Meet the Artist
The DC Jazz Festival (DCJF) proudly presents our Meet the Artist Series. Throughout the year, the festival offers the DCJF community opportunities to meet our artistic talents and engage with them through an exclusive Q&A session. Started in 2013, the series is organized by the DC Jazz Festival’s own Artistic Director, Willard Jenkins. We invite you to review our archive below or reach out to learn more.
"Meet the Artist" Archive
Artist: Patricia Barber
Interviewer: John Murph
Date: June 7, 2018
Time: 7:00PM
Venue: Abramson Family Auditorium, NYU (DC)
Description: Pianist-vocalist-songwriter Patricia Barber is an out and proud lesbian artist who obviously, if subtly, invests that perspective in her music.
Artist: Regina Carter
Interviewer: Sunny Sumter
Date: June 9, 2018
Time: 3:00PM
Venue: Chuck Levins Music Center
Description: Regina Carter is the premier jazz violinist, who has spent the last year honoring one of the signature American Songbook stylists, Ella Fitzgerald.
Artist: Oliver Lake
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 10, 2018
Time: 6:00PM
Venue: Abramson Family Auditorium, NYU (DC)
Description: Saxophonist-Composer-bandleader Oliver Lake has led a richly varied career. His work has ranged from reggae-informed jazz perspective to his charter membership in the world Saxophone Quartet, to the avant-garde.
Artist: Terri Lyne Carrington
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 15, 2018
Time: 11:00AM
Venue: Chuck Levins
Description: Drummer-bandleader-producer-educator Terri Lyne Carrington was a child prodigt jazz musician who has been a force in the music for 40 years. She is one of our most honored educators who has mentored numerous musicians, including a significant number of women instrumentalists.
Artist: Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah
Interviewer: Keanna Faircloth
Date: June 16, 2018
Time: 12:00PM
Venue: The Wharf- Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: New Orleans born and raised trumpeter Christian Scott was born into a family deeply immersed in jazz and the unique Louisiana African America folklore of "masking" Indian in honor of Native American heritage from an African perspective. Click Here to register
Artist: Ivan Lins
Interviewer: Lynn Veronneau and Ken Avis
Date: June 16, 2018
Time: 1:30PM
Venue: The Wharf- Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: The Brazilian master singer-songwriter Ivan Lins will be interviewed by the Brazilian music specialists vocalist Lynn Veronneau and guitarist Ken Avis.
Artist: Nasar Abadey
Interviewer: Lenny Robinson
Date: June 16, 2018
Time: 5:30PM
Venue: The Wharf- Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: Renowed and celebrated jazz drummer, Nasar Abadey is the founder, leader and driving force of the 11-piece band, Supernova, and is considered a Master Drummer with performance credits that reads like a Who's Who of jazz music legends. Mr. Abadey is the 2018 recipient of the Peabody Institute Lifetime Acheivement Award.
Artist: Melissa Aldana
Interviewer: Mikaela Carlton
Date: June 17, 2018
Time: 1:15PM
Venue: The Wharf- Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: The Chilean tenor saxophonist is fast emerging as an exemplary player on the heels on her Thelonious Monk Competition win and her subsequent series of exceptional recordings.
Artist: Gregoire Maret
Interviewer: Tim Masters
Date: June 17, 2018
Time: 2:30PM
Venue: The Wharf-Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: The harmonica is a unique instrument in jazz expression, and Gregoire Maret is the leading voice on the instrument.
Artist: Ben Williams
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 17, 2018
Time: 3:30PM
Venue: The Wharf- Education Village @ Recreation Pier
Description: DCJF's 2018 Artist-In-Residence, bassist-bandleader Ben Williams, will participate in a live version of Downbeat magazine's legendary blindfold test.
Artist: Amy Shook
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 11, 2017
Time: 5:00PM
Venue: The Kennedy Center
Description: Bassist Amy Shook shares her stories and insight during this Meet the Artist hosted by Willard Jenkins.
Artist: Pat Metheny
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 12, 2017
Time: 3:30PM
Venue: NYU Washington, DC (Abramson Family Auditorium)
Description: Pat Metheny made his debut appearance at the 2017 DC Jazz Festival with a select group of musicians that he says “covers the widest range of everything I’ve done previously and… something beyond that.” Metheny has won an astounding 20 GRAMMY awards in 12 different categories including Best Rock Instrumental, Best Contemporary Jazz Recording, Best Jazz Instrumental Solo, and Best Instrumental Composition. The Pat Metheny Group won an unprecedented seven consecutive GRAMMYS for seven consecutive albums. Watch the interview here.
Artist: Herman Burney
Interviewer: Rochelle Rice
Date: June 15, 2017
Time: 5:00PM
Venue: The Kennedy Center
Description: DC's jewel bassist and educator, Herman Burney, has played with some of Jazz Music's brightest stars. This Meet the Artist is hosted by vocalist and composer, Rochelle Rice.
Artist: Ola Onabulé
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 15, 2017
Time: 5:00PM
Venue: WPFW - Live at 5 (Radio Broadcast)
Description: A charismatic and sophisticated entertainer possessing emotional intensity and vocal virtuosity accompanied by poignant storytelling. Those who already know Ola's work truly appreciate this wonderful performer and his capacity to cross cultural and musical boundaries.
Artist: Kandace Springs
Interviewer: Sunny Sumter
Date: June 17, 2017
Time: 3:00PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: The 27-year old, Nashville-based singer, songwriter and pianist counts such stylists as Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone, Roberta Flack and Norah Jones as her heroes, but as evidenced by her sparkling full-length Blue Note Records debut, Soul Eyes, Springs mimics none of them. Instead Springs allows her comely to become a conduit that touches upon soul, jazz, and pop while transforminf those aforemention influences into a personalized sound that reveals itself effortlessly.
