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Description
4 WOMEN OF JAZZ
October 17, 2026
$30 Tickets | $3 Service fee applies for any credit card
Iva Jean Ambush
Award-winning jazz vocalist Iva Jean Ambush, affectionately known as “The Scat Lady,” is celebrated for her inventive improvisation, rhythmic phrasing and vibrant fusion of jazz, gospel, funk and soul. The Frederick, Maryland, vocalist is a winner of the prestigious Billie Holiday Competition and has performed at Birdland, the Kennedy Center, Blues Alley, Le Duc des Lombards in Paris, the DC Jazz Festival, AFRAM and the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. Deeply influenced by her family’s jazz legacy and mentorship from Sheila Jordan, Dr. Horace Boyer and Ronnie Wells, Iva continues to elevate the voice as an instrument, a language and a musical conversation.
Petra Martin
Vocalist Petra Martin has captivated audiences for more than two decades with her rich, soulful sound, blues-infused phrasing and elegant stage presence. She spent ten years studying with renowned jazz vocalist and educator Ronnie Wells and pianist Ron Elliston at the Elliston Music Studio for Jazz Study, where she worked alongside some of Washington, D.C.’s finest musicians. Petra’s appearances include the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, BlackRock Center for the Arts, Takoma Station, Brownsville Jazz, An die Musik, Mr. Henry’s and the Harriet Tubman Museum. A heartfelt storyteller, she brings warmth, honesty and emotional depth to jazz, blues, soul, R&B, gospel and Brazilian music.
Colie Aziza
Vocalist and songwriter Colie Aziza blends sultry jazz and soul with therapeutic spoken word that speaks to the mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of her listeners. A graduate of New York’s Music & Art High School, she continued her studies in musical theatre at Syracuse University before touring with professional theatrical productions, including a Kennedy Center national tour. Colie has headlined at venues including Blues Alley and completed a seven-year residency at JoJo Restaurant and Bar. She performs with Deep Water Jazz, Liberated Muse Arts Group, the Charles Rahmat Group and her own ensemble, Soul for a New Day.
Gigi
Vocalist, songwriter, recording artist and ukulele player Regina “Gigi” Earl brings a creative, contemporary spirit to jazz through original music and distinctive arrangements of R&B, blues and pop standards. A Spelman College graduate with a degree in music, she spent five years as a weekly jam-session host and performer at the World Stage in Los Angeles and performed with the Ukulele Orchestra of the Western Hemisphere. Since relocating to Maryland in 2019, Regina has performed throughout Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Annapolis, Silver Spring and Northern Virginia. Her engaging performances reflect her commitment to community, collaboration and bringing people together through music.
HOST/FOUNDER …
DeCasto Brown
Washington, D.C., native DeCasto Brown discovered his love of music through the powerful soloists and choirs of the Baptist church. A graduate of Anacostia High School and Delaware State University, he distinguished himself as an All-American, Hall of Fame wide receiver while also performing with the professional Autumn House Gospel Ensemble. Influenced by jazz masters Clifford Brown and John Coltrane and vocalists Eddie Jefferson, Johnny Hartman, Abbey Lincoln, Paul Williams, Philippe Wynne, Nat King Cole and Freddy Cole, DeCasto possesses a distinctive baritone-tenor voice equally suited to swinging up-tempo selections and expressive ballads. Featured on Terry Marshall’s 2014 recording Arrival, he has performed at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Twins Jazz, Montpelier Arts Center, Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society, and Jazz Night at Westminster.
THE BAND:
PETE FRASSRAND
Detroit-born pianist and educator Pete Frassrand brings a deep appreciation for jazz history, community and musical collaboration to every performance. A graduate of Towson University with a degree in music education, he studied with noted musicians Robert Redd, Charles Covington, Greg Hatza and Tim Murphy. Pete has performed at the Kennedy Center, National Museum of African American History and Culture, National Press Club, Nationals Park and many celebrated Washington-area jazz venues. Since 2011, he has served as pianist for the Greater U Street Jazz Collective. He also collaborates regularly with David Cole and Main Street Blues, Brownsville Jazz, and Charles Rahmat Woods
EMORY DIGGS
Washington, D.C.–born bassist Emory Diggs Jr. began playing bass while stationed in Europe, teaching himself by jamming with fellow servicemen in German nightclubs. Equally accomplished on acoustic and electric bass, he has performed across jazz, blues, R&B, go-go, gospel and big-band music. Emory recorded with Chuck Brown on the albums The Other Side and Timeless and has shared the stage with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Smith, Ahmad Jamal, Dizzy Gillespie, Jean Carn, Rachelle Ferrell and George Duke. He also represented Washington, D.C., at Italy’s San Remo Jazz Festival and currently performs with David Cole and the Main Street Blues Band
FRANK WILLIAMS, IV
Drummer, percussionist and educator Frank T. Williams IV has earned the respect of musicians and audiences through performances at major festivals, concert halls and intimate jazz clubs across the country. A first-place drum soloist in the Count Basie Orchestra/Hampton University Jazz Competition and University of North Florida Jazz Competition, he has performed or toured with Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Nat Adderley, John Lamb, Scotty Barnhart, Marcus Printup and Doug Carn. Frank has also appeared at the East Coast Jazz Festival and Sarasota Jazz Festival. In addition to performing, he lectures on music and jazz history and provides individual and group percussion instruction.
Date & Time
Sat, Oct 17, 2026 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Venue Details
El Golfo Restaurant (124 Assigned Seating)
8739 Flower AvenueSilver Spring, Maryland 20901
