november/december 2006 issue 288 free jazz now in our 32nd year &blues report www.jazz-blues.com Peter White A Christmas Concert at Playhouse Square Rick Braun Mindi Abair PLUS: 2006 Holiday Gift Guide - Part III Peter White Published by Martin Wahl Communications Christmaswith Editor & Founder Bill Wahl Mindi Abair & Rick Braun Layout & Design Bill Wahl Monday, December 11 at Playhouse Square Operations Jim Martin love for holiday music has endured Pilar Martin throughout the years. I hope this tour Contributors will be an opportunity for fans to enjoy Michael Braxton, Mark Cole, their favorite Christmas songs in a fam- Dewey Forward, Steve Homick, ily setting. Perhaps I’ll even bring my Chris Hovan, Nancy Ann Lee, recorder.” Peanuts, Mark Smith, Dave Over the past decade, White’s inti- Sunde, Duane Verh and Ron mate way with acoustic guitar melodies Weinstock. has scored a slew of #1 singles that Check out our costantly updated have helped define the smooth jazz website. Now you can search for CD radio format. His latest album, Playin’ Reviews by artists, Titles, Record Favorites, was recently released on Labels, keyword or JBR Writers. 15 Columbia/Legacy Records. His guitar years of reviews are up and we’ll be sound has become his signature, a going all the way back to 1974. sensitive and emotive voice of melody, Address all Correspondence to.... which sings eloquently over R&B, jazz, Jazz & Blues Report pop and Latin rhythms. White, who first 19885 Detroit Road # 320 It ‘s becoming a yearly tradition made his mark as a teenager while Rocky River, Ohio 44116 at Playhouse Square... smooth jazz playing with singer-songwriter Al Main Office ...... 216.651.0626 guitarist Peter White will returning Stewart, with whom he wrote the hit Editor's Desk ... 440.331.1930 with trumpeter Rick Braun and saxo- “Time Passages,” has recorded and/or [email protected] phonist Mindi Abair for their annual toured with Abair, Basia, Dave Koz, Web .................. www.jazz-blues.com Christmas concert on Monday, De- Richard Elliot, Boney James, David Copyright © 2006 Martin-Wahl Communications Inc. cember 11. Benoit, Gato Barbieri, Euge Groove, No portion of this publication may be The three musicians will be in the Craig Chaquico, and Braun. reproduced without written permission midst of a 25-city U.S. concert jour- Braun is also regarded as one of from the publisher. All rights Reserved. ney, which kicks off in Mesa, Arizona the top artists in smooth jazz, a format Jazz Report was founded in Buffalo New November 18. White, Braun and Abair that he fell into after a stint in the pop York in March of 1974 and began in Cleve- will deck the halls with jazzy versions world, where he co-penned the hit, land in April of 1978. We are subsidized of seasonal classics, a few original “Here With Me,” while playing with REO solely through advertisement and ask that holiday songs and some of their best Speedwagon. He went on to play in you support our advertisers. known hits. A Peter White Christmas Sade’s band, which helped him hone is a holiday treat loaded with only the his own sound as a solo artist. The a W division of artin-Wahl finest ingredients - fun, funk, jazz and trumpeter consistently delivers #1 hit c o m m u n i c a t i o n s pop - and they guarantee it will en- singles and his albums often stay at the chant even the meanest of Scrooges. top of the national charts for months All three artists have previously on end. Twice named “Smooth Jazz "Buffalonious" released holiday CDs, which is one Artist of the Year” by the Gavin Report, of the things that inspired White to Braun is also recognized as an ace in Our original mascot launch the tour, now in its fourth year. the studio, where he has produced from the early “My earliest memories of Christmas records for White, Benoit, Marc Antoine, Buffalo Jazz Report were probably not much different from Jeff Golub, Eric Marienthal, Willie & days – mid '70s many other people: snowflakes, tin- Lobo, amongst others. On the concert He is older now, sel, Santa Claus, reindeer and the stage and on record, Braun is a soulful but Still Cool! opening of presents surrounded by and dynamic funkster, who has re- Created by family. As a child, my father taught corded and toured behind collaborative Christine Engla Eber me to play Christmas music on my duo and trio album projects with Boney first instrument, the recorder, and my James and Kirk Whalum and Norman PAGE TWO November/December 2006 • Issue 288 Brown (BWB). His latest album is Ses- CUYAHOGA COMMUNITY For more information go online to sions, Volume 1, released in August COLLEGE PRESENTS www.tricpresents.com. For single tick- on ARTizen Music Group. ets, call 1-800-766-6048; visit THE 2ND ANNUAL www.tricpresents.com; or