Smooth Jazz And Wine – North Wilkesboro

Downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, is a Main Street Community, featuring events such as the annual Shine to Wine Festival. This event presents some of the best wine North Carolina has to offer as well as live music, art and food. Each year, Shine to Wine hosts some of the finest wineries and vineyards from throughout the region.

The contemporary jazz band Freeport Jazz will entertain you on  Saturday, May 05, 2012 – 1:00 pm.  Held on 10th Street in Downtown North Wilkesboro, North Carolina.

For the RV camper, North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, offers a good location near a number of outdoor attractions. Rendezvous Mountain State Park and the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir are only about 6 miles from the center of town. Stone Mountain State Park and the Thurmond Chatham Wildlife Management area are 12 miles to the north, and more outdoor destinations are only a little farther away. The area offers fishing, boating and hiking, among other outdoor activities. Best off all, after the camping trip is over, easy access to U.S. 421 and then to Interstate 77 offers an easy drive home.

 

Dave Koz And Friends At Sea 2013 – Athens

Dave Koz & Friends are delighted to be able to cruise in style with you to Italy, Greece & Sicily. The 2013 Mediterranean line-up includes:

Your Host – Dave Koz, Special Guest – Michael McDonald, Mindi Adair, Gerald Albright, Peter White, Keiko Matsui, Jake Shimabukuro, Vincent Ingala and more to be announced.

September 22nd thru September 29th, 2013

Ports of Call: Rome, Messina, Sicily; Mykonos, Greece; Athens, Greece; Sorrento, Italy

This is a Unique opportunity to hang out with Dave and his friends. You don’t want to let this ship sail without you. For more information about the cruise visit http://www.davekozcruise.com.

The ship will depart on September 22, 2013 from Rome and return on September 29, 2013. Thursday, September 26, 2013, the ship will arrive at Athens.

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world’s oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. The city of Athens contains a variety of different architectural styles, ranging from Greco-Roman, Neo-Classical, to modern. They are often to be found in the same areas, as Athens is not marked by a uniformity of architectural style.

Many of the most prominent buildings of the city are either Greco-Roman or neo-classical in styling. Some of the neo-classical structures to be found are public buildings erected during the mid-19th century, and include the Athens Academy, Athens City Hall, Greek Parliament, Old Parliament (Now the National Historical Museum), University of Athens, and Zappeion Hall.

The Acropolis of Athens is the most famous archaeological monument in Europe. It is nominated to be one of the 7 wonders of modern world. In fact the trademark of Athens is one of the favorites. The Holy Rock of Acropolis dates back to the 5th BC, the famous Golden Age of Periklis. Athens and Attica in general have the most important archaeological monuments (Acropolis, Odeion of Herodes Atticus, Olymbion, Roman Market, Panathinaiko Stadium or Kallimarmaro, The Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, and more).

 

 

Smooth Jazz And Great Venues – Bonelli Park

The 1, 975 acres of park facilities surrounding the lake offer a variety of recreational activities: family and group picnicking, sight seeing, hiking, horseback riding, jogging, nature walks, recreational vehicle (RV) and group camping, a water-theme park, calf-roping, bird watching, spa facilities, golfing and bicycling.

To ensure an enjoyable day of recreation in a safe and clean environment, the facility is patrolled by law enforcement officers on horseback and in vehicles with mobile unit accessibility; maintenance personal are available throughout the area. Also, for your safety, the Mounted Assistance Unit regularly patrols the many miles of trails within the park, providing first aid and other assistance to humans and animals alike. This volunteer organization has been active at the park for many years and through its fund-raising efforts has made major improvements to the park’s equestrian facilities.

The Bonelli Park will host the popular JazzFest West 2012 featuring artists like Chaka Khan, KEM, Dave Koz, Kenny G and more.

Bonelli Park, 120 Vía Verde, San Dimas, California

Smooth Jazz And Fine Dining – Piacére Ristorante Italiano

Enjoy the smooth jazz sounds of the James DeMartini Duo, with Phil Van Gelden, this Saturday night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Piacere Ristorante Italiano, 504 N. Cloverdale Blvd.

DeMartini is a practicing attorney in Cloverdale who also happens to be the string bass player for the Healdsburg Community Band and the Starlight Swing Band. In addition, he plays his bass with several local jazz bands

Among the Dinner Specials being prepared by Chef Jose Pelayo Saturday night are Duck Breast with Apricot Brandy Sauce, Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Marsalla Sauce, and Seafood Risotto with Creamy Saffaron Sauce.

