Calendar of the Dragon

The calendar page of the Dragon Upstairs has been still under spruce-up but now updated weekly!


The collective assembled by leader Satomi Yarimizo (piano), BOP TRIBAL showcases the fierce improvisational prowess of its members. DeShannon Higa (trumpet) & Reggie Padilla (tenor saxophone) provide the dual melodic elements while Yarimizo, von Baron, and Mark Tanouye lay down the groove like a well-oiled, high octane machine. B.T.'s home base is in 50s hard bop, but it adeptly weaves its way through modal jazz, bebop, post bop, and even hip hop. This is quintessential New York jazz, transported to the Honolulu stage!

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The new band will be coming up on next Friday, April 11. Check this out!

Satomi Yarimizo Quartet @ the Dragon Upstairs

@ the Dragon Upstairs

Saturday, April 4, 9 p.m. - midnight

Satomi Yarimizo Quartet with
Reggie Padilla (tenor saxophone)
Mark Tanouye (bass)
Shinya Yarimizo (drums)
Satomi Yarimizo (piano)


Reggie blew his saxophone so powerfully and so beautifully.



photo by aaron yoshino
http://honozooloo.com

"Jazz and Jesters" in chinatown and trio at the Shigezo

First Friday Event on April 4 – Jazz and Jesters
@ Hawaii State Art Museum

We enjoyed playing at the lawn stage of the beautiful museum.

Lawn Mainstage
6pm-7.15pm Satomi Yarimizo Quartet featuring
Reggie Padilla (tenor saxophone), Bobby Nishida (bass),
Shinya Yarimizo (drums) and Satomi Yarimizo (piano)
7.30pm-9pm Honolulu Jazz Quartet

Lanai Lounge
6pm-6.30pm UH Theatre Dept – Commedia del Arte
6.30pm-9pm New Jass Quartet /w DeShannon Higa


After playing for this event, Bobby, Shinya and I ran to the Shigezo to play trio.
DeShannon Higa, Tim Tsukiyama, Gilbert Batangan and Justin James who also played for this event came to the Shigezo to eat delicious sushi for their dinner. DeShannon sat-in with his trumpet.

It was such a fun night.

New York Jazz Nights - Day 3

@ the Dragon Upstairs

Day3 : April 4, 8 - 11 p.m. /w
Frank Perowsky (tenor sax, clarinet, flute) from New York, Darryl Pellegrini (drums) from New York, John Kolivas (bass) and Satomi Yarimizo (piano)

We had lots of audience and we musicians played much tighter. Everybody had a great time.

Satomi, John Kolivas, Frank Perowsky and Darryl Pellegrini

Satomi, John, Darryl, Rick in the bar,
Frank and Langston Trigg with congas

Abe Lagrimas Jr. in Concert @ Honolulu Club

Abe had a great reunion concert with his friends. They played some standards with Abe's arrangement and also Abe's originals songs. He is so talented.

Wednesday April 2, 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. @ Honolulu Club
Abe Lagrimas Jr. (drums)
Dan Del Negro (piano)
Dean Taba (bass)
Tim Tsukiyama (sax)
Robert Shinoda (guitar)

Gilbert Batangan Quartet @ Jazz Minds

I had a dinner with Yasuko Hayakawa and her group ( it was their last night) at the Chuck's Cellar in Waikiki and droped by Jazz Minds.

Tuesday April 1, 9pm - midnight
Gilbert Batangan Quartet @ Jazz Minds Arts & Cafe
Gilbert Batangan (guitar)
Dustin Chang (tenor saxophone)
Mark Tanouye (bass)
Jusin James (drums)
and special guest, visiting from L.A.
Abe Lagrimas Jr. (drums)

New York Jazz Nights - Day 2

@ the Dragon Upstairs

Day2 : March 31, 8 - 11 p.m. /w
Frank Perowsky (tenor sax, clarinet, flute) from New York, Darryl Pellegrini (drums) from New York, Steve Jones (bass) and Satomi Yarimizo (piano)

We were much tighter in Day 2 and musically we had more fun. I learned a lot from them. I cannot wait Day 3, on this Thursday April 3rd, 8PM-!! John Kolivas will play bass for the Day 3!!

