Urban Gypsy

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BOCA RATON – Music came to Boca in a BIG way last Saturday night! The “Royal Palm Place Smooth Jazz Concert Series” kicked off with stellar performances by Urban Gypsy and headliner Marc Antoine, and it was an absolutely electrifying evening not likely to be forgotten any time soon by the crowd of over 450 attendees.

Marc Antoine
Urban Gypsy opened the show, and the sheer magnitude of the talent onstage was immediately apparent. One would think it couldn’t get any better, but it certainly did! Marc Antoine performed several phenomenal solo songs and then invited the guys from Urban Gypsy to come back onstage and “jam” with him, and that’s when the sparks started flying. It was amazing to see these musicians communicating with and feeding off of one another through their music, despite the fact that they had never played together before, and the passion they exhibited brought the crowd to thunderous applause time and time again.
At the end of the evening, one encore just wasn’t enough; Marc Antoine graciously obliged and also autographed copies of his brand new CD. Marc Antoine’s career boasts many # 1 hits on the R&R contemporary jazz charts, as well as topping the Billboard charts. At the American Smooth Jazz Awards, held on October 29th in Chicago, Marc was named the 2010 “International Artist of the Year”. In receiving this award, he joined the ranks of such stellar performers and award winners as Dave Koz (Entertainer of the Year), Norah Jones (Female Vocalist of the Year), George Benson (Male Vocalist of the Year), Michael Buble (International Male Vocalist of the Year), and Diana Krall (International Female Vocalist of the Year). This concert was in celebration of the release of his newest CD, “My Classical Way”.
Regularly touring with contemporary jazz artists like Dave Koz, Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, Jeffrey Osborne, David Benoit, Larry Carlton and others, Marc has played for musical royalty such as Sting, Celine Dion, Rod Stewart, Cher, Selena, Queen Latifah, George Benson, Guru Jazzmatazz, Take 6 and others. He also composed and performed for major movie soundtracks: “Get Shorty”; “The Fan”, “Patch Adams”; “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”; “Demolition Man”; and “Celtic Pride”.
URBAN GYPSY is a cutting edge Flamenco/Nuevo Flamenco/Latin-Smooth Jazz trio that blends the beautiful sounds of the Acoustic Guitar and the Saxophone and Flute with a mix of exotic and urban grooves and melodies from around the globe. Urban Gypsy’s Saxophonist/Flautist, John Michalak, is a Grammy Nominated musician whose versatility and passionate playing style has allowed him to record and perform around the world with international artists, such as Julio Iglesia, Carole King, Ricky Martin, Santana, Kenny G, David Lee Roth and Gloria Estefan, who John tours with. Guitarist, Islay Rodriguez, has a refined musical style that makes him in demand throughout Florida. Drummer and percussionist, Michael Rivero, has been performing in South Florida for nearly 20 years, and has performed at major events such as Sunfest, and played with and opened for world renowned artists such as John Secada and Carlos Santana.
The “Royal Palm Place Smooth Jazz Concert Series” is the brainchild of Jacqui Wyatt, Director of Marketing for Investments Limited, and Ken Levinson, Founder of Smooth Jazz Spot. Helping bring it all together is Steve Butler, CEO of Mighty Music Corp. in New York, who is responsible for the fabulous talent lineup. Upcoming concerts include Jeff Kashiwa (December 10th), Matt Marshak (January 15th), Shilts and Nate Najar (February 12th), Brian Simpson (March 18th) and Jackiem Joyner (April 9th). A “grand finale” for the first series is planned for April 30th, and they are already working on the 2nd series which is scheduled to start in November of 2011. - The Boca Raton Tribune