TONY HIGHTOWER

Singer and songwriter Tony Hightower is the architect of a new movement, ushering R&B and Hip-Hop audiences into the world of “real jazz.” As the son of the late legendary icon Theresa Hightower, Tony was raised in the industry’s spotlight. Following early success with the neo-soul group 4.0 and collaborations with Outkast, Lionel Richie, and Tyler Perry, he found his true calling in the Great American Songbook.
Under the mentorship of the late Freddy Cole, Hightower emerged as a premier crooner defined by smooth phrasing and a sophisticated, contemporary tone. His critically acclaimed 2022 project, Legacy, serves as his manifesto: a soulful, melody-driven invitation for a new generation to discover the power of Jazz.

Tickets: $33.55 ~ $40.90

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Keely Smith was born Dorothy Jacqueline Keely on March 9, 1932 in Norfolk, Virginia and showed a natural aptitude for singing at a young age. By 14, she was singing with a naval air station band. At 15, she got her first paying job with the Earl Bennett band.

Smith made her professional debut with Louis Prima in 1949 who later became her husband, playing the ” straight guy” in the duo and making the Mercer/Arlen tune “That Old Black Magic” a standard that won them a Grammy for Best Performance by a Vocal Group.

Keely appeared with Prima in the 1959 film, Hey Boy! Hey Girl! singing Fever,  appeared in and sang on the Thunder Road soundtrack, and her first big solo hit was with “I Wish You Love”. Signing with Reprise in 1961 she began working with Nelson Riddle, though those recordings have never been released. Through the 60s she had minor hits but it wasn’t until 1985 that she made a comeback with “I’m In Love Again” and her 2001 album “KeelySings Sinatra” was nominated for a Grammy.

Smith released Vegas ’58 – Today, a compilation album of her best known songs, all recorded live by her own admission, she has never had a singing lesson and cannot read music. In recent years she has been booked at New York’s Café Carlyle, performed “That Old Black Magic” with Kid Rock at the 50th Grammy Awards and continued to work a light-touring schedule until her passing away on December 16, 2017 of heart failure in Palm Springs, California.

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TOMI BERRY & OMAR ASKEW

Tomi Berry is a beautiful performer, inside and out, brings natural grace, a rich soulful voice, and spiritual essence to her performances throughout the Atlanta area and beyond. Wherever she sings, she spreads joy, whether singing smooth R&B, swinging jazz, or sultry ballads, she holds an audience in rapt attention.  A spiritual song-stylist, she engages her listeners in musical conversation.

Omar Askew, a 19-year-old student at Kennesaw State University, is dedicated to studying Jazz Performance on the piano. Constantly striving for self-improvement, he aims to excel every time he touches his instrument. In lessons, Omar pushes his students to become the best pianists they can be, helping them achieve their personal goals.

Cover & Parking: Free

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Barbara Jean McNair was born on March 4, 1934 in Chicago, Illinois but grew up in Racine, Wisconsin. Studying music at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, her big break came with a win on Arthur Godfrey’s TV show Talent Scouts, which led to bookings at San Francisco’s The Purple Onion and the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles.

She soon became one of the country’s most popular headliners and a guest on TV variety shows The Steve Allen Show, Hullabaloo, The Bell Telephone Hours and The Hollywood Palace. Recording for Coral, Signature, Motown and TEC Recording Studios labels, among her hits were “You’re Gonna Love My Baby” and “Bobby”. In the early 1960s, McNair made several musical shorts for Scopitone, a franchise of coin-operated machines that showed what were the forerunners of today’s music videos.

Translating her singing success to acting she appeared on such show as Dr. Kildare, The Eleventh Hour, I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Hogan’s Heroes and McMillan and Wife. He nude 1968 layout in Playboy produced an equally provocative sequence in the crime drama If He Hollers Let Him Go opposite Raymond St., Jacques. She followed this with a nun’s habit alongside Mary Tyler Moore for Change of Habit, and portrayed Sidney Poitiers wife in They Call Me Mr. Tibbs and The Organization.

McNair would also take on Broadway with The Body Beautiful in 1958, No Strings in 1962, and a revival of The Pajama Game in 1973. In 1969 she one of the first black women to host her own variety series The Barbara McNair Show, and for three seasons till 1972 spotlighted Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, The Righteous Brothers, Johnny Mathis, Freda Payne and many more.

With declining offers for acting, McNair continued singing into her seventies, touring occasionally until her passing on February 4, 2007 of throat cancer.

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SHAWNN MONTEIRO

Shawnn Monteiro who has jazz in her blood, jazz in her soul and jazz in her history. Her father was bassist Jimmy Woode, her godmother was Sarah Vaughan and her godfather was Clark Terry.

Having toured all over the world singing jazz with so many of the greats, many of whom are gone now,  Shawnn remembers and comes to Scullers with many stories to share.

She is one of the few of jazz royalty left who is still sharing her incredible voice and dynamic performance with jazz lovers of all ages.

Cover: $42.45 ~ $59.25

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