22 | SMOOTH JAZZ NEWS “From the rst time I arrived in Catalina, it felt like home,” she maintained. “Art Good hired me as an unknown to play a few of my songs with Keiko Matsui’s band in 1994. It was such a rush to be in that beautiful ballroom with the best fans in the world. I told Art I wanted to come back every year, and for the past 30-plus years, we’ve pretty much made that happen. I think maybe I’ve missed a year or two.” She recalled some special moments that have stayed with her throughout the years. “I played the festival for the rst time as a headliner the year before my rst album came out in 2002, and it was amazing. I shot a music video for Playing For Change (bene t organization) right out in front of the casino. “And one night playing on Descanso Beach, there was a shooting star right above us as I sang my song ‘Stars.’ I’ve brought people onstage to get engaged, and now they’re happily married. And I even sat in with my friend Booker T. Jones for a few songs last year. It’s Mindi Abair kicking o the 2021 Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival with Thursday Night "Unplugged Under the Stars" on Descanso Beach PHOTOS: PAT BENTER continued from page 21 de nitely a love a air with me and Catalina Island and the JazzTrax Festival. I always come early and stay late, and the show is always magical.” Abair, who also will play on A Peter White Christmas tour starting in November, has been dedicating a good portion of her energy to her Wine and Jazz Adventures. ese intimate travel excursions, hosted by Abair and her husband, will take guests to Provence, France, in October and Portugal next year. Patrons explore some of the most prestigious wine regions in the world, where they experience luxurious accommodations, ne dining and jazz concerts featuring the saxophonist. Abair explained that she and her husband are creating communities of music and wine enthusiasts who want special memories that transcend the ordinary. “ e idea is to gather a very intimate group of 40 people in an iconic wine region in the world and stay in a ve-star resort and go to di erent wineries that were special in the area each day.
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