jazz

Live Review: Southwest Soul Sessions @ Pearl Street Warehouse — 3/24/19

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The Beltway Horns (Greg Boyer: trombone; Brad Clements: trumpet) perform at Southwest Soul Sessions on March 24, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

Drummers are perpetually left in the dark. Which is a little odd because they’re the engines of a band — the driving force, the anchor around which the music is tied. Sometimes, the drummer shines bright despite being pushed to the back of the stage. Such is the case with Isabelle De Leon, the DC-based drummer who cohosts, along with saxophonist Elijah Balbed, the monthly Southwest Soul Sessions at Pearl Street Warehouse.

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Excursion: Babalú!!! Musicians of Cuba

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Cuban musicians perform at Hotel Marqués de Prado Ameno, La Habana Vieja, Cuba, in March 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

Babalú! Those of us who’ve reached a certain age, or any fan of “I Love Lucy,” will recognize that famous cry. Ricky Ricardo’s celebrated signature song introduced countless Americans to Cuban music and culture. Desi Arnaz, who played the television show’s Cuban band leader, had already made “Babalú” an established musical number for his orchestra in the 1940s.

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Live Review: Jethro Tull @ MGM National Harbor — 3/11/19

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Ian Anderson (center) celebrates 50 years of Jethro Tull at MGM National Harbor on March 11, 2019. (Photo by Chester Simpson)

I first saw Jethro Tull on the Aqualung Tour at Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia, on April 18, 1971. I most recently saw Ian Anderson and company at MGM National Harbor when they visited to celebrate 50 years of the band.

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Live Review: Alice Phoebe Lou @ Jammin’ Java — 3/7/19

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Alice Phoebe Lou performs at Jammin’ Java on March 7, 2019. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)

Don’t let her diminutive stature and disarming, bubbly personality fool you. Alice Phoebe Lou is no girl. When she takes the stage, she is a woman in complete control — an experienced presence whose voice soars and whispers, spanning several octaves and which, on a recent night at Jammin’ Java, never hit a bum note.

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Interview: Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull (@ MGM National Harbor, 3/11/19)

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Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull (Photo by Travis Latam)

Famed progressive rock band Jethro Tull released This Was, their first studio album, in 1968, and founder Ian Anderson last year began a series of concerts to commemorate the band’s 50th anniversary. The Jethro Tull 50th Anniversary show arrives at MGM National Harbor on Monday, March 11. We’re looking forward to hearing early favorites like “Aqualung,” “Thick as a Brick,” and “A Song for Jeffrey,” among others.

Parklife DC had the distinct honor of chatting with Ian about what to expect during the Jethro Tull show, how his personal experiences with the flute have evolved, and what it’s like to be a witness to key historical events and even a catalyst for cultural change.

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