Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 23, 1969 |
| Occupation(s) | Saxophonist, vocalist, author |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Known for | Jazz saxophone performances, American Idol appearances, collaborations with Aerosmith |
Mindi Abair ( ; born May 23, 1969) is an American saxophonist, vocalist, and author.
Her solo work boasts ten radio singles that reached No. 1, two Billboard Jazz albums topping the charts, and four additional solo projects that climbed to at least No. 5 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Charts. She was featured as the saxophonist on American Idol during 2011 and 2012 and has shared the stage with the rock group Aerosmith.
Early life
During her time at Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, Abair held the position of drum major for the marching band. In her senior year, she secured first chair alto saxophone in the Florida All-State Jazz Band. She began her higher education with a full scholarship in jazz at the University of North Florida before transferring to Berklee College of Music in Boston on scholarship, where she studied saxophone under Joe Viola and George Garzone. Graduating magna cum laude in 1991 with a degree in Woodwind Performance, she also formed her inaugural band while still in college.
Performances and releases
Following her graduation in 1991, Abair relocated to Los Angeles, California, where she booked performances for her band at various clubs and hotels. Her solo performances on Santa Monica's 3rd Street Promenade caught the eye of jazz keyboardist Bobby Lyle, who invited her to contribute to his Power of Touch album and tour. Throughout the next ten years, she toured as a saxophonist, vocalist, and keyboardist alongside artists including Adam Sandler, John Tesh, Jonathan Butler, Teena Marie, and Rick Braun. Abair appeared in the music video for Go West's "Tell Me" and contributed saxophone and vocals to Adam Sandler's platinum-selling album What's Your Name? as well as his HBO special.
In 1999, she joined the Backstreet Boys on their Millennium World Tour, performing as saxophonist, keyboardist, and percussionist. Additionally, Abair assembled Mandy Moore's initial band and acted as musical director and multi-instrumentalist for many of Moore's early television appearances.
When not engaged in touring, Abair independently released her debut solo album Always and Never the Same, a fully vocal pop record. She promoted it through performances at Los Angeles rock venues alongside her commitments with the Backstreet Boys tours.
In 2003, Abair signed with Verve Records and launched It Just Happens That Way, which reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. Her 2004 holiday single "I Can't Wait for Christmas" gained regional popularity, particularly around Buffalo, New York. That same year saw the release of Come As You Are, which peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz charts. The 2006 album Life Less Ordinary achieved No. 1 status on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart and remained within the top 20 for 45 weeks; its singles "True Blue" and "Bloom" both attained No. 1 rankings on R&R charts.
Abair inked a deal with Concord Records in 2007, releasing Stars in 2008 which climbed to No. 4 on Billboard’s Contemporary Jazz Chart. The album’s title track reached No. 29 on Adult Contemporary R&R charts while "Smile" secured the No. 1 spot on R&R jazz airplay charts. Her 2010 release Hi-Fi Stereo peaked at No. 6 on Billboard Jazz Albums chart featuring the chart-topping single "Be Beautiful."
The collaborative project Summer Horns, created alongside Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, and Richard Elliot, earned a nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album at the 2013 Grammy Awards.
On May 27, 2014, Abair unveiled Wild Heart through Concord’s Heads Up International label. The album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Jazz chart and reached No. 152 on the Billboard Top 200. It featured guest appearances by Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, and Trombone Shorty and received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2015.
In January 2015, Abair was honored with the Mad Skills Award during the She Rocks event at the NAMM Show. That year, after touring with Randy Jacobs (founder of The Boneshakers) supporting Wild Heart, they formed Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers—a band comprising Abair (saxophone, vocals), Jacobs (guitar, vocals), Sweet Pea Atkinson (vocals), Rodney Lee (keyboards), Derek Frank (bass, vocals), and Third Richardson (drums, vocals). Late in 2015 saw the release of a live album recorded at Seattle's Dimitriou's Jazz Alley via Pledge Music and Heads Up.
During summer 2017, the group announced their debut studio album produced by Kevin Shirley at EastWest Studios. Released on September 15, The EastWest Sessions featured blues and rock compositions with guest artists Joe Bonamassa and Fantastic Negrito. The album debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart.
The song "Pretty Good for a Girl," co-written by Abair and Jacobs for this release, inspired her to create PrettyGoodForAGirl.net—a platform dedicated to celebrating outstanding women and empowering beyond conventional stereotypes.
