Description
Guy and Gals 2026
Jazz Night Out
Holiday Show
SATURDAY
DECEMBER 19
Doors Open at 7:00pm
$30 AT THE DOOR plus Credit Card Service Fee
$15 FOOD & DRINK MIN.
Artist include DeCasto Brown, Petra Martin, Iva Jean Ambush, Tony “Big Cat” Smith, Terry Koger, Pete Frassrand, John Leonard, and Frank Williams, IV
DeCASTO BROWN
DeCasto Brown is a native Washingtonian whose musical inspiration began during his early introduction into the Baptist Church where the soloists and choirs grabbed his attention. A graduate of Anacostia High School and Delaware State University, he mastered on the football field as an All-American and Hall of Fame wide receiver and flourished within the drama department, eventually becoming a member of the Autumn House Gospel Ensemble (a professional theatre company in the state of Delaware).
Also, while attending Delaware State, he became acquainted with the “Masters of Jazz”, which includes Clifford Brown and John Coltrane, his personal favorites. His vocal influences include Eddie Jefferson, Paul Williams, Philippe Wynne, Johnny Hartman, Abbey Lincoln and brothers Nat and Freddy Cole. On the 2014 Terry Marshall debut CD “Arrival”, DeCasto is featured performing “Moodies Mood for Love”.
DeCasto’s natural baritone/tenor style is unique and whether up tempo or ballad, he has the chops of a jazz maestro.
DeCasto has performed at:
Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival:
Twins Jazz
Montpelier Art Center
Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Center
Jazz Night at Westminster DC
PETRA MARTIN
Petra Martin has been singing for over 20 years. Ms. Martin had the opportunity of a lifetime to train under the tutelage of the late and great jazz balladeer and educator Ronnie Wells and husband, pianist Ron Elliston at The Elliston Music Studio for Jazz Study for ten years. There she was exposed to work with some of DC’s finest musicians.
Petra has lent her vocals to perform at an array of eclectic events in and around the DC metropolitan area and beyond, such as The Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, BlackRock Center for The Arts, Beach Urban Dance Classic, The historic Mr. Henry’s, The Harriet Tubman Museum, Takoma Station, Corporate events and more. Petra has also been featured on Living Local DMV, Channel DCW 50.
With just one listen to Ms. Martin’s silky belted tunes, you will completely be engulfed within her sound and lose yourself under her bluesy spell.
IVA JEAN AMBUSH
Jazz Vocalist Iva Jean Ambush, the scat lady, is the recent winner of the coveted Billie Holiday Competition. She has performed at Birdland (NYC), the DC Jazz Festival, Keystone Korner - Baltimore, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Alice's Jazz and Cultural Society, Blues Alley, Le Duc des Lombards, Bethesda Blues and Jazz Club, International Association of Jazz Educators Conferences, Frederick - In The Streets Festival, the Billy Strayhorn 100th Birthday Celebration, WPFW 89.3 Live @ 5, Conservatorium van Amsterdam, Jazz Night @Westminster DC, Amherst Fine Arts Center, Ritz Carlton Pentagon, Frederick's Baker Park 4th of July Celebration (multiple years), the East Coast Jazz Festival, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and more. Iva enjoys exploring the concepts of jazz phrasing and rhythms with the help of jazz legends, Sheila Jordan, Dr. Horace Boyer, and Ronnie Wells. Some of her other influences include Dr. Frederick Tillis, Prof. Charles Ellison and the late Dr. Billy Taylor and Dr. Bro. Yusef Lateef.
She has a family full of Jazz Musicians which include on the maternal side, late trumpeter Lester Bowie, the late Byron Bowie (saxophonist/composer/arranger), Defunkt's founder Joe Bowie, guitarist Jonathan Townes and on the paternal side, bassist Scott Ambush (Spyro Gyra [and Formerly with Stanley Turrentine]), and pianist Allen Ambush. There are a host of others too numerous to name.
Ms. Ambush is working on her next CD, I Am Jazz, which is a homage to her family with a Jazz fusion of Gospel, Funk and Soul. Through music written by the pioneers, Iva Jean Ambush, will demonstrate why the "Voice" remains the epitome of communication via syncopation --
Elevating the Instrument, the Language, the Conversation.
Anthony (Tony) “Big Cat” Smith
Trumpeter Tony “Big Cat” Smith was born and raised on the east side of Wilmington, Delaware. Currently residing in New Castle, Delaware. Began playing the trumpet in elementary school in the Wilmington Public School System. Graduated from Howard High School in 1972 and received a music scholarship to Delaware State College and earned a B.S. Degree in Music Education in 1978. Earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Wilmington College. Studied music under world renowned jazz master Robert “Boysie” Lowery. Worked as a teacher in the New Castle County School District, Christina Cultural Arts Center, Brandywine School District, and as a building administrator in the Brandywine School District. Retired from education in 2006.
Performs jazz trumpet music regularly in the Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York areas in a variety of musical genres with an emphasis on small ensemble settings. Has performed in numerous jazz productions and festivals throughout the United Stated and abroad including The Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, The Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Series, The Winterthur Yuletide Jazz Series, The Woodmere Jazz Series, The Willingboro Jazz Festival, The Cape May Jazz Festival, The Rehoboth Jazz Festival, Fulda Germany World Music Festival, Wilmington Arts Alive Festival, Delaware Art Museum Jazz Series, performing with local and nationally known acts and artists including The Tony Smith Group, Tony Smith's Music Explosion, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Dells, James Moody, Jimmy Heather, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Byrd,, Clifford Jordan,, Terrell Stafford, Ernie Watts, Rob Swanson, Jeff Knoettner, Lisa Chavous, Jackie Browne, Lucky Thompson’s DNA, Aniya Jazz, Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, The Boysie Lowery Big Band, The Clef Club Big Band, The Don Wilson Big Band, The Mill Creek Jazz Orchestra, The Wilmington Jazz Allstars, The Philadelphia Community College Big Band, Gerald Chavis' Fast Lane Big Band, The Clifford Brown Festival Orchestra, The Christina Electric Light Orchestra, and many more. Trumpet influences include Louis Armstrong, Hugh Masekela, Dizzy Guillespie, Clifford Brown, Miles Davis, and Freddie Hubbard.
