Clockwise: Ken Avis, John Fahey, and D.C. Jazz and go-go fusion ensemble, The JoGo Project and Marvin Gaye (photos: Bill Crandall, Pascal P Chassin, and Nick Moreland) (Marvin Gaye Image: digitally altered by Brandt Luke Zorn/mechanical scan or photocopy of a public domain original)
Save when you purchase the Music City, DC: Season 2 series!
Washington, D.C., has given much to the musical world beyond its best-known exports, Duke Ellington and the punk and go-go scenes. In a new series of programs, musician, broadcaster, and historian Ken Avis uses film and anecdotes to explore more of the area’s lesser-known, remarkable, and fascinating musical avenues and why they could only have developed here.
This time around, Avis shines the spotlight on acoustic folk and blues traditions; soul, funk and go-go; and takes a look at the changing nature of music and the local scene during the 21st century. The story is interwoven with observations of how social change, technology, and business innovations shaped the sounds that emerged from D.C.—a political town with a serious music habit.
Avis is a regular presenter at Strathmore Music Center and DC Music Salon. He performs with the award-winning world-jazz band Veronneau and is a music writer and broadcaster in the Washington area.
Session Information
DC Now: 21st Century Popular Music in the Nation's Capital
Music streaming, industry conglomeration, and gentrification have impacted popular music everywhere, presenting challenges and opportunities. D.C.'s music scene continues to change and adapt, and no doubt will respond to the impact of the recent pandemic. In the midst of these changes a multi-genre musical renaissance has bloomed in the Nation’s Capital. This final episode features a sampler of some of the current sounds filling Washingtonians’ ears and charts the impact of the digital musical revolution.
Additional Sessions
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