KEALI’I REICHEL: 6 SHOWS AT BLUE NOTE

Keali‘i Reichel will return to the Blue Note Hawaii stage with six shows over four days, at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 17, 6:30 and 9 p.m. Nov. 18 and 19 and 6:30 p.m. Nov. 20.

Reichel is the award-winning Maui-based kumu hula, singer, composer, choreographer, chanter and dancer, known for his traditional Hawaiiana and his creations with a contemporary mele.

Dancers from his Halau Kealaokamaile hula studio will take the stage, along with guest artists to be announced soon.

With most of Hawaii’s musicians favoring the more intimate venues like Blue Note, anchored at the Outrigger Waikiki resort vs. larger concert spaces, this residency will quickly sell out.

Tickets are $85 and $125, costlier than his previous performances there, but Reichel is noted for including halau dancers in the mix of his classic and newer repertoire.

Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …

Also at Blue Note

Bandsmen of the distant past continue to give periodic performances, albeit with a nostalgic twist, and two scheduled at Blue Note include:

• “Take Me Back to Chicago Tour,” featuring musicians from two pop/rock acts of an earlier era. Danny Seraphine, co-founding lead singer and drummer of Chicago, and Jeff Coffey, guitarist during the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), will assemble at 6:30 and 8 p.m. Oct. 8 and 9. Doors open at 5 p.m. (first show) and 8:30 p.m. (second show). Tickets: $25 and $35. Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …
• The Commodores, minus Lionel Ritchie, will concertize at 8 pm. Dec. 15 through 18 (doors open at 6 p.m.), with original band members Walter “Clyde” Orange, James Dean “JD” Nicholas and William “WAK” King  recreating the classic bluesy funk and rockaballads of an earlier year. Tickets: $85, $95, $125. Reservations: www.bluenotehawaii.com or (808) 777-4890. …

Here ’n’ there

Out Hilo way, the original musical based on characters and themes from a pair of books by poet Frances Kakugawa’s “Wordsworth” series, has sold out its run of matinee shows for grade school Department of Education students, set for Nov. 1-3 at the theater at the University of Hawaii’s Hilo campus.

The play features a mouse-poet, who advocates creating poetry to get through dark times, and provides valuable insights of life lessons. Kids from kindergarten to fifth grade will be attending, and there is an extensive waiting list not likely to diminish.

So parents with young children may want to consider booking the public performances, at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 and 5 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 6. …

The Annual Celebrities and Their Pets Fashion Show – part of the Young at Heart Expo — will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall. The pets and celebs event will be at noon, with notables strutting with pooches and kitties who’ll be the ones in fashionable costumes. Admission is free. Al Waterson hosts. …

Broadway grosses, week ending Sept. 4

Maybe it’s because of the 76 trombones, or more likely, Hugh Jackman as Prof. Harold Hill in the titular role in “The Music Man,” that keep this one atop the Broadway gross list: it amassed $2.863 million last week.

Other leaders: “Hamilton” with $2.106 million, at No. 2; “MJ –the Michael Jackson Musical,” with  $1.76 million, at No. 3; and   “The Lion King,” with $1.757 million, at No. 4.

The list is courtesy The Broadway League:

And that’s Show Biz. …