This 1st New Euge Groove Album in 3 years is coming later this year, before he arrives again on Catalina Island in October Euge is bringing Brand New Songs on the Boat to Avalon.

What makes this Return Stage Appearance so Special is that Euge has been completely Off the Stage the past few years. He’s had some health issues he’s been working through and some changes in life, BUT his work in studio hasn’t stopped. He is one of the Go To Guys for mastering and editing. Others including some up and comers are going to him to catch his talent on Their Music. Something Jeff Lorber was famous for and now Euge.

Born Steven Eugene Grove in Hagerstown, Maryland. Did a stint in the Tower of Power Horns. He is the sax solo on the Number 1 Hit, “Seasons Change,” by the Miami girl group, Expose and again on their 1993 hit “I’ll Never Get Over You (Getting Over Me.)” He played sax on Richard Marx No. #1 hit, “Keep Coming Back.” The switched around name Euge Groove came from we think a bus boy or valet parker or something like that in Europe mispronouncing his real name. But IT WORKED. (or maybe it was his ‘mother in law….’)

He toured the world as Saxman for TINA TURNER several times. Also worked with Joe Cocker. Breaking solo as well in 2000 on Warner Bros. Records. He was named The 2000 JazzTrax Debut Artist of the Year. As his solo career blossomed through the 00’s Paul Brown helped produce some of his No. #1 hits. His Billboard Chart Toppers include “Born 2 Groove” “Religify” also named Song of the Year in 2007 “House of Groove” “Groove On” “Just Feels Right” “Slam Dunk” “Rewind” “Get Em Goin” “S7ven Large” “Old.Edu (Old School)”

In 2007 We Named ‘Born 2 Groove’ The JazzTrax Album of the Year it included The JazzTrax SONG of the Year “Religify”. It Included The 2007 JazzTrax Best Smooth Jazz Vocal Sung by JEFFREY OSBORNE (1 of 2 Jeffrey songs recorded with Euge)

His Most Recent CD in 2023

He is working on new song for himself and we’re hopeful he’ll have a New Album Out before or by the time HE REACHES AND RETURNS TO THE JAZZTRAX LIVE PERFORMANCE STAGE .. OPENING WEEKEND, THIS OCTOBER

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for Peter White Opening Weekend under the stars on Descanso Beach.

Guitarist

Man … where do We Start with Peter Well, let’s Start with that Peter was Accoladed ANOTHER JazzTrax Best Album of the Year Honor in 2025

It’d been awhile since his last release, but This One was LOADED Well Worth The Wait. It included the song “Odyssey” ranked the 2nd Best Song of the Year by JazzTrax (right after Mindi Abair’s “Oooh Aah (Catalina)

The song that must have been spell checked. Peter had to have met “Catalina” move the I to replace the O …. ya think? Ever since being named the 1990 JazzTrax Debut Artist of the Year with this his Solo Debut, reveillez-vous’ also named 1990 JazzTrax Album of the Year

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for ACOUSTIC ALCHEMY OPENING WEEKEND In the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea.

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for CHRIS STANDRING OPENING WEEKEND In the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea.

British Guitarist

CHRIS STANDRING

The British seem to be INVADING our Smooth Jazz Island this October. The Lads from London, Acoustic Alchemy, already announced. And Peter White who also originally from England. And another much younger British guitarist will be announced soon. And now British Born, out in the English farmlands, guitarist Chris Standring

And ALL this BRITISH on our Opening Weekend. Get your Muskets Out. Just kidding. Not really funny these days.

This is a BRAND NEW CHRIS STANDRING Released March 2026 ‘TIME OF CHANGE’ and Chris is thinking of moving, but NOT back to England

DON’T MISS the RETURN of MORE BRITISH, MORE GUITAR CHRIS STANDRING OPENING WEEKEND.

Art Good's Producer Notes on Booking Chris Standring

I think the first time I met Chris Standring, I think, was at the Hyatt Incline Village, at the JazzTrax Winter Music Festival, North Shore of Lake Tahoe. Did you ever come to one of those? I literally skied with Chris Botti at one of those. I think Chris Standring had come in Rick Braun’s band. Something like 1998 or so.

