GWENYTH HAYES QUARTET

Bassist and vocalist Gwenyth Hayes’ hybrid reinterpretations give due respect to classic songs and soul covers from many genres and eras. They center around her sultry voice, groove-oriented bass lines and tight instrumental arrangements. This approach serves to reinvent popular soul, jazz, soft rock, and blues standards with a sensual and contemporary feel. Gwenyth’s sound appeals to diverse audiences and is meant to be reminiscent to many generations.

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VANESSA RUBIN

Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. Additional homespun influences include the melodic bell tone clarity of a young Capital Records recording artist, Nancy Wilson, the fire of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, the sweet sounds of trumpeter Blue Mitchell as well as her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.Revered as both a torchbearer and a storyteller, jazz vocalist Vanessa Rubin possesses a voice hailed for crystalline clarity, hearth-like warmth and playful lioness sass. The Cleveland native brings a wealth of diverse influences to her vocal performance from both the Trinidadian/Caribbean roots of her mother and traditional jazz by way of her Louisiana-born father. Additional homespun influences include the melodic bell tone clarity of a young Capital Records recording artist, Nancy Wilson, the fire of Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, the sweet sounds of trumpeter Blue Mitchell as well as her love of the Motown Sound…especially girl groups like the Supremes.

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Daily Dose Of Jazz…

William Stevens Bryant was born August 30, 1908 in Chicago, Illinois and while growing up took trumpet lessons to little success. His first job in entertainment was dancing in the Whitman Sisters Show in 1926. He worked in various vaudeville productions for the next several years, and in 1934 he appeared in the show Chocolate Revue with Bessie Smith.

In 1934, he put together his first big band, which at times included Teddy Wilson, Cozy Cole, Johnny Russell, Benny Carter, Ben Webster, Eddie Durham, Ram Ramirez, and Taft Jordan. They recorded six times between 1935 and 1938 with Bryant sings on 18 of the 26 sides recorded.

Once his ensemble disbanded, Bryant worked as an actor and disc jockey. He recorded R&B in 1945 and led another big band between 1946 and 1948. During September and October 1949, he hosted Uptown Jubilee, a short-lived all-Black variety show on CBS-TV, airing on Tuesday nights. In the 1950s he was the emcee at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York.

Bandleader, vocalist, and disc jockey Willie Bryant, known as the Mayor of Harlem, transitioned from a heart attack in Los Angeles, California on February 9, 1964.

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GEORGE V. JOHNSON JR.

Tribute To Charlie Parker | AH~LEU~CHA

Native Washingtonian, jazz vocalist-songwriter, and recording artist George V. Johnson Jr. will perform (alongside his bandmates) excerpts from the “jazzical” Jazz Iz Really Classical Music, a.k.a. Ah-Leu-Cha, a spirited tribute to Charlie Parker featuring Johnson’s original lyrics.

Deemed “Next in Line” by Eddie Jefferson, the father of the art of jazz vocalese, Johnson continues the legacy of writing lyrics to improvised solos and telling stories we love and appreciate. The performance will be an unforgettable evening celebrating the music of Charlie Parker.

Imagine listening to a seasoned jazz musician rip into a bebop solo so sizzling and smooth it makes your senses tingle. Close your eyes and play along. Try and picture the sweat bouncing off the performer like the notes that leap through the air. See if you can hear the mesmerizing melodies go up and down, bringing you through joy and sadness, taking your emotions on a sensory experience unlike any other. Now picture that musician and his beloved instrument: his voice.

Band members Donvonte McCoy (trumpet), Elijah Easton (tenor saxophone), Allyn Johnson (piano), Herman Burney (bass), and Dana-j Hawkins (drums) are seasoned visionaries who’ve performed across the globe. Join us for a memorable performance.

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AKUA ALLRICH

Charlie Parker Jazz Festival 2023

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.

With the launch of her independently produced albums, A Peace of Mine in 2010, Uniquely Standard, Akua Allrich Live! in 2012, and her latest release Soul Singer, the young artist’s music and concerts created a significant buzz with critics and music-lovers alike. Said Franz Matzner of All About Jazz, “Akua Allrich’s music flows with a free, natural energy as engaging as her equally ingenuous personality.” Her appeal soon reached across US borders and attained international attention. In early 2011, Allrich signed a distribution deal with Japanese record label AGATE/Inpartmaint Inc. Her debut CD, A Peace of Mine, was released in Japan during their “Golden Week” of May 2011. Music lovers and tastemakers from around the world expressed their appreciation and excitement for this new music.

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 and Nina Simone. She has developed popular tribute programs involving the latter two women and other great African American women of jazz.

Akua Allrich was educated at Howard University, where she obtained her BM in jazz vocals and a master’s degree in social work. She was taught, coached and mentored by talented musicians such as world-renowned singer Kehembe V. Eichelberger, singer/drummer Grady Tate, and pianist Charles Covington.

Joining her is The Tribe: Kris Funn ~ bass, Samuel Prather ~ keys, Tyler Leak ~ drums

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