Musical works include “The History and Development of Jazz” “A Musical Tribute to Clifford Brown” “The History of Jazz From A Trumpeter’s Point of View” “A Tribute To The Greatest African American Trumpet Players in American History”
Co-Authored a book with Will Smith Sr. entitled “The Waymor” The book is about how a night at a jazz club can turn out to be “way more than you bargained for” and how the actions of one night can change lives forever. It’s a book about people and music and how lives intertwine.
Awards and recognitions include First Recipient of CCAC Imhotep Award, Christi Award Recipient, HAAN Black History Month Award, NAACP Presidents Award, The Clef Club Trumpet Award, and The Clifford Brown Legacy Award.
Terry Koger
Terry Koger - Anne Arundel County Maryland 2022 Annie Award Performing Artist recipient Terry Koger is a passionate musician with 30+ years experience performing, teaching and organizing events. Experience in themed jazz programs in large and small ensemble settings. He has played in several bands including his ensemble, TKQ, The Terry Koger Quintet, Vattel Cherry’s Soul Station, The Eubie Blake Big Band, The Deep Water Jazz Band, the Benny Russell Big Band, The George Gray Coalition, and Rhythminic Accents. He has performed at the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Takoma Station Tavern, Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Center, An Die Musik, The Arts Barn, Caton Castle, Mr. Henry’s, Germanos, Keystone Korner and throughout the East Coast.
PETE FRASSRAND
Pete Frassrand was born in Detroit, he grew up in a family of teachers and musicians. He is proud to now be a teacher and musician. He first learned piano from his mother, who was the minister of music at their local church. After playing the piano on and off for years, in 1995 he moved to the DC area and decided to study music seriously. He is grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from area players like Robert Redd, Charles Covington, and Tim Murphy. In 2000, he received his music education degree from Towson University and now share jazz with young people as a music teacher. Over the years, he has also honed his performance skills in DC clubs like Utopia, Twins, Alice's Jazz and Cultural Society, Bohemian Caverns and Jojo's. Since 2011 he has served as the pianist for the Greater U Street Jazz Collective, which has made appearances at events such as the DC Jazz Festival, the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, and the Congressional Black Caucus. He considers himself extremely lucky to be able to do what he does in an area with such a rich musical and cultural history.
JOHN LEONARD
Born and raised in Olney, Maryland, bassist John Leonard attended Magruder High School before moving to Boston to study at Berklee College of Music. During his time in Boston, he studied privately with John Neves, John Rappucci, and Whit Browne and performed with Herb Pomeroy, Mike Metheny, Rebecca Parris, and other area artists.
After returning to the Washington, DC area, John continued performing with musicians including Paul Carr, Ronnie Wells, Ron Elliston, and Paul Wingo. His performance credits also include Kenny Rankin, Robben Ford, Bruce Barth, and Michelle Rosewoman.
John has recorded with Marty Nau, Lou Rainone, and Kathy Troccoli and was a member of the trio Bacas, Cunneff, Leonard. He currently performs with the Mike Kamuf Little Big Band and is a member of the Terry Koger Quintet.
His musical influences span jazz and classical traditions, including bassists Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, Ron Carter, Dave Holland, Charlie Haden, and Charles Mingus, alongside J.S. Bach, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, Bill Evans, Art Blakey, Keith Jarrett, and John Coltrane
FRANK T WILLIAMS, IV
Jazz drummer, composer and educator, Frank T. Williams, IV, has been playing jazz drums professionally for over 30 years, and has been playing drums since he received his first drumset, at age 5. Since then, Mr. Williams has performed, toured and jammed with a variety of jazz luminaries and legends such as Nat Adderley, Douglas Carn, John Lamb, The Marcus Printup Quartet, The Michael Thomas Quintet, Andrew White, Marcus Roberts, Eric Lewis, Benito Gonzales, Ben Wiliams, Bob Murad and Wynton Marsalis.
Currently, Mr. Williams primarily performs with the Michael Thomas Quintet. This quintet has been together for 20 years, and received a first round Grammy ballet entry in 2010 for their CD release, “Live at Twins Jazz” Volume 2. The 5th CD recorded with this powerhouse quintet. Frank also performs with pianist and composer extraordinaire Bob Murad, and is a guest artist drummer on his latest released CD, “ The Observer”.
Mr. Williams also performs freelance with a number of local and national musical acts and keeps a private percussion studio of anywhere from 10 to 15 percussion students. Thus far, all of Mr. Willams’ private students who have continued through high school have been accepted to college on full music scholarships.
Mr. Williams has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education for Florida A&M University and a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Gratz College. With over 25 years of teaching experience, Mr. Frank T. Williams IV has a unique perspective as a clinician and private teacher.
Frank T. Williams IV has endorsements with Grover Pro Percussion, Soultone Cymbals, Rampad and is a voting member of the Grammy Academy.
Date & Time
Sat, Dec 19, 2026 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Venue Details
El Golfo Restaurant (124 Assigned Seating)
8739 Flower AvenueSilver Spring, Maryland 20901