Just a couple years later I took him out for dinner at a great restaurant on Malibu Canyon Road, hope it didn’t burn down of late, woodsy, meaty place and told him we were honoring him with the 2000 Album of the Year Honor for ‘Hip Sway,’ like on only his 2nd album !!! Then he got that honor AGAIN in 2010 for ‘Blue Bolero’ and brought a little orchestra to play it’s songs orchestral affects.

Tribute to The Late Great CHUCK MANGIONE

by the Original Mangione 1970’s

Guitarist GRANT GEISSMAN

with special guest GAP MANGIONE

Charles Frank Mangione Nov. 29, 1940 - July 22, 2025

Read Art Good’s Producer’s Notes Below on His Experiences with Mr. Mangione through the JazzTrax years.

circa 1985 Chuck and Art backstage at Humphreys by the Bay Concert San Diego

The Legend of the Flugelhorn 1970’s never made it to Catalina Island, but now his SONGS finally will. A Tribute that is being created by Chuck’s original 1970’s guitarist GRANT GEISSMAN who later become famous as the Music Director for the Red Hot CBS Television Series ‘Two and a Half Men’ first starring Charlie Sheen and then Ashton Kushner.

Grant WAS the Guitar Solo on Chuck HUGE 1977 CrossOver Pop Hit “Feels So Good.” Take a Listen to what was the ALBUM 10 minute LONG Version. The single when edited down to the normal 3 1/2 minutes went to Number #4 on the Billboard Top 100 Pop Chart.

Next year, 1978, the same titled album went to #2 on the Billboard (all) Albums Chart. Only blocked from the top by the Soundtrack to ‘Saturday Night Fever.’

“Give It All You Got” was the official theme music for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. One comment on YouTube reads "This song helped the 1980 USA Olympic Hockey Team take down the USSR . . . greatest moment in American sports!"

Grant Geissman and guitar to Right of Chuck Mangione

Chuck Mangione and the man Bringing the Magic of Mangione’s Music to the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage Opening Weekend THIS OCTOBER on Catalina Island

GUITARIST GRANT GEISSMAN IS PUTTING THIS TRIBUTE TO HIS OLD BOSS TOGETHER, SO . . .

Including “Chuck and Chick” when in 2009 Grant put himself in studio for a song with Chuck Mangione AND Chick Corea.

DON’T MISS the Grant Geissman Tribute to the late great CHUCK MANGIONE with special guest GAP MANGIONE OPENING WEEKEND.

Chuck MANGIONE Producer Notes by Art Good

Man it kills me I was never able to book Mr. Mangione on Catalina Island. I’d been trying the last few years but I waited too long. He stopped playing around 2015 in his mid 70’s.

I was Brand New to Radio, I mean Working in Radio when Chuck hit the scene. Actually he debuted while I was still in college in 1973 but I didn’t become familiar until he crossed the charts with his famous instrumental FEELS SO GOOD.

The song peaked at #4 on the Billboard Pop charts in 1977. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Albums Chart, not jazz, but all albums chart, a year later. Only thing that kept it from No. 1 was the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. I’m thinking what really hit me was his Live from the Hollywood Bowl album in 1978. There might even have been a radio special we aired in those first few years of my radio career.

When I created KIFM’s Lites Out San Diego, March of 1982, knowing absolutely NOTHING about jazz, contemporary or traditional, I went through all the vinyl albums I’d been sent from the record company’s, in hopes of airplay, and initially just pulled out the artists who’d had Cross over to Pop Hits. Like Grover Washington Jr.’s “Just the Two of Us,” and Chuck Mangione’s “Feels So Good.” Because those were the few instrumental songs I’d been playing on Mellow, Soft Rock Stations I was programming.

Going thru his albums, boy did he hit me. The style, the compositions, the dude wearing a funny hat. I was just looking for something I’d lost, which I’ll never admit what it was, in a hole in my bedroom bed set-up, endangering my life pulling up the KING mattress while I flashlighted down behind it. If I’d fallen in, no one might ever have found me. I did not find what I was looking for but I saw a Cassette. Barely reaching it and barely escaping the huge mattress falling down on me, I could not believe what I was looking at or imagine how it got back there. Do mice listen to my interview tapes?

