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Elijah Jamal Balbed
Elijah Jamal Balbed - Horizon Ahead: The Crab Shack Sessions, Vol. 1 (2025) "Elijah Jamal Balbed: A Globetrotting Saxophonist and Versatile Musician from Washington, DC. An esteemed alumnus of Howard University's Jazz program, Elijah has earned numerous accolades, including Artist of the Year, Best Tenor Saxophonist, and Best New Jazz Musician by the Washington City Paper. He has graced stages across the world, from the Middle East to Russia, Japan, Jamaica, South America, the U.K., and various states in North America. Elijah's musical journey has seen him collaborate with a diverse range of artists, from jazz legends like Bennie Maupin to contemporary stars like Lalah Hathaway and Fantasia from American Idol. Notably, he shared the stage with the late Chuck Brown, the Godfather of Go-Go music, during the final year of Brown's life."

Links: Website, Reverbnation, Facebook Bandcamp, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, and DC Bebop page

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: ONECD

Mindi Abair
Mindi Abair - Based On A True Story (2025) "is a bold, modern album inspired by Mindi’s real-life journey with a deeply personal collection of songs that convey moments, memories, and emotions through music... Produced by multi-platinum producer/songwriter Wayne Rodrigues and Contemporary Jazz powerhouse Mindi Abair, and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Tony Maserati, the album is rich in lush arrangements and heartfelt storytelling. Based on a True Story is a genre-blending experience—pop-driven with Contemporary Jazz and Soul undercurrents—that’s as authentic as it is unforgettable." ~ thewimn.com

Website, Facebook, YouTube and Discography Amazon Music.

MUSIC CD ARCHIVE: DOUBLECD

Joey Alexander
Joey Alexander - Continuance (2023) "Joey Alexander’s Continuance shows his exceptional talent as a jazz pianist and composer, marking a significant milestone in his already illustrious career. At just 20 years old, Alexander has asserted his position as a jazz prodigy and matured into a formidable bandleader and composer. This album, his seventh, epitomizes a journey of creative evolution and technical mastery that belies his age. The album is a collaboration of Alexander’s long-time touring band—Kris Funn on bass and John Davis on drums—with the addition of trumpeter Theo Croker, creating a dynamic synergy that transcends the usual boundaries of studio recordings. The ensemble’s approach to improvisation, honed on stage, brings an electric energy to the album, making it feel spontaneous and meticulously crafted."  ~ Nolan DeBuke - thejazzword.com,

Wikipedia, Discography Website .

Joey Alexander - Eclipse (2018)  "Pianist Joey Alexander knows how and when to strike the ivories. At the age of 14 he has already recorded two GRAMMY-nominated studio albums, My Favorite Things (Motema Music, 2015) and Countdown (Motema Music, 2016). Late in 2017, Alexander released Joey.Monk.Live! (Motema Music), a critically acclaimed surprise release to honor Thelonious Monk's centennial. Alexander has released his third studio album entitled, Eclipse. The eleven selections are mixture of originals and standards, demonstrating his aptitude as a composer (Alexander composed six of the eleven tunes), arranger, bandleader, and player. Joining Alexander is a rhythm section of bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Eric Harland, and guest appearances by saxophonist Joshua Redman on three tracks. "   ~ Geannine Reid - AllAboutJazz.com

MUSIC ARTS: SESSION

Music Arts session - Concert, Station, PBS, NPR and other live mini concert sessions and interviews.

