Legendary Jefferson Starship guitarist Craig Chaquico will host the first annual Smooth Jazz & Music Festival at Ponte Family Estate Winery in Temecula October 27 through 29, with exciting performances by David Pack, Ronnie Laws, Nils, and many other artists.
Craig Chaquico earned his reputation as lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship in the ‘70s (and the offshoot band Starship afterwards), engaging and inspiring two generations of rock and pop music fans. Across its evolution, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship earned twenty gold records, making them one of the most successful bands in history. According to the RIAA this prestigious position is shared only with Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, The Rolling Stones, Neil Diamond, The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Bob Dylan. Working with a wide range of musicians – Jerry Garcia, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Commander Cody, and Tom Scott to name a few – Chaquico became a fixture in the California music scene.
Craig's music has always inspired and borne a deep, spiritual vision and, by the 1990s, after finding himself at the top of the national charts in each of three consecutive decades (...'70s, '80s, '90s) as a songwriter and band member, Chaquico left the fast-paced pop world and reinvented himself as an award winning solo contemporary instrumental artist, songwriter, producer, and bandleader again at the top of the national charts in a fourth decade and a new millennium. Chaquico received a Grammy® nomination for Best New Age Album with 1994’s Acoustic Planet.
Pete Escovedo has been a major force in Latin music since the late 1960s, and his versatility has resulted in success in several areas of music, from Latin jazz and salsa to rock and Latin pop. Growing up in Oakland, Escovedo was surrounded by music throughout his childhood. His father sang with some Latin big bands. Pete played the saxophone in high school and soon switched to vibes. When pianist Ed Kelly needed a percussionist, Escovedo found his calling. He and his younger brother, the late Coke Escovedo, both developed quickly as percussionists and became greatly in demand for gigs in Northern California. With their youngest brother Phil Escovedo playing bass, the Escovedo Bros Latin Jazz Sextet was formed. The group broke up in 1967 when Carlos Santana hired both Pete and Coke for his Latin rock group. After touring with Santana for the next three years (he has rejoined him a few times since), Pete and Coke founded the 14-piece Latin big band Azteca, recording two albums for Columbia. When the band grew to 24 members, it became too expensive to keep together although the music was quite impressive.
Since that time, Pete has performed in a countless number of settings including with such notables as Herbie Hancock, Woody Herman, Cal Tjader, Tito Puente among many others. He started using his daughter, Sheila E. in the mid 1970s when she was still a teenager; they first recorded together in 1976 with Billy Cobham and have worked together many times since. Since Azteca, Escovedo has also frequently led his own Latin jazz band, sometimes also including his other children Juan, Peter Michael and Zina. Pete Escovedo has recorded as a leader for Fantasy (co-leading dates with Sheila E.) and Concord (including their Crossover, Picante and Vista subsidiaries).
One of music’s most distinctive voices, David Pack has won acclaim worldwide for both his insightful solo work and as the charismatic lead vocalist—and guitarist—for the celebrated progressive pop-rock group Ambrosia. As a songwriter, Pack’s compositions took the band to the top of the charts repeatedly, and have delivered hits for a diverse group of artists. As a record producer, he’s worked with many of the biggest names in music, his collective works selling over 30 million units. Pack’s imprint producing and music directing truly major events includes the masterminding of President Clinton’s two star-studded inaugural galas.
As David Pack returns to recording for the first time in many years, he says, “I’ve had the great blessing to do so many wonderful projects with stars from classical, jazz, rock, pop, and gospel music, yet I feel like I’m only just hitting my own stride artistically. It feels like exactly the right time to be recording again, to bring all these things together. The Secret Of Movin’ On is really about ‘traveling light’ in life, letting go of the internal baggage we carry around, which only comes through forgiveness, and through love. That is the road to true inner peace, and for me, it’s a beautiful place to be right now.”
Ronnie Laws is an American jazz, blues and funk musician. He is the younger brother of jazz flautist Hubert Laws.
In 1972 Laws joined the fledgling group Earth, Wind & Fire, playing saxophone and flute on their album Last Days And Time. He left the band soon afterwards, long before they achieved their huge commercial success.
In 1976 he began his solo career with the album Pressure Sensitive. His most famous recording "Always There" became an instant jazz-funk classic, covered by numerous artists.
