Tom Braxton Live at Acoustix Jazz Lounge
Posted: June 30, 2013 in Concerts, Smooth Jazz
Tags: Acoustix Jazz, Smooth Jazz, Tom Braxton
Saxophonist Tom Braxton is a versatile instrumentalist, charismatic performer and gifted composer whose distinct, melodic sound thrills audiences of all ages. SmoothJazz.com calls Braxton "one of the most respected and loved sax men in Smooth Jazz." This native Texan has recorded seven albums including "Endless Highway" (2009) and "Imagine This" (2007) on the Pacific Coast Jazz label and "Bounce" (2005) on the Rendezvous label. His music can be heard on radio and television airwaves nationwide, and his albums have hit numerous jazz charts including Billboard, RadioWave and Amazon.com. Tom toured extensively with Wayman Tisdale for 17 years, also serving as Musical Director.
He has been a featured performer and fan favorite on the Smooth Jazz Cruise since 2005. He has also garnered rave reviews overseas, performing as a headliner for the first Smooth Jazz Europe Festival in the Netherlands and touring with Keiko Matsui in Russia. Braxton has shared the stage with many great artists including Dave Koz, Rick Braun, Peter White, Candy Dulfer, Bob James, George Duke, Kirk Whalum, Jonathan Butler, Jeff Golub, Norman Brown, Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross and Phillip Bailey. He has been featured in media and publications such as JAZZIZ, Smooth Jazz News, CBS's The Saturday Early Show and Daystar Television Network.
Thursday, July 11, 2013 7:30pm until 10:30pm in EDT
Acoustix Jazz (Restaurant & Lounge), 840 Marietta Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318
FLO Jazz Explosion and Moscato Launch Party
Tags: FLO Jazz Explosion and Moscato Launch Party, Marcus Johnson, Smooth Jazz, Wine
Please join Marcus Johnson, FLO Wine, and Hampton Roads Jazz Lovers for a big night in Virginia Beach. There will be FLO Wine (including the launch of the company's new moscato wine) and Marcus will perform – what could be better!
This event will sell out so get your tickets soon. Members of the Hampton Roads Jazz Lovers can purchase tickets at:
http://www.meetup.com/HRJazzLovers/events/114801372/
Everyone else can purchase tickets at Eventbrite:
http://floexplosion2013.eventbrite.com/
The event will take place at the The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Virginia Beach. The hotel is offering a holiday getaway special, with rooms at just $109 a night. Reservations can be made by calling 1-800-227-6963 or by clicking on the following link:
http://www.crowneplaza.com/hotels/us/en/virginia-beach/orfbr/hoteldetail?groupCode=FLW
FLO … making your life better one sip and sound at a time!
Wednesday, July 3, 2013 7:00pm in EDT
The Crowne Plaza Hotel, 4453 Bonney Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Watersign Live with Freddie V & Mo Pleasure
Posted: June 28, 2013 in Concerts, Funk, Smooth Jazz
Tags: Freddie V, Funk, Mo Pleasure, Smooth Jazz, Watersign
Freddy V
Fred's role as AWB's up-front soloist, supporting keyboardist and horn arranger has seen him touring clubs, theatres and festivals all over the world. This heavy workload permitting, Fred still found time for jamming, guesting or leading groups of fellow top drawer musicians in the best jazz and soul clubs in NYC, Atlanta (where he now resides) and, even, London where Fred's very occasional British 'pick up' bands attracted players of the quality of Jason Rebello, Jim Mullen and Ash Soan, to name but a few.
In 2004, Fred was asked to take over the saxophone duties with vocalist Michael McDonald on the "Rock & Soul Revue" Tour. The vocal legend was so pleased with Freddy's work that he asked him to play on his Motown II collection. Always a capable writer – Fred's tunes have been recorded by not only AWB but also the likes of Grover Washington Jr and Marion Meadows.
