Janelle Gill & Amadou Kouyate Duo @ Palisades Hub

Doors open 4:30 pm

Concert starts 5:00 pm

Piano and kora duets by two of the region's best musicians.

Palisades Hub is located at Palisades Community Church, 5200 Cathedral Ave., NW Washington, DC 20016

Janelle Gill

A native Washingtonian, Janelle Gill (left) began her musical path at  the age of 5 when, aspiring to a career as a concert pianist, she began  taking piano lessons based on the popular Suzuki method of piano  instruction. As a middle school student, Janelle was introduced to jazz  by Delfeayo Marsalis during a workshop he performed at her school. She  continued her studies at the famed Duke Ellington School of the Arts  under the guidance of saxophonist Davey Yarborough and Howard University  under the tutelage of Dr. Raymond Jackson and Charles Covington.  Janelle has performed with Oliver Lake, The Blackbyrds, Delfeayo  Marsalis, David Murray and many local artists such as Marshall Keys,  Kenny Rittenhouse, Nasar Abadey and Will Smith. She can be heard on  recordings by Kenny Rittenhouse, Mauro Marcondes, Kris Funn and Will  Smith; with the promise of more recordings as her career continues to  blossom. Currently Janelle teaches piano and is working on writing and  preparing music for her debut recording.

Amadou Kouyate

Continuing the musical lineage of his father’s heritage, Amadou performs a musical montage on the 21-string kora and rhythmic  presentations on djembe and koutiro drums. His repertoire ranges from  traditional songs of the 13th century to contemporary original  compositions incorporating blues and jazz riffs. In addition to his solo  work, Amadou collaborates and performs with artists nationally and  internationally, also with his world rock ensemble Proper SKANKS, and  with Farafina Kan, WEEDOU Everything! and the Kouyate Family/Memory of  African Culture. Selected credits include performances at The Kennedy  Center, Smithsonian Institution, Bristol Academy and Isle of White  (England), Tim Festival (Brazil), and Baltimore Rhythm Festival. He was  an Adjunct Lecturer of African music and ethnomusicology at the  University of Maryland as well as Director of the African Drum Ensemble.  He has also served as an Artist-in-Residence with both Montgomery  College and the renowned Strathmore Music Center and is currently on  faculty at American University, UMBC and Goucher College.