Community Calendar

As a teenager in the early ‘90s growing up in the muddy potato fields of Idaho, John Németh was drawn to the hard-edged hip hop sounds and rock bands of the day, until a friend, Tom Moore, introduced him to the Junior Wells and Buddy Guy classic “Hoodoo Man Blues.” Together they formed Fat John & the 3 Slims, which is still regarded as a legendary band in the Boise region. John played harp and sang in local bands, often opening the show for nationally touring blues acts and quickly caught the ear of established blues musicians. It didn’t take long before he was releasing his own recordings, “The Jack Of Harps” (2002) and “Come And Get It” (2004), featuring Junior Watson, and performing in Junior Watson’s band.
John relocated to San Francisco in 2004, where he had the bitter-sweet good fortune to undertake a two-year stint with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets, filling in for the ailing Sam Myers. Németh immersed himself in the deep musical waters of the Bay area, absorbing more of the soul and funk grooves of what he calls “the early East Bay Grease sound” of San Francisco and Oakland bands.
John’s talents did not go unnoticed and he soon signed a recording contract with Blind Pig Records. His national debut for that label, “Magic Touch” (2007), produced by Anson Funderburgh and featuring Junior Watson on guitar, received an ecstatic response from fans and the media, and he was hailed as the new voice of the blues. Living Blues enthused, “Magic Touch gives hope that the blues will survive.” In 2008 Németh was recruited by Elvin Bishop to do some performances and contribute four vocal tracks to his Grammy-nominated album “The Blues Rolls On.”
Németh released two more albums on the Blind Pig label, “Love Me Tonight” (2009) & “Name The Day (2010), both hitting #6 on the Billboard Blues Chart, and beginning his long string of Blues Music Award (BMA) nominations, numbering 20 at last count. John has also won two Blues Blast Music Awards – Best New Artist Debut Recording and Sean Costello Rising Star Award. John followed up with two independently released live albums in 2012, “Blues Live” and “Soul Live.”
In 2013 John relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, where he teamed up with producer Scott Bomar and his classic Memphis Soul band, the Bo-Keys, to create an album of revisited soul classics, “Memphis Grease” (2014 Blue Corn), which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Blues Chart. John won the 2104 BMA for Best Soul Blues Male Artist, followed by “Memphis Grease” winning Best Soul Blues Album in 2015.
In 2017 Németh released “Feelin’ Freaky” (produced by Luther Dickinson) on his own Memphis Grease label, crushing all barriers of style and genre with an album of original songs that defied all the usual pigeonholes, drawing from his strong influences in blues and R&B, as well as contemporary sounds in hip hop and rock ‘n’ roll. Later that same year, Németh was part of a side project “The Love Light Orchestra Featuring John Németh” recorded live at one of Memphis’ favorite watering holes, Bar DKDC. The 10-piece band was initially envisioned by guitarist Joe Restivo, vocalist John Németh and arranger/trumpeter Marc Franklin.
Németh returned to Electraphonic in December of 2019 with his seasoned road band of young gun players, The Blue Dreamers, featuring 19 year-old guitar phenom from Philadelphia, Jon Hay, drummer Danny Banks and Matt Wilson on bass for a rowdy southern swamp roots session resulting in his 10th album, “Stronger Than Strong” demonstrating, yet again, his uncanny ability to skillfully blend retro and modern blues and soul into compelling music that is simultaneously old and new.

RCPC Summer Music Series are free monthly concerts held in the Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church Chapel at 7:00 PM. Concerts are open to the public to attend in person and to live stream from anywhere online at facebook.com/rcpres or youtube.com/rcpres

These concerts are free to the public, but attendees are encouraged to make a freewill offering after the concert. These contributions will help us continue to offer musical experiences like these in the future.

