Saxophonist Marion Meadows’ solo career began in 1990 with his first RCA release “For Lover’s Only.”  It was a huge success and followed by his groundbreaking “Keep it Right There” album in 1992.   He became a staple of the contemporary jazz format with his subsequent recordings, which include Body Rhythm (1994) and Forbidden Fruit (1996), Pleasure (1997), Another Side Of Midnight (1999), Next To You (2000), In Deep (2002), Players Club (2004), Dressed To Chill (2006), Secrets (2009) Whisper (2013) Soul Traveler (2015) Soul City (2018) and Twice As Nice (2021).   Meadows has recorded or performed with many greats including Michael Bolton, Will Downing, The Temptations, Chuck Loeb and more.

Keyboardist and composer Brian Simpson started off playing alongside musicians Gerald Albright and Norman Brown and eventually on a world tour with Janet Jackson. In 1990 Simpson received a call from George Duke that led to a decade of touring and production work with the late jazz legend. It was his tenure with George that led to working with a variety of artists, from James Ingram and Anita Baker to Dave Koz and Wayman Tisdale. The popularity of his music worldwide has kept Simpson on a seemingly endless world tour which in 2019 included Japan, Australia, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Spain, United Kingdom, Portugal, and South Africa. Brian has writing and performing credits on R&B chart-topping albums and Smooth Jazz Airplay charts.

Flutist and bandleader Althea Rene is a dynamic, soulful performer with a bent toward contemporary jazz, funk, and instrumental R&B. A former police officer, Rene emerged on the Detroit scene in the 1990s before issuing her debut, Flute Talk, in 2000. She is a regular presence at festivals around the globe and has continued to build a crossover fan base with albums like 2006's In the Moment and 2013's In the Flow. A native of Detroit and daughter of trumpeter, saxophonist, and longtime original Funk Brother Dezie McCullers, Rene grew up in a musical family.  Along with her albums, she has made numerous festival appearances, including dates at the North Sea Jazz Festival, Austin Jazz Festival, Norman Brown All-Star Jazz Cruise, and others. In 2013, she signed with the Trippin 'n' Rhythm label for the Michael Broening-produced In the Flow. Buoyed by the singles "Sunday Cruise" and "Free," it peaked at number one on the Billboard smooth jazz chart. In 2018, she published the book Becoming Chocolate Barbie: A Guide for Professional Women in the Music Business. The following year, she issued her eighth studio album Flawsome.

Don’t miss these three jazz stars as they take the stage together at the Buffalo State Performing Arts Center on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 8pm!