Announcing the New Vintage Jazz & Wine Fest, with Lakecia Benjamin, Soul Understated & more
Get ready for a day full of sun, fine wine and delicious eats. Doesn’t sound so bad, right? Now add the fact that it’ll feature six bands from across the jazz spectrum—each of them truly masters in their own right.
The Second Annual New Vintage Jazz & Wine Festival is coming up on Saturday, August 9, and CapitalBop is proud to be curating the music again this year. Lakecia Benjamin, a New York saxophonist and funk musician on the rise, is our headliner: She sounds like a jazzier Maceo Parker, refashioned for the 21st century, and we’re thrilled to be presenting her. Also coming in from the Big Apple is Soul Understated, feat. Mavis “SWAN” Poole on vocals. SU is simply one of the most grooving and downright happenin’ bands in jazz and soul these days, and they happen to have a very hot new album that’s about to be released. Don’t miss out.
There’ll be 15 varietals of wine, all hand-picked by Robert Kacher Selections. The lineup also features four of the best D.C.-based bands around. Funk Ark is an Afrobeat ensemble that was a smash hit at last year’s New Vintage Fest. Allyn Johnson’s Sonic Sanctuary is the electric project of the guy who’s arguably D.C.’s greatest pianist—someone you probably know for his gospelly straight-ahead chops more than his formidable skill as a progressive jazz bandleader. Lenny Robinson, a creative and energizing drummer, has been featured on our stages many times, but never before with his Wayne Contingency band: It’s an exploration of Wayne Shorter’s which he’ll bring here. And Elijah Jamal Balbed, the District’s young sax phenom, will kick the day off right with his straight-ahead quintet.
We’re also thrilled to be able to offer you, the faithful CapitalBop reader, a 20% discount off the already-affordable ticket price. Just click below to visit the Eventbrite page, and enter the promotional code “capbopvip” when you buy.
See you there on Saturday, Aug. 9!