In October 2018, Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers issued their first blues rock holiday album titled All I Got For Christmas Is The Blues, which debuted at No. 7 on Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart and claimed No. 1 on RMR Holiday Album chart. It included four original tracks alongside seasonal classics such as "Merry Christmas Baby" and "The Christmas Song."
June 2019 marked the release of No Good Deed, which entered Billboard’s Blues Albums Chart at No. 3.
Radio Host
In 2007, Abair assumed the role of host for the nationally syndicated radio show previously known as Chill with Chris Botti, which she had been leading for two years. The program was rebranded as "Chill With Mindi Abair," and she continued to present it until 2015, concentrating on chill out music genres.
Television Appearances
During the 2011 season of American Idol, Abair performed as a soloist alongside Paul McDonald and Casey Abrams, providing support for contestants Jacob Lusk and Haley Reinhart. Upon hearing her saxophone introduction, Steven Tyler complimented her, asking McDonald, "Forget you, who's your sax player?" She returned in 2012 to collaborate with Phillip Phillips and Joshua Ledet. Abair appeared six times with Phillips, delivering renditions of tracks originally by artists such as Usher, Matchbox Twenty, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Billy Joel, Wilson Pickett, and Maroon 5. Additionally, she contributed to the brass ensemble during Ledet's performance of "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" by James Brown. Tyler also extended an invitation for her to join Aerosmith’s 2012 summer world tour as both a saxophonist and backing vocalist.
Abair filled in as the saxophonist for the CBS Orchestra on the Late Show with David Letterman during April 3–4, 2012, and made a subsequent appearance on July 29, 2014, showcasing her original pieces "Wild Heart" and "Train."
Her television résumé further includes appearances on The Tavis Smiley Show as well as multiple performances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
National Academy of Recording Arts And Sciences
In 2009, Abair was elected to serve as a Governor on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, holding this position for three years until 2012. Subsequently, she served one year as Secretary. In 2013, she was chosen as President of the Los Angeles Chapter for a two-year term, succeeding MC Lyte. Later, in 2015, Abair was appointed as a National Trustee of the Recording Academy and served until 2017.
Albums
| align="left"| Peter White Christmas – Live!(Peter White with Rick Braun and Mindi Abair) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | data-sort-value="" style="background: var(--background-color-interactive, #ececec); color: var(--color-base, inherit); vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-na" | — | 2017 | align="left"| The EastWest Sessions
(Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Pretty Good for a Girl | 2018
| Year | Album | Peak Chart Positions | Label | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 200 |
US Top Sales |
US Jazz |
US Con. Jazz |
US Top Cur |
US Ind |
US Holi |
US Blues | |||
| 1999 | Mindi Abair | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | Always and Never the Same | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2003 | It Just Happens That Way | — | — | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | GRP |
| 2004 | Come As You Are | — | — | 9 | 5 | — | — | — | — | GRP |
| 2006 | Life Less Ordinary | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | GRP |
| 2007 | Peter White Christmas (Peter White with Rick Braun and Mindi Abair) |
— | — | 12 | 5 | — | — | 19 | — | Artistry |
| 2008 | Stars | — | — | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | Peak |
| 2010 | In Hi-Fi Stereo | — | — | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | Heads Up |
| 2013 | Summer Horns (Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot) |
84 | 84 | 2 | 1 | 76 | — | — | — | Concord |
| 2014 | Wild Heart | — | — | 1 | 1 | 152 | — | — | — | Heads Up |
| 2015 | Live in Seattle (Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers) |
— | — | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | —
| Heads Up | |
align="left"| All I Got for Christmas Is the Blues |
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— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
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7 | ||
