UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The annual winter concert series at the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake continues on Sunday, Feb. 18, at 3 p.m. in the Riffe’s Meeting House next to the hotel.

The performers will be Kenny Washington, one of the country’s leading male jazz vocalists, backed on guitar by Jeff Massanari.

“I can’t tell you how pleased we are to have Kenny Washington in our series,” said Tallman owner Bernie Butcher. “Jeff Massanari is a true guitar virtuoso who’s become a friend of the Blue Wing. When Jeff said he’d accompanied Kenny many times, we jumped at the chance to get them both here to perform.”

Recently dubbed “the Superman of the Bay Area jazz scene” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Kenny Washington is a jazz virtuoso who thrills audiences with his soulful interpretations, seemingly limitless range, and rapid-fire scatting.

A native of New Orleans who grew up singing gospel in church, Washington studied various styles of music at Xavier University and then performed worldwide with the U. S. Navy band for nine years.

He then settled in the Bay Area where he has recorded, collaborated with others, and was the featured artist at the “Top of the Mark” for many years.

As Massanari says, “If you haven’t heard Kenny Washington in concert before, get ready for a jaw-dropping experience. I just love playing with him.”

Massanari studied jazz composition and performance at the Berklee School of Music in Boston. He then moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and quickly became one of the region’s most in-demand guitarists.

He is often asked to accompany artists such as Washington, Seth MacFarlane and Mark Inouye. He has also performed with the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Hall and Stern Grove as well as on tour in China.

“The intimate venue at the Tallman is a perfect showcase for Kenny,” said Massanari. “We’re both really looking forward to a relaxing and fun afternoon in Lake County.”

More information on Washington can be obtained at his web site http://www.kennywashingtonvocalist.com/ and on Massanari at http://jeff-massanari.com/ .

Tickets are $25 plus tax and are available by calling the Tallman Hotel at 707-275-2244, Extension 0. Coffee and cookies are served to guests.

The hotel is also offering a 10-percent discount on hotel bookings for Feb. 18 for people purchasing tickets to the concert.

The Tallman Hotel is located at 9550 Main St. in downtown Upper Lake. Visit the hotel online at http://tallmanhotel.com/.