Contemporary jazz festival set for Saturday

Steve Simon is at it again.

Last time, the newly arrived music entrepreneur staged a terrific, one-night blues festival; and now he's putting up a different kind of show at the same venue, the Charleston Music Hall.

The inaugural Charleston Jazz Festival is scheduled for 8 p.m. May 8.

Headlining the bill is award-winning saxophonist Kim Waters, a longtime popular instrumentalist who knows his way around the jazz block.

Working with Waters will be R&B vocalist Kenny Lattimore, a favorite around here for many years now.

Waters is the quintessential urban smooth jazz performer. That is, his music is hip, accessible and sensual.

Check out the titles of some of his recent CDs on Shanachie: "Love's Melody" (1998), "One Special Moment" (1999), "From The Heart" (2001), "Someone to Love You" (2002), "In the Name of Love" (2004), "All For Love" (2005), "You Are My Lady" (2007) and "I Want You: Love in the Spirit of Marvin" (2008).

His current project, "Love Stories," is Waters' 16th recording as a leader and ninth CD for Shanachie.

Jazz Times magazine says, "Kim Waters is simply one of the best saxophonists on the planet."

The Washington Post writes, "Kim Waters has a flair for composing seductive melodies."

With Lattimore, who also sings on "Love Stories," on board, Saturday's show should be especially sexy.

Steve said, "Having Kim Waters and Kenny Lattimore on stage together pairs the 'Pied Piper' of smooth jazz with one of the greatest R&B singers of all time. This is going to be an evening of hot, steamy jazz."

Waters and Lattimore are touring the world together and they have named the show The Kim Waters 20th Anniversary Urban Jazz and Classic Soul Concert.

Kim says of his art, "My music is smooth jazz with a twist of urban and traditional overtones. I really don't like to categorize music at all. If it is good, then it should be heard and played. ... When I play live, I do just that: PLAY! This is when you are able to show all of your skills. I go from smooth to extreme straight ahead, which is something that I can't do much on my records."

Purists sometimes knock smooth jazz players; but

Waters is an excellent illustration of the fact that many smooth players are proficient in the other forms as well.

Other performers who use that approach who have been here in recent years include Kirk Whalum, Chris Botti and Boney James. Like Waters, they are amazing players who have deliberately chosen the contemporary genre to work in.

Opening will be local violin prodigy Daniel Davis, one of Steve Simon's favorite discoveries since coming to Charleston. Daniel is billed as a 20-year-old hip-hop-inspired jazz violinist who has become one of the hottest stars in the Lowcountry's music scene.

Steve said, "Our audience is in for a huge surprise when they see Daniel D perform with his own band for the very first time."

He usually works solo with tracks, he said.

Steve wanted to acknowledge Mother's Day with this show. "Mother's Day is about honor and love and it gives me great pleasure to honor my new hometown by sharing my love for jazz with everyone," he said.

Tickets to the event are $35 and can be purchased at etix.com or by calling 1-800-514-3849, ext. 2.

For more information, go to charlestonjazzfestival.com or contact Steve Simon at stevesimonlive@yahoo.com or at 340-643-6475.

Upstairs at McCrady's

Saxophonist John Ellis was the subject of Philip Booth's column in the April issue of JazzTimes.

It's a very interesting piece with lots of insights into the musician's musician and his art. He and his band, Double-Wide, kicked off Jazz Fest in New Orleans this year. Go to jazztimes.com.

I thought it would be of interest here in Charleston because John, who is based in Brooklyn, N.Y., is joining Charleston guitarist Lee Barbour's band, Station NYC/CHS in town May 28.

Lee's band opens the Jazz Artists of Charleston Jazz Series, Upstairs at McCrady's. The series is a part of the Piccolo Spoleto Festival.

While John doesn't enjoy wide, popular name recognition, he is, by all accounts, a fabulous musician. His eclectic style meshes well with Lee's approach to music. Quentin Baxter is also in the band. There should be some surprises inside some great music as these mavericks come together to kick off the annual series.

Tickets can be purchased at thejac.org or by calling 641-0011.

Jack McCray, author of "Charleston Jazz," can be reached at jackjmccray@aol.com.