Nate Najar
We’ve got some great holiday traditions at the Palladium – like Black Nativity and the St. Petersburg Ballet’s Nutcracker – but for our jazz audience, December always means the Nate Najar Holiday Show.
Our favorite jazz guitarist – who lives in St. Pete when he’s not on the road – has been performing holiday jazz nuggets since 2005, starting with his Ellington Christmas shows. We’ve done the shows upstairs and down, added and shuffled musicians but the shows are always a holiday highlight.
This year’s show – on Saturday, Dec. 15, at 8 p.m. – could be Nate’s best lineup ever.
First, let’s talk Ken Peplowski. As a sax and clarinet player, Peplowski is arguably the best in the world. He’s got numerous Downbeat readers’ poll awards to prove it. Based in New York City, he travels the world playing with his own groups and as a featured soloist for great orchestras and top jazz bands.
Add to that another top jazz star – and Palladium favorite – Chuck Redd. Chuck, who works out of Washington, D.C., is a master of the drums and the vibes. This year, he’ll be playing vibes and that’s enough of a holiday gift for any jazz lover.
But there’s so much more.
Nate always invites a great female vocalist and this time he’s reached outside the jazz world. Sharon Scott – the big voice of Black Nativity and countless gospel shows – will belt out some holiday favorites. Sharon earned her jazz chops on national tours of “Ain’t Misbehavin’.”
“Sharon is a power-house of a singer,” says Nate, which is stating the obvious. “She and I have been involved in a number of things together during the last few years and we talked about doing a show together. This was a good opportunity to do that.”
The other guys in Nate’s trio will also be on stage. Stephen Buchholz, another Tampa Bay favorite, will play drums. Then, there is John Lamb, the bass master and veteran of Duke Ellington’s band.
John adds great musicianship, but more importantly – he’s always the hippest guy on any stage anytime.
“John is just so cool – there is nothing remotely close to how cool John is,” says Nate.
And, of couse, there’s the guitar player in the red velvet jacket.
The show will feature parts of the Ellington Nutcracker, some new arrangements of holiday hits, and more surprises – along with Sharon Scott’s vocal fireworks.
Prime tickets are going fast. Don’t miss this great holiday tradition.
For tickets visit www.mypalladium.org or call the box office at 727 822-3590.
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