At last month’s loft, we heard from such a wide range of amazing musicians, it was dizzying.

There was Warren “Trae” Crudup III, joined by Allyn Johnson, playing starry-eyed, butt-moving free funk. And the storied alto saxophonist Aaron Martin in a fiery duo with drummer Sam Lohman. A good, old-fashioned jam session led by Shannon Gunn. And an exploration of the roots and branches of jazz rhythm, courtesy of drummer and vocalist Danté Pope. What? You missed it? It’s all good—here’s your mulligan.

RSVP ON FACEBOOK / SEE EVENT ON THE CB CALENDAR

Come out this Sunday to Union Arts to hear from three more fabulous talents, all D.C.-based musicians on the rise with fresh approaches to the jazz tradition. We’ll hear from young saxophone titan Elijah Easton (a member of genre-bending futurists Nag Champa, as well as a fabulous straight-ahead wailer himself); unbridled pianist and loft favorite Hope Udobi; and fellow pianist Levon Mikaelian, whose band, United Shades of Artistry, showcases his lyrical compositions. As usual, we suggest a donation of $15, so please bring the cash you can. The doors open at 7 p.m., and the music will get going at 7:30. And of course we’ll end with an open jam session, so musicians, bring your axes.

Elijah Easton

Tenor saxophonist Elijah Easton is a young D.C. native. If you’re paying close attention to the scene, his husky sound on the horn is one of the more recognizable ones in the city, as are his interesting melodic ideas; if you’re more of a casual listener, get ready to be enthralled. Also a member of the future-funk ensemble Nag Champa, Easton is adept in a variety of musical situations. Every time he’s played — whether in his own band at the loft, as a sideman at the Jazz and Freedom Festival, or at a Traveling Loft show with Nag Champa — he’s been a standout; this time will be no different.

In the video above, Easton performs with the famed pianist Marc Cary.

Hope Udobi

Few pianists in the area command as much respect as Hope Udobi. After spending years with the popular local band Black Alley, Udobi has most recently begun to focus on developing his own compositions. He is already known as an insanely talented piano player, with lots of chops. Watching and hearing him develop even more is the best part of having talent like this in the area—and it’s exactly what the DC Jazz Loft is for.

Levon Mikaelian & United Shades of Artistry

Levon Mikaelian is an Armenian-born piano player now living in the D.C. area. Over the summer, he released an album featuring an interesting mix of some of the area’s best-trusted instrumentalists: Blake Meister on bass, John Lee on guitar, and Tosin Aribisala on percussion. The album and the group are called United Shades of Artistry, and they are a reflection of the pianist/composer’s unique background. Equally endowed with cultural awareness and spirituality, Levon and his music will take the loft to another level.

Comments

comments