5 acts to know for Columbia’s Winter Jazz Fest

The Columbia Winter Jazz Fest at Township Auditorium promises a mix of funk, smooth jazz and easy listening.

For the second year, the jazz fest boasts a lineup of jazz’s veteran artists. Down To The Bone, Phil Perry, Maysa, Marion Meadows, Nick Colionne and more will perform. The Jazz Fest is a South Carolina version of similar concerts put on by Jazz Diva Entertainment in Charlotte.

Get acquainted with five of the top festival acts, then sit back and enjoy some sweet jazz.

Down To The Bone

Jazz funksters Down To The Bone are all about the groove. British producer Stuart Wade started the project in 1995 in the U.K. and expanded to include a touring U.S. group.

Down to the Bone’s first hit, “From Manhattan To Staten,” reached No. 2 on Billboard’s jazz chart.

Wade himself does not play any instruments. He hums tunes into a dictaphone that the band later records. The group’s 10th album, “Dig It,” came out last year.

Phil Perry

Contemporary jazz musician Phil Perry has a velvety voice and a flawless falsetto. His sound includes soul (he started out as a member of the soul group The Montclairs) and R&B. Perry has been on the scene for quite some time – since 1971, to be exact – and he has written songs for the late Noel Pointer and Aretha Franklin, including her hit “United Together.”

Maysa

Maysa Leak is a jazz-soul artist and former backup singer for Stevie Wonder. She’s also been a member of the British funk-jazz group Incognito, whose hits include the single “Don’t You Worry ’Bout a Thing.” In her solo work, Maysa sings an array of sophisticated R&B and crossover jazz tunes.

Marion Meadows

Marion Meadows is a smooth jazz saxophonist and Berklee College of Music grad. He made his solo debut in 1990 and has put 13 albums under his belt since then. The JazzTimes calls his sound lush and urban. Meadows is also a competitive cyclist.

Nick Colionne

Guitarist and vocalist Nick Colionne is known for his musically eclectic live performances as well as his sharp stage fashion. The Chicago native learned to play guitar at age 9 from his stepfather and was a touring pro by age 15. His command of the guitar is supplemented by rich baritone vocals.

This story was originally published November 3, 2015 at 4:16 PM with the headline "5 acts to know for Columbia’s Winter Jazz Fest."