Grammy Nominations for Clint Holmes

By: Sam Wagmeister/Nightlife Editor
 
Clint Holmes’ 2 ½ year effort to bring his latest CD, Rendezvous, to life paid off with two Grammy Award nominations. The works being honored are a pair of songs from George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, “I Loves You Porgy/There’s a Boat That’s Leavin’ Soon for New York” and “Every Time We Say Goodbye” composed by Cole Porter.
 
Grammy winner Dee Bridgewater joined Holmes on the Porgy and Bess songs which were recorded over two nights at New York’s Blue Note. The recording is backed by the Count Basie Band.

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The CD includes Holmes’ own composition, “At the Rendezvous,” a song that pays tribute to the blues and jazz joint where his father introduced him to the music that would later help guide his career.
 
The project took flight after meeting Grammy award winning record producer Gregg Fields. “I was singing a tune here and there,” Holmes says, “with Fields doing drums.” Fields, who drummed for Count Basie as a teen, suggested to Holmes, “We should do an album together.”
 
Holmes chose songs for the CD that reflected his life. He grew up in musically-rich Buffalo, New York, which has given Las Vegas a treasure trove of talent, including the Scintas. He is the son of a rich musical family - an African-American jazz musician father and his mother, a classically trained British opera singer.
 
Las Vegas has provided a rich resume for Holmes. Among his residencies are six years at Harrah’s with musical director Bill Fayne, recurring performances at The Smith Center’s intimate Myron’s Cabaret Jazz, musical retrospectives at both the Palazzo and Golden Nugget and a tribute to Ray Charles at the Venetian.
 
His coast-to-coast stints include the jazz clubs and cabarets that dot New York City, the Hollywood Bowl and an occasional cruise ship.
 
When his touring schedule permits, Holmes often drops in to the Bootlegger Bistro for open microphone Mondays hosted by his wife, Kelly Clinton Holmes and to Kelly’s Wednesday night lounge shows at the Tuscany Casino. His CDs are available at www.ClintHolmesMusic.com.