JAZZ

Saturday, December 6, 2014 7:30PM

Saturday, December 6, 2014 10:00PM

Peter White & Friends are Coming to Town!

Make your list and check it twice! This holiday concert is more than just nice!!! A Peter White Christmas featuring Rick Braun and Mindi Abair is coming to town… and back for the 11th year running!

Contemporary jazz lovers eagerly await this annual fun filled concert which has packed fans into halls and arenas coast-to-coast year after year.

Join us Saturday, December 6th at BB Kings Blues Club & Grill in Times Square, NYC. Shows at 7:30pm and 10:00pm.

VIP Reserved Booths on Floor

• $75 per Ticket – Must Buy Entire Booth
• Booth for 4 = $300
• Booth for 6 = $450

General Admission – Fully Seated

• $40 Advance / $45 Day of Show
• First Come, First Seated

• Full Dinner Menu Available
• $10 Minimum Per Person, For All Tables
• All Ages – See more at:

ABOUT THE ARTISTS…

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.

MINDI ABAIR

Mindi Abair shines as one of the contemporary jazz artists who crosses over into the world of pop. Her unique hybrid sound and mix of cool vulnerability and utter conviction gives the likes of John Mayer and Corinne Baily Rae a run for their barrier breaking money. Mindi’s own brand of pop meets jazz adds a refreshingly unique voice to an exciting new generation of crossover artists who, like her, are powerful instrumentalists as well as thought-provoking singer songwriters. Perhaps John Taylor, famed Duran Duran bassist, says it best about her stunning melodies and heartfelt lyrics, citing her 2008 album Stars, a genre-busting, breathtaking combination of contemporary jazz and Top 40 torch songs. He notes, "It will be love at first listen.” Mindi’s first single from the album, the title track “Stars,” struck genre transcending success, charting number 29 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Mindi’s been producing quality groundbreaking releases like this since her debut album “It Just Happens That Way,” which debuted in the Top 5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and remained in the Top 10 for 19 consecutive weeks. Her 2006 release “Life Less Ordinary” debuted at #1 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and remained in the top 20 for 45 weeks.

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 our Smooth Cruises in 2013 with BWB and in 2014 with Jazz Attack.