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Versatile Guitarist Marc Antoine Marches to a Different Drum

August 23, 2005 - With the release of the "Modern Times" album, guitarist Marc Antoine is prepared to take modern jazz to the next level. "There comes a time in the life of an artist when you feel in a certain space and you just have to do it. No thinking, just do it. This is that time for me," said the Rendezvous Entertainment recording artist. He was speaking of his seventh solo album, which was produced in his home studio in Madrid, Spain. With the release of Modern Times, Antoine is taking his music in progressive new directions. It features clubby dance grooves, funky hip hop beats, and pulsating electronic rhythms envelop or enhance the jazz, classical and blues influenced tracks. Antoine collaborated with the writing of nine new compositions in addition to covering "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets", originally recorded by Sting. This track features the Paris born Antoine in his first vocal number, crooning sensually in\ French. Since mid June, Antoine has been touring with Dave Koz, Jeffrey Osborne and Praful as part of the Dave Koz and Friends summer trek. Between tour dates, Antoine has made extensive visits to commercial and non commercial radio stations and retail outlets in major markets. At album listening events, Antoine has played acoustic solo mini concerts that have left the audience enraptured. The efforts are paying off as "Modern Times" went to #1 on Amazon's "Top Sellers" jazz list. - by Liz Rivard

Niagara Smooth Jazz A Hot Ticket!
June 16, 2005 - Southern Ontario has been experiencing a heat wave, and the weekend was no exception! Mother Nature joined popular Smooth Jazz artists in really turning up the heat, down on the farm in Winona, Ontario for Niagara's Smooth Jazz Festival. More

August 16th, Mark Your Calendar for Marc Antoine (Tour dates)

June 15, 2005 - That's right; August 16 is the release date for guitarist Marc Antoine's newest release "Modern Times." After creating a distinctive Classical, Latin Jazz, Flamenco sound that has repeatedly lead him to the top of the charts, Antoine adventurously stretches his creative muse in new directions on "Modern Times," his seventh solo album. On this Rendezvous Entertainment release he drives his signature acoustic guitar along a shuffling Latin percussion groove.
Antoine recorded the album in his Madrid studio, producing it along with European dance music producer-club DJ David Ferrero, and, he collaborated on nine new compositions. Says Antoine of the coupling, " Years ago, I read a quote from Miles Davis about when he ventured into entirely new creative directions. He said that he found someone from outside of his (jazz) world to collaborate with. That's exactly what I did on "Modern Times." David (Ferrero) is very well known in the club world and he brought an entirely fresh sensibility to my music," explained Antoine. "Although people primarily know me for my acoustic flamenco guitar sound, for years I've also done sessions on electric (guitar) for Celine Dion, Queen Latifah and others. I wanted to explore a different musical palate by using an electric guitar on some tracks. I think some might be caught off guard by this album, but I'm pleased with the way it came out and I hope people will listen to it with an open mind." You can also catch Antoine this summer on a major U. S. concert tour with sax star (and Rendezvous co-founder) Dave Koz, R and B vocalist Jeffrey Osborne and the man behind last year's hit "Sigh", Praful. - by Liz Rivard

Marc Antoine tour dates:

June 16 Albuquerque, NM Sandia Amphitheatre
June 17 Denver, CO Paramount Theatre
June 18 Phoenix, AZ Celebrity Theatre
June 23 Philadelphia, PA Merriam Theatre
June 24 Richmond, VA Kanawha Theatre
June 25 Raleigh, NC Meymandi Concert Hall
June 26 Charlotte, NC Belk Theatre
July 7 Fresno, CA Saroyan Theatre
July 8 Sacramento, CA Radisson Hotel Grove Amphitheatre
July 9 & 10 Temecula, CA Thornton Winery
July 13 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park Amphitheatre
July 14 Louisville, KY Palace Theatre

July 15 & 16 Chicago, IL Navy Pier Skyline Stage
July 17 Detroit, MI Jerome Duncan Fox Theatre
July 20 Cleveland, OH State Theatre
July 21 Kettering, OH Fraze Pavilion for the Performing Arts
July 22 St. Louis, MO The Roberts Orpheum Theatre
July 23 Apple Valley, MN Music In The Zoo
July 29 Henderson, NV Sunset Station Amphitheatre
July 30 Oakville, CA Robert Mondavis Summer Festival
July 31 Saratoga, CA Montalvo Center for the Arts
August 19 San Diego, CA Humphrey’s By The Bay
August 20 Concord, CA Chronicle Pavilion
August 21 Hollywood, CA Hollywood Bowl

