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JONATHAN BUTLER IN CONCERT:
Singer-songwriter Jonathan Butler became an apartheid hero in the ‘70s when his teenage debut single became the first song by a black artist to receive airplay on white radio stations in his native South Africa. Nearly 40 years later, he remains an enduring icon of positive social change through music, gracing audiences with his uplifting voice on inspiring performances of his early South African music and later classics like “Lies.” At his 2013 dates, Butler was joined on stage by his daughter, whose continued presence on tour as a backing singer ensures more spiritually satisfying shows in 2014.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Born in apartheid-era Cape Town, the precocious young Butler showed musical promise from an early age, beginning to tour at just age seven before going on to achieve success as a teen recording idol. After a stint with South African jazz-rock legends Pacific Express, Butler signed to Jive records, relocating to the UK to continue writing and recording. He achieved his biggest international success in 1987 with “Lies,” a Grammy-nominated hit that landed at No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over the course of his decade-spanning career, Butler has released more than 20 albums, exploring a broad range of styles including jazz, pop, and gospel. Following the release of a Christmas album in 2013, Butler is once again the road for a string of highly anticipated North American dates.
FANS WHO BOUGHT TICKETS SAY:
“Jonathan Butler feels every note he plays and sings, this was quite an evening with great music.”
“Musician, singer, songwriter Jonathan Butler provides a solid evening of entertainment featuring songs he has written, many made famous by other stars, but superbly covered by this great artist. His musicianship is stellar and his voice always a delight.”
“If Jonathan Butler ever comes close to your location, you must go. These days his daughter, Jody Butler, is performing with him. She's an unexpected treat.”
Jonathan Butler, Richard Elliot and Rick Braun. What more can I say? The show was awesome. They all played together or separate for their sets. The interaction among themselves and with the crowd was great. You can tell there was some real fans at the event.
I feel in love w/JB about 15 years ago and have been an avid fan every since. This was the first time I had seen him with Rick Braun and Richard Elliott. I was rocking, reeling, and squealing in my seat throughout the show. I left the show and immediately tried to find tickets to the Smooth Jazz concert because, now I'm hooked! While the 2010 cruise is already sold out, I planning on making the 2011. In the meantime, I'll be following JB & crew whenever they return to the DC area.
The show was amazing from start to finish. Each artist played some of their best old school music. The place was packed and the crowd was dancing and singing. It was a GREAT experience.
Fabulous performance; jazz at it's best! Nice camaraderie with the three performers. Great to hear a couple of Jonathan Butler's gospel songs. Great blend of music. This is a must see for anyone that truly enjoys jazz .
When one is psyched up to go out and listen to exceptional musicians such as Rick Braun and Jonathan Butler do what they do best, one would like to hear their unique style as individuals and the magic when they play together. Unfortunately, the person in charge of the sound system that night must have a hearing problem - or thought we were at the MCI Center. This set the stage for audio disaster. The percussion and bass were so loud I had to go to the back of the room and ultimately into the rest room to get away from the noise. The walls were actually vibrating. Any time the entire band was on stage and everyone was playing it began to feel more like a contest to see who could drown out the other one best. Unfortunately, Richard Elliot won every time. When was it decided that saxaphone players only need to jump up and down, swing the instrument around and wail the high notes as for endless minutes count as talented enough to groove with the best of the best? In other words, where is Al Williams when you need him? The two finer musicians could make up for the screaming sax but not every time. The sound system maestro at the Birchmere was responsible for most of the problem. The musicians only have their monitors to measure things by. Due only to the brilliance of Braun and Butler, the evening was salvaged as there were just enough moments when we could enjoy their gifts while they played individually or as a duet. Yes, it was an ATTACK for sure with some good JAZZ in isolated moments.
Loved the show. The music was very entertaining and it had the audience on fire all evening. I would do it again and take a boatload of friends.
