Steve Cole, Peter White & Richard Elliot
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center

What a lineup!  While thinking “How could they have two sax players on the same show?” Steve Cole hit the stage.  He came out playing “Off Broadway” which got the crowd pumped up from the get-go.  After some fun banter with the crowd, and saying that he didn’t realize that this was going to be an afternoon show, he played “Where the Night Begins.”  If the mood wasn’t already set by that tune, he then went into a cover of the Brian Culbertson ballad, “Our Love,” written for Culbertson’s wedding.  At one point Steve came off the stage and played throughout a very appreciative crowd…then realized there was no way to get back on stage except by exiting through the backstage door!! He finished off his set with “Got It Goin’ On” and had everyone all fired up, especially when Richard Elliot joined in with him!

Enter Peter White, with yet another talented sax man, Jaared.  Opening up with “Promenade,” put the crowd in his hand. Next up was “Talkin’ Bout Love,” the first single from Peter’s most recent cd, Confidential.  Most of the crowd was already on their feet and dancing as Peter burst into “ Bueno Funk” featuring Steve Cole on sax.  That just tore up the place.   Peter White was dancing on stage while those magic fingers cruised the chords of his guitar.  He toned it down a bit with his terrific rendition of “Who’s that Lady,” but then blew the crowd away with “Poppa Was A Rollin’ Stone” to finish his set.

Richard Elliot came out and had Peter White join him on “Midnight in Manhattan.”  It was such a treat to see these fantastic artists joining in on each other’s tracks.  Richard Elliot, with his signature zebra-striped sax, went right into “Crush,” a very funky tune that had everyone groovin’.  It was evident that, while the cheering was there for the other artists, this was definitely a Richard Elliot crowd.  “Corner Pocket” from Ricochet, and “Who” from Chill Factor followed, but nothing touched this audience like the final song.  “When A Man Loves A Woman,” as done by Richard Elliot, is one of the most emotion-filled, goosebump-riddled songs ever heard.  And this performance of it was no exception.

And if the chills down your spine weren’t enough, Steve Cole, Peter White and Jaared all joined Richard Elliot on stage in a finale, doing the Rick James classic “Give It To Me Baby.”  The clear, crisp guitar of Peter’s, alongside a three-piece sax section, is a sight never to be forgotten.  So the original question of “how could they have two sax players on the same show?” was answered with “How could they not.”

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Steve Oliver
Cape Henlopen High School

Guitarist, Steve Oliver has been all smiles as of late.  Just when no one thought he could possibly top his last cd, Positive Energy, he does.  His 3rd cd, 3D, hit the streets in August, and has been receiving high praise ever since. We had seen him play in Washington, DC in early August, where he played nearly the entire new cd.  This show was much of the same, but with a more confident, more exuberant Steve.

Cape Henlopen High School has a state-of-the-art auditorium that most of us have never seen.  It was the perfect location to showcase Steve Oliver and his percussionist, Mambo Hernandez.  Steve, and his symphony guitar, hit the stage with “Wings of Spring” and went right into the audience participation song, “Oh, Yeah.”  He had the packed house hooked.  Then Steve went into an acapella, on the spot redo of “Walkin’” that was specific to Rehoboth Beach.  

It was a treat to sit off to the side of the stage and be able to watch Mambo playing anything and everything that came out of his bag of tricks.  This man is an outstanding percussionist, who knows how to enhance the feeling of the song through the most amazing instruments.

Steve played “Magic World,” a very funky track, and then the radio favorite “High Noon” from the Positive Energy cd. The mood was then changed completely when Steve performed his cover of the classic John Lennon song, “Imagine.” His performance had such a peaceful tone, that many people were truly listening with eyes closed and barely breathing. It was amazing!  The set ended with “Chips & Salsa,” the first single off of 3D, a very uptempo, Latinesque, danceable number.  The crowd seemed to thoroughly enjoy Steve Oliver, his guitar, and his unbelievable vocals.  This man is one of amazing talent, graciousness, and genuine warmth and gratefulness toward those supporting his music.

