Helios Jazz Orchestra With Whitney James & Fred Johnson at St. Petersburg Jazz Festival at Palladium Theater

It's the 17-piece jazz Helios Jazz Orchestra (directed by David Manson) backing vocalists Fred Johnson & Whitney James. Fred Johnson is an international performer and has spent the past 35 years presenting international concerts and seminars on the power of creative expression as a tool for personal wellbeing and healing. He has performed on stage with or as the opening act for such musical greats as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Mann, Nat Adderly, Joe Zawinul, David Sanborn, Richard Elliot, Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Patti La Belle, Patti Austin, George Benson, BB King and many others. He has presented programs in association with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Maya Angelou and many others....

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It's the 17-piece jazz Helios Jazz Orchestra (directed by David Manson) backing vocalists Fred Johnson & Whitney James. Fred Johnson is an international performer and has spent the past 35 years presenting international concerts and seminars on the power of creative expression as a tool for personal wellbeing and healing. He has performed on stage with or as the opening act for such musical greats as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Chick Corea, Herbie Mann, Nat Adderly, Joe Zawinul, David Sanborn, Richard Elliot, Ramsey Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Patti La Belle, Patti Austin, George Benson, BB King and many others. He has presented programs in association with Dr. Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Maya Angelou and many others.

Whitney James spent about a decade performing on both coasts of the country before she went to New York to record “The Nature of Love.” When her debut album came out in 2010 it was if a new vocalist had appeared on the jazz scene. Jazz critics loved it! The reviews led to James being featured last year on the popular NPR program “Piano Jazz: Rising Stars” with host Jon Weber accompanying her on piano. Marian McPartland, the 95-year-old Grammy-winning jazz pianist-composer and original host of “Piano Jazz,” had read about James’ debut album, acquired a copy and then suggested the producers spotlight her.

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