Human Nature (Michael Jackson) - Jazz Neo-Soul LIVE Cover
Feb 15, 2026 - Performed live at Hestia Kitchen + Bar for The Shelf Concert series! Jonny Tobin - keys, Tristan Paxton - guitar, Yamil Chain-Haddad - bass, Trent Otter - drums

"Jonny Tobin is a Grammy and JUNO-nominated keys player, vocalist, and producer based in the west coast of Canada. His keys and production work have graced hundreds of tracks from independent artists like NYC-based Sarah Kang to breakout hip-hop artist D. Smoke to placements for Vogue " Website: About,

"Jonny has released 6 original albums. His songs have collectively received over 20 million streams, and have been selected for numerous official editorial Spotify playlists including “Jazztronica”, “Chill Out Jazz”, “BUTTER”, “lofi beats”, “State of Jazz”, “Lo-Fi Cool Down”, “21st Century Jazz”, “Crisp”, “Mood Ring”, “Orbit”, and “Best Funk Songs of 2021”. Soundcloud, YouTube, Bandcamp

BOOK RACK: FEATURED BOOK

DustinStevens - Four (2010) "He's known to his employers as Number Four because he operates by four concrete rules at all times. He's known by this reputation because he's the clean-up man, just like the fourth batter in a baseball lineup. He is the clean-up man of the contract killing world. If a contract goes awry, a target gets away, or somebody is seen, he's the man called to control the situation. Ruthless, efficient and believed by some to be little more than a myth, Number Four is the kind of man nobody ever wants to have to use twice. Ten years before Theo Mavetti, head of an independent crime syndicate in Boston employed Number Four. Trying to save a few dollars, Mavetti crossed Four and very nearly lost his family for it."     ~ GoodReads.com, Amazon Books

BOOK RACK: FEATURED SERIES

V.E, Schwab_A Darker Shade of Magic (2015 - 2017) "A fast-paced fantasy adventure that takes readers into a series of interconnected worlds ruled by magic—or the lack of it. Long ago, the doors between worlds were open, and anyone with magic could travel from one to the next. Now the doors are closed, and only a chosen few have the power to travel between Grey London, a world without magic, Red London, a world suffused with it, and White London, a world where magic is scarce, coveted and jealously guarded. As for Black London, the city consumed, no one would be so foolish as to risk a trip—not even Kell. Officially, he’s a royal messenger, carrying letters among the rulers of the three Londons. Unofficially, he’s a smuggler who collects artifacts from other worlds. It’s that habit that leads him to accept a dangerous relic, something that shouldn’t exist."     ~ Kirkus and KOBO Books

MOVIES: FEATURED MOVIE

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)

" is both a tightly-written, suspenseful, dramatic action film (with film noirish qualities) and a western. On the surface, this American film classic is concerned with the themes of individual integrity, group conformity and complacency, and civic responsibility. It can also be seen as a powerful, allegorical indictment of the Hollywood blacklist, created during the climate of suspicion and fear of the 1950s McCarthy era... The film was nominated for three Academy Awards - Spencer Tracy was nominated for Best Actor, director John Sturges for Best Director, and Best Screenplay for Millard Kaufman. All three nominations lost to the Best Picture winning film of the year, Marty (1955). Coincidentally, Tracy lost the Best Actor Oscar to a costar in this film, Ernest Borgnine as a menacing thug, but in an Oscar-winning role as a homely bachelor. The score by Andre Previn brings effective reinforcement and emphasis to many of the film's melodramatic scenes." ~ filmsite.org  
Link: Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) - Buy/Rent Watch online

CUISINE: FEATURED RESTAURANT

Pizzeria Paradiso -    Located at 2003 P St NW, Washington DC, "Dupont Circle can be on your route by default, the clients' piece of advice is to visit this pizzeria. The varied menu based on Italian cuisine is what you are offered at Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont Circle. You can always try perfectly cooked sausage pizza, lamb sausages and chicken wings at this place. Taste good tiramisu, cupcakes and bread pudding. Degust delicious draft beer, craft beer or house wine. Some guests like great americano, sparkling lemonade or bread drink at this spot. " ~ Excerpt from restaurantguru.com and Link: Website

*The most recent featured musicians and play lists from the five Music listings on DC Bebop.   A musician listed on a DC Bebop page with an intro, is featured for 10 days with one of their songs.  Included in the play list are songs by nine other musicians in a table on DC Bebop. The songs are linked to a page (Reverbnation, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, YouTube or where ever the song can be heard). The play list is not a top 10 list. It features songs I liked and think perhaps others might appreciate the music as well.

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