Jazz lovers, mark your calendars! On Saturday, Sept. 13, from 2-5 p.m., the Project Create Garden will come alive with smooth sounds during Jazz in the Garden: A Tribute to Dick Morgan.
Hosted by T.H.O.S, this special afternoon celebrates the legacy of jazz great Dick Morgan in a serene garden setting at 2210 MLK Ave. SE, Washington, D.C.
Registration is required to attend — secure your spot by calling 202-867-0956. Don’t miss an unforgettable afternoon of music, community and celebration.
The House of Sharon and Mariah’s Wish, joined by a coalition of community partners, will present Jazz in the Garden: A Tribute to Dick Morgan on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, from 2-5 p.m. The event will honor the life and legacy of the late Dick Morgan, a renowned jazz musician, composer, entrepreneur and lawyer. Dick Morgan, who began his professional musical career as a child and spent decades as one of Washington’s leading jazz pianists, died Oct. 20, 2013, in hospice care at the Village at Rockville retirement facility. He was 84 and resided in Silver Spring.
Held at Project Create (2210 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE), the afternoon will feature a special dedication ceremony for Morgan’s piano, made possible by the Morgan family and Andy Shallal, owner of Busboys & Poets. Andy Shallal is my friend, and we all admire the marvelous work he has done in creating such an enormous franchise showcasing his brand — Busboys & Poets locations are popping up all over! The Rhamat Shabazz Jazz Trio will perform, and attendees can participate in a silent auction. Organizers will also recognize 10 outstanding community leaders who have made significant contributions to the world of jazz and blues.
“I don’t make any claims to be a first-class jazz pianist,” Mr. Morgan told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “I’m somebody who will immediately get immersed in the audience and get them to pay attention. That has carried me through the years.”
Students from Duke Ellington School of the Arts have been invited to this vibrant cultural gathering that promises to be both uplifting and inspiring.
The celebration is more than just a tribute; it’s a call to action. Organizers will be highlighting House Resolution 57, which seeks to recognize jazz as a national American treasure, and promoting the House of Sharon’s mission to keep jazz and blues alive for future generations.
The tribute is also a poignant gesture in memory of Mariah, Dick Morgan’s great-granddaughter, who was tragically killed in a 2022 automobile accident. Mariah, a Bowie High School graduate and talented figure skater, was a student at Bowie State University at the time of her death. The event embodies the family’s desire to honor her memory through kindness and community service, inspired by her last act of singing for the homeless in 2021.
Lyndia Grant is a speaker/writer living in the D.C. area. Her radio show, “Think on These Things,” airs Fridays at 6 p.m. on 1340 AM (WYCB), a Radio One station. To reach Grant, go to her website, www.lyndiagrant.com, email lyndiagrantshowdc@gmail.com or call 240-602-6295. Follow her on X @LyndiaGrant and on Facebook.