Bobby Mitchell is an American pianist whose interests are embedded in the here and now of music as performance art, as well as the more standard classical repertory of centuries past. A frequent performer of new and rarely heard works, his interests lie mainly with the contemporary music canon and combining these works with the standard repertoire in an illuminating fashion. An instrumentalist who is not afraid to cross the traditional boundaries of programming and performance practice, he is active as a solo and collaborative concert pianist on modern and historical instruments and is also experienced in the fields of improvisation, composition, and conducting. Full bio and more information available at rcpres.org/musicseries

“just saw THE REBIRTH BRASS BAND, unbelievable. hard as hell, free as a ray of light, there is not a band on earth that is better. stunning.” - Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers
For almost 4 decades, the Grammy winning Rebirth Brass Band has been “stunning” fans with a fiery live show and a rich musical catalog. Their trademark sound pays homage to the New Orleans brass band tradition while weaving a tapestry that combines elements of jazz, funk, soul, R&B and the sounds from the streets they grew up on. From their legendary 25+ year run of Tuesday nights at the Maple Leaf to stages all over the world, Rebirth is the soundtrack of the Crescent City and her premier musical ambassador.
Founded by brothers Phil and Keith Frazier over 35 years ago, Rebirth began their career playing on the sidewalks of the French Quarter, and quickly landed gigs at second line parades. Those auspicious beginnings have led to thousands of shows to music aficionados everywhere, including heads of state and royalty.
The bands unique “soundtrack of New Orleans” has also garnered admiration from artists of all genres. They’ve shared the stage and collaborated with everyone from the Grateful Dead to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Maceo Parker, Green Day, U2, James Brown, 311, G-Love, MuteMath, Juvenile, Train, Big Freedia, Ani Difranco, Galactic, Allen Touisant, Neville Brothers, Quincy Jones and Trombone Shorty.

Most artists who put a “Doc” in their name do it out of cleverness, for marketing reasons, or as a crafty way to express their mastery of their instrument or vibe. Martin is the complete opposite, fully embracing the inspirational factor of being a top notch practitioner in two very different professions. Beyond his ever-expanding musical fan base, hundreds of patients in the Washington DC area know him as “Dr. Martin,” a board certified dentist at his own practice Quality Dental of Bowie.

His love of music and his commitment to dentistry were both so strong that he goes by the name Phillip “Doc” Martin. With the release of 7 records and continuing in his thriving practice, he is showing the world that a person who dreams big can succeed at anything they set their mind to – even two professions at the same time!

Born in Indiana to Jamaican parents, Martin grew up in South Florida and began playing music in the Broward County public school band program. Developing his fiery performance style by age 14, he became a leading soloist at South Plantation High School Jazz Band and was honored as a first chair selection to Florida’s All State Jazz Band. He went on to study music at the University of Central Florida, where he was soon invited to play as a sideman with Grammy Award winner Sam Rivers, Grammy nominee Kirk Whalum, Sunnie Paxton, and Sisaundra Lewis and the Sounds of Soul.

As Martin continued to hone his skills, he became influenced by influential sax players from across the traditional and smooth spectrum, including Charlie Parker, Everette Harp, Grover Washington Jr., Dave Koz and Gerald Albright. His appeal as a live performer has secured him shows at prominent venues like Ram’s Head Tavern in Annapolis, Maryland, Philadelphia’s Dell East and SoCal’s Spaghettini, in addition to appearances at the Bahamas Jazz Festival, Carolina Music Festival, Trenton Jazz Festival and Berks Jazz Fest.

Because of the financial ups and downs of being an independent artist, Martin made an important life decision to become a dentist, moving to the Metro DC area to attend Howard University College of Dentistry, where he received his degree and certification. His love of music and his commitment to dentistry were both so strong that he rebranded himself as Phillip “Doc” Martin and relabeled his early releases under that name so new fans could find them.

“The truth is, as frustrating as things became for me as a musician over the years, I couldn’t put the sax down,” he says. “My first love was always playing the sax, and I continue to strive to be the best sounding alto player you’ve ever heard. I wanted to quit many times, but playing brings me so much joy, and I’m so glad I made the decision to continue. If it’s unheard of that a saxophone artist also wants to be the best dentist you’ve ever gone to, that’s a testament to the hard work I have put in so that I may enjoy these two amazing careers. In both worlds, success comes from working with incredible, dedicated people and developing inspiring, enduring relationships.”

