ADAM HAWLEY

Ten #1 hits. 65+ dates per year. smooth jazz guitarist Adam Hawley has burst on to the scene as a celebrated and innovative artist, composer and band leader. Originally signed to Maurice White’s (founder of Earth, Wind, & Fire) label Kalimba Music, Adam’s first two albums “Double Vision” and “Just the Beginning” spawned an incredible Six #1 Hits, an unprecedented feat for a new artist.

He followed that up with “Escape” which included the 2020 Billboard Song Of The Year “To The Top.” In 2021 Adam set out with the exciting fourth album “Risin’ Up” which features Steve Cole, Vincent Ingala, Julian Vaughn, Riley Richard & Kat Hawley anchored by the thrilling first single “Risin’ Up.”

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AKUA ALLRICH & THE TRIBE!

Jazz vocalist and DC-native Akua Allrich has proven herself to be a musician of extraordinary talent and crowd-moving passion. With finesse and charisma, this vocalist, composer and teacher, has successfully etched out a place for her unique musical expression, electrifying audiences in and around the nation’s capital with sold-out performances.

Allrich’s style is fluid and ever evolving. Her musical roots run deeply into blues, soul and rhythm and blues, with a clear grounding in jazz and pan-African music. She sings in many languages including Portuguese, French, Spanish, English, Xhosa, and Twi. Given her ability to capture the essence of a broad range of musical genres, Allrich is often likened to legendary artists such as Oscar Brown, Jr., Miriam Makeba, Bob Marley and Nina Simone. She has developed popular tribute programs involving the latter two women and other great African American women of jazz.

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MIGUEL ZENÓN QUARTET

Miguel Zenón – alto saxophone | Luis Perdomo – piano | Hans Glawischnig – bass | Varun Das – drums
“One of the most esteemed and singular-voiced alto saxophonists in jazz” – Downbeat
Alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón makes his SMOKE debut leading his acclaimed quartet featuring pianist Luis Perdomo, bassist Hans Glawischnig, and drummer Varun Das. Zenón, originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, is a master at blending innovation and tradition. Widely considered one of the most groundbreaking and influential saxophonists and composers of his generation, he has also developed a unique voice and has perfected a fine mix between jazz and his many musical influences. Some musicians Zenón has performed with include Charlie Haden, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner, David Sánchez, Danilo Perez, Kurt Elling, and Bobby Hutcherson. He was chosen as alto saxophonist of the year and jazz artist of the year by the JazzTimes Critic’s Poll and is the recipient of multiple GRAMMY nominations, and is a Guggenheim and MacArthur Fellow in 2008. On his selection by the MacArthur Foundation wrote, “This young musician and composer is at once reestablishing the artistic, cultural, and social tradition of jazz while creating an entirely new jazz language for the 21st century.”

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BILLY HARPER QUINTET

Billy Harper – tenor saxophone | Freddie Hendrix – trumpet | Francesca Tanksley – piano | Ben Young – bass | Aaron Scott – drums

“His improvisations are torrential, dance-like and swinging, spiraling upward to mountaintop pronouncements that can leave listeners in a sweat.” – The New York Times Tenor saxophonist Billy Harper leads his celebrated quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, pianist Francesca Tanksley, bassist Ben Young, and drummer Aaron Scott. One of the indispensable saxophonists of the past 50 years stylistically indebted to Trane, Harper has a distinctive sound and approach that is purely his own. Over the years, he’s worked with Art Blakey, Max Roach, Gil Evans, Elvin Jones, Lee Morgan, and, most recently, the Cookers. The San Francisco Chronicle says, “He is a soul of sensitivity and intelligence, as well as of explosive, majestic passion.” “His viscous, chocolaty tone and depth-charge bursts from the bottom of his range [are] a stark contrast to the current trend for a post-bop homogeneity of tone in the newer generation of saxophone sounds,” reports JazzWise.

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LEZLIE HARRISON QUINTET

Lezlie Harrison – vocals Antoine Drye – trumpet John DiMartino – piano Yoshi Waki – bass Russell Carter – drums

Vocalist Lezlie Harrison, whose burnished, soulful alto strikingly illuminates a distinctive blend of standards, classic ’70s soul,and her original music, leads a quintet with trumpeter Antoine Drye, pianist John DiMartino, bassist Yoshi Waki, and drummer Russell Carter. Drawing her diverse repertoire from foundational sources like the soul music of her childhood, the gospel she sang in her grandfather’s church, and the omnipresent traditional jazz standards throughout her life, Harrison creates captivating and personal music that listeners love. The New York Amsterdam News says, “Lezlie Harrison has a smoky sensuous voice that keeps you on the edge of your chair.”

Showtimes: 7:00pm | 9:00pm

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