Laws has also recorded with numerous other artists, including Arthur Adams, Howard Hewett, Ramsey Lewis, Jeff Lorber, Hugh Masekela, Alphonse Mouzon, David Sea, and Sister Sledge.
Tracing the voluptuous contours of the Pacific Ocean and winding through the famed California municipalities of San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Francisco, Pacific Coast Highway is perhaps the most mythic stretch of road in all the Golden State. Offering breathtaking vistas of beaches, coves, parks, Spanish settlements and other treasures, “PCH” boasts such a tremendous concentration of historic and natural riches, a traveler would have to wander several other US byways to witness a similar collection of splendors.
The guitarist, composer and producer Nils knows this highway well. Since moving to Los Angeles from his native Germany in the 1980s, Nils has traveled PCH on numerous occasions. So when it came time for this acclaimed contemporary jazz artist to name the breezy title track of his current album, he looked no further than his virtual backyard. In the same tradition as Nat King Cole’s “Route 66” and Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” Pacific Coast Highway is a roadside celebration of America, this time from the musical viewpoint of a bedazzled and grateful immigrant. Featuring nine exquisite original compositions, the disc includes the hit title track and stellar interpretations of Carole King’s “You’ve Got A Friend” and the 1980 Toto classic, “Georgy Porgy.” Dreamy, romantic and delectably sexy, Pacific Coast Highway comes off like the jazz-funk soundtrack to some Great American road movie.
“If you put the record on, you get a feeling that corresponds to that certain stretch between Malibu going up towards Ventura County,” Nils says, referencing two prestigious locales on the PCH route. “It’s a great vibe that I really believe this album captures.”
DW3 is widely known for their remarkable vocal abilities and outstanding musicians. This L.A.-based band is one of the most versatile bands covering everything from current R&B (Usher, Alicia Keys, Mario, Next, Muziq Soul Child) to old school (Rick James, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Earth Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, The Gap Band) to Latin (Celia Cruz, Poncho Sanchez, Santana, Gloria Estefan, Buena Vista Social Club) to original music.
The band was formed in 1994 and was put together by the Mondragón brothers and cousin, which is where the name originated from (Down With 3). Since this time, they have made quite a name for themselves both locally and internationally. Their local venues include places such as Disneyland, B.B. King's (Universal City Walk), House of Blues and Spaghettini's.
Band members consist of Eric Mondragon (leader, keyboards, lead vocals), Billie Modragon (percussion, lead vocals), David Montelongo (lead vocals), Anthony Goss (guitar), Bryant Siono (bass), & Ronnie Guiterrez (drums, percussion). All of these awesome musicians have played with some of the top superstars of today such as Jessica Simpson, Marc Anthony, James Brown, Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osborne, Poncho Sanchez, Teena Marie, Warren Hill, Jonathon Butler, Brian McKnight, War, El Chicano, Tierra, Malo, Keith Sweat, George Duke, Patti Austin, Alejandro Fernandez, and many more.
Chini and Camberos are a dynamic guitar duo that combines a unique blend of world beats and rhythms to well crafted melodies. Their music takes you on a journey from the deserts of the Southwest to the Isles of the Mediterranean. Robert Chini, a native of Southern California of Italian descent, is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who started as a drummer at the age of five. Although a drummer, he soon found a passion for the guitar, keyboard, and bass. Robert's talents led him to play bass for the popular England Dan & John Ford Coley. Robert has also written and produced several commercials, one of which won him an Emmy award.
Jorge Camberos, born in Matzatlan, Mexico, is an exquisite, extraordinaire Latin/Jazz guitarist. Jorge began exploring his musical talents at a very early age. After experimenting with a variety of musical instruments he soon discovered a passion for the guitar. Jorge attended the University of Mexico City and later moved to Los Angeles, California. It was during this time when Jorge met and worked with such musicians as Al Mackey (Earth, Wind, and Fire) and Steve Lukather of Toto. As a consequence he began backing up shows and touring the West Coast, Canada, and Mexico. Upon his return to L.A. he graduated from GIT.
