May 26, 2007
Section: LIFE
Page: 1E

Couples hit Kingston for smooth jazz and wine

STAFF
Kathleen Wereszynski Murray

Couples tonight will pair Seyval Blanc and Coeur de Lion with sultry, live music at the Smooth Jazz and Wine Tasting at Backstage Studio Productions in Kingston.

"They're both mellow, they both relax people and bring an air of sophistication to an evening," said April Squillante, the director of sales and marketing for Cascade Mountain Winery & Restaurant in Amenia.
Squillante will pour Cascade's fun, "backyard" wines for afficionados to sample while the Dangling Success, a 10-member band, plays "auditory aphrodisiacs."

"From pop culture today, you'd think the amorous are only in their 20s," said keyboard player Daniel Odescalchi. "But our audience ranges from the 30s to the 80s."

Dangling Success blends smooth saxophone melodies with passionate guitar grooves and foot-tapping, danceable backbeats.

Tonight's program includes songs based on findings from the research of "unlicensed psychologist Dr. Ivan": "Lipstick Marks," "Chillin', " "Arabian Nights," "Secret Admirer," "Mischievous Kiss," "Neanderthal Ballet," "Slick Romance," "Nocturnal Submission," "Risky Behavior," "Chilled Champagne" and "Singee."

"The band and the wine are both centered around the Hudson Valley, and I think that's key," Squillante said. "It is a good pairing."

Smooth Jazz and Wine Tasting is an ongoing series that continues June 24 on board the "Spirit of the Hudson."

Reach Kathleen Wereszynski Murray at kmurray@poughkeepsiejournal.com