Satomi and Frank Perowsky

Satomi, Steve Jones, Frank Perowsky and Darryl Pellegrini

Thursday April 3, 8 - 11 PM
SPECIAL SHOW: NEW YORK JAZZ NIGHT 3
Frank Perowsky (saxophone) from New York
Darryl Pellegrini (drums) from New York
John Kolivas (bass)
Satomi Yarimizo (piano)

The Dragon Upstairs
( located in the loft above Hank's Cafe Honolulu)
1038 Nu'uanu Avenue 808-526-141

New York Jazz Nights - Day 1

@ the Dragon Upstairs

Day 1 : March 29, 9 p.m. till midnight /w
Frank Perowsky (tenor sax, flute) from New York, Darryl Pellegrini (drums) from New York, Jon Hawes (bass), Satomi Yarimizo (piano) + my dear friends, Yasuko Hayakawa (piano), DeShannon Higa (trumpet), Abe Lagrimas (drums), Shawn Conley (bass)

It was such a hot and fun night. Thanks and so much love to all my friends!

Darryl Pellegrini, Satomi and Frank Perowsky
Darryl and Frank are good friend for many yeas and they performed and recorded in New York.
It was a great reunion.

Shawn Conley (bass), Frank (sax) and DeShannon Higa (trumpet)

We are playing "Green Chimneys" from Theronius Monk.

Frank, Shawn and DeShannon's head. :)

Frank and DeShannon

Satomi, Shawn and Abe Lagrimas Jr. (drums)

Yasuko Hayakawa (piano), Shawn, Frank's head and Darryl (drums)

Frank's back and Satomi (piano) and Jon Hawes (bass)

BOP TRIBAL in the Starbulletin!!

Honolulu Starbulletin
By John Heckathorn

The 3rd article after the bikini one. :)

http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/23/news/heckathorn.html

A BeBoppin' Night in Chinatown

At 8:15 one night last weekend, the Dragon Upstairs was virtually empty. By 8:45 the second-floor Chinatown nightclub was packed. By 9 the band was gathered around leader Satomi Yarimizo's piano, learning a brand-new tune written by trumpeter DeShannon Higa.

The tune's called "Bop Tribal." So's the band. The crowd -- admittedly, it takes only 50 or so people to fill the Dragon Upstairs -- is here as a gesture of faith. This is Bop Tribal's first performance ever.

The faith was not misplaced. It was one of those rare nights: the right crowd in the right room for the right band.

In addition to Yarimizo and Higa, the quintet included tenor sax Reggie Padilla, bass player Jon Hawes and, from the Honolulu Jazz Quartet, drummer Adam Baron.

The quintet ripped through tunes by Horace Silver, John Coltrane, Clifford Brown. The crowd rocked along. "You go, girl," yelled voices from the back when Yarimizo came out smokin' on one of her piano solos.

Baron was thundering on drums, "channeling his inner Art Blakey," as he put it. On his way to the gig, Baron had stopped to help a pedestrian who'd tripped in a crosswalk, ending up with blood on his shirt. He'd had to go to Aloha Tower, the closest open place, to buy a new one.

"If I'd known all it took to get Adam to play like that was a new shirt," said Higa, "I'd have bought him one every gig."

Yasuko Hayakawa in Concert (2)

@the rRed Elephant, April 29 8:00 p.m. - w/
Hasuko Hayakawa (piano) from Akita/Japan, DeShannon Higa (trumpet), Abe Lagrimas Jr. (vibes) from L.A., Steve Jones (bass) and von Baron (drums).

Live recorded CD will be coming soon! Can't wait to hear it!

Yasuko Hayakawa (piano), DeShannon Higa (trumpet),
Steve Jones (bass),
Abe Lagrimas Jr. (vibes) and von Barron (drums)

DeShannon and Abe

DeShannon, Steve, Yasuko, von and Abe
Great job!!

Yausko swang so hard and so impressed all the audience.