CaptialBop – D.C.’s legendary jazz appreciation organization – recently released their list of the city’s top 5 jazz releases in 2015. The best-of list features a who’s who of D.C.’s vibrant jazz scene, and many of the records are uniquely familiar to the staff at Blue House Productions.
Four of CapitalBop’s top five albums were recorded, mixed, and mastered at the Blue House Productions studio in Silver Spring and released last year. The records include Akua Allrich’s Soul Singer, Tim Whalen’s Oblivion, Elijah Jamal Balbed’s Lessons from the Streets, and Reginald Cyntie’s Spiritual Awakening. The fifth album included was Trio OOO’s Days to Be Told.
CapitalBop had rave reviews for each of the records. Of Akua Allrich’s third studio album, CapitalBop said the record “is simply magical, bursting at the seams with jubilance and grace.”
Listen to Akua Allrich’s “Sweet Descent” from Soul Singer
For Balbed’s, CapitalBop said, “The story of this album is not simply the story of one immensely talented musician, but one of the contemporary history of D.C. jazz.”
Listen to Elijah Jamal Balbed’s “What Matters Most (In Life)” from Lessons from the Streets
The organization also had great things to say about Spiritual Awakening – “(Cyntie) makes his short chortling bursts and lazily arching melodies fresh and effective.”
Listen to Reginald Cyntje’s “Awakening” from Spiritual Awakening
And Tim Whalen’s Oblivion – “Whalen trades out the trumpet for guitar, which provides a unique sound to the ensemble, one that’s more subtle and smooth.”
Listen to Tim Whalen’s “Tempus Fugue-It” from Oblivion
It was a truly magical year, and Blue House Productions is honored and blessed to have the privilege to work with such wonderful and talented artists. All of the albums recognized by CapitalBop were fabulous; you must go out and listen to them.
Click on an album cover to buy:
