Peter White (musician)

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Peter White
PeterWhiteByPhilKonstantin.jpg
Peter White, San Diego, 2009
Background information
Born (1954-09-20) 20 September 1954 (age 69)
Luton, England
Genres Smooth jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s) Guitar, accordion, piano, harmonica
Labels Columbia, ARTizen, Peak, Heads Up
Website www.peterwhite.com

Peter White (born 20 September 1954) is an English musician and composer who plays guitar, piano, accordion and harmonica. He is known for his 20-year collaboration with Al Stewart. [1]

Contents

Musical career

Early career with Al Stewart

Born in Luton, England,[ citation needed ] White first gained fame with his distinctive guitar style as accompanist to singer/songwriter Al Stewart. He started in Stewart's band in 1975 at the age of 20, then moved to Los Angeles in 1978. During a 20-year tenure with Stewart, he co-wrote many songs, including Stewart's 1978 top-ten hit "Time Passages" and “Midnight Rocks” (which reached #24 on the US charts) in 1980. That same year he formed Shot In The Dark, a band which backed Stewart and released an eponymous album in 1981. [2]

Basia

In 1984, White’s brother Danny White, one of the founders of Matt Bianco, [1] invited him to play on the Matt Bianco debut album Whose Side Are You On? . He played acoustic guitar (uncredited) on the song "Half A Minute"--the first time that the two brothers collaborated musically. In 1987 White continued his association with Matt Bianco's singer, Basia Trzetrzelewska, by playing guitar on her Time and Tide album, co-produced by his brother. He played on all of Basia’s following studio albums and joined her on two world tours, in 1990 and 1994. In 1996 Basia returned the favor by singing on White's album Caravan of Dreams, on the single "Just Another Day". [3]

Producing and solo work

In 1989 White co-produced the album “The Clock and the Moon” by singer Skipper Wise. [4] In return Wise co-produced White’s first two solo albums, Reveillez-Vous in 1990 and Excusez-Moi in 1992. Many other solo albums by Peter White followed which resulted in several songs reaching the top of the Billboard Smooth Jazz Songs chart. #1 hits include "Midnight in Manhattan", featuring Grover Washington, Jr. (1998), "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" featuring Sam Riney (2006), "Mister Magic" featuring Bob James (2007), "Bright" (2009), "Good Day (2010), "Here We Go" featuring Dave Sanborn (2012), "Head Over Heels" featuring Rick Braun (2014), and "Do I Do" (2017). [5]

White’s first full-length show as a solo artist took place at the 1991 Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival, which featured many other notable performers such as Grover Washington Jr., Dave Koz, Bobby Caldwell, and Acoustic Alchemy. [6]

Even after releasing three solo CDs, White continued to work with Al Stewart and Basia, eventually co-producing Stewart’s Famous Last Words CD in 1993. As a solo artist White has recorded and performed with many other instrumental artists including Boney James, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Grover Washington Jr., Gerald Albright, Dave Koz, and Brian Culbertson. [7]

Discography

Albums

YearTitle US Jazz [8] US Con. Jazz [9] Label
1990Réveillez-VousChase Music
1991Excusez-Moi14Sindrome
1993Promenade368
1994Reflections1613
1996Caravan of Dreams45 Columbia
1997 Songs of the Season 139
1998Perfect Moment33
2001Glow42
2004Confidential32
2006Playin' Favourites42
2007Peter White Christmas125 ARTizen
2009Good Day22 Peak
2013Here We Go31 Heads Up
2014Smile31
2016Groovin'21
2019Music for STARLUX Airlines143Lobster Music

Singles

YearTitle US Jazz [10] Label
2006"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)"1 Columbia
2007"Mister Magic"1 ARTizen
2009"The Little Drummer Boy" (with Rick Braun and Mindi Abair)28 Peak
"Bright"1
2010"Good Day"7
2012"Here We Go"1 Heads Up
2013"Night after Night"14
2014"Head Over Heels"1
2015"Smile"5
2017"Do I Do"1
"We Don't Talk Anymore" (Rick Braun featuring Peter White)3
"Groovin'"15
2019"Last Dance" (Jackiem Joyner featuring Peter White)15Lobster Music
2020"Flying High"17
2022"After We Play" (Johnny Britt featuring Peter White)2J-Jams
2024"Sunshine Yellow" (Carol Albert featuring Peter White)2

Awards

Peter White won the award for best Smooth Jazz Musician in the 2007 Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards. He was named the Best Guitarist at the National Smooth Jazz Awards for four consecutive years from 2000–2003.

In 2000, White won three Oasis Contemporary Jazz Awards:

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References

  1. 1 2 Schendell, Bonnie (12 March 2004). "Peter White". smoothviews.com.
  2. "Peter White Biography by Ed Hogan". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  3. "Peter White Biography". Peter White.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  4. "The Clock and the Moon". Skipper Wise.
  5. Peter White Song Chart History. Billboard.com.
  6. "JAZZ : There's Still Plenty of Room to Jam on Catalina". Los Angeles Times.
  7. "Peter White". peterwhite.com.
  8. "Peter White: Top Jazz Albums". Billboard .
  9. "Peter White: Top Contemporary Jazz Albums". Billboard .
  10. "Peter White: Smooth Jazz Songs". Billboard .