Filipino Americans Set To Debut At The Walt Disney Concert Hall In “Jazzmopolitan™”
/Four exceptional Filipino-American artists will be making their Walt Disney Concert debuts at “Jazzmopolitan”, an evening of eclectic vocal and instrumental jazz music on Saturday, August 19. The star-studded lineup, headlined by Grammy-award winning sextet TAKE 6 and the versatile and prolific jazz guitarist Peter White will also see performances by saxman Michael Paulo, jazz vocalist Melissa Morgan, singer/songwriter Chris Chatman and two-time Grammy winner Tia Carrere.
Paulo, one of the versatile saxophonists in pop, soul and contemporary jazz for nearly 35 years, was the saxman for the legendary singer Al Jarreau for over ten years. He’s also played with the iconic Johnny Mathis and artists including Oleta Adams, David Benoit, Patti Austin, Kenny Loggins and Jeffrey Osborne. He joined the pop/rock Hawaiian band Kalapana at a young age and was a featured player on their albums from 1975 through 1979. In 1988, He recorded his first major solo release “One Passion” which was critically acclaimed as one of the most influential records in contemporary jazz. Paulo founded and produced the Temecula Wine and Music Festival and the Pacific Rim Jazz Festival in Hawaii aside from numerous jazz concerts in California and Hawaii.
Jazz producer John Clayton called Melissa Morgan’s voice “sassy and sexy” and once you hear her sing, it’s both…and more! Born and raised in New York City, she began studying piano at a young age and in 2002 she received a degree in jazz vocal performance from SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. In 2004, Morgan was named a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition (judged by none other than Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau, Kurt Elling, Jimmy Scott, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Flora Purim). She released her debut album “Until I Met You” in 2009 to enthusiastic and critical reviews. Listen closely, and you can hear the influences of Nancy Wilson, Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday is her wondrous singing.
Singer/songwriter Chris Chatman was born and raised in Los Angeles but he has traveled the world pursuing his vocal dreams. He’s been fortunate enough to perform with the likes of Gladys Knight, Chicago, Billy Idol, AJ Rafael, Tituss Burgess and Lin-Manuel Miranda, just to name a few. Now, he’s working on his first EP with Grammy Award-winning A. Blake.
Audiences have seen actress Tia Carrere in movies (“Wayne’s World”, “True Lies”, and most recently, “Easter Sunday”) and on television (“Relic Hunter”, “Dancing with the Stars”, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”, to name a few) but most people do not know she’s also a two-time Grammy award winning singer. Collaborating with her long time friend and fellow Grammy winner Daniel Ho (who will be playing with the singer during the evening’s performance), Carrere won her first Grammy for Best Hawaiian Music Album “Ikena” in 2009. And just two years later, she won her second Grammy for “Huana Ke Aloha”. She is set to co-star in the upcoming live action remake of Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch”.
LXV Enterprises, LLC presents
Jazzmopolitan™
Saturday, August 19, 2023
The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall
Doors Open: 7:00pm
Performance: 7:30pm
Tickets: $45 - $110
Available at www.themusiccenter.org