variety of modern musical genres. All of this is in addition to the fine sacred music that enhances our worship services.
Since the summer of 2021, LCH has offered our Summer Jazz Series. This series supports local musicians and gives the greater Honolulu community a fun summer program to enjoy. Join us for two unforgettable evenings of live music at our upcoming jazz concerts!
Come early for pūpū and conversation at 6:15 in the Hörmann Courtyard. Summer Jazz concerts at LCH are free, with a recommended donation on $20 to go to Helping Hands Hawai‘i’s Ready to Learn initiative.
Journey through Jazz • Mon., July 20, at 7:00 pm
Join acclaimed violinist Duane Padilla, pianist Tommy James, and bassist Dean Taba for an engaging musical journey through the rich history of jazz. More than a concert, this performance tells the story of a classical violinist’s transformation into a jazz artist, exploring the sounds, styles, and innovators that shaped America’s greatest musical art form.
Beginning with the roots of early jazz and swing, the program travels through the golden age of improvisation, the sophistication of bebop, and the diverse sounds of modern jazz. Along the way, audiences will discover how each era influenced Padilla’s own musical voice and artistic evolution.
Featuring beloved jazz standards, stories from the bandstand, and original compositions inspired by a lifetime of musical exploration, Journey Through Jazz offers an entertaining and heartfelt celebration of creativity, improvisation, and the enduring spirit of jazz.
Whether you’re a lifelong jazz enthusiast or new to the genre, this memorable evening promises swinging rhythms, virtuosic musicianship, and a fascinating look at one musician’s path from the concert hall to the world of jazz.
DeShannon Higa + Quadpod featuring Rocky Brown • Mon., June 22, at 7:00 pm
The Summer Jazz Journey 2026 series kicks off with an evening of deeply rooted, forward-moving jazz led by trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader DeShannon Higa, joined by Quadpod and featuring vocalist Rocky Brown.
Higa is one of Hawaiʻi’s most distinctive jazz voices—a trumpeter equally at home in hard-swinging post-bop, groove-based modern jazz, Latin colors, funk, and more exploratory electric textures. His career has taken him from Hawaiʻi to New York and beyond, with performances in major venues including Birdland, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall. As a composer and arranger, he has written for a wide range of ensembles and currently serves as an official composer and arranger for the historic Royal Hawaiian Band. His musical world is broad: sophisticated but never stiff, modern but still connected to melody, groove, and emotional clarity.
For this concert, Higa brings together his jazz quartet Quadpod, an ensemble built on conversation, risk, and trust—essentials in jazz. The group features Patrick “Paka” Whitehead on piano and keys, Mark Tanouye on bass, and Abe Lagrimas Jr. on drums. Together, they move through bebop, hard bop, post-bop, funk, Latin, soul, and original music with the kind of flexibility with the ease of seasoned and gifted musicians. It is alive, interactive, and built in the moment.
This 80-minute concert will showcase the many sides of these artists: original compositions, reimagined standards, deep grooves, lyrical ballads, spontaneous improvisation, and the unmistakable sound of musicians who know how to listen. Expect a night that honors jazz tradition without treating it like a museum piece—music with history, heart, humor, swing, soul, and a few surprises.
The final Summer Jazz Journey 2026 concert will take place on August 17.
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