MO Pleasure
Mo was keyboardist and musical director with saxophonist Najee and vocalists Philip Bailey, Patti Austin and Jon Lucien. In 1993, he joined the legendary Earth, Wind & Fire, becoming the band's musical director a year later. Mo then elevated to another echelon when he was featured playing keyboards, trumpet, and guitar with Janet Jackson's 2001 "All For You" tour. As a principal member of the group Devoted Spirits, he played keyboards for Jimi Hendrix's 60th Birthday Celebration and the "Power of Soul: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix" tour. In 2009, as keyboardist for Michael Jackson's highly anticipated "This Is It" tour, he performed at the pop legend's memorial concert in Los Angeles. Along with the rest of the This Is It band, Mo is immortalized in the eponymously titled film, the best-selling musical.
Sunday, June 30, 2013 7:30pm until 10:30pm in EDT
Providence Summer Jazz Series
Tags: Althea Rene, Eric Darius, Gerald Veasley, Jonathan Butler, Smooth Jazz
Pearl is Providence's premier destination for dining and entertainment. With over 18,000 square feet of space, Pearl offers a multitude of entertainment experiences and has already hosted a long list of star studded evenings. Guests can start or end the night with cocktails in one of the sexiest lounges in town, or enjoy incredible new American cuisine with Japanese and Italian influences in Pearl's intimate dining room. Pearl's award winning lounge houses Rhode Island's most popular outdoor patio with al fresco dining, lush VIP table service and an expansive bar.
Pearl Restaurant, 393 Charles St, Providence, Rhode Island 02904
West Coast Jazz Party at Sea
Posted: June 26, 2013 in Concerts, Cruises, Smooth Jazz
Tags: Boney James, Brian Culbertson, Brian Simpson, Candy Dulfer, David Sanborn, DW3, Earl Klugh, Euge Groove, Jonathan Butler, Kenny Lattimore, Marcus Miller, Norman Brown, Oleta Adams, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Smooth Jazz, Tower of Power, West Coast Jazz Party at Sea
If there has been one complaint among passengers who have sailed aboard The Smooth Jazz Cruise during its first decade it is that there are so many extraordinary concerts and events to attend that it is simply impossible to see and do everything during the 7-day music vacation experience. Wait until they find out what is planned for the first-ever West Coast departure of the perennially sold out luxury cruise to music paradise sailing to exotic Mexican Riviera ports October 12-19. With an astounding 60 concerts slated and a jam-packed program of unique first-time events, excursions and opportunities exclusively available during the West Coast Jazz Party at Sea, this adventure bodes to top all previous cruises, including the traditional January sailing that sold out for 2014 in record time.
R&B jazz luminaries Brian Culbertson and Boney James will host the cruise embarking from San Diego aboard Holland America's m/s Westerdam en route to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Baja Coast with a starry cast of Grammy-winning and chart-topping performers featuring David Sanborn, Marcus Miller, Tower of Power, Candy Dulfer, Jonathan Butler, Oleta Adams, Rick Braun, Norman Brown, Richard Elliot, Euge Groove, Earl Klugh, Kenny Lattimore, party band DW3 and music director Brian Simpson. When the live music pauses, legendary MC Biz Markie and Cool V will DJ to keep The Greatest Party at Sea grooving on the dance floor, and comedian Alonzo Bodden will provide the laughter.
Here are ten reasons why the West Coast Party at Sea is different than previous sailings of The Smooth Jazz Cruise:
· Wall to wall live music. The usual program offers 40 shows. 60 concerts will be staged on the October cruise.
· Guests will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to take a one-hour music lesson from the stars with the fee going to charity.
· At a first-ever songwriting seminar, Culbertson and the band will compose a new song on the spot with direct input from the audience.
· During the "Opening Act" talent contest where guests get to show off their own musical gifts, cruisers will judge the opening rounds of the competition with Culbertson, James and Dulfer ultimately determining the winner who will earn the privilege of opening for the headliner and perform with the cruise hosts on the final night of the voyage.
· When in Puerto Vallarta, guests will enjoy artist hosted excursions such as play golf with Braun, ride horseback with Elliot, sightsee with Culbertson, participate at an outdoor challenge with Butler, explore hideaways with Simpson, or join Dulfer for a swim with dolphins.
· While at sea, cruisers can battle Culbertson and James in a ping pong tournament, take a yoga class with Klugh or shoot hoop with Miller.
· For the romantically inclined, couples can renew their wedding vows during a ceremony presided over by Butler.
