Join us at Ronnie’s on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 4:30pm for an exciting performance by the Marcia Baird Burris Ensemble. 

MARCIA BAIRD BURRIS ENSEMBLE

THEME: Carmen McRae Revisited

Marcia Baird Burris, vocalist

Allyn Johnson, piano; Herman Burney, bass; JC Jefferson, Jr, drums

Ben Abney, guest vocalist

Described as “earthy, expressive and articulate,” vocalist Marcia Baird Burris pays homage to McRae’s artistry with selections from her iconic tribute albums to Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan and from her unforgettable duets.  Baird Burris expands on her earlier acclaimed Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival tribute celebrating McRae’s legacy and exploring her masterful interpretations and connections to other great jazz musicians.

About Marcia Baird Burris

A Brooklyn native now residing in Washington, DC, Baird Burris brings to her performances an ethic informed by her Caribbean/South American heritage, her work in the political, music and museum arenas and her connection to her alma mater, Howard University and sorority, Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Her musical influences include Betty Carter, Al Jarreau, Dinah Washington, Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln. She has also developed original material based on the poetry of her Barbadian scholar-linguist father and is working on her inaugural digital music release. 

Besides her multiple MAJF appearances, Baird Burris has performed locally at venues including Friday Night Jazz at Westminster Church, Smithsonian’s summer festival stage, Blues Alley, Jo Jo Jazz Club, Mr. Henry’s, An Die Musik (Baltimore), for private engagements and at other jazz venues in New York, Paris, Barcelona and Bermuda. 

For Carmen McRae Revisited, Baird Burris is joined by her ensemble of stellar musicians Allyn Johnson, piano; Herman Burney, bass; JC Jefferson, Jr, drums and guest vocalist, Ben Abney.