The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) invites you to join us for Jazz at the Kramer! A music series in partnership with Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music presenting a free evening of jazz at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery & Music Room on the second Wednesday of every month.
Admission is FREE but advanced registration is required due to limited capacity. Kindly be aware that reservations are limited to 2 tickets per person. For group reservations, feel free to contact us directly at publicart@creativemoco.com.
** Please Note: Outside food and beverages are not permitted in the gallery with the exception of water.
Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer featuring Vocalist Sharón Clark and Pianist Chris Grasso
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Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer featuring Bhagwan Khalsa on Bass + Eric Byrd on Piano and Chris Latona on Piano + Andrew Latona on Guitar.
Jazz at the Kramer
Event Listing
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
*NEW START TIME* 6:30 pm at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery and Music Room
Join us for a night of jazz featuring vocalist Marcia Baird Burris and pianist Allyn Johnson.
September Musicians
Allyn Johnson
Native Washingtonian, Allyn Johnson, is a multi-talented musician, composer, arranger and producer whose trademark sound gives brilliance and fortitude to the art of jazz improvisation. Allyn, a prodigy who began playing piano at the tender age of five, got his start playing piano for the youth choir in his uncle’s church. There he honed his inner musical gift.
At the University of the District of Columbia, Allyn was the first recipient of the Felix. E Grant Scholarship Award in jazz performance. He graduated magna cum laude from UDC in 1997 with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Studies. Now Allyn has served for more than six years as an adjunct professor of music and assistant director of the Jazz Studies program and became the director in 2005.
As a composer-arranger, Allyn has a growing library of works for ensembles of varying sizes and instrumentation. Allyn is one of the nation’s most sought-after musicians in the jazz community. He is revered by musical giants as well as the “young lions” of his generation.
Follow Allyn on Instagram!
Marcia Baird Burris
Described as “earthy, expressive and articulate,” vocalist Marcia Baird Burris performs music in the tradition of iconic jazz vocal and instrumental musicians. A Brooklyn native now residing in Washington, DC, Marcia brings to her performances a distinctive style informed by her Caribbean/South American heritage, New York jazz concert presenting, Smithsonian Museum work, City of Stone Mountain First Lady service and connection to her alma mater, Howard University and sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Her musical influences include Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, Al Jarreau, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln and incorporate sensibilities obtained through travel to Africa, South America, Europe and the Caribbean. Marcia has also developed original material based on the poetry of her Barbadian scholar-linguist father and is working on her inaugural digital music release.
Marcia has been a featured artist at several Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festivals including the recent 2025 event where she presented a tribute to Carmen McRae accompanied by pianist Allyn Johnson. She also has performed at various public and private venues locally including Jazz Night/Westminster Church, Smithsonian’s summer festival stage, Blues Alley, Jazz at Westley’s, Jo Jo Jazz Club, Mr. Henry’s, The Ned, An Die Musik, La Porta, the National Democratic Club and on stages in New York, Paris, Barcelona and Bermuda.
Among the many fine musicians who have performed with her are Lewis “Flip” Barnes, Eric Lemon, Herman Burney, Bruce Cox, Jon Ozment, Lyle Link, Wayne Wilentz, Vince Evans, Marshall Keyes, Wade Beach, Thad Wilson, JC Jefferson Jr, Nasar Abadey, William Knowles, David Marsh, David Jernigan, Pete Frassrand, Wes “Sugah” Biles, Elijah Balbed, Donato Sovierno, Paul Odeh and Jordan Williams.
Marcia reunites with Allyn for Jazz at the Kramer with a repertoire evoking sultry jazz romance, international rhythms, contemporary beats and down home blues.