Steve M.'s Posts - WASHINGTON DC JAZZ NETWORK2024-03-28T17:24:03ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveMhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2528910697?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=2wemirt76csym&xn_auth=noJazz Avenues July 2019tag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2019-07-12:2645717:BlogPost:1727462019-07-12T17:52:37.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<div class="js-tweet-text-container"><p class="TweetTextSize js-tweet-text tweet-text" lang="en" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap; margin: 0px;" xml:lang="en">IT'S Jazz Avenues July! … DC Launches Music Census … DC JazzFest highlights--<a title="https://eastoftheriverdcnews.com/2019/07/12/jazz-avenues-19/" class="twitter-timeline-link" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; color: #1da1f2; text-decoration: none;" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/ug0FdbpQbW" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span class="invisible" style="font-size: 0px; line-height: 0;">https://</span><span class="js-display-url">eastoftheriverdcnews.com/2019/07/12/jaz</span><span class="invisible" style="font-size: 0px; line-height: 0;">z-avenues-19/</span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible" style="font-size: 0px; line-height: 0;"> </span>…</span></a> … and TODAY--Todd Marcus Ensemble/Westminster, 6 pm; Antonio Parker/Twins; Celebrating Carl Grubbs Sat/The Motor House/Baltimore … The Settles Quintet/Monday/Blues Alley</p>
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</div>Jazz Avenues July 2018 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2018-07-06:2645717:BlogPost:1656432018-07-06T16:02:05.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p><span>NEW-- Jazz Avenues July 2018 BLOG ...TONIGHT: Ben Sands at Westminster, John Lamkin's "Favorites" at Twins Jazz...Tomorrow, Donvonte McCoy Quintet at Eighteenth Street Lounge, Sharon Clark at The Alex...Sunday Carl Grubbs at Germano's Piattini ... more</span> <a class="twitter-timeline-link" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/Z72nUzpFmT" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" title="https://www.facebook.com/steve.monroe.334"><span class="invisible">https://www.…</span></a></p>
<p><span>NEW-- Jazz Avenues July 2018 BLOG ...TONIGHT: Ben Sands at Westminster, John Lamkin's "Favorites" at Twins Jazz...Tomorrow, Donvonte McCoy Quintet at Eighteenth Street Lounge, Sharon Clark at The Alex...Sunday Carl Grubbs at Germano's Piattini ... more</span> <a href="https://t.co/Z72nUzpFmT" rel="nofollow noopener" dir="ltr" class="twitter-timeline-link" target="_blank" title="https://www.facebook.com/steve.monroe.334"><span class="invisible">https://www.</span><span class="js-display-url">facebook.com/steve.monroe.3</span><span class="invisible">34</span><span class="tco-ellipsis"><span class="invisible"> </span>…</span></a></p>Jazz Avenues March BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2018-03-16:2645717:BlogPost:1636422018-03-16T14:34:21.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p>Miss it? The Jazz Avenues March BLOG…</p>
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<p>Miss it? The Jazz Avenues March BLOG</p>
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<div class="js-tweet-text-container" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom-color: #14171a; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; clear: none; color: #14171a; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: &quot; segoe ui&quot;,arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; min-height: 0px; orphans: 2; xg-p: static; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; padding: 0px;"><p class="TweetTextSize js-tweet-text tweet-text" lang="en" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word; margin: 0px;" xml:lang="en">... with Washington Women In Jazz Festival weekend highlights--Amy K Bormet, WWJF All-Stars, Anna Webber, Angela Morris at THEARC, Sarah Hughes; Also this weekend, Tim Whalen at Twins Jazz, Christie Dashiell at The Alex, and more ... see jazzavenues.wordpress.com<a title="https://www.facebook.com/steve.monroe.334" class="twitter-timeline-link" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: border-box; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: padding-box; background-position-x: 0%; background-position-y: 0%; background-repeat: repeat; background-size: auto; color: #1da1f2; text-decoration: none;" dir="ltr" href="https://t.co/Z72nUzpFmT" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><span class="invisible" style="font-size: 0px; line-height: 0px;">https://www.a</span></a></p>
</div>Jazz Avenues February 2018 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2018-02-02:2645717:BlogPost:1624132018-02-02T17:00:00.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/jazz-avenues-february-2018-blog/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues February 2018 BLOG</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on…</span></div>
<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/jazz-avenues-february-2018-blog/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues February 2018 BLOG</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a title="View all posts by jazzavenues" class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on</span> <a class="entry-date-link" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2018/02/02/jazz-avenues-february-2018-blog/" rel="bookmark">February 2, 2018</a></div>
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<div class="entry-content"><p><strong>By Steve Monroe</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/sam1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-822" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/sam1.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>… follow <a class="mention" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong>Celebrating D.C.’s Jazzy Black History/Buck Hill</strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>“My father played piano and my brother Clyde played piano, he played like Fats Waller. He turned me to <span class="skimlinks-unlinked">jazz.He</span> bought me a soprano sax and he paid for me to take lessons and I started playing professionally at 15. I had people ask me to go out with them (on the road) but I had children then. You take care of the children first, before you go into your own thing, which is the music.”</em></strong><br/> <strong><em>–from the chapter on Buck Hill, in “Violet Avenues: A Poetry of Jazz,” by Stephen A. Monroe, copyright, 1998, Washington, D.C.</em></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roger-buck-hill.jpg"><img width="242" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-22" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roger-buck-hill.jpg?w=242&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Roger Wendell “Buck” Hill</p>
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<p><strong>Smith leads Lyles tribute; Sher, Wroble, Weston show,</strong><br/> <strong>Buck Hill Tribute, MAJF also highlight February</strong></p>
<p>One can celebrate our Black History Month in D.C. this February in a number of ways, notably by visiting the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at the University of the District of Columbia, the Library of Congress and other locations to explore the recordings and documents and photographs of jazz. And you can attend live events celebrating the ongoing legacy, the living history, of this original Black American art form.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg"><img width="300" height="275" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-130" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg?w=300&h=275"/></a></p>
<p>Michael Thomas, who performs at Westminster Presbyterian Church Feb. 2, and at Twins Jazz Feb. 9-10.</p>
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<p>Those events include, this weekend, the Maurice Lyles Tribute show tonight, Feb. 2, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, with veteran drummer, who passed a couple of years ago, being honored by a group led by Herb Smith on saxophone, with Michael Thomas, trumpet, Wade Beach, piano, Steve Novosel, bass and Percy Smith, drums. According to Westminster information, “Maurice felt strongly about acknowledging Black History Month and assembled tributes for many years. He understood the power of jazz in the African American experience and its power to uplift and advance our community.”</p>
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<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_396" style="max-width: 310px;"><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/christie_dashiell_.jpg"><img width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-396" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/christie_dashiell_.jpg?w=300&h=200"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Christie Dashiell appears Feb. 2-3 with John Lamkin III’s group at An Die Musik in Baltimore.</p>
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<p>Elsewhere this weekend, Ben Sher Quartet plays at Twins Jazz tonight, Feb. 2 and tomorrow, Feb. 3, the John Lamkin III Trio w/ Christie Dashiell Celebrates Black History Month show is at An Die Musik in Baltimore tonight and tomorrow; vocalist Paige Wroble appears tomorrow, Feb. 3, at The Alex/Georgetown Graham Hotel and veteran saxophonist Marty Nau is at Twins Jazz Sunday night, Feb. 4. Also this weekend is the closing of “The In Series: All the Things You Are: Jerome Kern” Friday through Sunday at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.</p>
<p><strong>Also Sunday,</strong> from 6 to 11 p.m. Feb. 4, bassist and CapitalBop impresario Luke Stewart has hipped us to the show at Rhizome, “The anti-Super Bowl.” Stewart said recently, “We’re counter-programming the Super Bowl with an amazing lineup of heavy hitters from the avant-jazz world … Headlining the show will be Chicago’s Ken Vandermark who brings his new group, Marker, to Rhizome as part of their first US tour. Also on the bill are Norwegian trombonist HNM, DC/Balt free jazz lions Heart of the Ghost, the outstanding duo of saxophonist Brian Settles w/ NY drummer Jeremy Carlstedt, and Baltimore favorite Sarah Hughes in a duo with Corey Thuro. Dinner will be provided during the show by local musicians/foodies Mike Bernstein and Pat Cain.”<br/> Rhizome is at 6950 Maple Street N.W., and tickets are $25, for dinner and performances, $15 for music only. See <a href="http://www.rhizomedc.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.rhizomedc.org</a> for complete information.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg"><img width="180" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-189" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg?w=180&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Lena Seikaly appears Feb. 8 at Blues Alley</p>
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<p>Events coming up in the next week include: … Thad Wilson, Feb. 8, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club; Lena Seikaly – Steve Herberman Duo, Feb. 8, Blues Alley; Michael Thomas Quintet, Feb. 9-10, Twins Jazz; Steve Washington, Feb. 10, The Alex/Graham Georgetown Hotel; Musical Tribute to Black History’s Forgotten Heroes/Carter G. Woodson, Rev. Jesse E. Moorland, Jack Johnson, Joe Louis and more, Feb. 11, Anacostia Arts Center.</p>
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<p><strong>Randy Weston Tribute to James Reese Europe</strong></p>
<p><em><strong>“Washington was home to two of the founders of Great Black Music, Will Marion Cook and James Reese Europe. A concert violinist, Cook received excellent classical training in both this country and Europe, but as an adult found inspiration in traditional African American folk tales and spirituals, incorporating them in his compositions. Europe was outspoken in his belief that “we colored people have our own music that is part of us. It’s the product of our souls; it’s been created by the sufferings and miseries of our race.”</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>–from “Great Black Music and the Desegregation of Washington, D.C.” by Maurice Jackson in Jazz in Washington, a 2014 publication of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.</strong></em></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/randyweston2.jpg"><img width="300" height="200" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-831" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/randyweston2.jpg?w=300&h=200"/></a></p>
<p>Randy Weston</p>
<p><a href="http://www.randyweston.info/" rel="nofollow">http://www.randyweston.info</a></p>
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<p>“Nearly 100 years since the end of World War I (Nov. 11, 1918), pianist, composer, and [National Endowment for the Arts] Jazz Master Randy Weston with his African Rhythms Octet headlines a celebration of the life and legacy of early American ragtime musician and composer James Reese Europe (1880–1919),” says the Kennedy Center publicity. “As bandleader of the 369th Regiment Band, an all-African American unit known as the ‘Harlem Hellfighters,’ Europe has been credited for helping introduce jazz music to Western Europe. Weston, known for his repertoire fusing African elements with jazz techniques, salutes the musician who created an international demand for jazz and broke ground for African American artists to come.”<br/> Tickets are $30 for the Feb. 10 event in the Terrace Theater. See <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.kennedy-center.org</a> for more information.</p>
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<p><strong>Buck Hill Tribute at Westminster</strong></p>
<p>The Buck Hill tribute Feb. 23 at Westminster honors Hill, our own Jazz Master saxophonist, bandleader and composer who passed to ancestry a year ago, featuring Davy Yarborough, sax, Michael Thomas, trumpet, Cheyney Thomas, bass, Jon Ozment, piano and Keith Killgo, drums.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/buckhillimpulse.jpg"><img width="295" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-823" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/buckhillimpulse.jpg?w=295&h=300"/></a></p>
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<p><em><strong>“Take any tune, such as ‘Blue Bossa,’ and you’ll find [Buck] Hill doing something slightly different than his illustrious predecessors or compatriots. His direct frontal assaults on a solo, his sliding, powerful sallies on choruses, make you sit up and listen. His ability to pack lyrical complexity into smooth, fluid streams of sound tell you this is an individualist in his own right. ‘When you’re young,’ says Hill, “you try to copy people. I tried to copy people like Lester Young, note for note. But I couldn’t play like him, so I moved on. What you do really is steal from everyone, Dexter Gordon, Gene Ammons, everybody, then you make your own style.’ ”</strong></em><br/> <em><strong>–from “Violet Avenues: A Poetry of Jazz”</strong></em></p>
<p>The Thinking About Jazz event the next day, Sat. Feb. 25 at Westminster features William “Bill” Brower, noted jazz historian and educator, as well as journalist and producer, for his presentation, “Roger Wendell “Buck” Hill: The Wailin’ Mailman,” including information on how Hill “… emerged in a generation that gave birth to many other jazz greats who rose to notoriety through traveling extensively and recording along the way.” And the event will cover how, “While Buck toured some early in his career he found this difficult while balancing his love of family and his hometown roots. So he took a job with the U.S. Postal Service and fit his love of jazz around his commitment to work and family.”</p>
<p>For more information see <a href="http://www.westminsterdc.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.westminsterdc.org</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>Other February events include:</strong> … Imani-Grace Cooper, Feb. 14, Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital … Abby Schaffer, Feb. 14, Twins Jazz … Take 5! Sarah Hughes Quartet, Feb. 15, Smithsonian American Art Museum; Eugenie Jones, Feb. 16, Twins Jazz … Vince Evans Jazz Ensemble, Feb. 16, Westminster Presbyterian Church … Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Feb. 16-18, Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel Executive Meeting Center … Nico Sarbanes, Feb. 17, The Alex …</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/imanigracecooper.jpg"><img width="300" height="220" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-832" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/imanigracecooper.jpg?w=300&h=220"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalist Imani-Grace Cooper performs</p>
<p>Valentine’s Day Feb. 14 at the Hill Center</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg"><img width="200" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-428" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg?w=200&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Integriti Reeves</p>
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<p>… Integriti Reeves, Feb. 18, Blues Alley … Three’s Company/Gail Marten, Feb. 18, Overlea Senior Center/Baltimore … Allyn Johnson/Meet the Artist on the Bandstand—Michael Bowie, Feb. 20, UDC Recital Hall Bldg. 46-West … Noah Haidu, Feb. 24-25, Twins Jazz … Tribute to Buck Hill, Feb. 23, Westminster … Todd Marcus Quintet: On These Streets, Feb. 23, Atlas Performing Arts Center … Thinking About Jazz/Roger Wendell “Buck” Hill: The Wailin’ Mailman, Feb. 24, Westminster … Lafayette Gilchrist and the Sonic Trip Masters All Stars, Feb. 24, Atlas … Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, Feb. 24, An Die Musik/Baltimore … Tierney Sutton Band, Feb. 26, Blues Alley … UDC Small Jazz Ensembles, Feb. 27, UDC Recital Hall Bldg. 46-West … Joe Vetter, Feb. 28, Twins Jazz .</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/majfposter1.jpg"><img width="232" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-828" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/majfposter1.jpg?w=232&h=300"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival Swings Again</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg"><img width="201" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-80" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg?w=201&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Paul Carr</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/nasarabadey4.jpg"><img width="300" height="199" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-825" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/nasarabadey4.jpg?w=300&h=199"/></a></p>
<p>Nasar Abadey</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/klstrayhorn-pic.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-485" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/klstrayhorn-pic.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
<p>Karen Lovejoy</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/chadcarter3.jpg"><img width="300" height="236" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-833" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/chadcarter3.jpg?w=300&h=236"/></a></p>
<p>Chad Carter</p>
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<p>Thanks to our inimitable saxophonist, bandleader, educator and executive producer Paul Carr, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival swings for three hot and heavy days again — the 9th annual! — February 16-18 in Rockville. The stars aligned to perform include Chad Carter, DeAndre Howard and the Collectors, Warren Wolf, Paul Carr himself and his Jazz Academy, Buster Williams, Jazzmeia Horn, Lydia Harrell, Braxton Cook, Nasar Abadey, Carmen Bradford, Eric Byrd, The Airmen of Note, The Lovejoy Group, Carmen Lundy, Wes Biles and more – in addition to a fascinating array of crack school bands and line dance events. See <a href="http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.midatlanticjazzfestival.org</a> for complete information, free events and ticketed event information and show times.</p>
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<p><strong>Coda for Reuben Brown</strong></p>
<p>Sympathies and best wishes, also thanks in celebration for the artistry he gave us, for the family of pianist Reuben Brown who passed on last month. Like yours truly, a graduate of D.C.’s Mckinley Tech High School, Brown was known for his always tastefully melodic, swinging and elegant work, often at the old One Step Down. His legacy lives on in our minds and hearts and on his many SteepleChase Records and other recordings.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/reubenbrown.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-827" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/reubenbrown.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
<p>Reuben Brown</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And thanks to Jazz Promo Services, <a href="http://www.jazznewsyoucanuse.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.jazznewsyoucanuse.com</a>, journalist/historian/producer Bill Brower and Ellen Carter of WPFW-FM for the heads up.</p>
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<p><strong>InPerson … Carl Grubbs Ensemble</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/cgrubbs2102015.jpg"><img width="200" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-481" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/cgrubbs2102015.jpg?w=200&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Carl Grubbs</p>
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<p>Our venerable award-winning Baltimore by way of Philly Jazz Master saxophonist, bandleader, composer and educator Carl Grubbs led his ensemble in a fiery set recently at St. James Episcopal Church’s Parish Hall on the Charm City’s west side, with Eric Byrd on piano, John Guo, bass and Eric Kennedy, drums. The group ripped through “Confirmation,” a down-home “Carl’s Blues,” soared again on “Ceora,” Grubbs’ alto melodic and spicy and with his vintage urgency, and stepped down again for a melancholy “Misty” with Grubbs’ alto sax cries wailing through the air before a packed crowd in the large room, the sun slanting through the vertical windows that afternoon. And then the group romped mightily on “Giant Steps,” Grubbs’ sax spearing the standard into a fiery jamming ride.</p>
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<p><strong>InReview … Tamuz Nissim</strong></p>
<p>With a delicate, though frequently strident vocal delivery, Tamuz Nissim has become a notable vocalist on the scene with an engagingly glowing touch on standards and her intriguing originals. Nissim’s latest recording, “Echo of a Heartbeat” on Street of Stars Records, brims with an attractive urgency, merry in-love and loving-it melodies and aching melancholy.</p>
<p>Based in New York City, the Israeli artist, according to her website, “… grew up in an artistic family; her mother is a dancer and a choreographer and her father is a writer. Both of them play an instrument and have a great love for classical and jazz music. She started playing classical piano at the age of 6; [she started] to sing when she was 14 … By the age of 16, Israeli jazz giants such as Ofer Ganor, Amos Hofman and Shay Zelman had recognized her potential and performed with her.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/tamuznissimechoofaheartbeat.jpg"><img width="300" height="264" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-826" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/tamuznissimechoofaheartbeat.jpg?w=300&h=264"/></a></p>
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<p>She says, “The moment when it became clear that I should devote myself to music was when, at the age of thirteen, as a classical piano player of Ironi Alef high school’s music department, I asked to sing a song with the jazz band at the end of the school year’s performance. The night of the performance convinced everybody, including myself, that singing was my greatest talent.”</p>
<p>Enlarging on the acclaim from her previous CDs, “The Music Stays in A Dream” and “Liquid Melodies,” the fun starts on “Echo …” with “Time In A Bottle” with Nissim wistful and dreamy. She is then fun-loving and funny on “Fried Bananas,” and “Just Squeeze Me,” and displays her compositional talent along with her vocalese skills on originals “My World,” and “In The Melody’s Shade.” The latter becomes a lilting, magical escape with Nissim’s vocal flights enhanced by the superlative backing of pianist James Weidman, Harvie S on bass and Tony Jefferson on drums.<br/> The title tune “Echo of a Heartbeat” is spiced by George Nazos’ guitar and “What A Little Moonlight Can Do,” maybe the highlight of a highly listenable album, whips into a sparkling journey, flavored by Nissim’s crystal-like, airy vocals and artful scatting.<br/> “I believe that life and music are one,” says Nissim. “All of life’s experiences and feelings (love, joy, dreams, disappointment, excitement etc.) can be translated into music if only we let the music in our lives. That is why I always aim at intriguing my audience with an emotion, tell them a story, or enable them somehow to experience music at a deeper level.”</p>
<p>See <a href="http://www.tamuzmusic.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.tamuzmusic.com</a> for more information.</p>
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<p><strong><em>Steve Monroe is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at steve<a class="mention" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>.com or <a class="mention" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>.</em></strong></p>
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<br/><small><a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/">Find more music like this on <em>WASHINGTON DC JAZZ NETWORK</em></a></small></div>Jazz Avenues March/April 2017 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2017-03-31:2645717:BlogPost:1546462017-03-31T17:36:11.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p>By Steve Monroe</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-683" height="160" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg" width="160"></img></a></p>
<p>… follow @jazzavenues</p>
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<p><strong><em>Appreciating Buck Hill</em></strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>“… Some think it was an unfortunate comment on society's view of art that Buck Hill had to take himself to New York City in early 1982 and surround himself with established players, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Billy Hart to…</em></strong></p>
<p>By Steve Monroe</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg"><img width="160" height="160" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-683" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg"/></a></p>
<p>… follow @jazzavenues</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong><em>Appreciating Buck Hill</em></strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>“… Some think it was an unfortunate comment on society's view of art that Buck Hill had to take himself to New York City in early 1982 and surround himself with established players, pianist Kenny Barron, bassist Buster Williams, drummer Billy Hart to burst onto the national scene as an artist worth noting in many jazz and music magazines and newspaper columns. But what of all the hours playing his ripping, driving riffs, gentle caressing tones that Hill played with talented players of D.C.'s and Baltimore's past -- players no one will ever hear of? Hill's star was actually made then, not in New York City clubs, or New York City newspaper reviews in the '80's.” -- From the original manuscript of “Violet Avenues: A Poetry of Jazz,” by Steve Monroe, copyright 1998, Washington, D.C.</em></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/buckhillimpulse.jpg"><img width="295" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-768" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/buckhillimpulse.jpg?w=295"/></a><br/> Funeral services for Hill, who passed away last week at the age of 90, were held March 26 at Westminster Presbyterian Church with a sumptuous feast afterward and a celebration jam session. We appreciate you Buck Hill, who entertained us mightily many an April -- Jazz Appreciation Month. And see more on Buck below, including a review of his 2013 tribute day.</p>
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<p><strong>Howard Univ. Jazz, Marcus, Hargrove, Cyntje on tap</strong><br/> <strong>as April rolls in for Jazz Appreciation Month</strong></p>
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<p>The Howard University Jazz Ensemble takes the stage at Westminster Presbyterian Church Friday March 31 to kick of the weekend at 6 p.m., with Todd Marcus, Roy Hargrove and Reginald Cyntje also among the highlights this weekend.<br/> The Howard University Jazz Ensemble, which delivered another swinging session for its show last month at the campus that featured vibraphonist Warren Wolf, who received the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award that day, performs at Westminster tonight under the direction of the esteemed Fred Irby, followed by Jazz Night at the Movies, “Nat King Cole: A&E Biography.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg"><img width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-149" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
<p>Reginald Cyntje appears at Twins Jazz March 31, April 1.<br/> Saxophonist and composer Marcus brings a band to the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel Friday night, while trombonist Reginald Cyntje appears with his group at Twins Jazz tonight and Saturday and trumpeter Roy Hargrove finishes his week at Blues Alley with shows Friday through Sunday. Also Friday night, sax man Elijah Jamal Balbed is at Mr. Henry’s on Capitol Hill. Tomorrow, Saturday, April 1, “Baltimore Rising” presented by George Spicka/Baltimore Jazz Works features a group with vocalist Charlene Cochran, Leo Brandenburg on reeds and Spicka at the piano, and a group led by virtuoso drummer John Lamkin III appears at Caton Castle in Baltimore.<br/> Meanwhile, Jazz Appreciation Month gets into gear Saturday April 1 when the exhibit “First Lady of Song: Ella Fitzgerald at 100” goes on display at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, in the Archives Center, 1 West. JAM daytime concerts are staged at the museum April 6 -- beginning with the USAF Airmen of Note, and then on April 13, 20, 27, at 12, 1and 2 p.m. in Wallace Coulter Plaza 1 West. See <a href="http://americanhistory.si.edu/smithsonian-jazz/jazz-appreciation-month">http://americanhistory.si.edu/smithsonian-jazz/jazz-appreciation-month</a> for complete JAM activities in April, including jazz objects and archives exhibits April 4, 11, 18 and 25.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg"><img width="180" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-189" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg?w=180"/></a></p>
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<p>Lena Seikaly performs at Westminster Presbyterian Church April 6.</p>
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<p><br/> The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra celebrates its 7th anniversary with a show Monday April 3 at Blues Alley. Also next week, the Twins Jazz Orchestra is at Twins Jazz April 6; “Lena Swings!” featuring vocalist Lena Seikaly with Chris Grasso, Marshall Keys, Zach Pride an C.V. Dashiell is at Westminster April 7.The SF Collective: The Music of Miles Davis & Original Compositions is at Blues Alley April 7-9. Saxophonist/bandleader Carl Grubbs' Jazz/String Ensemble performs his Inner Harbor Suite Revisited: A Tribute to Baltimore April 8 at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center in Baltimore, while saxophonist Tim Warfield is at Caton Castle April 8. And “United Shades of Artistry,” with Levon Mikaellan, Randy Brecker and Gary Thomas performs April 9 at Twins Jazz.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/cgrubbsinnerharborrevisitedcover1.jpg"><img width="300" height="268" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-770" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/cgrubbsinnerharborrevisitedcover1.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p>The Carl Grubbs Jazz/String Ensemble</p>
<p>performs at Eubie Blake Center April 8.</p>
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<p><br/><strong>Other April Highlights</strong>: Paul Carr “All In” Quartet, April 9, Jazz and Cultural Society; UDC Small Jazz Ensembles, April 11, UDC Recital Hall (Bldg. 46-West); Tony Martucci Quintet/Ingrid Jensen, April 12, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club; Twins Jazz Orchestra, April 13, Twins Jazz; Howard University Jazz Ensemble, April 13, Smithsonian National Museum of American History/Coulter Plaza; Allyn Johnson, April 14, Montpelier Arts Center/Laurel; Bowie State Jazz Ensemble, April 14, Westminster Presbyterian Church; Discovery Artist/Marquis Hill Blacktet, April 14, Kennedy Center ;Tim Whalen, April 14-15, Twins Jazz; DADA People, April 15, Atlas Performing Arts Center; Integriti Reeves/Ella Fitzgerald Tribute, April 16, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton; Erena Terakubo Quartet, April 18, Blues Alley ; JAZZForum/”The Life and Music of Tadd Dameron, April 19, UDC Recital Hall; Bill Heid, April 19, Jazz and Cultural Society; Lenore Raphael Quartet/Oscar Peterson Tribute, April 19, Bethesda Blues & Jazz.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg"><img width="200" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-428" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg?w=200"/></a></p>
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<p>Integrit Reeves leads an Ella Tribute</p>
<p>April 16 a the DC Jazz Jam</p>
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<p> <br/><strong>Also:</strong> Todd Marcus Orchestra, April 20, Atlas; Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, April 20, Museum of American History; Roberta Gambarini, April 21-23, Blues Alley; Greg Hatza/CD Release Party, April 21, Westminster; Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald’s 100th Birthday, April 22, Wesley United Methodist Church; Luis Faife Quartet, April 21-22, Twins Jazz; Jazz Talk/Allyn Johnson, April 23, Montpelier; Dante Pope, April 23, Jazz and Cultural Society; Dr. Lonnie Smith, April 23, Creative Alliance/Baltimore; Jessica Boykin-Settles/Ella Fitzgerald Tribute, April 23, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton; Calvin Jones BIG BAND Festival, April 24, UDC University Auditorium; Afro Blue, April 24, Blues Alley; Jazz Piano in LeFrak Lobby, April 24, 25, 26, 28, Museum of American History; Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra w/Sharon Clark, April 25, Blues Alley; Cyrus Chestnut, April 26, Bethesda Blues & Jazz;</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/andrew-white.jpg"><img width="169" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-65" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/andrew-white.jpg?w=169"/></a></p>
<p>photo by Michael Wilderman</p>
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<p>Andrew White's 75th birthday bash</p>
<p>is April 26 at Blues Alley.</p>
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<p>Andrew White’s 75th Birthday Celebration, April 26, Blues Alley; Jimmy Cobb/Four Generations of Miles, April 27-30, Blues Alley; George Washington University Latin Jazz Band, April 27, Museum of American History; Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald/Alison Crockett, April 28, Westminster; Thinking About Jazz/Ella Fitzgerald Celebrating 100 years, April 29, Westminster; Marty Nau, April 30, Twins Jazz; Imani Grace Cooper/Ella Fitzgerald Tribute, April 30, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton; Jazz Lecture/Ella Fitzgerald, Stefon Harris Master Class, April 30, Levine School of Music.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/sharon4.jpg"><img width="172" height="293" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-318" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/sharon4.jpg"/></a></p>
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<p>Sharon Clark appears with the Smithsonian Jazz</p>
<p>Masterworks Orchestra April 25 at Blues Alley.</p>
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<p><strong>A Buck Hill Day – Revisited</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roger-buck-hill.jpg"><img width="242" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-22" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/roger-buck-hill.jpg?w=242"/></a></p>
<p>photo by Michael Wilderman</p>
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<p> <br/> The remarkable Mr. Roger Wendell “Buck” Hill was a leading force on the tenor saxophone, as well as a fine clarinet and flute player, and a formidable composer and bandleader as well during his years on this side of ancestry. After his funeral Sunday at Westminster, he was honored by a jam session featuring many of his former cohorts in the music and many who learned at his knee, including Davey Yarborough, Michael Thomas, Jerry Jones, William Knowles, Darius Scott, Kent Miller, Tracy Cutler, Antonio Parker, Cheyney Thomas, Roberta Washington, Nasar Abadey, Russell Carter Sr., Wes Biles, Fred Foss and others. <strong>Here is a look back at “Giving Flowers …” while you are still around, a report in the Jazz Avenues BLOG, on the June 2013 Buck Hill tribute:</strong><br/> <strong>“Buck Hill Day a jamming tribute</strong></p>
<p>“Speaking of special tributes, thanks again from all of us Buck Hill fans to those who made the Roger ”Buck” Hill tribute June 30 a star-studded event and a great day of music for the large crowd that gathered at Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church in Beltsville, Md.<br/> The Buck Hill Tribute Band — Davey Yarborough, sax, Michael Thomas, trumpet, Jon Ozment, piano, James “Tex” King, bass, Keith Killgo, drums — led the way with a jamming set featuring Hill originals, including “Jasing,” “The Sad Ones,” “Scope” and “Little Bossa.”<br/> As King pointed out, Hill’s tune “The Sad Ones” is one of his tunes that ranks with any tune by anyone, and King played it lovingly, driving the haunting melody with his throbbing, lyrical lines. Known for his golden saxophone sound and witty and lyrically fascinating riffs and solos, it was appropriate that the tribute highlighted the complete musician Hill has been and remains.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg"><img width="300" height="275" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-130" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg"><img width="300" height="201" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-184" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/james-king.jpg"><img width="300" height="225" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-225" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/james-king.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg"><img width="225" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-224" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg?w=225"/></a></p>
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<p>From the top, Michael Thomas, Nasar Abadey,</p>
<p>James King and Fred Foss were among those</p>
<p>who attended Buck Hill event March 26 at Westminster.</p>
<p> <br/> Glowing, heartfelt tributes were made by many for Hill, seated in the front pew of the beautiful, two-year-old church, and dressed to the nines in a bright blue dress shirt, tie and black suspenders that had little silver saxophones on them on each side.<br/> Tributes came from family members and from long distance from those like saxophone guru Andrew White, drummer Billy Hart, Lenny Cujoe, Bootsie Barnes and Ted Carter, all praising Hill’s humble nature and his willingness to mentor and help other musicians and his work ethic that helped him become an icon in the industry for his dynamic saxophone stylings.<br/> Proclamations were read from Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland and Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, and artists and others on site also honored Hill fondly, with remarks from those including King, Ozment, Killgo, Yarborough and Thomas, as well as W.A. “Bill” Brower, Nasar Abadey, Chad Carter and many others.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/chadcarter.jpg"><img width="300" height="236" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-774" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/chadcarter.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
<p>Chad Carter attended the Buck Hil Tribute</p>
<p>in June 2013 and the services last week at Westminster.</p>
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<p> <br/> Other artists honored Hill with their playing in the jam session that lasted well into the evening, with a special heartfelt number done by vocalist Sharon Clark, “I’ll Remember April,” particularly capturing the essence of the day.<br/> Clark’s stirring vocals, and those of Julian Hipkins and Selena McDay were supported well by other musicians who came for the jam session, like pianist Darius Scott, saxophonists Antonio Parker and Frankie Addison and Whit Williams, drummer Gary Jenkins, saxophone master Fred Foss and guitarist Mark Mosley, and bassists Herman Burney and David Jernigan, among others.<br/> Thanks to Cheyney and Tonya Thomas, Undaunted Productions, Queen’s Chapel United Methodist Church and its Rev. B. Kevin Smalls, Rusty Hassan and Ellen Carter of WPFW Pacifica Radio, and everyone who had a hand in making the Roger ”Buck” Hill Tribute a warm and memorable day.”</p>
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<p><strong>From “Violet Avenues: A Poetry of Jazz”:</strong><br/> “<strong>buckhill</strong><br/> gentle<br/> smiling<br/> man<br/> cafe au lait<br/> colored<br/> man<br/> easy<br/> going on<br/> the bandstand<br/> now riffing<br/> gruff, rough<br/> tones chopping melodies<br/> into<br/> he gots rhythm<br/> we gots rhythm<br/> diving planes<br/> of hawkins<br/> divided by webster<br/> multiplied by gordon<br/> he gots rhythm.</p>
<p>gentle<br/> breezes into<br/> guts bucket<br/> blues blowing<br/> now lullaby<br/> my sweet<br/> through<br/> your golden horn<br/> softly<br/> cymbal<br/> sighing.<br/> Clapping hands bow to you<br/> smiling man<br/> full<br/> brims golden melody.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/buckhillbuckstopshere.jpg"><img width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-772" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/buckhillbuckstopshere.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>InPerson… Brad Mehldau’s “Three Pieces after Bach”</strong></p>
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<p><br/> These engagements where artists cross over, so to speak, from the jazz world to play classical and jazz with classical motifs can be a unique treat for real patrons of music and art in general, as was the case when Washington Performing Arts presented pianist Brad Mehldau at Sixth & I in D.C. March 16. The event showcased Mehldau’s “Three Pieces After Bach,” a commissioned work he debuted two years ago and has since performed at selected venues. The real treat is when one forgets what one might have read in the program at the beginning of the show and just listens, and just enjoys, and then doesn’t really notice where the “classical’ ends and the “jazz” begins, and vice versa.<br/> So on that mild late winter night, with signs of a recent snowfall still clinging to the busy streets and sidewalks as a crowd of patrons entered Sixth & I, an august, balconied chamber, to hear Mehldau, a celebrated figure in the jazz world with Grammy awards on his shelf, the luckiest one might have been one with no ties to any particular type of music, who just sat and listened when Mehldau entered, to solid applause, dressed in all dark attire, and smiling, and sat down in front of the gleaming Steinway, lowered his hands and began playing sprightly, light ripples of melodies, becoming more insistent but no less precise as he went along, his left hand chords driving the beat under the light ripples of melody, continuing to spiral his way through his journey, then segueing into more slightly jagged riffs, still driving the mood forward, having treated that lucky one to first Bach as laid down for centuries, then Mehldau innovations on tone and form.</p>
<p>The audience, a good crowd though not a packed house, was nonetheless at rapt attention throughout and applauded instantly when Mehldau would stop, before obviously then starting a new piece. For the record, the program had Mehldau start with J.S. Bach’s “Prelude No. 3 in C-sharp Major, BWV848” from <em>The Well-Tempered Clavier</em>, followed by Mehldau’s “After Bach 1: Rondo,” from his “Three Pieces of Bach” work and then J.S. Bach’s “Prelude No. 1 in C Major, BWV870,” then an “Improvisation on Bach I.” Then another J.S. Bach piece, Mehldau’s “After Bach 2: Ostinato and intermission. The second half featured a similar order of J.S. Bach, then Mehldau and so forth.</p>
<p>That first half then, following the sprightly, precision textured melodies of J.S. Bach -- which to this listener seemed an appropriate call to spring, a prelude for us all waiting to be freed from cold and snow -- with Mehldau’s first piece at first a meandering stroll, then stepping up to a methodical journey forward before taking off side to side with spirals upward, settling then into contemplative intensity, his head bending down occasionally in emphasis as chords delved deeper then lighter. His J.S. Bach passages seemed appropriately more ordered and straightforward for the most part, though Mehldau and Bach are an appropriate match since Bach himself was known for complex and multi-melody works as well as more ordered compositions.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/bradmehldau03162017washperformarts.jpg"><img width="300" height="102" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-732" alt="" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/bradmehldau03162017washperformarts.jpg?w=300"/></a></p>
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<p>The performance, enhanced by the Mehldau choreography of sometimes rippling along steadily, then gradually slowing and bending his head to the keys, then lifting his head, and his hands up gradually, before gently laying them back on the keys to softly weave a different tapestry of sound in another direction, took place in the center of the chamber bathed in spotlight, with, on each of side of him, giant golden candelabras with bright white bulbs for more illumination.</p>
<p>After the brief intermission, the second half of the program was highlighted by Mehldau’s “After Bach 3: Toccata, a jamming blend of flights of colors segueing into quiet respites before more ripples and further, higher intensity and more colors, all grounded by the left-hand chords, like a bass player grooving underneath him, seeming piano/bass duet soliloquies with more than a little blues here and there. Passages somewhat reminiscent of Mehldau’s “Ode,” an acclaimed piece of jazz that veers into classical motifs with its driving singlemindedness over the top, though with diverging colors.</p>
<p>At the close of the final “Improvisation on Bach” the applause was steady and resounding and there were some shouts as Mehldau stood, and gently bowed, smiling, to the audience. “Thanks very much,” he said, it’s great to be here … thanks for going with me on my Bach journey.”</p>
<p>He ended the formal program with the “J.S. Bach Prelude and Fugue in F minor,” with an almost waltz-like dreamy delivery, then the improvisation afterward stepped up the cadence, the intensity, the colors, adding layers, different melodies, pausing for a time for deeper more somber notes, then taking off again, rippling higher notes in a joyful romp, echoing the opening passages of the evening, seeming to call to meadows and blue skies and greenery all around, with streams and brooks winding just over the rise, an insistent stream of rhythms and colors up and down the scale, then gently slowing, as the sun might be slowly setting in the far sky, as dusk approaches, then dimming to a quiet end.</p>
<p>The steady applause as he rose and bowed, and then walked off, called for an encore, and he came back and delivered a Mehldau favorite, a sweetly opening “And I Love Her,” the popular Beatles tune, careful and melodic and poetic then more forceful and propulsive taking off on the melody to enhance it with layers of ordered passages interwoven with jazzier riffs.</p>
<p><strong><em>Steve Monroe is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at steve@jazzavenues.com or @jazzavenues.</em></strong></p>Jazz Avenues March 2017 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2017-03-03:2645717:BlogPost:1544672017-03-03T15:04:16.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p><strong>By Steve Monroe</strong></p>
<p><strong>…follow @jazzavenues</strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>Trombonist, arranger – and pioneer</em></strong><br></br><strong><em>for women in jazz, Melba Liston</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>“Melba [Liston] had the incredible ability of making musicians sound better through what she wrote for them. That’s the mark of a great arranger,” says jazz master pianist, composer and bandleader Randy Weston in his autobiography, “African…</em></strong></p>
<p><strong>By Steve Monroe</strong></p>
<p><strong>…follow @jazzavenues</strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>Trombonist, arranger – and pioneer</em></strong><br/><strong><em>for women in jazz, Melba Liston</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>“Melba [Liston] had the incredible ability of making musicians sound better through what she wrote for them. That’s the mark of a great arranger,” says jazz master pianist, composer and bandleader Randy Weston in his autobiography, “African Rhythms,” written with our own DC Jazz Festival guru Willard Jenkins. "She wrote for Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Quincy Jones, Gloria Lynne, the Supremes, Bob Marley …"</em></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/melba-liston1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-726" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/melba-liston1.jpg" alt="melba-liston1" width="170" height="170"/></a></p>
<p><strong>photo from <a href="http://www.randyweston.info">www.randyweston.info</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>Weston, whose career has included a National Endowment of the Arts tribute and many other awards, also said in the book: " ... By this time I had met Melba Liston and this record ["Little Niles"] became our first collaboration ... [It] was a great example of the genius of Melba Liston. We had Jamil Nassar on bass, Johnny Griffin on tenor sax, Ray Copeland and Idrees Sulieman on trumpet, Charlie Persip on drums, and Melba Liston herself played trombone."</em></strong></p>
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<p><strong>Washington Women In Jazz events</strong><br/><strong>headline rich weekend of sounds</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/karinechapdelaineppi.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-320" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/karinechapdelaineppi.jpg?w=200" alt="KarineChapdelaineppi" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Karine Chapedelaine</p>
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<p> <br/>This March we again celebrate Women's Month and we here honor the legacy of women in jazz, like Melba Liston, known for her musicianship and her arrangements, (born 1926 in Kansas City, MO.; died 1999) who helped pave the way for stars of today, like this year’s Washington Women In Jazz Festival performers Amy Bormet, Leigh Pilzer, Jessica Boykin-Settles, Sarah Hughes, Shannon Gunn, Laura Dryer and many others.<br/>Bormet leads a band tonight, Friday, March 3 for “An Evening with the Washington Women in Jazz Festival at 6 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Performers include Bormet, piano and vocals,<br/>Shacara Rogers, vocals, Gabrielle Murphy, alto sax, flute, Kim Sator, harp, Delandria Mills, flute, Karine Chapdelaine, bass and Ana Barreiro, drums.<br/>Tomorrow, Saturday, March 4, WWJF presents a “Young Artist Showcase and Jam Sessions at Levine at THEARC in Southeast D.C., with “emerging jazz women musicians in high school and college,” per WWJF information. And uptown Saturday, eclectic multi-instrumentalist Anita Thomas appears with the Amy K. Bormet Trio at Wesley Church, 5312, Connecticut Avenue N.W. WWJF performers will also appear Sunday, March 5 at the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton Restaurant and Friday March 10 at Bowie State University, with Bormet on piano, Hughes and Vinkeloe, saxophones, Karine Chapdelaine, bass and Savannah Harris, drums.</p>
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<div class="mceTemp"><dl id="attachment_727" class="wp-caption alignleft">
<dt class="wp-caption-dt"><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/jessica-boykinsettles1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-727" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/jessica-boykinsettles1.jpg?w=287" alt="SONY DSC" width="287" height="300"/></a></dt>
<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Jessica Boykin-Settles appears at the Smithsonian Anacostia Museum March 11.</dd>
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<p>Other WWJF events this month include vocalist-educator Jessica Boykin-Settles’ show, “Oh Ella! Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald,” a Rhythm Café performance at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 11 at the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum, 1901 Fort Place, S.E. The free event features “a special tribute to one of jazz music’s most distinctive voices known for her scat style of singing, diction and perfect pitch.” Museum information advises to register early, online or by calling 202.633.4844. See <a href="http://www.anacostia.si.edu">www.anacostia.si.edu</a> for complete information. And Swedish alto saxophonist/flautist and bandleader Biggi Vinkeloe leads an Improvisation Workshop at 2 p.m. March 12 at Robert Harper Books, 6216 Rhode Island Avenue, in Riverdale Park, Md.</p>
<p>See <a href="http://www.washingtonwomeninjazz.com">www.washingtonwomeninjazz.com</a> for complete information on WWJF events.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/ellaeventanacostiamuseum032017.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-728" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/ellaeventanacostiamuseum032017.jpg" alt="ellaeventanacostiamuseum032017" width="200" height="191"/></a></p>
<p>Ella Fitzgerald</p>
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<p> <br/><strong>Other women performers</strong> this month include award-winning composer and conductor Maria Schneider and her Orchestra Saturday, March 4 at the Kennedy Center, and The Jennifer Scott World Jazz Ensemble Saturday, March 4 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, as part of its 2017 Intersections Festival.<br/>Vocalist Christie Dashiell is at the Kennedy Center Jazz Club March 11, vocalist Alison Crockett will perform March 11 at Twins Jazz, while Vocalist Danielle Wertz appears March 11 at The Alex inside The Graham Georgetown Boutique Hotel, with Howard University’s own, vocalist Shacara Rogers at the Alex March 18.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/dwertz2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-482" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/dwertz2.jpg?w=200" alt="dwertz2" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Danielle Wertz is at The Alex in Georgetown March 11.</p>
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<dd class="wp-caption-dd">Christie Dashiell is at the Kennedy Center Jazz Club March 11.</dd>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/loriwilliams1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-729" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/loriwilliams1.jpg?w=200" alt="loriwilliams1" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Lori Williams is at Westminster Presbyterian Church March 24.</p>
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<p>Dynamic multi-genre vocalist Lori Williams will appear March 24 at Westminster. Vocalist Jackie Ryan appears March 26 at The Baltimore Museum of Art, and vocalist Marianne Matheny-Katz performs March 26 at O'Callaghan Annapolis Hotel, with a band that includes saxophonist Craig Alston, Vince Evans, piano, Eric Kennedy, drums and Tom Baldwin, bass.<br/>And, women are featured at the Montpelier Arts Center jazz series in Laurel, Md. this month with Baltimore’s internationally known vocalist Ethel Ennis March 9; vocalist Esther Williams with her husband Davey Yarborough March 10; vocalist Kristin Callahan performing with the Thad Wilson Quartet March 17; saxophonist Laura Dreyer appearing March 24; and the series closes with the special event “Women in Jazz: From Classrooms to Careers” March 26, with Dreyer, trombonist and bandleader Shannon Gunn and others. Call 301-377-7800 or 410-792-0664 for more information on the Montpelier jazz.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/kristincallahan1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-730" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/kristincallahan1.jpg?w=200" alt="kristincallahan1" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Kristin Callahan is at The Montpelier Arts Center</p>
<p>with Thad Wilson March 17.</p>
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<p><strong>Pianists Johnson Evans, Mehldau, Eldar highlight other events</strong></p>
<p>Our own pianist Allyn Johnson, jazz studies director at the University of the District of Columbia, performs Saturday, March 4 at the Intersections Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center, presenting “Music of D.C. Musicians Past and Present” for a 6 p.m. show. Later this month, Johnson plays host for this month’s JAZZforum March 21 at the UDC Recital Hall (Bldg 46-West) when he interviews living legend educator Dr. Arthur Dawkins, former professor and director of jazz studies at Howard University. See <a href="http://www.jazzaliveudc.org">www.jazzaliveudc.org</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-548" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png?w=300" alt="AllyJohnsonbyWABrower" width="300" height="201"/></a></p>
<p>Allyn Johnson appears March 4 at the Intersections Festival</p>
<p>at the Atlas and hosts the JAZZForum with Dr. Arthur Dawkins</p>
<p>March 21 at UDC.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/orrinevansartsclub03062017.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-731" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/orrinevansartsclub03062017.jpg?w=300" alt="orrinevansartsclub03062017" width="300" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Pianist Orrin Evans is at the Arts Club of Washington March. 6.</p>
<p> <br/>Philadelphia’s young master pianist Orrin Evans plays the Arts Club of Washington Monday, March 6 for a 7 p.m. show in the club’s piano jazz series. Publicity for the show notes that Evans “… keeps his music on the front burner with the neo-soul/acid jazz ensemble Luv Park, the collective trio Tarbaby, and the raucous Captain Black Big Band. With 25 CD's to his credit, Mr. Evans paints with a broad musical brush that encompasses small and large jazz ensembles, poetry collaborations, and film scoring.” See <a href="http://www.artsclubofwashington.org">www.artsclubofwashington.org</a>.<br/>Another highly acclaimed pianist, Brad Mehldau appears at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in downtown D.C. March 16. See <a href="http://www.bradmehldau.com">www.bradmehldau.com</a>. Eldar, the “pyrotechnic” marvel of a pianist appears with his trio March 22 at Blues Alley. See <a href="http://www.eldarmusic.com">www.eldarmusic.com</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/bradmehldau03162017washperformarts.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-732" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/bradmehldau03162017washperformarts.jpg?w=300" alt="bradmehldau03162017washperformarts" width="300" height="102"/></a></p>
<p>image from <a href="http://www.washingtonperformingarts.org">www.washingtonperformingarts.org</a></p>
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<p><strong>OTHER MARCH EVENTS INCLUDE:</strong> Jeff Antoniuk and The Jazz Update, March 3-4, Twins Jazz; Chuck Redd, March 4, The Alex/Georgetown; Project Natale, March 8, Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society (JACS); Antonio Parker & Friends, March 10, Westminster; Marty Nau, March 15, Twins Jazz; Steve Washington, March 15, JACS; Nicholas Payton CD Release Party, March 15-16, Blues Alley; Brad Mehldau, March 16, Sixth & I Historic Synagogue; Twins Jazz Orchestra, March 16, 30, Twins Jazz; Michael Thomas Quintet, March 17-18, Twins Jazz; Arnold Sterling’s Favorite Sons, March 17, Westminster Presbyterian Church; Rick Alberico, March 19, Twins Jazz; Howard Kingfish Franklin, March 19, JACS; Allyn Johnson Meet the Artist/Dr. Arthur Dawkins, March 21, UDC Recital Hall/Bldg. 46 West; Cheyney Thomas, March 22, JACS; Eldar Trio, March 22, Blues Alley; Kevin Eubanks Group, March 23-26, Blues Alley; R&B Jazz Quintet/Kenny Rittenhouse, Herman Burney, March 24-25, Twins Jazz; Jordon Dixon, March 26, DC Jazz Jam/The Brixton; Marianne Matheny-Katz, March 26, O’Callaghan Annapolis Hotel; Meet the Artist/Ralph Peterson, March 28, UDC Recital Hall; Roy Hargrove, March 28-31, Blues Alley; JAZZforum/Bob Porter: Soul Jazz, March 29, UDC Recital Hall; Reginald Cyntje, March 31, Twins Jazz; Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra/Women in Jazz: The Influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Mary Lou Williams and Lil Hardin Armstrong, March 31, Museum of American History; Howard University Jazz Ensemble, March 31, Westminster; Jazz Night at The Movies/Nat King Cole, March 31, Westminster; Todd Marcus, March 31, Montpelier …</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-130" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/michaelthomas1.jpg?w=300" alt="michaelthomas1" width="300" height="275"/></a></p>
<p>The Michael Thomas Quintet is at Twins Jazz March 17-18</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/toddmarcus2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-237" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/toddmarcus2.jpg?w=300" alt="toddmarcus2" width="300" height="200"/></a></p>
<p>Todd Marcus is at Montepelier March 31.</p>
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<p><strong>“Tell Me More and Then Some”</strong></p>
<p>"Baltimore was geographically located conveniently in the center of New York, Atlantic City and Washington D.C. It was also not too far from Chicago and New Orleans. With a central location in the country, it was a common stopping point for many well-known touring musicians,” says information on the website for the film in production, “Tell Me More and then Some,” about jazz in Baltimore.<br/>“It was home to a variety of night clubs and destinations that included … the famous Royal Theatre on Pennsylvania Ave, a definitive stop on the Chitlin Circuit. Baltimore hosted legends such as Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton. All the while, simultaneously having a strong local music and entertainment scene that included Eubie Blake, Chick Webb and Cab Calloway. Even the famous Lady Day spent most of her youth and teenage years growing up in Baltimore. It was a city that was an essential part of American jazz History.”<br/>Stay tuned. See <a href="http://www.tellmemoreandthensome.com">www.tellmemoreandthensome.com</a> for complete information, and to donate to donate to this worthy venture.</p>
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<p><strong>Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation</strong></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/herbscottmajf2017.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-734" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/herbscottmajf2017.jpg?w=300" alt="herbscottmajf2017" width="300" height="169"/></a></p>
<p>photo by Steve Monroe</p>
<p>Herb Scott performing at the Mid-Atlantic</p>
<p>Jazz Festival in February.</p>
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<p> <br/>Saxophonist/jazz activist Herb Scott said recently he is launching the website soon for his Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation, at <a href="http://www.capitolhilljazzfoundation.org">www.capitolhilljazzfoundation.org</a>. Scott, who spoke about the foundation at the February Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival panel presentation on “Jazz Preservation, Education and Promulgation: Building A Mid-Atlantic Network,” says “The mission of the foundation is to produce a weekly jazz jam session, annual jazz festival and Conference and, daily arts advocacy related work. Our mission is to financially assist D.C. based Jazz musicians, venues and Jazz education programs.”<br/><strong>--InPerson … Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival</strong></p>
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<p>Vanessa Rubin, dazzling in her gold-sequined top and white pants, sang in a shout to the large crowd, “Are You Ready for Me?” at the feature show the first night of the 8th Annual Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival at the Hilton Hotel & Meeting Executive Center in Rockville last month. Then Rubin, with her guest Paul Carr, the festival impresario himself playing tenor sax, sang her way through a thoroughly entertaining set, including a rousing “All Blues,” delighting her fans and officially kicking off the festival.<br/>Indeed, a VIP pre-event the night before featuring Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Rhythm Orchestra was a blast, per reports, and that first afternoon the T.C. Williams (Alexandria, Va.) High School jazz band and then trumpeter DeAndrey Howard & Collector’s Edition with sax man Tracy Cutler opened the weekend with some spicy sounds. Howard and Cutler shined on “Theme for Maxine,” “Yesterdays” and other tunes, along with pianist Bob Butta. Alto sax man Herb Scott, backed by pianist Hope Udobi’s melodic riffs. played a fine set that evening at the MAJF Club, with standards and originals, like his “Catch Me At The Jazz Show” jazzy rapping jam.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-80" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg?w=201" alt="paulcarr2 (2)" width="201" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Paul Carr</p>
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<p> <br/>Saturday that weekend opened in the large hotel atrium with Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music group, highlighted by its Latin jam “Armando’s Hideaway,” the horns singing sweetly over he catchy beats of the rhythm section, and then the Olney Big Band delivered a fiery session of standards, with swinging horn section riffs.<br/>The festival’s vocalist competition highlighted our own Danielle Wertz, shining on “Beautiful Love,” and a fine performance by Monica Pabelonio, among the other contestants, but Boston’s Lydia Harrell, with her dramatic, heartfelt and sultry phrasing on tunes like “Black Butterfly,” stole the show for this observer. Then Noel Simone Wippler, the 2016 MAJF vocal winner, delivered a hot set of her own, the statuesque beauty a sultry, hip-shaking wonder on tunes like “Sophisticated Lady” and “Moody’s Mood for Love.”<br/>Also on Saturday, the panel discussion moderated by producer, journalist, promoter W.A. “Bill” Brower on “Jazz Preservation, Education and Promulgation: Building A Mid-Atlantic Network,” featured Scott, Barbara Grubbs of Contemporary Arts Inc., Prof. Judith Korey, Curator Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at UDC, vocalist/jazz activists Aaron Meyers and others for a lively session that aired thoughts and action steps on providing a better nurturing environment for jazz, including its musicians, its venues and its audiences.<br/>The East Carolina University Jazz Ensemble, with saxes and swinging horns overall, wowed he atrium crowd, with vocalist “Samantha Kunz” soaring on “Stella By Starlight” and “I Wish I Would Know How It Would Feel to be Free” and “September. Vocalist Kathy Kosins delivered a bluesy, downhome set and the Guitar Summit featured Russell Malone, Paul Bollenback and Bobby Broom strummed up a storm with their session Saturday night.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/janellegillartsclubof-wash.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-354" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/janellegillartsclubof-wash.jpg" alt="JanelleGillArtsClubof Wash" width="190" height="190"/></a></p>
<p>Janelle Gill</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-260" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg?w=300" alt="AkuaAllrich" width="300" height="168"/></a></p>
<p>Akua Allrich</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/klovejoygroupmajf2017.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-759" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/klovejoygroupmajf2017.jpg?w=300" alt="klovejoygroupmajf2017" width="300" height="169"/></a></p>
<p>Karen Lovejoy at Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival</p>
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<p> <br/>The MAJF Collective, Akua Allrich on vocals, Janelle Gill, piano, and Savannah Harris, drums, were a highlight that Sunday of the festival, Allrich a witty and engaging entertainer as well as a stirring vocalist, leading the way on tunes like “My Baby Just Cares for Me,” “Black Coffee,” and her own tunes like “Take My Time” and “Red Bark,” with Gill’s insistent melodic charms on piano and Harris’ efficient drum passages complimenting Allrich’s rich and bluesy vocals and scatting riffs. Vocalist Karen Lovejoy, the “Jazz Goddess,” had a fine set of her own that day on “Close Your Eyes,” “St. Louis Blues,” here with her own sultriness and her vintage half-cry phrasing and then bluesy, finger-snapping, blues shouts. The Paul Carr Quartet that night featured Carr’s bluesy sax, and vocalist Jamie Davis’ booming baritone romantic treats on tunes like “Night and Day.”</p>
<p><em><strong>Steve Monroe is a Washington, D.C. writer who can be reached at steve@jazzavenues. com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues">www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</strong></em></p>Jazz Avenues November BLOG 2016tag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2016-11-04:2645717:BlogPost:1526482016-11-04T18:18:17.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/jazz-avenues-november-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues November BLOG 2016</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on …</span></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/jazz-avenues-november-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues November BLOG 2016</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on </span><a class="entry-date-link" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/11/03/jazz-avenues-november-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">November 3, 2016</a> <span class="sep">|</span> <span class="edit-link"><a class="post-edit-link" href="https://wordpress.com/post/jazzavenues.wordpress.com/669">EDIT</a></span></div>
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<div class="entry-content"><p><strong>by Steve Monroe</strong></p>
<p><strong>… follow <a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/pressandteddycover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-687" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/pressandteddycover.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="pressandteddycover" width="300" height="300"/></a></p>
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<p><strong><em>Just happened to be enjoying the classic CD “Pres and Teddy” by The Lester Young-Teddy Wilson Quartet (Verve, 1956), and focusing on the exquisiteness of Wilson’s piano playing and realized Wilson (1912-1986) is one of our birthday heroes this month, and his birthday Nov. 24 is also Thanksgiving Day.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>From the book “Jazz Portraits” by Len Lyons and Don Perlo, William Morrow and Company Inc., 1989: “ Working with the legacy of rough-hewn and powerfully exciting stride pianists, Wilson sculpted complex and cleanly articulated right-hand melodies that inspired his descendants to improvise with greater refinement and sophistication. He was best known in the late 1930s for his work with the Benny Goodman quartet that included Lionel Hampton and Gene Krupa, although he is equally celebrated by musicians for his elegant accompaniment of Billie Holiday during the same period.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>“Wilson’s parents were both teachers at Sam Houston State University in Texas, until the family moved to Alabama, where Teddy grew up. His father became head of he English department at the Tuskegee Institute, and his mother was a librarian. Teddy studied music there and at Talladega College, where he developed an appreciation for the classics and a disciplined, schooled approach to the music …”</em></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/larrybrown1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-688" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/larrybrown1.jpg?w=300&h=253" alt="larrybrown1" width="300" height="253"/></a></p>
<p>Sterling pianist Larry Brown has a busy month, playing</p>
<p>Friday Nov. 4 and Sat. Nov. 5 at Twins Jazz; Nov. 18 at</p>
<p>Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club; and Nov. 19 at</p>
<p>Germano/Piattini’s in Baltimore.</p>
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<p><strong>Marshall, Brown, Marten, Seikaly and Meadows</strong><br/><strong>highlight first November jazz weekend</strong></p>
<p>Keyboardist Terry Marshall, pianist Larry Brown, vocalists Gail Marten and Lena Seikaly, and entertainer/keyboard specialist Mark Meadows are featured performers as November jazz gets into high gear.<br/>Marshall leads an ensemble Friday Nov. 4 at Westminster Presbyterian Church (see more below). Meanwhile, pianist Larry Brown kicks off a two-night stay at Twins jazz with his quintet, including Kent Miller on bass, Greg Holloway on drums, Thad Wilson on trumpet, and Peter Fraize on tenor sax.</p>
<p>Also on Fri Nov. 4, there will be a “Staged Reading and Jazz Performance” ($20) at the Jazz and Cultural Society, on 12<span>th</span> Street N.E. in D.C., featuring the Black Women’s Playwright Group and Changamire. On Sunday Nov. 6 the Firm Roots Organ Trio plays at JACS (<a href="http://www.jazzandculturalsociety.com">www.jazzandculturalsociety.com</a>).<br/>Up the road a bit, a fundraiser for Bridges to Housing Stability Saturday Nov. 5 features vocalist Gail Marten with her quartet, the Wake Campbell Quartet and a band led by a D.C. area favorite, sax man Ron Holloway, in a concert at the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way in Columbia. Tickets are $65 available at wwwevenbrite.com/e/just-jazz-in-tickets-26934526895, or call 410-312-5760 for more information.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/terrymarshall.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-215" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/terrymarshall.jpg?w=549" alt="terrymarshall"/></a></p>
<p>Keyboardist Terry Marshall leads a group</p>
<p>Friday Nov. 4 at Westminster Presbyterian Church.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-189" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg?w=180&h=300" alt="lenaseikaly4" width="180" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalist Lena Seikaly performs</p>
<p>Sat. Nov. 5 at The Alex in Georgetown.<br/>Meanwhile Saturday Nov. 5 marks the kickoff of pianist Chris Grasso’s latest vocalist series, “Speakeasy Jazz Nights at Alex,” a brand new venue, with Lena Seikaly and guitarist Steve Herberman to perform. The Alex – formally named The Alex Craft Cocktail Cellar – is the bar/lounge on the ground floor of The Graham Georgetown, a sleek boutique hotel in Georgetown in D.C. See <a href="http://www.chrisgrassomusic.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.chrisgrassomusic.com</a> or <a href="http://www.thegrahamgeorgetown.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.thegrahamgeorgetown.com</a> for more information. And if you have time, check out the rooftop bar. Also Sat. Nov. 5, Chucho Valdes and the Joe Lovano Quintet appear at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue (<a href="http://www.washingtonperformingarts.org">www.washingtonperformingarts.org</a>).<br/>On Monday Nov. 7 Mark Meadows, having made his mark recently as an entertainer and vocalist as well as pianist in the recent “Jelly’s Last Jam” production, performs Monday, Nov. 7 in the Piano Jazz Series at the Arts Club of Washington. In Bethesda on Monday Nov. 7 Larry Carlton is at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kristinekey1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-165" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/kristinekey1.jpg?w=236&h=300" alt="KristineKey1" width="236" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Songstress Kristine Key takes the stage</p>
<p>Nov. 9 at Jazz and Cultural Society.</p>
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<p><strong>Other November highlights include:</strong> Vocalist Kristine Key performs Nov. 9 at JACS; UDC saxophone ace Jordon Dixon Nov. 10, Twins Jazz; Peabody Jazz Combo Series, Nov. 10,Peabody Institute/Baltimore; McCoy Tyner Quartet Nov. 11-12, Blues Alley; Jeff Cosgrove Trio/ w Matthew Shipp, Nov. 11, An Die Musik/Baltimore … David Murray Quintet, Nov. 12, An Die Musik; Michel Nirenberg, Nov. 11-12, Twins Jazz; McCoy Tyner Quartet, Nov. 11-12, Blues Alley; Alison Crockett/Geoff Reecer, Nov. 12,The Alex at The Graham Georgetown; Wayne Shorter, Nov. 12, Kennedy Center; and Elijah Balbed, Nov. 13, The Brixton/DC Jazz Jam.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-365" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="ElijahJamalBalbed" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Young lion sax man Elijah Balbed</p>
<p>leads the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton</p>
<p>Nov. 13 and plays with The JoGo Project</p>
<p>Nov. 21 at Blues Alley.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-187" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="SAMphotoSharonClark (2)" width="300" height="225"/></a></p>
<p>Sharon Clark performs with Chris Grasso</p>
<p>at Jazz and Cultural Society Nov. 13 and</p>
<p>at The Alex Nov. 19.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/robertagam907.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-717" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/robertagam907.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="robertagam907" width="300" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Dazzling entertainer and vocalist</p>
<p>Roberta Gambarini appears at Blues Alley Nov. 17-20</p>
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<p><strong>Also:</strong> Vocal masterclass with Chris Grasso and Sharon Clark Nov. 13, JACS; Arturo O’Farrill Afro/Latin Jazz Quintet, Nov. 13, Baltimore Museum of Art; Omar Sosa & JOG Trio, Nov. 14, Blues Alley; The Bridge Trio, Nov. 14, Kennedy Center/Millennium Stage; Darden Purcell CD Release Party, Nov. 15, Blues Alley; Michael Thomas Quintet, Nov. 15, Bethesda Blues & Jazz; BSO: Doc Severinsen and Friends—The Art of the Big Band, Nov. 17, Music Center at Strathmore; Jazz Band Master Class, Nov. 17, Twins Jazz; Vince Evans Quintet, Nov. 18, Westminster; Larry Brown, Nov. 18, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club; Roberta Gambarini, Nov. 17-20, Blues Alley; Jeff Antoniuk & The Jazz Update, Nov. 18-19, Twins Jazz; Tia Fuller’s Angelic Warrior Quartet, Nov. 19, Kennedy Center; Sharon Clark, Nov. 19, The Alex; Larry Brown, Nov. 19, Germano’s Piattini/Baltimore; Victor Provost, Nov. 20, The Brixton/DC Jazz Jam; Elijah Balbed & The JoGo Project, Nov. 21, Blues Alley; Swing Shift, Nov. 22, Blues Alley; Lionel Lyles, Nov. 23, JACS; Bobby Felder’s Big Band, Nov. 25, Westminster; Jazz Night at the Movies: Horace Silver, Nov. 25, Westminster; Benito Gonzalez, Nov. 25-26, An Die Musik/Baltimore; Bruce Williams, Nov. 25-26, Blues Alley; Danielle Wertz/Jonah Udall, Nov. 26, The Alex; Joe Herrera, Nov. 27, The Brixton/DC Jazz Jam; Carl Bartlett, Nov. 27, JACS; Heidi Martin Quartet “Celebrating Abbey Lincoln,” Nov. 29, Blues Alley.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/dwertz2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-482" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/dwertz2.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="dwertz2" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalist Danielle Wertz appears with</p>
<p>guitarist Steve Herberman Nov. 26</p>
<p>at The Alex.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/lrobinsondcjazz.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-295" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/lrobinsondcjazz.jpg?w=549" alt="LRobinsondcjazz"/></a></p>
<p>Master percussionist Lenny Robinson</p>
<p>appears with Paul Carr (below) when Sharon Clark sings</p>
<p>Nov. 11 at Westminster, along with Chris Grass on piano</p>
<p>and Tommy Cecil on bass.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/paul-carr.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-16" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/paul-carr.jpg?w=201&h=300" alt="Paul Carr" width="201" height="300"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>Many Thanks We Give to Westminster</strong></p>
<p>As we celebrate Thanksgiving this month, we give many thanks for Westminster Presbyterian Church at 400 I Street in Southwest D.C., a place that as its web site says, “… is an accepting, caring, risk-taking community, open to the Spirit in people and places too often rejected and ignored.” And a place which since 1999 has provided always entertaining Jazz Nights for a modest fee, as well as delicious food on Friday nights, and since 2006 a Blues Monday on Monday nights.<br/>“Jazz Night in DC presents some of the finest jazz musicians in a lively presentation of classical, straight-ahead jazz every Friday,” says the website and this month is no different, featuring the Terry Marshall Ensemble Friday Nov. 4, with Marshall on piano, Iva Ambush, Decosta Brown and Kendra Johnson, vocals, Ben Young, guitar, David Marsh, bass and Francis Thompson, drums.</p>
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<p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-58" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bobbyfelder2.jpg?w=300&h=218" alt="BobbyFelder2" width="300" height="218"/>https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bobbyfelder2.jpg?w=600&h=436 600w, <a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bobbyfelder2.jpg?w=150&h=109">https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/bobbyfelder2.jpg?w=150&h=109</a> 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Hall of Fame music maker and educator Bobby Felder</p>
<p>leads his big band Nov. 25 at Westminster.<br/>Next up will be dynamic, widely-acclaimed songstress Sharon Clark on Nov. 11, with Chris Grasso on piano, Paul Carr, sax, Tommy Cecil, bass and Lenny Robinson, drums. On Nov.18 the Vince Evans Quintet Nov. 18 takes the stage with Evans on piano and vocals, Freddie Dunn, trumpet, Craig Alston, sax, Eliot Seppa, bass and Jay Jefferson, drums. The annual appearance by the Bobby Felder Big Band provides a rousing climax for the month on Nov. 25, with the legendary trombonist, bandleader and educator Felder featuring Queen Aisha on vocals, Michael Thomas, trumpet, Herb Scott, sax and many others.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/craigalston1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-413" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/craigalston1.jpg?w=300&h=210" alt="craigalston1" width="300" height="210"/></a></p>
<p>Craig Alston, Baltimore’s own, is to play</p>
<p>with Bobby Felder’s Big Band Nov. 25 at Westminster.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/michaelthomas4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-699" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/michaelthomas4.jpg?w=549" alt="michaelthomas4"/></a></p>
<p>Trumpet maestro Michael Thomas</p>
<p>is to play Nov. 15 at Bethesda Blues & Jazz,</p>
<p>and with Bobby Felder’s Big Band Nov. 25 at Westminster.<br/>Our master percussionist, composer and bandleader Nasar Abadey, a frequent performer at Westminster over all these years, said this in a statement:<br/>“Westminster Presbyterian Church has for years been committed to presenting quality (jazz} music at affordable prices on a consistent basis. Additionally, Dick Smith with Reverend Brian Hamilton’s backing and support, have maintained that only area based musicians are allowed to perform there. For that audience you have to play the truth; gotta be real or they’ll walk out on you or not show up at all. I look at the whole idea as a community service to perform there because many patrons of the church are on a fixed income and it gives me great pleasure to perform for such an appreciative audience. I could write a book about them but I’ll save THAT for later!”<br/>So, thank you to the church and its leadership, co-pastors Brian and Ruth Hamilton. We appreciate, as the website says and their programs over the years have shown, “their creative, authentic, and innovative ministry.”<br/>For more information, go to <a href="http://www.westminsterdc.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.westminsterdc.org</a>, or call 202-484-7700.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bobby-hill-photo-by-imani-drayton-hill200.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-138" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/bobby-hill-photo-by-imani-drayton-hill200.jpg?w=549" alt="Bobby-Hill-photo-by-Imani-Drayton-Hill200"/></a></p>
<p>Legendary programmer and</p>
<p>award-winning advocate</p>
<p>for the music Bobby Hill Jr.</p>
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<p><strong>Bobby Hill Now at WOWD-LP</strong></p>
<p>Bobby Hill tells us he has “transitioned” from WPFW-FM 89.3, his longtime home (a big loss for them) to the new WOWD-LP, the Takoma Park startup playing many types of alternative music including several jazz programs. Hill’s email alert:<br/>Did you hear? After 3-decades plus, Bobby Hill has transitioned from WPFW to WOWD. WOWD is Takoma Park’s NEW! FM (94.3FM) & streaming (takomaradio.org) radio station. Bobby brings and shares:“This! Music” – Free, improvised and other creative forms of jazz-based music. No standards. No standard repertoire. Saturdays 10AM-1PM.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/assaftrio10242016bluesalley.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-697" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/assaftrio10242016bluesalley.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="assaftrio10242016bluesalley" width="300" height="225"/></a></p>
<p>photo courtesy Assaf Kehati</p>
<p>The Assaf Kehati Trio at Blues Alley Oct. 24.</p>
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<p><strong>InPerson … Assaf Kehati</strong></p>
<p>Guitarist Assaf Kehati’s trio performed for a good crowd at Blues Alley last month, displaying a nimble sound that floated from jazz to jazz rock and more than a little jazzy blues rock at times.<br/>Kehati, originally from Israel came to the states in 2007 and has played with performers such as George Garzone, Donny McCaslin, Anat Cohen and drummers Victor Lewis and Billy Hart. He has received acclaim for his albums “A View From My Window,” “Flowers and Other Stories,” and “Naked.<br/>That night at Blues Alley Kehati, along with a humorous, entertaining stage presence that enlivened the evening and brought smiles from the crowd, displayed a deft touch and a feel for bright melodicism, shown on tunes like “My Little Sunshine,” with Kehati strumming gently at the start, then picking up the cadence with darting lines of free spirited joy, “Englishman in New York” and “Enjoy the Silence.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/assaf-kehati1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-692" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/assaf-kehati1.jpg?w=300&h=200" alt="assaf-kehati1" width="300" height="200"/></a></p>
<p>Assaf Kehati<br/>High points of the set included Kehati’s playfulness on an intriguing arrangement of “Old Devil Moon,” but also some inventive, straight ahead riffing. “Naked,” the title tune from his latest album, which Kehati described as talking about “being true to who you are and what you are about,” was a mystical dramatic journey with his contemplative lines of racy and bluesy searching, and exploring emotions.<br/>“Can You Come for A Second,” became a jamming, foot-stomping bluesy trip, Kehati picking, then strumming intensely, over the throbbing bass of Michael O’Brien and the efficient rapping and cymbal work by drummer Peter Traunmueller.</p>
<p>For more information see <a href="http://www.assafkehati.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.assafkehati.com</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/cdashielltimeallminecover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-698" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/cdashielltimeallminecover.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="cdashielltimeallminecover" width="300" height="300"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>InReview … Christie Dashiell “Time All Mine”</strong></p>
<p>A songbird known for her many flights of uplifting vocals with Howard University’s award-winning Afro Blue group and recordings by Reginald Cyntje and Sin Qua Non in particular, Christie Dashiell, a semifinalist in last year’s Thelonious Monk vocalist competition has stepped out with a formidable debut CD, “Time All Mine” on the House Studio Records label.<br/>Highlights include the title tune, with Dashiell’s elegant vocals embellishing “time” in the stirring choruses, as well as “Dreamland,” an enchanting, catchy melody ride, “Dynasty,” featuring Dashiell’s seamless, quicksilver scats, “Oh,” a true gem for its emotive and rhythmic simplicity and urgent and soaring Dashiell phrasings. The true standout is “How to Love,” with Dashiell’s frank, open and pure storytelling delivery in a song, and song in a story dramatic interplay.<br/>For more information, see <a href="http://www.christiedashiell.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.christiedashiell.com</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/horacertacover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-694" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/horacertacover.jpg?w=549" alt="horacertacover"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>InReview …. Michael Tracy’s “Hora Certa”</strong></p>
<p>From Russia to Japan to Brazil and many locations in between, educator Michael Tracy has earned laurels as one of our foremost “Ambassadors of Jazz” – and he plays a pretty mean saxophone too.<br/>“I love being in Brazil, being around my Brazilian friends in their homeland and in the States,” says Tracy on the liner notes of his most recent CD, “Hora Certa.” “ … ‘My Brazilian Journey’ started in 1998, my first of many trips … It is my hope that this recording shares that journey, that love of the music, the life of this country and its people.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/mike-tracy1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-693" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/mike-tracy1.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="mike-tracy1" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p>Saxophonist and professor Michael Tracy.<br/>Indeed “Hora Certa” (or “Right Time”) flows through the speakers as a song of enjoyment, with the tunes, all originals by the musicians on the CD, recorded in March and May 2015.<br/>The title tune “Hora Certa,” sizzles with Tracy’s tenor saxophone riffs ripping and rolling over the hot guitar of Eudes Carvalho, the rippling piano of Flavio Silva, Hamilton Pinheiro’s bluesy and grooving bass lines and Pedro Almeida’s colorful melodies and whipping riffs of his own on drums.<br/>“Bem Brazil” highlights Silva’s ringing touch on piano and Tracy’s bluesy, wailing tenor flights. “Waltz for Julia” showcases Carvalho’s sweet strumming on guitar and “Com Pressa,” maybe the highlight for its twists in rhythms and spiraling intensity, is an insistent jam, featuring Tracy and Silva exchanging hot licks. “Para Casa” is a highlight because of Tracy’s searing tenor in its melancholy contemplative mode, squeezing every ounce of feeling from a phrase. “Volta ao Mundo” shows off Tracy’s soaring soprano sax melody-making – and Silva’s on piano.<br/>But virtually every tune on “Hora Certa” is its own highlight.<br/>Tracy earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Louisville and is a professor and director of the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Studies Program at the University of Louisville School of Music, says his website. He has played with performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Buddy Rich, J. J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller, Johnny Mathis, Marvin Hamlish, the Four Tops and the Temptations. Not your normal highbrow.<br/>See <a href="http://www.michaeltracy.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.michaeltracy.com</a> or <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cdbaby.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><em><strong>Steve Monroe is a Washington, D.C. writer who can be reached at steve<a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>.com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues" rel="nofollow">http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</strong></em></p>
</div>Jazz Avenues September/October BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2016-09-30:2645717:BlogPost:1520522016-09-30T16:08:25.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/jazz-avenues-septemberoctober-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues September/October BLOG 2016</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on…</span></div>
<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/jazz-avenues-septemberoctober-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues September/October BLOG 2016</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a title="View all posts by jazzavenues" class="url fn n" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on</span> <a class="entry-date-link" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/jazz-avenues-septemberoctober-blog-2016/" rel="bookmark">September 30, 2016</a></div>
<p> </p>
<div class="entry-content"><p><strong>by Steve Monroe</strong></p>
<p><strong>… follow <a class="mention" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-683" alt="sam1" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/sam1.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
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<p><strong><em>“Influenced by Gil Evans, Duke Ellington, and Tadd Dameron, [Jimmy] Heath’s compositions have broadened the scope of modern jazz …including the enduring ‘CTA,’ “Gemini,’ “Gingerbread Boy,’ and ‘The Quota” … [Heath] … moved to New York and recorded regularly for Riverside with sidemen such as Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, and Cannonball Adderley. On recordings from this period, Heath’s lyrical lines explore the harmonic possibilities of standard chord changes. His rich, powerful tone and aggressive phrasing resemble the sound of John Coltrane, with whom he had played frequently in Philadelphia. As a composer, Heath scores lush chord voicings, counterpoint, and double-time ensemble figures; yet his charts retain the bare rhythmic vitality of hard bop. By skillfully assigning parts for his small groups, he captures the dynamism of a big band performance …”</em></strong><br/> <strong><em>…from the book “Jazz Portraits” by Len Lyons and Don Perlo, William Morrow and Company Inc., 1989.</em></strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/akuaallrich.jpg"><img width="300" height="168" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-78" alt="AkuaAllrich" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/akuaallrich.jpg?w=300&h=168"/></a></p>
<p>Akua Allrich performs her annual tribute to</p>
<p>Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba Oct. 9</p>
<p>at the Atlas Performing Arts Center.</p>
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<p><strong>Crockett, Tseng, Caverns band,</strong><br/> <strong>Jones, Balt Jazz Fest, top weekend</strong></p>
<p>You can enjoy the Alison Crockett Experience, Emy Tseng, the Bohemian Caverns Band and Eugenie Jones among other musical delights this weekend.<br/> The always entertaining jazzy, soulful vocalist Crockett entertains at Westminster Presbyterian Church tonight, Sept. 30, with Thad Wilson on trumpet, Wayne Wilentz, piano, David Jernigan, bass and Lenny Robinson, drums – a true all-star band of virtuoso players. Later at the church Jazz Night at the Movies features “Sarah Vaughan: The Divine One.”<br/> Also tonight, jazz Brazilian vocalist Tseng presents a concert at Casa Phoenix, 1307 Corcoran Street N.W. in D.C. with guitarist Matvei Sigalov and Sunday, Oct. 1, Tseng is at Adams Morgan Porchfest with guitarist David Rosenblatt. See <a href="http://www.emytseng.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.emytseng.com</a> for more information.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/waynewilentz.jpg"><img width="300" height="225" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-672" alt="waynewilentz" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/waynewilentz.jpg?w=300&h=225"/></a></p>
<p>Master pianist Wayne Wilentz plays tonight Sept. 30</p>
<p>with vocalist Alison Crockett and friends at Westminster</p>
<p>Presbyterian Church and is a regular with his trio during</p>
<p>Sunday brunch at Georgia Brown’s restaurant in downtown D.C.</p>
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<p> </p>
<p> <br/> The Bohemian Caverns Band performs tonight at the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel and vocalist Eugenie Jones performs tonight and Saturday night at Twins Jazz, with the Annapolis Jazztet performing Sunday Oct. 2 at Twins.<br/> Saturday Oct. 1 features the first Baltimore Jazz Fest (see below) at Druid Hill Park, courtesy of the Baltimore Jazz Alliance and others. Monday night features pianist Yoko Miwa, a staff member at the Berklee College of Music, for Piano Jazz at the Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I Street N.W., courtesy of Burnett Thompson Music. See <a href="http://www.yokomiwa.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.yokomiwa.com</a> for email Thompson at <a>burnett@pianojazz.com</a> for ticket information.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/yokomiwa1.jpg"><img width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-673" alt="yokomiwa1" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/yokomiwa1.jpg?w=300&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Yoka Miwa plays for the Piano Jazz series</p>
<p>Monday Oct. 3 at the Arts Club of Washington.</p>
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<p>Other October highlights include: The Luis Faife Quartet at Jazz and Cultural Society Oct. 5; Saxophonist Herb Scott at Blues Alley Oct. 5; Joshua Bayer/Paul Carr and CD Live—Six by Five at Westminster Oct. 7; Gary Bartz at the Kennedy Center Oct.7, (see below); the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra presents “Jazz, Blues and Civil Rights” Oct. 8 at the National Museum of American History; Prodigy pianist Joey Alexander at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club Oct. 8-9; Akua Allrich presents her annual Nina Simone, Miriam Makeba tribute Oct. 9 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center; Percussion maestro and bandleader Nasar Abadey and Super Nova at Blues Alley Oct. 12; Cheyney Thomas at Jazz and Cultural Society Oct. 12; vocalist/guitarist Heidi Martin: ABBEY! at the Atlas Oct. 13-14; DeAndrey Howard/Collector’s Edition Oct. 14 at Westminster; Reginald Cyntje at Twins Jazz Oct. 14-15 and Pepe Gonzalez at Jazz and Cultural Society Oct. 16.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg"><img width="300" height="201" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-184" alt="NasarAbadey3" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg?w=300&h=201"/></a></p>
<p>Nasar Abadey and Super Nova are at Blues Alley Oct. 12</p>
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<div class="wp-caption alignnone" id="attachment_396"><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/christie_dashiell_.jpg"><img width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-396" alt="Christie Dashiell" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/christie_dashiell_.jpg?w=300&h=200"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Vocalist Christie Dashiell is at The Mansion</p>
</div>
<p>at Strathmore Oct. 19.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/gvjohnsonjr2.jpg"><img width="239" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-517" alt="gvjohnsonjr2" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/gvjohnsonjr2.jpg?w=239&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalese maestro George V. Johnson Jr.</p>
<p>performs at Christ Episcopal Church</p>
<p>in Clinton, Md. Oct. 23.</p>
<p> <br/> Also, Cheyney Thomas is at Twins Oct. 19; bassist James “Tex” King at Jazz and Cultural Society Oct. 19; Vocalist Christie Dashiell at The Mansion at Strathmore Oct. 19; Homecoming for Larry Brown at Westminster Oct. 21; The Airmen of Note with pianist Cyrus Chestnut at Schlesinger Concert Hall in Alexandria, Va. Oct. 21; Terry Marshall & Bridges Oct. 21 is at Montpelier; George V. Johnson Jr. at Christ Episcopal Church/Clinton MD Oct. 23; Guitarist Assaf Kehati at Blues Alley Oct. 24; Pianist Allyn Johnson’s Ensemble at UDC Recital Hall Oct. 25; and Cecile McClorin Salvant at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Oct. 29-30.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/assaf-kehati1.jpg"><img width="300" height="200" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-675" alt="assaf-kehati1" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/assaf-kehati1.jpg?w=300&h=200"/></a></p>
<p>Photo from <a href="http://www.assafkehati.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.assafkehati.com</a></p>
<p>Guitarist Assaf Kehati, whose most recent CD</p>
<p>is “Naked,” released in 2014, has drawn acclaim for</p>
<p>his performances overseas and in New York, Toronto</p>
<p>and elsewhere. He plays at Blues Alley Oct. 24.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong>Baltimore Jazz Fest is here!</strong></p>
<p>Coming Saturday, October 1 from 12 noon to 8:30 p.m. is Baltimore Jazz Fest 2016, “a free, family-friendly, full day of Baltimore jazz, held in beautiful Druid Hill Park in the heart of Baltimore City,” brought to us by the Baltimore Jazz Alliance and the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks. Featured performers include the Hot Club of Baltimore, the Clarence Ward III All-Stars, Rumba Club, the Dunbar Jazz Ensemble, the Greg Hatza ORGANization, Art Sherrod Jr. and the Baltimore Legends, a group including Bob Butta, John Lamkin Sr. and Carlos Johnson. See <a href="http://www.baltimorejazz.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.baltimorejazz.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg"><img width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-149" alt="reginaldcyntje3" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg?w=300&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Reginald Cyntje plays at Twins Jazz Oct. 14-15.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/janeiracover.jpg"><img width="300" height="266" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-600" alt="janeiracover" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/janeiracover.jpg?w=300&h=266"/></a></p>
<p>JJA Soprano Saxophonist of the Year</p>
<p>Jane Ira Bloom plays at the Kennedy Center Oct. 14.</p>
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<p><strong>Jazz returns at KenCen</strong></p>
<p>Saxophone master Gary Bartz’s show Oct. 7 in the Terrace Gallery kicks off the return of the music after a summer break at the Kennedy Center for the 2016-17 season. Bartz, Baltimore’s own, a veteran of bands led by Art Blakey, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus and others, appeared at Howard University earlier this year. His most recent recording is “Coltrane Rules — Tao of a Music Warrior</p>
<p> </p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/jimmyheathbook.jpg"><img width="239" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-670" alt="jimmyheathbook" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/jimmyheathbook.jpg?w=239&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Jimmy Heath’s autobiography is appropriately</p>
<p>titled “I Walked With Giants.”</p>
<p>Photo from <a href="http://www.jimmyheath.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.jimmyheath.com</a><br/> Other October shows at the Kennedy Center include soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom Oct. 14, and Fred Hersch Oct. 15, at the KC Jazz Club; Terence Blanchard and the E-Collective Oct. 22 at The Crossroads Club; and drummer Tootie Heath Oct. 29 at the KC Jazz Club. The month climaxes with “Jimmy Heath at 90,” on Oct. 30 at the Concert Hall, showcasing the living legend Philadelphia treasure Heath, the saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader, author and educator, whose birthday is Oct. 25.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Leonard exhibit illuminates the music</strong></p>
<p>You still have time to catch “In the Groove: Jazz Portraits by Herman Leonard” which will be on free exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in downtown D.C. until February. Leonard was a photographer considered an expert in capturing the essence of the moments of performances by those like Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Ella Fitzgerald, to name only a few. See <a href="http://www.npg.si.edu/" rel="nofollow">http://www.npg.si.edu</a>.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/cgrubbs2102015.jpg"><img width="200" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-481" alt="cgrubbs2102015" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/cgrubbs2102015.jpg?w=200&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Award-winning alto saxophonist, composer and bandleader</p>
<p>Carl Grubbs performed a tribute to mentor John Coltrane</p>
<p>Sept. 24 at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center in Baltimore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
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<p><strong>InPerson … Carl Grubbs Ensemble/Celebrating Coltrane</strong></p>
<p>His edgy alto sax riffs spearing the air in the second floor jazz hall at the Eubie Blake Cultural Center in Baltimore that September Saturday afternoon, a capacity crowd of attentive listeners enjoyed Carl Grubbs’ tribute to John Coltrane in the “Celebrating Coltrane at 90” concert, while also enjoying his band mates Rene McLean on alto sax, Eric Byrd, piano, Blake Meister, bass and John Lamkin III, drums. Grubbs, the Philadelphia native who, as a cousin by marriage to Coltrane, learned the music firsthand from the legendary saxophonist as a youngster before embarking on his own career. That afternoon Grubbs dazzled on tunes like “Giant Steps” – mixing in “Body and Soul” phrases – “Round Midnight,” “Equinox” and others, with Byrd also a highlight with his insistent melodic runs on piano.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>InPerson … Thad Wilson/Allyn Johnson, CBCF Jazz</strong></p>
<p>The good folks at JAZZAlive at the University of the District of Columbia hosted a Meet the Artist program Sept. 20 with UDC jazz studies director and pianist Allyn Johnson interviewing and playing with trumpeter, composer, film score artist and bandleader Thad Wilson, exploring Wilson’s thoughts on his philosophies about producing the music, audiences and his background. The session featured the two playing duets, including Johnson’s tune “Brother Leo” (written, he said for Wilson, who is a Leo like Johnson), a romping flight of melodies and interplay between Wilson’s spearing trumpet lines and Johnson’s ripples and heavy bluesy chords on piano.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/allynjohnson-thadwilsonatudc.jpg"><img width="300" height="169" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-676" alt="allynjohnson-thadwilsonatudc" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/allynjohnson-thadwilsonatudc.jpg?w=300&h=169"/></a></p>
<p>Photo by Steve Monroe</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Thad Wilson, right, with Allyn Johnson</p>
<p>at UDC Meet the Artist program Sept. 20.</p>
<p> <br/> A few weeks before, captivating songstress Karen Lovejoy sang sultry and sexy and sweet and lovely, and down home gut-bucket bluesy on several tunes at Jazz and Cultural Society, including “The Very Thought of You,” and “Lonely Avenue.”<br/> And thanks to George V. Johnson Jr. for the Facebook clips of the 31st annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s jazz concert last month in D.C., featuring swinging trumpet master Jimmy Owens with the Jazzmobile All-Stars and our own Washington Renaissance Orchestra swinging and popping behind percussion maestro Nasar Abadey.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>InReview … New CDs from Whaling City Sound</strong></p>
<p>New recordings from Whaling City Sound include some special sounds from pianist Tim Ray, guitarist Steven Kirby and vocalist Kristen Lee Sergeant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/timraytrio_coverart_windows.jpg"><img width="300" height="271" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-677" alt="timraytrio_coverart_windows" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/timraytrio_coverart_windows.jpg?w=300&h=271"/></a><br/> Ray, known for work with country style Lyle Lovett, enjoys jazz as well and does a more than creditable job on his CD “Windows” with bassist John Lockwood and drummer Mark Walker. Ray names McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Duke Ellington and Horace Silver among his influences, and his work on a couple of tunes from the CD reflect his idols. “Monk’s Dream” plays true to the Thelonious Monk and Tyner tradition of heavy chords and melodic insistency, and “Toys” becomes an intriguing interplay between the players, at times lilting, at times a driving rhythmic journey with edgy, searching lines. Other highlights include “Star Eyes,” “Windows,” with Ray’s bright melodicism, and the jamming “12 by 7.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/ksergeantinsideoutcover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-678" alt="ksergeantinsideoutcover" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/ksergeantinsideoutcover.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalist Sergeant’s debut recording, “Inside Out” features the New York City scene performer belting out energetic readings of standards like “Old Devil Moon,” with her own playful turn, a stirring melancholy “So Many Stars,” her joyful wishful “I Wish I Were in Love Again” and her enchanting “Never Will I Marry,” among others. Her raw high-emotion cabaret style delivery is well complimented by the fine musicianship of David Budway on piano, Chris Berger, bass and Vince Ector, drums.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/skirbyilluminationscover2.jpg"><img width="300" height="300" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-679" alt="skirbyilluminationscover2" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/skirbyilluminationscover2.jpg?w=300&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Guitarist Kirby’s CD “Illuminations” features lush orchestration and vocals as well as his deft articulation on some tunes and strumming, folk-like, wistful manner on others. The title tune “Illuminations” romps behind Kirby’s ripping tinkling and the fine work by pianist John Funkhouser, a rippling wonder here, as well as Greg Loughman on bass, Mike Connors on drums and the soaring vocals of Aubrey Johnson. Other highlights include the meditative “A Luz das Estrelas,” the rollicking “Parabola” and “I Hear A Rhapsody.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><em>Steve Monroe is a Washington, D.C. writer who can be reached at steve<a class="mention" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>. com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues" rel="nofollow">http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a></em></strong></p>
</div>Jazz Avenues July BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2016-07-01:2645717:BlogPost:1502332016-07-01T15:00:00.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.32px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff;">The Jazz Avenues July Blog!…</span></p>
<p><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.32px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff;">The Jazz Avenues July Blog!</span><br style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.32px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #ffffff;"/><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.32px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 1; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; display: inline !important; float: none; background-color: #ffffff;">Janine Gilbert-Carter at Westmintser tonight, Roberta Gambarini at Blues Alley tonight through Sunday, Rick Alberico at Twins Jazz, Greater U Street Jazz Collective at Mulebone Saturday and Sunday, Chris Grasso Jazz Brunch Sunday at Bethesda Blues & Jazz .... much more ... Celebrating Vernard Gray events July 7 at Jazz and Cultural Society in D.C. and July 10 at The Inn at The Black Olive in Baltimore ... Carl Grubbs "Inner Harbor Suite Revisited" coming to Artscape in Baltimore July 17 ... Vocal Summit with Alison Crockett, Akua Allrich, Janine Gilber-Carter and Amelia Brown at Wesley United Methodist Church July 22-23 ... DC Jazz Festival highlights ... a Happy Happy to Billy Eckstine ... and much more ... <a href="http://www.jazzavenues.wordpress.com" target="_blank">www.jazzavenues.wordpress.com</a></span></p>Jazz Avenues November 2015 BLOG/WDCJN Editiontag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2015-11-06:2645717:BlogPost:1464982015-11-06T14:15:29.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p> </p>
<p><b>Jazz Avenues November 2015 BLOG/WDCJN Edition</b><br></br> <b>By Steve Monroe</b></p>
<p></p>
<p><i>… follow <a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/">@jazzavenues</a></i></p>
<p> </p>
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<p><b>First, as George V. Johnson Jr. of the Washington DC Jazz Network (<a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com">http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com</a>) reminded us, Happy Birthday Month to National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Lou Donaldson, 89…</b></p>
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<p><b>Jazz Avenues November 2015 BLOG/WDCJN Edition</b><br/> <b>By Steve Monroe</b></p>
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<p><i>… follow <a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/">@jazzavenues</a></i></p>
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<p><b>First, as George V. Johnson Jr. of the Washington DC Jazz Network (<a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com">http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com</a>) reminded us, Happy Birthday Month to National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Lou Donaldson, 89 years young Nov. 1!</b><br/> <i>" … Alfred Lion, co-founder of Blue Note Records, heard [Lou] Donaldson playing at Minton's Playhouse and invited him to record for his label. First as a sideman with the Milt Jackson Quartet (later the Modern Jazz Quartet), Donaldson was instrumental in bringing Clifford Brown and Horace Silver to Blue Note, and made the recording with Art Blakey, Night at Birdland, considered one of the first in the hard bop genre. Donaldson was also instrumental in getting many legendary musicians their debut sessions with Blue Note, including Grant Green, Blue Mitchell, John Patton, Ray Barretto, Curtis Fuller, and Donald Byrd."</i><br/> <b>--<a href="http://www.arts.govhonors/jazz/lou-donaldson">www.arts.govhonors/jazz/lou-donaldson</a>, 2013</b></p>
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<p> <a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964211?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964211?profile=original" width="360"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Thad Wilson</strong></p>
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<p><b>Lamkin’s “Favorites,” Thad Wilson, Transparent Productions’</b></p>
<p><b>Secret Keepers show highlight weekend jazz Nov. 6-8</b></p>
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<p>Baltimore’s esteemed trumpeter and flugelhornist John Lamkin II leads his “Favorites” Jazz Quintet, with Craig Alston on saxophones, at Twins Jazz tonight, Friday Nov. 6, and tomorrow Nov. 7. Vibraphonist Warren Wolf appears tonight, Friday, Nov. 6 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, and trumpeter and bandleader Thad Wilson is at Bohemian Caverns tonight and tomorrow. Also tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 7, Lafayette Gilchrist and the Composer Collective play at Caton Castle in Baltimore.</p>
<p>The next Transparent Productions show Sunday, Nov. 8 at Bohemian Caverns features dynamic guitarist Mary Halvorson with bassist Stephan Crump, with saxophonist Don Braden performing up the road at the Baltimore Museum of Art also Sunday night.</p>
<p>Other November highlights include vocalist Karen Gray at Vicino’s Monday, Nov. 9; the Vocal Workshop at Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club Nov. 9, with pianist Grasso and friends; the “Celebrating Great Women of Jazz” show at the Kennedy Center Nov. 14; Chris Grasso’s fundraising event for the Jazz and Cultural Society Nov. 17 at JACS with Grasso, piano, Lyle Link, sax, Herman Burney, bass and Samuel Prather, drums; the Howard University Jazz Ensemble’s fall concert, featuring trombonist Andre Heyward Nov. 19 at Rankin Memorial Chapel; Roberta Gambarini Nov. 19-22 at Blues Alley; the Abbey Lincoln Story with vocalist Heidi Martin Nov. 20 at Westminster; Bobby Felder’s Big Band the next week, Nov. 27 at Westminster, and the Tim Whalen Septet Nov. 27-28 at Twins Jazz.</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964498?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964498?profile=original" width="512"/></a></p>
<p>Carl Grubbs, shown performing at Oct. 14 Baker Awards show in Baltimore, appears with his ensemble for a Celebrating Strayhorn show Nov. 14 at the Anacostia Community Museum in D.C.</p>
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<p><b>Thanks! Vernard – for Celebrating Strayhorn shows</b></p>
<p>Area music fans have had a special treat this year with the treats Strayhorn Centennial Celebration series of concerts presented by East River Jazz.<br/> “Celebrating Strayhorn!” a CA-FAM III, Inc. and East River Jazz year-long series of performances, public conversations, and dramatic readings culminates with events this month ending on Strayhorn’s birthdate, Nov. 29.<br/> Vernard Gray of East River Jazz, quoted in the Baltimore Jazz Alliance September newsletter, says, “Since February 2nd, 2015, we have presented more than twenty-five conversations and performances celebrating the legacy of Billy Strayhorn. Although he composed such classic pieces as “Lush Life,” “Chelsea Bridge,” and “Something to Live For” on his own, Strayhorn is best known as the composing partner of Duke Ellington; they co-composed some of the Ellington orchestra’s most famous songs, like “Take the ‘A’ Train,” “Satin Doll,” and the pieces in Ellington’s “Far East Suite.”</p>
<p>On Tueday, Nov. 10 there is the “Gill/Dunn Exploring Strayhorn: East & West of the Blues” show at 7 p.m. at the Anacostia Playhouse in Southeast D.C. The concert features pianist Janelle Gill and her group, with Marshall Keys, saxophones, James King, bass, Adia Gill, cello and Savannah Harris, percussion; and trumpeter Freddie Dunn and his group, with Lionel Lyles, reeds, Todd Simon, piano, Ethan Philion, bass and John Lamkin III, drums. their respective ensembles.<br/> The groups will “explore rarely performed Billy Strayhorn compositions along with familiar songs - Lush Life, Chelsea Bridge, Blood Count and Take the A Train - that most are familiar with,” according to East River Jazz information. A “Come Dance to Strayhorn” show at 2 p.m., Nov. 11; “Paris Blues: A Viewing and Conversation” at 7 p.m., Nov. 12 and “Day Dream,” a dramatic reading about the life of Strayhorn, written by jazz vocalist Barry Moton and HIV activist Roderick Sheppard on Nov. 13, are all to be presented at the Anacostia Playhouse. On Nov. 14, a “Strayhorn and Hodges/Coltrane” show features the Carl Grubbs Ensemble at 2 p.m. at the Anacostia Community Museum.</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964659?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964659?profile=original" width="199"/></a></p>
<p>Karen Lovejoy appears with her Lovejoy Group</p>
<p>for a Celebrating Strayhorn show Nov. 27</p>
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<p> <br/> Other events in the series this month around the city include “Strayhorn Inspired: The Rick Henderson Catalogue” with the Bowie State University Community Jazz Band on Nov. 21 at Faith United Presbyterian Church in Southwest; “A Conversation with Freddie Dunn,” Nov. 21 at the Dorothy I. Height Benning Neighborhood Library; “Strayhorn, The Giant Who Lived in the Shadows,” with Karen Lovejoy and The Lovejoy Group Nov. 27 at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage; and “A Strayhorn Centennial Celebration” Nov. 29 at a site to be determined.<br/> For complete information, see <a href="http://www.eastriverjazz.net">http://www.eastriverjazz.net</a>.</p>
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<p><b>More Strayhorn with Charles Rahmat Woods at Vicino’s</b></p>
<p>Another “Celebrating Strayhorn” event is slated for 7 p.m., Monday, Nov.16 at Vicino’s featuring The Charles Rahmat Woods’ Trio Plus, presenting “A Tribute to Strayhorn: Avant Garde Interpretations”.<br/> “Fresh out of a recent recording session,” according to Woods, “ the eclectic and fluid Trio Plus will consist of Rahmat on flute/saxophone, David Ornette Cherry (son of the late great trumpeter Don Cherry) on melodica and piano, Derek Gasque on organ keyboard, and Roger Stewart on drums.”</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964767?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542964767?profile=original" width="120"/></a><strong>Charles Rahmat Woods</strong></p>
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<p>Vicino’s Restaurante Italiano is at 959 Sligo Ave, Silver Spring MD, 20910. Tickets can be purchased in advance ($20) via Blackberry Jazz and the JazzKnights, call 202-670-0095.<br/> For more information see <a href="http://www.blackberryjazz.com">http://www.blackberryjazz.com</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>Pianist Tim Whalen performs with a septet</strong></p>
<p><strong>Nov. 27-28 at Twins Jazz</strong></p>
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<p><b>InPerson … Tim Whalen/C.V. Dashiell</b></p>
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<p>Pianist Tim Whalen and drummer C.V. Dashiell led a group that stormed through several hot numbers at Westminster Presbyterian Church in early October, featuring the music of Art Blakey. Tenor saxist Tedd Baker and alto sax guru Marty Nau helped highlight the opening “One by One” with bluesy riffs; “Crisis” was a rocker speared by trumpeter Joe Herrera and Whalen’s piano runs; and “Split Kick” soared with the horns leading the way, with Reginald Cyntje on trombone; and Cyntje added more sizzle on “Plexus,” also powered by Baker’s hot sax and Whalen’s rippling melodies on piano. (And check out The Living Room Sessions at <a href="http://www.timothywhalen.com">http://www.timothywhalen.com</a>)</p>
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<p><b>InPerson/InReview….Shannon Gunn & Bullettes/New CD</b></p>
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<p>The Nomadic Jazz show in October at the Durant Arts Center in Alexandria, Va., served to again display the polished, varied artistry of trombonist Shannon Gunn and the Bullettes ensemble, with solid renderings of big band and other standards and originals. One highlight was “Blue Moo,” by Leigh Pilzer, one of our well known Washington Women In Jazz all-stars, turned into a sweetly lyrical, swaying gem, Gunn and alto saxophonist Halley Shoenberg leading the horns, including young Ingrid Winkler on baritone sax, with Dan Roberts on piano and Cyndy Elliott on bass. Other highlights included the jamming “Simon Sez,” and “Nigeria,” a Gunn composition notable for its edgy, avant arrangement.</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542969801?profile=original"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542969801?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a></p>
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<p>The concert highlighted several tunes from the new CD by Gunn, “Bullettes and Friends.” Gunn, the area resident who earned a master’s degree from George Mason University and also studied at Michigan State University, has become known for leading her all-women’s big bands and playing with the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. With only six pieces on her latest CD, the recording makes you wish for more but what is here is tasty, beginning with “Australian Mood,” by Bullettes tenor saxophonist Anita Thomas, a free-flowing melody highlighted by the harmonic sax, trumpet and trombone sections, over the solid rhythm section of Elliott, bass, Lewis, drums and pianist Miki Yamanaka with her lyrical, clear crystal touch. “Simon Sez” on the CD turns into a whipping jam behind Miki Yamanaka’s rippling piano and Elliott’s grooves on bass under the swinging horns, including Alex Flanagan’s eloquent baritone sax lines. A deeply bluesy “Stormy Monday” with vocals by Taylar Lee, and Carter Stevens’ rumbling organ, and a sweetly melancholy “Embraceable You” with Lee again on vocals and Jerry Bresee, guitar, provide an interlude from the big band sounds, that return on “Nigeria.”<br/> The tune takes its edgy cue from Elliott’s opening bass solo, which smoothly segues into a rising horn harmonies forming a haunting melody, powered by Lewis’ raps and rolls and intermittent horn riffs, squeals and sighs, moans and cries, the tension tightening with Elliott’s insistent bass work. Gunn’s urgent trombone riffs and the other horns free form riffs over Lewis’ rapping and then pounding, provide a starkly visual musical tone poem, brightened by Yamanaka’s piano accents, and then her fluid, whipping solo—and then more of Lewis’ percussive melodies.<br/> See <a href="http://www.bullettesjazz.com">http://www.bullettesjazz.com</a> for more on Gunn and the Bullettes.</p>
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<p><b>InReview … Romain Collin’s “Press Enter”</b></p>
<p>Insistently intriguing with a melodic flair may be the best way to describe the flowing sounds of pianist Romain Collin’s latest recording, “Press Enter.” Multi-faceted without being overly complex, Collin’s compositional prowess is on full display here, with the CD’s title ironically emanating from one of the music’s most formidable purveyors of complex rhythms presented in always starkly entertaining formats: Wayne Shorter.<br/> As the recording’s publicity reveals, Shorter, on tour with Collin and Herbie Hancock, mused to Collin one day that “people who spend their whole lives talking about plans, ideas, or dreams without ever seeming to take action …” … then Shorter went silent “before bursting out with an urgent commandment: ‘Press enter!’ ”<br/> Collin said, “I started laughing, but I thought the wording was genius.”</p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542970112?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542970112?profile=original" width="300"/></a></p>
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<p><br/> So “Press Enter,” was released last month, presenting a session with Collin, Luques Curtis, double bass, Kendrick Scott, drums as the core group, with guest artists adding vocals, percussion and other elements. Recorded two years ago, Collin’s third release as a leader is highlighted early by the rolling “Clockwork,” with Collin’s edgy melody on piano alternately rumbling and singing, over Scott’s cascading drum work and the sizzling percussion. “Raw, Scorched and Untethered” lives up to its title with more insistent pianist rumbling, accented by Curtis’ grooves on bass, and the whipping percussion. “Holocene” is a graceful, spacey, spiraling interlude, before “Kids” becomes a romping jam, that stops and starts, meanders and sets off again — seemingly, appropriately, as kids do — augmented by pianist Jean-Michel-Pilc’s whistles.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/romaincollinnewalbum_cover.jpg"></a><br/> “Event Horizon” is a dramatic turn on the “stories of prisoners freed from decades-long jail terms or death sentences” followed by the equally dramatic “The Line [Dividing Good And Evil Cuts Through The Heart of Every Human Being” and Collin’s take on Thelonius Monk’s ” ‘Round Midnight” eloquently closes an emotional journey.<br/> The French native Collin, who came over the water to attend the Berklee College of Music, again provides music that lifts, soothes and also provokes and prods, with a visual effect that reflects his talents as “an experienced composer of film music with multiple orchestra soundtrack credits to his name.”<br/> See <a href="http://www.romaincollin.com">http://www.romaincollin.com</a> for more information.</p>
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<p><b>Congrats Monk semifinalists!</b></p>
<p>Way to go and best of luck to area vocalists Lena Seikaly, Christie Dashiell and Danielle Wertz who are among 11 semifinalists for the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocals Competition to be held Nov. 14-15 in Los Angeles. Winner receives a $25,000 music scholarship, a recording contract with Concord Music Group, and the prestige of winning a Monk competition. See <a href="http://www.monkinstitute.org">http://www.monkinstitute.org</a> for more information.</p>
<p><b><i>Steve Monroe is a Washington, D.C. writer who can be reached at steve<a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/">@jazzavenues</a>.com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues">www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</i></b></p>
<p> </p>Jazz Avenues September 2015 BLOG/WDCJN Editiontag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2015-09-02:2645717:BlogPost:1454142015-09-02T17:28:19.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<p><b>by Steve Monroe</b></p>
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<p><b>...follow @jazzavenues</b></p>
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<p><span><span>Dynamic saxophonist Antonio Parker headlines the DC Jazz Jam show…</span></span></p>
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<p><b>by Steve Monroe</b></p>
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<p><b>...follow @jazzavenues</b></p>
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<p><span><span>Dynamic saxophonist Antonio Parker headlines the DC Jazz Jam show Sunday Sept. 6 at The Brixton on U Street.</span></span></p>
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<p><b>Novosel at JACS tonight, Waters at Westminster Fri,</b></p>
<p><b>Shipp, Parker, Jenkins, Jegna concert on the way</b></p>
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<p><span><span>Hall of Fame bass man<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span>Steve Novosel </span></span><span>plays at the Jazz & Cultural Society Wednesday night jam tonight, Mavis Waters is at Westminster Friday Sept. 4 and Matthew Shipp, Antonio Parker and Tarus Mateen are on the way this weekend as September jazz heats up.</span><span><br/>Novosel will be featured at JACS with Bob Butta on piano, Craig Alston, sax, and Harold Summey, drums, from 6 pm to 9 pm. Donation is $5 at the door. Cash or check. All ages are welcome, according to JACS maestro DeAndrey Howard.<br/>The Jazz & Cultural Society is located at 2813 12th street NE in D.C., close to the Rhode Island Avenue and Brookland Metro stations. </span><span>Remember JACS now has Organ Sunday jams, with</span></p>
<p><span>Alex Jenkins featured this Sunday Sept. 6 for the 6 to 9 pm session.</span></p>
<p><span>See<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/jazzandculturalsociety" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/jazzandculturalsociety</a> for more information.</span></p>
<p><span>Sunday also has Reginald Cyntje’s Jegna School of Music in Hyattsvile (<a href="http://www.jegnamusic.com/" target="_blank">www.jegnamusic.com</a>) featuring all-star bassist Tarus Mateen in a duo setting with sax man Elijah Easton; dynamic saxophonist Antonio Parker headlining the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton from 6:30 to 9:30 pm; and Matthew Shipp –“</span><b><span>one of today’s most original and diverse piano voices” -- </span></b><span>playing a duo with bassist Michael Bisio at Bohemian Caverns for 7 and 8:30 p.m. sets.</span></p>
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<p><span><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542961665?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2542961665?profile=original" width="300" class="align-left"/></a></span></p>
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<p><span>Brad Linde</span></p>
<p><span>photo by Mike Morgan</span></p>
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<p><span>Coming up Sept. 8 multi-instrumentalist and bandleader Brad Linde continues his September Tuesday Artist in Residence shows at Bohemian Caverns, on this date headlining groups ThreeWe and Strange City.</span></p>
<p>Coming up in the Transparent Productions series in September are: Bill Cole and his New Untempered Ensemble Sept. 13 at Bohemian Caverns<b>, </b>Evan Parker & Ned Rothenberg Dup Sept. 26 at Union Arts and The Thing Sept. 27 at the Caverns. Shows later this fall include Matt Lucian & Matt Maneri Oct. 11; Stephan Crump and Mary Halvorson Nov. 8; The Mark Taylor Group Nov. 29 and Grass Roots Dec. 5.</p>
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<tbody><tr><td><p><span>Other September highlights include EC3 and Friends Sept. 8 at Blues Alley; Bobby Muncy Sept. 9 at Twins Jazz; Jason Moran’s Skateboarding Music and Media show Sept. 11 at the Kennedy Center; Veronneau Sept. 12-13 at Twins jazz; Clifton Anderson, Sept. 16 at Blues Alley; the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Jazz Forum and Concert Sept. 17 at the Washington Convention Center; Christian Scott Sept. 18-19 at Bohemian Caverns; Brian Settles Sept. 20 at the DC Jazz Jam, at The Brixton; Marianne Solivan Sept. 30 at Blues Alley and the Chick Corea & Bela Fleck Duet Sept. 30 at The Music Center at Strathmore.</span></p>
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<p><strong>Saxophonist Brian Settles is the featured</strong></p>
<p><strong>performer for the DC Jazz Jam Sept. 20</strong></p>
<p><strong>at The Brixton.</strong><br/>Other September highlights include EC3 and Friends Sept. 8 at Blues Alley; Bobby Muncy Sept. 9 at Twins Jazz; Jason Moran’s Skateboarding Music and Media show Sept. 11 at the Kennedy Center; Veronneau Sept. 12-13 at Twins jazz; Clifton Anderson, Sept. 16 at Blues Alley; the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Jazz Forum and Concert Sept. 17 at the Washington Convention Center; Christian Scott Sept. 18-19 at Bohemian Caverns; Brian Settles Sept. 20 at the DC Jazz Jam, at The Brixton; Marianne Solivan Sept. 30 at Blues Alley and the Chick Corea & Bela Fleck Duet Sept. 30 at The Music Center at Strathmore.</p>
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<p><strong>Grubbs’ Annual Coltrane Concert</strong></p>
<p>Award-winning saxophonist, composer and educator Carl Grubbs performs with his ensemble at his Annual John Coltrane Celebration Concert at 5 p.m. Sept. 19 at St. Paul’s Schools in Brooklandville, outside of Baltimore.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlgrubbs2.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-197" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlgrubbs2.png?w=217&h=300" alt="CarlGrubbs2" width="217" height="300"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Saxophonist and composer Carl Grubbs</strong></p>
<p><strong>plays at his Annual John Coltrane Concert</strong></p>
<p><strong>Sept. 19 at St. Paul’s Schools.</strong></p>
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<p><br/>The show by Contemporary Arts Inc. and St. Paul’s Schools is in the Ward Center for the Arts, and features The St. Paul’s School Jazz Band, under the direction of jazz studies director Grubbs, and the Carl Grubbs Ensemble, with Eric Byrd, keyboards, Blake Meister, bass and John Lamkin III, drums. Tickets can be purchased online at<br/><a href="http://www.instantseats.com/events/contemporaryarts" rel="nofollow">http://www.instantseats.com/events/contemporaryarts</a>; call 410-944-2909 or 410-821-3047 for more information.</p>
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<p><strong>Cuneiform Records launches The Music Outpost</strong></p>
<p>Cuneiform Records in Silver Spring has announced the creation of a new, sister company, called The Music Outpost, devoted to licensing cutting-edge music to various media including film/movies, dance, theatre, advertising, fashion, technology, and more. The new company launched Aug. 16 with the website <a href="http://www.themusicoutpost.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.themusicoutpost.com</a> goes live. Cuneiform says numerous licensing companies already exist, “but all focus on mainstream music; licensing avant-garde music is not a priority for them.”<br/>In contrast, The Music Outpost – “licensing music on the Sonic Frontier” – focuses on ‘outside’ music and aims to ultimately be THE go-to place for creative media professionals to find music as adventurous as their projects. Cuneiform says it will have a “continually-expanding archive of music-available-for-licensing” that will not only feature music released by Cuneiform, but also music by other experimental, boundary-defying artists.<br/>A selection from The Music Outpost’s music archive is currently displayed on its website.</p>
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<p><b>InReview … Ben Williams’ “Coming of Age”</b></p>
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<p>Homeboy bassist Ben Williams, the D.C. product who went on to Michigan State and the Juilliard School to further his craft, has produced a lively, noteworthy recording with “Coming of Age” for the Concord Music Group.</p>
<p>Millard Southern in the liner notes says “ … at the very least it should be noted that ‘Coming of Age’ represents an artist’s attempt to remain open to the spirit of the moment.”</p>
<p>Williams says himself “That’s the true beauty of all this music, especially with jazz. There’s no gate. You can stay at home if you want to but you can go as far out in any direction as well.”</p>
<p>Indeed, “Coming of Age” does not stay at home in the traditional jazz sense, with a soulful/R&B feel to most tracks and hip hop/rap getting its due especially on the “Toy Soldier” track. Williams’ bass work stands out throughout with his vintage throbbing always lyrical driving grooves, and his bandmates are first rate, including Marcus Strickland, tenor and soprano sax, Matthew Stevens, guitar, Christian Sands and Masayuki Hirano, keyboards, John Davis, drums and Etienne Charles, percussion.</p>
<p>Special guests include Christian Scott with fine work on trumpet on “Lost and Found,” Stefon Harris on vibes on “The Color of My Dreams” and vocalists W. Ellington Felton on “Toy Soldier” and Goapele with haunting vocals on “Voice of Freedom (for Mandela).”</p>
<p>High points include Williams originals “Strength and Beauty,” with Sands and Strickland trading melodies and riffs; the popping jam “Forecast,” with Davis and Charlies pulsatingly pushing the tune through a winding blend of Strickland’s soaring sounds over Sands’ piano ripples and dramatic chords and edgy riffs of his own over Williams’ rumbling bass work; and the title tune with its lilting, waltzing opening quickly ripping into a frenetic chase, Williams, Sands and Strickland matching each other with vibrant flights of lyricism and charm.</p>
<p>See <a href="http://www.benwilliamsmusic.net">www.benwilliamsmusic.net</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>InReview … Charlie Haden/Gonzalo Rubalcaba</strong></p>
<p>Charlie Haden’s legacy as a bass man of virtuosity, known for excelling at traditional, bebop, contemporary and avant garde, and treats from that legacy are still coming for delighted listeners despite his passing last year. Witness the recent recording “Charlie Haden, Gonzalo Rubalcaba – Tokyo Adagio.” From the publicity material: “Tokyo, March 16-19, 2005: an audience in evening clothes, ordering drinks in Japanese whispers and inadvertently clinking their silverware, listened raptly as [pianist] Gonzalo Rubalcaba and Charlie Haden connected with an almost Zen sense of stillness in a nocturnal musicspace. It’s the paradox of recording: the moment is gone, but the moment is forever, encapsulating who the two men were when they played together.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/chadengonzalocover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-450" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/chadengonzalocover.jpg?w=300&h=297" alt="CHadenGonzaloCover" width="300" height="297"/></a><br/>That empathy between two sterling musicians can be heard vividly on “When Will The Blues Leave,” a tune Haden played on the Ornette Coleman 1958 release “Something Else.” With the Cuban keyboard master Rubalcaba Haden is at his walking blues best, with the pianist comping with subtle but distinct lyrical melodicism, the two players then complimenting each other’s flights through the lilting blues, almost as one, building tension, easing it, building it again.<br/>“Sandino,” a Haden original, features the players jamming effortlessly and elegantly, Rubalcaba an efficient notemaker, with fleeting rhythms echoing through Haden’s supple bass notes. Other moments of stellar duo music-making can be heard on “Transparence.”<br/>See <a href="http://www.crossovermeida.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.crossovermeida.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><strong>InReview … Lara Downes</strong></p>
<p>An acclaimed classical pianist, Lara Downes has nonetheless been a jazz fan since childhood thanks to her father’s jazz albums, in particular those of Billie Holiday. When Downes was eight years old, “she wrote in her diary that her favorite song was Billie Holiday’s I Cover the Waterfront. Ever since, says Downes, she has been enthralled with the “distinctive qualities of mood and phrasing, line and color” heard in Holiday’s singing.<br/>Downes says in her publicity material, “As a musician, I learned from Billie Holiday to make something completely personal when you make music … something that is completely your own – maybe something unexpected, something indefinable, perhaps complicated, but beautiful.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/laradownesa_billy_holiday_songbook_cd_cover_copy.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-451" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/laradownesa_billy_holiday_songbook_cd_cover_copy.jpg?w=549" alt="LaraDownesA_Billy_Holiday_Songbook_cd_cover_copy"/></a><br/>Downes, who has appeared on the world’s “greatest” concert stages, from Queen Elizabeth Hall London and the Vienna Konzerthaus to Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and Lincoln Center, took a departure from the rigid world of classical structure to make a recording honoring holiday as her influence with “A Billy Holiday Songbook” on the Steinway & Sons label.<br/>The result is a pleasantly lyrical album, featuring Downes’ elegant touch on tunes associated with Holiday. In most of the tracks Downes succeeds in capturing the drama, if not the singularity of emotional range of the Holiday performances we have come to love.<br/>One certain highlight is the Ralph Rainger/Dorothy Parker tune “I Wished On The Moon.” Here Downes seems to capture the longing and melancholy of a Holiday delivery, as well as the lilting, loving pacing and phrasing she was known for. Another highlight is “I’ll Be Around,” with Downes exhibiting “the complicated but beautiful” quality she says she admired about Holiday.<br/>Downes does a decent job on the other familiar Holiday tunes, such as “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “Good Morning Heartache,” and “I Cover the Waterfront,” and in sum has made a worthy first try at tackling a jazz recording.<br/>See <a href="http://www.laradownes.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.laradownes.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><strong>InReview … Eli and The Hot Six Live</strong></p>
<p>“We’re inventing music in real time; listening and building one another’s ideas; tuning into what the original compowers had in mind even as we’re treating their songs as platforms for improvisation.”<br/>That’s Eli Newberger, accomplished physician and tuba virtuoso, on his “Eli & The Hot Six Live” recording of contemporary classic jazz, released a few months ago, from live performances at the Sherborn Inn in Sherborn, Mass., in 2013 and 2014.<br/>In the New Orleans tradition, as well displayed on “Tiger Rag,” of snappy, crisply played jazz, Newberger is ably assisted by Bob Winter of the Boston Pops on piano, Herb Gardner, trombone, Ted Casher, clarinet, saxophones and vocals, Bo Winiker, trumpet, Jimmy Mazzy, banjo and vocals, Jeff Guthery, drums, Rebecca Sullivan, vocals and special guest Randy Reinhart, cornet.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/hotsixcdcover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-452" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/hotsixcdcover.jpg?w=549" alt="HotSixCDCover"/></a></p>
<p>Owen McNally of WNPR in New England put Newberger’s contributions to the music this way: Going far above and beyond the Hippocratic oath to do no harm, Newberger [a pediatrician and Juilliard trained tuba and keyboard player] does great good with his agile tuba, which functions as a rock-steady, double bass-like timekeeper, as well as with his infrequent but fluent, succinct solo lines that are never less than seamless and surgically correct.”</p>
<p>Winter’s sprightly piano work is a highlight throughout, and noteworthy tunes include “Perdido,” which shows off Sullivan’s breezy-sweet melodies and scatting on vocals, “Body and Soul” with Casher’s solid saxophone lines winding above Winter’s lyrical piano; and “I Can’t Give You anything but Love,” Sullivan again stepping to the fore with impishly wry delivery on vocals, as she also does on “Them There Eyes” and “Just Squeeze Me.”<br/>See <a href="http://www.sueauclairpromostions.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sueauclairpromostions.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Coming in October — More Nomadic Jazz</strong></p>
<p>Debbie Hodnett and Nomadic Jazz welcomes The Bullettes and Friends on Oct. 10 at the Durant Arts Center in Alexandria, Va. “Come witness Washington, D.C.’s premiere all-female jazz ensemble, for a night of new and powerful music,” says the Nomadic Jazz information. ‘This is a CD release event and will feature large and small ensemble works written or arranged by members of the Bullettes,” led by trombonist Shannon Gunn. See <a href="http://www.nomadicjazz.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nomadicjazz.com</a> for complete information.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>Steve Monroe, a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C., can be reached at steve<a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>.com</strong></em></p>
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</table>Jazz Avenues August Blog/WDCJN Editiontag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2015-08-07:2645717:BlogPost:1453602015-08-07T13:40:57.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p> follow @jazzavenues</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg"><img alt="AkuaAllrich" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-260" height="168" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg?w=300" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p>Captivating vocalist Akua Allrich, whose recent</p>
<p>CD "Soul Singer" has been drawing acclaim, appears</p>
<p>this weekend at Bohemian Caverns and Aug. 16 at</p>
<p>the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton.</p>
<p>///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>William Hooker’s avant jazz…</strong></p>
<p> follow @jazzavenues</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-260" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/akuaallrich.jpg?w=300" alt="AkuaAllrich" width="300" height="168"/></a></p>
<p>Captivating vocalist Akua Allrich, whose recent</p>
<p>CD "Soul Singer" has been drawing acclaim, appears</p>
<p>this weekend at Bohemian Caverns and Aug. 16 at</p>
<p>the DC Jazz Jam at The Brixton.</p>
<p>///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>William Hooker’s avant jazz coming</strong></p>
<p><strong>to Twins Jazz this weekend Aug. 7-8</strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>As the avant maestro, William Hooker says himself, “I will be playing at the classic and historic jazz club - TWINS on August 7th and 8th. For those who have never been to this DC home of jazz greats...come and check it out. I'm excited to play with Mark Hennen (piano), Luke Stewart (bass), Anthony Pirog (guitar) and guest-Joe Rigby (saxophone).”<br/>Hooker's body of work beginning in the mid-1970s “defines him as one of the most important composers and players in jazz. As bandleader, Hooker has fielded ensembles in an incredibly diverse array of configurations. Each collaboration has brought a serious investigation of his compositional agenda and the science of the modern drum kit,” according to his website, <a href="http://www.williamhooker.com">www.williamhooker.com</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/williamhooker.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-435" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/williamhooker.png?w=200" alt="williamhooker" width="200" height="300"/></a></p>
<p><strong>William Hooker plays Twins Jazz Aug. 7-8</strong></p>
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<p>A listening to some of his works backs up this recommendation of Hooker as a force in the modern jazz world. He has “created works that range from jazz and "new" music to experimental genres. He has released over 60 CDs as a leader … [he] has received commissions and support from the New York State Council on the Arts, Meet the Composer … and colleges and universities such as Oberlin, Fordham, Columbia, New York University, Boston University, Princeton, Dartmouth and many more.” Hooker has played with many leading lights of the music, including Billy Bang, David Ware, William Parker, Roy Campbell, David Murray and others.</p>
<p>ALSO--tonight, Aug. 7, Lyle Link Bon Voyage, with Link on sax, Allyn Johnson piano, Kris Funn, bass and special guests are scheduled for Westminster Presbyterian Church; The DC Jazz Jam 6th anniversary show is at The Brixton Aug. 9, with vocalist Allrich the featured guest there the following week, Aug. 16.</p>
<p>In other highlights for August, Todd Marcus plays Blues Alley Aug. 12; The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is at The Birchmere Aug. 13; Guitarist Pete Muldoon is at the Westminster Aug. 14, with Johnson, piano, Elijah Balbed, sax, Reginald Cyntje, trombone, Eliot Seppa, bass and Sam Prather, drums; Tim Whalen visits Twins Jazz Aug. 14-15, with Bobby Muncy at Twins Aug. 30.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-415" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg?w=300" alt="TimWhalen3" width="300" height="211"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Pianist Tim Whalen performs at Twins Jazz Aug. 14-15</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Best Wishes for the Jegna School of Music</strong></p>
<p><br/>“Hi, my name is Reginald Cyntje and I recently started a new music school. The program is great for young musicians and those young at heart.”<br/>That’s trombonist and educator Cyntje talking about his new venture, the Jegna School of Music in Hyattsville, Md.<br/>“The dream of creating a music school started when I was a summer student at Interlochen Arts Camp,” says Cyntje. “I loved the atmosphere and began dreaming of opening a music school one day. With your help, Jegna School of Music might one day have a similar summer arts program in the Virgin Islands. At Jegna, we offer private instruction, group instruction, monthly music industry workshops, monthly concerts, ensembles …”</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-149" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg?w=300" alt="reginaldcyntje3" width="300" height="300"/></a></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>Reginald Cyntje's new venture: the Jegna School of Music</strong><br/>In enlisting the help of <a href="http://www.gofundme.com">www.gofundme.com</a>, Cyntje is appealing to all who value his goals to help his efforts. As he says, “… as you can imagine, starting a business is expensive. I’ve covered some of the basic startup costs but I need help with books, music stands, advertisement and other recurring bills. Every business has angel investors. I’m asking you to be an angel to Jegna School of Music. There are great rewards listed for your contribution.”<br/>Cyntje is a graduate of the University of the District of Columbia and received his master’s degree at the University of Maryland. He teaches trombone privately, conducts workshops nationally and is an adjunct professor at Montgomery College.<br/>Best wishes to Cyntje, and see <a href="http://www.jegnamusic.com">www.jegnamusic.com</a> for more information and to donate.</p>
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<p><em><strong>“[Wayne] Shorter gave most recent evidence of his royalty during a stay at Blues Alley with a demonstration of elegant, bluesy lyricism and dramatic power on tenor and soprano saxophones … he honored his predecessors with shimmering soprano work on “I’ll Remember April” and led his band through avant garde territory with resonant, always melodic tenor work, often on his own originals. Shorter is a legend in the making …”</strong></em><br/><em><strong>--Steve Monroe, The Capital Spotlight, circa 1980s.</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Happy 50th to Blues Alley</strong></p>
<p>We have heard some memorable music over the years at some fine venues in the city – remember One Step Down? The Kilamanjaro? Utopia? Jackie Lee’s? Moore’s Love and Peace? Les Nieces? Mr. Y’s? All those and others have passed on to the Venue Hall of Fame in the sky. Blues Alley in Georgetown lives on, now 50 years and counting, as one of the longest running and best music venues in the world.<br/>Yours truly has enjoyed many memorable times at the Alley, an appropriately dimly lit space that discourages conversation during the music, and also features some fine cuisine … the red beans and rice dish, for example. Congratulations! to the Blues Alley founders and the current owner, Harry Schnipper who have presented great performers all these many years and hopefully many more to come.<br/>Also from the personal Capital Spotlight archives:<br/>“Master percussionist Art Blakey had just finished orchestrating a pulsating one-hour set of music by his band, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers. Now, with the applause still coming from the room full of listeners at Blues Alley in Georgetown, Blakey got out from behind his drums and went to the front of the bandstand to take the microphone. ‘We want to thank all of you for coming out tonight,’ said Blakey in his keep, strong, gravelly voice. ‘We want to remind you ladies and gentlemen to please buy an album by us, because we need the money.” He chuckled along with the audience at that line, then continued. ‘It doesn’t have to be an album by the Messengers, as long as it’s hard-core jazz, so that we know you know the difference. It’s an art form, the highest level of musical performance around and it’s American.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/harryschnipper.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-440" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/harryschnipper.jpg?w=300" alt="harryschnipper" width="300" height="225"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Harry Schnipper of Blues Alley </strong></p>
<p></p>
<p>As for the next 50 years? Schnipper says what is most likely to happen is a continuance of his club's global outreach. "What we have started is importing jazz from overseas, since jazz is everywhere now and there are so many countries, Israel, the Nordics, the Japanese, and others so into jazz ... and what has happened is people are waking up to the fact that there are more and more prominent overseas performers ... jazz is a global music."</p>
<p><strong>Speaking of venues …</strong></p>
<p>Among the newer spots to enjoy the music include the Jazz and Cultural Society sets Wednesday nights on 12th Street in N.E. in D.C. Guitarist Tom Newman led his group through a smoking set there in late June and saxophonist Ron Pender blew the house down with some jamming sets there in July. (See <a href="http://www.facebook.com/jazzandculturalcsociety">www.facebook.com/jazzandculturalcsociety</a>).<br/>There are also now Wednesday night jams with host Herb Scott, the versatile saxophonist, at Mr. Henry’s on Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. (see <a href="http://www.mrhenrysdc.com">www.mrhenrysdc.com</a>). And the DC Jazz Jam Sunday sets are now at The Brixton at 901 U Street N.W. (see <a href="http://www.dcjazzjam.com">www.dcjazzjam.com</a>).</p>
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<p></p>
<p><strong><em>“Lessons from the Streets” marks a critical moment of ascent for Balbed. His voice is poised and rooted beyond its years, and he has surrounded himself with an all-star cast of peers and mentors. D.C. has taught him that you don’t build anything on your own—and in any case it wouldn’t be much fun to try.”</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>--Giovanni Russonello</em></strong></p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>In Review... “Lessons From The Streets”</strong></p>
<p>If a rumor circulating at press time that Elijah Jamal Balbed is planning to move to New York to further his career is true, bittersweet though it may be for us who have been spoiled to hear him often in many different venues in the area, it may be time for him to fully enter the cauldron of the NYC scene. The lessons he gets there would certainly make him even more of a rising force, more of a maturing artiste, as a musician and composer. Witness former area prodigies Kush Abadey, Benito Gonzalez and Marc Cary now, as just some examples, of those who left for the Apple and prospered.<br/>Balbed is doing fine for now, no question. His performances with Inner Urge at the Nomadic Jazz show in May and his headlining jams for the Nomadic Jazz show in July were very on point, at times the young saxophonist showing off a dynamic solo voice, with wry, lyrical twists and turns and a golden tone.<br/>His new CD, featuring top bandmates like trumpeter Alex Norris and vibraphonist Warren Wolf, has many high points, most notably for this listener his originals “Butch Warren” and “From the Streets to the Mansion.”</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/ejb-lessons-from-the-streets-cover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-437" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/ejb-lessons-from-the-streets-cover.jpg" alt="ejb-lessons-from-the-streets-cover" width="300" height="281"/></a><br/>“Butch Warren,” a thoughtful, lively, jamming nod to the late bassist who Balbed lists as a mentor, features Balbed’s bluesy sax riffs, deep grooving and melodic work by bassist Romeir Mendez and pianist Mark Meadows, with spicy accents by guitarist Paul Bollenback and Carroll Dashiell III on drums. “From the Streets to the Mansion,” rocks and rolls with Balbed and Norris’s swinging frontline work on the horns over Kris Funn’s grooving bass work of his own, and then Balbed and Norris trading hot licks , with Wolf, guitarist Samir Moulay and pianist Alex Brown exchanging melodic licks of their own as well.<br/>Other highlights include a lovely “Infant Eyes,” driven by Balbed’s haunting tenor sax musings, “Wolf’s crystal-like chimes on vibes, Funn’s bass, almost a show stealer here by the way, and Brown’s elegant touch on piano. “Sonny Suspended,” is an intriguing original spurred by Balbed’s colorfully winding and twisting soprano lines and Wolf’s expert melody making on vibes.<br/>See <a href="http://www.elijahjamalbalbed.com">www.elijahjamalbalbed.com</a>. And Brown, with an incisive solo on piano, Norris and Wolf shine along with Balbed on “Green Dolphin Street.”</p>
<p><em><strong>Steve Monroe is a Washington, DC, writer who can be reached at steve@jazzavenues.com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues">www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="//a.turbodsp.com/e.php?user_ip=209.16.117.50&cc=US&v=1"> </a></p>Jazz Avenues June/July BLOG 2015tag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2015-06-26:2645717:BlogPost:1444882015-06-26T13:18:17.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p><strong>Jazz Avenues June/July 2015 BLOG</strong></p>
<p>By Steve Monroe</p>
<p>... follow @jazzavenues</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg"><img alt="TimWhalen3" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-415" height="211" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg?w=300" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p>Tim Whalen plays at a CD release party</p>
<p>June 27 at Wesley Church in D.C. and</p>
<p>July 8 and 10 at Copper Canyon Grill in</p>
<p>Glenarden/Lanham, Md.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Wilson, Reeves, Meadows tip off weekend;</strong><br></br> <strong>Keys, Greater U Street, Nomadic…</strong></p>
<p><strong>Jazz Avenues June/July 2015 BLOG</strong></p>
<p>By Steve Monroe</p>
<p>... follow @jazzavenues</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-415" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/timwhalen3.jpg?w=300" alt="TimWhalen3" height="211" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Tim Whalen plays at a CD release party</p>
<p>June 27 at Wesley Church in D.C. and</p>
<p>July 8 and 10 at Copper Canyon Grill in</p>
<p>Glenarden/Lanham, Md.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Wilson, Reeves, Meadows tip off weekend;</strong><br/> <strong>Keys, Greater U Street, Nomadic Jazz on way</strong></p>
<p>Virtuoso trumpeter and bandleader Thad Wilson helps kick off the weekend in the D.C. area with pianist Justin Kauflin in a show honoring Clark Terry, rising vocalist Integriti Reeves plays Bohemian Caverns and multi-genre pianist Mark Meadows entertains at Twins Jazz.<br/> Wilson, in a show titled “Tribute to Clark Terry,” the legendary jazz master who recently passed, and Kauflin, will perform with Steve Novosel, bass and Lenny Robinson, drums Friday June 26 at 6 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Southwest D.C. The next day, June 27, Kauflin helps lead the Thinking About Jazz program at Westminster, “Clark Terry: Keep on Keepin’ On,” featuring lunch and a discussion of Terry’s 70 years and 900 recordings.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-428" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/integritreeves1.jpg?w=200" alt="integritreeves1" height="300" width="200"/></a></p>
<p>Integriti Reeves performs</p>
<p>June 26-27 at Bohemian Caverns</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Reeves performs at the Caverns Friday and Saturday and Meadows is at Twins Jazz Friday and Saturday.<br/> Over in Baltimore, vibraphonist and Jazz Journalists Association 2015 award winner Warren Wolf performs at An Die Musik Friday and Saturday. Pianist Tim Whalen celebrates his recent recording, “Oblivion: the Music of Bud Powell” with a CD release party at Wesley United Methodist Church Saturday June 27 and also appears July 8 and July 10 at Copper Canyon Grill in Glenarden/Lanham, Md. (<a href="http://www.timothywhalen.com">www.timothywhalen.com</a>).<br/> Sunday June 28 the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra presents the music of composer/arranger Miho Hazama for two shows at An Die Musik (<a href="http://www.andiemusiklive.com">www.andiemusiklive.com</a>). Christie Dashiell appears at the Caverns Tuesday June 30. The Kenny Rittenhouse Quintet, featuring vocalist Darden Purcell is at Blues Alley July 1.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/marshallkeys4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-411" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/marshallkeys4.jpg?w=206" alt="marshallkeys4" height="300" width="206"/></a></p>
<p>Golden-toned sax man Marshall Keys</p>
<p>plays at Westminster July 3.<br/> Coming up next week at Westminster, sax man Marshall Keys and organist Benjie Porecki lead a group Friday July 3 for “McGriff Days at Mr. Y’s,” remembering that former Northeast D.C. jazz hot spot, with Samir Moulay, guitar, Mark Prince, drums and Dick Smith & Friends on vocals. The Elijah Cole Trio plays Vicino’s in Silver Spring July 6.<br/> The Greater U Street Jazz Collective takes over as artist in residence at the Caverns for Tuesdays in July, beginning July 7. Other shows to catch in early July include the Shannon Gunn Quartet in the Jazz at Jackson Place show at the Decatur House at Lafayette Square, 748 Jackson Place N.W. in D.C. (<a href="http://www.pianojazz.com">www.pianojazz.com</a>); the Lake Arbor Jazz Festival, featuring Phaze II, at the Lake Arbor Community Center in Mitchellville, Md. July 9-11, including a cruise, scholarship dinner and all-day concert (<a href="http://www.lakearborjazz.com">www.lakearborjazz.com</a>); and Sharon Clark July 10 at Westminster.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/sharc3b3n-clark-montage-1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-412" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/sharc3b3n-clark-montage-1.jpg?w=300" alt="Sharón Clark Montage 1" height="200" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Songstress Sharon Clark performs at</p>
<p>Westminster July 10.<br/> Later in July Jeff Antoniuk performs with the Tony Martucci Band at Twins Jazz July 17-18, Nasar Abadey & Super Nova are at Blues Alley July 29 and the Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band is at the Alley July 31-August 1.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Balbed CD Party slated for Nomadic Jazz show</strong></p>
<p>Debbie Hodnett is at it again producing a headliner jazz concert. On July 11, Hodnett’s Nomadic Jazz features sax man Elijah Jamal Balbed in a CD release party for his “Lessons From The Streets” at 7 p.m. at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street, Alexandria, Va. Tickets are $20 online, $22 at the door.<br/> Balbed, one of the rising lions of the tenor sax, has participated in residencies at the Kennedy Center (Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead), Strathmore, and Bohemian Caverns, and has become an in-demand performer at venues locally and beyond. Balbed blew hot riffs for Nomadic Jazz at its inaugural show in May at the Durant Arts Center in Alexandria, playing with Inner Urge.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-365" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg?w=200" alt="ElijahJamalBalbed" height="300" width="200"/></a></p>
<p>Elijah Jamal Balbed plays for the</p>
<p>Nomadic Jazz show July 11</p>
<p>in Alexandria, Va.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And Hodnett, the founder of Nomadic Jazz, describes the Torpedo Factory Art Center as “a fantastic opportunity and prime location to showcase jazz in Alexandria. We continue our commitment to finding unique spots in neighborhoods to deliver an evening of live jazz. This definitely fits the bill.”<br/> See <a href="http://www.nomadicjazz.com">www.nomadicjazz.com</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>InPerson … DCJF wows us again</strong></p>
<p>Yes, there was lots of finger-popping, head-shaking, foot-tapping jazz that swung through when the DC Jazz Festival entertained thousands of fans for its 11th year last month.<br/> High points included Paquito D’Rivera’s musical tribute to DCJF founder Charlie Fishman during a show at The Hamilton Live; Esperanza Spalding at the DC Jazzfest at The Yards; Thundercat at the CapitalBop show at the Hecht Warehouse; Nicole Mitchell’s sparkling set also at the warehouse; Sine Qua Non’s show before a packed house at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage; Bruce Williams’ smoking sax sounds with Allyn Johnson and the UDC JAZZtet at UDC; Billy Hart and The Cookers at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue; and John Scofield’s hot band at the Hamilton – just to name a few!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/craigalston1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-413" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/craigalston1.jpg?w=300" alt="craigalston1" height="210" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>One of Baltimore's finest, tenor saxophonist</p>
<p>Craig Alston was blowing hot with Greg Hatza</p>
<p>during the DC Jazz Festival/East River Jazz show</p>
<p>at the Uniontown Bar and Grill last month.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And there was that special night at Greg Hatza’s rocking, bopping organ blues band show at the Uniontown Bar and Grill on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C., with Craig Alston doing his Lester Young thing with understated fluid, spiraling, witty and urgent riffs on tenor sax, and guitarist Brian Copeland literally stinging the blues all night and Hatza romping and rolling in the tradition of the great soul organ greats, with Robert Shahid splashing away on drums all night, on tunes like “Satin Doll,” “Flamingo” and “Caravan.” One of those hot jamming nights for the ages.</p>
<p><strong>InPerson ... Karen Lovejoy </strong></p>
<p>Caught our lovely songbird Karen Lovejoy at the Takoma Park Jazz Festival with her Lovejoy Group, with keyboard whiz Jerry Allen and bassist Bob Shann backing her as she swung through jazz and pop and blues standards before the festival crowd at the Gazebo Stage off Carroll Avenue on tunes like “Polka Dots and Moonbeams” and “I’m Beginning to See The Light.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>InPerson … Tom Newman/Jazz and Cultural Society</strong></p>
<p>There was another smoking, jamming set at the Jazz and Cultural Society in Northeast D.C. one Wednesday night late last month, with guitarist Tom Newman’s quartet at center stage.<br/> Newman, the veteran guitarist and educator at Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Bowie State and now Springbrook High School, was picking up a storm all night on tunes like “All the Things You Are, “Misty” and “Tuneup.” Pianist Deante Childers was a star also, wowing the large crowd himself with some elegant melodicism, with Emory Diggs holding forth with some deep bluesy runs on bass and drummer Adrian Green rapping and crackling with some straight ahead and edgy free form solos on his own. DeAndrey Howard and friends have made the venue another go-to spot, and it is good to have a neighborhood location for us back in Northeast D.C…which fondly remembers the Pigfoot, Mr. Y’s, Moore’s and other spots. Upcoming are vocaliste Cindy Brown July 1 and Coniece Washington July 8 for 6 p.m. shows. Check the Jazz and Cultural Society out on Facebook for more information<br/> Only somber note of the night was the word from person to person of the news of the recent passing of Maurice Lyles, the venerable drummer who touched many with his playing and his vibrant personality. More on Lyles soon.</p>
<p><strong>InReview – J.D. Allen CD</strong></p>
<p>A free-flowing river of tenor saxophone lyricism marks J.D. Allen's latest recording, "Graffiti," making it firmly in his tradition of always moving forward, innovative tune-making. The recent passing of Ornette Coleman brings to mind those who rebelled initially at the so called free jazz movement he became known for, when many of us listening to his music heard undeniable rhythm-making within the avant music he and others made.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/jdallengraffiticover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-414" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/jdallengraffiticover.jpg" alt="jdallengraffiticover" height="250" width="250"/></a><br/> Similarly, Allen's power is crafting compositions, and executing them with his deft delivery of fluid, on the edge honking, and sometimes dissonant riffs, that catch the ear and keep you listening. His rhythm and that of his cohorts, like bassist Gregg August and drummer Rudy Royston on "Graffiti," never stops, no matter the direction the melodies dart and dash.<br/> One example is "G-DSpeed, B. Morris," on this recording, with its lilting, bluesy opening by Allen, spurting varying chords and melodies, over August's lowly pounding bass, and Royston's subtle rolls and crashes. The mood brings to mind Hendrix for a time, building a wry intensity. Another is "Third Eye," an intriguing journey with Allen's tenor floating over the rumbling of August and Royston in winding, circling fashion. "Sonny Boy" is a bluesy stomper, and we find out why when we read in Allen’s liner notes that his intent was an homage to John Lee Hooker's way of singing.<br/> The title tune is the closest thing to a straight out jam, but has stops and starts weaving through Allen's melodies as the tune whips along behind Royston's rapping and tapping and August's blues songs. As Allen says in the liner notes on the tune, "Getting as lost as possible served as my personal modus operandi for this piece ..." But Allen and the group always come back, to a rock solid jamming, blues-based flow in this listener's opinion, never pointless, never without a rhythm of its own.<br/> The Detroit-born Allen, on the New York scene for more than 20 years now, is always a must-hear, must-see performer for those enamored of the Coleman, Coltrane, Rollins tradition and he may be just now hitting his prime. "Graffiti" is a testament to that, compelling all to want more and anticipate what comes next<br/> See <a href="http://www.jdallenjazz.com">www.jdallenjazz.com</a> or <a href="http://www.jazzdepot.com">www.jazzdepot.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><strong>Honoring Dr. Billy Taylor and our other July birthday heroes…</strong></p>
<p>The impressive honor the DC Jazz Festival bestowed on D.C. native drummer Billy Hart last month, its Lifetime Achievement Award, leads one to remind all of the achievements of one of our July birthday heroes, another Billy, Dr. Billy Taylor (July 24), pianist and educator supreme.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/billytaylor1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-420" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/billytaylor1.jpg" alt="billytaylor1" height="190" width="211"/></a></p>
<p>Dr. Billy Taylor</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Taylor (1921-2010), who came to D.C. from North Carolina as a child with his family, was a pianist for Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and many others.<br/> He later helped start the Jazzmobile, the rolling jazz stage that used to travel around the country featuring jazz performances, became a mainstay on television and radio promoting jazz and later became artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center.<br/> And we say Happy Birthday month! to other July birthday boys, like Billy Eckstine, who grew up in D.C., Rashied Ali, Johnny Hartman, Hank Jones, Johnny Hodges, Cal Tjader, Albert Ayler, Lee Morgan, Sonny Clark, Kenny Burrell, Carl Grubbs and Philly Joe Jones.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Steve Monroe is a Washington, DC, writer who can be reached at<a href="mailto:steve@jazzavenues.com">steve@jazzavenues.com</a> and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues">www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</em></p>Jazz Avenues May 2015 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2015-04-30:2645717:BlogPost:1431022015-04-30T21:17:50.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<div class="entry-content"><p>Jazz Avenues May 2015 BLOG</p>
<p>… follow <a class="mention mention-current-user" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg"><img alt="NasarAbadey3" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-184" height="201" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg?w=300&h=201" width="300"></img></a></p>
<p>Percussion maestro Nasar Abadey performs</p>
<p>with Inner Urge for the Nomadic Jazz show</p>
<p>May 2 at Durant Art Center in Alexandria,…</p>
</div>
<div class="entry-content"><p>Jazz Avenues May 2015 BLOG</p>
<p>… follow <a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-184" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg?w=300&h=201" alt="NasarAbadey3" height="201" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Percussion maestro Nasar Abadey performs</p>
<p>with Inner Urge for the Nomadic Jazz show</p>
<p>May 2 at Durant Art Center in Alexandria, Va.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>A springtime of jazz blooms for May</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p> <br/> In addition to the blessing of May flowers we have a quite a flowering of jazz coming up, including this weekend’s highlights with Jeff Antoniuk and Thad Wilson Friday night May 1 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Sine Qua Non at Bohemian Caverns, Kenny Garrett at Blues Alley, Benito Gonzalez at Twins and Nomadic Jazz (see more on below) in Alexandria, Va.<br/> The theme at Westminster Friday night is Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” Live, with the Jeff Antoniuk Update featuring him and Lyle Link on sax, Wilson, trumpet, Wade Beach, piano, Tom Baldwin, bass and Tony Martucci, drums. In Georgetown the masterful alto sax guru Kenny Garrett is at Blues Alley through Sunday May 3, while uptown piano whiz Benito Gonzalez, our own prodigy by way of Venezuela, plays at Twins jazz Friday and Saturday and eclectic combo Sine Qua Non, led by bassist Michael Bowie is at Bohemian Caverns.<br/> On Sunday May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m., Washington Performing Arts’ Mars Urban Arts Initiative is hosting a jazz listening salon at the former home of famed D.C. poet Sterling Brown—and CapitalBop’s Giovanni Russonello and Luke Stewart will lead a jazz listening session, focusing on his impact on those like A.B. Spellman and Amiri Baraka, both of whom became pioneering jazz writers. Brown was mostly known for his poems, but also for his personal music library, according to event information. One of his favorite pastimes was to invite his friends to his home and play his extensive jazz collection for them, an experience from which both Baraka and Spellman benefited when they were undergrads at Howard University. Space is limited, so RSVP is requested at <a href="http://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=2972" rel="nofollow">http://www.washingtonperformingarts.org/calendar/view.aspx?id=2972</a>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-149" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/reginaldcyntje3.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="reginaldcyntje3" height="300" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Reginald Cyntje is to play at the East River Jazz</p>
<p>show “Strayhorn: Caribbean Interpretations”</p>
<p>May 9 at Caton Castle Lounge in Baltimore.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>East River Jazz’s series of concerts, “Strayhorn-Inspired: Variations on a Theme” in May at Caton Castle Lounge in Baltimore include May 9 with trombonist Reginald Cyntje’s “Strayhorn Caribbean Interpretations;” sax man Craig Alston’s “Strayhorn and Beyond” May 23; bassist Herman Burney’s “Strayhorn Melodies & Harmonies” May 30; and at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage, pianist Janelle Gill with “Celebrating Strayhorn” May 31, all honoring famed composer Billy Strayhorn in the centennial year of his birth. See <a href="http://www.eastriverjazz.net" rel="nofollow">http://www.eastriverjazz.net</a> for complete information.</p>
<p>On May 8 the KC Jazz Club at the Kennedy Center features alto saxophonist Antonio Hart; May 10 features “Harlem Nights/U Street Lights” at the Kennedy Center with an all-star lineup of artists from D.C. and New York celebrating the legacies of Duke Ellington, Dr. Billy Taylor, Miles Davis and others. Performers include Howard University’s vocal group Afro Blue, and pianists Jason Moran and Marc Cary, and trumpeter Roy Hargrove, drummer Jimmy Cobb and others. See <a href="http://www.kennedy-center.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.kennedy-center.org</a> for complete information.</p>
<p>A D.C. Jazz Loft event Sunday May 10 at 6 p.m. features Reginald Cyntje, playing with guitarist Anthony Pirog and the Robert Muncy Big Band at Union Arts, 411 New York Avenue N.E. See <a href="http://www.capitalbop.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.capitalbop.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/janellegillartsclubof-wash.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-354" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/janellegillartsclubof-wash.jpg?w=549" alt="JanelleGillArtsClubof Wash"/></a></p>
<p>Pianist Janelle Gill is featured</p>
<p>May 11 for The Arts Club</p>
<p>of Washington show.<br/> In other early May events, “rising star” Gill is the featured artist for a 7 p.m. show May 11at the Monroe (!) House, an Arts Club of Washington event, brought to us by producer Burnett Thompson. Gill was recently commissioned by the Phillips Collection museum to compose an original composition for an exhibition, and appearances including the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival and a tribute to Women In Jazz for the Smithsonian. The concert begins at 7 p.m., followed by a wine reception and chance to meet the artist. Cost is $30. RSVP by 3 pm on Friday, May 8 at 202-331-7282, ext. 3 or administrator@artsclubofwashington.org.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/deedeebridgewater1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-357" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/deedeebridgewater1.jpg?w=201&h=300" alt="DeeDeeBridgewater1" height="300" width="201"/></a></p>
<p>Multi-genre vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater</p>
<p>will host the 2015 Mary Lou Jazz Festival</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Mary Lou Jazz Festival May 15-16 at the Kennedy Center, hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater, features Sylvia Cuenca and her Organ Group, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and her Berklee Quintet and Michele Rosewoman and her Latin jazz ensemble New Yor-Uba, as well as vocalists Catherine Russell, Brianna Thomas and Charenee Wade.</p>
<p>Other May highlights include the Frank Lacy Legacy Band, May 9-10, at Bohemian Caverns; Saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed will have CD release parties for his new recording, “Lessons from the Streets,” May 14 at An Die Musik in Baltimore and May 15 at the Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda;</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-365" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/elijahjamalbalbed.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="ElijahJamalBalbed" height="300" width="200"/></a></p>
<p>Young lion saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed</p>
<p>has a released his new CD “Lessons from the Streets”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra plays May 15 at Bohemian Caverns and May 16 at Jazzway 6004 in Baltimore; the MARS-4tet performs May 15-16 at Twins Jazz; D.C.’s own drum legend Jimmy Cobb performs with Mike Stern in “Four Generations of Miles,” May 21-24 at Blues Alley; bass master James King leads a group for ”Remembering Keter Betts” May 29 at Westminster, followed that night by Jazz Night at The Movies/”The Many Faces of Billie Holiday,” at Westminster; and “Celebrating Baltimore Jazz,” a benefit for the Baltimore Jazz Alliance at 5 p.m. May 31 at Caton Castle, with Jump Street Band, featuring Brad Collins, performing and with Baltimore legends John Tegler and Gary Bartz to receive awards; the $50 donation including dinner (<a href="http://www.baltimorejazz.com">www.baltimorejazz.com</a>).</p>
<p><strong>Nomadic Jazz Now on the Scene!</strong></p>
<p>Something new for the region and especially for Northern Virginia jazz fans is the coming of Nomadic Jazz, the program of events produced by Debbie Hodnett, beginning with her show at 7 p.m. Saturday May 2 featuring Inner Urge with percussion master and composer Nasar Abadey and friends.<br/> Abadey will perform with an all-star group including Allyn Johnson, piano, Fred Boss and Elijah Jamal Balbed, saxophones, Thad Wilson, trumpet and Herman Burney bass, at the Durant Art Center, 1605<br/> Cameron Street in Alexandria (two blocks from King Street Metro). As Nomadic Jazz puts it, “Join us … for a unique experience as the leaders of 6 different straight-ahead jazz ensembles come together to perform a mix of standards & original compositions.” Tickets are $20 and are available online or at the door. See <a href="http://www.nomadicjazz.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.nomadicjazz.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-224" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg?w=225&h=300" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" height="300" width="225"/></a></p>
<p>One of our reigning sax masters Fred Foss</p>
<p>performs with Inner Urge Saturday May 2</p>
<p>at the Nomadic Jazz show in Alexandria, Va.<br/> Hodnett, an IT professional and serial entrepreneur, says “The aim of Nomadic Jazz is to put jazz, and I mean straight-ahead real jazz, in people’s backyard. No commute over the 14th St. bridge, no long ride to Baltimore. Nomadic Jazz is all about finding spots in your neighborhood or within easy driving or walking distance and giving you an evening of live jazz that shows respect and love for the creativity and dedication of the artists. Our aim is to give the lover of straight-ahead jazz the joys of appreciating the music without being charged more for parking than the show. We’ve all had that experience.”<br/> “Another part of Nomadic Jazz is trying to put the next generation of jazz artists, the students studying music in school, the gifted amateurs working hard on their chops in the basement, an opportunity to come out and network and maybe even jam with those who have already made the leap to being paid performers. We need to make ladders that provide a way for the next generation to rise, and that’s something we’re very aware of. We’re going to work with both today’s and tomorrow’s artists.”</p>
<p><strong>“Spiritual Awakening”</strong></p>
<p>Trombonist Reginald Cyntje’s new recording “Spiritual Awakening,” reflects his belief that, “In my humble opinion, unconditional love is freedom. Freedom to live and understand. Freedom to learn about our similarities. Freedom to celebrate our differences. With the concept of love and freedom in mind, I composed nine songs.”<br/> He says of the tune, “Awakening,” “In my early 20s, I was on an ambitious mission to learn about different cultures. What surprised me were the similarities that existed between different religions. When the shackles of tradition were removed, once I met another spiritual being from a different faith, I was better equipped to understand them. I felt awake and aware. I’m still yearning to learn more.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/spiritualawakeningcover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-358" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/spiritualawakeningcover.jpg?w=295&h=300" alt="spiritualawakeningcover" height="300" width="295"/></a><br/> Cyntje, with CD release parties including May 15 at Westminster Presbyterian Church and May 17 At Bohemian Caverns, has fashioned another winner with the recording, which builds naturally on his previous CDs, “Freedom’s Children,” “Love” and “Elements of Life,”<br/> Greatly helping make “Spiritual Awakening” a melodic gem is bassist Herman Burney, who almost steals the show with urgently compelling, and melodically inspiring bass work throughout. Burney’s band mates, with Cyntje’s frequently biting, sometimes smoothly sweetening trombone accenting each tune, include Allyn Johnson and Janelle Gill on piano, Brian Settles, tenor sax, Carroll Dashiell III and Amin Gumbs, drums, Kenny Rittenhouse trumpet, Victor Provost, steel pan, and Christie Dashiell, vocals.<br/> Highlights include “Beatitudes,” led by Christie Dashiell’s vocal flights, and Settles’ sax work, and Rittenhouse on trumpet; “Atonement,” a subtly engaging, lilting yet urgently melodic work, driven masterfully by Burney’s bluesy bass and “Compassion,” another Burney showcase. “Ritual,” is an intriguing gem all its own, highlighted by Burney, Cyntje, Gumbs’ polyrhythmic drum weavings. And “Rejoice” is a vintage island rocker spurred by Provost’s steel pan melodies and Settles’ simpering, slicing sax riffs.<br/> Cyntje says in the liner notes, “We are Spiritual beings. Our DNA is coded with Instructions on how to achieve greatness. The groove helps us march forward in our quest for resolution…”<br/> See <a href="http://www.reginaldcyntje.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.reginaldcyntje.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><strong>Tim Whalen’s “Oblivion”</strong></p>
<p>Tim Whalen has come to the fore as one our area’s finest pianists in recent years and his latest recording, “Oblivion: The Music of Bud Powell,” helps cement his stature everywhere as a formidable talent. An ambitious task, doing justice to Powell, the eclectic bop and beyond master whose career was short but brilliant, but Whalen largely meets the mark with creative arrangements of some of Powell’s best known tunes.<br/> Whalen’s cohorts are Paul Pieper, guitar, Elijah Jamal Balbed, saxophones, Eliot Seppa, bass, and Shareef Taher and Carroll Dashiell III, drums.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/timwhalen1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-359" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/timwhalen1.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="TimWhalen1" height="300" width="200"/></a></p>
<p>Pianist Tim Whalen<br/> “Parisian Thoroughfare” is one highlight of “Oblivion,” with Whalen tinkering with the walk-in opening to give the tune his own touch, then reprising the melody with crystal, joyful clarity, and Pieper’s venturesome guitar licks another inventive accent to the Powell favorite. “Un Poco Loco” is smartly snappy, driven by drummer Taher, Balbed spurting his own sharp riffs on sax and Whalen rippling melodically in lilting then urgent romps.<br/> Other high points include the melancholy “Blue Pearl, highlighted by Seppa’s grooves on bass; Whalen, Seppa and Balbed spurring “Oblivion” into a whipping, jamming ode to bebop’s finest with Taher bristling on drums; and Whalen and Taher’s interplay on “Tempus Fugue-It.”<br/> See <a href="http://www.timothywhalen.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.timothywhalen.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>InPerson … Calvin Jones Big Band Festival</strong></p>
<p>The 29th edition of the Calvin Jones Big Band Festival at the University of the District of Columbia April 27, thanks to UDC’s Professor and Curator of the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives Judith A. Korey and her staff, was another head-shaking, foot-tapping success, with the Howard University Jazz Ensemble opening with rockers like “Stablemates” and “Theme for Malcolm,” and the searing “Soul Eyes,” with saxophonist Kenneth J. Nunn and drummer Savannah Grace Harris among those in top form for legendary director Fred Irby III.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-157" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png?w=300&h=201" alt="AllyJohnsonbyWABrower" height="201" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Photo by W.A. “Bill” Brower</p>
<p>UDC Director of Jazz Studies</p>
<p>and pianist Allyn Johnson<br/> The University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble, led by Chris Vadala, shined on the Oliver Nelson tune “Miss Fine” and Thad Jones’ “Cherry Juice,” trombonist Reginald Cyntje one of the stars the set along with Rico Huff on piano.<br/> The UDC Jazz Ensemble, led in vintage form by Allyn Johnson on piano, closed the evening out in style, especially on a couple of tunes by D.C. pianist Reuben Brown, “Billy” and “Float Like A Butterfly,” with trumpeter DeAndre Shaifer spearing the air with scintillating solo lines, complimenting Johnson and company, including guitarist Pete Muldoon.</p>
<p><strong>Makanda Jazz Coming to D.C. May 16</strong></p>
<p>Coming back to the region this month is The Makanda Project, led by pianist and bandleader John Kordalewski, at Michigan Park Christian Church1600 Taylor St NE, 6:30 pm, also a workshop at 11:30 am. The Makanda Project is an ensemble dedicated to performing the previously unrecorded compositions of the late Makanda Ken McIntyre, according to the project website. The group is based in Boston (Makanda’s hometown) and was formed in 2005<br/> After McIntyre passed away unexpectedly in 2001, it was discovered that, in addition to the approximately 75 original compositions that appear on his albums, he had written around 350 more that had not been recorded or, in most cases, performed in public. Makanda was a “brilliant composer. His compositions are marked by a distinctive rhythmic and lyrical quality, along with how effectively he can do the unexpected. The unrecorded compositions promised to be a significant body of work.”<br/> Band members have included Oliver Lake, alto saxophone, Eddie Allen, trumpet, Ku-umba Frank Lacy, trombone and Billy Hart, drums, and also dancer Mickey Davidson, who is from the D.C. area.<br/> Kordalewski, who studied and worked with Makanda, last brought the project to the area at An Die Musik in Baltimore four years ago. He says, “I’m really excited to finally be bringing the Makanda Project to DC. DC is where I learned to play. It’s been 24 years since I moved to Boston, and I’m expecting to see a lot of old friends. To be playing at a church fundraiser fits with how we’ve been doing things in Boston. Instead of playing at established jazz venues, we’ve been putting on our own free concerts at a public library and a park in the Roxbury neighborhood. The concerts take on the character of community events, and the audience is broader than the hard core jazz listeners. In that kind of setting we’ve found a great receptiveness to the music.”</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/themakandaproject1.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-367" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/themakandaproject1.jpg?w=300&h=200" alt="TheMakandaProject1" height="200" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Montage from the Makanda Project website<br/> Kordalewski adds, “I also want to mention that we will be performing one piece composed by South African pianist Ndikho Xaba, who lived in DC in the late 1970s. Ndikho frequently appeared at various political rallies around town, and also performed regularly at [D C Space] and other venues. He is one of the most inspiring musicians I have ever met. I had the good fortune to get to know him well during that time. I spent some time with him in South Africa last year and am working on a project writing big band arrangements of some of his compositions. I’m expecting there will be others at the concert who remember him.”<br/> See www. makandaproject.com for more information.</p>
<p><strong>“Inner Harbor Revisited …”</strong></p>
<p>Carl Grubbs, award-winning saxophone master, composer and educator, unveils his “Inner Harbor Suite Revisited: A Tribute to Baltimore” compositions with the Carl Grubbs Jazz/Strings Ensemble at 4 p.m. May 31 at The Ward Center for the Arts at St. Paul’s Schools, 11152 Falls Road, Lutherville/Timonium, Md., near Baltimore. The works, reprising Grubbs’ acclaimed 1994 CD “Inner Harbor Suite,” result from the grant he received as a 2014 Rubys Artist Award winner in Baltimore.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-82" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png?w=217&h=300" alt="carlgrubbs1" height="300" width="217"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Saxophonist, bandleader, composer Carl Grubbs</strong><br/> Performers will include Eric Byrd, piano, Blake Meister, bass, John Lamkin, drums, Eric Kennedy, percussion, Cleveland Chandler and Samuel Thompson, violins, Daphne Benichou, viola and Kenneth Law, cello. Also performing will be the St. Paul’s School Jazz Band, where Grubbs is the director of jazz studies.<br/> Contact Barbara Grubbs, 410-944-2909, see <a href="http://www.contemporaryartsinc.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.contemporaryartsinc.org</a> or go to <a href="http://www.instantseats.com/events/ContemporaryArts" rel="nofollow">http://www.instantseats.com/events/ContemporaryArts</a>. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door ($5 students).</p>
<p><strong>Charlie Fishman named JJA 2015 Hero</strong></p>
<p>The Jazz Journalists Association has rightly named Charlie Fishman, the force behind the DC Jazz Festival, a JJA 2015 Jazz Hero, citing the fact that “countless D.C. residents and visitors have now got a decade of musical memories thanks to Fishman’s ceaseless efforts…”<br/> That’s a reference to Fishman’s engineering the DC Jazz Festival for going on 11 years of citywide presentations of distinguished and diverse artists for the enjoyment and education of residents and tourists of all ages. The festival returns with another potpourri of music in glittering halls, clubs, museums and other venues June 10-16.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/herman-burney.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-362" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/herman-burney.jpg?w=241&h=300" alt="Herman Burney" height="300" width="241"/></a></p>
<p>Bassist Herman Burney, a star on</p>
<p>Reginald Cyntje’s “Spiritual Awakening,”</p>
<p>plays for Jazz ‘n Families event during</p>
<p>the 2015 DC Jazz Festival</p>
<p> <br/> DCJF kickoff events include Jazz ‘N Families Fun Days June 6-7 at the Phillips Collection with talks, storytelling, the film “Oxygen for the Ears,” and music by Herman Burney, Allyn Johnson, Charles Rahmat Woods, Paul Carr, Halley Shoenberg and others; John Scofield, June 10, Paquito D’Rivera June 11 and The Bad Plus and Joshua Redman June 12 at The Hamilton; and Jazz In The ‘Hoods events.<br/> See <a href="http://www.dcjazzfest.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.dcjazzfest.org</a>, and <a href="http://www.jjaawards.org" rel="nofollow">http://www.jjaawards.org</a> for complete information on the JJA 2015 Jazz Heroes.</p>
<p><strong><em>Steve Monroe is a Washington, D.C. writer who can be reached at steve<a href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a>.com and followed at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues" rel="nofollow">http://www.twitter.com/jazzavenues</a>.</em></strong></p>
</div>Jazz Avenues December 2014 BLOG--WJN Editiontag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2014-12-03:2645717:BlogPost:1384192014-12-03T14:57:42.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<p>Brad Linde, Eric Byrd, SJMO and more swing us through December and holidays Lots of swinging sounds highlight the month’s offerings locally, including many holiday shows. Brad Linde and An Die Musik present Ran Blake on solo piano Dec. 4 at An Die Musik in Baltimore (<a href="http://www.andiemusiklive.com">www.andiemusiklive.com</a>). “A Brother Ray Christmas with Eric Byrd and the Brother Ray Band” is Friday Dec. 5 at Westminster, with Byrd on piano and vocals, featuring Lyle Link and Paul…</p>
<p>Brad Linde, Eric Byrd, SJMO and more swing us through December and holidays Lots of swinging sounds highlight the month’s offerings locally, including many holiday shows. Brad Linde and An Die Musik present Ran Blake on solo piano Dec. 4 at An Die Musik in Baltimore (<a href="http://www.andiemusiklive.com">www.andiemusiklive.com</a>). “A Brother Ray Christmas with Eric Byrd and the Brother Ray Band” is Friday Dec. 5 at Westminster, with Byrd on piano and vocals, featuring Lyle Link and Paul Carr on saxophones. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra performs “Suite Ellington” Dec. 6 at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. Also, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra with Allan Harris and Dee Alexander is at the Kennedy Center Dec. 6, the same night the John Pizzarelli Quartet is at The Weinberg Center in Frederick (<a href="http://www.weinbergcenter.org">www.weinbergcenter.org</a>) and “A Post-Cool Yule” with the Brad Linde Ensemble is at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in D.C., with Dave Ballou, trumpet and Anthony Pirog, guitar. Then Linde, saxophone and clarinet specialist, leads a group for “The Stockings Were Hung!” A DIX OUT XXXMAS shows at Twins Jazz Dec. 7. See <a href="http://www.bradlinde.com">www.bradlinde.com</a> for more information Big-toned tenor saxophonist Tedd Baker continues his run of Tuesdays Dec. 9 as the artist in residence at Bohemian Caverns. Baker, with his rough and ready riffs, has worked with a wide variety of great artists including Barry Harris, George Duke, Warren Wolf, Butch Warren, the U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note Band and his recordings include his own “Mugshots,” and The Young Lions “Live At Bohemian Caverns” with Kris Funn, Allyn Johnson, and Quincy Phillips. See <a href="http://www.teddbaker.com">www.teddbaker.com</a> for more information. Doing a run of Tuesdays himself, down the street on U Street in December at Twins Jazz, is renowned also saxophonist Marty Nau. Nau has played with such bands as the Blues Alley Big Band, Bill Potts Big Band and performers like Dizzy Gillespie, Eddie Daniels, Stanley Turrentine, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, Ethel Ennis and Nancy Wilson. He teaches jazz saxophone at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and leads the Marty Nau Quartet which has recorded three CDs. See <a href="http://www.twinsjazz.com">www.twinsjazz.com</a> for more information. paulcarr2 (2) Paul Carr is to performer with Eric Byrd's group Dec. 5 at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Other early December highlights include: Brad Linde and An Die Musik present Ran Blake on solo piano Dec. 4 at An Die Musik in Baltimore (<a href="http://www.andiemusiklive.com">www.andiemusiklive.com</a>). “A Brother Ray Christmas with Eric Byrd and the Brother Ray Band” is Friday Dec. 5 at Westminster, with Byrd on piano and vocals, featuring Lyle Link and Paul Carr on saxophones. The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra performs “Suite Ellington” Dec. 6 at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History. Also, the Chicago Jazz Orchestra with Allan Harris and Dee Alexander is at the Kennedy Center Dec. 6, the same night the John Pizzarelli Quartet is at The Weinberg Center in Frederick (<a href="http://www.weinbergcenter.org">www.weinbergcenter.org</a>) and “A Post-Cool Yule” with the Brad Linde Ensemble is at the Atlas Performing Arts Center in D.C., with Dave Ballou, trumpet and Anthony Pirog, guitar. Then Linde, saxophone and clarinet specialist, leads a group for “The Stockings Were Hung!” A DIX OUT XXXMAS shows at Twins Jazz Dec. 7. See <a href="http://www.bradlinde.com">www.bradlinde.com</a> for more information. Trumpet maestro Thad Wilson leads a special tribute to Clifford Brown Dec. 12 at Westminster, with Thinking About Jazz the next day, Dec. 13, from 1 to 3 p.m., presenting “Clifford Brown: I Remember Clifford,” a free program with Nick Catalano, author of Clifford Brown: The Life & Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter” and Harmon Carey, president of the Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware. Call 202-484-7700 for more information on Westminster events. “A Jazz Piano Christmas” with Harold Mabern, Cyrus Chestnut and others is at the Kennedy Center Dec. 12, with the next night at KenCen featuring Chilean saxophonist Melissa Aldana, winner of the 2013 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. Dynamic vibraphonist, pianist and drummer Warren Wolf is at Bohemian Caverns Dec. 12-13. Eclectic vocalist Allison Crockett is at Twins Jazz Dec. 12-13. InPerson … HU Jazz Ensemble Trumpet master Tom Williams was honored and showed he richly deserves the honors when he blew some trademark graceful, soaring lines, Kenny Nunn blew his own trademark golden tones on tenor saxophone, Afro-Blue filled the air with their pitch-perfect melodies and the Howard University Jazz Ensemble’s fall showcase event provided jamming early afternoon entertainment that Thursday Nov. 20 at Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel on the Howard campus in D.C. The always entertaining maestro Fred Irby III, professor of music at HU and director of the internationally famous jazz ensemble, led his charges through “Blues For AL,” before Nunn, now known as Kenneth Jefferson Nun, according to the program, showed of his maturing, bigger, fuller sound on tenor sax on Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge,” powered by Savannah Grace Harris, herself a growing force as a drummer. Pianist Joseph Wilson showed fine touch on “Orange Is The Color Of Her Dress, Then Blue Silk, “and Nunn and trombonist Jarvis Hooper romped along on “Theme for Malcolm.” Williams came out to the front of the stage later to receive the Benny Golson Jazz Master Award, presented by Dr. Arthur Dawkins, HU professor emeritus, and then Williams blew pretty for the people on “All The Things You Are” and later showed his drumming skills on the Neal Hefti tune “Cute.” The coup de grace was master pianist Cyrus Chestnut, a new HU faculty member as the jazz piano teacher, rippling vintage melodies on “Along Came Betty.” A star-studded afternoon indeed, the crowd included Paul Carr, alto sax guru and educator Charlie Young, and vocalese guru and Washington Jazz Network impresario George V. Johnson Jr. Irby reminded the audience before leaving to save the date Sunday, Dec. 7, for the end of the year jazz choir concert and Afro Blue Christmas CD launch event, “An Afro Blue Christmas-featuring Cyrus Chestnut” at 4 p.m. at Rankin Chapel. InPerson … Miguel Zenon Saxophonist Miguel Zenon brought the lilting island sounds of Puerto Rico and the bop driven jams of a New York City jazz club to the Atlas Performing Arts Center in D.C. last month for a stop on his12-city U.S. tour promoting his multi-media recording and show, “Identities Are Changeable.” MZenon Miguel Zenon It began with Zenon standing in the middle of the stage of the musicians in front of a giant screen at the rear, raising his alto sax and spurting sweet lyrical lines over Luis Perdomo’s ripping Latin piano melodies, Hans Glawishnig’s nimble bass work and drummer Eric Dobb’s swishing cymbals, then on the giant screen text of interviews, then the images of the people themselves interviewed on the question of feeling Puerto Rican or American or both, while Zenon’s band played on, a soliloquy of riffs and short melodies, while the moving pictures behind the band moved on from people being interviewed to concrete, to bricks to trees waving in the sunlight, and back, with the video installment by David Dempewolf. Zenon’s band meshed with the pictures of the people and the words of the people and the images of cityscapes and buildings and bricks and concrete and flowers and more, the music romping and ripping for a time, then settling into a lilting waltz for a time, then building back up again. Zenon at times blowing so fiercely and gyrating himself, dancing to the music, and the words and the pictures, among the bustling musicians, made for a choreography all its own, an entertaining multi-media blend that the audience that night thoroughly enjoyed, with long, lasting applause and cheers. The music answered the questions in the interviews all by itself, the spicy Latin rhythms melding with traditional jazzy swinging blues and hip hop funk touches all throughout, a true blend of peoples and cultures. The CD “Identities Are Changeable” opens with Zenon’s alto riffs on “De Donde Vienes? (Overture)” and then he and the band play on underneath interviews of Puerto Ricans/Americans and follows the audio path of the live show, with the title tune including Zenon talking about “The Question” as it were, himself, then the music continues, with Zenon’s quartet augmented by those from his “Identities” Big Band, consisting of alto, tenor and baritone saxophones, trumpets and trombones. The full sound on the CD, the harmonizing horns powering it all along with drummer Dobb, provides a bigger frame for Zenon’s biting alto work and gives a listener a good feel for the full multi-media stage show. The title tune, featuring Zenon and pianist Perdomo’s efficient melodies, provides a sweeping framework for the rest of the tunes, with “My Home,” returning to some lilting, more gentle Latin-based rhythms and dancing horn work. “Same Fight” plays along with an interviewee talking about the interchange between Puerto Ricans and African-Americans, with the music seguing into some soulful, more straight ahead jazz and bebop influenced vibes. More swing and big band harmonies are featured on “First Language,” while “Second Generation Lullaby” features a melodic Glawischnig solo on bass and some extended, waltzing solos by Zenon and one of the recording’s most daring, symphonic arrangements showing off all instrumental facets. “Through Culture and Tradition” has its own special, mucho rapido arrangement and background vocalese sounds, and also features the background horns, Perdomo’s piano and Zenon’s multi-colored alto flights. A journey worth the taking is “Identities,” whatever your cultural leaning. See <a href="http://www.miguelzenon.com">www.miguelzenon.com</a> for more information. InPerson … Mario Pavone’s Pulse Quintet D.C.’s own eclectic saxophonist Brian Settles helped the Mario Pavone Pulse Quintet entertain good crowds at Bohemian Caverns last month for a Transparent Productions show that also featured Baltimore trumpeter Dave Ballou, Mike Kuhl on drums and Mike Pavone on guitar. mariopavone1 photo: <a href="http://www.mariopavone.com">www.mariopavone.com</a> Mario Pavone The group began with Mario Pavone deeply grooving on bass while the other players crafted flourishes in many directions on their instruments, with Pavone’s son Mike on guitar a highlight with his flying high riffs. Settles providing honking, squealing riffs on sax throughout, as the group played “Suitcase in Savannah,” “Refractions,” and other tunes with Pavone’s creative, arrangements keeping the “pulse” of the night always moving. InPerson … George V. Johnson Jr. Our vocalese maestro George V. Johnson Jr. concluded a run of Tuesdays at Bohemian Caverns Nov. 25 with a show featuring the matchless Fred Foss on alto saxophone, Herman Burney, bass, Jerry Jones, drums and Hope Udobi, piano. Johnson devoted the show to some witty and moving lyrical interpretations of Hank Mobley tunes including “East of the Village,” “Pray Your Troubles Away,” and “The Lottery,” be-bopping along with his group with vocals and scat all night. Udobi proved he is a talent deserving wider recognition with vibrant, elegant solos full of bright, melodic charm. InReview … Bebel Full disclosure: The wave of bossa nova that hit the U.S. in the early 1960s caught this listener at a time of fertile musical growth, having been born and raised on the swing and blues and pop and jazz of the time and then in the midst of soul and R&B – even singing with a doo wop group. The sounds of Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd and Joao Gilberto, Bebel’s mother, and Antonio Carlos Jobim swept in and captured its own space in my musical world, it being a fresh, different, eye opening into a cultural space I hadn’t known. bebel_tudo- So listening to Bebel’s new recording “Tudo” took me back to those days. Now, half a century later, many talented vocalists sing the Brazilian tunes but not all pull it off. Bebel’s “Tudo” does nothing real new in the genre, except show off her still formidable liquid hypnotic delivery, entrancing a listener to enjoy again what may be a well-worn tune. Rising above the ordinary on “Tudo” are several moments though, beginning on “Harvest Moon.” The Neil Young gem turns into a special turn of drama and tension, a dreamy romantic cry under the spell of Bebel and her supporting musicians. “Tudo” becomes a winner on its instrumental flow and sparkling arrangements, Bebel’s voicings impeccable in the timing and soft romantic tones. The Jobim classic “Viva Sonhando” becomes new and fresh in Bebel’s treatment, well worth standing alongside other versions. The romping “Tout est Bleu” is a soulful melodic ride, pushed by Bebel’s breathy urgings. Tudo has six originals, including “Somewhere Else,” “Nada Nao” and “Tom de Voz,” featuring guitarist Cesar Mendez. Born in New York to Brazilian musical stars Gilberto and Miucha, Bebel’s childhood was spent in Brazil and she made her first recording at age 7, with her musical influences including those from “Debussy to Prince; Michel Legrand to Billie Holliday; Bjork to Gershwin,” according to Bebel publicity, which adds, “Also evident on Tudo is her love for North American soul; she discovered Donna Summer, Earth Wind and Fire, and Michael Jackson.” See <a href="http://www.bebelgilberto.com">www.bebelgilberto.com</a> for more information. InReview … Somi Doing true justice to her mentor, the living legend Hugh Masekela, Somi has hit a high mark with her major label debut for Sony’s OKeh Records, “The Lagos Music Salon,” featuring Angelique Kidjo and Common. Some album titles are so adventurous and far reaching they frequently overshoot the mark and the music doesn’t live up to such grand promise. This one does. A salon full of multi-genre, instrumental treats, starting with Somi’s uniquely uplifting and attention-getting voice, Somi2 Somi Born in Illinois to parents from Rwanda and Uganda, with a childhood spent in Zambia, Somi calls her music New African Soul, with the influences of icons like Nina Simon and Sara Vaughan adding to her vocal style along with legendary Africans including Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora and Sade. The musicianship is first rate behind her, with the publicity indicating that her producers “assembled Somi's core band: drummer Otis Brown III, pianist Toru Dodo, guitarist Liberty Ellman, background vocalist Alicia Olatuja, and bassist Michael Olatuja. Guests to the ensemble include acclaimed Nigerian-American trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire,” much celebrated in the jazz world and featured here on “Brown Round Things," an original lamenting the prostitutes Somi observed in Lagos. Also featured is trumpeter, Etienne Charles, who arranged the horn section for "Akobi: First Born S(u)n," a fun ride and a catchy rhythm with Somi and the horns and the backup vocalists blending and harmonizing in jazz riff form. Highlights? Where to start? Maybe at the beginning with “Love Juju” an inspiring opening, Somi’s voice ranging from breathy, talking almost whispers to soaring soprano flights, with Ellman’s guitar an incisive spice. Then “Lady Revisited” has Ellman kicking off a whipping ride along with Somi’s sometimes startling voice, “… African woman strong and free…remove yourself from misery…” cutting through the music straight to your psyche. Then there’s “Ginger Me Slowly,” driven by Dodo’s lyrical piano work and Somi stepping it down for a lilting classic love rhythm and the bluesy, somber melancholy of “Brown Round Things.” And the strings brought in to drive one of the most daring arrangements of the recording, on “When Rivers Cry,” with Somi and the other vocalists creating a sweeping, vocalese, rapping aural panorama of the painful journey of Africa’s promise. “Four African Women,” is a solid rendering of the tune made famous by Nina Simone with Somi’s version a different, slightly more upbeat take. “The Lagos Music Salon” is product of Somi's journey to Lagos, says the publicity, with her original goal to live in Lagos for 15 months, but “she ended up being there for 18 months. She began her journey with an international teaching artist residency at a university in Ilorin, Nigeria while also doing occasional European shows to keep her career visible. After six months, Somi began to realize the impact of her choice to be in Lagos.” "Initially I was a little panicked," she says. "Was I going to disappear? Would people forget about me? But after months of writing in my journal, I discovered a body of work was emerging." Quite a body. Certainly a 10. See <a href="http://www.crossovermedia.net">www.crossovermedia.net</a> or <a href="http://www.somimusic.com">www.somimusic.com</a> for more information. InReview … Kenny Barron, Dave Holland Long a fan of small groups over big bands, but also solo piano, this listener has not normally been a fan of duos. They seemed to cry out for a drummer or a piano or a sax if one was missing, or … something. But it was a pleasure to hear the kind of empathy and orchestral completeness the pairing of pianist Kenny Barron and bassist Dave Holland provide on “The Art of Conversation.” As the recording’s publicity says, “These two titans began performing together as a duo throughout Europe and the U.S. in 2012. One such performance at Jazz à la Villette in Paris in September of that year caught the attention of Jean-Philippe Allard, producer and Managing Director of the newly reinvigorated Impulse! record label who was so moved by the concert that he encouraged Barron and Holland to head into the studio to document their profound rapport on record.” BarronHollandCD The result is superb, certain to show up on top 10 album lists for 2014. The works include four originals by Holland, long associated with those like Chick Correa, Anthony Braxton, Sam Rivers and other masters, and three by Barron, purveyor of a legendary crystal-clear touch on the piano. No need to go looking for highlights to trumpet on this disc, they all seem to run as one piece of a Barron/Holland symphony. The one playing right now on my device is Barron’s “Rain,” with Barron’s lyricisim melding perfectly with Holland’s gentle ruminations. The classic Thelonious Monk tune “In Walked Bud” features Barron’s somewhat more muted piano stylings on his solo than Monk’s but is just as intriguing, especially blended with Holland’s harmony. Barron, with the ability to seemingly play more with less, and Holland’s bass work seemingly having that same talent of deftly weaving an intricacy that is apparent but not obtrusive, the duo join seamlessly, with Holland’s bass seeming as flexible as a bass guitar in his hands but with that fuller more complete upright sound. “Seascape” is a joyous romp for the two experts meshing and embellishing each other’s accents, well, expertly. “Daydream” by Duke Ellington is the perfect walkaway for the recording, Barron’s gentle ripples simpering along with Holland’s warm notes, and vice versa, in an elegant waltz for two. As Holland says in the publicity, of playing with Barron, the interaction, “For me, it’s a harmony lesson every time I play with him.” Barron says of the duo recording, “[Duos] afford you the opportunity to go into different directions,” … and he says “that he revels in playing duo with bassists because it gives him a foundation to unravel exquisite voicings.” Exquisite indeed. See <a href="http://www.impulse-label.com">www.impulse-label.com</a> for more information. InReview … Ken Thomson Maybe it’s just a nostalgic remembrance of my rock days but seeming to hear Chicago and BS&T and Led Zeppelin, among other old favorites, grabbed me immediately when listening to “Settle,” the title tune to Ken Thomson and Slow/Fast’s latest recording. Then the horns started swinging, the jazz seemed to kick in and it was hard to stop playing it over and over and … Having known nothing about an artist and putting his work in your device and being taken away is always an uplifting, fresh air blowing through the window feeling and the mood just continued on listening to “Settle,” making one reach for bio material on this Thomson fellow. The alto saxophonist, bass clarinetist and composer Thomson, known for Gutbucket and Bang On A Can All-Stars, we are told in the publicity for the recording, on the NCM East Records label, is Brooklyn-based and in demand in what is called the “new-music” industry. KThomsonSettleCover We’ll buy that. The title tune “Settle” has a rocking, rumbling, compelling arrangement, besides the fine musicianship of Thomson, throbbing guitarist Nir Felder, sizzling trumpeter Russ Johnson, groove master Adam Armstrong on bass and whiplash drummer Fred Kennedy. And it’s one of those recordings that sends you back to the CD looking for the personnel and wondering who else is on it. But these four are it, providing a full orchestra sound with varied voicings and rhythms throughout. Thomson blows mightily on bass clarinet on “We Are Not All In This Together,” which is spiced by Felder as well and Johnson’s soaring trumpet above. Again, it’s the arrangement that is as intriguing as the music and the song titles. So many musical stories seem packed into tunes that are ample in length but never too long. One always wants a little more of that melody, that guitar riff, that cymbal work, that harmonic interplay between Thomson’s bass clarinet and Johnson’s trumpet. Johnson’s trumpet and Thomson’s sax engage in more dramatic interplay to highlight “Welding for Freedom,” an intimate journey showcasing each player’s skill, guitar and drums exchanging riffs as well, before the horns come back to romp along again, then trade spiraling solos. “Spring” is a dramatist’s delight, full of horn sounds and fury, but quiet times as well. Again, the arrangements alone are worth a listen on “Settle,” defying a feeble writer’s attempts to call it … new wave jazz-rock? … new avant garde? … space jazz … ? You try, but enjoy. See <a href="http://www.ktonline.net">www.ktonline.net</a> for more information. Steve Monroe is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. He can be reached at steve@jazzavenues.com.</p>Jazz Avenues October/November BLOG 2014tag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2014-10-31:2645717:BlogPost:1377862014-10-31T14:00:00.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<p><strong><a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">"Jazz Avenues"</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>STEVE MONROE</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM" target="_self">A Member of the…</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong><a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">"Jazz Avenues"</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>STEVE MONROE</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM" target="_self">A Member of the Washington DC Jazz Network</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong style="font-size: 13px;"><img width="50" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2479587274?profile=RESIZE_180x180"/>… follow <a href="https://twitter.com/jazzavenues" target="_blank">@jazzavenues</a></strong></p>
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<p><strong><em>“Music paints pictures that only the mind’s eye can see”~~~Sun Ra</em></strong></p>
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<p><strong> <a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/lafayettegilchrist.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-236" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/lafayettegilchrist.jpg?w=298" alt="LafayetteGilchrist" width="409" height="412"/></a></strong></p>
<p>photo/<a href="http://www.lafayettegilchrist.com">www.lafayettegilchrist.com</a></p>
<p>Lafayette Gilchrist plays the art of the piano</p>
<p>at the Arts Club of Washington Nov. 3.</p>
<p><strong>Sun Ra Fest, Todd Marcus, Lafayette Gilchrist</strong></p>
<p><strong>jam our way from October into November</strong></p>
<p>The stars are aligned for a jamming end to October, with the Sun Ra Fest beginning tonight, Oct. 31, with a show at the Lincoln Theatre and continuing Saturday and Sunday. The Todd Marcus Orchestra begins a big weekend of its own with a show at An Die Musik in Baltimore tonight and after journeying up the coast for shows in New Jersey and New York, plays D.C. Monday night -- the same night, Nov. 3, that his fellow Baltimore luminary Lafayette Gilchrist plays the Arts Club of Washington in the Art of the Piano series in downtown D.C.</p>
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<p>CapitalBop is a co-presenter of the “Along Came Ra” festival, along with Transparent Productions and JBV Productions in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the arrival in our plane of existence of the great Sun Ra, the multi-dimensional musician, bandleader, philosopher and visionary – who was avant garde before avant garde.</p>
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<p><br/> The Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of Marshall Allen, plays Friday night for the “Cosmic Spectacle and Concert.” Now under the direction of longtime Ra collaborator Marshall Allen, the large orchestra moves swiftly from swinging jazz à la Ra’s mid-century Chicago years to free and funk-lit excursions. The band will be joined by the keyboard great and Parliament veteran Bernie Worrell, himself a Sun Ra devotee and inheritor of his Afro-futurist mantel. will appear with special guest Bernie Worrell at the Lincoln Theatre for an 8 p.m. concert (tickets $20, free for children in costume), "preceded at 6 p.m. by a Cosmic Costume contest/happening/pep rally in the parking lot, according to information from Bobby Hill Jr. of Transparent Productions, and alleys behind the theater. There, DJs are to mix from Ra’s vast discography of big band, electronic, and free jazz, while painters and graffiti artists render live interpretations of the eccentric jazzman’s visage and while children, parents, and All Saints’ Eve revelers enjoy the magical aura of [Sun Ra]."</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/toddmarcus2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-237" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/toddmarcus2.jpg?w=300" alt="toddmarcus2" width="515" height="343"/></a></p>
<p><strong>photo/Gary Young Photograph</strong></p>
<p><strong>Todd Marcus plays with his orchestra in Baltimore</strong></p>
<p><strong>at An Die Musik Oct. 31 and in D.C. at</strong></p>
<p><strong>St. Marks Presbyterian Church Nov. 3</strong><br/> Meanwhile Marcus leads his orchestra in Baltimore Friday night, in a special CD release concert for his newest album, "Blues for Tahrir," which sets Egypt's Arab Spring movement to music in a fusion of jazz with Middle Eastern influences, and will bring the music of the new CD to D.C. at St. Marks Presbyterian Church in Rockville, Md., Monday night Nov. 3.</p>
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<p><img width="492" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2436542718?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="451" height="583"/><br/> <br/> <a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2539311635?profile=original" target="_self"><br/></a><br/> Saturday, Nov 1 the Sun Ra Fest continues with a panel discussion at 2pm at the Pop Up Ra Gallery, 1931 12th Street N.W. featuring Arkestra members and others, moderated by GMU Professor Dr. Thomas Stanley, author of the recently published Execution of Sun Ra*. In the closing event of the festival Sunday, Nov. 2, the Burnt Sugar Arkestra will bring its “ecstatic meld of Afro-futurism, absurdist groove and spontaneous togetherness” to Liv Nightclub (upstairs from Bohemian Caverns). The avant-garde trio OOO opens, with the band including Aaron Martin on saxophone, Sam Lohman, drums and Luke Stewart, bass.</p>
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<p><img src="http://northern-spy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-1.03.05-PM.png" width="688" height="122"/></p>
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<p>See <a href="http://www.capitalbop.com">www.capitalbop.com</a> for more information on the Sun Ra doings.</p>
<p><strong>Elsewhere this weekend</strong>, the Phil Butts Big Band is at Westminster Presbyterian Church tonight, Oct. 31. Sunday, Nov. 2, the Baltimore Chamber Jazz Society kicks off its season with a show featuring the Rufus Reid Quintet. Bassist, composer and bandleader Reid, whose album “Quiet Pride – The Elizabeth Catlett Project” celebrates the famous sculptor’s works, is to appear with his quintet, including Steve Allee, piano, Duduka Da Fonseca, drums, Freddie Hendrix, trumpet and Baltimore legend Gary Bartz, alto saxophone. See <a href="http://www.rufusreid.com">www.rufusreid.com</a> or <a href="http://www.baltimorechamberjazz.com">www.baltimorechamberjazz.com</a> for more information.<br/> The Lafayette Gilchrist show Monday Nov. 3 is at 7 p.m. at the Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I Street N.W. The Piano Jazz at the Arts Club series, produced by Burnett Thompson, focuses on “innovation in modern jazz piano.” Gilchrist, a D.C. native, has been a fountain of intriguing, provocative sounds on piano, either solo or in ensemble formats. Seewww.pianojazz.com for more information.</p>
<p><br/> <strong>In other highlights for early November,</strong> the Hill Center Jazz Ensemble appears Nov. 5 at the Hill Center on Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. (<a href="http://www.hillcenterdc.org">www.hillcenterdc.org</a>), led by acclaimed young drummer Sana Kadoura. Termed a “mainstay of the New York jazz scene” where she leads the Sanah Kadoura Quarchestra, she has appeared at the Harlem Stage and the Saratoga Jazz Festival and is frequently heard at Smalls and Fat Cat in NYC. Songbird Sharon Clark, fresh from a tour in Sweden, appears with Chris Grasso, piano, Zack Pride, bass and Lenny Robinson, drums, at The Carlyle Club in Alexandria, Va. Nov. 6 – call 703-548-5953. The Larry Brown Quintet is at 49 West in Annapolis Nov. 8.</p>
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<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2479586459?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="300" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2479586459?profile=RESIZE_320x320" width="480" class="align-left" height="621"/></a></p>
<p>And Tuesdays in November beginning Nov. 4 at Bohemian Caverns check out our own vocalist extraordinaire and Washington DC Jazz Network web impresario supreme, George V. Johnson Jr.! </p>
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<p>The Washington DC Jazz Network is a Media Sponsor for <a href="http://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/events/sun-rah-space-is-the-place" target="_self">Along Came Ra..</a></p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-187" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg?w=300" alt="SAMphotoSharonClark (2)" width="496" height="372"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Sharon Clark appears at The Carlyle</strong></p>
<p><strong>in Alexandria, Va. Nov. 6</strong></p>
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<p><img src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/5uNkd4fRoM8/maxresdefault.jpg" width="482" height="271"/></p>
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<p>On Nov. 9, WPFW programmer Rusty Hassan presents “The Jazz Giants of Washington” at the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel. Among those to be discussed, besides the imminent Duke Ellington, are Billy Taylor, Charlie Rouse, Buck Hill and Shirley Horn. <span style="font-size: 13px;">Taylor, who passed into ancestry just a few years ago, was mentioned in the book “Jazz -- The First Century," edited by John Edward Hasse, our distinguished Smithsonian Institution historian, published by William Morrow (2000). Larry Appelbaum, also a WPFW programmer and historian, in a section called “Jazz on Television,” says: </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">“Pianist Billy Taylor became a mainstay jazz figure on TV, from his musical-directorship of NET's first jazz series, The Subject Is Jazz, in 1958, to his ongoing role as arts correspondent for CBS's Sunday Morning.” </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">For more information call the Montpelier Arts Center at 301-377-7800.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 13px;"><img src="http://www.allaboutjazz.com/media/large/6/9/9/f87016014a79cf05af6fd1c4deb48.jpg" width="385" height="578"/></span></p>
<p>Also on Nov. 9, the Buster Williams Quartet is at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club.</p>
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<p><img src="http://www.mariopavone.com/images/homepic.jpg"/></p>
<p>Transparent Productions returns with a show at Bohemian Caverns Nov. 16, featuring Mario Pavone’s Pulse Quintet, including D.C.’s own innovative saxophonist Brian Settles. See <a href="http://www.transparentsproductionsdc.org">www.transparentsproductionsdc.org</a> or <a href="http://www.bohemiancaverns.com">www.bohemiancaverns.com</a> for more information.</p>
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<p><strong>Honoring Idris Muhammad</strong></p>
<p>Charles "Rahmat Shabazz" Woods, the noted D.C. area-based saxophonist, flutist, bandleader and composer known for his expertise in a wide range of genres, has a special show coming up at Vicino's in Silver Spring.<br/> Brought to you by vocalist and impresario Chad Carter, Monday Night at Vicino's Nov. 17 features the Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet Plus performing a "Tribute to Idris Muhammad" from 7 to 9 pm.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/charlesrahmatwoods2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-133" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/charlesrahmatwoods2.jpg" alt="charlesrahmatwoods2" width="255" height="319"/></a></p>
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<p><strong>Charles "Rahmat Shabazz" Woods</strong></p>
<p><br/> Woods, playing sax and flute, is to have Derek Gasque, piano, Eliot Seppa, bass, Kevin Atkins, drums and Harun Akbar, tenor sax for the show. They are to explore music written and performed by the late great New Orleans native drummer Muhammad, whose birthday is Nov. 12 and who as Woods says, is well known for his broad inclusive approach, from “funk to swing.” Vicino's is at 959 Sligo Avenue in Silver Spring. Call (240)704-9916 or (202)670-0095 or go towww.jazzknights.com. Advance tickets are $20 and space is limited.</p>
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<p><strong>InReview … Orbert Davis, Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, “Sketches of Spain” [Revisited]</strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/odavissketches.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-239" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/odavissketches.jpg" alt="ODavisSketches" width="493" height="449"/></a></p>
<p>In considering these kinds of treatments, here a reprise of the landmark 1960 Miles Davis/Gil Evans “Sketches of Spain” recording, maybe the best part of honoring a classic work with a revisit and a tweak is it will cause many – hopefully hundreds, or thousands – of those new to what is called jazz to research and buy the original work, discover music they never knew existed and then delve into it on their own. The other best part is that in this type of classical/jazz project, it encourages some of those formerly content in their own genre to sample even more of the other genre, making richer and more widespread the appreciation for the finer points of each art form. (For example, this once novice listener, then strictly a small group “pure” jazz person, thought the Davis/Evans original a bit too “big band-ish” and what was all this classical stuff doing in a jazz record anyway?)</p>
<p><br/> So Orbert Davis, master trumpeter, bandleader, innovator and educator, has succeeded with his “Sketches of Spain” [Revisited] by his Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble on the 316 Records label, for those of us concerned about spreading the legacy of the art forms, even before dissecting this singular accomplishment.<br/> But forget dissection here. His work, including his own perspective and coloring of the anchor piece, “Concerto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo, lays bare and open, a straightforward, dignified sweeping, spatial panorama, accented in tasteful, fiery spurts by his trumpet, and is what it is -- a fine frame. A frame including subtly sprinkling piano, complimenting horns and strings along the way, and finely textured orchestration overall, for the painter’s brushwork that follows.</p>
<p><br/> His superb tweaking includes subbing his own compositions, “Muerte Del Matador,” “El Moreno” and “El Albacin,” for original tunes on the Davis/Evans album, but keeping “Solea.”<br/> “Muerte Del Matador” seems to flow nicely from the concerto and despite its theme, seems to honor our matador in death for his bravery, not lament his passing in too somber a fashion. “El Moreno” steps smartly behind Orbert Davis’ trumpet and the other horns, the percussion throughout crisply driving. Singing strings carry the way on “El Albacin,” sections echoing and answering each other in spirited conversation, serving as a deft respite, an oasis. Then “Solea,” returns us to the original work, Orbert Davis’ searing and then soothing trumpet lines guiding the way, with the percussion marching swiftly behind, leading us over the open plain back the way we came.<br/> See <a href="http://www.orbertdavis.com">www.orbertdavis.com</a>.</p>
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<p><strong>InReview … Brian Lynch, Emmet Cohen have the “answer”</strong></p>
<p>For a “sax” man at the core like myself to include reviews of two trumpet-based recordings back to back is not normal. But things happen. Having heard Brian Lynch once live, curiosity took over when this arrived, and surely a brief listen would do.</p>
<p>Wrong. Put it in the car CD player and couldn’t take it out. Lynch and pianist Emmet Cohen’s “Questioned Answer” CD, featuring bassist Boris Kozlov and drummer Billy Hart, on the Hollistic Masterworks label, combines sessions with Lynch and Cohen as a duo, with sessions adding Kozlov and Hart.<br/> The veteran Lynch, a professor at the University of Miami, said the CD resulted after he longed to record with Cohen, a former UM student, after he heard Cohen when both were on a jazz cruise.</p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/copy-of-blynchecohenqacover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-241" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/copy-of-blynchecohenqacover.jpg?w=300" alt="Copy of BlynchEcohenQAcover" width="465" height="465"/></a><br/> The players seem so attuned to each other that after a few listenings, it is hard to try to remember which ones just have trumpet and piano and which have the whole group. The CD colors blend so well and Lynch and Cohen as a duo seem to evoke more instruments – as they do on Sammy Cahn’s “Just In Time,” and the Irving Berlin favorite “How Deep is The Ocean,” Lynch dashing out front with the colorful melody over Cohen’s softer rumbles and ripples, Cohen then taking over with a two-handed multiple colored soliloquy before Lynch returns darting and spurting along, up and down and across the scales, repeating, and embellishing.</p>
<p><br/> On “Buddy,” one of the CD highlights, the ensemble follows Lynch’s lead on his own catchy composition, for a lilting, funky, driving romp, Lynch twirling the melody, before Cohen applies his own inventive versions and Hart shines with some splashy exchanges with Cohen.</p>
<p><br/> On “Dark Passenger,” a Cohen tune, edgier, free form rhythms and colors predominate, spiced by Hart’s explorations on drums, framing Lynch’s trumpeting and Cohen rippling freely, over Kozlov’s murmuring bass work, and Hart’s cymbals. The gentler “I Wish I Knew” showcases the duo work again, Lynch commanding the ballad’s cadence with the phrasing of polished lounge singer, maintaining the mood with a delicate tension.<br/> “Petty Theft” pushes the envelope again, powered by Hart’s ramblings, and sweetened by Cohen’s lyrical urgencies and playfulness with the pace, as done also on the title tune “Questioned Answer,” a steadily building rhythm with Lynch’s lines fiery and focused, and he and Cohen in the middle exchanging riffs, a jam within a jam, aided mightily by Kozlov’s bass groove and Hart’s splashes, and whispers, and rushes.</p>
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<p>See <a href="http://www.hollisticmusicworks.com">www.hollisticmusicworks.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>InReview … Solivan’s “Spark” Simpers </strong></p>
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<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/copy-of-spark_cover.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-242" src="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/copy-of-spark_cover.jpg" alt="Copy of Spark_cover" width="343" height="258"/></a></p>
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<p>A faculty member at City College of New York, vocalist Marianne Solivan – who appears at Blues Alley Nov. 11 -- nonetheless does not come off as too studied a performer on her second album, “Spark” on the HIPNOTIC Records label.</p>
<p><br/> The precision of her phrasing is eased by some flights of intrigue and freedom here, notably on “The Lies of Handsome Men” and on her own composition “If I Were to Love You,” which is maybe the highlight, especially with the piano work of Xavier Davis. The tune stands out as a lovingly meandering journey through her romantic emotions, with other band members Matthew Parish, bass and Gregory Hutchinson, drums empathetic as well.<br/> Another high point is “The Dove,” with music by Davis and lyrics by Solivan, with the two exchanging voice and instrument in another lilting gem. “This Is New,” an Ira Gershwin melody, has Solivan whirling and sailing along, a songbird high above us.</p>
<p><br/> See <a href="http://www.mariannesolivan.com">www.mariannesolivan.com</a> or <a href="http://www.hipnotic.com">www.hipnotic.com</a> for more information.</p>
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<p></p>Jazz Avenues October BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2014-10-09:2645717:BlogPost:1368972014-10-09T12:48:17.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/jazz-avenues-october-2014-blog/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues October 2014 BLOG</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on …</span></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title"><a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/jazz-avenues-october-2014-blog/" rel="bookmark">Jazz Avenues October 2014 BLOG</a></h1>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on </span><a class="entry-date-link" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/10/02/jazz-avenues-october-2014-blog/" rel="bookmark">October 2, 2014</a> <span class="sep">|</span> <span class="edit-link"><a class="post-edit-link" href="https://wordpress.com/post/60561708/223">EDIT</a></span></div>
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<div class="entry-content"><p><strong>… follow <a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-157" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/allyjohnsonbywabrower.png?w=300&h=200" alt="AllyJohnsonbyWABrower" width="300" height="200"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Photo by W. A. “Bill” Brower</strong></p>
<p><strong>Allyn Johnson, a pianist on the move, with events</strong></p>
<p><strong>Oct. 6 and 7, and more to come.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Tribute at the Church, Larry Brown/Sharon Clark, Allyn Johnson on tap</strong></p>
<p>Get your October jazz off in style with the Keter Betts and Harold Mann tribute Friday, Oct. 3 at Westminster Presbyterian Church, then look forward to Larry Brown and Sharon Clark in Bethesda Oct. 4, and Allyn Johnson, at the Arts Club and Chelsey Green at Blues Alley in Oct. 6 events.</p>
<p>Betts was the renowned bassist who spent a long time backing with Ella Fitzgerald, and also Dinah Washington, a key player in the bossa nova emergence while playing with Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz in the early 1960s, and a familiar presence for decades at area venues and festivals until he passed in 2005. Mann, who passed away last year, was a versatile, powerful drummer who helped mentor many musicians over the years. The tribute features Robert Redd on piano, James “Tex” King, bass and Nasar Abadey, drums at Westminster from 6 to 9 p.m.</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/james-king.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-225" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/james-king.jpg?w=300&h=225" alt="james king" width="300" height="225"/></a></p>
<p><strong>James “Tex” King, one of our master bassists,</strong></p>
<p><strong>plays in tribute to late bassist Keter Betts Oct. 3</strong></p>
<p><strong>at Westminster Presbyterian Church.</strong></p>
<p>Quintessential pianist Larry Brown takes his quintet to Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club Saturday, Oct. 4 along with special guest vocalist Sharon Clark, just back from another rousing performance at the Metropolitan Room in New York City last week. Also on Oct. 4 Mehliana at the Kennedy Center features Brad Mehldau and percussionist Mark Guiliana, and there is a Jazz Jam scheduled at Dukem Restaurant on U Street.</p>
<p>Other highlights for jazz in early October include Allyn Johnson, the prolific pianist and director of jazz studies at the University of the District of Columbia, taking center stage at the Arts Club of Washington, 2017 I Street N.W. at 7 pm Oct. 6 for the first Piano Jazz at the Arts Club concert. The series focuses on innovation in modern jazz by “Four reigning artists” performing their own compositions, “celebrating a hundred years of Piano Jazz in Washington, D.C.” Subsequent concerts feature Lafayette Gilchrist Nov. 3, and in the spring Wade Beach and Janelle Gill.</p>
<p>While a student at the University of the District of Columbia, Johnson was mentored by the late great jazz legend Calvin Jones and Johnson was the first recipient of the Felix. E Grant Scholarship Award in jazz performance. He graduated magna cum laude from UDC in 1997 with a degree in jazz studies and served for more than six years as an adjunct professor of music and assistant director of the Jazz Studies program before succeeding Jones as the director in 2005. Johnson, a busy guy, is also in action the next day, Oct. 7, at 12:30 pm, when he leads the UDC Small Jazz Ensembles in concert for an “afternoon of original arrangements and compositions for your lunch hour enjoyment” at the UDC Recital Hall (Performing Arts Bldg. 46-West).</p>
<p>Monday Oct. 6 also features eclectic violinist Chelsey Green at Blues Alley. An entertaining treat whether the venue is jazz, soul, R&B, hip hop or classical, Marcus J. Moore, writing for City Paper, said of her recently, “If you’ve seen her perform, surely you’ve witnessed Green shred her trademark green bows, twirling vigorously as she embraces whatever song she’s playing with her whole body.”</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-224" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/fredfoss.jpg?w=225&h=300" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" width="225" height="300"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Catch Fred Foss on October Tuesdays</strong></p>
<p><strong>at Bohemian Caverns</strong></p>
<p>Master saxophonist and bandleader Fred Foss continues his month of Tuesdays as the Artist in Residence at Bohemian Caverns on Oct. 7. Speaking of Foss, in case you missed it there was a night not too long ago when it felt like a roots music evening on Georgia Avenue when a full house at the Sankofa Café and Bookstoreenjoyed jams by Foss, Nasar Abadey on drums and James “Tex” King on bass.</p>
<p>The searing riffs from Foss’ alto saxophone melding with Abadey’s whipping polyrhythms on drums and King’s every groovy and bluesy bass seemed to transport that section of the avenue across the waters and back, the motherland’s beats echoing up and down the street on tunes like “It Could Happen to You,” “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise,” and “I Can’t Get Started.”</p>
<p>Also On Oct. 7, Ann Hampton Calloway is to perform her “From Sassy to Divine: The Sarah Vaughn Project at Blues Alley, before vocalist Roberta Gambarini begins a four-night run Oct. 9 at the Alley. Jeff Antoniuk is at Twins Jazz Oct. 9 and 10, first with his Jazz Band Masterclasses and then with his Brazil Project. Larry Brown is back in action with his quintet, featuring trumpeter Thad Wilson, at Westminster Oct. 10, the same night Muhal Richard Abrams is at the Kennedy Center, and Davey Yarborough and Esther Williams are at the Montpelier Arts Center in Laurel. Cassandra Wilson is to perform at the Howard Theatre Oct. 12.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-228" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/robertagam907.jpg?w=300&h=300" alt="robertagam907" width="300" height="300"/></p>
<p><strong>Roberta Gambarini plays Blues Alley Oct. 9-12</strong></p>
<p>Ongoing at UDC is the “Bringing Bossa Nova to the United States” at the Felix E. Grant Jazz Archives at the University of the District of Columbia’s Learning Resource Division, through December 12. The exhibition, curated by UDC Professor Judith A. Korey and Michael Fitzgerald, with Rachel Elwell and exhibit designer Serdar Sirtanadolu, is at the Library-Bldg. 41, Level A, 4200 Connecticut Ave., N.W. in D.C. For more information, email <a href="mailto:jazzalive@udc.edu">jazzalive@udc.edu</a> or go to<a href="http://www.lrdudc.wrlc.org/jazz/events.php" rel="nofollow">http://www.lrdudc.wrlc.org/jazz/events.php</a>.</p>
<p><strong>InReview…Mark Meadows’ “Somethin’ Good”</strong></p>
<p>The new CD “Somethin’ Good” by keyboardist Mark Meadows is just that on tunes like “Groovin High” and “Lush Life” in particular, and on other tunes such as “ Just Imagine” and the title tune, which features a popping, whistling, catchy rhythm powered by drummer Eric Kennedy. Meadows flavors the tune with some grace and charm on piano at first, and then a rumbling, gutsy tone later, with the tune accented in sweet and sour fashion by Paul Bollenhback on guitar.</p>
<p>Meadows, the Baltimore artist who frequently plays around D.C., shows off his inventive compositions, full of wit, and also fun at times. Brent Birckhead sparkles on alto sax and Christie Dashiell, and Lena Seikaly provide fine vocals, as on “Once Upon a Purple Night,” the airy vocals finely framing Warren Wolf’s bright runs on vibes. Wolf also shines on “Way Up Here,” backed by Kennedy’s work on cymbals</p>
<p><strong>InPerson…Paul Carr</strong></p>
<p>Bravo, tenor sax man Paul Carr, for rip-roaring sets at Blues Alley last month, during a stop on tour to promote his new “B3 Sessions (DC-NY)” CD. Carr and bandmates Paul Bollenback on guitar, Pat Bianchi, organ, Sam Turner percussion and Lewis Nash, drums, jammed away on tunes like “So Do It,” “Dorothy,” “Random Harvest” and “Yes or No.”</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-80" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg?w=200&h=300" alt="paulcarr2 (2)"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Paul Carr has a winner with</strong></p>
<p><strong>his new “B3 Sessions” CD</strong></p>
<p>The CD, resulting from Carr’s longtime wish to do an organ recording, has Bianchi on organ for the New York sessions, along with Bollenback and Nash. The D.C. session tunes have Bobby Floyd on organ, with Bobby Broom, guitar, Byron Landham, drums and Turner on percussion. Another stop on the B3 Sessions tour for Carr and friends is scheduled Oct. 17 at Westminster.</p>
<p>One highlight of the CD is “Fall,” a Wayne Shorter tune, that has Carr playing the gentle, insistent melody leading into Bianchi’s organ weave, with his bass grooves underneath with his left hand, of the melody, over Nash’s popping work on cymbals and drums, and Bollenback’s complimenting guitar licks. The title tune, Carr’s “B3” has him honking and squawking with verve, before Bollenback digs deep into some Grant Green-like blues licks. See <a href="http://www.paulcarrjazz.com/">www.paulcarrjazz.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><strong>InPerson… Carl Grubbs Ensemble</strong></p>
<p>The rolling hills around the Ward Center for Arts at St. Paul’s School in Brooklandville, Md., just north of Baltimore, provided a perfectly artistic backdrop for the Carl Grubbs’ Ensemble performance for his annual John Coltrane Celebration one Saturday evening late last month.</p>
<p>Special guest Jaleel Shaw, an alto saxophonist and fellow Philadelphia native, like Grubbs, blew lyrical, fluid lines alongside Grubbs’ spearing, spiraling riffs on several tunes that night, delighting a capacity crowd. Ensemble players Eric Byrd on piano, Blake Meister, bass and John Lampkin III, drums, provided fine support for the mostly straight-ahead sets, on tunes like “Four,” “Giant Steps,” My One and Only Love” and “Recorda Me.”</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-82" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png?w=215&h=300" alt="carlgrubbs1"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Carl Grubbs, who led ensemble for</strong></p>
<p><strong>Coltrane celebration concert last month,</strong></p>
<p><strong>plays at Free Fall/Baltimore event Oct. 14.</strong></p>
<p>During each set Grubbs, the jazz studies instructor at St. Paul’s, would pause at some point to talk about Shaw, and how far he had come as a musician since Grubbs met him in Philadelphia many years ago when Shaw was a young teenager. Shaw in turn said what an honor it was to come to Baltimore and play with Grubbs, who in turn learned many basics of the music from Coltrane himself as a young player in Philadelphia.</p>
<p>Grubbs has a concert coming up this month at the FreeFall/Baltimore program Oct. 14 presented by Contemporary Arts Inc. and Enoch Pratt Library. The event, “An Evening of Artistic Excellence,” features Grubbs and other musicians, dancers and poets, from 7 to 9 pm at the Wheeler Auditorium at the library, 400 N. Cathedral Street in Baltimore. For more information go to<a href="http://www.contemporaryartsinc.com/">www.contemporaryartsinc.com</a> or <a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/">www.eventbrite.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>InReview… The “Levin Brothers” CD</strong></p>
<p>They were two brothers from the suburbs who traveled all over to play all kinds of music but never forgot their lifelong affection for jazz.</p>
<p>“We grew up in Brookline, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston, where we were trained in Classical music from a young age,” says Tony Levin. “But we also loved the 1950’s recordings by jazz bassist <strong>Oscar Pettiford</strong> and jazz French horn player <strong>Julius Watkins; </strong>and those have remained influential, even as we went on to other playing. The catchy melodies, deep grooves, and tight solos made that music memorable, and it’s been percolating for years for us to do an album of our own in that style.”</p>
<p><a href="https://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/levinbros2.gif"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-226" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/levinbros2.gif?w=549" alt="levinbros2"/></a></p>
<p>The result is a very listenable “Levin Brothers” CD on the Lazy Bones Recordings label. Keyboardist Pete Levin, on organ and piano on the CD, has played over the years with Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Wayne Shorter and other notables in the jazz world while Tony Levin, on bass and cello on the CD, followed a more rock and pop oriented career with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Lou Reed, Pink Floyd and others—but also worked with Chris Botti, Chuck Mangione and Gary Burton. And the brothers toured together with Paul Simon.</p>
<p>Their expert musicianship, and that of the other players, Erik Lawrence, sax, David Spinozza, guitar, Jeff Siegel, drums and Steve Gadd, drums, shows up throughout their CD, so much so that the brief nature of some tunes make one wish for more extended solos and arrangements. The recording’s compositions are Tony Levin originals except for “Matte Kudasai,” a King Crimson tune.</p>
<p>Highlights of the recording begin with “Mysterioso,” which alternates a bright, lilting, horn-led melody, with a more standard, straight ahead passage featuring Pete Levin’s piano stylings, and then back again. Lawrence displays an understated but vibrant touch on tenor sax and Spinozza accents deftly on guitar. “Cello in the Night” is a lovely work driven by Tony Levin’s work on cello, Pete’s charms on piano and Siegel’s cymbal chimings. “Havana” romps nicely behind Pete on organ, Spinozza’s guitar work and Siegel on drums.</p>
<p>Spinozza and Pete, on organ, turn “Special Delivery” into more than just a ditty with some inspired solos. “Matte Kudasai,” for its dramatic tension and orchestral lushness may be the high point, Spinozza, Siegel and Pete, now back on piano, all playing with lyrical charm and Tony underpinning it all with a bluesy bass line.</p>
<p>“Ostropolya,” another tune that starts off as just a fun melody, has Pete then rippling on piano and Tony following on bass, for straight ahead jamming. “I Remember” has a gentle warmth sparkled by Pete’s piano work, with the intuitive interplay between the brothers on piano and bass here and on “When Sasha Gets the Blues,” and “When Fishy Takes a Walk,” especially, shining as a hallmark of the CD all by itself.</p>
<p>See <a href="http://www.thelevinbrothers.com/">www.thelevinbrothers.com</a> or <a href="http://www.lazybones.com/">www.lazybones.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lenaseikaly4.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-68" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/lenaseikaly4.jpg?w=180&h=300" alt="lenaseikaly4" width="180" height="300"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Photo by Leah Appel</strong></p>
<p><strong>Vocalist Lena Seikaly is to perform</strong></p>
<p><strong>Oct. 18 at Loew’s Madison Hotel</strong></p>
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<p><strong>steve@jazzavenues.com</strong></p>
</div>JazzAvenues June 2014 BLOGtag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2014-07-15:2645717:BlogPost:1338942014-07-15T14:20:26.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
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<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on </span><a class="entry-date-link" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/169/" rel="bookmark">June 25, 2014…</a></div>
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<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by </span><span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span><span class="sep post-date"> on </span><a class="entry-date-link" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/169/" rel="bookmark">June 25, 2014</a> <span class="sep">|</span> <span class="edit-link"><a class="post-edit-link" href="https://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=169&action=edit">EDIT</a></span></div>
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<div class="entry-content"><p><strong>Jazz Avenues June 2014 BLOG</strong></p>
<p><strong>By Steve Monroe</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p>…follow <a href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/mentions/jazzavenues/" class="mention mention-current-user"><span class="mentions-prefix">@</span>jazzavenues</a></p>
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<p><strong> <a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/marccaryby-rebeccameek.jpg"><img id="i-193" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/marccaryby-rebeccameek.jpg?w=140" alt="Image" name="i-193"/></a></strong></p>
<p><strong>photo by Rebecca Meek/</strong></p>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.marccary.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.marccary.com</a></strong></p>
<p><strong>Multi-genre pianist Marc Cary appears</strong></p>
<p><strong>during the DC Jazz Festival tonight, June 25</strong></p>
<p><strong>at Anacostia Playhouse, June 26 at THEARC</strong></p>
<p><strong>and June 27 at the CapitalBop Jazz Loft show.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Celebrating its 10<span>th</span>, DC Jazz Festival hitting the high notes</strong></p>
<p>In the well-appointed surroundings of the Japanese ambassador’s residence up Nebraska Avenue NW, complete with eye-catching glass icicle-like chandeliers overlooking the audience and the musicians on stage, a VIP DC Jazz Festival kickoff event Monday featured fine music, wine and accolades for all who helped make this event a 10-year jazzy success.</p>
<p>Festival founder Charlie Fishman was on hand to thank sponsors and television personality Maureen Bunyan, jazzradiodc.com mastermind Carl Farley and other notables added more glitz to the affair, which featured a concert starring Sadao Watanabe’s impeccable artistry with his smooth alto saxophone lines.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlfarleywynton-m.jpg"><img id="i-172" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlfarleywynton-m.jpg?w=650" alt="Image" name="i-172"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Carl David Farley, the impressario of <a href="http://www.jazzradiodc.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.jazzradiodc.com</a>, shown here with Wynton Marsalis, was one of the VIPs at the DC Jazz Festival kickoff event Monday June 23 at the Embassy of Japan’s ambassador residence.</strong></p>
<p>DCJF X is underway at many venues around the city through Sunday, June 29, with headliners tonight, Wednesday, June 25, including pianist Cyrus Chestnut with his quartet doing a Brubeck Reimagined show at the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue downtown, with multi-genre pianist Marc Cary doing a Black Noize/SE Dance Jam event at the Anacostia Playhouse and Snarky Puppy at the Hamilton Live.</p>
<p>Tomorrow, Thursday June 26 has the Tia Fuller Quintet & the Helen Sung Quintet at the Hamilton, Marc Cary’s Retrospective Soul at THEARC in Southeast and Orrin Evans heading a CapitalBop piano cutting session at Union Arts DC.</p>
<p>Friday June 27 highlights include Frederic Yonnet and Akua Allrich in Jazz at The Capitol Riverfront, Paquito D’Rivera’s Sextet at the Hamilton, Ginger Baker at the Howard Theatre, Olayimika Cole & Sam Prather at Wesley United Methodist Church, and Sharon Clark at the Loew’s Madison Hotel. Saturday features the music’s reigning vocalist of the moment Gregory Porter and Trombone Shorty at the Capitol Riverfront, Corcoran Holt, Ron Sutton Jr., Kush Abadey and others at Wesley United, and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban Experience with Machito Jr. at the Hamilton and Alison Crockett at Loew’s Madison.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/paquito06dejf.jpg"><img id="i-176" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/paquito06dejf.jpg?w=650" alt="Image" name="i-176"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Paquito D’Rivera, a stalwart during the 10-year success of the DC Jazz Festival,</strong></p>
<p><strong>plays with his sextet Friday June 27 at the Hamilton Live.</strong></p>
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<p>Sunday the Greater U Street Jazz Collective’s “Ballin’ the Jack” is at the Anacostia Playhouse and the legendary saxophonist Gary Bartz (after his Friday and Saturday night dates at An Die Musik in Baltimore) plays Bohemian Caverns. For complete information, including all the club gigs and the Renaissance Hotel cocktail hour sets today through Friday from 5 to 8 p.m., go to <a href="http://www.dcjazzfest.org/">www.dcjazzfest.org</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg"><img id="i-187" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/samphotosharonclark-2.jpg?w=650" alt="Image" name="i-187"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Sharon Clark is the featured vocalist for Late Night @ Loew’s Madison Hotel Friday June 27.</strong></p>
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<p><strong>Among other highlights around town late this month and early July,</strong> Westminster Presbyterian Church Friday June 27 has the “Power of Women in Jazz” with Janelle Gill, piano, Gabrielle Murphy, sax, Karine Chapdelaine, bass, and Rochelle Rice, vocals, and the Thinking About Jazz program at Westminster on June 28 focuses on “Women in Jazz: Lil Harden and Hazel Scott.”</p>
<p>Young guitarist Max Light begins a month of Tuesday shows July 1 at Twins Jazz, the Eric Felten Jazz Orchestra is at Blues Alley July 3, the same night Trio Caliente is at Loew’s Madison, and a Fireworks for Arnold Sterling show July 4 at Westminster features a group with Sam King, alto sax, Allyn Johnson, piano and Steve Novosel, bass. Vocalist Integriti Reeves is at the Hill Center July 11, the same night The Alison Crockett Experience, with sax man Marshall Keys, is at Westminster.</p>
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<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg"><img id="i-189" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lenaseikaly4.jpg?w=451" alt="Image" name="i-189"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Lena Seikaly takes the stage for Late Night @Loew’s Madison Hotel Sunday June 29.</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>InPerson …Tim Whalen, Sakoto Fujii, Emy Tseng, WRO</strong></p>
<p>Having shown off his jazz funk, fusion chops a couple of months ago during a gig at the Anacostia Arts Center, Tim Whalen, one of our pianists deserving wider recognition, brought his more straight-ahead but still edgy ripples of pianistic artistry to Twins jazz last month. Whalen shined with his septet, featuring master alto saxophonist Marty Nau. See <a href="http://www.timothywhalen.com/">www.timothywhalen.com</a> for more on Whalen.</p>
<p>The Sakoto Fujii Trio + 1, closed out the Transparent Productions 2013-14 season at Bohemian Caverns last month, with pianist Fujii leading the way on some winding, melodic runs, with Todd Nicholson, bass, Oshi Shutto, drums, and Kappa Maki on trumpet darting, spearing and pounding runs of their own for an entertaining set of provocative compositions.</p>
<p>Vocalist Emy Tseng brought her Brazilian-flavored show, featuring tunes like “Agua de Beber” and “Berimbau” to the Dukem Restaurant last month, backed expertly by Wayne Wilentz, piano, Dave Jernigan, bass and Jonas Durante, drums. Tseng’s arching, lilting soprano turned the evening into an enjoyable tropical journey, before an appreciative crowd.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/waynewbluesalley.jpg"><img id="i-180" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/waynewbluesalley.jpg?w=630" alt="Image" name="i-180"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Wayne Wilentz, one of our piano masters, backed vocalist Emy Tseng for a night of Brazilian Latin jazz and other tunes last month at Dukem Restaurant.</strong></p>
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<p>On a warm, pleasant evening Friday June 20, the usual bands of club goers and diners streamed up and down U Street, but between 12<span>th</span> and 13<span>th</span> those entering the Lincoln Theatre were in for a special treat: the debut of the Washington Renaissance Orchestra.</p>
<p>The new big band in town opened up by swinging, with horns swaying and braying with melody and precision, into Woody Shaw’s “Moontrane” and swung hard all night. Artistic director Abadey was a powerhouse all night with his pulsating percussion and musical director Allyn Johnson sprinkled in vintage ripples on piano while also conducting his bandmates in the group’s debut performance before an eager and appreciative crowd.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.artsdpc.net/">www.artsdpc.net</a>, “The Washington Renaissance Orchestra (WRO) is established, to promote and coordinate Big Band Jazz performances in and around the DMV area, as well as regionally, nationally and internationally. The Orchestra was formed as a vehicle to create performance opportunities for jazz musicians in a big band setting featuring jazz at its best …”</p>
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<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg"><img id="i-184" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/nasarabadey3.jpg?w=494" alt="Image" name="i-184"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Percussion guru and bandleader Nasar Abadey helped drive the groove for the</strong></p>
<p><strong>Washington Renaissance Orchestra in its debut June 20 at the Lincoln Theatre</strong>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Highlights from opening night also included saxophonist Charlie Young’s melodic work on “Anna Maria,” along with spicy riffs by baritone sax man Whit Williams; vocalist Navasha Daya’s fine reading of “Sweet Kiss,” which also had a superb solo by tenor sax man Brian Settles; bassist James King’s grooving lines on his walking intro to “Some Other Blues,” followed by a fierce solo by Johnson; the crackling horn section swinging on “Native Dancer” to open the second set; rip-roaring riffs by Settles and fellow sax man Elijah Balbed, creating their own tenor madness during Johnson’s “Freedom Warrior’s Suite,” also featuring Abadey’s pounding African-flavored drum work, seeming to call the ancestral spirits to take note – the WRO is on the scene to help honor the heritage of the music.</p>
<p><strong>And Congrats to Todd Marcus! On winning Baker Award</strong></p>
<p>Congratulations to Todd Marcus, the bass clarinet specialist, composer and bandleader, on being one of three 2014 Baker Artist Award recipients.Marcus, who has drawn acclaim for his most recent recording, “Inheritance,” receives a $25,000 award in the annual competition sponsored by the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance and the William G. Baker, Jr. Memorial Fund.</p>
<p><strong>Happy Happy 70th to Carl Grubbs … </strong></p>
<p>And speaking of Baltimore-based artists, we give a happy shout out to saxophonist, composer, bandleader and educator Carl Grubbs, a Philadelphia native who became a stalwart of the D.C. scene back in the day, before settling up the road in Baltimore. Grubbs, a Baker Award winner himself a few years ago, celebrates his 70th birthday July 27.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlgrubbs2.png"><img id="i-197" class="size-full wp-image" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/carlgrubbs2.png?w=247" alt="Image" name="i-197"/></a></p>
<p><strong>Carl Grubbs, sax man, composer, bandleader and educator.</strong></p>
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<p></p>Jazz Avenues Blog by Steve Monroe (sample)tag:washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com,2014-03-13:2645717:BlogPost:1293822014-03-13T14:51:13.000ZSteve M.https://washingtondcjazznetwork.ning.com/profile/SteveM
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on</span> <a class="entry-date-link" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/jazz-avenues-january-2014-blog/" rel="bookmark">January 29, 2014</a></div>
<p><b>JazzAvenues January BLOG 2014</b></p>
<p><b> …..for updates follow…</b></p>
<div class="entry-meta"><span class="sep">Posted by</span> <span class="author vcard"><a class="url fn n" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/author/jazzavenues/" title="View all posts by jazzavenues">jazzavenues</a></span> <span class="sep post-date">on</span> <a class="entry-date-link" href="http://jazzavenues.wordpress.com/2014/01/29/jazz-avenues-january-2014-blog/" rel="bookmark">January 29, 2014</a></div>
<p><b>JazzAvenues January BLOG 2014</b></p>
<p><b> …..for updates follow @jazzavenues</b></p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/briansettles2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-37" alt="BrianSettles2" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/briansettles2.jpg?w=300&h=199" height="199" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Brian Settles is to perform with an ensemble led by Lewis “Flip” Barnes during Transparent Productions’ special ‘Black History Month tribute to Lawrence “Butch” Morris Feb. 2 at Bohemian Caverns.</p>
<p><b>Check out silver screen jazz, ballet jazz, top vocalists and more</b></p>
<p>Thanks to compatriot Willard Jenkins’ Independent Ear, from his Openskyjazz.com website, for pulling our coat to “The Breath Courses Through Us,” a new jazz film to have its premier Friday January 31, the next event in the Library of Congress Jazz Film Fridays series, produced by Larry Appelbaum.</p>
<p>“The Breath Courses Through Us” it will be part of a double feature of Alan Roth films, and admission is free (call 202-707-5502 for reservations) for the screenings at the Mary Pickford Theatre in the James Madison Building, 101 Independence Avenue S.E.</p>
<p>Both “The Breath Courses Through Us” and the double-feature “Inside Out in the Open” focus on the left side of the jazz spectrum; the former focusing on The New York Art Quartet (John Tchicai, Roswell Rudd, Milford Graves, and Reggie Workman). “Inside Out in the Open” features “such fearless explorers as Marion Brown, Baikida Carroll, Burton Greene, Joseph Jarman, Rudd, Alan Silva, Tchicai, Daniel Carter, William Parker, Susie Ibarraand Matthew Shipp.” A major bonus of “The Breath Courses Through Us” is an appearance by the poet-author Amiri Baraka, who passed on to ancestry earlier this month. The films are to be introduced by bassist and WPFW programmer Luke Stewart.</p>
<p>Also Friday, Lori Williams is at the Loew’s Madison Hotel, and Bonnie Harris does a tribute to Gloria Lynn during Jazz Night at Westminster Presbyterian Church, where there will also be some silver screen jazz with the showing of “Art Pepper: Notes from a Jazz Survivor.”</p>
<p>The Washington Ballet Jazz/Blues Project, which began Jan. 29 and runs through Feb. 2, showcases what it calls <b>“</b>Americana at its finest … the iconic music of Etta James and Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker and world-class dance come together” in Trey McIntyre’s “Blue Until June” and Val Caniparoli’s “Bird’s Nest,” along with the world premiere of <i>PRISM</i> by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, with music by Keith Jarrett, at Sidney Harman Hall, Harman Center for the Arts, 610 F St. N.W. in D.C. The program features guest appearances by Helen Hayes Award Winner E.Faye Butler and the Howard University Jazz Ensemble.<br/> Call 202-547-1122 or go to www. washingtonballet.org for show times and ticket information.<br/> Also this weekend, on Saturday, Feb. 1, the inimitable and multi-talented Esperanza Spalding is at the Warner Theater.</p>
<p>Sunday Feb. 2 is super – not because of that football game but because Transparent Productions presents a special event, a ‘Black February’ Tribute to Butch Morris, featuring a special screening of “Black February: Music is an Open Door,” a film by Vipal Monga on the life and music of cornetist and conductor Lawrence Douglas ‘Butch’ Morris, 1947-2013. The event is at 5 p.m. at The Takoma Park Community Center, 7500 Maple Avenue, Takoma Park MD. Suggested donation is $20 at the door. Call 301-891-7224 or go to <a href="http://www.transparentproductionsdc.org/" target="_blank">www.transparentproductionsdc.org</a> for more information.</p>
<p>“Black February: Music is an Open Door” chronicles “an unprecedented series of concerts performed in New York by Morris in February 2005, “celebrating his revolutionary technique for leading live improvisations … [the film] is about how music is made and what it means. It’s about the struggle of artists trying to distill the purest essence of themselves into their work, and the scope of a musical theory that has the potential for redefining what it means to make music,” according to Transparent Productions information.</p>
<p>Following this screening, trumpeter Lewis “Flip” Barnes will lead an ensemble using Morris’ conduction technique, and feature Morris’ rarely performed “Black February”. Flip’s ensemble includes: Brad Linde and Brian Settles on reeds, Luke Stewart on electric bass, Warren G. Crudup III on drums, Anthony Pirog on guitar, Mike Noonan on vibes, and Dr. Thomas Stanley and Bobby Hill, recitation.</p>
<p>The movie is being sponsored by the City of Takoma Park’s ‘We are Takoma’ Winter/Spring film series.<i> </i></p>
<p>M-Law and the Prophets of Jazz, heard during the D.C. Jazz Festival in June, appear Feb. 5 at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club. The group has a driving, soulful sound with jazz influences. M-Law & the Prophets of Jazz is a quartet consisting of trumpet, keys, electric bass, and drums and was formed by trumpet and flugelhorn player Mary Lawrence Hicks (M-Law). See <a href="http://www.bethesdabluesjazz.com/" target="_blank">www.bethesdabluesjazz.com</a> for more information.</p>
<p><b> </b>Transparent Productions also presents The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, the group that for more than “four decades has combined concepts of African American music making with the roots of traditional African music, to make something new,” when it returns to the area for its annual Black History Month performance Sunday Feb. 9 at Bohemian Caverns.</p>
<p>Ensemble founder Kahil El’Zabar (drums, voice, kalimba), former President of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, who led the ensemble’s first performance in 1973 in his hometown of Chicago, will play at the Caverns with multi-reed instrumentalist Ernest Khabeer Dawkins and young lion trumpeter Corey Wilkes.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/akuaallrich.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-78" alt="AkuaAllrich" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/akuaallrich.jpg?w=300&h=167" height="167" width="300"/></a></p>
<p>Akua Allrich is to perform Feb. 14 at Bohemian Caverns</p>
<p>Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, finds a trio of opportunities to enjoy the vocal wonders of eminent songstresses, with Sharon Clark at the Loew’s Madison Hotel, Akua Allrich at Bohemian Caverns and Ann Hampton Callaway at the Kennedy Center.</p>
<p>Also next month, Transparent Productions presents Stephan Crump’s Rosetta Trio at the Caverns Feb. 16, with Crump on bass and Liberty Ellman and Jamie Fox on guitars.</p>
<p>Veteran vibraphonist and percussionist Chuck Redd is the special guest for the JazzForum at the University of the District of Columbia Feb. 19, when he will discuss his career as a musician and educator and discuss his upcoming participation in a tribute to legendary jazz radio programmer Felix Grant Feb. 20 at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.</p>
<p>Also on Feb. 19 at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, Armand Ntep, a “unique vocalist and a prolific, innovative composer,” appears, promising vocal work that ranges “from silky baritone croon to pygmy-inspired syncopation to tender tenor ballads.” His compositions “run the gamut from salsaJazz to reggae to traditional ‘lihongo’ from his native Cameroon,” says Ntep’s publicity information. Sax master David Sanchez, who has worked with Eddie Palmieri, Hilton Ruiz, Roy Haynes and many other greats, plays at Bethesda Blues & Jazz Feb. 23.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-82" alt="carlgrubbs1" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/carlgrubbs1.png?w=215&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>One of our masters of the music, bandleader, composer, saxophonist and educator Carl Grubbs peforms in a special Black History Month concert Feb. 28 with his quintet at Randallstown Community Center.</p>
<p>Rounding out the month, on Feb. 28, up the road toward Baltimore is one of our more venerable masters of the music, Carl Grubbs, the composer, educator and bandleader who has spent time in his native Philadelphia, in Washington and most recently the Baltimore area over the last couple of decades perfecting and pushing his craft forward.</p>
<p>Grubbs, who won the prestigious Baker Award in Baltimore a couple of years ago, fittingly will perform at the Randallstown Community Center in Randallstown for a “In Celebration of Black History Month” concert with his quintet, including John Blake Jr., violin, Eric Byrd, piano, Blake Meister, bass and John Lamkin III, drums. It is a free event but there is limited seating, so patrons are urged to reserve tickets online at <a href="http://www.instantseats.com/events/ContemporaryArts" target="_blank">www.instantseats.com/events/ContemporaryArts</a>.</p>
<p><b> Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival</b></p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-80" alt="paulcarr2 (2)" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/paulcarr2-2.jpg?w=200&h=300"/></a></p>
<p>Saxophonist, educator, bandleader and festival maestro Paul Carr brings his Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival back again this year Feb. 14-17 in Rockville.<b><br/></b></p>
<p>It can’t be said too many times that we are so blessed Paul Carr took up the mantle of the former East Coast Jazz Festival when Ronnie Wells passed to ancestry too soon and began his Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival which enters its fourth year next month and is getting better all the time.</p>
<p>MAJF returns Feb. 14-17 at the Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel and Executive Meeting Space in Rockville, with school band competitions, workshops, vendors and performers including Maurice Lyles, Vanessa Rubin, Giacomo Gates Freddy Cole, Wes Biles, Allyn Johnson, Pepe Gonzalez, Gary Bartz, Sharon Clark, Chad Carter, Lori Williams, Jessie’s Soul Line Dancers, Christian McBride, Bobby Watson, Kenny Rittenhouse, Javon Jackson, Les McCann, the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra, Reginald Cyntje, Benny Golson … and Paul Carr! Just to name a few headliners.</p>
<p><a href="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/chad-carter.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-6" alt="Chad Carter" src="http://jazzavenues.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/chad-carter.jpg?w=549"/></a></p>
<p>Vocalist Chad Carter is to perform during the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival</p>
<p>See <a href="http://www.midalanticjazzfestival.org/" target="_blank">www.midalanticjazzfestival.org</a> for complete festival schedule, tickets and more information.</p>
<p><b> Coming – jazz legislation to get reboot</b></p>
<p>Watch this space, @jazzavenues and Jazz Avenues online at capitalcommunitynews.com for news on U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) reintroducing his 2011 National Jazz Preservation and Education Act as the National Jazz Preservation, Education and Promulgation Act of 2014. The new legislation, to be announced in conjunction with the kickoff of April as Jazz Appreciation Month, would establish programs and provide funding to establish a National Jazz Preservation Program to be directed and administered by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History; establish a Jazz Education In Elementary and Secondary Schools program to be directed and administered by the Office of Education; and contemplates the establishment of a “Promulgation Program to support business and enterprise initiatives in the field of Jazz.”</p>