Canada's Niagara Falls for Smooth Jazz Superstars!
May 4, 2005 - It is a smooth jazz fans dream come true as Kenny G and Dave Koz share top billing at Niagara's Best Smooth Jazz Concert, a two day extravaganza of Smooth Jazz on June 11 and 12, 2005 at E.D. Smith Fruit Farms in Winona, Ontario. (Some fine jam sessions on a jam farm). On Saturday, June 11 smooth jazz sax man Dave Koz takes to the stage with Rendezvous recording artists Marc Antoine, Praful and Jeffrey Osborne. More

Dave Koz on the Move this Summer

March 28, 2005 - As if the upcoming first ever Dave Koz & Friends at Sea cruise wasn't enough to delight fans, Koz has recently announced a treat for his landlubbing fans. For the fourth straight year, Koz will crisscross the U.S. with a group of stellar smooth jazz musicians, taking his "A Smooth Summer Night Tour" to more than 25 cities. This year's lineup features R&B vocalist Jeffrey Osborne, contemporary jazz guitarist Marc Antoine and multi-instrumentalist Praful. The tour commences June 10 th at the Reading Eagle Theater in Reading, PA and wraps up on August 21 st at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood, CA . Go to Koz' official website for tour dates. Click here. Watch for our new interview with Dave Koz coming April 1, 2005.

Smooth Jazz Goes Cruising Crazy

February 21, 2005 - Seems like everyone is cruising these days. Smooth Jazz Cruise pioneer Warren Hill has just completed his second sell out full charter while, almost at the same time, Bob James was sailing on a musical journey out of San Diego. Later in the year Rick Braun is leading a top-notch line up on a seven-day trip out of Galveston and Warren Hill's 2006 event is already proving to be a big early seller. Sandwiched among all this is the "Dave Koz & Friends At Sea" cruise that sails from San Diego on November 5 and is being managed by the same organization that made Hills last event such a success. Calling at destinations that include Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Peurto Vallarta, Koz has assembled a line up every bit as good as one would expect from this master of live Smooth Jazz. Artists already confirmed, and who performed on the Hill cruise, are Wayman Tisdale, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Golub, and Jonathan Butler. Joining them will be Marc Antoine, Patti Austin, David Benoit, Chris Botti, George Duke, Jeffrey Osborne and Praful. It's a line up that promises to produce seven days of high quality Smooth Jazz. - By Denis Poole

Nominations for the 1st Annual Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards
January 3, 2005 - Canadian Smooth Jazz musicians finally have an awards body to recognize their work - The Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. The event was created by Doug and Mary Kirk, owners of The Wave in Hamilton and Smooth Jazz Now creator John Beaudin. The awards will be voted on by the fans via www.canadiansmoothjazzawards.com . Voting will begin shortly. Top nominees for the inaugural ceremony include Diana Krall, Eddie Bullen, Brian Hughes, Marc Jordan, Clayton / Scott Group and Alexander Zonjic all with three. Read more.
Marc Antoine Nomination
- International Artist

		Guitar and Saxes Tour Dates
( Warren Hill, Marc Antoine, Euge Groove, & Jeff Golub)