I honestly do NOT remember doing this 1988 JazzTrax interview, but obviously I was the Humphrey’s every concert host, so I put him on stage that night. But I DO remember a concert I hosted for Chuck in La Jolla. A small performance theater south end of Prospect Street. I’d only had a lot of drinks on Prospect Street, this was the only concert I ever remember there.

I did the kind of not direct intro some artists want… ”Ladies and Gentlemen, In a Moment, Chuck Man Gioneeeeeee” And I walked into the dark curtains on the side and found myself standing next to Chuck. Just him and me. His band was already set, on stage. All I remember these almost 40 years later is he turned to me. He was rather short by the way, and said, “Do you think they’re ready for me Art.” All I could think to reply was … ”Yea, Sure Chuck.”

He then lifted up his flugelhorn, there in the darkness Side Stage, nobody in the audience even knowing he was introducing himself, and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen … would you please welcome Chuck Man Gee Ohnie. And walked on stage. Priceless and as i stood there where seconds before I’d been standing next to Mr. Feels So Good, I confirmed no one could ever tell ME I pronounce his name improperly. Now all I have to do is find a Cassette Player so I can listen to this interview …

So I failed at ever getting Chuck on our JazzTrax Stage. APA his agency towards the end said, “Art, he’s at his place down in Florida (although he passed in his hometown of Rochester, New York) retired. I even contacted his original guitarist Grant Geissman who I’ve kept in touch with through the years and who showed up in Tom Scott’s band a few years back on our Island asking if I booked Grant, could he get Chuck to come as special guest for a few songs.

Just bring himself. No go. Chuck was done. Ironically the last time I ever saw Chuck was at a radio convention, probably in San Francisco in the 90’s. I was standing a few feet from him when someone said, “Do you realize that is Chuck Mangione right there?” He had not his signature HAT on and hair was cut short and maybe no beard. At that moment if I’d been talking to him I would not have had a clue it was CHUCK MANGIONE…

Then came July 22nd, last summer. Chuck passed away peacefully at age 84 in his sleep at his Rochester home. I then reached out to Grant Geissman, Chuck’s original guitarist and the guitar solo on “Feels So Good.” Thought it was a long shot but would Grant be interested in putting together a Chuck Mangione Tribute Show. He didn’t hesitate, “Sure Art.”

Grant himself had a solo career on Mesa/Blue Moon Records late 80’s/early 90’s. Think we brought him over to Catalina Island once or twice. But then he struck gold in the television music world. He was the Music Director for CBS “Two and a Half Men,” that initially starred Charlie Sheen from 2003 to 2011 and then Sheen was replaced by Ashton Kitcher. And co-wrote its theme song with the show’s 2 producers Chuck Lorre and Lee Aronsohn.

As the show’s Music Director, Chuck composed much of the show’s incidental music. 10 seconds of the song here. 30 seconds maybe at show’s beginning and end. But he did put the entire 5 minute song on his album “Cool Man Cool’ in 2011. Two and a Half Men, in 2012 was the 3rd highest revenue-generating TV program, earning 3.24 million per episode. Charlie Sheen you might say rather F ed up.

One final notation as we announce that the Songs of Mangione will FINALLY come to the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage. Grant Geissman, guitar Benny Benack III, flugelhorn and trumpet With special guest, Gap Mangione, piano The full band will also include Brian Scanlon, woodwinds Kevin Axt, bass Dave Tull, drums with a second keyboard player to be named probably because Chuck’s older brother Gap is 87 years old, but will … Give It All “He’s” Got.

Art Good

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for Kirk Whalum OPENING WEEKEND In the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea.

Performance Info

Opening Weekend

Performance Info

Opening Weekend

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for Kirk Whalum OPENING WEEKEND In the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea.

FULL WEEKEND TICKETS AVAILABLE IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM AND THURSDAY EVENINGS UNPLUGGED UNDER THE STARS ON DESCANSO BEACH

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for NATHAN MITCHELL. PURCHASE FULL WEEKEND TICKETS IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM .. looking out to sea.