Owners José and Mary Pelayo have, over the last thirty-some years, perfected their own style of Italian cooking. They have brought their expertise and perfectionism to this sophisticated-yet-casual restaurant. Enjoy the basket of baked-fresh daily bread, which is brought to your table soon after you’re seated. Relax with a glass of wine from their extensive wine list showcasing some of wine country’s finest wineries. Entrées include pastas, veal, chicken, seafood and steak, prepared in creative ways and served impeccably.

Be sure to check out Piacere’s extensive wine list while you’re there.

For reservations, call 894-0885.

Smooth Jazz And Wine – Kazimierz World Wine Bar

Kazimierz is downtown Scottsdale’s hidden jewel, offering live entertainment, classic & craft cocktails, global small plates and over 2000 wines. Enjoy a glass, flight or bottle here…most bottles available for retail purchase as well! When the space next door became available, owner Peter Kasperski planned a lounge to complement his neighboring restaurant, Cowboy Ciao. Named for Kasperksi’s father, Kazimierz pays tribute to him through family photos, coin & stamp collections, and menu quotes worthy of a curmudgeonly, Schlitz-drinking, Chicago stone mason.

High tables, low tables, front row seating and cozy, dark corners! Plush sofas & chairs in vineyard colors, stone walls softened by candlelight; wooden wine casks evoke the feel of a European wine cave; subtle lighting. Eclectic blend of jazz, latin & world beat plays pre & post-entertainment.

Cal Harris Jr.  invites you to join him and a few of his friends such as Neamen Lyles and Joel Del Rosario for a night of Smooth Jazz on Sunday, May 6th 2012, 9:00 pm to 12:00 pm in this fine venue.

Kazimierz World Wine Bar, 7137 East Stetson Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85251

 

 

Smooth Jazz And Great Venues – Georgia International Horse Park

This is the Georgia International Horse Park. And from the beginning, it has been groomed for greatness. Since opening its gates in September of 1995, the GIHP has already served as the equestrian venue for the largest sporting event in the world: The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. The park was the setting for all equestrian events, as well as the first ever mountain bike competition and the final two events of the modern pentathlon of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.

Today, the tradition continues as the GIHP plays host to a remarkable variety of special events. Whether you are planning an equestrian competition, festival, concert, wedding reception, family reunion or sports competition, the park’s sprawling 1,400 acres can accommodate events of all shapes and sizes.

The Elks Aidmore Music Festival is a music festival for blues, jazz, and soul music lovers. In its inaugural year, EAMF is poised to showcase up and coming musicians along with industry greats at the world class Georgia International Horse Park, April 28, 2012. Friends of smooth jazz will like this venue.

Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Pkwy, Conyers, Georgia 30013

Smooth Jazz And Books – Smooth Jazz: Flute Instrumental Play-Along Pack

Solo arrangements of 11 contemporary smooth jazz favorites with great full-band accompaniment tracks on CD. Songs: Bali Run * Breezin’ * Harlem Nocturne * Just the Two of Us * Morning Dance * She Could Be Mine * Silhouette * Songbird * This Masquerade * Tourist in Paradise * We’re in This Love Together.

Available at Amazon.com.

Smooth Jazz And Great Venues – Central Park, Old Pasadena

Old Pasadena is the original commercial center of Pasadena, a city in California, United States that arose from one of the most prosperous areas of the state, and had a latter day revitalization after a period of decay. Old Pasadena is often referred to as Old Town Pasadena or just Old Town.

The Central Park is a pretty big park, with lots of green lawn.  Lots of places to walk your dog and just dance around and play games. You can experience the busyness of the urban area, then just a few blocks experience peace and tranquility in Central Park. But the remarkable aspect of this park is that it’s the venue of the 4th Annual Jazzy Jam Pasadena 2012 featuring as headliner saxophonist Kirk Whalum.

Central Park, Old Pasadena, 219 S. Fair Oak, Pasadena, CA. 91105

Smooth Jazz And Fine Dining – Spirit of Norfolk

Since 1978, the Spirit of Norfolk has delivered a vibrant and unique combination of dining, dancing, entertainment and breathtaking views. Cruising year-round from The Waterside in Downtown Norfolk, Spirit Cruises offers Lunch, Brunch, Dinner, Cocktail, Moonlight Cruises and much more!

It began back in 1978 when a young businessman in Norfolk, Virginia, converted an old World War II landing craft into a dining cruise vessel on the historic Elizabeth River. The popular ship was christened Spirit of Norfolk and a new company called Spirit Cruises was born.

