BEVERLY HILLS, CA. (Peak Records) - Peak Records top contemporary jazz recording artists The
Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman and the
David Benoit Band are among those headlining the 2nd Annual Guantanamo Bay Jazz Festival this Labor Day,
September 6, 2004.
They will be performing for an estimated 6,000 people stationed at the U.S. Naval Base with their families, representing all five of the armed forces -- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard. Also performing are recording artists Peter White, Ronnie Laws and Nelson Rangel. The festival begins at 3 p.m. and continues through 10 p.m.
Nat Burgess of the Beverly Hills-based talent agency APA coordinated the line-up for the festival with Craig Basel, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Director on behalf of the Commanding Officer, Captain Les McCoy, USN, U.S. Naval Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Burgess, whose son-in-law is stationed in Iraq, stated: "I've wanted to create a concert to perform for the troops and I'm thrilled this has all come together."
While for this festival they will be performing separately, piano great David Benoit and guitar icon Russ Freeman are currently touring the U.S. in conjunction with their new CD, "The Benoit Freeman Project 2."
Credited as one of the pioneering groups of the contemporary jazz genre, Freeman and The Rippingtons have dominated the smooth jazz landscape with their hit recordings since the late '80s. "Moonlighting," the landmark album, which launched the original Rippingtons formed by Russ with some of his buddies, including Benoit, Kenny G and Dave Koz, was named by Jazziz Magazine the most influential jazz recording of all time. During this time, The Rippingtons have released fifteen recordings, their most recent being "Let It Ripp." Freeman has also recorded two solo projects and three collaborations.
David Benoit's career began in 1977 and includes 24 solo recordings over the past 27 years. His 1985 radio hit "Linus and Lucy" helped launch the smooth jazz genre, and his long association with Charles Schulz and the famed Peanuts realm led to over ten years of composing music for Peanuts CBS TV specials. He has received three Grammy nominations and has a burgeoning career as a symphonic conductor and composer of film scores, including the Clint Eastwood-produced "The Stars Fell on Henrietta."
