Gary Washburn, jazz musician, composer, and director of Grammy-winning Honokaa High School Jazz Band for 30+ years has a reputation nationwide as one of the best music educators in the business. On Saturday, Oct. 27, he will debut his original musical work, “Earth Life: October Full Moon.”
Gary Washburn, jazz musician, composer, and director of Grammy-winning Honokaa High School Jazz Band for 30+ years has a reputation nationwide as one of the best music educators in the business. On Saturday, Oct. 27, he will debut his original musical work, “Earth Life: October Full Moon.”
Essentially a jazz/fusion composition, Washburn uses various musical styles, including traditional and contemporary jazz, funk, pop, ethnic and in some passages, classical. Performed by Washburn, Alex Czerny, Doug Johnson and Noa Eads, the seven-part suite for two pianos and percussion will be “live recorded” by Emkay Records, Kent Washburn producer, for worldwide distribution.
“I like to write ‘programmatic music,’ i.e., music that is inspired by non-musical ideas,” said Washburn. “Classical Impressionism is an example of programmatic music. I took the idea of mankind’s relationship to the Earth and came up with the titles. Then I began writing my musical impressions of the titles.”
Inspired by a solar eclipse, Washburn began writing what would be “Earth Life: October Full Moon” in 1976, and will essentially complete the vision that began with his original work “A Life in a Day” over 30 years ago.
As a prelude to the “October Full Moon” premier, Gary Washburn, Brian McCree/bass, Bruce David/drums, Paul Lindbergh/tenor sax and flute and Doug Johnson/percussion and vibes will perform additional original music by Washburn.
Admission to the concert is $10 adults, $7 kupuna, $5 keiki and students, available at the door. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/EarthLifeOctoberFullMoon or email catherinetarleton@gmail.com
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Lydia’s Closet will celebrate its third anniversary with a fundraiser on Saturday, Nov. 3. Come and help them celebrate selling quality gently-used women’s and men’s clothing in Honokaa with new arrivals of great clothes and tasty home baked goodies. There will also be a rummage sale. Come and check it out between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Lydia’s Closet is located behind the United Methodist Church across from Blaine’s Drive Inn.
In addition, church members are selling tickets for Vierra’s cinnamon bread ($7) and sweet bread ($6). Turn in your tickets and pick up your bread at Lydia’s Closet on Nov. 3 between 9 a.m. and noon. See a church member to buy tickets. If you haven’t purchased a ticket, there may be some extra bread for sale on Saturday. Proceeds help fund church programs.
For additional information, call the church at 775-0566.
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The County of Hawaii held a blessing to commence $4.15 million worth of improvements to the state-owned slaughterhouse in Paauilo. Funds for the improvements were appropriated by the State Legislature and released by the governor directly to the County of Hawaii to implement improvements that will help secure the future of Hawaii Island’s grass-fed beef industry.
“If the rancher cannot ranch and the farmer cannot farm, we’re all in trouble. This isn’t all that we need, but it’s an important first step. We look forward to Hawaii Island being able to grow and expand our grass-fed beef industry,” said Mayor Billy Kenoi.
The proposed project will make much needed improvements in the critical areas of wastewater disposal, rendering of unusable solid waste, and refrigeration space to expand plant capacity and improve meat quality.
When complete, the plant’s capacity will increase by 40 percent and reduce the current processing backlog that makes it difficult for ranchers to bring their animals to market in a timely fashion. Improvements will also transform waste that currently goes to the landfill into useable value-added and energy producing by-products. Improvements will also address outstanding wastewater issues. Once complete, the improvements will create new employment opportunities and increase the economic sustainability of the Hāmākua district.
“The future of beef depends on an up-to-date processing plant that can accommodate all the ranchers’ needs. Hawaii Beef Producers does, at present, 300 to 400 head a month. With these improvements, we hope to increase to 600 head a month and add on 10 to 15 more employees,” said Jill Mattos of Hawaii Beef Producers.
Contracts for the work have been awarded to three separate contractors.
Isemoto Contracting Co. Ltd. will be responsible for expanding refrigeration capacity and installing a new dry chill box to age grass fed beef before it is marketed.
Ludwig Construction will install wastewater improvements including a new septic system and improvements to enable the recycling of wash water to irrigate surrounding pastures.
Site Engineering will make repairs to the rendering plant and install equipment that turns inedible waste into compost material and animal fat for processing into biofuels. The rendering plant work and the wastewater system will take nine months to complete. The refrigeration improvements will begin after the holidays to reduce impact on slaughterhouse use and is scheduled for completion by the summer.
The Paauilo Slaughterhouse is owned by the State of Hawaii and leased to Hawaii Beef Producers, a partnership between David DeLuz Sr. and a group of ranchers. It is one of two USDA certified slaughterhouses on Hawaii Island, where over 75 percent of all the state’s cattle are raised.
According to the county’s recently released Food Self Sufficiency Baseline study, only about 17 percent of the beef eaten on Hawaii Island is locally produced, in spite of the fact that the cattle industry produces nearly twice the number of cattle annually that the island consumes.
Since the early 1990s, the cost of grain imports has made it too expensive for local ranchers to finish cattle locally. As a result, the bulk of the cattle industry ships young cattle to the mainland to be grown to market size and harvested there. Local slaughter capacity has fallen dramatically in the last 20 years and needs to be revitalized before a strong local grass fed industry can re-emerge.
“The cattle industry has gone through its challenges, and it continues to face challenges,” said Randy Kurohara, director of the county Department of Research & Development. “But this slaughterhouse and rendering facility really represents a milestone in the advancement of our grass-fed beef industry here. Increasing our capacity to produce locally-raised beef is very important to our island’s self-reliance.”
Carol Yurth’s column is published every Sunday and spotlights activities on the Hilo-Hamakua coast. She welcomes items for her column. Reach her by mail (46-1240 Kalehua Road, Honokaa HI 96727) at least 10 days before the requested publication date, call her at 775-7101, or e-mail waiukahenutz@gmail.com.