Looking forward to a mega 60th-anniversary celebration this summer, Blues Alley in Georgetown is working to keep spirits high with internationally respected talent. Two acts, Marion Meadows and The Baylor Project, brought their sounds to the nation’s oldest continuing jazz supper club for the observance of Black History Month.
In February, the venue honored two music legends, Jerry Butler and Roberta Flack.
“We celebrate here,” said Norelco Carroll when introducing the evening’s act at the historic club. Carroll continued sharing the impact of Blues Alley. “When people get married, they celebrate here. When people get divorced, they celebrate here.”
A Saxophone and Some Art
Originally from West Virginia and educated at Berklee College of Music, saxophonist Meadows enjoyed four sold-out shows, two sets each night in mid-February.
His set included upbeat mainstream jazz sounds blended with R&B, slow jams, and pop.
Between songs, Meadows said he has been influenced by some of the well-known traditional sax jazz artists many music lovers have enjoyed for decades. His favorites include Stanley Turrentine, Sidney Bichet, Johnny Hodges, John Coltrane, Sonny Stitt, Rahsaan Roland, Kirk, Dexter Gordon, Cannonball Adderley, and many more.
During his set, he performed “jazzed-up” arrangements of “Come Together” by The Beatles, “Wishing on a Star” from R&B group Rose Royce, and “Mas Que Nada,” a big hit for Sergio Mendes and Brasil’66.
Creating original paintings is another way Meadows uses his creative juices. He has his art on display at some of his performances, in separate art shows, and on his website, “Marion Meadows Atmospeares,” designed specifically for his paintings.
See Meadows’ tour schedule on marionmeadows.com
Faith, Love, and Happiness Equal Music for All
The Baylor Project has eight Grammy nominations and a NAACP Image Award.
Married for 22 years, the visibility for Marcus and Jean Baylor continues on a trajectory comparable to a rocket.
They ended Black History Month with a two-night sold-out booking at Blues Alley.
Looking around the club, one could see that their sound appeals to all demographics. Jean Baylor is a vocalist with a range for any type of music. Marcus Baylor, the best hype man, has a massive drum and percussion set, plus he is the social media guy capturing photos and videos on and off stage.
Ryan Ramirez oversees sound configuration for The Baylor Project, so he is considered a group member.
In addition to sultry mid-tempo sounds, Jean Baylor’s punctuation of certain words draws listeners all the way in. Music of faith seeps into the group’s repertoire. The congregation at any performance expects their arrangement of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
When not on tour, The Baylor Project was able to record a Tiny Desk concert on National Public Radio (NPR) and composed the theme music for the Tamron Hall Show.
Looking forward, midway through their Blues Alley set, Marcus Baylor announced that the group will perform at the 2025 DC Jazz Festival, Aug. 27-31.
Keep up with The Baylor Project by visiting thebaylorproject.com