Frank Basile Celebrates Pepper Adams' Music at Museum of American Art

Baritone saxophonist Frank Basile has established himself as among the most formidable players of the Baritone saxophone on the scene today. Thursday, April 18, he well lead a celebration of the music of the great baritone saxophonist Pepper Adams at the Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian Museum of American Art in the Penn Quarter section of Washington DC, just across 7th Street from the Verizon Center and opposite F Street from the Spy Museum. The free program is part of the Museum's monthly Take 5! series on the third Thursday of each month and takes place from 5 PM to 8 PM.

The Museum's website describes this program:

"Relax and Take 5! with free, live jazz in the Kogod Courtyard. Frank Basile celebrates the music of Pepper Adams, the exceptional baritone saxophonist and composer who played with Charles Mingus, Donald Byrd, and Thad Jones. Basile and fellow baritones Leigh Pilzer and Brad Linde perform original arrangements, accompanied by Hod O’Brien (piano), Tom Baldwin (bass), and Tony Martucci (drums)."

I have become aware of Frank Basile from a Kickstarter project supporting his most recent recording Modern Inventions. One of the premiums I received for my participation was one of several recordings he has performed of the compositions of Pepper Adams and it was a terrific introduction to Basile's music. I am looking forward to the triple baritone attack at the Kogod Courtyard.

Frank Basile's website is: http://www.frankbasilemusic.com.

Freddie Redd and Butch Warren Live Tomorrow

Blue Note Legends Freddie Redd and Butch Warren 

at the Museum of American Art

Persons living and/or working in the DC Area should be aware the Smithsonian's American Art Museum, 8th & F Streets, NW in the Gallery Place area of Washington near the Verizon Center is presenting a performance, tomorrow evening, that will feature a couple of legends who are associated with Blue Note Records, pianist  Freddie Redd and bassist Butch Warren.  The free performance takes place at the Museum's Kogod Courtyard and will start at around 5:00PM.

Pianist and composer Redd recorded for Blue Note in the early 1960s, including the music he contributed the the play, The Connection, which later was one of his Blue Note albums that was reissued on the Mosaic label.  DC native Warren was part of a rhythm section with the late pianist Sonny Clark and late drummer Billy Higgins and played on countless Blue Note sessions in the early 1960s including sessions by Clark, Donald Byrd, Grant Green, Jackie Mclean and Dexter Gordon. Warren also played on Herbie Hancock’s Takin’ Off album and plays bass on the original recording of Watermelon Man. He also spent about a year playing with Thelonious Monk. Warren had the first two albums under his own name in the past few years and was subject of a feature in JazzTimes. 

The band will also include two of DC’s most accomplished saxophonists, Brian Settles and Brad Linde. It will be an exceptional evening of jazz and its free.

Here is a clip of the Freddie Redd & Butch Warren at Bohemian Gardens

Here is Thelonious Monk in Japan with Butch Warren on bass doing Evidence.