MUSIC

Verizon Wireless Theater presents the Guitars and Saxes 2009 - Euge Groove, Jeff Golub, Jeff Lorber.

Historically speaking, jazz has always been about change and the pursuit of a highly evolved style of music. For well over 100 years, the genre has manifested itself into one of America's most significant art forms, yet it continues to be misunderstood and often under-rated.  In the beginning, the word jazz meant controversy and in later years, bebop, cool, free as well as fusion jazz also became the topics of debate. In the latter half of the 20th century and well into the 21st century, smooth jazz has now become another hot button of considerable controversy.

But this style of jazz has two distinct faces to draw from. There are the artists we hear on smooth jazz radio stations, which are often subdued and laid back, followed by those who perform in live concerts and festivals. The latter sheds a different perspective on some of these so-called smooth jazz musicians.  The Guitars & Saxes Franchise is an element of opportunity where artists can really show their stuff in a live setting.

Guitars & Saxes is a formulated consortium of various musicians that have been around for almost a decade. At various times since 1998, the tour has featured Kirk Whalum, Peter White, Jonathan Butler, Jeff Kashiwa, Everette Harp, Craig Chaquico, Dave Koz and Richard Elliot.   As the tour indicates, this show is all about two of jazz's most dominant instruments, as well as the individuals who play them.

The 2009 tour presents Euge Groove, Jeff Golub, Jeff Lorber.

Euge Groove, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist with a strong Top-40 background. Born in Annapolis, Maryland, he graduated from the University of Miami School of Music in 1984. A rather late-bloomer in the genre, Grove did not record his first solo album until 2000. Prior to that, he had replaced Richard Elliot in the Tower of Power when Elliot decided to pursue a solo career, and he also did session work with various pop acts, most noticeably the Miami girl group Exposé. He has a sax solo on their #1 hit “Seasons Change,” and another on their 1993 hit “I’ll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me).”

Grove adopted the name Euge Groove, which consists of a shortening of his middle name and a very frequent mispronunciation of his last. While initially it was presumed to be coined by fans who saw him perform in Europe, Grove later indicated in an interview on XM Radio during the summer of 2006 that his Mother-in-Law conceived the idea for his stage name.

Euge Groove’s best-known solo hits include “Sneak A Peek (Album Version),” “Slam Dunk,” “Rewind,” “Livin’ Large” and “XXL.” His most recent hits include “Get ‘Em Going” and “Chillaxin’.” Solid albums include; Livin’ Large (2004) and Play Date (2002).

Jeff Golub (pictured above, photo by Lori Stoll) is a contemporary jazz guitarist with 6 solo albums and 3 CD’s as the leader of the instrumental band “Avenue Blue”. Before becoming an instrumentalist, Jeff worked as a sideman to a number of very successful rock and pop artists. He’s probably best known for his work with Rod Stewart, who he played with from 1988 until 1995 performing on 4 albums and 5 world tours as well as recording the live DVD “One Night Only” live at Royal Albert Hall.

Born in Copley Ohio, Jeff started playing by emulating 60’s blues rock guitarists Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix ect.... Then, following up on the artists that these musicians sighted as their inspiration, he delved deeper into the blues listening to Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and anyone named King ( B.B.,Albert and Freddie).

Jeff was in his teens when he first heard a Wes Montgomery record. This moment set him on a whole new course which led him to study at Berklee Music College in Boston. From Boston Jeff Moved to New York in 1980 where his first major gig was with rocker Billy Squier. Jeff appeared on 7 albums and 3 world tours with Billy. He released his first solo recording, “Unspoken Words” for Gaia records in 1988 but really embraced his role as band leader and instrumentalist with the release of “Avenue Blue” in 1994 for Mesa Bluemoon/Atlantic records.

Some three decades after breaking funky R&B-jazz ground as leader of the pioneering Jeff Lorber Fusion, Jeff Lorber, the Philly-born and bred composer, producer and keyboard legend still believes in the element of surprise. Riffing quite literally on the title of his 2005 Grammy-nominated recording Flipside, Lorber stretches beyond his comfort zone on He Had a Hat, a distinctively eclectic “player’s session” with a batch of contemporary jazz’s most exciting artists. The disc marks his first recording under Narada Jazz’s new affiliation with the Blue Note label.

Long considered one of modern music’s most adventurous players and performers, Lorber goes full throttle on He Had a Hat, taking a freewheeling, stylistically varied approach as whimsical as the collection’s title (a punchline from a beloved old Borscht Belt joke). Over the course of 13 tracks, the keyboardist pays homage to a wide range of his favorite influences, tapping into everything from gospel and brass-driven old school jazz-fusion to smoky and sultry Miles Davis-flavored moods, hard driving bebop, swinging jazz and, of course, his more familiar funk-jazz vibe.

Since the late ‘80s, Jeff Lorber has found himself filling a unique dual role. Having played a significant role in developing the late ‘70s, early ‘80s R&B-jazz hybrid sound that later evolved into today’s smooth jazz, the keyboardist is a true elder statesman of the genre and mentor to many of this generation’s top artists. Philly-raised and Berklee-educated,