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Gregg Karukas
1776 Steakhouse

Gregg Karukas is one of those musicians who’s been quietly and steadily plugging away – creating great music without a lot of fanfare.  He’s currently working on his 10th solo CD – still untitled, as are some of the songs to be included on that release.  We had the pleasure of hearing Gregg play at the 1776 Steakhouse in Rehoboth Beach.

The 1776 Steakhouse is a very small venue that allows the patrons to get close to one another, as well as getting close to the artist.   This show was “unplugged,” with Gregg playing a grand piano, as opposed to an electronic keyboard.  This resulted in a sound that was very pure, clean, and clear - perfect for such an intimate environment.

Gregg began with a song called “Moanin,” followed by a yet untitled song, which will appear on his work-in-progress CD.  The song has an underlying samba beat throughout, nicely accented by Gregg’s piano playing.  The Rehoboth audience was the first one to hear the newly composed untitled songs.  Judging from the crowd’s reactions, we think the new material will do well.

Gregg played songs from his discography, including “Nightshift,” “Riverside Drive,” “Snakey Shoes,” and “Blue Touch.” He also played a few cover tunes as well, including the Eddie Harris tune called “Listen Up,” and the encore tune, “Compared To What,” with vocals performed by Baltimore sax man, Brad Collins.

After playing the final song, “I Meant What I Said,” the band left the appreciative crowd on their feet and yelling enthusiastically for an encore. The band was happy to oblige, performing the aforementioned “Compared To What,” which turned out to be the energetic equivalent of a church revival.  

Gregg did not seem the least bit hesitant about trying out the new material with the Rehoboth crowd.  He seemed confident in his songs, and in the outstanding band that backed him that evening. Gregg was accompanied by Stan Cooper (guitar), Mark St. Pierre (drums), Jay Delaney (bass), and Brad Collins (sax).

Overall, this was a great show, and a wonderful way for him to display his talents. This was our first Gregg Karukas concert. It probably won’t be our last. The only thing that would have made it better is if the people at the table to the left of us had kept their conversations to a whisper so the rest of us could enjoy the show.

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Dave Koz
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center

A Dave Koz solo show… just Dave and the band.  The last time we experienced that was at least six years ago.  So, even though there is nothing but accolades for the Smooth Summer Nights and Smooth Jazz Christmas shows with DK & Friends, we were ecstatic.  And so was the sold out crowd at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.  The band consisted of all the usual suspects:  Tony Maiden (guitar), Stevo Theard (drums), Andre Berry (bass), and Brian Simpson (keys).  Dave came out and hit the ground running with “Honey Dipped” and “Let It Free,” from last year’s release, Saxophonic.  The crowd was primed.  He got the crowd involved with the fun tune, “Can't Let You Go (the Sha La Song)” and got Tony Maiden singing on “Don’t Look Any Further.”  

Dave looked rested, relaxed, and at ease with his performance and his life.  After schmoozing with the crowd about the someone special they were there with, he set the mood with "Just To Be Next To You" and then hit us with "All I See Is You."  Hearing his amazing sax work on some old favorites such as "Silverlining," "Faces of the Heart," and "Together Again" not only brought back sweet memories of concerts past, but brought the ever familiar "DK Grin" to every face in the crowd.   That’s the silly grin that stays with you for a minimum of three days following any Dave Koz show!   Since there were no “& Friends” for this show, there was more emphasis placed on the band, whose talents we have grown to appreciate more and more.  Andre “Funk” Berry was dancing like never before; Brian did his break dance/Irish jig; Stevo was playing with such power that he could have used a seatbelt to stay put.  And Tony graced us with his intense guitar playing, smooth vocals… and suede pants!

Dave’s self-proclaimed favorite track off of Saxophonic, “Definition of Beautiful” was up next, with background vocals shared by Andre, Stevo, and Tony.  What a treat!  But nothing compared to the imitation that Dave did of Stevo’s falsetto singing!  The set continued with the classic “You Make Me Smile” and ended the 1½ hour show with “Dance to the Music,” which had the whole house on their feet and cheering!  And as we walked out of the convention center, the "DK Grin" took hold of us all.

Bonnie Schendell & Mary Bentley