Patrick Gaffey has lived in Las Vegas since 1953, when his father became captain of room service at the Sands Hotel. Patrick earned a B.A. and an M.A. from the University of Nevada Reno. He married Cynthia Pearson in 1968, and they are still married today. He worked for the Allied Arts Council of Southern
Many of those who knew and loved Tony Drake gathered together on May 31, 2015 not to mourn his death but to celebrate his life as one of soul music’s most respected session and touring guitarists the world has ever known. His music with its exquisite style and signature sound can still be heard around
The Master – Duke Ellington. The most significant and prolific composer in jazz history and one of the most famous American composers in any genre. Ellington's music helped define what jazz is and what it could be. His longer compositions are now sometimes performed by classical orchestras. Edward “Duke” Ellington was born on April 29,
Branford Marsalis (brother of Wynton Marsalis) was born on August 26, 1960. He was known for his expertise on the alto and baritone saxophone until 1981 with the formation of his brother Wynton’s first quintet, when Bradford shifted his emphasis to soprano and tenor saxophones. While primarily known for his work in jazz as the leader of
A giant in the music world, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis is a multi-Grammy Award winner who has been lauded for his work both in jazz and classical music. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961. He grew up in a musical family where his father was a pianist and music professor. At
May is not only the merry month of the year, it is the month to celebrate JAZZ in Las Vegas! You may ask, “How did that all get started?” Our answer would be, “By a very clever, persistent, talented Jazz musician (pioneer of the jazz electric bass guitar) by the name of Monk Montgomery.” An
Beti Kristof is an artist of more than 35 years, and is one of the artists featured in the book, Midnight Muse. She is an artist extraordinaire painting portraiture, murals, commissions, and creating her own greeting card line. She has expanded her art to much more. She is also an illustrator of several books, including,
Michael Steven Bublé, another successful Canadian singer, songwriter and actor, was born September 9, 1975. His interest in jazz music began at a young age, although it was his grandfather that introduced him to swing music and old standards, which has made him so successful. His self-titled debut album was released on February 11, 2003.
Diana Jean Krall is another Canadian (born November 16, 1964) who is well-known as a jazz pianist and singer who has successfully entertained many worldwide, having sold more than 6 million albums in the United States alone and has earned 5 Grammy awards and 8 Juno Awards. . Surprise! Her newest album is Wallflower, a
Who doesn’t love the Canadian Celine Dion? She is called a truly wonderful, sweet person by all who have met her or have attended one of her performances. On February 12, 1994, her song, The Power of Love, hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, endearing her to audiences as it was the
