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Guy and Gals 2024
Jazz Night Out
Holiday Show
SATURDAY
DECEMBER 14
Doors Open at 7:00pTICKET $25
$30 AT THE DOOR
$15 FOOD & DRINK MIN.
Artist include DeCasto Brown, Kendra Johnson, Iva Jean Ambush, Terry Koger, Kaiya Simone Timberlake, Tony Smith, Pete Frassrand, David Marsh, and Frank T. Williams, IV
DeCASTO BROWN
DeCasto Brown is a native Washingtonian whose musical inspiration began during his early introduction into the Baptist Church where the soloists and choirs grabbed his attention. A graduate of Anacostia High School and Delaware State University, he mastered on the football field as an All-American and Hall of Fame wide receiver and flourished within the drama department, eventually becoming a member of the Autumn House Gospel Ensemble (a professional theatre company in the state of Delaware).
Also, while attending Delaware State, he became acquainted with the “Masters of Jazz”, which includes Clifford Brown and John Coltrane, his personal favorites. His vocal influences include Eddie Jefferson, Paul Williams, Philippe Wynne, Johnny Hartman, Abbey Lincoln and brothers Nat and Freddy Cole. On the 2014 Terry Marshall debut CD “Arrival”, DeCasto is featured performing “Moodies Mood for Love”.
DeCasto’s natural baritone/tenor style is unique and whether up tempo or ballad, he has the chops of a jazz maestro.
DeCasto has performed at:
- Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival:
- Twins Jazz
- Montpelier Art Center
- Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Center
- Jazz Night at Westminster DC
KENDRA JOHNSON
Vocalist and Recording Artist Kendra Johnson has been immersed in music her entire life. As many artist do, she began singing in the church at an early age and continues to lift her voice in song every chance she gets. Kendra’s love of music crosses several genres, from gospel to jazz, neo soul to contemporary. Together, they shape her own unique musical style. This Motown born vocalist has performed throughout the East Coast, Midwest, the Carolinas and the DC Metropolitan area. In recent years, she has performed at various venues which include The National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Andrew Mellon Auditorium, The Fillmore, Twins Jazz Club, Montpelier Arts Center, Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society and the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival to name a few. Kendra’s vocal journey has been blessed with corporate requests that extend from opening AT&T’s first Black History celebration at the Smithsonian, performing at the National Association of Broadcasters gala honoring Jon Bon Jovi, Howard University, the United States Naval Academy, the Food and Drug Administration, The Victim’s Rights Foundation and events hosted throughout Montgomery County, MD.
Under the direction of Connaitre Miller, Associate Professor of Music and Vocal Jazz Coordinator at Howard University, Kendra has performed at the Strathmore Arts Complex. She is one of the featured vocal artists on DC’s own jazz composer/pianist Terry Marshall’s debut CD, Arrival. Kendra periodically performs with local jazz artists and plans to embark upon her own recording project soon.
God continues to light the path in all that she does musically and personally. Kendra, a Marylander, is a wife and mother. In her corporate profession, she is a financial consultant.
IVA JEAN AMBUSH
Jazz Vocalist Iva Jean Ambush, the scat lady, is the recent winner of the coveted Billie Holiday Competition. She has performed at Birdland (NYC), the DC Jazz Festival, Keystone Korner - Baltimore, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Alice's Jazz and Cultural Society, Blues Alley, Le Duc des Lombards, Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club, International Association of Jazz Educators Conferences, Frederick - In The Streets Festival, the Billy Strayhorn 100th Birthday Celebration, WPFW 89.3 Live @ 5, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Jazz Night @Westminster DC, Amherst Fine Arts Center, Ritz Carlton Pentagon, Frederick's Baker Park 4th of July Celebration (multiple years), the East Coast Jazz Festival, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and more. Iva enjoys exploring the concepts of jazz phrasing and rhythms with the help of jazz legends, Sheila Jordan, Dr. Horace Boyer, and Ronnie Wells. Some of her other influences include Dr. Frederick Tillis, Prof. Charles Ellison and the late Dr. Billy Taylor and Dr. Bro. Yusef Lateef.