We became aware of Nathan when he got his 1st Billboard No. #1 in 2023 and we immediately brought him that October to Catalina Island. But when we scouted him that Spring at Spaghettini’s in Seal Beach he told us HE HAD PERFORMED on the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage on Catalina Island, but on Keys for guitarist NICK COLIONNE.

Nathan Mitchell here STIRRING up the Avalon Ballroom at the 2024 Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival.

Photo by Pat Benter Photography

Literally This Song brought him back to our stage in 2024 It’s from this his 2024 Album Release ‘Gentle and Smooth’.

Nathan released 2 albums last Fall into Winter ‘The Legacy Project’ viewed above and in December ‘Christmas With You’

Nathan’s 2022 Album ‘It’s My Time’ gave him his 1st Billboard No. #1 radio hit As you DREAM about being back 26 miles across the sea in 6 months.

DON’T MISS keyboardist NATHAN MITCHELL “The Storyteller with a Piano” OPENING WEEKEND.

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for NATHAN MITCHELL. PURCHASE FULL WEEKEND TICKETS IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM .. looking out to sea.

This young man who first showed up in 2010 as a teenager at a San Diego Smooth Jazz Awards when he was pulled up on stage by Peter White. Still living with his parents back home in Connecticut. Releasing that year his first album, at age 17.

His recordings and stage presence are even further enhanced by his extraordinary abilities as a Multi Instrumentalist. On some albums he virtually plays Every Instrument involved. On the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage last October he sat down at the keyboards. He also was on full display on percussion. But his premiere instrument, always, the SAX.

Just Now, Early 2026 Vincent’s Newest Radio Hit entered the Billboard Smooth Jazz Charts at #4 Maybe Another CHART TOPPER to put on the Boat to Catalina Island in October.

As you DREAM of sitting High Above the Pacific Ocean in our Historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom CLOSING WEEKEND this October watching and listening to Vincent Live In PERSON.

Vincent added to his repertoire this past fall, getting married just before attending to his music on Catalina Island. This October we are GRADUATING Vincent from so very many October JazzTrax Festival opening act performances and last fall’s Afternoon Headliner Status, to now that he’s inside his 30’s, AND MARRIED, to our Closing Weekend SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINER. IT …. WAS … TIME

DON’T MISS MR. INGALA CLOSING WEEKEND

There was a jazz duo, the Bruce Cameron - Hollis Gentry Jazz Ensemble early 80’s in San Diego. In fact, they performed the National Anthem for the 1st Ever World Series Game EVER in San Diego, October, 1984. Art Good was there. Padres and Detroit Tigers. Tigers won Game 1, but the Padres won their only World Series game EVER the next night. Don’t remember the next night’s National Anthem.

A year later Bruce and Hollis split up and keyboardist Carl Evan Jr. stepped in. Together they forged forward with Mark Hunter on Bass, Steve Laury on guitar and Tommy Aros on Percussion and renamed themselves after a hamburger chain they’d eaten at in Los Angeles, adding an extra T, for not getting sued for name copyright reasons, to become The Fattburger Band.

Fun Facts about Fatburger Restaurants. (Notice, just 1 “T” on Restaurant, 2 “T’s” on Fattburger Band. First l opened in 1947 in Exposition Park in Los Angeles, first named “Mr. Fatburger.” Slimmed to just Fatburger in 1952. Their tagline, “The Last Great Hamburger Stand.” Some outlets have liquor licenses as well as “Fat Bars.” Headquarter where? Beverly Hills. With outlets in 19 other countries. Including Beijing and Dubai.

Magic Johnson is now somehow financially involved as is Queen Latifah and Kanye West or whatever he calls himself. TV’s Sanford and Son would frequently mentioned the Fatburger restaurants. Along with being an occasional movie set, Season 1 of “Tickets for a Queue” in the Apple TV series ‘Trying,’ Jason and Erica are having a meal at Fatburger.