My parents told me that my infatuation with music began as a little baby hanging on the living room console record player, trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from. I can still remember the album playing - it was the great Duke Ellington with Rosemary Clooney. My other favorite singer was a man that would sing to me and my younger siblings all the time for our joyous reactions (and my mother's rolling eyes) - my father. He was so good. He would play those 78 RPM records and sing along until we would fall asleep. I always thought our daddy was famous until I could read and figured out the name "David Horn" did not look like "Billy Eckstine"! My dad was a great father who dreamed of singing as a living, but he died never fulfilling his dream. Only his family and a few good friends had the privilege to hear his wonderful gift. His only priorities were to raise his family and to take care his very sick wife. I have always looked up to my father as a great role model in my life - the head of my spiritual family. I wanted to be like him in every way. Especially his singing.
As a teen and young adult, I experimented with all kinds of musical styles (I even did a stint in heavy metal, believe it or not). Once our band rejected a young drummer who didn't make the cut... turned out to be Lars Ulrich of Metallica! Settling into the jazz vocal genre, I've had the privilege of working off and on (mostly off) with many young artists who are some of the top performers today - Mindi Abair, Jeff Kashuwa, Tom Zink, Wendell Kelly, Phillip Ingram, and many more. I've even worked with some legendary performers of yesteryear: the great Herb Jeffries, Ernie Andrews, and Wilton Felder to name a few.
Realizing that a torch Mr. Jeffries symbolically gave me needed to be carried on for future generations (the same torch my father passed on to me as a young man, which I will pass on to my son), I've committed my music to keep our heritage - America's tradition of jazz vocals - alive and well. Hope you enjoy listening as much as I love bringing this music to you.
Julie Day is creating quite a buzz as she bursts onto the L.A. jazz scene with a voice and stage presence that defy her 20 years of age. When it comes to jazz, this Minneapolis native is the real deal with industry roots that include her grandfather, Kyle Peterson, founding the Twin Cities Jazz Society. "I grew up with jazz musicians popping in and out of the house," remembers Julie, "And the voices of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, June Christy -- to mention a few -- were a part of my early memories."
Immediately upon graduating from an arts magnate high school in St. Paul, Julie relocated to Los Angeles upon being invited to be a member of an internationally renowned music ensemble. Less than a year later, an offer to record her debut CD was too much to resist and Julie spent the remaining teenage year hard at work inside a recording studio.
As a complete package, Julie seems to have it all, but the ace up her sleeve is her extremely palatable and soulful voice with its flawless pitch, remarkable intonation, and subtle phrasing that can put the most inattentive crowd on the edge of their seats. Julie’s performance resume lists the top L.A. jazz venues including Steamers Jazz Club, Catalina Jazz Club, Spaghettini Jazz Club, Holly Street Bar & Grill, and Lunaria, to name just a few.
Keith Jacobson’s 25-year jazz journey from Seattle to San Diego is given musical life in his breakout CD "I Wanna Be With You", a fresh new blend of smooth jazz funk and ballads. This project is being heard nationally on over 60 radio stations, the internet, and Music Choice cable TV music channel, and has been repeatedly listed in the Smooth Jazz Top 50 charts.
Keith plays in many popular West Coast venues, including Humphrey’s in San Diego, and is frequently a guest artist at many Southland music festivals, wineries, and jazz clubs.
He has shared the stage with sax legend Eric Marienthal (Chick Corea, Rippingtons), Carl Evans Jr. (Fattburger), Shilts (Down To The Bone), Darren Motamedy, pianist Primo Kim, and many others, including the renowned Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. He has also opened up for Boz Scaggs and Robin Trower.
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>> music sample: Medley (Another Sad Love Song/Honey Doo/Little Talk/The Chicken)
James Abbuhl
California guitarist & composer James Abbuhl lives in San Diego. In 2000 his debut CD "Voyages & Homecomings" on SBE Records received rave reviews and national airplay. James began his musical studies with Dave Deavenport as a teenager in San Diego. At UCSD he studied Jazz Theory and performance with Jimmy Cheatham & George Lewis. Later he continued private studies with Charlie Banacos, Peter Sprague, and Fareed Haque. In 1994 he formed the band Hemisphere with Rob Shinn and they were nominated for the San Diego Music Awards Jazz Group of the Year in 1996, 1997, & 1998. In 1998 he formed his own group and they have performed at many jazz clubs and festivals throughout the country.
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