Meet the Artists |
Your Host: BillyRay Sheppard
... a saxophonist living in San Antonio Texas, he has been performing since the 80's. His musical roots run deep, having his earliest musical experiences in Blues, R & B, Reggae, Latin, Tejano and Country bands. It's his love for music that keeps him grounded and his love for jazz that keeps him performing. Soon after academic life, he pursued many different avenues in the field of music; at times as a sideman for many local artists and other times as a studio musician.
BillyRay is one of the first call smooth jazz performers in the San Antonio area, having shared his talents on stage with notable genre stars Steve Oliver, Peter White, Adam Hawley and Will Donato. He's also performed with Roy Hargrove, Julio Iglesias, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and many more. With his saxophone's rich, warm, soulful tone, he has made a name for himself on the local and national music scene.
In November 2017, BillyRay released his debut CD entitled "Silk", co-written and produced by guitarist Steve Oliver. The album contains the single "Heels and Pearls" which has reached the TOP 20 airplay chart on smooth jazz radio.
BillyRay is one of the first call smooth jazz performers in the San Antonio area, having shared his talents on stage with notable genre stars Steve Oliver, Peter White, Adam Hawley and Will Donato. He's also performed with Roy Hargrove, Julio Iglesias, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and many more. With his saxophone's rich, warm, soulful tone, he has made a name for himself on the local and national music scene.
In November 2017, BillyRay released his debut CD entitled "Silk", co-written and produced by guitarist Steve Oliver. The album contains the single "Heels and Pearls" which has reached the TOP 20 airplay chart on smooth jazz radio.
Guitarist Blake Aaron
...Dubbed "a genius on the guitar" by the Los Angeles Times, he launched his career as an L.A. studio musician and sideman and has recorded and/ or performed with an incredible array of jazz, pop and R&B artists. These include Philip Bailey (Earth Wind and Fire), Sheila E., Frank Stallone, Bobby Womack and Carlos Santana (Womack-Save the Children), The Gap Band, David Pack (Ambrosia), Jimmy Pankow (Chicago), Lakeside, Dynasty, The Drifters, The Coasters, Keiko Matsui, Hiroshima, and David Benoit.
Aaron was an immediate success as a solo artist, with three singles from his debut With Every Touch remaining in the Top 50 on the Gavin/Smoothjazz.com charts for at least eight weeks. He reached even higher ground with his second album, Bringin' It Back , whose single "She's So Fine" remained on the Radio & Records charts for eight straight weeks; two singles from this release reached the Top 100 of the year. After the well received holiday set A Romantic Christmas , Aaron's 15-track third album Desire spawned a variety of hit singles, including "Bumpin' on the Wes Side"; Desire was in the Top 20 on Radio & Records for 15 weeks and #1 on the Indie Charts for 20 weeks. As an artist, Aaron has performed over the years at The Verizon Wireless Ampitheater, Houston, TX , The Taste of Laguna Niguel – Cobilled w/ Peter White, The Catalina Jazz Festival, KWJZ Jazz Festival, Seattle, WA – Cobilled w/ Chris Botti & Boney James, Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, The Gas Lamp Jazz Festival, San Diego, CA, The Pasadena Jazz Festival, Jazz Alley Jazz Club, Seattle, WA, and many more.
In 2008, Aaron created and began hosting his syndicated Blake Aaron Radio Show (now called Blake Aaron Live w Tina Anderson). It's syndicated on such stations as Smooth Jazz Florida, Smooth Jazz New York, Urban Soul Radio, and Smooth Groove Phoenix, as well as the show's home website, BlakeAaronRadioShow.com
Aaron was an immediate success as a solo artist, with three singles from his debut With Every Touch remaining in the Top 50 on the Gavin/Smoothjazz.com charts for at least eight weeks. He reached even higher ground with his second album, Bringin' It Back , whose single "She's So Fine" remained on the Radio & Records charts for eight straight weeks; two singles from this release reached the Top 100 of the year. After the well received holiday set A Romantic Christmas , Aaron's 15-track third album Desire spawned a variety of hit singles, including "Bumpin' on the Wes Side"; Desire was in the Top 20 on Radio & Records for 15 weeks and #1 on the Indie Charts for 20 weeks. As an artist, Aaron has performed over the years at The Verizon Wireless Ampitheater, Houston, TX , The Taste of Laguna Niguel – Cobilled w/ Peter White, The Catalina Jazz Festival, KWJZ Jazz Festival, Seattle, WA – Cobilled w/ Chris Botti & Boney James, Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay, The Gas Lamp Jazz Festival, San Diego, CA, The Pasadena Jazz Festival, Jazz Alley Jazz Club, Seattle, WA, and many more.
In 2008, Aaron created and began hosting his syndicated Blake Aaron Radio Show (now called Blake Aaron Live w Tina Anderson). It's syndicated on such stations as Smooth Jazz Florida, Smooth Jazz New York, Urban Soul Radio, and Smooth Groove Phoenix, as well as the show's home website, BlakeAaronRadioShow.com
Trumpeter Rob Zinn
...Born in Maryland, raised in Delaware and residing in Florida; in 2016 veteran vocalist, trumpeter and flugelhornist Rob Zinn launched an exciting new phase of his distinguished, multi-faceted career emerging as an internationally recognized independent contemporary jazz artist and composer.
