Course Details
951: Music City DC—From Jazz to Soul & Beyond, the History of Black Music in DC
July 8-9
1:45 PM -
3:15 PM
In-Person
Washington DC's rich African American Popular Music culture took root with jazz and blossomed throughout the century as the capital reverberated to the sound of rhythm and blues. Home-grown musicians carried the sound of DC to Motown and Philly, while pumping up the funk and soul through the 60s, 70s, and beyond. From Duke Ellington to Marvin Gaye, to Roberta Flack, the Blackbyrds and Chuck Brown—and with many highlights along the way—the music-train keeps on rolling. Join us to enjoy a look at the changing nature of music and the local scene during the 21st century and celebrate the music which took the city, country, and the world by storm.
Class Type: Lecture
Class Format: In-Person
Hours of Reading: No reading
Study Group Leader(s):
Ken AvisKen Avis is a radio host and professional musician with world-jazz band Veronneau. His Music City lectures have been presented at The Smithsonian, George Mason University, DC History Conference, and the DC Music Salon. Ken's previous OLLI course focused on the DC area's women musicians, bringing legendary musicians to life with anecdotes, film and recordings while examining how social change, technological development, and business innovation shaped the sounds that emerged from DC—a political town with a serious music habit. Get ready for some surprises and some more great music!