Community Calendar

A musical collaboration project founded by Julián Pujols Quall, Mamey brings together the disciplines they have been studying, while deepening their understanding of the influence the Caribbean arts have had in their musical creation. The project showcases original and contemporary Dominican and Haitian music of the diaspora, honoring its beautiful traditions and resilience, and striving to promote new and vibrant art. A classically trained artist, Julian’s work has acquired a broad artistic scope. Julián was also a founding member of the Peabody Improvisers Collective, bringing together experimental artists from the Baltimore area, and earned the Blue Ribbon Scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory, the highest distinction at the Merit School of Music’s Alice S. Pfaelzer T Conservatory.

Sarah Hanahan [alto saxophone]
Marc Cary [piano]
Kris Funn [bass]
Eric Kennedy [drums]

A young jazz saxophonist based in New York City, Sarah Hanahan is a generational talent on the rise. Sarah was recently featured in the first-ever class of NPR Jazz Night in America’s Youngbloods alongside Samara Joy, Immanuel Wilkins, Isaiah J. Thompson, and Sean Mason. The series features “five up-and-coming jazz geniuses who are revolutionizing their genre” - all of whom are under the age of 30. Her debut album, Among Giants, featuring Marc Cary, Nat Reeves, and Jeff “Tain” Watts is out now on all platforms!

Sarah has had the privilege of studying and working with many renowned musicians including Jeff “Tain” Watts, Abraham Burton, Nat Reeves, Peter Martin, Emmet Cohen, Steve Davis, Billy Hart, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Billy Drummond, Marc Cary, and has toured with Joe Farnsworth, Peter Martin, Ulysses Owens Jr. & Generation Y, and Sherrie Miracle & the Diva Orchestra. She also recently had the opportunity to play for the 2023 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert at the Kennedy Center honoring Sue Mingus with the Grammy award-winning Mingus Dynasty Band.

2nd Annual Rotunda Rocks Returns to Hampden Neighborhood this Spring
Family-friendly Night of Rockin’ Fun Begins May 3 and Runs Every Friday Until End of September

Whether you like to jam to rock, folk, blues, Indie, Latin or reggae, there is something for everyone as the second annual Rotunda Rocks concert series returns to Hampden this spring/summer (711 W 40th Street). This family-friendly FREE concert series, presented by MCB Real Estate, features live music on the plaza and a street festival atmosphere with delicious local food and drinks, fun games and local vendors on Fridays, 6-9 p.m. beginning May 3 and running until September 27. Rotunda Rocks is open to the public and welcomes families and pets. A portion of proceeds from beverage sales benefits the Maryland SPCA. For more information, log onto Rotunda Rocks | The Rotunda (rotundabaltimore.com) or call 410-662-0104.

SCHEDULE OF BANDS:
May 3 Mambo Combo (Latin and tropical rhythms)
May 10 Strykers Posse (reggae)
May 17 Go Dog Go with special guest Garage Sale (garage rock and hot rockin’ Surf)
May 24 Harlan County Kings (original rock)
May 31 Patrick Alban & Noche Latina (Latin and acoustic rock with a touch of salsa and South Beach feel)
June 7 Barry Prosser and the Vaguely Absurd (classic rock)
June 14 Monkton Road Band (rootsy folks laced with deep country)
June 21 The Natty Brohs (classic rock and blues)
June 28 The Soularites (SoulFULL reggae and Ska)
July 5 Kyf Brewer & Friends (hues of 60’s pop radio, British invasion, early Nashville, rhythm and blues and ancient Celtic melodies)
July 12 Justin Trawick and the Common Good (Americana-bluegrass, country and folk)
July 19 The Players Band (infectious rhythms and horn-heavy ska sounds)
July 26 Gaelic Mishap (Celtic rock)
August 2 Tumblehome (rock, soul, rhythm & blues)
August 9 Kurt Deemer Band (guitar driven rock & roll)
August 16 Barleyjuice (Celtic rock)
August 23 Red Sammy (honest, slow-burn Americana folks rock)
August 30 La Unica (Irish Latin)
September 6 ZOCKO! (surf garage)
September 13 Western Run (funked-up country rock)
September 20 Guys In Thin Ties (Alternative 80s band)
September 27 The Rock-A-Sonics (rockabilly, vintage country and atomic age rock n’ roll)

"None of us could have imagined what it's like to see Joey Alexander play that piano with such mastery. The thing is, when you see him play live, you quickly forget his age and get lost in the intense focus of his performance...The crowd was both mesmerized and humbled." — NPR MUSIC

Bali, Indonesia-born pianist, composer, and bandleader Joey Alexander has been performing professionally since 2013 when Wynton Marsalis invited him to perform at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Gala. Since a tender age, Joey has been widely regarded as one of the most highly skilled pianists and thoughtful improvisers in jazz.

Alexander’s albums have netted three GRAMMY® Award nominations: one for Best Jazz Instrumental Album (My Favorite Things) and two for Best Improvised Jazz Solo (“Giant Steps,” from My Favorite Things, and “Countdown” from the album of the same name), with My Favorite Things and Countdown securing the No. 1 spot on the Billboard jazz charts and Eclipse coming at No. 3. Over the course of his astonishing career, Alexander has performed with Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding at the Obama White House, for President Bill Clinton at the Arthur Ashe Learning Center Gala, at the Grand Ole Opry, the Apollo Theater, Carnegie Hall, and at major jazz festivals and nightclubs around the world with top-shelf collaborators like Larry Grenadier, Kendrick Scott, Chris Potter and many others.

An die Musik Live! artist-in-residence Justin Taylor presents a monthly series with guest artists!

Justin Taylor, piano/organ/drums
Charles Brown, bass
Lester Wallace, Jr., drums

Whether dominating the ivory keys of a grand piano or the weighted 88, Justin Taylor commands a sound and style that captivates audiences and astounds the listener. His approach to creating music and connecting with his audiences nothing short of music mastery in its finest.

Because of Justin’s versatility. he is one of Baltimore’s most sought after young pianists. He has been performing for over 24 years with some of the music industry’s most prolific and well known jazz, gospel, and R&B artists. He’s performed with or opened for Grammy-nominated R&B/hip-hop artist Jaheim, pop singer K’Jon, Baltimore’s own national recording artist Maysa Leak, Corinthia Cromwell, Carl Grubbs, Tim Warfield, and others.

Justin is also a composer, producer and engineer. He is working on his debut project and has released a single called, “Trees”, which can be found on all music platforms. He has played on several albums in his career and has taught at Columbia and Baltimore School of Rock, and he has served on the artist-in-residency ensemble at Towson University.

Justin is a 2017 Towson University graduate, with a degree in Commercial Music with emphasis on jazz piano. At T.U. he studied under Tim Murphy, and he’s also taken classical piano lessons with Lawrence Crawford.

In-person seats: $20 / $10 students
Attendees receive a link to the recording to view for one week.

Streaming passes: $15
The link will remain active through Feb 30

Donations welcome!

Obasi Akoto and prominent members of the Greater Baltimore & Washington, D.C. Jazz Community will lead us in world-class performances almost every Tuesday, 7-10pm. Surround yourself with great company, soul lifting music, and wonderful food! Click HERE to read our Bright Moments Jam Session Newsletter, written by Obasi Akoto every week.

Joe Keyes “The Late Bloomer” – Vocal Vibeologist
and The Late Bloomer Band:
Sherita "Love" Harris - Drums
Paul Onheiser - Keyboards
Lyle Saunders - Bass Guitar
Victor Crisen - Lead and Rhythm Guitars
Melanie Brown -Alto Saxophone
Zach Reynolds - Tenor Saxophone
John McCahey - Trombone
Chris Spagnolo - Baritone Saxophone

Born out of a jam session in Reisterstown, Maryland, in 2010, Joe Keyes and the Late Bloomer Band brought together a promising group of up-and-coming musicians, united under the tutelage of lifelong funk aficionado Joe Keyes. The band’s blazing guitars, thumping bass, hypnotic keyboards, powerful horns and thunderous drums elevated Keyes’ deep, commanding vocals and enthralling tales of love, addiction, sobriety, family and friendship. Paying homage to Parliament-Funkadelic, Miles Davis, Sun Ra and Gil Scott-Heron, Keyes would steer the band’s highly refined sound into psychedelic territory, tight grooves and epic crescendos.

Fifteen years later, Joe Keyes and the Late Bloomer Band remains a fierce musical force. As the lineup has changed over the years, with the band serving as a launching pad for myriad young musicians, so has the sound. What started as a funk-rock band has evolved into a fresh concoction of funk, jazz, R&B, soul and rock.

