Greg Burrows Trio -- "Soul Jazz" with Guest Vocalist Vaneese Thomas

Start: Saturday, July 12, 2025 8:00PM
End: Saturday, July 12, 2025 9:00PM

Drummer Greg Burrows, along with his long-time colleagues, Al Orlo on guitar and Judd Nielsen on Hammond B3 organ, return with their specially organized musical project that has evolved following their first “SOUL JAZZ night” four years ago on the Mainstay’s outdoor stage. The Mainstay’s own Matt Mielnick came up with the idea of turning that performance’s initial excitement into an annual GB3 SOUL JAZZ night with featured vocalists. Rising to that occasion, the Greg Burrows Trio is proud to welcome the great Vaneese Thomas and her bluesy vocal stylings back as the featured star vocalist in their 4th return visit to The Mainstay. Vaneese Thomas’s familial musical lineage guarantees that extraordinary music comes naturally to the singer. Her father Rufus Thomas was one of the first blues artists on Sun Records with iconic hits that included “Walking The Dog,” and “Do The Funky Chicken.” Over the years she has sung on countless sessions for everyone from Eric Clapton to Joe Cocker, Sting to Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson. Chestertown’s Greg Burrows has a wildy diverse background, and has played with Little Anthony and The Imperials (the originals, not a cover band), Blue Man Group, and Brooklyn’s Chicha Libre, before consciously committing primarily to jazz music in the 2010s. Al Orlo’s numerous career highlights include his two decades as guitarist and music director for rock and soul legend Ben E. King. Organ man Judd Nielsen has worked with such top name artists as Big Daddy Kane, Melvin Sparks, And Trombone Shorty. Soul Jazz is a blending of straight-jazz, funk, R&B, blues, and soul music, with a spotlight on the big Hammond B3 organ sound, and the distinctive swirling sound of the Leslie cabinet it is typically played through.