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Lao Tizer Band
Lao Tizer Band - Amplify (2024) "Rare are the jazz groups these days, so it’s encouraging to see one from LA making some fresh sounds. Keyboardist Lao Tizer puts together a working team of Eric Marienthal-Danny Janklow/wwinds, Aaron J anik/tp, Khristian Foreman/tb, Chieli Minucci/g, Carey Frank/B3, Karen Briggs/vi, Anthony Crawford-Cheikh N’Doye/b, Gene Coye/dr, Munyngo Jackson/perc and lead vocalist Elliott Yamin for a collection of rollicking and rhythmic originals... This release is the culmination of years of composition, arrangement, performance and some serious dreaming. I’m so proud of this project, the evolution it represents for the band, and humbled by the truly outstanding cast of musicians, vocalists, engineers, director, editor and crew who brought this music to serious life. It’s a very special moment to share the full album with the world nearly 11 months after we recorded and filmed the project all LIVE at EastWest Studios early October 2023." 

Links: Facebook, Reverbnation, Website and DC Bebop page.

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: ONECD

Sharel Cassity
Sharel Cassity - Fearless (2020) "Loaded with exceptional solo moments from everyone in the quartet, Fearless is an exciting, swinging and vibrant documentation of bebop at its best. Sharel Cassity provides a heart-felt performance drawing from her inner strength and will in conquering a personal obstacle with a musical sword and an intrepid assurance. "

Links: ~ Edward Blanco - AllAboutJazz.com, Website.

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: DOUBLECD

Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones - Jook Joint (1995) "The multi-talented Quincy Jones has excelled at idiomatic combinations in his albums since the '60s, when his mix-and-match soundtracks for television and films alerted everyone that he'd switched from a pure jazz mode to a populist trend. Q's Jook Joint blends the latest in hip-hop-flavored productions with sleek urban ballads, vintage standards, and derivative pieces; everything's superbly crafted, though few songs are as exciting in their performance or daring in their conception as past Jones epics like Gula Matari or the score from Roots. Still, you can't fault Jones for his choice of musical collaborators: everyone from newcomer Tamia to longtime stars like Ray Charles, rappers, instrumentalists, male and female vocalists, percussionists, and toasters."

Links: ~ AllMUsic.com, Website, Wikipedia, IMDB

Quincy Jones - Walking in Space (1969) “The musical tone for the album was rock and rhythm and blues played on electric instruments and incorporated into the context of a big band. It was a strange musical mix that worked. Walking in Space [Verve #3145434992] received two Grammy Awards and a four-and-a-half-star review from Down Beat. In his usual fashion, Jones attracted some of the best musicians to appear on his comeback jazz album. They included trombonist J.J. Johnson, trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, flautists Roland Kirk and Hubert Laws, Bob James on electric piano, Toots Thielemans on harmonica and guitar, Ray Brown on electric bass, drummer Grady Tate, and Eric Gale on electric guitar. The album was recorded and engineered by Rudy Van Gelder at his studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. Over the past forty years, Van Gelder’s studio has been the birthplace of many of the classic jazz albums”  
~ Alicia Olatuja - digmagazine


Quincy Delight Jones Jr. (born March 14, 1933) is an American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and film and television producer.[1] His career spans over 70 years, with 28 Grammy Awards won out of 80 nominations,[2] and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992. ~ Wikipedia

MUSIC ARTS: SESSION

Music Arts session - Concert, Station, PBS, NPR and other live mini concert sessions and interviews. Joey Alexander - Space (In-studio performance)
Joey Alexander takes a giant step forward with his fourth album, 'Eclipse.' This recording features a stellar rhythm section of bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland with guest appearances on three tracks by saxophonist Joshua Redman.

Joey Alexander - Eclipse 2018

BOOK RACK: FEATURED BOOK

Sinclair Lewis – It Can't Happen Here (1935) "The Vermont doctor, successful and respected, is with friends, listening to the radio as Senator Buzz Windrip is nominated by the Democratic Party to become President of the United States. Windrip is a shoo-in in the 1936 election, and some of the friends around that radio fear that, given his proposals and the sorts of people he has gathered around himself, Windrip will become an American dictator. Bosh, the doctor says... Yet, it does. And the doctor is one of the first to be marched out behind the courthouse and summarily executed by a firing squad."     ~ PatrickReardon.com and KOBO.com

BOOK RACK: FEATURED SERIES

Stieg Larsson – Millennium Trilogy (2005~2007) "This trilogy is an absolutely gripping read. Even though crime fiction may not be my first choice, every now and then I stumble upon a book which grabs my attention and these were definitely examples. Larsson writes a very intriguing story set at a fast pace, making you want more as quickly as possible. The fact that the some of the characters are loosely based on his own experience make it even more interesting, and successfully intertwines various different angles into the novel: the sex trade and violence and abuse against women, the abuse of power by those in control, and the cover-up by the government of secrets it doesn’t want anybody to know. The fact that the novel is based in Sweden and also well away from what we might imagine to be a stereotypical setting for a crime novel, also makes quite a difference to the books. If you are looking for a new, thrilling read, then I definitely recommend the Millenium trilogy."   Emma Brooks - The Vibe.  Links:   Wikipedia, Books: Girl Wiltlh the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.   KOBO Books and Website

MOVIES: FEATURED MOVIE

Being There (1979)

"Satire is a threatened species in American film, and when it does occur, it's usually broad and slapstick, as in the Mel Brooks films. "Being There,'' directed by Hal Ashby, is a rare and subtle bird that finds its tone and stays with it. It has the appeal of an ingenious intellectual game, in which the hero survives a series of challenges he doesn't understand, using words that are both universal and meaningless. But are Chance's sayings noticeably less useful than when the president tells us about a "bridge to the 21st century?'' Sensible public speech in our time is limited by (1) the need to stay within he confines of the 10-second TV sound bite; (2) the desire to avoid being pinned down to specific claims or promises; and (3) the abbreviated attention span of the audience, which, like Chance, likes to watch but always has a channel-changer poised. " ~ RogerEbert.com   Link: Being There (1979) - Buy/Rent Watch online

CUISINE: FEATURED RESTAURANT

Open City   Located at 2331 Calvert Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 Whether for brunch, a bite to eat after the zoo, or a late night breakfast, this upscale diner has it all... What happens when you mix a coffeehouse, a bar/lounge and an American diner? The answer is Open City which can appeal to early risers but also night owls. Breakfast is served all day and features a number of dishes for those with dietary needs including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Be sure to ask the server about the possibility of changing a meal to vegan or gluten-free. Try breakfast favorites including the brioche toast, buttermilk pancakes and chai waffle"    USA Today, Open City

*The most recent featured musicians and play lists from the five Music listings on DC Bebop.   A musician listed on a DC Bebop page with an intro, is featured for a few weeks with one of their songs.  Included in the play list are songs by nine other musicians in a table on DC Bebop. The songs are linked to a page (YouTube, Reverbnation or where ever the song can be heard). The play list is not a top 10 list. It features songs I liked and think perhaps others might appreciate the music as well.

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