Eric Marienthal, a two-time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist based in Newport Beach, California, will take the stage at Hawaiian Brian’s Social Club in Honolulu on Saturday, March 8.
Net proceeds from the concert go to the Hawaii Saxophone Foundation, which provides annual scholarships to high school students majoring in music in college. Marienthal will also teach a free masterclass, which is open to the public, at ʻIolani School on Thursday, March 6.
Marienthal has performed in more than 75 countries and recorded 15 solo CDs. His music has been featured in records, films, television shows and commercial jingles. Some of the movies where he played saxophone include “Disenchanted” (2022), “Birds of Prey and the Fabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” (2020), “The Big Short” (2015), among others, per IMDb.
He has performed with artists such as Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach, Aaron Neville, Johnny Mathis, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, George Duke, David Benoit, The Rippingtons, The Gordon Goodwin Big Phat Band, Patti Austin, Lou Rawls, David Lee Roth, The Yellowjackets, B.B. King, Ramsey Louis, Patti Labelle, Olivia Newton-John, Marcus Miller, Michael McDonald and others, according to his website.
His career started with music classes in elementary school. When he was in fourth grade, he picked up the saxophone, he told Aloha State Daily.
“I don't know what drew me [as a] nine-year-old to the saxophone,” Marienthal said. “I think it was more my friends and I just looking for something fun to do. We saw a saxophone and said: ʻHey, that looks pretty fun. Let's do that.’ ”
It turned out to be the start of his career. In high school, he added piano and woodwind instruments used by studio musicians, such as flute and clarinet.
His advice to young students just starting out? Stick with it.
“Whenever you're doing anything that is fun it takes the work side out of it and work becomes something that you really enjoy doing,” Marienthal said. “It takes a lot of a lot of time and devotion to become good at anything. If we work towards the music that we want to play and we have fun doing it, then we're going to stick with it. It makes it a lot more fun when it doesn't feel like work, but it feels like something you enjoy doing.”
Marienthal attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston and then started his professional career in 1980 with New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. Later, he joined the Chick Corea Elektric Band. Currently, he is the music director for programs by Jazz Cruises, LLC, which runs jazz cruises and land-based programs, according to his website.
The saxophone player has performed for audiences around the world, including some where listeners don’t speak English and “music becomes our common language,” Marienthal said.
“Given the state of affairs in the world right now, it's particularly wonderful to bring good vibes to people,” he said. “People love to hear music. If [people] come and support the benefit — and music in general — people are doing that because they are excited about doing something that's good and listening to some good music.”
The free masterclass is open to the public, including music lovers who are in high school, college or professional musicians and will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 6, at Iolani School, as part of the ʻIolani School Big Band Bash Jazz Festival. The clinic will be held in the Iolani School Bandroom, which is Room C-103 in the Castle Building.
The concert starts at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 at Hawaiian Brian’s Social Club – Crossroads. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $45 for general admission, if purchased in advance, and $85 at the door. Tickets are $20 for students.
Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
