The Attucks Jazz Club: Fall 2024

In 2008, under the auspices of the Virginia Arts Festival and the leadership of professor/pianist John Toomey, the Attucks Jazz Series was born in the historic Attucks Theater. Before becoming a full-time jazz professor at Old Dominion University, Toomey spent time on the road with jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, singers Mark Murphy, Rene Marie, and others. Toomey's eponymous trio consisting of Jimmy Masters on bass (Masters has been an integral part of the local jazz scene for the past 30 years and curates his own jazz series in the summer) and various drummers such as Frank Russo, Emre Kartari and Tony Martucci.

Some of the past guest artists have been Janis Siegel, Allan Harris, Denise Donatelli, John Abercrombie, Billy Drummond, Chuck Redd, Ken Peplowski and too many more to list. This past fall season was no exception with Kenny Washington, Steve Nelson, and Rex Richardson.

San Fransisco's Washington is one of the best-kept secrets in the jazz vocalist world. Vibraphonist Joe Locke says, "I think he is one of the most important male vocalists in the world." He has often sung with Toomey's trio and has become a local fan favorite. He is the first to admit that he is not the outgoing personality people expect a performer to be. Washington may be quiet between songs, but once he begins to sing a different Kenny Washington is on the stage. Whether it's a jazz standard, something from the Great American Songbook, or a little R&B, he sings, swings, and scats, and is a joy to hear.

Pittsburgh native Steve Nelson was introduced to the vibes and piano in high school. From those beginnings, Nelson has spent the last fifty-plus years becoming the most in-demand vibraphonist in the jazz scene today. He received a master's degree from the Rutgers University's Jazz Studies program which was led by Larry Ridley, Ted Dunbar and Kenny Barron whose quartet he is a member of and who was recently nominated for a Grammy. Like Kenny Washington, Nelson communicates through his music. Once the tune is established, Nelson takes off on an improvised journey, and the audience is lucky to take the trip with him. Dave Holland said it best: "The reason I use a vibraphone in my quintet and big band is because Steve exists. He's an original thinker who comes to conclusions one wouldn't expect, and he has used our compositions as a vehicle to break new ground for the instrument."

Finishing off the fall season was trumpeter Rex Richardson. Richardson has been called "One of the finest virtuosos of our time" (Brass Herald) and has been compared to Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard. Equally at home in jazz and classical genres, he has traveled the world performing with both jazz and classical bands as well as many solo performances. Playing a few of his compositions as well as some of his favorites from other composers, Richardson treated the audience to a night they won't soon forget.