DAVID BENOIT, PETER WHITE, KIRK WHALUM, MINDI ABAIR TOPLINE SMOOTH JAZZ NEW YORK CONCERTS

Smooth Jazz New York, New York City’s premier live jazz concert promoter, has announces two star-studded December smooth jazz shows with holiday themes at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City. The David Benoit Quartet performs the beloved classics from A Charlie Brown Christmas on Friday, December 2, 2011 and A Peter White Christmas with Mindi Abair & Kirk Whalum takes the stage with jazzy arrangements of holiday favorites on Saturday, December 10, 2011. Both shows feature performances at 7:30pm and 10:00pm. “It’s always exciting for us to bring some of smooth jazz’s finest acts back to New York with their special holiday shows,” notes Bill Zafiros, Smooth Jazz New York co-founder. “These fan favorites really know how to celebrate the season with their own twists on holiday classics.” On Friday, December 2nd, composer and pianist David Benoit returns to the Big Apple for a special Peanuts-inspired holiday show featuring his renditions of Vince Guaraldi’s compositions for “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Over the past 25 years, David Benoit has been a passionate musical innovator committed to the exploration of many different art forms on the American landscape. His prolific output of the last decade includes several notable Charlie Brown related projects including Here’s To You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years and his star-studded 40 Years: A Charlie Brown Christmas. These memorable works reflect his lifelong passion for the music of Peanuts’ original composer, and solidify Benoit’s role as his musical heir. David has also released the Billboard Contemporary Jazz charting albums Fuzzy Logic, Right Hhere, Right Now, Full Circle, and Heroes, which paid homage to the pianist’s top jazz and pop influences. In 2010, the year of his most recent release, Earthglow, Benoit was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at The American Smooth Jazz Awards.

On Saturday, December 10th, “A Peter White Christmas,” now in its 7th year, returns to audiences with a new feel for 2011. Eight-time Grammy nominated saxophonist Kirk Whalum has signed on to shake up the holiday season with guitarist Peter White and singer/saxophonist Mindi Abair playing dazzling arrangements of seasonal favorites. For nearly two decades, Peter White has kept smooth jazz fans worldwide enthralled by his spirited melodies, soulful grooves and inviting, instantly recognizable acoustic guitar tone. Consistently finding unique ways to bring his modern sensibilities to cherished pop classics, White’s holiday renditions are sure to captivate.

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