Soupless, a duo from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, arrived on the alternative rock scene with their album The Outside - an exploration of overlapping journeys and beginnings and endings. Known for blending time-tested sounds of the genre with their own unique approach, this album tests the boundaries of Soupless’s chill yet eclectic take on alternative rock.

The Outside is not only a metaphor for their debut into the scene, but it’s a way to conceptualize leaving their dorm-room-turned-recording-studio. The duo, guitarist and producer Matthew Aasen and vocalist Aiden Rinaldo, became roommates during their studies at Belmont University in Nashville.

Of the album, Rinaldo reflected on its meaning to Soupless and the audience they hope to reach. “The album came together almost by accident… I think it could make a big splash if it falls into the right hands or the right circles that would really engage with it and try to understand it.”

In many ways, their debut also marks the end of a journey and the beginning of a new one. Though their dorm room recording studio era has come to an end, their 10-song album marks the beginning to a consistent cycle of rebirth and rediscovery as musicians. First released as a single, ‘In The Mirror’ is a story that tells itself– an inner battle, the big moments and the small ones, and an ever-present tumble with fate’s will. A cymbal crash represents the breaking glass of that reflection and a turn towards something new, something Asen and Rinaldo accomplish wholeheartedly in this release.

When asked about their favorite songs on the album, ‘In The Mirror’ and ‘Tick On’ were tied for first. “Both have the strength of tackling abstract but relevant topics, but have different approaches,” said Rinaldo. “In The Mirror’s climax with the glass shattering right in the middle of the album is certainly there for a reason, and is super memorable. Tick On has an awesome guitar solo in the end and has a trippier vibe, tackling the constructs of time lyrically and with the instruments echoing similar sentiments.”

There is no doubt that this album digs a little deeper than previous EPs. Every song has that feeling that there’s more than meets the ear on first listen– whether it’s the lyrics, the mood of the instruments, or the production. Soupless has used their EP Polly’s and single releases to explore their sound from their groovy and bluesy foundations to create their debut album. The Outside gives a deeper dive into the psychedelic and dreamy guitar and lyrics, moving between Soupless’s classic alternative sound and experimenting further with heavier, more demanding sonic themes.

Aasen described the songs he felt were the biggest risks. “K9 and Keep On Going were risks out of our comfort zone in quite opposing ways. K9 features some more modern production elements, including a big synth bass that strays a bit from our typical palette. There’s also some prominent synth chords that were different from anything in songs we’ve put out in the past. Keep On Going took an acoustic vibe, with acoustic instruments serving as the foundation,” he said. “We leaned into an unpolished, rougher sound on this one that is very apparent in the vocals. The choices we made when creating these songs ultimately were to serve the song.”

Soupless primarily performs in their local Nashville scene, though Aasen hails from the DMV. Recently, the band performed at the Belmont University Rock Showcase near Nashville, an event that provides both student performers and behind-the-scenes leaders a chance to show off their skills both on and off stage while boasting some impressive alums– including Judah & The Lion, COIN, Tyler Hubbard of Florida Georgia Line, and Brad Paisley. Soupless emerged from the showcase as the overall winner, giving them the chance to play and compete at the Best of the Best Showcase in April 2026.

We hope you enjoy the album as much as we did.  We look forward to Soupless venturing further beyond Nashville, and especially look forward to greeting Aasen back to the DMV as a returning hometown hero.

When The Black Crowes came to Wolf Trap on June 23rd, 2022, they brought with them West Coast-based Howlin Rain. The Black Crowes may have started their performance with "Twice As Hard," but Howlin Rain was certainly working twice as hard to earn new fans and introduce themselves to bigger East Coast audiences.  

Howlin Rain was founded in 2004 in Oakland, California, by frontman Ethan Miller, this band has become one of the quintessential independent rock and roll bands in America.  Bands are simply not built like this anymore - guitar-forward, hard-charging full-on rock & roll thunder. Howlin Rain is composed of Ethan Miller (vocals, guitar), Kyre Wilcox (bass, backing vocals), Justin Smith (drums, backing vocals), and Jason Soda (guitar, backing vocals). Their sound owes a deep credit to the influences of the powerful blues-rock of West Coast 1970s rock and also draws from a rich musical lineage going back several generations of rock and roll. They share a sound space similar to The Black Crowes and The Rolling Stones. Just as a flower's nectar attracts a bee, the sound and style of Howlin Rain have attracted notable collaborators who were drawn to the band's sound. Collaborators have included Adam MacDougall (Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Circles Around the Sun), legendary violinist Scarlet Rivera (Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Review), and Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes).

Throughout their career, Howlin Rain has crisscrossed the United States performing upon countless stages, crafting their mass-moving funk stomp with stellar band interactions and jams. During their travels, Howlin Rain has ventured beyond our native shores and has spent more than one occasion journeying across the Atlantic Ocean to perform on stages across Europe. All these experiences have prepared this band to take the next step and step into the limelight of larger stages, and they were ready when The Black Crowes asked them to open three performances on their "Shake Your Money Maker" 2022 Tour.

Within the first minutes of Howlin Rain's performance at Wolf Trap, there was little doubt as to why the Crowes asked them to open for them. The quartet appeared on stage and plugged in, ready to give the audience thirty minutes of pure musical muscle. But, of course, with their vintage sound, one had to take notice and check to see if there were matching period curly guitar chords dangling from their guitar jacks - we checked, and we were a little surprised that no curly chords were found swaying in the wind.

The band played a ferocious performance that lasted a scant thirty minutes with little pause or respite except for moments when they acknowledged and expressed gratitude to the growing audience.  The band was clearly enjoying themselves and delighted in the size of Wolf Trap's stage and performing in front of such a large crowd. Bassist Kyre Wilcox, in particular, thoroughly enjoyed playing to the crowd. As Ethan Miller snarled out lyrics, Krye swaggered from end to end of the stage, collaborating with his bandmates, letting his hair flip with reckless abandon, and capturing the crowd's attention.  

In its inaugural entry into the Interpretations series, Growroom Productions has selected 12 eclectic DC and NYC-area artists to tackle a track-for-track cover of Morphine’s Cure for the Pain, an album that some may consider the magnum opus of one of the 90s most indisputably unique and inventive bands.

A seemingly ambitious first entry into the series given the avant-garde instrumentation, songwriting, and general approach to music Morphine took before Mark Sandman’s untimely and tragic demise onstage, it proves to be a great starting point for what will hopefully be many entries in the series. 

For context, the original Cure for the Pain recording primarily consists of unique instruments such as a 2-string slide bass and tritar accompanied by baritone and tenor saxophones and drums. Not exactly a conventional setup for an alternative rock band, but one that proved extremely effective. 

This unconventional nature seems to have lent itself perfectly to reinterpretation. Each artist covers one song each from the album, and many times the artist’s genre and sound are a far cry from the often murky and moody sound of the original. Yet it is almost uncanny how each one seems to tap directly into the soul of Sandman’s compositions and lyrics, reinventing them in a way that strikes a fine balance between remaining true to the original work while providing a new and fresh perspective on the song that ultimately heightens the original.

Take, for instance, the electronic versions of the songs, specifically "All Wrong," covered by NYC-based MKMKMK, and Aleutian Arc’s version of "In Spite of Me." Wildly different that the original versions, they prove to be two of the most interesting tracks, if for anything, due to the degree of departure from the source material.

But there are far more genres represented here. The MOD Orchestra kicks off the album with cover of "Dawna" that seems to venture into psychedelia and post-rock over waves of lush soundscapes. Punk and garage rock are strongly represented by Forrest Fire’s "Mary Won’t You Call My Name" and Badassassins’ (it’s easier to say with practice) "Thursday," both highlights of the album.

However, the most interesting tracks may be offered up in the Gordon Sterling & Candace Mills duet cover of "Let’s Take a Trip Together," and the album closer Miles Davis’ "Funeral" by Dayvd Beach.

These are but a handful of songs on an eclectic album that stuck out to this reviewer. But there is no doubt in my mind that, whether one is familiar with the source material or not, there is something here for most music fans to appreciate. It may go so far as to broaden your horizons musically and inspire you to check out the source material, which any self-respecting music fan should give a listen at least once.

One hundred percent of the profits from the album will be donated to the Public Justice Center to stand up for rights of underserved communities through legal advocacy. The album is available starting September 10 for purchase and streaming services.

The DC-based soul/rock band Gordon Sterling & The People is forging out of the pandemic so fresh, like a cicada shedding its shell. Fronted by beloved guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Gordon Sterling and featuring a strong new lineup of players, the band has spent the past year crafting a magnificent album, Truth, due out later this year.

For now, they are playing a FREE, outdoor show this Sunday night at The State Theatre, which feels like the musical reunion we all need.  

I had the chance to connect with Gordon and Cliff Blum (guitarist) to learn more about how this band came together during the pandemic through some strokes of serendipity to create a body of work that feels like magic to them. 

Gordon and Cliff, thank you so much for connecting with me today! 

Gordon and Cliff: It's great to catch up with you, Nina!

Tell me about the name Gordon Sterling & The People. I feel like "the people" can envelop so many. There's the band obviously, but so much more—your crew, the community, the listener. 

Gordon: Exactly, there are many ways to look at it. Sometimes it feels like the entire conglomerate, the band, the crew, but for sure people who are listening are a part of the celebration. It's like, Gordon Sterling & The People, come be part of the party, be with us, let’s get down. 

And the band had other members in it before, tell me a little about that transition. 

Gordon: The previous core crew of TJ Turqman, Gena Photiadis, and Adam "Snaxx" Orlando were amazing. For a time, we also had Mary eL on backing vocals. With this crew the music was from the heart, we still feel every note.  But the reality was this band wasn’t the main band for everyone except me, and I wanted to go all the way. It was time to transition and was done on great terms, the core members were so gracious about it.  I said, “you know how much I love you, but I need to go all the way with this.” And they were cool about it.

So how did this new configuration come to be?

Gordon: The way it all kind of happened was when Cliff and I got together. It’s been a long time since I’ve taken guitar lessons and I wanted to learn how to teach at the beginning of Covid so I could offer lessons. That's where the spark started. Cliff and I started trading ideas for fun. Then we started putting music and context to it and felt like, "we're onto something here. Let’s put a band together on this."

Cliff: Yeah, exactly that. I offered to help teach Gordon how to teach, and he asked me what could I trade for lessons. I told him that I have so many song ideas but have a hard time finishing them. I asked if I could show him some riffs and chords, and then ten minutes later he helped me finish a first song. And Gordon said I might want to use this, and I was like, "cool, yeah!"

That next week we got together and instead of doing teaching, we wrote a song again. And that literally happened almost every week for about 2-3 months so we had a new idea every time. Around the 4th or 5th song we realized we had a synergy, a groove, and recognized how special it was.

Gordon: Yeah, and I had stuff written from before  Covid, and Cliff had stuff, and when we shared we found ourselves finishing each other’s sentences musically, it was effortless.

I wanted to put a band together around these songs. I’ve played a lot with Scott Clement and Dave Ray, they were working with me as a trio at one point. Those two have a hive mind and lock in so well together and are both masters at playing each exactly what the song needs.  We did that for a few months and the more it went down, the more the pieces fell into place. 

They sound like they connect like a rhythm section double helix!

Gordon: Exactly!

