WBGO presents All That Jazz concert series, a unique series showcasing some of the genre’s most talented and respected performers! This month features Grammy Winner Jeff Lorber supported by 15-time Detroit Music Award winner Alexander Zonjic. This series is a partnership between UCPAC and Smooth Jazz NJ.
Enjoy an evening of smooth jazz, beginning in the WBGO Piano Lounge. Come early to enjoy cocktails and live piano music on the Fazioli piano before the performance – doors open one hour before showtime.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Jeff Lorber
Jeff Lorber is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer who started out, like most successful musicians do, as a fan. Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock were two of his earliest inspirations. To figure out how to play like his heroes, he had to go back and study the history of jazz piano where he discovered Wynton Kelly, Thelonious Monk, McCoy Tyner, Red Garland, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and many more. Combine that with his love of Funk and R&B, and you get one of the most storied careers in modern jazz history.
Lorber began his recording career in 1977 with The Jeff Lorber Fusion self-titled debut. The ensemble quickly gained traction and became one of the most popular touring acts on the scene. In 1982, Lorber made his solo debut with It’s A Fact. In 1985 he scored his first Grammy nomination with the hit “Pacific Coast Highway” from the album Step By Step. He has continued to write and record over the last 40 plus years releasing a string of successful projects including West Side Stories (1994), State of Grace (1996) Midnight (1998), Kickin’ It (2001), Philly Style (2003), Flipside (2005), He Had A Hat (2007, Grammy nominated), Now Is The Time (2010, Grammy nominated), Galaxy (2012, Grammy nominated) Hacienda (2013 Grammy nominated), and Prototype (2017).
In 2018, he received a Grammy for his album Prototype in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.
Read more at Lorber.com
Alexander Zonjic
In 2020, eleven years after releasing Doin’ the D, an album paying dynamic homage to the music and magic of Detroit, Alexander Zonjic got back in the throwback R&B groove with the release of another infectious, high-spirited valentine to his beloved adopted hometown. Written and produced for the veteran, multiple award winning flutist by Pieces of a Dream keyboardist James Lloyd, “”Motor City Sway” – the infectious lead single from Playing It Forward, Zonjic’s first collection on his own Hi-Falutin Music label – quickly hit the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart and was one of the most added singles on the Billboard BDS chart two weeks in a row. Ten of the eleven tracks on Playing It Forward were produced by keyboardist Jeff Lorber, who helmed the majority of sessions for Zonjic’s previous albums Reach for the Sky (2001), Seldom Blues (2004) and Doin’ The D.
A native of Windsor, Ontario (immediately across the Detroit River), Zonjic is a 15-time Detroit Music Awards winner with deep and multi-faceted ties to and influence on the city. Read more at Zonjic.com
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