Queen Latifah tour backed by Rick Zunigar and the "L-35" Guitar

12/1/07 - Los Angeles jazz guitarist Rick Zunigar recently finished a tour with Queen Latifah as she debuted her new Verve recording "Trav'lin Light." The tribute CD, released September 25th, is inspired by the great female vocalists of our time and is a collection of standards and classic songs from jazz and soul to blues.

In support of the new release, Queen Latifah embarked on a tour of intimate theatre venues across American cities on Sept. 29, starting in Dallas and finishing up on the West Coast. One of the last venues was at San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall on November 27th.

San Francisco Chronical writer David Wiegand wrote, "Some performers re-invent themselves to keep things fresh, but Queen Latifah, who brought her "Trav'lin' Light" tour to Davies Symphony Hall on Sunday night, just keeps adding to the package."

He also commented on Chronical photo by Katy Raddatz (below) noting, "Queen Latifah gives her supporting musicians and singers plenty of room to solo, as Rick Zunigar does in the show at Davies."

Rick performed the West Coast venues with his Ellsberry "L-35" semi-hollow archtop guitar, a design he and maker James Ellsberry collaborated on early in the year. Rick said, "This tour was a big test for the guitar, and I'm really happy how it performed. No feedback, really clean and clear, and it allowed me to instantly go between jazz, funk and blues."

James Ellsberry is proud to put this new guitar in the hands of a contemporary jazz great like Rick Zunigar. Having built an enormous track record that includes guitar performances, recordings, and tours with many legendary masters of American music - Stevie Wonder, Freddie Hubbard and now Queen Latifah - Rick continues to enliven jazz traditions while exploring new ground with his unique and modern playing style.

For more information on Rick Zunigar, visit his website at: www.rickZunigar.com