Artist: Jacob Collier
Interviewer: Mark O'Reilly
Date: June 17, 2017
Time: 5:00PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: Jacob Collier is recognized as one of the world’s most distinctive, inventive and prodigious young musicians. Based in London, UK, Jacob has been inspired by many sounds – his music combines elements of Jazz, A cappella, Groove, Folk, Trip-hop, Classical music, Brazilian music, Gospel, Soul and Improvisation (to name a few), which culminate to create the world of "Jacob Collier." With viral hits such as his rendition of the Stevie Wonder classic, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout A Thing,” Collier has gained a global following, and some of his greatest fans among the elite Jazz community include Quincy Jones, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Steve Vai and Take 6, to name a few.
Artist: Robert Glasper
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 17, 2017
Time: 6:00PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: The Robert Glasper Experiment has dominated jazz charts, winning R&B Grammy's, recording with everyone from Erykah Badu to Norah Jones to Snoop Dogg. Glasper has scored a Miles Davis film and has played keys from Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly to Anderson .Paak's Malibu. Currently, Robert Glass Experiment is collaborating on albums from Herbie Hancock, Common, and Mac Miller.
Registration is free, but requires a purchase of a ticket to DC JazzFest at the Yards. Click here to register!
Artist: Kenny Garrett
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 16, 2017
Time: 2:00PM
Venue: Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center
Description: Saxophonist Kenny Garrett has become the preeminent alto saxophonist of his generation. From his first gig with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (led by Mercer Ellington) through his time spent with musicians such as Freddie Hubbar, Woody Shaw, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis, Garrett has always brought a vigorous yet melodic, and truly distinctive, alto saxophone sound to each musical situation.
Artist: Sarah Elizabeth Charles
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 18, 2017
Time: 4:00PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: Sarah Elizabeth Charles is a rising vocalist/composer based in New York City. She has worked and studied with artists such as George Cables, Geri Allen, Nicholas Payton, Sheila Jordan, Jimmy Owens and Carmen Lundy and released her debut record, "Red" in September of 2012 with her band SCOPE. Sarah's critically acclaimed sophomore project, "Inner Dialogue", features her band along with co-producer/special guest Christian Scott. She is currently working on her third album to be released in 2017.
Artist: Gregory Porter
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 18, 2017
Time: 6:30PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: Jazz, soul, and gospel singer, songwriter, and actor Gregory has produced 4 albums since 2010. His third album, Liquid Spirit, was a huge success, scooping up the 2014 Grammy Award for best Jazz Vocal album and becoming the most streamed jazz album of all time with over 20 million listens. In 2016, Porter's own version of "Holding On", was recorded with electronic sensation, Disclosure.
Artist: Black Violin
Interviewer: Sunny Sumter
Date: June 18, 2017
Time: 7:30PM
Venue: DC JazzFest at the Yards
Description: Black Violin is the blend of classical, hip-hop, rock, R&B, and bluegrass music. Live, they are accompanied by their incredible band, featuring ace turntable whiz DJ SPS and a drummer. Named one of the hottest bands at SXSW in 2013, Black Violin was invited to perform at Bonnaroo and returned to SXSW this year to SRO crowds.
Artist: Lenny White
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: June 6, 2013
Time: 6:00PM
Venue: The Hamilton Live
Artist: Edmar Castaneda
Interviewer: Miyuki Williams (WPFW)
Date: Friday, June 12, 2015
Time: 12:00PM
Venue: Abramson Family Auditorium, NYU (DC)
Artist: NEA Jazz Master Jack DeJohnette
Interviewer: Bill Brower
Date: Saturday, June 13, 2015
Time: 12:00PM
Venue: Abramson Family Auditorium, NYU (DC)
Artist: Billy Hart
Interviewer: Nasar Abadey
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2015
Time: 3:00PM
Venue: Sixth & I
Artist: The Cookers
Interviewer: Ellen Carter (WPFW)
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2015
Time: post-concert
Venue: Sixth & I
Artist: Patti Austin
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: Friday, November 7, 2015
Time: Noon
Venue: Howard University (Childers Hall)
Artist: Cecile McLorin Salvant
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2016
Time: post-performance
Venue: Yards Park
Artist: NEA Jazz Master Eddie Palmieri
Interviewer: Jim Byers (WPFW)
Date: Saturday, June 18, 2016
Time: pre-performance
Venue: Yards Park
Artist: Igmar Thomas & Meghan Stabile/Revive Music
Interviewer: Kimberley Washington
Date: Sunday, June 19, 2016
Time: post-performance
Venue: Yards Park
Artist: Kamasi Washington
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: Sunday, June 19, 2016
Time: pre-performance
Venue: Yards Park
Artist: Jason Moran
Interviewer: Willard Jenkins
Date: Thursday, December 1, 2016
Time: 1:30PM
Venue: Abramson Family Auditorium, NYU (DC)
For more information, call toll free at 855-332-7767
The DC Jazz Festival®, a 501(c)(3) non-profit service organization, is made possible, in part, with major grants from the Government of the District of Columbia, Muriel Bowser, Mayor; and, in part, by major grants from the Galena-Yorktown Foundation, The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Gillon Family Charitable Fund, The Mayo Charitable Foundation, CrossCurrents Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, The NEA Foundation, Venable Foundation, The Dallas Morse Coors Foundation for the Performing Arts, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, The Reva & David Logan Foundation; and with awards from the National Endowment for the Arts and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, an agency supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
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