She has a family full of Jazz Musicians which include on the maternal side, late trumpeter Lester Bowie, the late Byron Bowie (saxophonist/composer/arranger), Defunkt's founder Joe Bowie, guitarist Jonathan Townes and on the paternal side, bassist Scott Ambush (Spyro Gyra [and Formerly with Stanley Turrentine]), and pianist Allen Ambush. There are a host of others too numerous to name.
Ms. Ambush is working on her next CD, I Am Jazz, which is a homage to her family with a Jazz fusion of Gospel, Funk and Soul. Through music written by the pioneers, Iva Jean Ambush, will demonstrate why the "Voice" remains the epitome of communication via syncopation --
Elevating the Instrument, the Language, the Conversation.
Kaiya Simone Timberlake
Kaiya Simone Timberlake, captured the attention of audiences very early, when she performed in various pre-school, elementary and middle school programs. She began singing with her G-Pop and studying the guitar before 5 years of age. Now, as an 11th grader, at North Point High School, she is a straight “A” student, maintaining a 4.52 grade average. Daily, she challenges and exercises her vocals, in an effort to have them in the best condition, to perform with her school’s choir.
During her time with the North Point Chorus, the group has risen from county festival presentations to state level competitions, where they achieved superior placement (the highest possible score), in every element of their performances. Furthermore, she also had a significant achievement following a recent audition, when she was selected for the All-County Choir.
Moving forward, Kaiya’s plan is to attain collegiate accomplishments, to include attainment of her medical degree and licensure as an ophthalmologist.
Anthony “Tony” Smith
Trumpeter Tony “Big Cat” Smith was born and raised on the east side of Wilmington, Delaware. Currently residing in New Castle, Delaware. Began playing the trumpet in elementary school in the Wilmington Public School System. Graduated from Howard High School in 1972 and received a music scholarship to Delaware State College and earned a B.S. Degree in Music Education in 1978. Earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Wilmington College. Studied music under world renowned jazz master Robert “Boysie” Lowery. Worked as a teacher in the New Castle County School District, Christina Cultural Arts Center, Brandywine School District, and as a building administrator in the Brandywine School District. Retired from education in 2006.
Performs jazz trumpet music regularly in the Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York areas in a variety of musical genres with an emphasis on small ensemble settings. Has performed in numerous jazz productions and festivals throughout the United Stated and abroad including The Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, The Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Series, The Winterthur Yuletide Jazz Series, The Woodmere Jazz Series, The Willingboro Jazz Festival, The Cape May Jazz Festival, The Rehoboth Jazz Festival, Fulda Germany World Music Festival, Wilmington Arts Alive Festival, Delaware Art Museum Jazz Series, performing with local and nationally known acts and artists including The Tony Smith Group, Tony Smith's Music Explosion, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Dells, James Moody, Jimmy Heather, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd,, Clifford Jordan,, Terrell Stafford, Ernie Watts, Rob Swanson, Jeff Knoettner, Lisa Chavous, Jackie Browne, Lucky Thompson’s DNA, Aniya Jazz, Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, The Boysie Lowery Big Band, The Clef Club Big Band, The Don Wilson Big Band, The Mill Creek Jazz Orchestra, The Wilmington Jazz Allstars, The Philadelphia Community College Big Band, Gerald Chavis' Fast Lane Big Band, The Clifford Brown Festival Orchestra, The Christina Electric Light Orchestra, and many more. Trumpet influences include Louis Armstrong, Hugh Masekela, Dizzy Guillespie, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard.
Musical works include “The History and Development of Jazz” “A Musical Tribute to Clifford Brown” “The History of Jazz From A Trumpeter’s Point of View” “A Tribute To The Greatest African American Trumpet Players in American History”
Co-Authored a book with Will Smith Sr. entitled “The Waymor” The book is about how a night at a jazz club can turn out to be “way more than you bargained for” and how the actions of one night can change lives forever. It’s a book about people and music and how lives intertwine.