Saxophonist Elan Trotman, has quickly become one of jazz’s most thrilling and emotive performers as he continues to stand out and push boundaries as a composer, performer, teacher and recording artist. Trotman’s playing, though inspired by Grover Washington, Jr., Kirk Whalum and Najee, displays his own fresh ideas and distinctive tone. So much so that the New England Urban Music Awards, and The Barbados Music Awards both named him Jazz Artist of The Year on multiple occasions.

Trotman is also the Executive Producer and host of the Barbados Jazz Excursion, a jazz and golf weekend getaway which brings over 300 music lovers to the island every Columbus Day Weekend. Past performers include Jeff Lorber, Javier Colon, Gerald Veasley, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene, Marcus Anderson, Jeff Bradshaw, Mike Phillips, Avery Sunshine, Karen Briggs, Norman Brown, Maysa, Peter White and Jeffrey Osborne to name a few. Elan is also the founder of the Never Lose Your Drive Foundation – a Non-Profit which directly funds the Headstart Music Program. Headstart Music provides FREE weekly instrument instruction to students ages 7-11 on saxophone, trumpet, flute, clarinet and percussion. In partnership with the Barbados Jazz Excursion and GolfWeekend, the foundation has donated over $50,000.00 to help support tutor salaries, instrument maintenance and supplies for the program.

Born and raised in Barbados, the native island of pop star Rihanna, and educated at the world-renowned Berklee College Of Music in Boston, Trotman approaches jazz in his own way. Blending Caribbean rhythms from his roots with skillful horn textures, his playing is full of surprises. In 2021, Elan returned to his Alma Mater as an Associate Professor in the Ensemble Department. Movie Credits include the 2017 Film “Detroit” by Kathryn Bigelow and the 2022 Whitney Houston Biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, Directed by Kasi Lemmons and features Stanley Tucci, Tamara Tunie, Ashton Sanders and Naomi Ackie.

Trotman has recorded and performed with a number of world-class musicians, including Michael McDonald, Roberta Flack, Jonathan Butler, Keiko Matsui, Johnny Gill, Jeffrey Osborne, Sheila E, Marcus Miller, Will Downing, Earl Klugh, Jeff Lorber, Peter White, Peabo Bryson, Brian Simpson and many others. A huge sports fan, Trotman has performed the National Anthem on numerous occasions for such teams as the Boston Celtics, Boston Red Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers. As an avid sports fan, Elan has provided entertainment for numerous celebrities including The Bronson Arroyo Band, Cold Pizza on ESPN with Woody Page, Jeffrey Osborne Celebrity Golf Classic, Chris Tucker Charity Golf Tournament, Ray Allen Golf Tournament, Hot Stove Cool Music with Peter Gammons and Theo Epstein.

The Charlottesville Jazz Society and WTJU are pleased to welcome pianist James Fernando for a 3 pm matinee performance on Sunday, June 4th at The Front Porch.

Hailed as a “prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist,” James Fernando creates music that lies at the intersection of jazz, classical, and electronic music.

For Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes -‘comfortable’ - has never been a word associated with their brand of raucous, roots-tinged rock and bluesy reverie. The band has flourished with more than thirty albums, releasing twelve studio albums since 1976....Rolling Stone named their early release “Hearts of Stone” as one of the “top 100 albums of the 70s and 80s”....thousands of live performances around the globe, a legion of famously-dedicated and enthusiastic fans, and a vibrant legacy of classic songs that have become "hits" to their worldwide fan base.
Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes perform in front of audiences nationwide, touring non-stop all year long, along with live shows in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Japan, The Netherlands and Denmark on a regular basis.
“With the Jukes, you’re out there every night leading this great rock n’ roll circus, giving it everything you’ve got” says Southside Johnny Lyon, known as The Godfather of "the New Jersey Sound" and who just this past year was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame by close friend Jon Bon Jovi.
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes emerged from the New Jersey shore scene in 1974, and though they carried over a significant influence (and some key personnel) from Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, the Jukes evolved as more of a white R&B horn band in the Memphis Stax Records tradition. Organized by singer John Lyon, guitarist/songwriter Steve Van Zandt (who decamped for the E Street Band in 1975, but continued to produce, manage, and write songs for the Jukes) and Richie Rosenberg, the band is well known for their high-energy live shows and no-holds-barred songs, including “I Don’t Wanna Go Home,” “Havin’ a Party,” “The Fever,” “Talk to Me,” “Trapped Again,” and “This Time It’s For Real.”
Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ highly acclaimed 2015 album SOULTIME!, which was their first new studio CD of all original material in five years at the time, was extremely well-received by critics and fans in the U.S. and abroad. The same year, Billboard Magazine honored the band with a special issue celebrating their 40th Anniversary.
SOULTIME!, released on Leroy Records, celebrates the transformative power of ‘70s soul music and represents a return to - as Southside sings - “just letting the music take us away”. This release encapsulates everything that fans cherish about Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. The pattern of horns plus rhythm - each song painted with catchy choruses, top-notch string arrangements and gospel charged vocals - keeps on coming.
Music Riot in the UK proclaimed “The more you listen to it the more you realize it is a work of genius. Johnny’s voice is sublime and would melt a heart of stone.”
While critics in the U.S. also raved - “I’ve been waiting for Southside Johnny to make this album for almost 40 years. It’s the best record of his entire career. If you really have soul, no further explanation necessary” said Dave Marsh/SiriusXM Radio/E Street Channel Host.
And, “Soul music is not a genre, it is a way of life. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes keep the classic R & B clock spinning hot and forward on Soultime!, one of their best records since they first burst out of that New Jersey night,” praised music writer David Fricke.
On their New Jersey home turf, The Aquarian Weekly said “Soultime! brings them to a completely different level and delivers genuine R&B-soaked soul right from the Jersey Shore. Oh, and did I mention that Soultime! is the best album he’s ever recorded.” While New Jersey Arts Daily raved “Soultime! is, indeed, one of the most enjoyable albums of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ long career.”
The CD was written and produced by Jeff Kazee and John Lyon, and was recorded in the Jukes’ hometown of Asbury Park, NJ. SOULTIME! features Southside Johnny on vocals and harmonica, Jeff Kazee on keyboards and vocals, Glenn Alexander on guitar, bassist John Conte, Chris Anderson on trumpet, John Isley on saxophone, Neal Pawley on trombone and drummer Tom Seguso.
In the spring of 2017, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes surprised fans by releasing their “Live From E Street” vinyl 12 inch EP, which immediately made it onto the Billboard Magazine Blues Album Chart at #10, also on Leroy Records. This new disc featured Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes’ versions of the Bruce Springsteen tracks Jack of All Trades, Cover Me, Murder Incorporated and Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out, all recorded live at the Stony Pony. Only 3000 copies of this limited edition vinyl EP were pressed, quickly becoming a collector’s item.
Southside Johnny’s first three albums, I Don’t Want To Go Home, This Time It’s for Real, and Hearts of Stone were produced by Steven Van Zandt (E Street Band, The Sopranos) and featured songs written by Van Zandt and Springsteen. “I Don’t Want To Go Home” became Southside Johnny’s signature song, an evocative mixture of horn-based melodic riffs and soul-searching lyrics.
With a decades-long successful career, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes continue to deliver their soul-searing brand of raucous blues and R&B, with material mined from their many albums, featuring hits like “I Don't Want To Go Home”, “Love On The Wrong Side Of Town”, “The Fever”, “This Time It's For Real”, “Talk To Me” and their definitive fun-time cover of “We’re Having A Party”. The Jukes’ legendary high-energy live performances always satisfy with their classic blend of Stax-influenced R&B and gritty, Stonesy rock and roll.
Still tinged with the exuberant rhythm and blues feel that is the Jukes’ trademark, and loaded with the driving sound of the legendary Jukes horn section, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes continue to expound their signature Jersey Shore sound – all for the sheer joy of it.

