HOWARD HEWETT & MICHAEL LINGTON

Howard Hewett is one of the most gifted vocalists in the Post-Marvin Gaye era of pop R&B.

He started singing as a child, fronting his older sisters in The Hewett Singers. The group toured the gospel circuit. As a teen, Hewett sharpened his crooner skills in a funk band called Lyfe. In 1976, Hewett moved to Los Angeles and formed a group put together by the owners of the historic Maverick’s Flat, called Beverly Hills.

​Hewett got his mainstream break as the male vocal lead in Shalamar, a centerpiece of Dick Griffey’s SOLAR (Sound of Los Angeles Records) label. His tenor voice mixed beautifully with the bright vocals of Jody Watley, the dancing skills of Jeffery Daniels and the writing and production of Leon Sylvers III. The group gave the world feel-good dance favorites The Second Time Around and A Night to Remember, the baby-making classic For the Lover in You, as well as a number of beautiful B-side ballads like You Can Count On Me and Somewhere There’s a Love. When Watley and Daniels left the group in 1983, Hewett continued to lead Mickey Free and Delisa Davis in the reconstituted Shalamar. This version of the group was best known for soundtrack contributions on Footloose and Beverly Hills Cop with Dancing in the Sheets and the Grammy-winning Don’t Get Stopped in Beverly Hills, respectively.

​In the mid-eighties, Howard sets out on his solo career, releasing I Commit to Love in 1986 on Elektra and from the first single Hewett made magic, giving his amorous voice and whimsical lyrics to Stay, I’m For Real and the title track. Most beloved track on this freshman release would be his spiritually grounded Say Amen. This single soared on the Inspirational charts and has enjoyed the status of a modern gospel classic.

​Subsequent projects have solidified Hewett’s place in the high ranks of R&B balladeers by writing and collaborating and lending his voice within an intimate group of crooners, including George Duke, Quincy Jones, James Ingram, Anita Baker, Prince and Stanley Clarke. With Elektra, he released Forever and Ever (1988- Once, Twice, Three Times), Howard Hewett (1990- Show Me) and Allegiance (1992- Can We Try Again).

​Later work shows increasing authenticity as Hewett rips song lyrics straight from his soul. It’s Time (1994- This Love is Forever), written and produced almost exclusively with long time friend and collaborator Monte Seward, displays all the vulnerability involved in falling and staying in love. In 2001, Hewett released the all inspirational album The Journey, where he shows us that his faith can’t be separated from his heart and soul.

​Hewett continues to seduce audiences and eardrums as he is constantly touring and intermittently releasing new music.

​“Of all the fine vocalists working today, Howard Hewett is one of the finest.” – Babyface

Michael Lington is an award winning saxophonist, songwriter, producer, recording artist and a purveyor of soul and contemporary jazz.

Powering full steam ahead into the next phase of his dynamic 25 year solo career, saxophonist Michael Lington captures all the freewheeling magic, energy and optimism we’re feeling post-pandemic with his latest perfectly titled Billboard single “Play” – a funked out, fun-spirited, perfect for summertime jam that marks his first time co-writing and co-producing with longtime friend and fellow horn master and hit maker Darren Rahn. The groove-intensive track also features Paul Jackson Jr.’s blistering guitar fire and the non-stop grooves of bassist Mel Brown and drummer Tarell Martin. While creating a forward minded way to keep joy and hope flowing in turbulent times, “Play” – from Lington’s upcoming EP and first set of original tunes since 2018’s Silver Lining – also reflects the multi-talented artist’s ever-bustling role as a first time dad to his son Landon and the passion he’s bringing to his latest endeavor, hosting his own Friday radio show on Smooth Jazz 247.

He has released 12 solo albums and has 27 singles that have charted on the Billboard and Radio & Records (R&R) contemporary jazz radio charts.

Over the course of his career, Lington has collaborated with Michael Bolton, Barry Manilow, Randy Crawford, Bobby Caldwell, Kenny Lattimore, Booker T. Jones, Ray Parker, Jr., Taylor Dayne, Brian Culbertson, William Bell, Dave Stewart, Vince Gill and many others.

He has toured regularly his entire career, averaging 60-80 shows per year. In recent years, Lington joined Michael Bolton on tour as his opening act & special guest. Lington and Bolton performed over 350 shows together in more than 40 countries.

