Results for "Washington"

Sweet Honey In The Rock

Challenge and change are the themes underlying the 40-plus-year career of the revered female African-American a cappella ensemble, SWEET HONEY IN THE ROCK. In the course of creating its adventurous and diverse mixture of blues, African, jazz, gospel and R&B music, with excursions into symphonic and dance theater, 23 vocalists have passed through the group, formed as a quartet in 1973 at a workshop at the D.C. Black Repertory Theater Company in Washington. Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, Carol Maillard, Louise Robinson, and Mie drew their name from the first song they learned, “Sweet Honey in the Rock,” based on a Biblical psalm

Tom Newman

Born: March 14

Tom Newman is a real, true musician. Boiling in his veins is the talent of a true musical icon. With modesty, diligence and passion, Tom Newman works in every performance to create a musical atmosphere so fierce each audience member is left breathless and inspired. Tom Newman is a native Washingtonian who started formally studying guitar at age 15 and turned professional before his 16th birthday. “I can remember traveling to Northern Virginia from Northwest DC by myself when I was 15 to practice for performances I had with guys three times my age.” His independence and maturity landed him many performance and learning opportunities at a young age

Phaze II Jazz

Active since: 1997

Over the years, Washingtonians have been fortunate to witness with pride the extraordinary number of outstanding jazz groups that have sprung forth from our area. We have another bright star to get excited about, PHAZE II.” Bob Jenkins, Smooth Jazz 105.9. Since 1997, PHAZE II has been providing Smooth and Funky Jazz sounds on the local music scene in the Washington, DC area, by honing its craft of delivering quality music to their listeners. PHAZE II has embarked on a journey to show the world the many talents that this jazz band has to offer. Determined to broaden their vision, PHAZE II entered the 13th Annual Capital Jazz Festival2005 Capital Jazz Challenge Competition

Sol Roots

The Sol Roots band performs a mix of New Orleans influenced funk, deep blues, heartfelt jazz and R&B, heartfelt soul, and hypnotic rhythms. Sol is a guitarist and vocalist who has toured around the world with many musical legends.

Sol's talent stretches from fiery rock to laid-back jazz, and from funky innovative grooves to soulful ballads, always drawing on a deep background in blues.

The Sol Roots band has shared the stage with acts such as Jon Cleary, Soulive, Booker T Jones, Cory Henry, Dumpstaphunk, The Wood Brothers, Sonny Landreth, Robert Randolph, Eric Lindell, Roosevelt Collier, Victor Wainwright, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Shemekia Copeland, Jackie Greene and many more.

Darden Purcell

Born: March 21

DARDEN PURCELL, a Washington D.C. based jazz vocalist, is an active featured soloist with symphony orchestras, big bands and small ensembles, band leader and vocal instructor. Ms. Purcell has shared the stage with many top jazz artists including Maria Schneider, Eric Alexander, Terell Stafford, Jim Pugh, Chip McNeill, Chuchito Valdes, Dana Hall, Alan Baylock, Glenn Wilson, Chip Stephens, Stockton Helbing, Byron Stripling, Bobby Floyd, Joel Spencer, Darmon Meader, Lisanne Lyons, Jim Carroll, Charlie Young, Chris Vadala, Shawn Purcell, Matt Niess, Dave Detwiler, Joe McCarthy, the Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra, US Navy Commodores, Naval Academy Big Band, Next Wave, The Airmen of Note, US Army Blues and the American Festival Pops Orchestra (Tony Maiello) performing at concert halls and clubs nationally and internationally, including Blues Alley, Pops for Champagne, The Jazz Kitchen, The Blue Wisp, The Kitchen Cafe, The Bop Stop, Con Alma, JazzB (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Sandler Center (back-up vocals for Ben Folds) Meyerhoff Center (BSO), Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts (NSO) and The Kennedy Center (back-up vocals for Mr. George Benson, Sara Bareilles and Caroline Shaw). Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice Instructor and Director of the Downbeat Award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.

Ms. Purcell is a former Washington DC Air Force Band vocalist, with the groups High Flight and the Airmen of Note, performing nationally and internationally, including Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Purcell performed back-up vocals for nationally renowned recording artists, Chaka Khan, BeBe Winans, Bryan White, Lari White, Janie Frickie, Freda Payne, Sherrie Payne, Gloria Loring, Melba Moore and Rita Coolidge as well as a televised performance behind Darlene Love on "The Late Show with David Letterman."

