Thursday September 10, the evening before its grand opening, Neiman-Marcus of Bellevue hosted a private gala for 1,200 special guests. Live music, thoughtfully placed throughout the departments, created the perfect ambiance for the event. Matching the impeccable elegance and style of a Neiman-Marcus store, the musical selection was custom tailored for the evening by J&J Music.

Greeting the guests from the valet to door was the classical guitar melodies of Monarch Duo. Co-led by guitarist Cameron Peace and vocalist/guitarist Eli Rosenblatt, the duo played a worldly blend from Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe. These inspired fusions ushered patrons into a retail wonderland of delights and surprises.

Jazzing up the Ladies! Shoe section was Monty Banks, the featured act. Direct from Las Vegas and in full swing, Monty (also known as an acclaimed Lounge Pianist) specializes in music harkening back to the Rat Pack era. Rounding out the group was an assembly of local jazz musicians including famous drummer Ray Price and saxophonist Ronnie Pierce. These performers delighted the audience with tunes that caused the shoes to tap, souls to smile and the client to request an additional 30 minutes of play. Encore!

Traveling down the escalators, one was lured by the seductive salsa of Tumbao, an ensemble that added some Latin spice to the Intimate Apparel section. Steeped in the tradition of original son/salsa music from Cuba and Latin America, Tumbao is a local group led by sensational Latin vocalist Carlos Cascante and notable local jazz trumpeter Thomas Marriott. Carlos’ soaring vocals wrapped each number in emotion and provided a rich texture and color while the rest of the band grooved with sweet precision and passion. Salsa surrounded by satin never sounded so good!

Past the velvet rope and into the exclusive VIP area of the top floor, the elite were entertained by the classic elegance of double-bass and piano in the form of the Randy Halberstadt Duo. Notable upright bassist Larry Holloway joined Randy, jazz piano legend and prominent professor, to play sophisticated jazz standards throughout the evening. The distinguished duo, who regularly accompany world-renown jazz vocalists at Jazz Alley, charmed the privileged room full of gentlemen in tuxedos and ladies draped in couture.

It was an evening of the finest and most fashionable form and J&J Music was there every step of the way to insure a flawless event. From contracting talent to meet the client’s specifications, needs and desires, to carefully placing the ensembles within the store, it was the attentive and personal touches of Jason Parker and Josh Rawlings that ultimately shaped the musical tone of the event.

The next morning J&J Music also provided the entertainment for the public grand opening in the form of the Darrius Willrich Trio. Please enjoy this video of the performance: