From an email:

DC music lovers,
Join us for the documentary “Phil Ochs: There But for Fortune” on Wednesday, February 8, 7-9pm. Folksinger “Phil Ochs is a figure both glorious and tragic who haunts the history of the 1960s” (allmusic.com). “An unbelievable story of a true believer… one of the greatest the most passionate voices of the 1960′s was the first to be forgotten” (philochsthemovie.com).

Unlike the artists we’ve studied in our previous Salons, Ochs’ connection to DC is more tenuous — but this film’s incredible telling of his singular talent and tragic life make it essential viewing. As late as 1964, Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs were considered by many to be equals; Dylan famously chose rock ‘n’ roll, while Ochs stayed the narrow path of protest music. Sadly, Ochs has been largely been written out of history, but his music and spirit live in the countless artists and activists he inspired. This great documentary helps explain why. And we’ll go one step further in discussion before and after as we’ll be joined by Ochs expert Jeff Place — archivist for the Smithsonian Folklife Collections, Grammy winner and producer/writer of “Anthology of American Folk Music” and “Best of Broadside.”

Jeff’s full bio here, http://www.folkways.si.edu/about_us/staff.aspx
Film trailer here, http://philochsthemovie.com/

Wednesday, February 8 – Phil Ochs, from 7-9pm at the beautiful Watha T. Daniel Library in Shaw, 1630 7th St NW. Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/events/167593300003919/, is the best way to learn more about DC Music Salon and upcoming events.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Vileinist

From Rock and Roll Hotel’s (1353 H Street NE) Website

“Sticky Rice and Rock & Roll Present:
4th Annual H St Karaoke Championship

21 and over only

Doors | 730pm
Show | 830pm”

Thanks to 6th & I for giving away 2 tickets to someone in PoPville.

“On Thursday, February 23, Sixth & I is hosting William Fitzsimmons with special guest Denison Witmer. Since 2005, Fitzsimmons has created three full-length albums of rich folk music, ranging from the stark and acoustic to the voluminous and electronic. Now on the heels of the release of his most recent album, Gold in the Shadow, Fitzsimmons will deliver an unforgettable night of acoustic music.”

To enter just let me know in the comments. Sixth & I Historic Synagogue is located at 600 I Street, NW.

Could be cool. CB Twelve-Twelve recently opened in the former Almaz Ethiopian restaurant space at 1212 U St, NW.

From an email:

January 14th at 3 PM Sharp
Free Event
US Botanical Gardens — 100 Maryland Ave SW Washington DC
Original music composed by Bluebrain
RSVP and tell us your preferred format (cassette, CD or MP3)

The very first Bluebrain event happened 3 years ago here in DC when a call went out for people to bring cassette boomboxes to Dupont Circle. Inspired by composer Phil Kline, participants were each handed a different cassette tape, each containing a different track of a larger piece of music, composed specifically for the event. After a countdown, participants hit play together and walked around the city, creating a roving orchestra on dozens of portable speakers. The following year, the project was expanded to include musical contributions from other artists and was staged on the National Mall during the annual Cherry Blossom festival. Thanks to the US Botanic Gardens, we will be holding a third boombox walk — this time, in the most beautiful indoor venue we can imagine. This will mark the end of the series.

Thank you to all those who’ve come to one, or to both boombox walks — or any other Bluebrain events since we started this three years ago. Let’s make this the biggest sounding one yet.

PLEASE RVSP to bluebrainmusic@gmail.com (and tell us what device you’ll be bringing: cassette boombox, CD player or MP3) to reserve your track in the format of your chosing.

Photo of Studio Bar courtesy of ESL

From an email:

Eighteenth Street Lounge (ESL) [1212 18th ST NW] will be hosting the official after party for the Thievery Corporation’s final 9:30 Club show, on Friday, January 13. The home of the local electronica music production duo, ESL recently opened a new room named after their first recording studio where the after party will be held, the Studio Bar. Everyone with a 9:30 stamp will gain free admission for the party. Afrolicious, currently touring with Thievery Corporation and recently signed to ESL Music, will be DJing for the night.

From an email:

John Eaton, a local jazz pianist and D.C. native who has performed for packed houses at the White House, the Kool Jazz Festival, and the Smithsonian Institution, is joining forces with John Eaton Elementary School to raise funds for arts and music programs at the 100-year-old public institution in D.C.’s Cleveland Park. The pianist will perform at the school’s Barbara Munday Theater on Saturday January 7 at 7:00 pm.
Mr. Eaton, who Washingtonian Magazine included on its 2008 list of “best-loved veterans of the Washington music scene” has no relation to the 100-year-old school’s namesake—a Civil War-era general who was renowned for his work in education—but offered to do a benefit concert after learning about the school and its work in bringing the arts to D.C. public school students.
“We are delighted and honored that Mr. Eaton has generously offered his talents to help our school raise the much-needed funds that introduce our children to music, dance, and visual arts,” said Dale Mann, principal of John Eaton Elementary.
The concert is open to the entire D.C. community. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased on the school’s website.

