Big Band Jam

Ninth Annual Big Band Jam! A celebration of the music, held this year in DC's Pershing Park, on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The City of Washington DC proclaimed April 23rd 2013 as "Andrew White Day" in honor of local legend, renowned jazz saxophonist and jazz scholar Andrew White.

Numerous ensembles and distinguished musicians performed, including Ernie Watts, and the Airmen of Note.

Many thanks for this festival (and for the assignment) go to the visionary and practical work of Harry Schnippers, proprietor of Blues Alley.

Dig it.

Hagel / Sadat / Ross

I photographed US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Egyptian statesman Anwar El Sadat (nephew of the late Nobel Peace Prize winner, Anwar Sadat), and noted peace negotiator, Ambassador Dennis Ross at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy's Soref Symposium.

Thanks to Jeff Rubin of the Institute for the assignment and his guidance.

Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars Klezmer-Bhangra Extravaganza

Photos from the Washington Jewish Music Festival, of Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars Klezmer-Bhangra Extravaganza. Mash-up of Yiddish, Punjabi, Hebrew, and Hindi musical traditions... with extensive quotes from Dizzy Gillespie and Sun Ra.

Amazing.

The personnel on this gig were: Frank London, trumpet; Michael Winograd, clarinet; Aaron Alexander, drums; Patty Farrel, accordion; Ron Caswell, tuba; Brian Drye, trombone; Jeremiah Lockwood, guitar; Deep Singh, Indian percussion; Manu Narayan, vocals, and Sarah Gordon, vocals.

Thank you to Lili Gersch of the WJMF for  her help.

Great video from the show by Lia Chiang

Machane Yehuda | Jewish market, Jerusalem

Images mostly from Machane Yehuda, the bustling Jewish market in Jerusalem, just prior to Shabbat last week. A few photographs are from the nearby Ben Yehuda Street market.

This work is part of the Jerusalem:Walls and Bridges and the Jerusalem Stories projects I have been working on, on my own and with writer/storyteller Carol Grosman.

La'ad program, Bar Ilan University, Israel

This program trains people to provide care for elderly Holocaust survivors. This class was held at Bar Ilan University, in Ramat Gan, Israel.