Brown to produce vinyl LP of live concert at Pacific Biodiesel founders’ Earth Day farm fest
Pacific Biodiesel founders Bob and Kelly King along with Mana‘o Radio KMNO 91.7 FM announced that multiplatinum music producer, artist manager and event producer Kerry Brown, headliner for the Sunflower Farm Music Fest, will record the all-day live-music event and produce a limited edition vinyl LP. Each person who purchases a ticket to the event will receive a copy of the vinyl record compliments of Licorice Pizza Records.
The Sunflower Farm Music Fest, which will raise funds to support Hawaii’s food hubs to help farmers expand local food production, will take place in a blooming field of sunflowers at the Kings’ family farm in Maui’s Central Valley Saturday, April 22 (Earth Day) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This has never been done before—a live-concert event recorded in a blooming sunflower field on Maui,” Brown said. “It’s a rare experience we’re creating that people can come enjoy and take part in as we support Hawaii’s farmers and help move the needle on local food production. I’m honored that Licorice Pizza Records can support this important local cause in this way.”
The vinyl records will be pressed at Brown’s Licorice Pizza Records—an independent label, record store and vinyl pressing plant in Studio City, California. Images from local photographers and artists at the event will tell the story of the day and be featured in the original design for the record sleeve.
Brown will headline the Sunflower Farm Music Fest with his “Licorice Pizza Jam Session” with special guest bandmates including singer/songwriter Julia Gargano and others to be announced—adding another exciting aspect to the day-long event.
“A jam session is where new music is born, where the seeds of song ideas are formed,” Brown said. “Playing at this farm surrounded by blooming sunflowers—I’m sure a new song or two will emerge. You’ll have to come see who shows up to jam with us. We’ll play until the sunflowers tell us to go home!”
Brown, who owns a home in Haiku, was drawn to this Earth Day event to help support food security in Hawaii.
“Coming together, collaborating and standing up for causes we believe in—that’s what music culture is all about,” Brown said. “And that’s what our Maui community is about. The way our paths came together to collaborate on this event is also very ‘Maui’—it was a series of serendipitous connections with people who all care about Maui, local farmers and this important cause.”
In addition to the event’s headliner, “Licorice Pizza Jam Session with Kerry Brown and Friends,” other Maui musicians scheduled to perform at this event include George Kahumoku Jr., Drew Martin, Sting Kong, Soul Kitchen, Brown Chicken Brown Cow String Band, The Lonely Hearts-Beatles and Beyond, and Marty Dread with Gretchen Rhodes & The House Shakers. Benny Uyetake, who was previously scheduled for a solo performance at the event, will now perform in Brown’s highly anticipated jam-session headliner set.
Four-time Grammy-winning musician, master slack key guitarist and Nā Hōkū Hanohano (Hawaiian Grammy) Lifetime Achievement Award winner “Uncle” George Kahumoku Jr. has just written an original sunflower-themed song inspired by the cause that he will perform live at the event. His song, written in English and Hawaiian, will be performed as a singalong with the audience. The recording will be featured on the vinyl record of the event.
“I’ve written 3,000 songs and chants in my career,” said Kahumoku Jr. “We are now preparing to move to the mainland to be closer to my grandchildren, so I wanted to write this song to leave as my legacy for Maui. My background is in visual arts and writing, but my heart and soul has always been in farming. I’ve always enjoyed gardening, and growing food for the homeless. Now I’m looking forward to this next chapter when I will have more time to draw and write.”
“This recording by Kerry Brown gives our event a whole new dimension,” said Justin Morris, a Maui musician and sound engineer whose band Brown Chicken Brown Cow String Band will perform at the event. “It’s going to be a visual and sonic snapshot of our Maui community, the people who care about local farmers, local musicians and the food security cause. A record will historically memorialize this day for all of us. It’s really special. This vinyl record will be something my daughter can hold and listen to 10 years from now to learn the story of what we did together on this day.”
This all-day fundraiser event will benefit Hawaii Food Hub Hui’s 14 food hubs around the state that help local farmers grow more and earn more for their efforts as they produce healthy local food for Hawaii's families. Hawaii Food Hub Hui has a goal to triple the output of Hawaii’s food hubs by 2025.
This daylong festival will directly support the Hawaii Food Hub Hui’s 2023 target to raise $3 million to fund high-priority needs for Hawaii’s food hubs, including supply-chain logistics such as refrigerated delivery trucks, construction of walk-in freezers and other storage at food-hub warehouses, and processing equipment for value-added food products that help farmers expand their revenue and minimize food waste.
The event will also raise funds for nonprofit Mana‘o Radio, Maui’s only independent, commercial-free, all-volunteer radio station celebrating its 21st anniversary this year.
During this zero-waste event, attendees will be able to view and photograph the sunflowers, take part in farm tours, visit the on-site Farm Stand and enjoy unique food experiences that showcase the food-hub model.
Parking is a $5-per-car cash donation at the gate and will benefit the American Red Cross, whose Maui chapter volunteers will help staff the event and medic tent. A complimentary cut sunflower bloom will be given for each parking donation.
Tickets are on sale now for $100—and 100 percent of ticket proceeds and donations will benefit the cause thanks to the generosity of event sponsors: Roland, Michael & Deborah Rybak, Hawaiian Electric, Maui Tropical Plantation, Fairmont Kea Lani, King Power, Pacific Current, Gay & Robinson and Maui Screen Printing.
Seating is limited and tickets must be purchased online in advance. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to www.Biodiesel.com or www.ManaoRadio.com or call 808-866-5101.