Awards and recognitions include First Recipient of CCAC Imhotep Award, Christi Award Recipient, HAAN Black History Month Award, NAACP Presidents Award, The Clef Club Trumpet Award, and The Clifford Brown Legacy Award.
PETE FRASSRAND
Pete Frassrand was born in Detroit, he grew up in a family of teachers and musicians. He is proud to now be a teacher and musician. He first learned piano from his mother, who was the minister of music at their local church. After playing the piano on and off for years, in 1995 he moved to the DC area and decided to study music seriously. He is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from area players like Robert Redd, Charles Covington, and Tim Murphy. In 2000, he received his music education degree from Towson University and now share jazz with young people as a music teacher. Over the years, he has also honed his performance skills in DC clubs like Utopia, Twins, Alice's Jazz and Cultural Society, Bohemian Caverns and Jojo's. Since 2011 he has served as the pianist for the Greater U Street Jazz Collective, which has made appearances at events such as the DC Jazz Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and the Congressional Black Caucus. He considers himself extremely lucky to be able to do what he does in an area with such a rich musical and cultural history.
DAVID “DAVE” MARSH, III
Dave Marsh is a graduate of the Duke Ellington School for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. David is equally at home in Jazz, R&B, Blues, Latin, Caribbean, Brazilian, Classical, Funk, Reggae, Gospel and Persian as well as rock and pop styles of music. He has performed in Japan, Italy, Canada, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Brazil, former Soviet Union and throughout the United States with the DC Youth Orchestra, the St. Augustine's Gospel Choir, and recording artists such as Nestor Torres & Gil Scott Heron. Locally, he has performed at Blues Alley, the Kennedy Center, the White House, Constitution Hall, the Warner Theater and many other area venues. David recorded with Jennifer Holiday, Doug Carn, St. Augustine's Gospel Choir, Carey Creed, Stickman, Kevin Campbell, Dan Reynolds, Matt Niese, Yvette Spears, Juanita Williams, Vaughn Nark and the Rejoice Conference Choir. He is the bass player for "Cook, Dixon and Young" (formally Three Mo' Tenors). He performed on the groups recent PBS special and CD. Cook, Dixon and Young have performed concerts at venues such as the Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl and Wolf Trap and with the prestigious Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Washington DC Opera, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
Frank T. Williams, IV
Jazz drummer, composer and educator, Frank T. Williams, IV, has been playing jazz drums professionally for over 30 years, and has been playing drums since he received his first drumset, at age 5. Since then, Mr. Williams has performed, toured and jammed with a variety of jazz luminaries and legends such as Nat Adderley, Douglas Carn, John Lamb, The Marcus Printup Quartet, The Michael Thomas Quintet, Andrew White, Marcus Roberts, Eric Lewis, Benito Gonzales, Ben Wiliams, Bob Murad and Wynton Marsalis.
Currently, Mr. Williams primarily performs with the Michael Thomas Quintet. This quintet has been together for 20 years, and received a first round Grammy ballet entry in 2010 for their CD release, “Live at Twins Jazz” Volume 2. The 5th CD recorded with this powerhouse quintet. Frank also performs with pianist and composer extraordinaire Bob Murad, and is a guest artist drummer on his latest released CD, “ The Observer”.
Mr. Williams also performs freelance with a number of local and national musical acts and keeps a private percussion studio of anywhere from 10 to 15 percussion students. Thus far, all of Mr. Willams’ private students who have continued through high school have been accepted to college on full music scholarships.
Mr. Williams has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education for Florida A&M University and a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Gratz College. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Mr. Frank T. Williams IV has a unique perspective as a clinician and private teacher.
Frank T. Williams IV has endorsements with Grover Pro Percussion, Soultone Cymbals, Rampad and is a voting member of the Grammy Academy.
Venue Details
El Golfo Restaurant (128)
8739 Flower AvenueSilver Spring, Maryland 20901
