Allyn Johnson is the longtime director of the Jazz Studies program and jazz ensembles at the University of the District of Columbia. (photo courtesy of UDC)
Around here, every month is Black History Month. Neighborhood institutions including UDC and Politics and Prose give us opportunities to learn about and celebrate Black history and culture year-round.
UDC’s jazz program is hosting three such events this month, and only one is billed as a Black history celebration. The Allyn Johnson Organ Trio will perform at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 21st.
Tonight at 7 p.m., a Sonny Rollins biographer will talk about the life and times of the legendary saxophonist and composer. And on February 27th at 7 p.m., the artistic director of the DC Jazz Festival will lead a panel discussion on the book, Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story.
All three events are in the Performing Arts Recital Hall (Building 46-West).
The Politics and Prose events calendar for February features several author talks at its Connecticut Avenue store on the Black experience, explored through biography, memoir and in the case of former NAACP president Ben Jealous, parable. He’ll be there at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 10th for a conversation that will also be livestreamed.
Take a musical journey at Levine Music: La Poesia, a string quartet of Levine faculty members, will perform “Baroque to Tango” at 7 p.m. on Saturday, February 11th. The concert will take the audience through the evolution of stringed instruments, and demonstrate how singing and dance shape the music. Tickets are $15.
Did you know? This and other Levine’s performances can be viewed live and online for free.
Other events: A student-curated exhibit of art from China, India and Japan is on display at the UDC Student Center through Thursday, February 16th.
Hillwood Museum has reopened after its annual winter cleaning. February events include a talk on Wednesday the 15th by Teresa Speight, author of Black Flora, a book about African American flower farmers and florists.
Jazz at Wesley will present “Tiya! An Evening of Love Songs” at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 25th.
And the Avalon Theatre’s centennial celebration gets kids involved with weekend matinees of The Great Muppet Caper (February 11th and 12th), Back to the Future (February 18th and 19th) and The Black Stallion (February 25th and 26th).
