Great Sounds Promotions 30th-Anniversary Celebration at Rivermont Collegiate -- May 8 and 9. (pictured: Brian Simpsons)
Friday, May 8, and Saturday, May 9, 6 p.m.
Rivermont Collegiate, 1121 Sunset Drive, Bettendorf IA
On May 8 and 9, Great Sounds Promotions will celebrate its 30th anniversary of treating music fans to the best in contemporary jazz, gospel, and additional genres, with award-winning pianist taking the stage at Bettendorf's Rivermont Collegiate on Friday, and the Stellar Award-nominated gospel ensemble God's Posse appearing at the venue on Saturday.
Having released his 12th full-length recording Midnight Groove last year, pianist Simpson's debut album Closer Still, released in 1995, features smooth jazz tracks played on the piano, saxophone and guitar. Simpson did the composing, producing and engineering for the album as well as playing the keyboard. The artist's second album, It's All Good, was released in 2005. It features guest artists including Dave Koz (tenor sax), Everette Harp (alto sax) and Allen Hinds (guitar). The album peaked at number 37 on Billboard's Top Jazz Albums, while the song "Saturday Cool" reached a high of number 15 on Billboard's Top Smooth Jazz Songs.
Above the Clouds (released in 2007), Simpson's third album, features Michael Brecker, George Duke, Dave Koz, Chuck Loeb, Wayman Tisdale and Kirk Whalum as the primary artists in addition to Simpson. On Billboard, the album made it to number 21 on the top jazz albums, as well as on the top smooth jazz songs list, What Cha Gonna Do? topped at number nine and Juicy at number 21. 2010 saw the release of Simpson's next album, South Beach, his first recording to crack the top 15 in the top jazz albums on Billboard. It is also his first album to be released under the Shanachie label. Headlining artists on his fourth album are George Duke on synth, Euge Groove on tenor sax and Peter White on guitar. Songs placing on the top smooth jazz list include both the album's namesake song at number 11 and "Lay It on Me" at number 28.
Brian Simpson's fifth album, Just What You Need (released in 2013), presents a collection of smooth jazz pieces with lite rhythm & blues. The song of the same name achieved a high of number three on Billboard's smooth jazz song list while Emerald City reached number nine; the album itself placed at number six on the jazz album list. Albright, Antoine, Butler, Koz and Elan Trotman are the spotlighted musicians, while Simpson composes, produces and performs the piano. Out of a Dream came almost two years later and stars Jonathan Fritzén, Norman Brown, Maysa and Najee, among others. On Billboard, When I Say Your Name and Sky Watcher peaked at numbers 12 and six, respectively, on the top smooth jazz song list, and the album reached number eight on the top jazz albums. Among his professional accomplishments, Simpson has toured with many varying artists in countries including Barbados, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom, he has served as Musical Director of the "Dave Koz and Friends Cruise" and of "The Smooth Jazz Cruise," and he has won the American Smooth Jazz Keyboardist of the Year award.
Based in Chicago, God's Posse is a revered gospel group that, according to the Journal of Gospel Music, “is a rompin', stompin' quartet that is 70 percent traditional, 30 percent contemporary in its delivery.” Among their most cherished songs are renditions of “Put Your Trust in Jesus,” “The Kind of God We Serve,” “Ride on King Jesus,” “Your Blessing Is on Its Way,” “Back Back Train,” and “Ole Gospel Music.”
In addition to the Friday and Saturday concerts, Great Sounds Promotions' 30th-Anniversary Celebration will feature a May 8 youth-music workshop held at TMBC Lincoln Resource Center (318 East Seventh Street, Davenport IA) at 10 a.m., as well as a special VIP reception held at the Isle of Capri Hotel & Casino (1777 Isle Parkway, Bettendorf IA) at 4 p.m. For more information and tickets to these events and the Rivermont Collegiate concerts, call (563)505-3703 and visit EventBrite.com.