· On a theme night designated to support Pinktober, national breast cancer awareness month, guests are encouraged to wear pink. Each cruiser will be given a commemorative pin and when they give the card accompanying the pin to the front desk, they will be making a $5.00 donation to fight breast cancer with cruise producer Entertainment Cruise Productions donating matching funds.
· "Backstage Pass" will be filmed nightly aboard the ship in front of a live audience for national television broadcast. Host Dane Butcher will interview each of the cruise stars.
· For the first time, premium reserved seats for the main shows in the Vista Lounge theater are available for all guests who book their cabins by July 31.
Butcher, the Director of Cruise Operations & Programming for Entertainment Cruise Productions, said,
"We are super excited for the West Coast Jazz Party at Sea because this itinerary has allowed us to program the cruise THE perfect way. With more than 60 shows onboard, we added a bunch of brand new activities that make the guests just as much a part of the cruise as the musicians. Visiting Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta provide fantastic shore excursions, beautiful beaches, great shopping and amazing food along with fabulous weather and smooth sailing. We are not only bringing in celebrity DJ Biz Markie and his sidekick Cool V, who are a perfect match for this party crowd, but we added more artists than ever before and have surprises planned that are guaranteed to make this one of the greatest cruises that we have ever produced."
Guests have fallen in love with The Smooth Jazz Cruise ever since its maiden voyage in 2004. Much more than a jazz festival and much more than a vacation, cruisers spend an entire week completely immersed in the music. On top of the stellar concert performances with Dream Team pairings that take place nightly in the theater and in more intimate nightclub venues aboard the vessel, guests interact daily with the musicians at cocktail parties, poolside games and activities, informative seminars, autograph sessions and cooking demonstrations. It's an unforgettable first-class lifestyle experience that keeps fans coming back year after year. Cabins for the October sailing are still available and can be reserved by calling toll-free 888.852.9987 in the U.S. & Canada and +800.852.99872 internationally. For more information, please visit www.thesmoothjazzcruise.com.
About Entertainment Cruise Productions, LLC
The world leader in full ship charter music cruises, St. Louis, Missouri-based Entertainment Cruise Productions, LLC (ECP) owns, produces and promotes The Smooth Jazz Cruise and The Jazz Cruise (www.thejazzcruise.com), and is proud to partner with Time Life for the Soul Train Cruise (www.soultraincruise.com), Malt Shop Memories Cruise (www.maltshopcruise.com), The Country Music Cruise. (www.countrymusiccruise.com) and Celtic Thunder Cruise (www.celticthundercruise.com). Pleasing guests is Entertainment Cruise Productions' most important goal and objective while providing luxurious vacation experiences featuring marquee stars from their respective music genres in an extraordinary setting for devoted passengers, many of whom make the fun and exciting cruises an annual affair. Additional information is available at www.ecpcruises.com.
Source: Great Scott Productions
Riverwalk Jazz & Soul Series
Tags: Brian Lenair, Dave McMurray, Gail Jhonson, Karen Briggs, Motown Jazz Xperience, Riverwalk Jazz & Soul Series, Smooth Jazz
Thursday, July 4 – Motown Jazz Xperience
Detroit Riverwalk Jazz and Soul Series
Robert's Riverwalk Hotel Patio, Detroit
Thursday, July 18 – Karen Briggs
Thursday, August 1 – Gail Jhonson
Thursday, August 15 – Dave McMurray
Thursay, August 29 – Brian Lenair
Behind Roberts Riverwalk Hotel, 1000 River Place Dr, Detroit, Michigan 48207
Kim Scott @ Jazz Underground
Tags: Jazz Underground, Kim Scott, Smooth Jazz
Fresh off the album release, the Preserve Jazz Festival and the Detroit Riverwalk Jazz and Soul Concertl, flutist Kim Scott will be performing live at 5 Point South's most popular jazz venue, Jazz Underground! Join her along with Sean Michael Ray (bass), PJ Spraggins (Drums) and Cameron Sankey (keys) as they take you on a musical journey! CD's will be available for purchase that evening and Kim will be signing CD's after the show. Get your tickets early!
Friday, June 28, 2013 8:00pm in CDT
Jazz Underground, 2012 Magnolia Avenue, Birmingham, Alabama 35205