Barry Manilow invited Lington to join his “One Last Time” arena tour. Michael opened the show and joined Manilow on the song “Brooklyn Blues” during the headliner’s main set.

In Nov. 2016, Lington performed for the Memphis Music Hall Of Fame ceremony, honoring 2016 inductee Charles Lloyd. Stax Records soul singer William Bell and Snoop Dogg also performed at the induction ceremony.

In September 2019 it was announced that Michael would join the Dave Koz and Friends; Gifts Of The Season Christmas tour alongside Koz, Jonathan Butler, Melissa Manchester and Chris Walker. The 22-date concert tour traveled across the U.S. between November 29 and December 23, 2019.

In 2020 during the pandemic, Michael become one of the leading music artists producing hi-quality virtual shows, which earned him a most innovative artist award by Stageit!

Lington is signed to the The Reliant Talent agency for worldwide representation and has a publishing administration deal with Kobalt Music Publishing. He is an ASCAP songwriter/publisher and a 25-year voting member of the Recording Academy.

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GEORGE BENSON

Ten-Time GRAMMY-award-winning artist, George Benson, has the rare distinction of being in the pop consciousness while remaining in the pantheon of jazz greats. With 36 studio albums and 8 live albums, Benson has emerged as a household name best known for the 1976 three-time GRAMMY-winning album, Breezin’, boasting the pop-jazz vocal smash “This Masquerade,” which topped the jazz, pop, and R&B charts. The album remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time and has since been certified 3x platinum. His 1980 soul-pop gem, “Give Me The Night,” produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton (Michael Jackson), summited to the top of the soul single charts. In 2009, Benson was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship— the highest honor that our nation bestows on jazz artists.

Benson is a consummate performer and an adventurous instrumentalist who remains an annual must-see artist. He regularly packs and, o_en sells out, such hallowed venues as The Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall, Hampton Court Palace, and Sydney Opera House. Benson is also a marquee artist at many U.S. Jazz and international festivals, including Montreux Jazz Fest.

Benson’s recent accomplishments are varied and aplenty. He collaborated with subversive art-pop band, Gorillaz, featuring Blur’s Damon Albarn, to co-write and perform on the track “Humility,” which has amassed over 100 million YouTube views and counting. In 2021, DJ Steve Aoki remixed Benson’s hit “Give Me The Night,” with a rugged house beat introducing the irresistible R&B-pop gem to a whole new audience. His recent albums have earned features and rave reviews in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, American Songwriter, Forbes, and Newsweek. In 2020, Benson was inducted into jazz bible DownBeat Magazine’s Hall Of Fame. The following year he was inducted by music legend Quincy Jones into New Jersey’s Hall Of Fame— an honor from which he received a personal congratulatory note from President Obama.

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CHRIS ISAAK

Over the course of his three-decade plus career, Platinum-selling and GRAMMY-nominated singer & actor Chris Isaak has performed to sold-out crowds across the globe with his longtime band Silvertone. His music and film credits include thirteen critically acclaimed studio albums, twelve chart-topping singles along with several motion pictures, such as The Silence of the Lambs and That Thing You Do!. His work has also taken him behind the scenes, creating music for multiple film soundtracks, including Eyes Wide Shut, True Romance, Wild at Heart, and Blue Velvet. Isaak has starred in his own critically acclaimed television series The Chris Isaak Show on SHOWTIME, has previously served as a judge on The X Factor Australia, and hosted the music talk show, The Chris Isaak Hour on BIO. 2019 marked the 30th Anniversary of Isaak’s beloved Heart-Shaped World album, which includes his breakthrough classic “Wicked Game”. Isaak was recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance by the Americana Honors.

