BOBBY FELDER’S CAPITOL ALL-STARS WITH DICK SMITH

About the Artist

Bobby Felder
Robert Nicholas Felder, born in Tampa, Florida, was the last of 12 siblings. His interest in music was first developed on a trombone that was handed down by his brother Billy, a successful baseball player in the Negro Baseball League. In his youth, Mr. Felder developed academically and musically, graduating from Tampa’s Middletown High School by age 16, and playing and arranging music for dance bands. One of his earliest band mates was the Legendary Ray Charles, both of whom played in one of Tampa’s most popular bands, Charley Bradley and the Hondeydrippers.

At the age of 20, Mr. Felder earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music at Fisk University under the tutelage of the legendary John Work. The rigorous demands Mr. Work imposed on his students served him well. After a brief teaching gig in Tampa, Mr. Felder was drafted into the Korean War. He was one of the few African Americans Selected to attend the Air Force’s principal Band School at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was later assigned to Bolling Air Force base as an arranger with the Air Force’s premier marching and concert band, making him one of five African Americans in the band. By the time he was discharged, Mr. Felder was the band’s main arranger and conductor was a well established performer throughout Washington D.C. He was a regular at Evans Bar and Grills, the area’s top rhythm and blues ballroom. He performed with some of D.C.’s top jazz musicians, including Keter Betts, Charlie Byrd, Roger “Buck” Hill, and Shirley Horn. When he wasn’t on tour, he played jazz engagements with Air Force colleagues, such as fellow trombonist Sammy Nestico and saxophonist Tommy Newsome. Mr. Felder also added organ and keyboard to his repertoire, headlining a group at the fashionable Rhode Island Plaza Spotlite Room at the height of Jazz popularity in D.C.

Mr. Felder believed that playing private dances and functions could be more lucrative than working the club scene and prospered on the private circuit with his group Bobby Felder and His Blue Notes. Though his primary focus was his role of Band Director for Kelly Junior High School and his pursuit of a Master Degree at Catholic University, attendees of the Presidential Inaugural Ball danced to the sounds of Bobby Felder and His Blue Notes from the appointment of President John F. Kennedy to Bill Clinton.

In 1969, Mr. Felder was appointed to the music faculty of Federal City College—a 23-year journey that resulted in the position of Director of Instrumental Music at the University of the District of Columbia. By his retirement in 1992, Mr. Felder had played an enormous role in the development of instrumental jazz and music studies in Washington, D.C.

He assumed a prominent role in the establishment of the Felix E. Grant Jazz archives at UDC and was influential in sheparding the archives to the level it is today. Mr. Felder has not been complacent in retirement. He continues to work private affairs with his Blue Notes and has developed a big band, The Capital All-Stars. For the last six years, Mr. Felder has served as Director of Jazz Services at Peoples Congregation Church, leading the group, Bobby Felder and Friends. Their recordings include Amazing Grace, The Spirit of Jazz and Christmas Jazz at Peoples Church.

Capitol All-Stars Big Band Jazz Ensemble
Bobby Felder: Trombone, Bass Trumpet, Tuba, retired music professor at the University of the District of Columbia; Recordings: Jazz at the Showboat, Vol. 1 with Charlie Byrd, Bobby Felder and Friends, Jazz at Peoples Church, Amazing Grace, House Party, and Christmas Jazz at Peoples Church

Davey Yarborough: Alto, Tenor, and Soprano Sax, Flute, Chairman of the music department at the Duke Ellington School. Recording: Collaboration, First Take, It’s Time for Love. Performed with The Bill Cosby Show, Billy Ekstine, Lena Horne, Wynston Marsalis, Patti Labelle, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Chillites, and The Dells

Jacque Johnson: Alto, Tenor, and Soprano Sax, Flute, Director of the Blues Alley Youth Jazz Ensemble. Recordings: Saxman, Blues Plus, More than Smooth, At Last with Margie Clark, Golden Chocolate with Lady Mary, Jumping with Papa John DeFrancisco

Bob Montgomery: Alto and Tenor sax, Retired music teacher from Prince George’s county school system, Saxophonist with the U.S. Navy fleet band system.

Lorenz Wheatley: Baritone Sax, Flute, Clarinet, performed with Gladys Knight, the Four Tops, and The Dells. Recorded with St. Augustine and St. Martins gospel choirs.

Alvin Trask: Trumpet, Flugle Horn, Music teacher at PGCC (Rockville, MD Campus). Performed with Marlena Shaw, and presently with the Pan American Symphony Orchestra.

Keith Mathis: Trumpet, Flugle Horn, Instrumental music instructor and Jazz History teach at PGCC; performed with Aretha Franklin, Cab Calloway, The Four Tops, Millie Jackson and The Manhattans

Michael Thomas: Trumpet, Flugle Horn, Recordings: The Messenger featuring The Michael Thomas Quintet. Performed with Betty Carter, Jimmy Heath, Shirley Horn, Buck Hill, Joe Williams, and Larry Willis.

Douglas Gilcrest: Trombone, band director at East High School; performed with Billy Taylor, John Thaddeus, Howard University Jazz Ensemble and UDC Jazz Ensemble.

Ronnie Carthan: Trombone, retired trombonist with the U.S. Air Force Band, Musical Director at the Ebenizer AME Church in Ft. Washington, MD

Wes Biles: Acoustic and Electric Bass, performed with Tina Turner, Curtis Mayfield, The Natural Four, Buck Hill and The Jones Girls

Vincent Smith: Acoustic and Electric Piano, former assistant band director at Bethune Cookman College; performed with Dakota Staton, Ronie Wells and Ernie Andrews

David Cole: Guitar, music teacher at Whittier Elementary School, performed with Jacque Johnson Band, Bobby Felder Band. Recordings: Jazz at Peoples Church, Amazing Grace, Christmas Jazz, and The Sound of Christmas.

Ronald Compton: Drums and Percussion Instrument, teacher at John F. Cook Elementary School; performed with Bill Cosby (The Bill Cosby Show), Richard “Groove” Holmes, Roy Ayers, Al Grey, Millie Jackson, James Moody, and Jimmy Witherspoon.

Dick Smith: Vocalist and MC, Musical Director for Westminster Church, Washington, D.C. Recorded: Initial Thrust with Warner Brothers Records.

Past Performances

November 24, 2008

These groups transport audiences through the musical history of D.C.'s famed Howard Theatre where Ella Fitzgerald, Bill Eckstine, Billy Taylor, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Chuck Brown, Aretha Franklin, and others performed. Part of Jazz in DC, a celebration curated by Kennedy Center Artistic Director for Jazz Dr. Billy Taylor that highlights DC's influence on the development of jazz. "The Howard Theatre: Washington’s Great Black Way"

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