Cliff:  Around that time, I had a gig at Crooked Run and some musicians couldn’t make it. I asked Gordon if he could jam and play some covers, and Dave and Scott joined so it was the trio plus me. That show was pretty freaking magical, it felt effortless, amazing. Months later we invited Dave and Scott over to share our songs and they just played the exact right parts. The song just worked out perfectly, they just did the right stuff, and that kept happening over and over and over.

It's funny to think that the chance opportunity at Crooked Run was a window into what could be that we didn’t realize. Magical and serendipitous. 

Gordon: But there was still a missing piece and I knew exactly who I wanted to work with to round out our sound —Natalie Brooke.  She is such a dynamic keys player. I called her up, and then, funny story: When I met with her I was really nervous because I wanted to ask her to join in, and I know she's busy with her own band and other projects. We got to talking, I was asking questions trying to gauge her interest, and she looked at me puzzled and said something like, "oh, I was assuming I was already in it when you called!" Then we laughed and I was so relieved. And it's been amazing having Natalie, we call her "Kool Aid" because she busts into the room with so much energy like the Kool Aid man.

And the rest is history, the five of us are making this beautiful music, journey, and sound together and I’m loving it.

And it sounds to me like Covid was also a character in your story and played a role in this band’s re-emergence. It was an odd and painful year for sure on so many levels. How did you create this deep connection during the pandemic?

Cliff: Covid was a weird, beautiful blessing in disguise but we were able to make the most out of it. I think it was literally essential for this band becoming a thing. It gave us the time and energy to focus on the writing and arranging and chemistry. We did it when it was hot out, cold out, didn't matter, we set up gear outside every single time. And we had the time to craft our music together, and for Gordon and I to spend time planning. We were pushing to start gigging before lockdown but then focused on writing and rehearsing and that gave us the room to write the songs, to record an album, and feel like we're ready to go now that things are opening up.   

This past year had so much going on obviously even beyond Covid with BLM, the election, and the feeling that the world was at a tipping point. It's amazing you found something so special despite everything. 

Gordon: It’s strange, in some ways this has been the best year I’ve had, and in obvious ways it's been rough.  As a Black man in this country, I had to wrestle with some shit, but on a more personal level. In the band, we are doing what a lot of people are doing —with BLM, LGBTQIA+, there’s a new civil rights battle every day — and our music reflects that. Some of our music is social. We are about the human experience.

Tell me more about the magic that was happening at the practices specifically, let me more into the process.

Gordon: First off, it has to be said, we were careful. We practiced outside at Cliff’s house in his driveway. 

Cliff: It was kind of great, half the neighborhood would hear it and loved it, neighbors brought chairs over up the long driveway and would hang out. 

Gordon: And for real, one Sunday we had an eight hour practice, everyone in the band was all in, so committed. It always felt like that from day one.

Cliff: The specialness, cosmic-ness, it’s not lost on any of us. We would get together and talk a lot, just sit back and feel like, "damn, this is incredible." It’s mind blowing, and everyone feels that way in their own way. We all are gushing together, on each other.

And can you share more about your songwriting process?

Cliff:  Gordon and I have a lot of overlap, we complement each other well in our playing and writing.  I could show him something  and he would put his spin on it and make it sound unique and fresh and new because of the way we complement each other.

Gordon:  Yeah, and on the album, much of the writing happened between me and Cliff. There are a few songs I wrote in their entirety. And the title track, "Truth," the music was written by Scott. He had been working on it for a while before bringing it to us. And when he let us hear it, it was amazing. That song feels light, it moves smoothly, but it is a hard song technically even though it doesn’t sound like it, it has a lot of changes going on in it. 

And that title track, "Truth," touches on something so deep, so personal, moving, but still with that bounce and lightness. 

Gordon: The songs are about human experience, we are all in this together, and the album is named "Truth" for a reason, the whole theme of the record is about facing some uncomfortable truths, or glorious truths, or profound truths, or funny cheeky truths. I don’t think I want to write another way, writing honestly, moving people, speaking to people.

Cliff: Something I love about this band and every song we write, is that all of them are very different songs. All are unique, but we have found our sound, for sure, and we are excited about that.  And we are going to keep growing and expanding, we are constantly trying to find new and different ideas.

Gordon: Yeah, it's so important to have an identity, man. We aren’t the "next anything," we are the one and only us, we pulled from our influences and developed a sound we will continue to grow. 

I also was expecting a song with the name "Truth" to be hard hitting. And it was but in this inviting, uplifting, accessible way. I loved the vibe, the gospel elements. It felt like a welcoming anthem, and like a song of summer. 

Gordon: Thank you. Yes, there is a classic gospel, soul feel in "Truth."

And the songs in general on this incredible album, take this the right way, weren't exactly what I was expecting having seen you perform live so many times. I've seen you jam like it's no one's business. But these songs had maybe less jam, and more structure. An intentionality and a unique voicing for every song in the album. 

Gordon: I think you are keyed into something about the songs in general. This band is very song based. I want to make music that is good music, obviously, but also right at you, not to go over your head, not leaving you guessing. I wanted it to be like a warm blanket, something familiar and safe in the way it feels like home, it feels like you feel it in your soul, you don’t have to think too hard.

Bob Marley once said, "I write a song about complex issues in a way a baby understands." And his music is still in the hearts and minds of anyone who takes music seriously. And rather than try to approach it in how hip or crazy this is, writing straight at people in an honest way and not looking away, keeping that stare is what this music is about. And we achieved it, definitely. This music is supposed to be understood. Got. And relatable. And by no means it doesn't mean we won't jam. We write songs first. The jam just has to serve the song. 

Cliff: What’s interesting is the show I mentioned at Crooked Run was all jamming. And in this band, everyone has been in an open jam community, we've all been steeped in it, we all know we love to jam and that’s part of us. But because Gordon and I started this up by writing real "song songs" that captivated ourselves, that’s what we formed the band around. 

