
BELA DONA
Washington DC is the birthplace of this exciting and diverse all-female band.The high-energy concert style presentation and dynamic musicianship exuded on stage is the selling point of these phenomenal ladies.
Their unique style of Funk, Jazz, R&B and Rock command an impressive drawing power attracting many beloved fans and local promoters. Individually, each band member has toured with various national artists such as Nile Rodgers(Chic), Pieces of a Dream, Chuck Brown, High Five, EU, Salt & Pepa, Pleasure, Stephanie Mills, Ginuwine, Crystal Waters, and many others.
Vocals: Sweet Cherie ~ MD/Keys, Karis Hill ~ MC, Kim Scott; Chella Davis; Taylor Gamble ~ Guitar; Shannon Browne ~ Drums; Tempest “Storm” Thomas ~ Bass, Claudia”Kool Keys”Rodgers ~ Keys; Natarsha Proctor ~ Percussion
Actual Showtime:
Streaming: Thu, July 28, 7:30 PM | $10 + $1.70 fee
Live: Thu, July 28, 7:30 PM | $30 – $35 + $3.10 – $3.46 fee
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Three Wishes
Sun Ra had three wishes for the Baroness when she inquired what his would be:
- “A flexible instrument which could reflect every mood of any being, even a cat’s or a bird’s.”
- “A center where I would be free to present what I am actually doing to the world in the proper manner. Lights, shadows, colors, music would all be working at the same time, and it would be a synopsis of cosmic things so concentrated that, in an hour, you could be enlightened about the entire universe.”
- “The means to do things precisely, directly, and unhampered.”
*Excerpt from Three Wishes: An Intimate Look at Jazz Greats ~ Compiled and Photographed by Pannonica de Koenigswarter
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Joseph A. Venuto, Jr. was born on June 20, 1929 in Bronx, New York into an Italian immigrant family where he received his first drum kit from his grandfather. Having had lessons with Henry Adler, he moved on to Phil Kraus to learn mallet percussion. After earning a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music, he became a member of the Sauter-Finegan Orchestra, with whom he made his first recordings Doodletown Races on the RCA label in 1953. He was a featured soloist with the orchestra on Solo for Joe and Swingcussion. The DownBeat Reader’s Poll voted him the best vibraphonist that year.
From the mid-1950s, Venuto worked with Billy Byers in the Westchester Workshop, the Kent Harian Orchestra, Bobby Dukoff, and the Johnny Richards Orchestra before joining Radio City Music Hall as a session musician in the recording and television studios. By 1959 he recorded his debut album for Everest Records under his own name.
Between 1953 and 1975 Joe was involved in 104 recording sessions with Jack Teagarden, Kenyon Hopkins, Rex Stewart, The Creed Taylor Orchestra, Irene Kral/Al Cohn Orchestra, Mary Ann McCall, Don Costa, Hal Mooney, Ruth Brown, Gene Krupa and His Orchestra, LaVern Baker, Budd Johnson, Marion Montgomery, Benny Goodman, Shirley Scott, Solomon Burke, Gary McFarland, Johnny Hodges, Hank Jones/Oliver Nelson, and numerous more.
the early 1970s when he was in his Forties, he left New York City and moved to Reno, Nevada. He met, married, performed and recorded with his wife, harpist Bev Colgan, in a harp/vibes duo. Percussionist Joe Venuto, who also played the vibraphone, marimba, bongos and drums, transitioned on Feb. 14, 2019 at age 89.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Pierre Favre was born June 2, 1937 in Le Locle, Switzerland. Not much is known about his childhood or his early music career.
He recorded the album Singing Drums in 1984 on the ECM label with Paul Motian and Nana Vasconcelos. He also appears on John Surman’s album, Such Winters of Memory released the year beore.
He has recorded with several well-known musicians, including Tamia, Michel Godard, Mal Waldron, Paul Giger, Jiří Stivín, Michel Portal, Irene Schweizer, Samuel Blaser, the ARTE Quartett, Barre Phillips and the London Jazz Composers Orchestra.
He has recorded six albums as a leader and drummer and percussionist Pierre Favre continues to explore his craft, perform and record.
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Daily Dose Of Jazz…
Bryan Carrott was born in Queens, New York on April 23, 1959. After graduating from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and continued at the Manhattan School of Music before studying percussion with Morris Lang at Brooklyn College, then studied vibraphone with Dave Samuels at William Paterson University, receiving his Bachelor of Music degrees in Jazz Studies and Jazz Performance.
He has toured and/or recorded with David Fathead Newman, Ralph Peterson, Henry Threadgill, Muhal Richard Abrams, Sam Rivers, Don Byron, Dave Douglas, Charlie Hunter, Bob Moses, Roy Campbell, Herbie Mann, Cassandra Wilson, John Lurie & the Lounge Lizards, Greg Osby, Tom Harrell, Bennie Wallace, Steve Kroon, Joe Batan, and Kip Hanrahan, among others.
Carrott is an assistant professor and coordinator of percussion instruction at Five Towns College. He is a clinician and has led educational performances across the United States, Taiwan and Taipai. A featured soloist with Cologne, Germany’s WDR Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller, he was a mallet percussionist for Disney’s Broadway production of The Lion King.
For seven consecutive years, Bryan was cited in DownBeat Magazine’s International Critics’ Poll in the vibe category for Talent Deserving Wider Recognition, and has been featured on several film soundtracks, including 3 A.M. with Branford Marsalis. He currently serves as coordinator & professor of percussion studies at Five Towns College in Dix Hills, N.Y.
Vibraphonist and composer Bryan Carrott, who also plays marimba, piano, and leads his own trio, quartet and quintet, has yet to record as a leader but continues to perform and teach new generations of musicians.
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