purchase tick- ets at the following retail outlets: Isla JAZZFEST PICANTE Music, 3070 West 25th Street, Cleveland, A Full Weekend of 216-687-1997; and Joyeria Viejo San Juan, 2705 Clark Avenue, Cleveland, Dancing and Music 216-961-1347. Featuring Legends of Latin Music The JazzFest Picante Weekend is CLEVELAND – Tri-C JazzFest pre- presented by Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, sents the 2nd Annual JazzFest Picante, Tropical Rhythms, National City Bank one of the most exciting events to hit and MQ Productions. Major Tri-C Divi- Cleveland. Sizzling hot Latin jazz is on sion of Performing Arts season funders tap from November 17-18, with a lineup include Arts Midwest, National Dance that includes The Conga Kings, Grupo Project of the New England Foundation Fuego and Johnny Pacheco Y Su for the Arts, National Endowment for the Tumbao Anejo. Arts, Ohio Arts Council, Ohio Humani- The weekend kicks off with The ties Council and Pennsylvania Perform- Conga Kings at 8 p.m. on Friday, Novem- ing Arts on Tour. ber 17 at the Tri-C Metro Campus Audi- Cuyahoga Community College Divi- torium. The 11 piece Rumba group fea- sion of Performing Arts presents signifi- tures three of the master congrueros of cant contemporary artistic programming Afro Cuban music: Candido Camero, of the highest quality for our diverse Mindi Abair was 2003’s break- Carlos, “Patato” Valdes and Giovanni multicultural regional audiences. These through new artist of the year in Hidalgo. Tickets are $25. arts and cultural experiences are de- smooth jazz. She shared the stage Dinner starts the evening off on Sat- signed to stimulate, enlighten, educate on White’s inaugural Christmas con- urday, November 18 at the Holiday Inn and mutually enrich both the artists and cert tour that year and she’s back for Independence, 6001 Rockside Road. our community. another round, this time in support of Grupo Fuego sets the musical tone with her recently released third album, Life contemporary Latin jazz, starting a 9:30 At the Rock Hall... Less Ordinary on GRP Records. p.m. The internationally renowned Johnny Pacheco Y Su Tumbao Anejo Abair is an instrumentalist and a vo- takes the stage at 11 p.m. to rev the The Color of Rock: calist who incorporates rock and pop weekend into high gear. With nine The Art of Philip Burke Exhibit into her soul-jazz selections and she Grammy nominations and ten gold to Open at the Rock and Roll has already started her own collection records, Johnny Pacheco’s salsa rendi- of #1s. Before emerging as a solo tions are sure to please and prove why Hall of Fame and Museum artist, Abair toured with The Backstreet he is a true legend of tropical music. CLEVELAND – On November 14 the Boys, Mandy Moore, Duran Duran and Tickets are $50 for dinner, concerts and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Jonathan Butler. dancing; and $25 for concerts and danc- will open The Color of Rock: The Art of Last year there were two Christ- ing only. Philip Burke. The exhibit, which will be mas concerts at Playhouse Square. Other Events: Tri-C’s Showtime at located on the Museum’s 6th floor, will This one, and Dave Koz & Friends’ High Noon Series will feature Sammy feature 33 portraits of musicians by the DeLeon Y Su Orquesta during a one show. For 2006, this is the only one, famed painter Philip Burke. The exhibit hour concert lecture/demonstration on will be open through April 15, 2007. so you might want to get your tickets Latin Jazz at the Allen Theatre on Fri- You may not know Burke by name, early...especially you guys out there day, November 17 from noon to 1 p.m. but you probably know his art. Philip who want to be close enough to gawk This event is free and open to the pub- Burke’s unique and vivid portraits of ce- at Mindi Abair! lic. For more information or to make res- lebrities from politics, business, sports ervations for groups, call 216-987-4940. and the arts have been featured in more A Late Night Latin Jam featuring than 200 magazines and newspapers, Cleveland Fats Sammy DeLeon will be held at the View including Time, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, Niteclub, 618 Prospect Avenue on Fri- The New Yorker, GQ, and Vogue. Many The Schwartz Brothers day, November 17 following The Conga of his subjects over the past 25 years Kings performance. This event is co-pre- have been rock stars and Burke was the DC and the sented by Tri-C JazzFest and Tropical featured artist at Rolling Stone for seven Continentals Rhythms. years. “When I was a teen in Buffalo, I A series of dance workshops will be wanted to be a rock star, but I couldn’t For Bookings Contact held on Saturday, November 18 from 12- play any instruments and I was too shy HONEYBEE ENTERTAINMENT 4 p.m.