Gordon: Yeah, it's like that Jay-Z line, something like, "you're going to turn me back to my old me,"...if there's room for a jam in a song, you know we can go there. 

Cliff: Right, the capability is always there that we can open it up if we want it to. Best of both worlds. 

Gordon: I think to your point, Nina, people aren’t going to expect this but they will get it as soon as they hear it. 

To learn more about Gordon Sterling & The People, check out the following resources:

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When I ask musicians in the DMV music scene who they would love to collaborate with, the name Papylulu comes up all the time in the drummer category.  It's clear why: Papylulu is a drummer extraordinaire. Not only is he technically deft, like jaw-droppingly good, he also exudes such a pure love when he plays. Love of the music, love of his instrument, love of people, love of being. You can't help but smile when you're in his presence.

I had the chance to connect with Papylulu before his recent Blues Alley livestream with The Dave Kline Band featuring Senator Tim Kaine on harmonica and vocals. Our conversation was wonderful but a touch bittersweet: bitter that we couldn't connect in person, bitter imagining the legendary Blues Alley no longer being tucked away in historic Georgetown. And sweet that it was lovely Papylulu, about to perform with incredible musicians, calling me in that special space between sound check and performance. 

It was a treat to learn more about the artist behind the beat, and behind his enormous smile. We talked about his growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, about where he finds inspiration, his newest single "Tales of Papylulu," and what he has coming up on his bright horizon.

Papylulu, it is such a pleasure to connect with you. Even over the phone I feel your smile. First question: I've always wanted to know more about your musical background. When did you start playing? 

Thank you so much, it's always good to connect even though we can't in person. I appreciate very much talking to you now!

Music was very fascinating to me as a kid. All I ever thought or dreamt about as a little child was music.  Before I had access to music instruments, I made use of my mothers cooking utensils, pens, rulers and whatever I could create a rhythm with. I grew up in a Christian home and as I got older, the church gave me opportunities to explore my in-built talent and passion for music, for which I am grateful.

Tell me about your most recent solo music release, "Tales of Papylulu." I see that you wrote, arranged, produced, and of course played drums on this track. 

"Tales of Papylulu" is a song I composed, arranged, and produced to showcase who the man behind the drums is.  My music cuts across every region, every continent, doesn't matter where your from. It's  multi-dimensional and relates to humanity as a whole regardless of how one may be labeled.

The song is filled with so much joy. So tell me, who IS the man behind the drums? 

The lyrics are talking about an African drummer that has a lot of presence and brings positive energy to the world. This song is about sharing what I do and who I am, it is sharing my personal life.  

There are a lot of collaborators on this track that you composed, produced, and arranged. Who else played on it?

There are so many talented artists who contributed to this song. We had Issac Denzel Manford on keys/synth, Yologaza Jonas on bass guitar, Adedeji Adetayo on lead guitar, Segun Atoyebi on sax and background vocals, Taiwo Adeagbo (Tperc) on talking drum/percussions, Adekunbi kosoko and Alaba Babatunde on vocal chants, Mary Oshin on background vocals, Vincent Othieno (of Bass Cleff Music) recorded, mixed, and mastered, Bruno (Block Magic) was the videographer, and Raki Bangura, Leandra Ngameduru, and Glory Nchotaku were the dancers/models. 

Is this your first solo track? What other music projects have you been working on, either solo or with others?

I released my first single in 2016 called "Business into Pleasure."  And I always have a lot of projects going on at once. I have an endorsement with SoulTone Cymbals, and have worked on various music projects with artists across the globe, too many to list here! I am also very passionate about music production.

Tell me more about that. What do you like most about producing music?
Production helps me approach music In a more broad way, its super adventurous and brings out that creative side of me aside been a drummer. it’s give me the ability to focus on music from the listener perspective.

How do you think the DC music scene will change once things get back to a “new normal”?

A lot of musicians have approached music differently since the pandemic, most events became virtual. This can bring a new way of organizing concerts and events.

So last question: what's next on the horizon for you? 

Right now I'm completing my first EP that will include "Tales of Papylulu" and "Business Into Pleasure" on it. I am in the process of recording about 5-6 more tracks. And when things open back up again, you know I'll be out playing more shows. 

Well, I'm super excited to hear this EP. I love the two songs I already know on it and have no doubt the others will continue to lift my spirits in the way that you do. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to connect with me, and I can't wait to see you play out again!

Thank you so much, it has been good to connect and I too can't wait to see all the DC music scene out again when the time is right. 

To learn more about Papylulu, check out the following sites:

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So Eric, let's start off with your latest album, Peace Bomb. The message and the music is so timely right now. Tell me more about it.

Thanks so much! I wanted to try some new things, so I took my time with this record. I've always wanted to do a soul record with horns, sassy background vocals, strings, and a lot of layers. My love of 70's soul music really guided the recordings, and it ended up being like a throwback soul record with modern sensibilities. I call it Modern Soul. I think this is where my sound has been headed all along.

Peace Bomb, it's a curious juxtaposition. Tell me more about the title track and name of the album. 

Although the title track is about the state of the world and how I'd like to drop a Bomb of Peace on everything, it's really an album about love, relationships, and self-discovery.

I love that, and the video is so terrific! You have lots of amazing guest artists on this album, tell me who was involved. 

It was a group effort and a labor of love. My producer Jim Ebert really helped me find cohesion with the sound and the songs, and I hired the absolute best people I could to play on it, mix it, engineer it, and master it. Jeff Juliano (Dan and Shay) mixed three tracks, Dave Collins (Soundgarden, Ben Harper, Madonna) mastered it, Sue Hadjopoulos (Cyndi Lauper, Joe Jackson, Simple Minds) played percussion, Chris Kennedy (Peabody Institute) did strings. Some great local players (Buddy Speir, Benjie Porecki, Bruce Swaim, Al Williams, Scott Paddock, Stanley Cooper, Andy Hamburger, Scott Smith, and Glenn Workman) and of course my bandmates Dan Leonard and Deren Blessman.

