Downtown Jazz

"WRATH" ROCKS INDIGO: DeShannon Higa, left, and his Groove Improv Artists partners Randy Aloya, center, and Michael Grande, relaxed between sets as "Wrath of Jazz" opened as a new weekly event at Indigo on Tuesday night. A capacity crowd turned out for the music after the popular "Wrath of Grapes" weekly wine-tasting party. The night was also the debut of Higa's use of a laptop computer to provide all the percussion tracks. Higa says he's not doing it to avoid using a drummer, but because he can create rhythm arrangements on a laptop that can't be played by a human.

art

A LAST FLING: Brandon Yeh enjoyed "Wrath of Jazz" with Joylani, left, Stephanie Cho, Mapuana Makia and Terralani Parrish. It was Yeh's last Tuesday night fling at Indigo for a while. He returns to college on the mainland today.

art

DIGGING THE "WRATH" AT INDIGO: Rob Souza, left, Pamela Edwards and Cooper Hazzard enjoyed the music of DeShannon Higa's Groove Improv Artists while other fans of progressive jazz were dancing. The Indigo lounge was comfortably full well past 11 p.m., and wine-tasting and conversation continued outside.

art

AND THERE'S MORE!: Sarah Rickard enjoyed the continuing Tuesday night jazz-and-arts night at thirtyninehotel with co-owners DJ Harvey, left, and Richard Palya, center, and musician Ryan Kunimura. Palya and his partners are working to make the downtown gallery a meeting place for people interested in progressive art, fashion and music.

art

JEN'S GOT A SECRET: Local actress Jen Vo, seated, enjoyed the thirtyninehotel vibe with "Hawaii's Own" Chris Lam, left, Andy Valencia, Christa Curtiswittmier, Zana Akane and DJ Mark Chittom. Valencia started the evening at Indigo's new "Wrath of Jazz" party and then walked over to join the others on the outside back patio upstairs at thirtyninehotel. The gallery's popular Tuesday jazz night event continues until 1:30 a.m. or later. As for Vo's secret, she wasn't telling!

See the Columnists section for some past articles.

John Berger has covered the local entertainment scene since 1972. Contact him at jberger@starbulletin.com.