Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz Series

There are legends in the world of music and then there are icons. Nat King Cole broke barriers and literally changed the face of music. Two decades later George Benson did the same by redefining the world of jazz by garnering the first platinum jazz album in 1976. In the universe of masters and mentors, the torch has never been passed as impeccably as from Cole to Benson. With Coles spellbinding voice and his unforgettable catalog of classic songs in the `50s and `60s, he paved the way for the level of tremendous international crossover success that dynamic ten-time GRAMMY winner Benson earned in the `70s to the present – from jazz to pop, and from instrumental innovator to vocal sensation. The keys were ambition, accessibility, all-around quality and strict attention to the wants and desires of their audience.

Also performing will be comedian Alonzo Bodden. Bodden’s first big break came at the Montreal Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. He won season three of Last Comic Standing. He’s hosted television series including 101 Cars You Must Drive on Speed Channel and America’s Worst Driver on the Travel Channel. He’s done all the late night shows, including The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn, The Wayans Bros., and Comedy Central Presents, to name a few. He’s worked around the world for the USO. Bodden has also played a security guard, bouncer, crook, and cop on numerous shows and a couple films including Bringing down the House starring Steve Martin, and Scary Movie 4. Of course, his big credit is doing monster voices for Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. No, he wasn’t in the suit, he was just the voice.