Michael Lington Bringing Hot Contemporary Jazz

On Friday, February 23, 2007 the Annenberg Theater will present Michael Lington at 8 p.m. as the fourth act in the Fitz's Intimate Nights at the Annenberg concert series. Gold seats are $70 for Palm Springs Art Museum members and $75 for nonmembers. Silver seats are $50 for Palm Springs Art Museum members and $55 for nonmembers. Tickets can be purchased now by calling the Box Office at 760.325.4490.

With his sleek look, hip attitude and intense, passionate performance style that turns the sax into a celebration of life and love, it is no wonder that Michael Lington is becoming one of the hottest stars on today's contemporary jazz scene. And if fans around the world sense something regal about the Copenhagen native, it's no doubt due to the company he keeps. Lington, who previously played for Denmark's 50th birthday celebration for the Queen, was commissioned last May to perform his new single Show Me at the Royal Wedding of Denmark's Crown Prince Frederick (the country's future king), at the exclusive wedding reception at Fredensborg castle.

An emotionally compelling mix of cool funk, candlelit romance, and fresh melodies, his last CD Stay With Me featured collaborations with famed pop songwriters (Michael and Danny Sembello), well known smooth jazz musicians and songs helmed by four of the top producers in contemporary jazz.

Lington began playing clarinet at age seven and remembers spending time as a young boy in Copenhagen with his grandfather, Otto Lington, who was among the first musicians and promoters to introduce jazz to Denmark. Inspired by his grandfather, Lington was trained classically, but switched to the sax at age 15 upon hearing American soul and jazz musicians like Cannonball Adderly, John Coltrane and David Sanborn. Moving to the United States, his first touring gigs were with rock legends Little Richard and Gary "U.S" Bonds, but his major breakthrough came with singer Bobby Caldwell, whom Lington played with from 1994 through 1998.

As sax legend and Rendezvous co-founder Dave Koz says, "The next generation of sax begins now. Michael Lington's time has come."

Fitz's Intimate Nights at the Annenberg features five concerts hosted by KJZZ Radio's Jim "Fitz" Fitzgerald and sponsored by The Villas in Old Palm Springs, Desert Lexus, KJJZ 102.3 and Time Warner Cable Media Sales. -- www.psmuseum.org