Paula Atherton

Church Street Jazz Series

Saxophonist and flutist Paula Atherton has enjoyed a long and varied career in contemporary and mainstream jazz. Her acumen on her instruments is poised and adept. Her full-length album Can You Feel It has already begun to garner real accolades with her single titled “Can You Feel It,” landing a #1 hit three weeks in a row on Billboard. What is even more cementing about this accolade is she also landed #1 slots on Mediabase and #1 on the Smooth Jazz Network. Each track is produced by various producers including, Bill Heller, best known as the legendary keyboardist for the Rippingtons. Longtime collaborator guitarist Lou Gimenez has co-written several of Paula’s tunes historically. Other co-writing and production credits include keyboardist Greg Manning, multi-instrumentalist Matt Godina, multi-instrumentalist Nathan Mitchell, Paul Brown, and the notable Schuyler Deale known for his work with Billy Joel, Michael Bolton, Jeff Lorber, and more. So what does this all-star line-up of producers and contributors add up to for Atherton? Simply put, a canvas to which Atherton can shine her abilities in the highest preeminent way on her latest album Can You Feel It. New York-based sax player/vocalist and songwriter Paula Atherton has shared the stage with such contemporary jazz notables as The Rippingtons,  Nick Colionne,  Chuck Loeb, Cindy Bradley, Brian Simpson, Althea Renee, Four80East, David Sanborn, Bob James, Marc Antoine, Hiroshima, Gerald Albright and Chieli Minucci.  Paula has also worked in the traditional jazz field; one of the notable performances being a week-long engagement at the Blue Note NYC with pianist and jazz legend, Hank Jones.  Paula also performed with Grammy award-winning singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at the Annenberg Theater, for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival.

Some tour dates include The Bishop Arts Theater in Dallas, The Empire Theater in San Antonio, The John Ruffin Theater in Chicago, Jazz in the Park in Birmingham,  AL, Smooth Jazz Festival in Atlanta, Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Fest in CA, Las Vegas Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz fest and Low Country Jazz fest with Jazz in Pink, Smooth Jazz at Sunset in MI (opening for Marc Antoine), Southern Tier Jazz festival in Elmira (opening for Rick Braun),  the 3^rdannual Women’s Jazz festival in Huntsville, AL, Lake Arbor Jazz Festival in MD, the Hub City Fest in NJ (4 years in a row) and the Pensacola Jazz Festival.

Paula performed at the Hot Smooth Jazz Festival in Madrid, Spain, the Jacksonville Beach Jazz series, the Dauphin County Jazz Fest, the Potomac Jazz Festival, Brass City, Grand Rapids, and the Jazz Legacy Jazz Festival.