'The Cat In The Hat Is Back' Saxophonist Boney James Adds Rialto Show

JOLIET, IL — Tickets to see jazz and R&B saxophonist Boney James at the Rialto Square Theatre perform at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 7 go on sale this Friday.

"For the inimitable Boney James, life begins at 60. The cat in the hat is back and better than ever, enjoying life with his wife of 37 years, actress/director Lily Mariye," the Rialto's press release noted. “What drives me is my love of making music and my desire for people to hear what I’ve made. I still love the communal aspect of playing live. There’s nothing else like it."

During his 30-year career, Boney has earned four Grammy nominations, two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Soul Train Award, while a dozen of his albums have landed at #1 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Album chart. His collaborators in the past include a who’s who of R&B and soul: Raheem DeVaughn, Faith Evans, George Benson, George Duke, Dwele, Al Jarreau, Philip Bailey, Anthony Hamilton, Jaheim, Eric Benét, Dave Hollister, Stokley Williams, Kenny Lattimore and Angie Stone.

"Increasingly frustrated by playing other people’s music, Boney launched his own solo career with 1992’s Trust on the indie Spindletop Records. His subsequent 17 studio albums – including a pair of Christmas records – have been released by Warner Bros., Verve and Concord, with 1995’s Seduction, 1997’s Sweet Thing and 1999’s Body Language all RIAA certified gold. In 2015, Boney’s futuresoul spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart and was the best-selling Contemporary Jazz Record of 2015," according to Rialto marketing officials.

Tickets to see Boney James are priced at $64.50, $54.50, $39.50 and additional fees may apply if you buy your tickets online.