Blazz!

BLAZZ – bluesy jazz & jazzy blues is still a fairly new band but the members bring a wealth of music performance and study to the bandstand. Howard Blu does most of the singing and brings a rare jazz instrument to the stage – the diatonic, 10-hole harmonica. He has been blowing the “harp” for about 57 years. Originally, he was a blues specialist but expanded into jazz as a singer and harmonica player when he attended the New York City Jazz Workshop of the renowned pianist, educator and NEA Jazz Master, Barry Harris.
BLAZZ’s keyboard player and occasional vocalist, Michael Arrington, studied music at Catholic University in DC. He plays piano and directs music at area churches. He also frequents jazz jams, and that’s where he and Blu hooked up. He brings a deep knowledge of harmony along with his deep love of music to BLAZZ.
Thomas Kitchen, a.k.a. Tommy Tritone, has been playing jazz guitar for over 30 years. Among others, Thomas has studied with world-renowned guitarist Steve Masakowski and with Ellis Marsalis, the father and elder statesman of the Marsalis family. Thomas has an active guitar teaching practice in the DMV and also gigs with The Tritone Jazz Trio.
Bassist Phil Ravita has been playing bass for over 30 years. He holds an MM degree in jazz performance from UMD – College Park and a Doctor of Musical Arts from in bass performance from Boston University. He teaches bass at four different colleges. He is a busy performer around the DMV in both classical and jazz ensembles.
John Stonesifer has been playing drums since the 1970s, first in the DMV and then throughout the USA as he traveled with his day job. He recently retired and is happy to settle down and be the latest addition to BLAZZ.
In BLAZZ we explore the common ground between blues and jazz. Come out for a different musical
experience.