Bronson, Perrico lead Cab Jazz relaunch in September

The tide is rolling in at the Smith Center, and Myron Martin is riding the boogie board.

Metaphorically, of course.

Myron’s Cabaret Jazz, named for the Smith Center’s president and visionary, is revving up for a September return. Several shows are coming back online this fall and leading into November.

The onsale list begins with duel R&B acts Spectrum and Radiance on Sept. 17. Vegas institutions Lon Bronson Band (Sept. 18) and David Perrico’s Strings (Sept. 29) lead the Vegas bands in Cab Jazz’s return. Las Vegas’ First Lady of Jazz, Michelle Johnson, headlines Sept. 26 (and back Dec. 19 for a Christmas matinee). Hawaiian vocal/music trio Kulaiwi slides into the developing schedule Sept. 18.

Bronson’s band has boomeranged around VegasVille since its late-night shows at Riviera in 1990. The act was the first Vegas big band ever to perform at Cab Jazz, and has logged at least 50 sellouts since debuting at the Smith Center in September 2013.

“What’s great to me is that we have local artists coming back onstage at the Smith Center,” Martin said Monday. “That makes me feel really good.”

Bronson is grateful to Martin and Smith Center booking exec Glenn Medas for providing the band “prime real estate.”

“I couldn’t be happier,” Bronson said Monday. “It’s so nice to call the best joint in town home.” Bronson also has dates Oct. 16, and Nov. 19.

Perrico, who has filled Cab Jazz at least 40 times since 2014, is also performing a Christmas-themed show Dec. 18.

“Everything about the Smith Center is first class,” Perrico said Monday. “We are looking forward.”

Further out, it’s Oleta Adams (who sang the 1991 Gulf War anthem “Get Here”) on Oct. 2-1; jazz great Diane Schuur on Oct. 8-9; singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff on Oct. 15, John Pizzarelli Trio on Oct. 22-23; long-running Vegas headliner Earl Turner on Oct. 27; jazz-trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval on Oct. 5-6 (three shows, including two Saturday); Whitney Houston tribute artist Nicole Henry on Nov. 20; and Michael Cavanaugh of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out” fame, on Nov. 27.

It’s a wave of activity for a facility that last hosted a show March 12, 2020, with pop-opera star Giada Valenti. There is also some buzz about a possible all-star show of Vegas favorites at Reynolds Hall, as a way to formally throw open the doors to live entertainment at Smith Center. More on that vision, later.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.