May

SAT 05/01/04 Jacksonville, FL
Jacksonville Jazz Festival

SUN 05/02/04 West Palm Beach, FL
Sunfest

SAT 05/15/04 Paso Robles, CA
Martin & Weyrich Winery

SUN 05/16/04 Newport Beach, CA
Hyatt Newporter Jazz Festival

July

WED 07/14/04 San Diego, CA
Humphrey’s

THU 07/15/04 Saratoga, CA
The Garden Theatre

FRI 07/16/04 Sacramento, CA
Radisson Sacramento

SAT 07/17/04 Healdsburg, CA
Rodney Strong Vineyards

SUN 07/18/04 Pasadena, CA
Brookside Park

August

MON 08/09/04 Alexandria, VA
The Birchmere

WED 08/11/04 New York, NY
Spirit Cruise Ship

THU 08/12/04 Richmond, VA
The Canal Club

FRI 08/13/04 Glenside, PA
Keswick Theatre

SAT 08/14/04 Huntington, NY
IMAC

SUN 08/15/04 Anapolis, MD
Rams Head

WED 08/18/04 Sterling Heights, MI
Freedom Hill

FRI 08/20/04 Cleveland, OH
Nautica Stage

SAT 08/21/04 Chicago, IL
Skyline Stage
Navy Pier

SUN 08/22/04 St. Louis, MO
The Pageant

September

FRI 09/10/04 Newport Beach, CA
Hyatt Newporter

SAT 09/11/04 Las Vegas, NV
Spring Mtn. State Park

SUN 09/12/04 Temecula, CA
Thornton Winery

FRI 09/17/04 Austin, TX
One World Theatre

SAT 09/18/04 Houston, TX
Verizon Wireless

SUN 09/19/04 San Antonio, TX
Travis Park

Marc Antoine Likes To Keep A Positive Attitude

March 17, 2004 - Marc Antoine has learned that life's little surprises are sometimes opportunities to strengthen one's resolve. When the guitarist was nineteen he was enjoying the challenges of perfecting his chops at the Paris Conservatory but while on vacation he was involved in a serious accident. Antoine lost his balance when the family dog jumped up to greet him causing the guitarist to fall through a glass door. The shattered glass severed nerves and tendons as it cut his left wrist to the bone. "Yeah, I was a very lucky man." says Antoine, "I had to go through extensive surgery and the surgeon says I don't think you'll play guitar again." The guitarist was determined to prove the doctor wrong. "I went back and saw the surgeon about three years after and played something for him and he couldn't believe it." Antoine says the whole incident actually made him a better player, "I don't think I was playing with much soul. I had a very strong technical ability. This accident told me that we had to take this little talent on the physical side away and give you more talent on the soul. It took me about five to six years to start playing the guitar fairly well again." Antoine says he wanted to "keep the faith and keep doing it." He is our artist of the month for March. Read our interview.

Marc Antoine "Artist of the Month" for March

March 1, 2004 - His tune "Funky Picante" was number one on our Canadian National Chart for seven weeks (as of March 11)and the album "Mediterraneo" is also another big hit for Marc Antoine. The guitarist is our "Artist of the Month" for March. Antoine who lives in Madrid told us when things get too busy in his life he relies on a few simple formulas to get grounded, "I always look for hotels with good pools when I’m on the road." says Antoine who once had aspirations to become an Olympic swimmer. "I had a major conflict at around seventeen years old." says Antoine, ”I was studying classical music guitar in Paris at the time, and I was swimming, it was crazy and I had no time to live for myself basically." Antoine now enjoys the relaxing rejuvenating side of swimming while on tour. He also told us reading has become a big stress less activity "It always brings me to a great place and you know sometimes when life gets a little nuts we want to be in another land living through other people in a book." says Antoine with a laugh. Read our now complete interview with Marc Antoine.

Marc Antoine's Surprise First Meeting with Basia

November 19, 2003 - Smooth Jazz vocalist Basia has been backed up by some pretty impressive musicians through the years. Guitarist Peter White was in the fold for a few albums and the vocalist also worked with Spyro Gyra's Jay Beckenstein and Guitarist Marc Antoine. "I was at the right place at the right time in Paris," says Antoine on his chance meeting with Basia years ago. It started with Antoine jamming with some musicians who were waiting around for the Band Duran Duran to show up. Antoine told Smooth Jazz Now, "My friend convinced me to go jam with them which was difficult because at the time I couldn't speak English at all," says the guitarist laughing. "The bass player came up to me afterwards and told me through translation of my friend that I should go to England and play with Basia." Interestingly, the guitarist had no idea he was about to play with the same Basia of "Time and Tide" fame, "At the time I didn't know who Basia was and in French the pronunciation is Bazia. So I knew who Bazia was but not Basia so when I finally went there I didn't know they were the same person. When I finally saw her I freaked out." Read part two of our interview with Marc Antoine.

Marc Antoine Releases His latest "Mediterraneo."

October 6, 2003 - It's hard to pinpoint exactly what makes Marc Antoine so vital to the Smooth Jazz format. Sure his radio hits can make you appreciate the genre on a deeper level but I say it comes down to chops and tunes! Antoine's classical soul has a tendency to jiggle or wake us up inside and lets not forget his kick-ass driving songs! Hits like "Sunland" from his album "Madrid" and his take on "Mas Que Nada" from his previous hit CD "Cruisin" are just two candidates that could convert any naysayer. His new self produced album "Mediterraneo," the first release on Dave Koz' new Rendezvous Records continues the guitarist gypsy spirit trail. We talked to Antoine via phone on September 30, 2003. Read part one of our interview.