Rick Grandi's Page

You may have heard about the current Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz series in Temecula wine country, and there’s lots of excitement about this year’s lineup.  Kenny G & Earl Klugh perform July 22nd, and such luminaries as Rick Braun & Richard Elliott, Dave Koz, and George Benson are also scheduled for this 24th season.

While these shows are sure to be great, the bar for sheer entertainment value has been set quite high at the sold-out “Dream Tour”…

The Thornton Winery Champagne Jazz Series in the formerly “undiscovered” Temecula, CA wine country has set a standard for big names and great performances in an intimate venue, but this 24^th season just might boast their best lineup ever.  It’s more than remarkable that a venue seating less than 600 can bring in the likes of Chris Botti, Bobby Caldwell & David Benoit, Dave Koz, George Benson, Boney James, and Peter White, just to name a few.  And a beautiful venue it is, with…

  As a frequent traveler between Los Angeles and San Diego, I've watched the "sleepy" little town of Temecula, in fact the entire Temecula Valley, transform into a thriving wine community.  Thornton Winery is a centerpiece of Temecula Wine Country, best known for fine champagnes.  But it's also a destination in itself, and for 22 years has been home to one of California's most successful jazz & wine "pairings."  The 8/7 show in the Champagne Jazz Concert Series featured keyboard favorite…