DC JazzPrix Finals @ DC JazzFest at the Wharf

DCJazzPrix, an international band competition now in its third year, was created to recognize the finest rising jazz band talent from across the U.S. The winning band is to be honored with a $15,000 award and receive pivotal professional development and visibility through a year-long association with DCJF. Free entry, but registration required.

***MEET YOUR 2018 FINALISTS!***

Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead (New York, NY): Based in New York City and formed by drummer Jonathan Barber, Vision Ahead features alto saxophonist Godwin Louis, guitarist Andrew Renfroe, pianist Taber Gable, and bassist Matt Dwonszyk. Barber, Renfroe, Gable, and Dwonszyk met while matriculating at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz (Hartt School of Music) and later connected with Louis in New York. Jonathan Barber & Vision Ahead debuted as a quintet in January 2017, performing at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola. Vision Ahead means to carry on a legacy forward, striving to breakthrough barriers reaching towards your goal. This bands hope is to spark a fresh musical style that is relevant with today’s generation.

The Cornerstore (Baltimore, MD): Developed by Baltimore native, bassist Kris Funn, and based in the DMV, The Cornerstore includes his fellow Howard University alum, drummer Quincy Phillips, and guitarist John Lee. Between them they have performed with such artists as Sean Jones, Christian Scott, Pharoah Sanders, Benny Golson, Roy Hargrove, Christian McBride, Nicholas Payton, Kamasi Washington, Hassan Hakmoun, Cyro Baptista, and Fatoumata Diawara and many others. Cornerstore released its first album in 2017, under the leadership of first call bassist Kris Funn. Life lessons meeting at the intersection of blues, rock, bebop and hip hop. See you at the Cornerstore.

Emmet Cohen Trio (New York, NY): Committed to the intergenerational transfer of artistic knowledge, history and traditions, the Emmet Cohen Trio features multi-faceted pianist- composer Emmet Cohen, Grammy and Emmy-nominated bassist Russell Hall, a native of Kingston, Jamaica, and drummer Evan Sherman. Between them they have worked with vocalists Kurt Elling and Lea DeLaria, NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter, James Moody, and Jimmy Cobb, plus the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Billy Hart, Brian Lynch, Cyrus Chestnut, Jon Batiste and Stay Human. The trio is remembered for its range and uplifting dynamism and represents a kaleidoscopic sense of musical narrative.

Roxy Coss Quintet (New York, NY): The Roxy Coss Quintet is a New York-based ensemble led by saxophonist-clarinetist-flutist Coss, with guitarist Alex Wintz, pianist Miki Yamanaka, bassist Rick Rosato, and drummer Jimmy MacBride. The band performs Coss’ original compositions and arrangements of the modern jazz, pop, and standards songbooks. The Quintet has headlined at the Newport and Ballard jazz festivals, and many major venues, including Jazz Standard, The Nash, Jazz Showcase, Smalls, 55 Bar, Zinc Bar, Cornelia Street Underground Café and residencies at SMOKE and Club Bonafide. Started in 2008, the Quintet has evolved into its current lineup on their Spring 2018 release The Future is Female (Posi-Tone), Roxy Coss’ fifth album.

LRK Trio (Moscow, Rusia): is an artistic union of three versatile musicians from Moscow. In LRK trio's music, you can hear elements of free improvisation, folk, fusion and musical images in style of French impressionists as well as following the path of Russian classical traditions. Critics call LRK Trio “ anew breed” and “the main driving power” of today’s jazz music in Russia. Over a decade Evgeniy Lebedev (piano), Anton Revnyuk (bass) and Lee Fish (drums) did gain their reputation of the big stage top-notch players who work together with world-famous artists as Marcus Miller, Gregory Porter, Randy Brecker, Esperanza Spalding, Danilo Perez. In 2017, the second studio album LRK Trio "If you Have a Dream" was released on the Losen Records, which the band presented at jazz festivals in Russia, Belgium, Holland, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Japan. “All About Jazz” included the album in Top-10 of the best albums of 2017. In 2018 trio received special prize in the «Made in New York» jazz competition and became the finalist of DC JazzPrix competition.