Celebrate June with live music by Betty and the Hot Flashes; hot dogs for sale; bring your own beverages, other food, blankets, and lawn chairs. Community picnic event. For details contact martha@gracelexva.org Let us know you're coming here: https://www.facebook.com/events/543719264630518

Their name says it all: The Dave Matthews Tribute Band. For nearly 20 years, the band has been performing sold out shows around the world; playing over 1,500 dates in 46 states and 8 countries. Many go to their live shows with reservations, high expectations, and the burning question, "Do these guys sound like the real Dave Matthews Band?" Almost always the answer is, "Yes!"
Since 2004, The DMTB is the only nationally touring tribute to the Dave Matthews Band. This 5-piece ensemble strives to pay homage to their famous counterparts by matching the excitement, energy, intensity and intimacy of a DMB live show.
While most fans never witnessed the real band before they became the platinum-selling artists they are today, The Dave Matthews Tribute Band prides itself on giving audiences this opportunity at intimate venues around the world.
As Rick Grant of Entertaining U in Jacksonville, FL wrote, "The Dave Matthews Tribute Band turned out to exceed its billing as a quality improvisational band that uses Dave Matthews material as themes to improvise. Clearly, this distinguishes them from the other so-called tribute bands. The band is exceptionally tight and produces a solid groove over which the players improvise with hot chops."
Beyond mastering the DMB sound and the relentless touring, what separates The Dave Matthews Tribute Band from other cover bands is their passion, love, and respect for DMB and their music. That is what makes you come out of one of their shows saying, "Yeah, they really do sound like the real Dave Matthews Band."

The Roanoke Valley is situated in a region of great natural beauty, enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. The Blue Ridge Land Conservancy (BRLC) is working to ensure that the landscapes we love will be here to be enjoyed by generations to come. On Thursday, June 8 at 7 pm at the Salem Museum, David Perry of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy will describe the organization’s work to forever protect the lands and waters that make such a difference in our quality of life.

Founded in 1996, BRLC serves the greater Roanoke region, working with local landowners to conserve farms, forests, mountaintops, waterways and scenic views. Over the last nearly three decades, BRLC has permanently protected iconic local landmarks such as Mill Mountain and Carvins Cove, provided fun weekend outings for families, and educated thousands of local schoolchildren.

David Perry has been executive director of the Blue Ridge Land Conservancy since 2012. He chairs the Roanoke Kiwanis Club’s environment committee and is a board member of Virginia’s United Land Trusts. David has a BS in geography from James Madison University and an MS in park and resource management from Slippery Rock University.

New York based trumpeter/vocalist Bria Skonberg has been described as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal). She links the present with the past by playing inventive arrangements of traditional jazz repertoire, clever reinterpretations of contemporary classics and original compositions with genuine heart and dynamic flair. Ms. Skonberg's forthcoming album solidifies her as a truly unique voice in the jazz-blues-crossover realm.

In the last year she has sang the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), played with U2 at the Apollo, sat in with the Dave Matthews Band, was a featured guest with Jon Batiste and sang the Star-Spangled Banner at Madison Square Garden for a NY Rangers game. The 2017 Juno Award Winner for Best Vocal Jazz Album and 2018 Juno nominee has garnered over 6 million streams on Spotify, made the Top 5 on Billboard jazz charts, was voted #2 Rising Star by Downbeat Magazine and has organically earned over 25K online followers. Her latest crowd funded recording project, produced by Grammy award winning Eli Wolf, prominently features Bria's compelling song writing skills alongside a few creative covers (Queen, a Beatles/Duke Ellington mashup) highlighting her fiery trumpet playing and smoky vocals. A voice for this generation, she approaches contemporary subjects of women’s rights, civil rights, frustration, despair and hope through an overarching theme of "finding light in the darkness."

Bria just appeared on a month-long tour as a featured member of the 2019 Monterey Jazz Festival Touring Band alongside Cecile McLorin Salvant, Jamison Ross, Melisa Aldana and Christian Sands. She is a highly sought out performer and educator, leader of the Sisterhood of Swing large ensemble, represents Jazz at Lincoln Center in schools, is co-director of the New York Hot Jazz Camp and is currently creating original educational programming for the Louis Armstrong House Museum.