Opening Act: David Rosales

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MATTEO BOCELLI

Much of the world first heard acclaimed singer-songwriter Matteo Bocelli on “Fall on Me,” theEnglish/Italian song that he co-wrote for the elder Bocelli’s acclaimed 2018 album,Sì, which topped the Billboard 200 and the UK Official Albums chart. The song, which has amassed over 300 million combined global streams, went on to soundtrack Disney’sThe Nutcracker and the Four Realms. The pair performed “Fall on Me” at Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl as well as on numerous television programs, including “Dancing with the Stars,” Colbert, “Good MorningAmerica,” “TheRoyal Variety Performance” and “Strictly Come Dancing.” It was a powerful introduction, but Matteo’s musical journey began when he was a child.By age six, he was learning piano, and as a teenager his passion for music rivaled his love of sport. At18 he made his stage debut, singing Verdi at the Colosseum in Rome. He’s worked his whole life to master his craft. But the melodies that emerge whenever the young man opens his mouth feel real in a way that can’t be explained by a classical education. He sings with a purity of expression that seems innate, with charisma and clarity of purpose. Matteo, who is graduating at the Conservatory of Lucca in Tuscany, has just released the new single,Tempo, which has been tapped for the European/UK advertising campaign for the new Fiat 500 LaPrima. The stylish new vehicle sets the pace for a madcap adventure throughout Tuscany in the official video. Tempo is the follow-up to his duet with Latin superstar, Sebastian Yatra, Until She’s Gone, his first duet since 2018’sFall On Me with his father. Matteo, who is fluent in Spanish released the track in various languages–Tu Luz Quedó(Spanish) and Un Attimo Di Te(Italian).“You need this artist on your radar,” saidEuphoria Magazine after Matteo released his fittingly titled debut single“Solo”on Capitol Records in 2021. Combined global streams of the song have surpassed seven million and views of the official video now exceed five million.In recent months he also appeared on the star-studded PBS special “In Performance at the WhiteHouse: Spirit of the Season,” “TODAY”,CNN’s New Year’s Eve special, Good Morning America and The Kelly Clarkson Show. Considered to be one of the most promising emerging vocalists on the international pop scene,Matteo is currently working on his first record.

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DAMIEN ESCOBAR

Damien Escobar is a world-renowned violinist, author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, hailing from Jamaica, Queens, and New York. His musical career spans over a decade, and his inspiring journey of making it big, losing it all, fighting to rebuild, and getting a second chance at success is as much a part of his brand identity as being among the top violinist in the world.

The now NAACP Image Award nominee and Billboards chart-topping artist was once humbled by homelessness after calling it quits from his famed group, “Nuttin but Stringz.” The group, comprised of Damien and his brother, Tourie– known in NYC for playing their violins on the subway; gained global recognition when they appeared as contestants on “America’s Got Talent.” The competition helped to catapult the duo into stardom and they quickly experienced all the highs of being the most sought-after musicians of their time. However, that glory was short-lived and the fall from grace was a hard hit, to say the very least; as the group disbanded and a bruised Damien made the decision to retire his violin. What came next was a struggle– not only with his identity, and depression but with finding success in other non-creative endeavors.

Looking back at his journey, Damien realizes it all needed to fall apart so he could be forced to grow while putting it back together the right way. Prevailing was a process and it started with unburying his talent– his love of playing the violin. And in 2013 Damien released his first album as a solo artist, “Sensual Melodies.” Once thought of as a passion project, the album garnished over 200K downloads; landed on the iTunes Top 100 chart; and served as a springboard for a successful national tour where he headlined, for the first time, as the one and only, Damien Escobar.

From there, doors that were once closed, became a little easier to push open; affording Damien opportunities to tell his inspiring story to publications like People Magazine and Huffington Post; make appearances on local and national news including “The Today Show”; serve as a guest on radio broadcasts;  and even accept invitations to perform at notable events such as Oprah Winfrey’s “The Life You Want” tour. Back in the spotlight, Damien decided this time around he would do more with his visibility and began his entrepreneurial walk by penning and self-publishing his very first children’s book, “The Sound of Strings”; building his very own line of custom designed violins; and establishing partnerships to develop a wine line, perfume and fragrances, and a non-profit organization that would include a music program for children.

Motivated by his past and grateful for his fans and future, Damien went on to release his second album, “Boundless.” Growing into a self-conscious artist with more than a mission to make good music, Damien sought to inspire change and spread positivity by sharing uplifting messages and telling unfiltered personal stories to sold-out arenas across the world during his second tour. Though he’s achieved more than he could have imagined after pulling himself up by his bootstraps and kick starting his solo career– Damien Escobar’s story isn’t over yet. The breakout artist has partnered with Mitsubishi and is now the face and sound of their latest campaign; he’s releasing new music and videos set to air on major broadcast channels; and, the world famous violinist, continues to build his brand centered around making an impact and inspiring social change. Stay tuned, there’s more to come.

With Special Guest Anthony Franks

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