Chocolate, wine, and all that jazz sweetens up the Festival of Arts this summer! On Thursday nights, indulge your senses at the “Art, Jazz, Wine and Chocolate” series.

Wine and Chocolate Pairings: Sample a wide variety of wines expertly selected to compliment and enhance the nuanced flavor of gourmet chocolates. Cost: $25 (does not include Festival of Arts admission or reserved seating)

Ray Fuller, guitarist, composer, music director, producer, has intimately worked with such noted artists as Whitney Houston, Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, George Duke, Regina Belle, Boney James, Branford Marsalis, Bebe & Cece Winans, Yolanda Adams, Quincy Jones, Brenda Russell, Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp and many, many others in his outstanding musical career. A graduate of Chicago’s Kenwood Academy of the Arts and later The American Conservatory of Music, Ray “The Weeper” Fuller has continuously made his mark in the entertainment arena as a Guitarist, Performer and Musical Director.

While still in high school, he was already considered on the “A” lists of most record producers and jingles (commercials) in the Chicago area. He also toured the country with Curtis Mayfield and The Chi-Lites. At age 19, Ray toured South Africa with the Staple Singers. Seeing the conditions of a nation under Apartheid and a People oppressed beyond hope had a great impact on his perspective of life and opportunity. It was soon after that he embarked on the bigger challenges of his career and moved to Los Angeles. Ironically, 10 years later, Ray performed with Anita Baker as Musical Director as well as Natalie Cole for Mandela’s “Freedom” concert, which celebrated his release from prison, and also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Mandela and personally expressed to him of South Africa’s inspiration to his own life.

In addition to album recordings and world tours, his guitar has been heard on numerous television and film soundtracks, to name a few; “The Bodyguard” (“I Will Always Love You”), “Leap of Faith”, “Thelma & Louise” (recorded w/ B.B. King), “Another 48 Hours”, “Boomerang”, “Meteor Man”, “Captain EO” (Disney), “The Prince of Egypt” (Dreamworks), to name a few.