The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) invites you to join us for Jazz at the Kramer! A music series in partnership with Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music presenting a free evening of jazz at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery & Music Room on the second Wednesday of every month.
Admission is FREE but advanced registration is required due to limited capacity. Kindly be aware that reservations are limited to 2 tickets per person. For group reservations, feel free to contact us directly at publicart@creativemoco.com.
** Please Note: Outside food and beverages are not permitted in the gallery with the exception of water.
Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer featuring Vocalist Sharón Clark and Pianist Chris Grasso
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Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer featuring Bhagwan Khalsa on Bass + Eric Byrd on Piano and Chris Latona on Piano + Andrew Latona on Guitar.
Jazz at the Kramer
Event Listing
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
*NEW START TIME* 6:30 pm at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery and Music Room
Join us for a night of jazz featuring guitarist and bassist Joshua Bayer and pianist Paul Bratcher.
July Musicians
Joshua Bayer
Jazz guitarist, bassist, composer and director Joshua Bayer has performed at venues such as The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Detroit Opera House, Blues Alley, The Harlem Renaissance Festival, The World Jazz Festival, The Phillips Collection, The Contemporary Theater Festival, The One Step Down, New York Museum Of Modern Art, National Public Radio, and Philadelphia’s Chris’s Jazz Café.
Besides being featured on BET on Jazz and performing original new jazz with the Joshua Bayer Quartet, Josh has played with jazz artists Neal Creque, Dick Lurie, Gary Thomas, Ron Holloway, Marty Nau, The Federal Jazz Commission, and Chris Vadala. Josh’s recordings can be found on the Jazzheads and Interlace Records labels. His compositions have been published by C.F. Peters and LightHouse Music.
Josh’s credentials include a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Maryland, and a Master of Music in Composition from Cleveland State University. A teacher and clinician, Josh serves on the faculty of American University, where he is Musician in Residence and director of the AU Jazz Orchestra.
Josh has received grants and awards from The National Endowment for the Arts, ASCAP, The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, The Prince George’s Arts Council, The Maryland Summer Institute for the Creative and Performing Arts, The Loyola Composition Competition, and the Bascom Little Fund.
Visit Joshua’s website: www.JoshuaBayer.com
Follow Joshua on YouTube and Facebook!
Paul Bratcher
Paul Bratcher, a native of Harrisburg Pennsylvania began playing piano at age 11. He began his study of jazz at Bishop McDevitt High School where he played in the Jazz Band under the direction of David Knott. After high school Paul continued his education at Messiah College where he pursued a Bachelors of Science in Music Education. While attending Messiah he had the pleasure of playing with and learning from such jazz masters as, Tim Warfield, Kirk Reese, Cyrus Chestnut and Bruce Barth.
After Paul graduated from Messiah he continued his education at Michigan State University studying Jazz Studies under world-renowned bassist Rodney Whitaker. During The time at Michigan State Paul had a plethora of both teaching and playing opportunities.
As a teacher Paul worked with the jazz program at MSU Community Music School in Detroit as well a clinician for a variety of high schools in the mid Michigan area. As a player Paul has shared the stage with Rodney Whitaker, Diego Rivera, Etienne Charles, Michael Dease, and Wes “ Warm Daddy” Anderson.
After graduating with a M.M. in Jazz Studies Paul has been busy playing and teaching in the D.C. area. He has toured South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Canada, and Uruguay, Egypt, Indonesia and more. Currently Paul is Associate Chair of Piano at the Levine School of Music in Washington D.C. and Director of Jazz Studies at Georgetown University.
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