KAILUA-KONA — Since her first gig in Hilo after landing in Hawaii in 1976, Maggie Herron has enjoyed a high-profile career on the islands as a jazz singer and pianist.
The two-time Na Hoku Hanohano Award-winner has played years-long stints on the Big Island, Lanai and, currently, Oahu. Despite the island-hopping, Herron hasn’t played in Kailua-Kona in almost a decade.
It’s only fitting that an award-winning jazz musician would make her return to the Big Island by playing at the only dedicated jazz venue along Alii Drive. Herron will be performing at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar for the first time at 5 p.m. Sunday with Big Island musicians Paul Lindbergh on tenor saxophone and flute, Greg Shirley on bass and Bruce David on drums.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing old friends,” Herron said. “And saying hello to people on the Big Island I haven’t had the chance to say hello to. I haven’t played in Kona now for eight or nine years, so I’m really looking forward to that.”
Sunday’s performance with the quartet is not just a homecoming for Herron — it’s a reunion as well. Herron played with David and Shirley years ago when she was on the Big Island, but she said she hasn’t worked with either since.
“(David) plays with wonderful dynamics on the drums. I like this particular style of playing, and I encourage him to use nuances and what I call color as well as rhythm and meter,” Herron said. “I haven’t played with (Shirley) for years, so it will be nice to get to play with him again.”
Herron and Sunday’s saxophonist Lindbergh also go way back. The two played together on the Big Island several nights a week for five years, and Lindbergh played on six of the 10 songs on Herron’s first album, “In the Wings.” He also arranged the music on Herron’s original song “Things Will Be Better” from her second album, “Good Thing.”
The quartet will be playing Herron’s original songs, as well as popular jazz, blues and pop songs that the group will play with a “jazz flavor.”
“I love the freedom that you can exercise with jazz,” Herron said. “What jazz means is you’re improvising. When you play a song, you’re not going to play the same song the same way twice.
You go to a different part of your brain for that to happen. It’s elevating, joyful, blissful, challenging and fulfilling.”
Since her last stint in Kailua-Kona, Herron has produced four albums in the last eight years, with her latest released in August. She has also landed a spot at Lewers Lounge in Honolulu, performing there four nights a week.
Herron said she enjoys being on the Big Island, but the eruption of Kilauea in May has kept her away this year, as the vog that covered the island during the eruption was hard on her throat and singing voice. Now that the air is clear, she’s ready for her return to the island.
“I love playing on the outer islands because it’s a little more relaxed,” Herron said. “The audience is relaxed and the audience response is always very upbeat, loving, accepting and appreciative.”
Info: Tickets to Maggie Herron’s performance at Gertrude’s Jazz Bar on Sunday are $20 online and $25 at the door, and can be purchased at brownpapertickets.com.