LEESA RICHARDS
Join Leesa Richards & Friends for an evening of AfriKin: Art, Jazz & Champagne. It is an all-women art exhibition, jazz performances, and champagne toasts to celebrate the resilience, strength, and courage of womanhood. The annual event honors Women’s History Month.
The night promises a soul-stirring performance paying homage to legendary women pioneers of jazz — from Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, and Nina Simone to contemporary trailblazers like Esperanza Spalding. The evening blends classic elegance with modern innovation, reflecting the enduring power of women in jazz history.
Inside the center immerse yourself in a curated exhibition showcasing stunning works by visionary women artists whose voices, stories, and creativity inspire global connection. Enjoy a complimentary glass of champagne and African tapas as we gather in solidarity and celebration.
Tickets: $44.52 GA | $60.00 VIP | $87.21 Day Of Show (fees included)
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THAD WILSON SEPTET
Experience the magic of big band jazz at the historic Whittemore House, a Dupont Circle landmark. The acclaimed Thad Wilson Septet will have you on your feet!
His career has taken him from DC’s Blues Alley to global stages where Wilson and his trumpet have shared the spotlight with jazz legends like James Moody, Wynton Marsalis and Roy Hargrove. A composer, bandleader and film score artist, he brings soul, swing and storytelling to each performance. Returning for an extraordinary performance is vocalist Steve Washington.
Tickets: $55.00
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KEVIN BALES
By some measures, Kevin Bales was a latecomer to jazz, already 17 when he encountered the sounds and structures and became captivated by the freedom and corresponding challenges of the music. But if late to the party, he wasted no time in immersing himself in the celebration, declaring total commitment to what would be his life’s work and backing his announcement by resigning his job and designated career in computer programming. Kevin could commit to jazz with a reasonable degree of expectation. He was already an accomplished pianist, with classical chops refined since the age of 10. So accomplished he was invited to audition for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, then under the direction of its most storied conductor Robert Shaw, at age 16.
He has performed and/or recorded with Wynton Marsalis, Louie Bellson, Eddie Daniels, James Moody, Ben Tucker, Ira Sullivan, Marcus Printup, Sam Rivers, Nat Adderley, Bunky Green, Nathen Page and Jack Petersen. He counts among his mentors bassist Ben Tucker, multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan. He has recordings on Blue Note/Capital records. Ten years touring and recording with vocal iconoclast Rene Marie culminated in a Grammy Nominated album.
Cover: $25.00
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THE PURPLE AFFAIR
The james M. Dixon Foundation presents The Purple Affair starring keith David, Maria Howell and Noel Friedline for an afternoon into a night of fine dining, jazz and celebration in honor of incredible individuals and organizations to raise funding and awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias.
The Honorees: Dr. Robert Kaufman, Sonder Health, Jacquelyn Thornton, Dr. Glenna Brewster, Jamila Jones, Bob Baldwin and Barbara Clayton Hudson.
The Honorary Chair is Janean Courtney Armstrong, the emcee is WCLK Morning host Morris Baxter, and The After Affair features keyboardist Bob Baldwin.
General Tickets: $150.00 | After Affair: $50.00
Patron Tickets: International Caregiver $350.00 | Daddy’s Closet: $500.00 | Food Insecurity: $750.00
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LAVAHI
Carrie’s Corner Presents: Jazz Under The Stars
Lavahi is a scholar-artist on a mission to better society from the inside out. Through her music, scholarship, and performance, she is building a platform to nourish the heart and mind, empathize our human experiences, and vibe together.
As a daughter of jazz, the culture heavily informs her ideology and influences her sound. Acrobatic scatting, compelling chords, and the art of improvisation evoke that classic traditional aesthetic and set her contemporary sound apart from the norm of mainstream neo-soul, hip hop, and R&B. And with her satisfying blend of analog and digital sounds, Lavahi shows that the lineage of Black sound is not linear but ever folding and stretching.
Suggested Donation: $30.00
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