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ASCAP Foundation Partners with DC Jazz Festival

The ASCAP Foundation, under the leadership of President Paul Williams and Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton, has joined forces with the DC Jazz Festival, headed by President & CEO Sunny Sumter, to support the development of up-and-coming jazz artists.

The DC JazzFest, one of the world’s most exciting showcases for jazz, will feature a performance by Chase Elodia with his band the Perennials. Elodia is a recipient of the 2023 ASCAP Foundation Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award and will perform with his group on September 2, 2023 on the Transit Stage.

Williams said, “We are thrilled to begin this partnership with DC JazzFest, a festival that is known for helping to introduce jazz to diverse audiences in and around our nation’s capital. It is a pleasure to support jazz creators and help to nurture and support this essential American art form.”

George-Middleton added, “Our work with DC JazzFest, like our program with The Herb Alpert Foundation, provides another invaluable opportunity to shine a spotlight on emerging jazz composers. We look forward to working with DC JazzFest in the coming years and introducing its fans to some of our best rising jazz talent.”

Elodia is a composer and drummer. His album, Portrait Imperfect, was released on Biophilia Records in May 2022 and named one of the Best New Albums of the Year by Downbeat magazine. A 2022 MacDowell Fellow in composition, Elodia’s work has been recognized by The ASCAP Foundation, Avaloch Farm, the Boulder County Arts Alliance, the Café Royale Cultural Foundation, the Escape to Create Residency, and South Arts. His band, Perennials, has toured across the United States multiple times and given master classes at Oberlin Conservatory, the University of Denver, and Yale University. In early 2023, Elodia organized a Biophilia Records stage at the Winter Jazz Festival, where he performed with his ensemble.

Application guidelines are at www.ascap.com/music-career/support/young-jazz-guidelines.aspx