The Redd Brothers

Chuck and Robert Redd will both be with us for the WSDC band jam. Here's some information about them that you may not already know --

Vibraphonist and drummer Chuck Redd is a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra.

He began performing internationally when he joined the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1980 at the age of 21.

Chuck was the featured vibraphonist with the Mel Torme All-Star Jazz Quintet from 1991 until 1996.

His performances included an appearance with the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet in Africa for the Namibian Independence Day Celebration.

Robert Redd started playing music on the trumpet at the age of twelve, and began performing professionally while still in high school. While continuing to perform and study the trumpet, he began to develop a serious interest in the piano and decided to make the switch at age twenty-three.

For 15 years he was a member of the Keter Betts Trio (until Betts' death in 2005). They performed regularly throughout the school year at Wolf Trap, as part of Early Learning Through the Arts, a program which Betts helped start and develop, presenting live music to young audiences.

From 1995-1998, Robert was pianist and musical director for singer/songwriter Kenny Rankin.

Robert plays regularly with Brooks Tegler's combos and big bands.

Robert has performed with Ethel Ennis, Melba Moore, Ann Savoy, Vanessa Rubin, Bud Shank, Houston Persons, Ken Peplowski , Warren Vache, Scott Hamilton, James Moody, Howard Alden, Gene Bertoncini, The Harry James Big Band, The Artie Shaw Big Band (w/Dick Johnson) and the Duke Ellington Orchestra, to name a few. He performs frequently with the Smithsonian Masterworks Organization, and is often featured at Blues Alley, where he co-leads a group with his brother, vibraphonist Chuck Redd.

The Best Laid Plans...

I'd intended to post more frequently last week. Alas, family illnesses took control...

I emailed our WSDC constituency last week promising more background about our April 7 band jam members. Here goes:

Which of the band jam participants played with the late Danny Gatton? Who was Danny Gatton and why is it significant that someone played with him? Take a listen.

John Previti played with Danny for about 18 years. You can listen/watch a Previti solo at YouTube

Previti, Barry Hart and Bruce Swaim can be heard backing up Gatton on this sweet video at YouTube

John Jensen, Hart, Swaim, and Previti are listed on this video. I believe it's also Billy Hancock standing to Gatton's right. YouTube

Billy Hancock wrote the cover song and sang lead vocals on the "American Music" release of Danny and the Fat Boys. Steve Wolf played bass on the Opus De Funk cut. You can hear clips on Amazon

More about Danny Gatton can be found on Wikipedia

WSDC Band Jam

A few months ago, we decided that we wanted a night dedicated to showcasing our extremely talented local musicians. And, selfishly, we wanted that night to include all of our favorites.

So, after discussing the band jam concept with Big Joe Maher (Big Joe and the Dynaflows), we gave him a budget along with a list of our favorite musicians and asked him to coordinate and produce the night's event. Unfortunately, this area is so rich with talent that our budget couldn't afford all of our favorites. Still, we are absolutely thrilled with the night's line-up!

And, no, we're not sharing the names of our favorites who were on the list, but won't be participating in the band jam. You think we're nuts? Assume that your favorite was also on our list of favorites.

One might be worried that the concept of band jam would be more suited as a show, not a dance. Or that the music might get a bit too jazzy, extreme, long, or undanceable.

No worries. Big Joe is in charge of the line-up, song choice, arrangements, etc. He knows what dancers like. He's been involved with dance and dance-mix music production for a long time.

We look forward to seeing you at Glen Echo's Spanish Ballroom on Saturday, April 7, 2007, 8:00 - midnight, $15. More information: Hotline: 301/340-9732; Email: wsdcswings@yahoo.com; Web: www.wsdc.org

Brave Indeed!

What do you get when you mix Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and polka?

Brave Combo

Or when you lay down songs like the Hokey Pokey and the Chicken Dance to a funky, hip hop beat backed up by wailing guitars, sax and horns? Or a Hava Nagila Twist?

Brave Combo -- a grammy-winning band from Texas that I can't adequately describe. They've been together for 27 years, and it shows. Check them out at http://www.brave.com/bo/

Stacy and I made the long trek to Blobs Park in Jessup, MD on Saturday night to find oh, a hundred or so other DC dancers on the dancefloor. We had a blast!

If you've never been to Max Blob's Bavarian Biergarten you'll definitely have to check it out too! http://www.blobspark.com/

More Photos

Here are more photos from the Peter Davis, J Street Jumpers, and Junkyard Saints dances. The trick to having your picture taken is to dance up front by the stage where the lighting is brighter.

Finally, some photos

After all this time, I finally found that I gain more of the blogger functionality if I use Firefox...

These photos are older -- from the Peter Davis dance in the Fall of 2006. I'll play catch-up over the next couple of weeks.