JAZZ

PETER WHITE:

Growing up in 1960s England, Peter White took interest in music while listening to the Beatles on the radio. His parents got him an acoustic guitar around age 8 and he taught himself to play while also taking lessons on the recorder, piano and later, clarinet. One day in 1967 after hearing Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and never experiencing such sounds from his acoustic, he decided the electric guitar was to be the most important thing in his life. He eventually got one and furiously studied the works of Hendrix, Clapton and Page, but his dreams were put on hold when the guitar was burned in a fire (accidentally) set by his brother Danny. He found solace in his old acoustic guitar, having no idea that this incident, however tragic at the time, would prove a turning point in his life. He developed a love for the acoustic instrument that continues to this day. For over two decades, Peter has a reputation as one of the most versatile and prolific acoustic guitarists on the contemporary jazz landscape. Smooth jazz fans worldwide are enthralled by his spirited melodies, soulful grooves and inviting, instantly recognizable acoustic guitar tone. He’s always enjoyed finding unique ways to bring his modern sensibilities to cherished pop classics — and thanks to the smooth jazz format’s affinity for instrumental covers, two of the amazing thirteen #1 Radio & Records airplay hits he’s had through the years, “The Closer I Get To You” and “Walk On By,” have become enduring staples of the format. Pop music fans were listening to his classic acoustic guitar style even before the advent of the New Adult Contemporary and Smooth Jazz formats, most notably via his collaborations with British folk/pop singer Al Stewart. The Stewart-White partnership, which culminated with the dual live recording Rhymes in Rooms (1992), spanned over 20 years. White played on Stewart’s landmark “Year of the Cat” album, he co-wrote and performed on two of Stewart’s biggest hits, “Time Passages” and “Midnight Rocks.” In the late 1980s, White accompanied Basia on several of her acclaimed albums and in 1996, she was featured on his album Caravan of Dreams, with vocals on the popular single "Just Another Day.” With over a dozen albums, numerous musical collaborations, and his annual A Peter White Christmas shows, Peter is still going strong. His latest release Here We Go (2012), features guest spots from Andrew Neu, Nate Phillips, Phillipe Saisse, David Sanborn, and Kirk Whalum.

RICK BRAUN:

No one on today’s contemporary urban jazz scene knows more about the power of perfect, timely partnerships than Rick Braun. After launching the millennium with “Shake It Up” with Boney James (sharing a Best Collaboration award for their 2000 hit which reigned at #1 on the Billboard chart for 11 weeks) and later hooking up with Kirk Whalum and Norman Brown as BWB, he toured as part of Jazz Attack, then with Peter White and Jonathan Butler in 2005 and 2007. He continued to collaborate in 2007 teaming up with saxman Richard Elliot for RnR. Their duet project immediately hit #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz chart and its catchy title track single was an instant smash, holding at #1 on Radio and Records’ (R&R) Contemporary Jazz airplay chart for over two months. A 2008 tour followed. Rick is also a top genre producer, working with Elliot, Antoine, Willie & Lobo, David Benoit, and Jeff Golub, among others. At 2002’s National Contemporary Jazz Awards in San Diego he set a record by winning a total of five trophies, including Best Male Artist, Best Album (“Kisses in the Rain,” which hit #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart), Song of the Year (the title cut) and Best Brass Player. Rick’s most recent releases include Sings with Strings (2011) and the 2012 holiday album Swingin’ in the Snow. Rick returned to the Smooth Cruises in 2013 with BWB and continues his remarkable collaborations this season.

EUGE GROOVE:

Saxman Euge Groove has achieved a string of #1 hits and a devoted following through his music which blurs musical boundaries and transcends age and race with his soulful and robust saxophone and a flair for R&B melodies and funk heavy grooves. Euge grew up in a musical home and began playing piano at age 7, adding the saxophone at 9. The University of Miami School of Music grad cites David Sanborn as his inspiration to pursue playing pop music. Launching his professional career in Miami in the mid 80s, Euge played in salsa bands, top 40 club bands, and did the occasional high profile session date like Expose’s “Seasons Change,” a #1 Billboard Adult Contemporary hit. Shortly after his 1987 move to LA, he wrote a track for Richard Elliot’s “The Power of Suggestion” album, and Elliot recommended Euge to take over his spot in Tower of Power. Euge toured with TOP for 4 years, including a year backing Huey Lewis & The News. His resume grew from there to include recording, touring or performing stints with Tina Turner, The Eurythmics, The Gap Band, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Aaron Neville and Richard Marx. After 2 years of touring with Italian singer Eros Ramazotti and Joe Cocker and lacking a record label to distribute his music, Euge posted some tracks he recorded on his own on the now-defunct MP3.com in 1999, dubbing himself “Euge Groove” (a twist on his real name, Steven Eugene Grove). Euge soon topped the MP3.com jazz chart. Shortly after, he signed with Warner Bros. “Vinyl,” his first single from his self-titled Warner Bros. debut, set a record by spending 27 weeks on the R&R charts, and ranked #24 for the year. His next release, Play Date garnered two more #1 radio hits, “Slam Dunk” and “Rewind.” 2004’s Living Large spent 68 weeks on the Billboard charts, debuting at #4 and was #25 overall for the year. The single “Livin’ Large” was 2004’s #5 most played song on the R&R singles chart and “XXL” spent 36 weeks on the radio chart. His first single “Get Em Goin’,” on 2005’s Just Feels Right was #1 for two months. 2007’s Born to Groove also featured several chart-topping singles. 2009’s All for You included the #1 smash hit title track and the top five single “All For You.” With 2011’s “S7ven Large” and 2012’s “House of Groove,” Euge continues to captivate his old fans and gain new ones along the way.
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Recently remodeled with a bold design, the Hornblower Infinity matches the uniqueness of New York — and the Smooth Cruises! The open bow, covered sky deck and over-sized windows provide endless opportunities to enjoy the countless sites in NY Harbor as guests kick back with the best jazz artists in the business. Guests will enjoy the world’s finest contemporary jazz on climate controlled interior decks with multiple dance floors, and can take in the sights outdoors on spacious exterior sundecks.