After just one season it was clear that the company was destined for growth. By 1993, the original Odyssey I was relocated to Boston Harbor and a new, larger Odyssey II took over the Chicago berth. In 1995, Odyssey III joined the fleet as the only ship of its kind designed to cruise beneath the historic bridges spanning the Potomac River in Washington, DC. Over the next six years, Premier Yachts added four sleek speedboats branded Seadog I, II, III & IV to its fleet in Chicago, as well as a casual and fun dining vessel called Mystic Blue.

In January of 2006, a new chapter was written in the logbooks of both Spirit Cruises and Premier Yachts as they merged the best of both companies into one remarkable corporation called Entertainment Cruises, Inc. With 23 vessels serving eight cities with six unique cruise products, Entertainment Cruises is focused on creating even more superior dining and entertainment experiences for its guests. New ships, new cruise products, new ways to enjoy America’s greatest waterways – they are all coming your way in the years ahead.

The  Spirit of Norfolk will host the Jazz Summer Solstice June 2012 featuring smooth jazz artists like Marcus Anderson, Brian Lenair, Frederic Yonnet,  Karen Briggs, Kim Waters,  Marcus Johnson, Maysa, Najee, Nick Colionne, Tony Exum Jr and many more.

Spirit of Norfolk, Otter Berth, Waterside Dr, Norfolk, Virginia 23510

Kenny Loggins – Eyes

Kenny Loggins was born in Everett, Washington, and moved to the Los Angeles area as a young boy. After a short and, in retrospect, rather surprising stint as a guitarist for The Electric Prunes, Loggins scored a job as a $100-a-week staff songwriter and penned four songs on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s 1970 album Uncle Charlie and His Dog Teddy, among them the classic “House at Pooh Corner.” Around this same time, Loggins caught the attention of former Buffalo Springfield producer and Poco member Jim Messina, then working as staff producer at CBS. Originally, Loggins set out to record his solo debut with Messina behind the boards as his producer. As work progressed, Messina’s involvement increased and the album subsequently emerged in 1972 as Kenny Loggins with Jim Messina Sittin’ In – a gem that featured Loggins’ future standards “Danny’s Song” and “House At Pooh Corner” and quickly established this accidental duo as one of significant recording and touring acts of the 70s.

When Loggins & Messina split up in 1976, Loggins wasted no time in achieving solo stardom with such million-selling solo albums as Celebrate Me Home, Nightwatch (which included the hit “Whenever I Call You Friend” with Stevie Nicks), Keep The Fire (“This Is It,”) and 1982’s High Adventure (“Don’t Fight It” with Steve Perry and “Heart To Heart”). These albums saw Loggins expanding his musical range, impressively exploring new textures of jazz, rock and pop with ambitious production. Loggins’ reputation as one of music’s outstanding vocalists was becoming well established, and in 1980 he won the Best Male Pop Vocal Grammy for “This Is It.” As a songwriter too, Loggins continued to grow, a fact evidenced by his many inspired collaborations such as co-writing the 1979 Grammy-winning Song of The Year “What A Fool Believes” with his long-time friend Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers.

In the 80s, Loggins became more famous than ever as the king of the movie theme songs, thanks to massive smashes like “I’m Alright” (from Caddyshack), “Footloose” (from Footloose), “Danger Zone” (from Top Gun), and “Nobody’s Fool” (from Caddyshack II). Loggins also continued to record albums that were introspective and deeply personal, including 1985’s Vox Humana, 1988’s Back to Avalon, 1991’s Leap of Faith (featuring “Conviction of the Heart,” a song Al Gore called “the unofficial anthem of the environmental movement”), The Unimaginable Life (1997) and 2003’s It’s About Time. During this same period, Loggins continued to take on new challenges like recording a Christmas album (1998’s December) and two successful and acclaimed CDs for children: 1994’s radiant Return To Pooh Corner and its worthy follow-up, More Songs From Pooh Corner.

In 2005, Kenny Loggins reunited with his former partner, Jim Messina, to great surprise and considerable acclaim. As much personally as musically, the Sittin’ In Again tour allowed Loggins to rediscover an old friendship. It was so successful and inspiring that they took their show on the road once again in 2009.

Loggins finds himself doing again what he has always done — writing and playing his songs, digging deep and looking toward the next step.

Kenny Loggins – Eyes published with permission of Bettie Grace Miner.