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2019 |
align="left"| No Good Deed (Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers) |
— | — | — | — | — | 48 | — | 3 | |
| 2021 | align="left"| The Best of Mindi Abair | — | — | 11 | 3 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2022 | align="left"| Forever | — | — | 19 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |
| 2024 | align="left"| I Can't Wait for Christmas (Mindi Abair with Lindsey Webster and Marcus Anderson) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2025 | align="left"| Based on a True Story | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Singles
| Year | Title | Highest Chart Rankings | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Contemporary |
Smooth Jazz Airplay |
JPN Hot | |||
| 2005 | "Make a Wish" | — | 21 | — | Come As You Are |
| 2006 | "Happy Christmas" – (charted in Japan in 2017) | — | 18 | 90 | Template:N/A |
| "True Blue" | — | 2 | — | Life Less Ordinary | |
| "Bloom" | — | 1 | — | ||
| 2008 | "Smile" | — | 9 | — | Stars |
| "Out of the Blue" | — | 16 | — | ||
| "Stars" | 29 | — | — | ||
| 2009 | "The Little Drummer Boy" (Peter White with Rick Braun and Mindi Abair) |
— | 28 | — | Peter White Christmas |
| 2010 | "Be Beautiful" | — | 1 | — | In Hi-Fi Stereo |
| "Get Right" | — | 16 | — | ||
| 2011 | "Any Way You Wanna" | — | 30 | — | |
| 2013 | "Got to Get You into My Life" (Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot) |
— | 1 | — | Summer Horns |
| "I Got You (I Feel Good)" (Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot) |
— | 3 | — | ||
| 2014 | "Hot Fun in the Summertime" (Dave Koz featuring Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair, Richard Elliot) |
— | 6 | — | |
| "Haute Sauce" | — | 3 | — | Wild Heart | |
| "Amazing Game" (Mindi Abair featuring Trombone Shorty) |
— | 15 | — | ||
| 2015 | "Wild Heart" | — | 18 | — | |
| "Gone" (Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers) |
— | 7 | — | Live in Seattle | |
| 2020 | "Forever" | — | 3 | — | Forever |
| 2021 | "April" | — | 14 | — | |
| 2022 | "Nothing Ever Hurt Like You" | — | 1 | — | |
| 2023 | "Fly" | — | 11 | — | Template:N/A |
| 2025 | "Oooh-Aah (Catalina)" | — | 1 | — | Based on a True Story |
| "Nouveau Soul" | — | 10 | — | ||
Guest appearances
- Bobby Lyle – Power of Touch (1997)
- Adam Sandler – What's Your Name? (1997)
- Henry Phillips – Number 2 (1999)
- Jeff Golub – Soul Sessions (2003)
- Michael Feinstein – Only One Life: The Songs Of Jimmy Webb (2003)
- Keb' Mo' – Peace...Back by Popular Demand (2004)
- Peach – Real Thing (2004)
- Ellis Hall – Straight Ahead (2004)
- Alan Hewitt Project – Noche de Pasion (2004)
- Peter White – Confidential (2004)
- Daniel Benzali – Benzali (2005)
- Loren Gold – Keys (2005)
- Val Watson – Live at the Funk Lounge (2005)
- Randy Jacobs – From Me To You (2005)
- Russ Kunkel/Chateau Beach – Rivage (2008)
- The Ides of March – Still 19 (2010)
- Greg Manning – The Calling (2010)
- Jim Peterik's Lifeforce – Forces at Play (2011)
- Brite Futures – Dark Past (2011)
- Mocean Worker – Candygram for Mowo! (2011)
- Keb' Mo' – The Reflection (2011)
- Groove Kid Nation – The Wheels on the Bus (2011)
- Terry Wollman – A Joyful Noise (2012)
- Chris Mann – Home For Christmas: The Chris Mann Christmas Special (2013)
- Chris Mann – Chris Mann in Concert: A Mann For All Seasons (2013)
- Randy Jacobs – Rhythm and the Beat (2013)
- Jeff Golub with Brian Auger – Train Keeps A-Rolling (2013)
- David Pack – Napa Crossroads (2014)
- Bobby Rush & Blinddog Smokin' – Decisions (2014)
- Sweet Pea Atkinson – Get What You Deserve (2017)
Soundtrack features
- License to Wed – featured track "Every Time" (2007), track number 9
Appearances on compilation albums
- A Twist of Motown (2003)
- WSJT 94.1 Smooth Jazz, Vol. 6 (2003)
- KKSF 103.7 FM Sampler For AIDS Relief, Vol. 14 (2003)
- Forever, For Always, For Luther (2004), including "Stop To Love"
- First Annual Smoothie Award Winners (2004)
- Live Your Life With Verve: Autumn Moods (2004)
- Dreams And Vision (2005)
- WNUA 95.5 Smooth Jazz Sampler, Vol. 18 (2005)
- Jazziz: Women, Volume 7 (2006)
- KWJZ 98.9 Smooth Jazz Vol. 10 (2006)
- Wave Music, Vol. 9: Max (2006)
- The Best Christmas... Ever! (Poland) (2006)
- Smooth Sounds of the Season, Vol. 1: Circuit City Exclusive (2006)
- KKSF 103.7 FM Sampler For AIDS Relief, Vol. 17 (2006)
- Smooth Ones (2007)
- Smooth Jazz Hits (2009)
- Smooth Jazz No. 1 Hits (2011)
- Smooth Jazz Hits: Ultimate Grooves (2012)