Black Masala

You want to have a good time? You need brass.

This is what DC’s Black Masala blasts to the world, harnessing all the good times sunk in the Romany, second-line, bhangra, and funk horn parts that have gotten huge swaths of the planet up and dancing. With rock drive and a willingness to be as weird and wonderful as the party demands, Black Masala woos fans and new listeners with Trains and Moonlight Destinies, a tribute to the ins and outs of love, fate, and wanderlust.

Black Masala’s originals hit both elements head on, telling stories of powerful women, rascally dudes, raucous nights, and life on the road that are tinged with a hint of the fantastical, as the video for the title track reveals.

Whether they are performing live shows or releasing new music, Black Masala push the boundaries between genres and explore new musical frontiers. This unorthodox and highly creative approach is what makes the shows so much fun with a wild and unpredictable vibe for the audience.-

JoGo Project

The JoGo Project is a WAMMIE Award-winning jazz and gogo band from Washington, DC created by Saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed in 2014 while completing his residency at Strathmore. Now celebrating 10+ years of JoGo, the band has become a consistent force in the DMV area; having performed at Blues Alley, Kennedy Center, and DC Jazz Festival, and recently expanding to the Mid-Atlantic and Southern U.S. In 2018, JoGo made history as the first gogo band to perform in Russia on a cultural diplomacy tour on behalf of the U.S. State Department. From 2021-2023, JoGo maintained a monthly residency at the legendary jazz club Keystone Korner called #BMORELOVESGOGO, a series co-produced by club owner and NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan. Most recently the band has expanded to new territories with The JoGo Big Band – combining elements of Go-Go Music and Big Band Jazz.