There are too many people to mention, and I don't want to leave anyone out! But we had a blast making it, and I couldn't be happier with the results. I owe a debt of gratitude and thanks to so many people on this project, including some incredible people who contributed to my crowdfunding campaign. Special thanks to engineer Sean Russell who curated everything and Mark Williams who mixed five tracks.

Who have been the greatest influences on your music?

I'd have to start with my mother honestly. She had the most badass and varied album collection when I was growing up. Everything from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Wes Montgomery, Dave Brubeck, Hall and Oates, ELO, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Carole King, The Beatles, The Stones...just everything. There was always different kinds of music playing, and I consumed it all. Although I loved rock, jazz, Motown...I always was drawn to the soul singers. Marvin Gaye, Sam Cooke, Ronald Isley, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, and so many others. And I also loved Karen Carpenter, Freddy Mercury. and Paul McCartney is my hero. I'm a product of all of them. They inspired me so much and they continue to do so. People have pointed out the Marvin Gaye influence in my song "Peace Bomb." It's pretty apparent, and I'm cool with it.

I love that, I can definitely hear some Marvin Gaye in the title track. So more about what moves you, can you tell me a book or song or movie that changed the way you think about things.

How about one of each? The book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz has been incredibly helpful in my life. Especially the agreement that states "Don't Take Anything Personally." Once you realize that people's lives and viewpoints are a reflection of them and not you...man that's a game changer. The book explains it in much better detail. But the whole book is amazing and so practical. I've probably given my copy to 30 people and then bought another one! 

Musically, whenever I listen to "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke, I am immediately transfixed. It literally just stops me in my tracks. The emotion of his voice, the performance, the lyrics, the majestic feel of the music. I hear it all and I can feel and literally see the struggle play out in my mind. Just so powerful. Goosebumps every time. 

As for a movie, I feel like every American should be required to watch Twelve Years A Slave. It shook me to the core and enhanced my perspective greatly. Whenever I encounter folks who dismiss discussions of racial equality, first I want to hug them...and then I want to tell them to go watch that movie.

I know the pandemic has been really hard on artists. Tell me about how it has affected your music and your life. What are you doing to take care of yourself these days?

It's been very difficult on a professional and personal level. Personally, my father was diagnosed with Covid-19 in early April. We lost him on May 8th. He was only 74 years old. Not being able to see him, talk to him, or touch him while he was hospitalized was beyond surreal. I only saw him peacefully slip away through a glass window at the very end. I still can't really get my head around it. I did, however, gain a whole new level of respect for caregivers. They fought hard to save him and I could feel how much they cared. I love them for that.

I really hope so, too. And hope to see you perform live as soon as things are safe and open up again. 

Thank you, Eric, for taking the time to connect with DC Music Review and letting us get to know you better. It's been such a pleasure and I'm so grateful for the music and love you put out there.

To learn more about Eric Scott, please see the following resources:

Hi, Julie, and thanks for taking the time to connect! So you’ve dropped two stellar songs this year from your upcoming EP, tell me more! 

Yes! This year I released a jazzy neo-soul song called, “Lights” and also a funk synth pop track called “Wavy” off my EP. 

“Lights” was released this summer and is really a display of my jazz guitar background. Since quarantine started, I’ve started beefing up my home recording situation. This is the first song in years I’ve recorded myself. Back in college I used to record my own music by running back and forth between the booth and the control station. “Lights” is the first time I recorded a song entirely in my house and it was so refreshing to be able to produce that way.

Love all of them, and I know, it's a really tough question to answer!

Here's another one: name three books or songs or movies that changed the way you think about things.

As a filmmaker and someone who went to film school, I pay very close attention to the cinematography of films. I’d go old school and say some movies that affected me the most are The Matrix, Requiem for a Dream, and as newer one Parasite. Currently, I’m watching Lovecraft Country and I’m amazed at every aspect of their production. That show is really bringing film production to new levels. The story itself blows me away. 

After hearing what you're making, I think we all will benefit from any collaboration involving you!

Thank you so much for taking the time to connect with me. This has been such an eye-opening interview and I'm so glad to get to know you and your music better. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to connect with me, and for listening to and supporting the music and the city. 

To learn more about Julie Outrage, check out all of her digital platforms:

• Website
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• Link to Julie's music on all streaming platforms

I was introduced to Matt SwampGuinee after a show at Black Cat by a mutual music friend who said, "you HAVE to listen to what this guy is working on." He was so right.

Matt and I chatted for a bit before he handed me a copy of the CD "Born Again" by his group Crank LuKongo. On my ride home through the city, I gave it a listen. 

And damn, this album hit me hard in the best of ways, it's one of those albums I keep in my constant rotation. It is Go-Go heart with consciousness raising lyrics. Infused with so much DC soul, its message reaches deep into this city's roots, yet its themes reach far beyond this city.  Although created in 2018, it is a very fitting soundtrack what's going on in the entire country right now.

I had a chance to catch up with Matt, finally, after over a year since our introduction to find out more about this phenomenal album and what his music collective Crank LuKongo is all about. 

Hello Matt, it's so great to finally connect with you!  I know you have a ton of projects. Tell me more about what bands you play in and your musical projects of late.

Thanks so much, Nina, so happy to connect with you, too!

As a freelance percussionist and drummer, I currently play, perform and record with a number of groups and artists in a wide variety of music styles. They are Bambu Station, The Legendary Wailers featuring Junior Marvin, The Archives, Thievery Corporation, Charles Road, The Harold Little Quintet, Lazy K, and my very own production, Crank LuKongo. 

