Rahmat Shabazz

Charles Rahmat Woods  with master drummer Roy Haynes at the Blues Alley (DC)

RAHMAT SHABAZZ: JAZZ NEWS and VIEWS

                        APRIL 2021

April is a designated month to celebrate the great music artform known as Jazz, and we encourage all of our readers to join in the festivities.  Due to pandemic protocols, many events are still virtual but certainly accessible from your computer or mobile device.  UNESCO’S International Jazz Day, by ambassador and Jazz great Herbie Hancock, invites the entire world to participate by acknowledging Jazz via performances, viewings of Jazz films and videos, classroom and family discussions, readings of books related to Jazz, and listening to your favorite Jazz artist.

INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY: April 30, 2021. 7pm EST Baltimore’s An Die Musik Live stream stage will celebrate International Jazz Day with a fabulous live stream concert by flute/saxophonist Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet (Peter Frassrand – piano/keyboard, Emory Diggs – acoustic and electric bass, Gus Johnson -drums. Rahmat will be presenting tunes from his great new CD “Tarika Blue Notebook” and more. This is a worldwide broadcast not to be missed! $10 livestream pass via InstantSeats.com:  (Charles Rahmat Woods).  An Die Musik Info: (410) 385-2638

April 3, 2021, 7:30pm: Keystone Korner Baltimore presents ‘A Celebration of the Music of McCoy Tyner’ featuring pianist ‘ Benito Gonzalez Trio’ (with Billy Hart – drums, and Essiet Okon Essiet – bass). (Livestream  ticket $10). With the loosening of pandemic venue restrictions, the club and restaurant plans to reinstitute live performances and limited indoor dining on April 8, 2021. Keystone Korner Baltimore, 1350 Lancaster St, Baltimore MD. (410) 946-6726.

April 6, 2021, 8:15 AM EDT (9:15pm Japan Time):  In commemoration of Impulse Records 60^th anniversary, The Blue Note Tokyo presents at live stream concert ‘John Coltrane’s “Ascension”. Featured Japanese musicians include Tamaya Honda – drums, Nobuyoshi Ino – bass, Takashi Sugawa – bass, Sugadairo – piano, Kazutoki Umezu – sax/clarinet, Nao Takeuchi – tenor sax, Naruyoshi Kikuchi – tenor sax, Ryuichi Yoshida – baritone sax, Kei Matsumaru – alto sax, Keiji Matsushima – trumpet, Shinpei Ruike – trumpet. Tickets 3,000 yen ($27.32 usd). Info at Blue Note Tokyo website and Impulse Records facebook page.

April 11, 2021, 1pm. is also National Poetry Month.  Adventures with Wilson will present its ‘Pajama Brunch: Jazz and Spoken Word”, via its’ Adventures with Wilson platform on Facebook Live and Zoom. Feature artist includ Colie Aziza, George Kenyatta Dudley, Serena Wills, and Charles Rahmat Woods (free will donation).

April 30, 2021. 3pm. The DC Jazz Festival presents its International Jazz Day program with two streamed interviews and performances by veteran saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and vocalist Aaron Myers. Happens on the DC Jazz Festiva fb page. (Free)

REVIEW:  One of the highlights of this years virtual Washington Women in Jazz Festival was a solo concert, sponsored by the DC Jazz Festival and live streamed broadcast from An Die Musik, of pianist/composer/festival founder Amy Bormet. The sound of this broadcast was absolutely fantastic! (Amy suggested that viewers listen through headphones…and that worked out beautifully!). She opened with a commissioned original, “The Call”, and then proceeded to give the audience eleven of her compositions, many with lyrics. 

REVIEW:  Detroit’s Carr Center continued their ‘Duos & Duets” series with a ‘plus one’ filmed and  streamed concert featuring Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Jack Dejohnette on melodica, keyboards, acoustic piano, and acoustic bass, with the the additional of Matt Garrison on electric bass. A horn section featuring Greg Osby (as), Gary Thomas (ts), and George Colligan augmented the trio. Eight original compositions and a warm hearted band interview, highlighted the evening of interesting music.



...That's it for now...Peace and Safety...

With master saxophonist, composer, and educator Gary Bartz, after his stellar  performance at An Die Muzik in Baltimore

With NEA Jazz Master Archie Shepp at the pre-ceremony NPR listening session

With NEA Jazz Master Pharoah Sanders and Shimiya Woods at NEA Awards DC

Charles Rahmat Woods with Carolyn Goodridge director of Art Impact USA at gallery opening, Washington, DC

International guitarist Jean Paul Bourelly conducts ensemble at RhizomeDC, featuring Charles Rahmat Woods-sax, Thomas Stanley-electronics, and Tom Teasley-perc

With drummer/bandleader  Cindy Blackman Santana after her stunning performance at Bethesda Blues Jazz

Rahmat Shabazz Band featuring vocalist Quiniece and Aziza performed at 80th Anniversary of the City of District Heights Md 

Charles Rahmat Woods visits the great saxophonist Billy Pierce during the Kevin Eubanks band appearance in DC





With Jazz Foundation of America Executive Director Wendy Oxenhorn, Trombonist Roswell Rudd, and friends at NEA Jazz Masters Awards

Rahmat Shabazz Trio with award winning journalist Askia Muhammad

With multi-instrumentalist improvisational composer Bill Cole during DC Jazz Fest 2016

Charles Rahmat Woods Quartet performed during Asbury Methodist's Church annual breakfast for the homeless.

Rahmat Shabazz Trio Plus cd release party at Record Theater, Buffalo NY featured Charles Rahmat Woods with Derek Gasque and Abdul-Rahman Qadir.

The Rahmat Shabazz Band performed for Syracuse University CBT 2017 reunion, and featured  Kevin Atkins, Kevin Bruce Harris, Derek Gasque, and shown here...vocalist Colie Aziza and Valencia Yearwood.

Charles Rahmat Woods with NEA Jazz Master Abdullah Ibrahim at NPR Studio

Photographer Ron St Clair and Charles Rahmat Woods

With drummer Ronnie Burrage and bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma during their performance at Keystone Korner Baltimore

1989: Hanging out with the late great pianist/composer McCoy Tyner (Sulieman Saud)