Jazz artists Peter White, Gregg Karukas to perform in PH

MANILA, Philippines – Contemporary jazz artists Peter White and Gregg Karukas will perform in the Philippines on February 5, 2014.

They will be joined by Filipino-American saxophonist Michael Paulo as part of the LA All-Star Band and singer-songwriter-pianist Spencer Day.

Peter White is lauded as one of the most versatile and prolific guitarists in the jazz scene. He has earned recognition and acclaim for his combination of lyricism and energy, combining elements of jazz, pop, and classical guitar to create a singular sound at once accessible to a broad audience.

The British guitarist has a long association with Al Stewart, the Scottish singer-songwriter widely associated with the British folk movement of the 1960s to early ’70s. As a seasoned musician from this era, the swinging Sixties, White grew up amid the sounds of the Beatles and the Stones, but became increasingly drawn to the evocative folk-rock of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Crosby, Stills, and Nash. These and other influences have guided White’s multifaceted career, which has led to a dozen solo recordings and countless performances.

Here’s Peter White, live at the Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival in 2011, performing ‘Who’s That Lady?’ (from his YouTube):

Gregory Harry Karukas, or Gregg Karukas, is a Grammy-winning producer-pianist. In his early years as a musician, Karukas was already establishing a prolific and eclectic career in the Washington D.C.-Maryland area where he hails from, pursuing such diverse genres as big band and fusion. Moving to Los Angeles in 1982, Karukas developed a melodic, soulful sound that soon enough gained him a steady following in the smooth-jazz circuit.

Karukas has recorded and performed with a variety of artists, including Brazilian legends Dori Caymmi and Sergio Mendes, fusion band The Rippingtons (of which Karukas is a past member), and American singer Jessy J (as distinguished from British pop star Jessie J), with whom Karukas co-wrote the pop-jazz hit “Tropical Rain.”

Here’s a video profile of Gregg Karukas from smoothjazmine’s YouTube:

A notable guest performer in the February 5, 2014, show is Filipino-American Michael Paulo. One of the most cosmopolitan saxophonists in pop, soul, and contemporary jazz, Paulo is widely associated with the Hawaiian pop-rock ensemble Kalapana, recording on all 4 albums by the band before embarking on an impressive career as a solo artist and sessionist. Paulo’s other distinguished association is with Al Jarreau, recording and touring extensively with the great jazz singer beginning in the 1980s. 

Paulo has further added his distinct “saxpertise” to a who’s who of artists – among them, Peter White, Rick Braun, James Ingram, Oleta Adams, Kenny Loggins, Patti Austin, and David Benoit. In his long, productive career as a leading Asian-American jazz artist, Paulo has secured a solid following in the United States and in Asia, especially Japan, a mecca of jazz in the continent. In the concert with White and Karukas, Paulo also appears as a member of the LA All-Star Band, which includes Eric Valentine, Fred Schreuders, and Nate Phillips.

Check out this video profile of Michael Paulo from pikemalo’s YouTube:

Also joining White, Karukas, Paulo and the LA All-Stars is guest artist Spencer Day, the singer-songwriter-pianist who has drawn a considerable following in the US and comparisons with Harry Connick Jr. and Michael Buble. Day marks his Asian debut in his visit to the Philippines in 2014. – Rappler.com 

The February 5, 2014, concert, also billed ‘California Smooth Jazz,’ will be held at Samsung Hall, SM Aura, Taguig City.