Rob, an endorser of Chicago based Phaeton Trumpets, released his sophomore album, Walk The Walk in April 2018. Produced by 2-time Grammy winner Paul Brown, Walk The Walk is an explosive collection of a multitude of styles that Zinn has performed over the years, including funk, Latin, R&B, rock, pop and urban jazz.
Rob looks to follow-up on his success with his third album, Anything Can Happen, in early 2023. The album Anything Can Happen has him teaming up with Paul Brown again as well as first time collaborations with producers Greg Manning, Roberto Vally, Jeff Canady, John Cassidy, Dennis Johnson and Adam Hawley. The latest album is heavy on contemporary grooves, Rob Zinn style, with a few surprises thrown in.
Since the start of his contemporary jazz career in 2016, he has performed at numerous jazz festivals such as the Mallorca Jazz Festival, Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Intimate Smooth Jazz Festival, Lake Arbor Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Sandy Shore’s Jazz Weekender, Sweet Jazz Festival and the Jazz Legacy Foundation Jazz Festival as well as venues throughout the country.
Rob brings a high level of energy to all his shows. He performs his music along with highly recognizable songs from various genres that resonate with the audience. Rob mixes in a few choice vocals that always gets the people singing and dancing. He loves to connect with everyone and make it a memorable evening of fun!
Rob, an endorser of Chicago based Phaeton Trumpets, released his sophomore album, Walk The Walk in April 2018. Produced by 2-time Grammy winner Paul Brown, Walk The Walk is an explosive collection of a multitude of styles that Zinn has performed over the years, including funk, Latin, R&B, rock, pop and urban jazz.
Rob looks to follow-up on his success with his third album, Anything Can Happen, in early 2023. The album Anything Can Happen has him teaming up with Paul Brown again as well as first time collaborations with producers Greg Manning, Roberto Vally, Jeff Canady, John Cassidy, Dennis Johnson and Adam Hawley. The latest album is heavy on contemporary grooves, Rob Zinn style, with a few surprises thrown in.
Since the start of his contemporary jazz career in 2016, he has performed at numerous jazz festivals such as the Mallorca Jazz Festival, Balcones Heights Jazz Festival, San Diego Smooth Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Intimate Smooth Jazz Festival, Lake Arbor Jazz Festival, Berks Jazz Festival, Sandy Shore’s Jazz Weekender, Sweet Jazz Festival and the Jazz Legacy Foundation Jazz Festival as well as venues throughout the country.
Rob brings a high level of energy to all his shows. He performs his music along with highly recognizable songs from various genres that resonate with the audience. Rob mixes in a few choice vocals that always gets the people singing and dancing. He loves to connect with everyone and make it a memorable evening of fun!
Keyboardist Greg Manning
...is a Berklee College of Music alum and an amalgam of cultures. He was born in Nigeria and raised in Switzerland. Greg moved to Los Angeles in 2002 and has had an incredible career. He is a three-time certified platinum producer for Universal Music Switzerland, and has had several Swiss Chart toppers since 1996.
Greg is the former keyboardist and music director for GRAMMY Award-nominated artist Jonathan Butler… and keyboardist for Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Richard Elliot, Brian McKnight, Chante Moore, and Kirk Whalum, just to mention a few. After touring extensively for ten years throughout the U.S., Europe, South Africa, and the U.K., Greg made a conscious decision to come off the road. Not too long thereafter, he started composing music for film and television.
As an artist, his own music is the union of jazz, soul, and funk… and
has been described as “Soul-Jazz at its best”… which can be heard on his album “Sugar and Spice,” which was released on Kalimba Records. The title track went on to spend 20 weeks on the charts rising to #5 on Billboard. Most recently his chart topping single “Top Down” was celebrated as Billboard’s 2019 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year.
Greg is off to an incredible start in 2020, as his latest single, “Twinkle” a cover of Earl Klugh’s 1981 classic, debuted at #29 on the Billboard charts.
Greg is the former keyboardist and music director for GRAMMY Award-nominated artist Jonathan Butler… and keyboardist for Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright, Will Downing, Richard Elliot, Brian McKnight, Chante Moore, and Kirk Whalum, just to mention a few. After touring extensively for ten years throughout the U.S., Europe, South Africa, and the U.K., Greg made a conscious decision to come off the road. Not too long thereafter, he started composing music for film and television.
As an artist, his own music is the union of jazz, soul, and funk… and
has been described as “Soul-Jazz at its best”… which can be heard on his album “Sugar and Spice,” which was released on Kalimba Records. The title track went on to spend 20 weeks on the charts rising to #5 on Billboard. Most recently his chart topping single “Top Down” was celebrated as Billboard’s 2019 Smooth Jazz Song of the Year.
Greg is off to an incredible start in 2020, as his latest single, “Twinkle” a cover of Earl Klugh’s 1981 classic, debuted at #29 on the Billboard charts.
Line Dancing King Archie B.