Now back to the Music Group Fattburger

Art Good’s hugely popular Lites Out San Diego nightly radio show on 98.1 KIFM was instrumental in giving them the airplay to get boosted in that city and with Art’s new syndicated show JazzTrax debuting across America that same year, 1985, as the rebranded Fattburger, their National Attention spread.

Over the next 20 years just look at their list of Albums AND Record Labels Discography Albums

We don’t show them on our Historical Listing of Catalina Island Performers which we started storing in 2000, so their last appearance on Catalina Island on the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage had to have been in the 1990’s. So we’re lookin’ at probably a quarter century ago.

Hollis Gentry passed away in 2006. We lost Carl Evans Jr. in 2008. Last summer we lost drummer Kevin Koch. Guitarist Steve Laury had left the Fattburger Band in 1992, replaced by Guitarist Evan Marks. Evan composed one of their bigger 1990’s radio hits,, “Just Got Lucky.”

We reached out in 2020 to Evan to see if Fattburger could do a reunion concert, much as we’d talked Daniel Ho into forging a couple Kilauea concert reunions for us after they had dissipated after the 90’s, but at that point there was a blockade to the full band reuniting so Evan came and did a solo Thursday Unplugged Intro with a few Fattburger tunes mixed in.

Last Summer after original Fattburger drummer Kevin Koch passed away, we immediately reached back to Evan and now it’s going to happen. And possibly with some new music.

NOTATIONS this week FROM guitarist EVAN MARKS …… The last time FATTBURGER performed was probably in 2008, shortly before Carl Evans Jr. passed. I (Evan Marks) started with Fattburger in 1992 just before the CD ‘On A Roll’ was released. My song “Just Got Lucky” was a big song that year.

‘Livin’ Large’ was released in 2005 and a ‘Greatest Hits’ CD was released shortly after. Our new line up which will appear in October on Catalina Island includes keyboardist and percussionist Allan Phillips who subbed for Tommy Aros quite frequently while Tommy was on the road with Latin superstar Luis Miguel. Allan also subbed for Carl Evans on keyboards periodically over the years. On bass and vocals we have Ed Graves. His vocal performances can be heard on the song entitled Rittenhouse Square, pff of the first recording entitled ‘Good News’, released in 1987.

In addition, Ed sang on Oh Girl, the R&B classic hit from the Chi-Lites, from the ‘Time Will Tell’ recording released in 1989. Our new drummer and vocalist is Ricardo Tiki Pasillas. He is a Grammy-nominated multi-percussionist and vocalist. He has played with Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Arturo Sandoval and Herb Alpert. BTW, in my time since Fattburger, I have played and recorded with David Foster, Marvin Hamlisch, Bill Conti, Hubert Laws, Herbie Hancock, Jeff Lorber, Chris Botti and Michael Feinstein. In addition I have played Broadway shows Lion King, Chicago, and Spamalot among others

Check out just some of Fattburgers songs

MAKE THAT DREAM COME TRUE, GOOD NEWS, THE DOCTOR, TRAIL OF TEARS, GROOVE Y2K OYE COMO VA, YOU’VE GOT MAIL, EVIL WAYS, GENTLE GIANT (this might be under Evan Marks) JUST GOT LUCKY, EVA, WHO PUT THE MEAT IN MY BED, ANYTHING’S POSSIBLE, EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD, YOU’RE THE FIRST, THE LAST, MY EVERYTHING, GROOVIN’ (ON A SUNDAY AFTERNOON), ONE MORE TIME, SHOW ME THE HONEY, IMAGINE THAT, THE GOOD LIFE

Some additional Producer Notes by Art Good.

I think I remember the very first night I ever saw the Fattburger Band perform Live. 1985-ish. Up at some club in North Park, kind’ve towards the San Diego State zone. They had been financially supported to record their first album by 3 friends of mine.

One was an executive with the San Diego Padres. Another was an entertainment attorney and son of Hollywood swimming legend, Esther Williams. The third was a military Air Traffic Controller who was just trying to get a foot into being involved in the entertainment world. (I think he ended up going back to his day job, landing planes.)

