In its fourth season, Rossi Music together with the Sherman Oaks Galleria,  offered 42 free nights of music to the community. Monday nights typically featured swing bands, swing dance lessons and lots of swing dancing. Rossi world music groups, top forty bands and R&B Jazz was showcased on Friday and Saturday nights. Listed here is the lineup for 2009. Stay tuned for the lineup and calendar for 2010!

Dr. Wu

This diverse group of top Los Angeles session musicians originally decided to have some fun – so they got           together to form a Steely Dan tribute band.  Dr. Wu now covers all kinds of R&B and jazz favorites, featuring       the impressive vocal talents of British-born frontman, Tony Eagan as well as Rick Rossi on saxophone and Mark Harrison on keyboards.

The Rossi Music Jazz Lounge

A little jazz, a little 60’s movie music, a little Bossa Nova and a lot of fun, they will play a sexy, eclectic range of songs in English, French and Portuguese. Starting out as a Euro-lounge project, this group has developed into the full-blown world music band called ESPERANTO, featuring Grammy winner Rick Rossi on sax and multi-lingual vocalist Rebecca Kyler Downs.  They have added Israeli music, classic Persian and Italian Lounge to their repetoire.

Last year they ran a “Name-The-Band” contest at the Galleria Live! welcoming suggestions from audience members who experienced their eclectic mix styles and languages.  Kirk Hanson won an ipod shuffle for his suggestion of  ESPERANTO.  The name reflected the band’s love of music from all over the world,  their respect and appreciation for all cultures and their belief in the power of communication and understanding through the medium of music.

ESPERANTOis now a world-class International Show band.  Unique for their wide range of languages and rhythms, they also decided to offer a certain amount of  top 40 music for  corporate clients, weddings and private parties.  American music is world music too.  But at the Galleria Live! concerts you can enjoy their signature intoxicating mix of jazz, pop and world rhythms – a style they call Global Eclectic.

Janelle Sadler

Natalie Cole, Mandy Moore, The LA Philharmonic, Michael Bolton, Richard Marx and David Hasselhoff are just a few of the artists Janelle has toured, recorded or shared stage with. As Mark Miller writes “Authenticity trumps everything. When somebody is infused with music and the joy of making music, they can’t really make a false move. JANELLE SADLER is the real thing! Janelle has toured the world singing with NATALIE COLE and in a variety of singing roles, has accompanied talent as diverse as Atlantic Record’s metal band, “CRIMSON GLORY”(opening act for OZZY OSBOURNE’S Euro tour in ’88), DONNY OSMOND on his “Soldier Of Love” tour, ’89 to ’91, to “THE NEW MAMAS AND THE PAPAS” world tour ’97 to ’00. Her smoky voice and take-no-prisoners style has made her the number one choice of the top corporate show bands.  And her charm, sense of humor and incredible showmanship delight audiences everywhere, including here at the Galleria Live!

The Flyboys

Rated the #1 R&B/blues band in a recent music industry poll conducted by Music Connection Magazine, The Flyboys is super-tight, versatile, good-time music. Not only a jumpin’ swing band they can cover an incredible variety of styles including blues, jazz, funk, or New Orleans R&B blues. They

Identity Theft

They are a professional, high-energy 80s cover band comprised of five experienced and well-rounded musicians.  Their lead singer Gina has the vocal chops to dominate your favorite 80′s songs made famous by Pat Benatar, Madonna and The Go-gos.  When they start a set they don’t stop between songs, instead keeping the energy up  happening they get everyone out of their seats and on the dance floor.  They are our favorite 80′s cover band, with great songs, great music and  always outstanding performances.  All possess a heavy background in various areas of the music industry including live performance, touring, recording, music licensing and producing. Since their inception, Identity Theft has performed at numerous  festivals, corporate events, private parties and clubs throughout Los Angeles , Orange County and Ventura County .

Gary Allegretto

Blues swing dancing has become the new range for the swing dance movement which, once started in the 90′s with neo-swing, got new generations hooked on swing.  Gary Allegretto has performed nationally & internationally either acoustically or with his all-star electric back-up band. His songs can be found on the soundtrack of  the national PBS television program “Roadtrip Nation”.  At the Sherman Oaks Galleria Live he was a favorite with the swing dancers and listeners alike.

Esperanto

Global Ecclectic – A blend of world rhythms and jazz performed in five languages.

A chic, world music ensemble that plays an intoxicating range of music, from European Lounge to Middle Eastern rhythms. Members of the band hail from Columbia, Venezuela, Sri Lanka and The Philippines, aswell as from different corners of the Unites States. Lead by Grammy-winning woodwind player Rick Rossi and featuring multi-lingual vocalist and songwriter Rebecca Kyler Downs. World music has become an exciting new trend at private parties as well as festivals and corporate events.  Unusual instruments, exotic rhythms and the color and flavor of different languages infuses the many small groups that Esperanto can break down into.  They perform instrumentally, as a trio or quartet, perfect for sophisticated background music at parties and events.  They Perform as a 9 or 10-piece multicultural dance band at cross-cultural events and fusion weddings.  Incredibly versatile they perform music from all ver the world, including American top 40.  At the Sherman Oaks Galleria they focus on their international repertoire, playing salsa, samba, cha-cha, Persian rhythms, Brazilian and more.

The Kid and Nick Show

In-demand sax player Kirk Tracy and former Beverly Hills 91210 actress Nicole Tracy lead their 5-piece band playing a high energy blend of swing, blues, classic country, rock n’ roll, ska, and latin music. They have performed regularly from the House of Blues stage in Hollywood to clubs, casinos, theaters, festivals and special events across 15 states in the US.

Mark Tortorici and Holllywood Combo

Jumpin’ R&B and Rock&Roll with Mark Tortorici & the Hollywood Combo A veteran of the Los Angeles blues, swing, and roots scenes, singer and harmonica player Mark Tortorici is a strong blues shouter who also has the range and style to be warm and smooth on a love song, standard, or ballad. An engaging live performer who always “takes it up a notch,” known to jump off the bandstand and grab a gal for a spin, rumor has it he’s also one of the sharpest dressed cats in town.

Blues Gypsy

Blues Gypsy carries the torch for all of the Blues Legends. Created by the featured guitarist for Blues
Legend John Lee Hooker, Ricky Parish, this high energy blues act plays a mix of Chicago and Texas style Blues with a hint of Hendrix.

Hush

“South Bay Music Awards 2005& 06 Pop/R&B Group of the Year”

“HUSH” does it all, from Top 40, Rock and Roll, to R&B, to jazz and spicing it up with their ever-present Latin rhythms. Featured in the movie “The Serious Business of Happiness” , HUSH has performed with legendary artists such as Joe Houston, Mickey Champion, Finis Tasby, JJ Bad Boy Jones, LA Jones and James Harmon .

Charangoa

In these times when Salsa, Cuban Son and different types of rhythms are continuing to evolve, the very traditional Cuban Charanga is well kept by very few orchestras. Fay Rberts and Charangoa have appeared in some of L.A’s top venus, KTTV’s ‘Good day L.A. and many different festivals throughout Los Angeles.

Flattop Tom & His Jump Cats

Flattop Tom & His Jump Cats are a group of energetic, talented musicians dedicated to keeping traditional Swing & Blues alive. Besides being lead singer, Flattop Tom is a professional swing dancer. He prides himself with keeping with tempos right for the swing dancers. Flattop Tom also performs live dance exhibitions on most shows.

Sultans of Mambo

Whether performing at The Richard Nixon Library for the Chrysler Board of Directors, serenading Jada Pinkett at 6:00am under her bedroom window as a birthday surprise at the request of then-fiancee Will Smith, or providing music for such hot Hollywood features as Collateral, Paulie and The Mexican,

The Sultans capture the heart and soul of authentic Flamenco as they capture the hearts and souls of those

who listen to them..

Debra Watson & Her Smokin Aces

A group of talented musicians whose energy fills the room with a rich, full sound. From Swing to Jazz standards and Rockin’ Texas blues, this band will have you snapping your fingers, tapping your toes, and dancing til you drop from exhaustion.

The Jam Cats

Three talented musicians, all fantastic singers, who play everything danceable from the last 3 decades.

Larry Washington

Beatworkz Music recording artist Larry Washington has recorded and performed with some of the world’s top artists and has even performed at The White House. He began his musical career at an early age playing drums behind R&B acts, various Motown artists, opening for BB King, The Spinners, Al Green, The Ohio Players, and appearing on The Billboard Music Awards with Warren G.

Rhythm Club All-Stars

Led by internationally renowned drummer Daniel Glass (Royal Crown Revue, Bette Midler, Gene Simmons), the RCAS also includes guitar wizard and vocalist John Reynolds (Cab Calloway), bassist John Hatton (Brian Setzer Orchestra), and horn master Corey Gemme (Johnny Crawford, High Sierra Jazz Band) on cornet and trombone. Combining vintage instruments and a classic look with a “period-perfect” sound that swings like crazy, the Rhythm Club All-Stars offer an authentic, high energy “retro” experience.

Funk Shui

A high energy cover band that plays a mix of ultra-contemporary hits and classic favorites – featuring young and talented graduates of the prestigious Musician’s Institute.

Eddies Rockin’ Review Featuring Jennifer Keith

The famous retro-group Royal Crown Revue debuted in 1989 and ignited a full-on swing revival– a music-and-fashion fad that recalled a “time gone by.” The group laid the groundwork for the swing revival of the 1990s that was epitomized by vintage 1940s clothes and energetic musical
blends of traditional swing, jump-boogie, hot jazz, bebop, and rock. Now, lead vocalist Eddie
Nichols together with three other core members of this famous gang have re-grouped to form yet
a new swingin sound with Eddie’s Rockin Revue.

Adam Jackson

Adam Jackson breathes new life into The Great American Songbook on his debut CD, I’m Glad There
was You and in person with his quartet. A phenomenal and versatile singer, he has worked with noted
artists like Toni Braxton, Vesta Williams, Charo, Stevie Wonder, Linda Hopkins, Kenny “Babyface”
Edmunds and David Foster.