The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
‘Smooth Jazz Affair’ concert July 28 at the Palace
WATERBURY» ACT Jams Productions presents an Up Close and Personal Red Carpet Smooth Jazz Affair featuring Billboard Smooth Jazz Artist Adam Hawley (guitar) and Ragan Whiteside (flute) on Friday, July 28, 8 p.m. in the Palace Theater Orchestra Lobby 100 East Main St. Tickets are $40 (limited seating) and available at www.palacetheaterct.org or the box office 203-346-2000.
This is the first CT show where Hawley and Whiteside will share a stage. In addition, Connecticut’s own Chris Herbert (sax) will perform as a special guest. Rounding out the set will be band members Steve Clarke (bass), Pat Marafiote (keys) and Dexter Pettaway (drums). The show is immediately followed by an Old School Dance Party hosted by Al Taylor of ACT Jams Productions. The event is powered by Chapel Memorial Funeral Home.
It has been an exciting past year for guitarist Adam Hawley, who’s first single “35th St” (feat Eric Darius) had the longest run at #1 on Billboard in 2016. Since then, the second single, “Joy Ride,” co-written and produced with Greg Manning hit the Top Ten on Billboard; and Adam has been named both Smooth Jazz News and JazzTrax Debut Artist of the Year. Hawley recently returned from performing at the Sold Out David Koz & Friends at Sea in Europe cruise. He signed with Kalimba Music (founded by Maurice White of Earth, Wind, & Fire) in August 2015. His first offering on the Kalimba label features Darius along with Euge Groove, Brian Culbertson, Gerald Albright, and Michael Lington. Adam is also known as a prolific sideman, appearing with a who’s who list of artists in a wide variety of genres. Credits include Dave Koz, Jennifer Lopez, Brian Culbertson, Natalie Cole, Gerald Albright, and Friends Cruise to name just a few. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Southern California and currently teaches at Musician’s Institute, Chaffey College, and Saddleback College.
Songwriter, flutist, vocalist, and all-around musical adventurer Ragan Whiteside is back in the studio. For those who know her, this should be a signal to rub hands together in anticipation, and for jazz lovers who have not yet met her, it’s more than ample invitation to see what she can do.
A musical prodigy since the age of five, she found her way to the flute after the piano, the violin, and a turn with the drum set. She attended the Cleveland Institute of Music and the prestigious Harid Conservatory, where her sound was honed with the tried-and-true classical training, graduating with a Bachelor of Music Performance degree.
Her fourth studio album, Treblemaker, features the sounds of Marion Meadows, Tom Browne, Kim Waters, and Bob Baldwin, to name a few, and promises a further taste of the Ragan Whiteside Innovation that has brought her on jazz festival and jazz cruise stages worldwide.