Najee delights enthusiastic audience with soothing contemporary sound

An old hand at his craft, Najee offered a soothing selection of contemporary jazz Saturday night.

An enthusiastic crowd turned out for the show, which was part of the MOJA Arts Festival, an annual celebration of black and Caribbean arts. They enjoyed a picture-perfect evening: cool weather and a cool performance under the stars and oak trees at the Cistern on the College of Charleston campus.

Najee delighted, performing smooth and urban jazz for the grown and sexy crowd. His stylings are similar to artists Kenny G and George Howard. The inclination is to dismiss anyone lumped in the same genre as Kenny G, but that would be folly. Najee creates an accessible sound for the casual or serious listener.

Twice nominated for a Grammy, Najee, born Jerome Najee Rasheed, enjoyed himself on stage, playing soprano saxophone, alto sax and flute. He held court in his white suit, soaring through covers and original work. His five-piece band, including a tom-tom player and guitarist Chuck Johnson, provided strong backing.

The performance itself marks another high point in an already banner year for Najee.

His new CD, "Rising Sun," debuted in August atop Billboard's contemporary jazz chart. The offering contains tinges of jazz (naturally), old R&B and rock.

Daniel Davis, a violinist and a 2007 graduate of Charleston's School of Arts, began the concert. Just 18, his jeans and sneakers gave away his age but not his skill.

He applied a classical touch to modern dance songs, including Sean Kingston's No. 1 hit, "Beautiful Girls," carefully layering the sounds from his instrument onto the track.

One of his songs even sampled Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, perfect for the festival.

The kid's a real treat. The joy Davis finds in performing is evident.

The instrumental band Soulfood Jazz followed Davis. Fronted by Dwayne Johnson, Soulfood Jazz capably tackled hits from Alicia Keys and Luther Vandross. Clearly, the crowd favored Vandross, and it was a fitting tribute to the late legend.

Reach Rob Young at 937-5518 or ryoung@postandcourier.com.