One of the leading “Texas Tenors,” David “Fathead” Newman was born in Corsicana, Texas and spent his childhood in Dallas. His parents introduced him to jazz through the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, and Duke Ellington. "And of course, there was the blues background,” said Newman. “T-Bone Walker and Lowell Fulson were from the Dallas, Tex., area, and you were just surrounded by the blues. It was all so natural." While playing in the band at Lincoln High School in Dallas, Newman acquired his nickname when his band teacher noticed he had his music upside-down and called him “Fathead.” The name stuck. Newman toured with Buster Smith before signing on for a long stint with Ray Charles, first as a baritone saxman and later as the star tenor soloist. From the 50s on, Newman was in high demand, working with Lee Morgan, Billy Higgins, Kenny Dorham, Aretha Franklin, Natalie Cole, Dr. John, Art Blakey, and Herbie Mann’s “Family of Mann” project; later associations included Cedar Walton and Buster Williams. He has appeared on many television shows including Saturday Night Live, David Sanborn's Night Music, David Letterman, and in Robert Altman's film "Kansas City." He has recorded for Atlantic, Muse, Kokopelli, with the Kansas City Orchestra on Verve, and now with High Note (2004’s Song for a New Man, and his latest, a tribute to his late mentor, I Remember Brother Ray). Newman last appeared locally at the 2004 Hot Summer Jazz Festival.

Wrote critic John Murph, “When he plays, he never loses sight of the melody even during a song's most prickly sequences, making every phrase utterly singable. Like his blustery, wide-open sound, his improvisational emphasis on the melody is a testament to his Southern blues roots, proudly extending the legacy of the Texas Tenors…”

A highlight of the 2006 festival will be recognition by the Twin Cities Winter Jazz Festival and the Twin Cities Jazz Society of three Twin Cities’ jazz greats. Eddie Berger, Jeanne Arland Peterson, and Irv Williams will be recognized for their incredible, lifetime contributions to the Twin Cities jazz scene during a special presentation. As last year, there will be a silent auction to raise funds for KBEM-FM Jazz88 and the Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival.

The Winter Festival runs from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm on Sunday, February 26; tickets are $23 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available through www.TicketWorks.com or call (612) 343-3390. The Doubletree Hotel–Park Place is located at 1500 Park Place in Minneapolis near the intersection of I-394 and Highway 100, just west of dowtown; telephone (952) 542-8600. Parking is free. Watch for festival updates on Jazz Police and at www.jazz88fm.com