That's one thing I really love about "Born Again." It feels SO quintessential DC, you can hear the city's voice in this album. And it's so relevant for right now. 

The whole concept came from my years of touring the globe with Virgin Island Roots Reggae group, Bambu Station. Being in a group of majority Virgin Islanders and other parts of the Caribbean, I was constantly asked by fans about my place of birth once they heard me speak.  They always seemed to be in shock when I told them that I was born in Washington, DC. People typically have no idea that people of color are native to the region they know as the nation’s capital of the United States as well as having our own distinct culture, mannerisms, vernacular, music and dance, etcetera.

Because the people were so interested and intrigued, I found myself in a position of sharing. As a music educator and aspiring ethnomusicologist, it was very easy for me to share our unique indigenous form of music called Go-Go and it’s history.

Shortly after, I envisioned a concept to create an all original musical voice using Go-Go that would and could share as much about our culture, it’s history and current issues to the global community all while instilling pride within our own communities back home in the DC area. 

It's a phenomenal album and there is so much heart in it. What was the reaction when you released this in 2018 and where did you go from there?

So many things to say. First and foremost, gratitude. The outpouring of appreciation and validation from many on social media and radio was so appreciated. I am so grateful for that and the consistency in rotation of airplay on local and other regional radio programs. The fans are the best. 

We were able to shoot and release two official music videos,  “After the Revolution” which was shot on location at historic Fort Stevens Civil War Battleground and  “Ghosts of Anacostia” which was shot in entirety on location in historic Anacostia. (Cool side note — we served as a contributor with the name changing of the Washington Football Team’s former name. This can be noted through reference in  “Ghosts of Anacostia.”) 

And we played some incredible shows. First our sold out Crank LuKongo album release party at The Eaton Hotel — we were the first Go-Go group to perform there — featuring the legendary Junior Marvin of Bob Marley & The Wailers (guitar), and the legendary Juju House of Experience Unlimited (EU) and Chuck Brown (drums). This was the first and only time the two legends performed together.

We had some other great shows. We headlined the first annual Down In The Reeds Music & Healing Festival at Walter Reed Park, shared the stage with the legendary Boukman Eksperyans (Haitian Roots Music), performed at the prestigious Carnegie Institute for Science for the Institute for Policy Studies and at the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Awards which was amazing. 

Finally, we were nominated for two WAMMIE Awards in 2019 for Best Go-Go Album and Best Go-Go Group/Artists, which was a huge honor. 

That is wonderful, and man, does it make me miss the pre-pandemic days and live shows. 

Tell me about the myriad of people you collaborate with, it sounds like you have a community of artists you like to work with. 

As a freelance musician, I have the benefit of working with and collaborating with some amazing musicians that I envisioned them being a part of the Crank LuKongo collective. This made the formation of the concept much easier because I knew that I wanted each song to be distinct while allowing each musician or artist bring their spirit and character to the production. I wanted a family vibe of people with good energy and on board with making this music positive and for the people. It took almost five years to complete the album but we executed very professionally. It was my first project wearing a producer’s hat and having the personnel that we had, I was very satisfied with the results. 

And who are the players in the group?

Although the core of Crank LuKongo is not as large as the actual number of contributors on the album, all people involved are connected as a family. Some of the most noticeable contributors are Junior Marvin (lead guitarist for Bob Marley & the Wailers), Georges Kuakou (keyboardist and producer for Alpha Blondy), Mighty Moe Hagans (percussionist for EU, Chuck Brown Band), Ron Winters (lead guitarist for Branch Manager), Nala Shabam (keyboardist/pianist for Jackie McClean, New Soil Ship), Tuff Lion (lead guitarist and vocalist for Bambu Station, Lion Charge), Frankie Addison (saxophonist for The Addison Bros Quintet, The Blues Alley Big Band and more), Lazy K Lofton (guitarist and vocalist for Lazy K, Bassehead and more), Dave Blackwell (vocalist, guitarist and bassist for Pure Light Seed, Charles Road, Muscles and Jackbone and more).

Other contributors are Warren Pedersen (bass and engineer),  Brian Clark (percussion), Andre LaSalle (guitar), Philippe LeMaire (keyboards), I’la Vibez (vocals), Head Roc (vocals), Tom Workman (vocals), Sebi Medina-Tayac (vocals), Izabella Sparrow (backing vocals), Samadhi Miller (backing vocals), Kelvin Montgomery (trombone), and Donald Tillery (trumpet). 

You mentioned other hybrid Go-Go groups, who else is out there doing this kind of thing? 

There are so many great hybrid bands out there, top of mind are:

• Black Alley - Hood Rock (a hybrid of Go-Go with rock and hip-hop)
• Harold Little - Pocket Jazz (a hybrid of Go-Go and straight ahead jazz)
• Ras Lidj & The Deep Band - Regg’go (a hybrid of Go-Go and roots and dancehall reggae)
• The League Music Group - Go-Go Nu-Wave (a hybrid of Go-Go with rock, r&b, and gospel)

It's worth mentioning that all of these aforementioned groups have been diligent in using their platforms to address social change and protest in their music even before the recent wave of social protests and uprisings.  

I will definitely check them out, no doubt they will make me feel proud to be part of this amazing city.

So tell me more about you, your background, how you got into music. 

I sang in church and in the glee club all throughout my youth.  When I was twelve, my mom bought me a guitar and my brother a drum set for Christmas and we formed a Go-Go band called Eternal Funk. We would play local neighborhood concerts on the streets and alleys of the Trinidad neighborhood in N.E.

