Vocalist Queen Esther performs her special blend of jazz, blues, and soul music, described as “Black Americana,” alongside her group The Blue Crowns.
Presented in conjunction with Jason Moran’s Forever Gershwin performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center MyTix program and Community Engagement department offer a free pre- and post-NSO show 1920s Hot Jazz dance party. Dance along as Queen Esther and her jazz collective The Hot Five pay homage to a bevy of classic blues singers, including Bessie Smith, Alberta Hunter, and Queen Victoria Spivey. Dance instructors will be on hand to lead the audience in dancing cheek-to-cheek in the Grand Foyer and under the willow trees on the River Terrace for a magical evening that will surely be a night to remember.
With dual pianos onstage, all-star pianists Jason Moran, Marc Cary (Music Director), Bertha Hope, and Gerald Clayton connect the dots between jazz luminaries with histories in both New York and D.C., including late greats Duke Ellington and Dr. Billy Taylor. In addition, vocalists Queen Esther and Brianna Thomas perform with Howard University’s premier vocal jazz ensemble Afro Blue (directed by Connaitre Miller), mining the rich, related vocal history of the New York and Washington, DC jazz scenes. The evening continues with a ticketed show in The Crossroads Club featuring Jason Moran, Marc Cary, and many others.
Specifically requested by Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor for Jazz Jason Moran, the award-winning vocalist, songwriter, actor, and recording artist takes the stage in a program highlighting her many talents.