Veteran guitarist and contemporary jazz icon Peter White is celebrating a series of key personal and professional milestones and the release of his highly anticipated 17th albumLight of Day.

Having just turned 70, the British born artist says of the new collection, “I think this recording is one of the best I’ve ever made. I have as much enthusiasm and energy for music as I did in my twenties!” 2024 also marked his 50th year as a professional musician, which began with a gig in a Top 40 band at a holiday resort in Perranporth, a seaside resort town in the Southwest corner of England – six months before he met and officially launched his career recording and touring with singer/songwriter Al Stewart (and co-writing Stewart’s classic “Time Passages”).

Though early on in his career as a sideman for Stewart and later, Basia) White could never have anticipated becoming an acclaimed instrumental recording artist, let alone a popular headliner, 2025 marks 35 years since he dropped his debut album Reveillez-Vous. In that time, he has had four #1 Billboard Contemporary Jazz albums (Smile, Groovin’. Here We Go) and four #2’s (Glow, Confidential, Good Day, Playin’ Favourites), in addition to seven #1 Smooth Jazz Airplay hits, including “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” (16 weeks at #1), “Bright” (13 weeks) “Head Over Heels” (nine weeks) “Mister Magic” (eight weeks) and “Bright.” His most recent #1 was as a featured artist on Carol Albert’s #1 hit “Sunshine Yellow.”