During my early high school days at the Duke Ellington School of Arts, I absorbed so much quality music even as a theatre student, that I just wanted to hang with the musicians. It was then that I truly discovered my love for percussion because of what I heard coming from boomboxes everywhere. We used to start revolutions in our classrooms by beating on our desks with heavy Go-Go rhythms. I finally saw the power in rhythm and music and have been committed to it ever since. 

Being a young adult and a new resident of the Adams Morgan/Columbia Heights area, I took advantage of the weekly African drum circles at Malcom X Park aka Meridian Hill Park. That whole experience really set me on my path as an aspiring drummer.

As a self taught percussionist and drummer, I only saw it fitting to reach out to some of DC’s well known master drummers in order to solidify my skill set. I was led to master drummer Abasi Johnson who later became my teacher and mentor. Both Abasi and the late Baba Ngoma who actually started the African drum circle in the park over fifty years ago, would accept me as they’re student and teach me all that I wanted and needed to learn about the wide world of African drumming and it’s extensions. The rest is history. 

I love that. You had mentors who have deep roots in the pulse of this city. Tell me about some other people who have had an influence on your music. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t give credit to my late great uncle Charles Miller for sitting us down at the piano as young children in Rock Hill, South Carolina and teaching us the melody and the words to a spiritual called, “We come this far by faith.”

Other influences include Curtis Mayfield, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mandrill, New Birth, The Neville Brothers, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Gilberto Gil, Fela Kuti, Celia Cruz & the Fania All-Stars, Public Enemy, A Tribe Called Quest, Peter Tosh, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Ike & Tina Turner, Bad Brains, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, Angelique Kidjo, The Average White Band, Carlos Nkai and many more. 

That right there (smiles). What about locally, can you name three local DMV artists that you are listening to these days or that you admire.

Other than those Go-Go hybrid groups that I mentioned before, I really like the music of Unswayed, Desi Hyson, and The Archives Reggae Band. I could go on but you only asked me to name three (laughs). 

Tell me about how the pandemic has affected your music and your life. What are you doing to take care of yourself these days?

As a freelance musician, the pandemic has hindered me from earning wages for performances and recordings that I’ve been accustomed to for many years. Crank LuKongo was scheduled to perform at three major festivals this past spring and summer that were all cancelled: The Anacostia River Festival in April, The New World Passover Festival in Damona, Israel in May, and the RootzFest in Ocean City in June.

Because everything got cancelled and shut down, that limited us from any progressive movements that we were looking forward to as a fairly new group. We have since been using this time wisely by creating and recording new music for upcoming projects. I have been taking advantage of the extra time doing things that I love like hiking, camping, working out and spending more time with family and closest friends. Being mindful of complete health and wellness is how we have been able to stay safe and maintain our focus throughout it all.

Absolutely. And how do you think the music scene will change once things get back to a “new normal”?

I’m not really sure how the music scene will change or shift once the smoke clears but I do know that there will definitely need to be some policies in place to secure the health and safety of the artists and the patrons. I have seen venues that have already opened back up for business although I’m not really sure of their policy. I’m going to play it safe until I feel comfortable and assured to go back out. I recently did a virtual performance with The Harold Little Quintet at the Public Playhouse Theatre. It was a filmed performance for the PG County Department of Parks and Recreation with no audience. I loved it. It kind of felt like being in the NBA bubble.

Awesome. Thank you so much, Matt, for taking the time to connect with me! This has been such an eye-opening interview for me and I'm so glad to get to know you and your music better. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to connect with me, and for listening to and supporting the music and the city. 

To learn more about Matt and Crank LuKongo, check out all of his digital platforms (where the full albums is available):

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Bandcamp
• Email

DeSanguashington (Day-San-gwa-sheen-ton) is a DC-based Colombian American band that is masterful at fusing traditional Colombian folk music with music you might hear when driving down 18th Street or at an impromptu porch jam, creating something so fresh and satisfying to put your ears on as well as move your body to. If you've been lucky enough to see them perform live in the DC area, you know to show up ready to dance, smile, and feel like you're at a party among good friends.

Their newest EP, Viajero, (translates to "traveler" in English), is a testament to the emotion they can elicit through their music.  It came out in early March of this year, just before the reality of the pandemic became evident in the states. 

I put Viajero in my earbuds right around that time, on March 15 to be exact, when I went for a walk outside. The world felt eerie, like it was on the precipice of a nightmare, my pace lumbering with existential dread.

I pressed play and everything changed. Hearing the music did something to my spirit. It reminded me of the beauty and buoyancy of life, and before I knew it, that album became my soundtrack of the spring, and then summer, and now autumn. That first song, "La Mochila," I play it every time I walk now to remind me that I am capable of feeling that joy in a world that is so uncertain.  (Go ahead,  check out "La Mochila" and walk down the street with purpose, report back on how good that feels.)

DeSanguashington have just released the latest video from their EP for the song "Yo Viajo Sola," which talks about the right for women to travel alone without being harassed or abused. I had the chance to catch up with the band to talk about the EP, how they've kept momentum up with their music this year, and what they think the future of music will look like in the District.  

And tell me, who is in the band and what does each person play?

Current members of DeSanguashington include Velu Ochoa on vocals, Danny Ramirez on the accordion, Richard Benjumea on guitar, Gunnar PY on bass, and Hugo Moreno, Diego Castañeda, Hermanzo Moreno and Jaime Barreto on percussion. 

As artists, it sounds like you have made the most out of this challenging situation. Tell me more about some of the positives and negatives that the pandemic has had on you as a band. 

The negatives is that we unfortunately haven’t been able to rehearse or perform. We truly miss playing on stage and getting together. We still stay in touch via chat but we hope to be able to play together again soon. 

With the pandemia we have had to rediscover ourselves and improvise so that we can still connect with our fans. We started a live series where every month we invited artist friends who shared with us their experience as we deal with the current situation of our lives. With every interview we also release a video of one of our songs. So between video editing and promoting our songs we have been quite busy! We have also had the opportunity to be interviewed by several media outlets here and in Colombia so right now the goal is the get the word out about our music as much as we can.

That is wonderful! I have really enjoyed watching your videos as they are released, it's been a nice thing to look forward to during these months without live shows. So, how do you think the music scene will change once things get back to a “new normal”?

We honestly do not know but we do worry about the fate of the local Latin music in the DC. To be honest, the places where our community performs are already limited. We are trying to push that boundary and hope that the music industry in DC and beyond sees the value in unity to bring a stronger DMV music scene once the pandemia is over. 

Who have been the greatest influences on your music? 

With so many of us in the band it is hard to choose. But some of our influences as a band are Carlos Vives, Fonseca, and Toto La Momposina.

Oooh, I will definitely check that out, I would love to wear a DeSanguashington tee especially when concerts come back again hopefully next year.

Thank you so much for taking the time to connect with me! Your music has been such a gift to me, always, and the new EP has been especially helpful in bringing me joy and reflection this year. 

Thank YOU for taking the time to connect with us, and for listening to and supporting our music. We really appreciate it and all that DC Music Review is doing for the community!

For more information on DeSanguashington's new album and social media pages, see below!

To learn more about DeSanguashington, check out:

• Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Spotify
• Bandcamp
• CD Baby
• PayPal

Baby photo by Daena Brown

All other photos by Samori Swygert

Dior, I am so excited to catch up with you!

Nina, it is so good to connect with you during this time.

I am so glad you listened to Empress and kept on sharing. You mentioned Nas, who were some of your other early influences?

There are so many, my father played jazz, raised us on it. I loved R&B, I used to sing Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, Luther Vandross at the top of my lungs. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson were the type of performers I wanted to be, they were the bar for excellence in the space of captivating the crowd. Hip Hop was really always a part of my backdrop, I was introduced to it in so many ways, Kriss Kross, Tevin Campbell’s album I'm Ready had some conscious raps that spoke to my spirit. My mother owned Queen Latifah’s album Nature of Sista', and we listened to Heavy D. When I picked up music of my own I was grabbing the The Fugees, TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, OutKast, Mobb Deep, Tupac, Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown, Method Man, Redman, Busta Rhymes, Naughty by Nature, Twista, DMX, I could go on. 

I feel you on all those names. Now more about you, you have this video "Delivery" dropping. Tell me about it. 

So this is a video release on a song "Delivery" I started writing a few months ago. I hadn’t planned to drop it this soon, but with all that is happening with the Black Lives Matter movement, the spirit led me this way. I knew I wanted to help direct the energy coming out of the movement. 

So I watched the video last night when it dropped, and was incredibly moved by the words of empowerment and strength, as well as the incredible visuals. Tell me more about the message of this song. 

"Delivery" really speaks from my grind, from me and my experiences. And more than just me, "Delivery" is challenging the system to change, to open up to new ideas. It’s there to instill confidence in women, especially women of color who feel outcast, the way I felt for a long time. 

It took me some time to embrace all the things that make Dior Ashley Brown.  I had so much adversity being a young Black girl, full-figured with a voice and something to say. But I also was so blessed to be a young Black girl, full-figured, with a voice and something to say, and wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. I speak to the warrior. I am a living and breathing amazon, I am rare.

I want people, and especially my people, to feel that. I really, truly want people to feel beautiful, strong, and abundant with who they are where they are.  I think that what the spirit is leading me to do. I’m not going to stand for anyone devaluing anyone, their persona, sexuality, who they love. Be the best version of yourself, it’s not a destination, it's a journey. 

That is powerful and incredibly beautiful, Dior, and absolutely resonates in this song. And because you are a leader and activist in the DMV music community, I imagine this will move and inspire a lot of people. 

You talked about the Black Lives Matter movement, tell me more about how you think the DMV music community should be involved?  

The Black Lives Matter movement is a necessary conversation and action on so many levels. We have to preserve Black lives, Black culture, Black entrepreneurship, Black creativity, Black opportunity, Black love. We have to pay attention to where Black Lives Matter in all sectors and be intentional in understanding that Black people must heal and create intentional spaces for diversity from social to economic. 

The DMV music community has to be involved because Black creators here absolutely experience racism; I have witnessed it for years living in this city. It trickles into our community whether covert or overt, opportunities are not shared or promoted equally. I have seen and experienced the undervaluing of Black events, art, industry professionals. 

What needs to happen now and moving forward to make meaningful change?

We have to acknowledge oppression, systemic racism, and not be a part of the problem.  We need to open our lens to see all as multi-dimensional, unique human beings, not discriminate and make prejudice of skin tone, but allow a person to prove their character. 

And music is a big part of that. Music is universal and connects to the soul. We need to acknowledge that Black people have been forerunners and innovators in many music genres and have had a great influence on the art form. Celebrating that, recognizing how music connects us cross-culturally, that helps us all. Unfortunately, America has made race so pinnacle we forget what the mission of music is supposed to do, bring us together, not divide us. 

Who are a few local DMV musicians you are listening to these days or you admire?

Top of mind: Christylez Bacon, Jenna Camile, Champion Sound, Julie Outrage, Kromanauts, and Cecily. And there are a lot more, again, I could go on! 

No doubt he is moved by #MusicForTheMovement and will be by this amazing video "Delivery." 

I hope he is!

Well, this has been an immense pleasure, Dior. Thank you so much for taking the time and connecting with me. I am so excited for what's to come from you!  

Thank you so much, Nina. Always love connecting with you, boo. And next time we'll do this in person when things open up again.

You got it, Dior!

(And she does, she really does.)

To learn more about Dior Ashley Brown below, check out all of the links below.