Branford Jazz: Saxophonist Paula Atherton Plays On The Green Aug. 31

Submitted and compiled by Victor Amatori, Jr., Branford Parks & Recreation Program Supervisor

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, 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. She has
also performed with Grammy award winning singer Dee Dee Bridgewater at the
Annenberg Theater, for the Palm Springs Women’s Jazz Festival.
On Thursday night, August 31st she will don the Branford Town Hall Stage from
6:30-8:30 p.m. as part of the 2023 Branford Jazz Concert Series.

Some of Atherton’s past tour dates include the Seabreeze Jazz Festival, 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), Lake
Arbor Jazz Festival in MD, the Hub City Fest in NJ (4 years in a row) the Pensacola
Jazz Festival, the Gulf Coast Jazz festival, Seabreeze Jazz Festival, as well as the
Norfolk Waterfront Jazz Festival with Cindy Bradley (as the Fabulous Blondes).
Paula performed at the Hot Smooth Jazz festival in Madrid, Spain, in April 2019 at
Maria Guerrero Theater. Other 2019 performances include Jacksonville Beach Jazz
series, Dauphin County Jazz Fest, Potomac Jazz Festival, Brass City, Grand Rapids,
and Legacy Jazz Festival. Paula released the 1 st single from her 6 th release, entitled
“Can You Feel It in 2020. It was produced by Greg Manning, and written by Paula
and Greg. “Can You Feel It”, was #1 on Mediabase, #1 on the Smooth Jazz Network,
(for 4 weeks) and was #1 on Billboard for 3 weeks.

Including “Can You Feel It,” Atherton has enjoyed 11 Billboard Top 30 charting
singles. The other 10 are “Sassy Strut,” “Herbie,” “Between You & Me,” “My Song
For You,” “Into the Night, “Just Can’t Stop,” ”Summer Song,” “Ready or Not,” “Keep
it Comin’” (which hit #4 on Billboard, and #1 on Mediabase, and was the #3 Song of
2022 on Billboard) and current single. “Open Road,” which is currently #6 on
Billboard (March 2023). Paula’s’ single (prior to “Keep it Comin,’”), Summer Song,”
was #1 on Billboard for 2 weeks, #1 on the Smooth Jazz Network, and #1 on
Mediabase as of August 2021. Summer Song was #14 on Billboards’ 2021 year end
chart, and #7 on the Smooth Jazz Network 2021 year end chart. Atherton was also
featured on Cindy Bradleys’ single, “Girl Talk,” which hit #2 on Billboard.
Paula was nominated “Best Artist of 2020” by the Smooth Jazz Network.

Atherton’s sixth release, Can You Feel It includes music from a few different
producers. Including Greg Manning, Paul Brown, Nate Mitchell, Matt Godina,
Schuyler Deale (who produced “Herbie” and “Low Rider” on previous releases), and
Lou Gimenez, who has produced the majority of Atherton’s music.
Paula was the #3 Airplay Artist of the year on Billboards’ year end 2022 chart, and in
addition, had the #3 song of the year, with “Keep it Comin.’”
Paula endorses Sax Dakota saxophones, and does jazz workshops for them across
the country. Paula also does some music therapy type work for a wonderful
organization called “Music that Heals,” which brings music to autistic children,
cancer patients, people in hospice, and other populations. Paula is also on the board
of the F2F Foundation in Houston, TX, which promotes jazz workshops, performances, and jazz education. F2F also helps get instruments to students whose families can’t afford them.

“I had so much fun the last time I played Branford – the audience is always great
and it’s such a beautiful setting, “said Atherton. “I am honored to be part of the
great line-ups that get selected to perform at Branford.”