2nd Annual Rotunda Rocks Returns to Hampden Neighborhood this Spring
Family-friendly Night of Rockin’ Fun Begins May 3 and Runs Every Friday Until End of September

Whether you like to jam to rock, folk, blues, Indie, Latin or reggae, there is something for everyone as the second annual Rotunda Rocks concert series returns to Hampden this spring/summer (711 W 40th Street). This family-friendly FREE concert series, presented by MCB Real Estate, features live music on the plaza and a street festival atmosphere with delicious local food and drinks, fun games and local vendors on Fridays, 6-9 p.m. beginning May 3 and running until September 27. Rotunda Rocks is open to the public and welcomes families and pets. A portion of proceeds from beverage sales benefits the Maryland SPCA. For more information, log onto Rotunda Rocks | The Rotunda (rotundabaltimore.com) or call 410-662-0104.

SCHEDULE OF BANDS:
May 3 Mambo Combo (Latin and tropical rhythms)
May 10 Strykers Posse (reggae)
May 17 Go Dog Go with special guest Garage Sale (garage rock and hot rockin’ Surf)
May 24 Harlan County Kings (original rock)
May 31 Patrick Alban & Noche Latina (Latin and acoustic rock with a touch of salsa and South Beach feel)
June 7 Barry Prosser and the Vaguely Absurd (classic rock)
June 14 Monkton Road Band (rootsy folks laced with deep country)
June 21 The Natty Brohs (classic rock and blues)
June 28 The Soularites (SoulFULL reggae and Ska)
July 5 Kyf Brewer & Friends (hues of 60’s pop radio, British invasion, early Nashville, rhythm and blues and ancient Celtic melodies)
July 12 Justin Trawick and the Common Good (Americana-bluegrass, country and folk)
July 19 The Players Band (infectious rhythms and horn-heavy ska sounds)
July 26 Gaelic Mishap (Celtic rock)
August 2 Tumblehome (rock, soul, rhythm & blues)
August 9 Kurt Deemer Band (guitar driven rock & roll)
August 16 Barleyjuice (Celtic rock)
August 23 Red Sammy (honest, slow-burn Americana folks rock)
August 30 La Unica (Irish Latin)
September 6 ZOCKO! (surf garage)
September 13 Western Run (funked-up country rock)
September 20 Guys In Thin Ties (Alternative 80s band)
September 27 The Rock-A-Sonics (rockabilly, vintage country and atomic age rock n’ roll)

One never knows what type of seed is planted until that flower blooms. The vocal botanics that emerge from Karen Linette was recognized long after her first presentation to her mother, when she and her older brother would perform songs that were played during her childhood. That radiance developed into an organic sound, establishing Karen as the go-to person for vocals in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Giving her fellow local musicians more than twenty years of experience as a singer and collaborative artist, she has also shared the stage with national recording artists such as Norman Connors, Dawn Robinson of En Vogue, Cece Peniston, Club Nouveau, Case, Miles Jaye, Anthony David, Miki Howard, Regina Belle, Tom Browne, Dexter Wansel and numerous others.

Joining choir opened the door for her to experiment with her range; known for her four-octave climb, her gentle-jazzy approach can quickly go from soft and singular to deep and encompassed which puts her in the top requested of her class not only for background vocals but as an opener for classic and contemporary acts. Karen has also been called upon quite frequently to perform the National Anthem at the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts as well as the Verizon Center for both of the districts NBA teams: the Washington Wizards and the Washington Mystic (WNBA). Meeting the call for excellence, Karen took the breath of the audience during a 2013 Inauguration Celebration performance honoring President Barack Obama.

Grammy Nominated & #1 Billboard Smooth Jazz Saxophonist ELAN TROTMAN
"Dear Marvin" Tribute to Marvin Gaye

Born and raised in Barbados, saxophonist Elan Trotman has quickly become one of jazz’s most thrilling and emotive performers as he continues to stand out and push boundaries as a composer, performer, teacher and recording artist. Trotman’s playing, though inspired by Grover Washington, Jr., Kirk Whalum and Najee, displays his own fresh ideas and distinctive tone, blending Caribbean rhythms from his roots with skillful horn textures. So much so that the New England Urban Music Awards, and The Barbados Music Awards both named him Jazz Artist of The Year on multiple occasions. Trotman has recorded and performed with a number of world-class musicians, including Michael McDonald, Roberta Flack, Jonathan Butler, Keiko Matsui, Johnny Gill, Jeffrey Osborne, Sheila E, Marcus Miller, Will Downing, Earl Klugh, Jeff Lorber, Peter White, Peabo Bryson, Brian Simpson and many others.