I still communicate with the first 2 gentlemen. The 3 had each put in 10 grand each, total of $30,000 to get a debut Fattburger album made. I doubt any got any of that money back. But they loved being involved.

So Fattburger was getting branded and jump started by All the Multiple Lights Out San Diego Nights (98.1 Smooth Jazz KIFM) that I was personally hosting night after night after night after …. through the 80’s and into the 90’s. I put Fattburger on stage indoors at Humphrey’s, in the Hilton’s Cargo Bar, at Lear’s Greenhouse Restaurant, Antonio’s Fish House on the Bay, B Street Cafe. If you were in San Diego in the 80’s, we saw each other. Maybe you won a CD from me on the stage? Oh, and Fattburger was a REGULAR at our Lites Out Weekends at La Casa Del Zorro in the desert in Borrego Springs.

Hollis Gentry on saxophone. He later served in Larry Carlton’s band briefly. Carl Evans Jr. on keys and as I remember the primary composer. Kevin Koch on drums. Mark Hunter on bass. Steve Laury on guitar before being replaced by Evan Marks. Hollis, Carl and Kevin have passed away, but a few years ago I had hoped Fattburger might revive for a reunion show, with whoever was left.

The one who had most control said no, so Evan Marks who was Very Interested and still plays with the San Diego Symphony came and did an opening Solo Show on Descanso Beach at the JazzTrax Festival, and then, the one who had said NO, passed away last Summer and now Even has recreated Fattburger and are working on music. Should have something new to present along with all the classic Fattburger tunes from the 80’s and 90’s and I think a few stragglers into the 00’s.

This is gonna be fun. Bringing back one of the bands that left the scene after those red hot early days of Smooth Jazzdom. And maybe one of those 3 initial INVESTORS will show up.

DON’T MISS the long awaited RETURN of THE FATTBURGER BAND CLOSING WEEKEND

David Benoit Broke Out Same Year as our Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival 1987 He’d recorded a number of albums a few years before, 1 in 1986 first caught JazzTrax attention. Actually in hindsight, Producer Art Good remembered back sometime around 1984 going to a Tim Weisberg concert at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, up the Northern San Diego Coastline. Talking with Tim post show, Tim’s keyboardist walked up and Tim introduced them. It didn’t sink in at that point because no one knew of him yet, but that WAS David Benoit and Art Good’s 1st encounter. Yes, David was Tim Weisberg’s at one point in time keyboardist.

But Dave Grusin took notice, particularly off David’s song, “The Man with the Panama Hat” and signed him to the GRP Recording Company. That 1st GRP album, ‘Freedom at Midnight’ released in early 1987, same time as GRP had signed The Rippingtons, for whom David Benoit key’s were all over that 1st ‘Moonlighting’ album. Leader of The Ripps, Russ Freeman ended up doing 2 collaboration albums with David as The Benoit Freeman Project.

Mr. Benoit has played the JazzTrax Live Performance Stage on our Island innumerable times, but never Outdoors, Under the Stars, on the Beach He will come as a Trio including Roberto Vally on Bass who has himself come with so many various bands along with David. In fact, Roberto was the Bassist for Spyro Gyra when they also came to Catalina Island in 1987 for our 1st annual.

David’s 2nd album on the GRP Recording Company Label in 1988

MORE ON DAVID BENOIT THROUGH THE YEARS FROM ART GOOD’s PROUCER NOTES

DON’T MISS the RETURN of keyboardist DAVID BENOIT CLOSING WEEKEND and for the 1st time Outdoors Under the Island Stars CLOSING THURSDAY on the beach.

So now backtracking to 1984, before anybody knew of Peter White unless they went to Al Stewart concerts, and well before Dave Koz even existed in the smooth jazz world. Mindi was probably a teen-ager. No Gerald yet. I went to a Tim Weisberg concert near my then North San Diego County Home at a place called The Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.

While Tim and I were chatting after the show, his keyboardist walked up and Tim introduced us. It didn’t sink in at the time, because nobody knew the guy yet, but later reflecting backwards I realized that was when I first met Dave Benoit. He was at that point Tim Weinberg’s keyboardist. They’d gone to college together.

