Bethesda Hosts AMP June Concerts

From AMP: This summer at AMP is going to be a scorcher—June is jam-packed with hot artists from rockin’ women to mambo men. The Patty Reese Band & Revelator Hill kick off the month rocking gritty vocals and bluesy guitar solos, followed by “the shining hope of hot jazz” (New York Times), jazz trumpeter and vocalist Bria Skonberg, backed by a talented ensemble of bass, drums, brass, and piano. Helen Hayes-nominated Strathmore Artist in Residence Ines Nassara has made a splash in the local theater scene and brings a collection of her favorite tunes to AMP. Powerhouse vocalists take turns in the spotlight for an evening dedicated to Women in Blues, concluding Strathmore’s season-long exploration of blues music, Shades of Blues. Multicultural children’s group Hot Peas ’N Butter will keep AMP’s Pajama Jam series full of fun sing-alongs, and local R&B group Let it Flow will have the audience grooving to soulful originals and old-school classics. Mexican fusion band Orkesta Mendoza closes out the month with an exhilarating blend of mariachi, mambo, and cumbia with indie rock.For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.AMPbyStrathmore.com.

Upcoming concerts at AMP in June 2017 include:

THE PATTY REESE BAND & REVELATOR HILL Friday, June 2, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $20-$30 Fan favorite and critical darling, Patty Reese, is a musician and songwriter of uninhibited talent. Influenced by artists like Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, and Bob Dylan, Reese flits between genres and styles with effortless ease, from a New Orleans-style groove to an upbeat roots shuffle. Her strong songwriting, powerhouse vocals, and impeccable guitar work make her one of the most captivating artists in the D.C. area.Awe-inspiring master guitarist and vocalist Bobby Thompson cut his teeth learning from the best. After honing his craft with blues legend Bobby Parker, Thompson set out on his own to great acclaim, and he was nominated for Musician of the Year by the Washington Area Music Association in 2015. Thompson’s latest collaboration, Revelator Hill, takes its cues from the searing blues-rock hybrid pioneered by Jimi Hendrix and blends it with a rock edge.

BRIA SKONBERG QUARTET Thursday, June 8, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $30-$40 Described as one of the “most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation,” (The Wall Street Journal) Bria Skonberg blends modern-day pop sensibility with sizzling jazz musicianship. Her music is both curious and exotic, with flavors of tango, blues, jazz, and world music. Skonberg’s mastery of the trumpet and confident vocals come together on stage, showcasing a flair for original songs with just the right amount of standards mixed in.Strathmore

Artist in Residence

INES NASSARA Wednesday, June 14, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $17 Ines Nassara’s outstanding vocal and acting ability have landed her among the best emerging actresses in the D.C. area. Nassara recently graduated from Towson University where she performed extensively in the school’s musical theater productions. Nassara was nominated for a 2015 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical for playing Ronny in The Keegan Theatre’s production of Hair. She has garnered critical acclaim for her powerful vocals, energy, and passion that she brings to the stage, driving the ensembles around her to new heights.

AMP Comedy Nightin partnership with Comedy Zone CLIFF CASH & JOHNNY LEE DAM Thursday, June 15, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $14 Cliff Cash’s religious and conservative upbringing played a formative role in his comedic voice. Finding absurdities in everyday culture, whether through one of his characters, voices, an angry rant, or a satirical rap song, Cash makes his audiences question what they accept as “normal.” Cash has opened for comedy all-stars like Rory Scovel, Kyle Grooms, Todd Glass, Michael Che, Judah Friedlander, and many others. Cash has been accepted to the Cape Fear Comedy Festival three years in a row and has won Port City’s Top Comic, Comedy Zone’s Almost Famous competition, and was chosen as a semifinalist in Comedy Central’s UpNext competition.Johnny Lee Dam has been performing comedy ever since he could utter a sentence. From resident class clown, he can now be seen as a regular commentator on TMZ Live.

WOMEN IN BLUES Saturday, June 17, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $20-$30Traces of blues can be found in American music from jazz to country to rock and swing. Women in Blues is a tribute to what makes the blues great, its rich and diverse history, with some of the finest female blues singers this side of the Mississippi Delta. Performing artists include Deletta Gillespie, Sandra Dean, Angela Hill, Gayle Harrod, Hayley Fahey, Liz Springer, Mama Moon, and bandleader Daryl Davis.

Kids Pajama Jam Party

HOT PEAS ’N BUTTER Sunday, June 18, 2017 5:30 p.m.Tickets $12, free for kids under 2Hot Peas ’N Butter moseys into AMP to host a Pajama Jam with delightful tunes full of flavors from reggaetón, hip-hop, and dance hall. These Parents’ Choice Award-winning musical maestros put on a unique show full of tasty beats and catchy melodies that is as irresistible as it is creative. Their interactive and invigorating music has charmed audiences across the nation and on Nick Jr. and Noggin.

LET IT FLOW Friday, June 23, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $20-$30 Washington, D.C.’s Let it Flow captivates audiences with a stirring blend of contemporary jazz, neo-soul, R&B, modern hip-hop, and old-school grooves. The band’s smooth and soulful sound thrums with energy and emotion, inviting listeners into their unique and dynamic vision of contemporary R&B. Flow’s tight blend of rhythm, keys, and horns provides a lively bed for their danceable, sultry vocal stylings.

ORKESTA MENDOZA Wednesday, June 28, 2017 8 p.m.Tickets $17-$28 Smashing together traditional Mexican regional styles like cumbia, mambo, and mariachi with a keen indie rock sensibility and an electronic edge, Orkesta Mendoza is a band of undeniable vibrancy. Their music is raucous and vigorous, but with the focus and dedication of a band of exceptional musicians. Led by multi-instrumentalist Sergio Mendoza, Orkesta Mendoza’s music evokes the idiosyncratic cultural and musical blend of the Mexican-American border, while paying homage in rhythm and mood to the ’60s rock Mendoza grew up listening to. Described by Joey Burns of rock band Calexico as “epic and soulful,” Orkesta Mendoza bring their latest album, ¡Vamos A Guarachar! to AMP.

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