The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall will host smooth jazz guitarist Peter White and saxophone journeyman Euge Groove in White Hot Summer Grooves Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 7:30 p.m.
White launched a solo career after 15 years as a backup musician and session player, debuting with the 1990 release of “Reveillez-Vous,” named in honor of his French mother. The album included several unreleased songs that White had written for Al Stewart while touring with his band as a keyboardist in 1975. He followed that release with a slew of records throughout the years, including “Caravan of Dreams” in 1996, “A Peter White Christmas” in 2007 and, most recently, “Groovin’” in 2016, among others. Now, White maintains a reputation as a versatile acoustic guitarist in the contemporary jazz world, combining lyricism and energy with elements of jazz pop and classical guitar.
Groove – whose stage name is a pseudonym for saxophone journeyman Steve Grove – began playing piano in the second grade and the saxophone at around 10 years old. He studied at the University of Miami’s School of Music, graduating and remaining in the city doing sessions and playing bands such as “Expose.” Groove freelanced with artists like Joe Cocker, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt and several others before finally taking on the persona of Euge Groove and recording a demo that landed him at Warner Bros. Records. He released several albums, the latest of which was 2014’s “Got 2 B Groovin.’”
Tickets for “White Hot Summer Grooves” start at $53 are on sale now at the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall and St. Augustine Amphitheatre Box Offices, at Ticketmaster outlets and www.ticketmaster.com, or by phone at (800) 745-3000. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.pvconcerthall.com.
