Omaha Jazz Festival

Featuring 12-Time Grammy Nominee And Grammy Awarded Jazz Saxophonist
Kirk Whalum

And 2-Time Grammy Nominee Guitarist
Jonathan Butler

Omaha Jazz Experience Lineup

KIRK WHALUM

Soulful, passionate, stirring…these are the words most often used to describe Kirk Whalum's music. He is known for being one of the best American R&B and smooth jazz saxophonists and songwriters.

Whalum is a twelve-time Grammy nominee and was awarded a Grammy for Best Gospel Song ("It's What I Do"––featuring Lalah Hathaway) alongside lifelong friend and gifted songwriter, Jerry Peters.

Kirk is known for his sax performances with top artists like Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Larry Carlton, Quincy Jones, and most notably, Whitney Houston, amongst many others. It's his sax heard on the mega-hit, "I Will Always Love You." In addition to his many solo projects, Kirk was also a member of the popular soul/jazz group, BWB, which features Kirk as the "W" of the group with Rick Braun (trumpet) and Norman Brown (guitar).

JONATHAN BUTLER

Jonathan Butler is a South African singer-songwriter and guitarist, whose music is often classified as R&B, jazz fusion, or worship music.

Jonathan's commitment to his craft came to fruition with his self-titled debut album, which received a Grammy nomination for the pop hit "Lies." An instrumental "Going Home" earned him another Grammy nomination and the mid-tempo ballad "Sarah, Sarah" confirmed Butler's place in popular music.

He has recorded a dozen solo albums and made more than 25 guest appearances on records by Marcus Miller, the Yellowjackets, and Dionne Warwick, among others. A prolific songwriter, he has written for pop artists including Patti LaBelle, Kenny Loggins, and Al Jarreau. Although he has been likened to such jazz guitarists as George Benson, Wes Montgomery, and John Scofield, Butler has shied away from such comparisons, calling himself a "singer who plays guitar."

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