This performance will directly support the music and visual arts programs at John Eaton Elementary School. Refreshments will be served.

All are welcome!

All the details here.

816 H St, NE

Lots of interesting H Street, NE tweeted by @mgholwill on Friday:

New digs for @HR57jazz moving to 1007 H late Jan, 2012. Best yet? Includes street front coffee shop Alchemy open 7 am til midnight.

Tony Puisan will retain @HR57jazz space at 816 H for new BeBop Cafe for blues club, poetry, events.

If you’ve been longing for a bakery on #HStDC, new Alchemy coffee shop @HR57jazz at 1007 H plans house-made pastries, breakfast all day.

Plans sound cool. Sadly, I have still not reconciled their move from Logan Circle…

1007 H St, NE

Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr T in DC

From a press release:

Join us for Cardozo High School’s “Last Curtain Call,” a Concert with DC’s Chuck Brown and Cardozo‘s home grown original Marvin Gaye’s group that started on Cardozo’s stage in the 60’s, The Marquees. The concert will be in the Historical Cardozo Auditorium on December 9, 2011 from 8:00 until 11:00 p.m. to commemorate the modernization and closing of the 95 year old Historical School on the Hill until it opens again on August, 2013. Join us for our last event on the stage where Marvin Gaye started it all and Chuck Brown continues to keep it moving—a night of Rhythm and Blues and GOGO fun.

Tickets are just $25 in advance and $30 at the door and can be purchased at Cardozo High (1200 Clifton Street, NW –202-673-7385) and at the African American Civil War Museum (1925 Vermont Ave, NW – 202-667-2667).

THE EVENT SCHEDULE:

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. –Open Seating — Vendors, Food, CD’s, Meet our Guests

On the Stage Starting at 8:00 p.m.

The Cardozo High School Marching Band’s Tribute to Chuck and Marvin
Tribute to Marvin Gaye—The Original Marquees and Paul Waldron
Cardozo Thespians—If Marvin Gaye had Met Chuck Brown at

Cardozo…

Your browser may not support display of this image. Chuck Brown and the GOGO Sound

Whoa, have you walked by the old Borders bookstore at 14th and F St, NW lately? The huge windows are not covered and reveal the much anticipated Hamilton (to be open 24/7 with an 800 person capacity) from the Clyde’s group:

Founding father, mover, shaker, lover & dueling politico, Alexander Hamilton’s vision for America helped it to become the world’s venue for opportunity and success.

Washington DC’s newest destination for music and entertainment is dedicated to celebrating the talent and passion of America’s best artists. DC is a city where polish and sophistication have been charmed by a bohemian spirit creating a new thriving artistic underground.

The Hamilton will offer local, national and international musicians the unique opportunity to entertain a city that is never short on opinions, all within earshot of The White House.

Check out the renderings of the music space here.

And here’s a glimpse from street level:

Photo by PoPville flickr user rpmaxwell

From a DCPL press release:

“The DC Public Library now offers library cardholders access to more than 2 million songs to download on their MP3 players. Library users can keep the music they download. The files never expire.

Music from Sony Music’s vast music collection and more than 10,000 independent artists are available at the library. Library users with valid library cards can download up to three music tracks each week — 156 songs a year —at no cost from the Library’s web site, dclibary.org. Songs can be searched by artist, song title and genre.”

The following was written by Lina Khan with photographs by Alison Klein. If you have a show you’d like to see reviewed send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail

With a sound so distinctly urban, Phantogram‘s small-town origins come as a surprise. The self-described “street beat/psyche pop” duo has earned a reputation for hipness since the 2010 release of their debut album Eyelid Movies, recorded in a barn by their very rural Greenwich, New York hometown.

Back on tour with Nightlife EP, the band played to a full house at Black Cat Wednesday night. A smooth mix of electronic loops, synth beats, and hip hop evocations, Phantogram professes an eclectic range of influence – old soul, French pop, shoegaze – that fuses subtly on their recordings. Live, though, that range flattened, producing a sound highly energetic but rarely powerful.

Keyboardist Sarah Barthel’s cool, breathy croon briefly came through on “16 Years,” a catchy electro-pop track, but remained mostly overpowered by percussion. “Mouthful of Diamonds” brought out the band at its strongest: Barthel’s confident vocals, guitarist Josh Carter’s tender riffs, and a pulsating backdrop of synth beats that roll unremittingly. The casual synthesis was lent depth by the single line “I wish I could believe,” repeated with a simplicity that verges on hypnotic.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

It’s been a long time coming but glad it’s finally here!

Rock and Roll Hotel located at 1353 H St NE tweets the great news and photo yesterday:

“Rooftop Deck and Patio Opening this weekend 11/11/11″

This great mural is from the side of the Sewell Music Conservatory on Kennedy St, NW. I especially dig the mix of old and new.