2010s

Hornist and educator. Robert Anthony Northern born May 21, 1934 in Kinston, North Carolina; died May 31, 2020 in Washington, D.C. Known since the early 1970s as Brother Ah.

Northern grew up in Bronx, New York. He began as a trumpeter and studied with Bennie Harris.

Bassist. Edward Rudolph Warren, Jr. born August 9, 1939 in Washington, D.C.; died October 5, 2013 in Silver Spring, Maryland.

His father Eddie Warren was a pianist who played locally. Butch’s first musical experiences were with his father’s ensembles. Billy Taylor, Sr.

Drummer and vibraphonist. Born c. 1941.

Sweetney attended Dunbar High School and earned a degree in art education at University of Maryland Eastern Shore. He also completed a master’s degree at Howard University.

Recorded with Shirley Horn in 1965 and 1972 and performed with her trio.

Drummer. James Wilbur Cobb born January 20, 1929 in Washington, D.C.; died May 24, 2020 in New York City.

Cobb attended Armstrong High School and briefly studied percussion with Jack Dennett of the National Symphony Orchestra. He played locally with Charlie Rouse at Republic Gardens and with Buck Hill and Ellsworth Gibson.

Saxophonist. Ronald Edward Holloway born August 24, 1953 in Washington, D.C.

Received early encouragement from Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Rollins, and Dizzy Gillespie. Member of Gillespie’s final quintet (1989-1993).

Much work outside of jazz, including with his own band and those of Root Boy Slim, Gil Scott-Heron, Chuck Brown, and others.

Pianist, saxophonist. Born Marc Cohen on March 27, 1948 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Initially a saxophonist, Cohen decided to make piano his primary instrument and left New York for Washington, D.C.

After leaving Washington and moving back to New York City, Cohen changed his name in the early 1990s, as in the late 1980s another keyboardist Marc Cohen was active.