In early 1987 when the Rippingtons broke with this week’s “Moonlighting’ JazzTrax Archives album, I drove from San Diego to North Hollywood to interview the creator of The Rippingtons, Russ Freeman. Following the directions into a kind’ve shabby trailer park. The address, A Trailer. A TRAILER and not one to shout home about.. As i walked in the front (and not very big) entry room, Russ had converted that front of “trailer” into His Rippingtons STUDIO. I was standing where he’d constructed His Rippingtons and composed all its music. Whereas the Trailer wasn’t very impressive.. the studio equipment WAS.

He’d released a Russ Freeman solo album the year before, but he’d gotten connived into a very bad contract where the guy that helped get him going, a guy in the MUSAC World (google it if you don’t remember MUSAC) had basically owned the rights to Russ Freeman’s name. So to get away from HIM, Russ went not with His Name, but “The Rippingtons.”

Follow the bouncing ball and this same gentleman, who I later became friends with, although I didn’t respect what he was doing with musicians, forged the band Kilauea. Okay his name was Dean Whitney, now long passed, I think a heart attack (karma) and he took the compositions left over of Russ Freeman, brought in keyboardist Daniel Ho, and that’s why the first Kilauea album sounded just like The Rippingtons.

Some called them The Rippoffingtons because they sounded like The Rippingtons. Of course they did. Every first Kilauea album song had been composed by Russ Freeman. But after that first Kilauea album every composition was by Daniel Ho. But he too had signed a bad contract with Dean and finally he had to escape too, just to make money for himself, instead of all going contratually to, well now you know who. That’s why Kilauea went away after the 90’s, although the JazzTrax Festival has given them 2 reunion concerts. Daniel went on to Multiple Grammy Winning Fame, like 8 of em, on his own.

So both Russ and Daniel made their escapes and did Quite Well forThemselves. You following me still???? So David Benoit, even as The Rippingtons were breaking on the GRP Recording label, so was David.

So… I went That Same Spring of 1987 to David and Kei Benoit’s house in Hermosa Beach (a bit nicer than Russ’s trailer, okay, way nicer). And I said, “Hey David, I’m starting the first All Smooth Jazz Festival (although the term smooth jazz hadn’t crept in yet) this October on Catalina Island and you’re coming because I’ve booked The Rippingtons and you’re part of The Ripps.”

And David replied, “Don’t just book them, book me.”Well… I know that David Benoit was part of the original Rippingtons because I hosted the Rippingtons first EVER concert. At the Catamaran in Pacific Beach in San Diego and David Benoit was ON THE KEYS. But by October He’d SOARED in Popularity just as The Rippingtons were doing, that year of 1987, so by October he wasn’t with Them anymore. He was HIMSELF and I DID Book Dave Benoit, HIMSELF. for our inaugural Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, And the rest as they say… IS HISTORY

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for PIECES OF A DREAM PURCHASE FULL WEEKEND TICKETS IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM .. looking out to sea

Performance Info

Closing Weekend

Performance Info

Closing Weekend

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for PIECES OF A DREAM PURCHASE FULL WEEKEND TICKETS IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM .. looking out to sea

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for ANDRÉA LISA CLOSING WEEKEND in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea

Don’t Miss the Return of Last Year’s JazzTrax Debut Artist of 2025 ANDRÉA LISA On Closing Weekend’s Opening Night LADIES NIGHT when she will be followed by Japanese keyboardist and singer YUKO MABUCC A 1st ever JazzTrax Ladies Night ANDRÉA then YUKO

DON’T MISS A JAZZTRAX ALL LADIES NIGHT ANDRÉA LISA

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for ANDRÉA LISA CLOSING WEEKEND in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea

FULL WEEKEND TICKETS AVAILABLE IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM AND THURSDAY EVENINGS UNPLUGGED UNDER THE STARS ON DESCANSO BEACH

Performance Info

Closing Weekend

PURCHASE TICKETS RIGHT NOW to BE THERE for YUKO MABUCHI. PURCHASE FULL WEEKEND TICKETS IN THE HISTORIC 1929 AVALON BALLROOM .. looking out to sea.