HOUSTON ─ “I regret to inform everyone that Ramsey Lewis has unexpectedly cancelled his October 13th performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre. I received notice today that Mr. Lewis has decided to retire from touring effective immediately,” says Cissy Segall Davis, managing director of the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.

Brett Steele, Steele Management, released the following statement:

“After seven decades of touring, Ramsey Lewis has decided that he physically can no longer tour and has cancelled all of his upcoming performances. While he is still healthy, he is 83 years old and can no longer meet the strenuous demands that touring takes on a touring musician.

He apologizes for the position this puts the promoters and his fans in and respectfully asks that you consider how difficult this decision is for him - to give up something that he loves so very much to do. He does plan to continue to make records and has a new record coming out in 2019.”

Brett Steele, Steele Management, 727-420-1547, brett@steelemgmt.net

“We are very disappointed that Ramsey Lewis will not be performing,” continues Ms. Segall Davis, “but, in that most grand of show business traditions, the show must go on.”

The evening will now be A CELEBRATION OF JAZZ featuring Ann Hampton Callaway and The Urban Knights with Jazz Houston on Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m. at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

One of the greatest jazz voices of our time, Ann Hampton Callaway, is best known for her Tony-nominated performance in the hit Broadway musical Swing! and for writing and singing the theme song to the hit TV series The Nanny. Callaway is a Platinum Award winning writer whose songs are featured on seven of Barbra Streisand’s recent CDs. Ann’s father was Chicago’s legendary TV and radio journalist, John Callaway. You’ll hear interpretations of Broadway, New Orleans, Hollywood, and all four corners of the jazz world. The repertoire includes Ramsey Lewis classics, and nods to other great jazz artists like Mel Torme, Nat King Cole, and Anita O'Day.

The Urban Knights, who have performed with Ramsey Lewis for the past ten years, are an all-star jazz, R&B, and funk band that consists of Chicago's finest musicians - Grammy nominated guitarist Henry Johnson who has toured the world with Hank Crawford, Freddie Hubbard, Jimmy Smith, Sonny Stitt, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Williams, and Nancy Wilson. Drummer Charles Heath who has played with Donald Byrd and McCoy Tyner. Bassist Joshua Ramos who has played with Philip Bailey, Marquis Hill, and Willie Pickens, and Keyboardist Tim Gant who has toured with George Howard, Art Porter, Will Downing, Rick Braun, and En Vogue.

Jazz Houston is a swinging, world-class resident jazz orchestra, led by renowned trombonist Vincent Gardner, the Principal Trombonist with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz At Lincoln Center Orchestra for nearly twenty years, and made up of 15 of the most prominent performing musicians in the world today. Jazz Houston prides itself upon not only performance, but education and community outreach as well. Jazz Houston Orchestra members travel across the world performing and teaching masterclasses in Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean, and Australia. Our members have a wealth of experience across all genres including Jazz, Latin, Soul/R&B, Blues, and Country and have toured with the most popular artists of these genres performing today.

Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre

This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area. Free tickets are available (4 per person over age 16 while they last) at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office the day of the performance between the hours of 10:30 a.m. -1p.m. If tickets remain at 1p.m., the box office will re-open one hour before show time to distribute the remaining tickets. As always, open seating on the hill. The show goes on rain or shine.