Results for "Washington DC"

2023 NEA Jazz Masters Honored At Free Events

February 23, 2023

In honor of the 2023 National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Masters—Regina Carter, Kenny Garrett, Louis Hayes, and Sue Mingus—the NEA is collaborating with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on a series of free events March 30-April 1 that will give audiences opportunities to experience the honorees’ music, stories, and knowledge. ...

Kenny Peagler

Born: July 31, 1984

Kenny Peagler is a multi-genre virtuoso pianist, singer-songwriter, composer, arranger, musical director, and educator.  With his charismatic, high-energy performances, Peagler dazzles audiences with his piano prowess, expressive melodies, and soulful singing. He effortlessly blends jazz, classical, soul, and gospel into one musical experience with a heartbeat that cuts straight through to the core of his listeners’ emotions.

Kenny Peagler studied at the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, and has performed at some of the world's most notable venues and festivals including Carnegie Hall, The Blue Note, North Sea Jazz Festival, and Umbria Jazz Festival, to name a few.  He also performed for President Barack Obama at the NAACP Centennial Celebration, held in New York City.  Recently, Peagler performed with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra for a performance that features the work of some of America’s greatest artists and composers. Throughout his career, he has performed with countless musical icons around the world. While much of his piano playing has been in concert halls and on tours, Kenny has recorded on over 20 full-length albums with various artists and released a solo piano album, 100 Years of Strayhorn to celebrate the late composer, Billy Strayhorn’s 100th birthday with arrangements of some of his favorite Billy Strayhorn compositions in a tribute to a musical legend.  

Henry Godfrey

Henry Godfrey is a composer and instrumentalist currently based in Boston, MA. He has performed his own compositions in venues and festivals across North America and South-East Asia. As a composer/arranger, he has worked with esteemed groups such as the US Army Blues and the Berklee Concert Jazz Orchestra.

Since moving from the Washington DC area, Henry has recorded and performed with the Henry Godfrey Jazz Orchestra, a big band he directs and writes for. Their first release, Love Finds Everyone (Jan 2019) was followed up with the extended release Love Finds Everyone LP Edition (June 2020).

Aram Sinnreich

Aram Sinnreich is a bassist, composer and multi-instrumentalist based in the Washington, DC area. He writes and perform music in a wide variety of styles, from jazz to reggae to punk to R&B. He has served as bassist and/or composer for artists and groups including Ari Up, Vivien Goldman, The Specialized Project, Low Lily, Hans Nieswandt, Agent 99, King Django, The Rooftoppers, The Tributary Project, and Cheick Hamala Diabate. His own musical projects include: world music duo Dunia & Aram (GMO Records), reggae soul band Dubistry, and progressive neo-soul collective Brave New Girl. Among other awards, his compositions have been selected as finalists in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and the Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Competition.

Jua

Born: January 6, 1979

Incredible how it’s been over ten years since Jua Howard was making quite a name for himself in neo-soul circles, crooning in velvety tenor tones reminiscent of Luther Vandross and Donny Hathaway in clubs from New York City to London. “Anticipation”, his 2007 self-released debut CD of mostly original mid-tempo tunes and ballads, was picking up play on Smooth Jazz and R&B stations. Yet Jua, who uses only his first name professionally (Swahili for “sun”), was having second thoughts about his musical direction. The Chicago-born singer says, “With the R&B neo-soul scene, everything started to sound the same.” While living in the Washington D.C

Coniece Washington

Washington, D.C. based vocalist and producer Coniece Washington sings with heart and soul, captivating audiences with her distinctive, sultry and sweet stylings. In her ascending career, she has uniquely reinterpreted many standards while honoring the legacy of the vocalists who influence and inspire her: Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn, Billie Holiday, and Carmen McRae. The accomplished vocalist is well-versed in many genres - from jazz to blues to pop, and everything in between. She is a former member of the renowned Washington Performing Arts Society’s Men and Women of the Gospel Choir and currently leads a number of ensembles featuring prominent jazz musicians from the region

Stacy Brooks

Stacy Brooks is a powerful vocalist and exciting performer who is internationally known as DC’s Queen of the Blues. Stacy is a multi-award winner and has shared the stage with blues legends such as Kenny Neal, Billy Branch, Sugar Blue and many more. Stacy Brooks performs nationally and overseas with her own groups as well as a featured performer. Washington DC is not as well known as a Blues Town, but ask anyone in Chicago, Memphis, Atlanta and Europe when coming to DC, you must see Stacy Brooks. She has a musical residency at the world renowned venue Madams Organ. From 2013-2016 Stacy Brooks portraying some of her idols, Etta James and Koko Taylor, touring in the Broadway hit musical, "Ghost of The Blues"

Robbin Kapsalis and Vintage18

A retro-soul sound, with whiskey-soaked vocals, Robbin Kapsalis and Vintage #18 deliver hard-driving blues rhythms. Vintage#18 has shared the stage with The Nighthawks, Billy Price Band, Lil’ Ed & the Blues Imperials, Selwyn Birchwood, Roomful of Blues, Duke Robillard, Vanessa Collier, and more.

Quentin Walston

Born: October 24, 1992

Quentin Walston is an active pianist, composer, and music educator in the Washington DC area. He composes most often for piano, his jazz trio, and large ensembles, blending memorable melodies, striking rhythms, and adventurous improvisations. As a music and jazz educator, Quentin spreads the joy of learning and playing music to individuals of all ages. Quentin Walston was introduced to improvisation surprisingly through bluegrass and folk music. As the harmonica player in the folk band Jake and the Burtones, Quentin fostered a passion for improvising solos while appreciating the musicianship of others around him

Darcy Cooke

Jazz Lover Darcy Cooke is a classically trained jazz vocalist who has been performing nearly all her life. As a regular in DC area jazz bars, piano lounges, music venues, and private events, she has enjoyed performing with many of DMV’s great musicians such as Chris Grasso, Wayne Wilentz, David Jernigan, Harry Appelman, Keith Butler, Jr, Wade Beach, and more. Additionally, she has shared the stage with many of the area’s top vocalists. She studied music, voice, and theater while attending the Shenandoah Conservatory and has trained with multiple vocal coaches and top jazz singers in the DMV area