In addition to her active performing schedule, Dr. Purcell is a sought-after jazz vocal educator and clinician. Dr. Purcell was the Jazz Voice Instructor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and founder/director of the University of Illinois Jazz Vocal Ensemble. She is now the founder/director of the Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Her groups have been invited to perform at the New York Voices Jazz Festival, Western Michigan’s Gold Company Jazz Vocal Invitational, the 2012, 2018 Jazz Education Network (JEN) conference, Kansas City Jazz Summit and Tiffin Vocal Festival. Dr. Purcell has served on the faculty of the W.O. Smith Music School camp (Nashville), Illinois Summer Youth Music, George Mason Summer Jazz Workshop, National Jazz Workshop and Mason Jazz Camp to name a few.

Victor Provost

Victor Provost is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading voices on the unique, and often misunderstood, steel pan (or steel drum). Through appearances at concert halls, clubs, and stages throughout the world, he has been meticulously developing a reputation as a “dazzling” soloist, crafting an improvisational voice and style to be reckoned with. With a strong foundation in Bebop, a contemporary sensibility, and deep roots in Caribbean music, he works in countless genres and musical styles. The Washington D.C. City Paper’s “Jazz Percussionist of the Year” five years running, his freshmen release “Her Favorite Shade of Yellow” was named one of the top five albums of 2011, and the publications named him “Jazz Artist of the Year” in 2012. In addition to leading his own group, Victor tours with NEA Jazz Master, Paquito D’Rivera, is a member of the GRAMMY award-winning Afro Bop Alliance, and works with several of the Mid-Atlantic region’s most lauded musical collectives (including Dion Parson’s 21st Century Band, the Reginald Cyntje Group, and Michael Bowie’s Sine Qua Non)

Kim Cameron

Kim Cameron and the Side FX band offer an eclectic blend of pop, rock and jazz into a smooth, groovy listening experience. Think Carly Simon with an attitude. The group launched their first album, Contradictions in the September 2008. Combining a fresh, genre-shifting sound with inspired and deeply personal lyrics, every song in the album is wrapped around a personal experience of lead singer/songwriter, Kim Cameron. Gaining popularity quickly throughout the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, MD area, Side FX offers an alternative sound that is all their own. Lead singer Kim Cameron spent the last twenty years working her way up the corporate ladder but there was always something missing in her life

Fahir Atakoglu

A native of Turkey, Fahir Atakoğlu is an international award winning composer and pianist well known in the fields of large symphonic works, film music and jazz. His works have been performed in various music festivals in Europe and The United States to critical acclaim, and he is considered one of the most outstanding pianists and composers in the world today. Fahir was recently honoured (2015) as one of the 50 Most Influential Turkish American Artists. Since 1986, Fahir has composed jingles, documentary and film music for many national and international productions. For his work in film composition, he won first prize for “Documentary Music Compositions” at the Milano Film Festival as well as “Outstanding Achievement in Arts Award”, Platinum Sales awarded by EMI Greece, Telos Dios Telosfor sales in excess of 480,000 and he won “The Best Song Award” from the Mega Channel in Greece

John Kocur

Jazz saxophonist and composer John Kocur is captivating new audiences by putting an adventurous yet accessible spin on a classic tradition. Kocur’s compositions have been described as “mainly straight-ahead and clearly influenced by the playing of past masters such as Johnny Hodges and Cannonball Adderley, but they are not simply derivative. The ballads in particular display a maturity in writing and playing” (Bruce Lindsay, All About Jazz). While highlighting original music, the group also creates unique interpretations of popular American songs from past and present. The group’s style is an intimate, all-acoustic format, where the music takes center stage. Recent performances by the John Kocur Quartet have included venues such as Bohemian Caverns, Blues Alley, Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the DC Jazz Festival, Twins Jazz, and the Phillips Collection.

Patrick De Santos

"A voice as great as Patrick de Santos' comes along only once in a lifetime.... The first time I heard this gifted singer in New York City. I was immediately impressed by his breathtaking artistry, stunned, actually, that's such a formidable talent could arrive on the city's music scene relatively unheralded." - Russ Musto AllAboutJazz-New York tones to crystalline high notes and topped by a sparsely used astonishing siren-like falsetto." --"... a remarkable balance between disciplined technique and emotional abandon. His voice is an extraordinarily flexible instrument, ranging from velvety low Joel Siegel, Washington City Paper A native of the Cape Verde Islands, West Africa, Patrick De Santos moved to and was raised in France from the age of 6