Keahi is a member of the gifted and well known Conjugacion family of Honolulu, Hawai'i where they are all recording stars. Her home was filled with music and dance, as members of the 'ohana (family) shared their love of music and dance at family gatherings. Early on, Keahi fell in love with the sound of Dinah Washington, the original "Queen of Soul" and begun to soak up inspiration from other great jazz vocalist like Sarah Vaughn, Billy Holiday, Carmen McRae, Etta James, Dianne Reeves, Rachelle Farrrell, and the wonderful Miss Phyllis Hyman.
She began her career at the age of 17, singing with local Top 40 and R & B bands and recording as a background vocalist. Seeking to expand her horizons, she moved to Seattle, Washington, where she began appearing and recording as a jazz vocalist. This was a period of musical growth for Keahi, as she took on the influences of classical jazz masters and developed her improvisational skills.
Keahi returned to Hawai'i in 1999 as a fully formed musical artist with a mature style honed by years of performing and study. She immediately began working with the islands 'finest jazz musicians, some of whom appear as guest on this album.
In 2003, Keahi was asked to be a part of Hawai'i's Legends to perform in New York City's Carnegie Hall. During her visit in New York she also graced the stage of some of Harlem's Legendary Club's. Inspired by the cities audience response she decided to move to New York in February 2004. She lived in the city for 1 year performing once again in many of the legendary clubs in Harlem and West Village.
She returned to the islands in 2005. Currently Keahi is preparing for a European Tour Summer 2008 Italy, Sicily, France and the Netherlands.
Some of the Musicians and Artist that Keahi has worked with: The Honolulu Jazz Quartet, Gabe Baltazar, David Choy, Sam Ahia, Buddy Fo, Tennyson Stevens, Deems Tsutakawa, Andre Thomas and Quiet Fire, Billy Wallace, Floyd Stanifer, Larry Coreyll, Najee. Music Festivals: Bumbershoot (Seattle, WA)Folklife Festival (Seattle, WA) Hawai'i International Festival (Hon. HI/Maui) Tours: Japan, Okinawa, Singapore, Seattle. WA, New York, California. * European Summer Tour.June-August 2008
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June 19, 2008 Nat Minutoli and Keahi Conjugacion joined musical forces with a wonderful Sicilian jazz group in Sicily. The musicians, Melo Mafali, Stefano Sgro, Pino Garufi, Nuccio Lo Presti. The group collaborate their cultures together creating a cultural soulful smooth jazz sound, expressing jazz standards in various jazz forms. The concerts were embraced with much love and appreciation from the people of Sicily and the deliverence from Nat and Keahi and the band was given back to the people with much love, appreciation and gratitude.
The duo musically and soulfully connected so well, that they have decided to become a musical duo recording a new CD called "Sax and Soul". Nat Minutoli has written all the music for the CD and Keahi Conjugacion has written all the lyrics for the CD, and pianist/arranger-Melo Mafali will be arranging all the songs for CD. Once the CD is released, the duo and their band will be touring Hawaii and the US in 2009, with an exciting musical production. Nat and Melo will be arriving in Hawaii October 2008 through November 2008 to join Keahi on their first mini tour in the Hawaiian Islands. They will be doing limited engagements and a few concert events during their time in the islands, and recording Keahi's vocals for the new CD while they are in the islands. We will keep you updated as things process over the months.
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