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| DR. JOHN PAUL MCGEE SET TO HONOR THE LATE ETHIOPIAN JAZZ PIANIST EMAHOY TSEGE MARIAM GEBRU AT THE KENNEDY CENTER Dr. John Paul McGee has become one of the jazz communities newest and most sought after virtuosos. His musical gift has garnered the attention of music lovers all over the world, in addition to several music industry giants who have graciously given their stamp of approval. On Tuesday, November 7th, 2023 at 7:30pm at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, Dr. McGee will grace the stage as he pays homage to the late, Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru. This piano concert celebrates 100 years of Emahoy's music and features compositions never before performed, as well as previously unreleased recordings. The upcoming event will also commemorate Emahoy as she would have celebrated her 100th birthday on December 12th, 2023. Emahoy was an Ethiopian-born pianist and composer who became a nun in her early 20's. Her music has been described as melodic blues piano with rhythmically complex phrasing incorporating styles like; gospel, ragtime, Ethiopian folk music, and the choral traditions of the country's Orthodox church. This esteemed event honoring the late Emahoy comes on the heels of John Paul's new holiday release A GOSPEJAZZICAL CHRISTMAS, scheduled to be released on November 16, 2023. ABOUT DR. JOHN PAUL MCGEE: At the age of 4, without any formal training, John Paul began playing familiar hymns and other standards as if he had heard them a thousand times before. Recognizing his skilled aptitude, John Paul's mother created a training ground of music education for the budding maestro and the rest as they say is history. Since then his musical career has taken him around the world collaborating and accompanying with Gospel and mainstream artists like; Stevie Wonder, Patti Labelle, Yolanda Adams, Cory Henry, The Clark Sisters, many more. In 2014, John Paul released an instrumental holiday project, A CHRISTMAS WITH JOHN PAUL, debuting in the top 10 on the Billboard Gospel charts. On October 28th, 2022, John Paul McGee released GOSPEJAZZICAL VOL. 1, which incorporated three powerful genres gospel, classical, and jazz. The project was met with critical acclaim and featured 17 tracks where traditional hymns and familiar classics were birthed with a new vitality and vigor. The album features standouts like the reimagined 90's Bebe & Cece hit "Heaven" feat. Amber Bullock, the breezy classic hymn "Amazing Grace" feat. saxophonist Michael Walton, and the dreamy modern day jazz standard "Here's To Life" feat. Wendi Henderson Wyatt. write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |