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, February 12, 2025
*NEW START TIME* 6:30 p.m. at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery and Music Room
Join us for a night of jazz featuring our very first trio: guitarist Andrew Latona, pianist Chris Latona, and bassist Michael Bowie! RSVP Here!
February Musicians
Andrew Latona
Andrew Latona captivates audiences by his spirited performance and soulful stylings. Whether in a famous club, classroom, concert hall or private party, Latona shares his passion for music and people. He has played Birdland (NYC), The Blue Note (NYC), Blues Alley (Washington, DC), Bohemian Cavern (Washington, DC), Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center (NYC), Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai (where his trio recently held a three-week residency), Smalls Jazz Club (NYC), Smoke Jazz Club (NYC), The Jazz Forum (Tarrytown, NY), Mezzrow (NYC), and the MidAtlantic Jazz Festival. Latona has worked with Jon Faddis, Paul Carr, Jazzmeia Horn, Julius Rodriguez Trio, and many more.
In addition to performing, Latona teaches jazz at The Calhoun School (NYC), Jazz Academy of Music (MD), MidAtlantic Jazz Festival masterclasses and private lessons.
Latona grew up outside of Washington, D.C. in the Silver Spring area, steeped in Gospel, Jazz, and Go-Go music. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts at SUNY Purchase where he studied with the late Vic Juris. He currently resides in Brooklyn with his brother, Christopher Latona (jazz drummer and pianist) and they co-lead their own group, The Latona Brothers, paying homage to the experiences that have shaped their musical journeys.
Visit Andrew’s Website: https://andrewlatona.com/
Follow Andrew on Instagram!
Chris Latona
Chris Latona is a drummer from Silver Spring, MD. After being raised in Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music from the age of 13, he attended Oberlin College and Conservatory and in 2020, earning two degrees in History and Jazz Percussion under instruction from NEA Jazz Master Billy Hart. As an Oberlin Sonny Rollins Scholar, he performed at SF Jazz in January 2020, supplementing the trip with school and community-focused performances in the Bay Area. Music has taken Chris and his brother Andrew to the US Embassy to the Vatican in 2019, to organize 2 concerts in celebration of the 35th anniversary of diplomacy between the US and Vatican City.
Follow Chris on Instagram!
Michael Bowie
Michael Bowie is an internationally recognized musician, performing on both the electric and contrabass. With roots in the Washington D.C. jazz and gospel community, he was a recipient of the National Endowment of the Arts Award in Jazz Studies and trained with Betty Carter and Keter Betts. Soon after, Michael signed with Verve Records as an original member of “The Harper Brothers”. He went on to perform, record and tour with Abdulla Ibrahim, Michel Pettruciani, including the Grammy Award winning “Look What I Got” with Betty Carter. Michael has expanded his musical interests and performance to include a wide variety of musical forms from jazz to symphony to rock. As musical director he has worked with many artists worldwide including Patti Labelle, James Ingram, Jeff Majors, Abbey Lincoln, Angie Stone, Isaac Hayes. He has shared his talents in the recording studio and on the stage with Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams, Abbey Lincoln, Manhattan Transfer, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Della Reece, and Michel Camilo and Ricky Skag.
Follow Michael on Instagram!