Tue Aug 6
Avon Dews is a self-taught harmonica player, known as one of the premier Jazz Harmonicists in his hometown of Washington, D.C. Avon became a musician at six years old and began playing bass guitar with his family band as a teenager. He was later given a kit called “Learn How to Play the Harmonica”; it changed his life, and a Jazz Harmonicist was born.
Influenced by some great harmonicists like Lee Oskar (WAR/Lowrider Band), Toots Thielemans, and Stevie Wonder, Avon brands his style of music as ‘jazz with a touch of funk’. Fans have said he puts ‘the cool’ in harmonica playing, and he brings a unique flair by performing songs that were not originally recorded on the harmonica. This was front and center on his 2016 debut album, "Introducing Avon Dews, Volume 1", where he covered classics by Miles Davis, John Lennon, and Michael Jackson.
Avon has wowed audiences in the D.C. region and beyond with his energetic and engaging showmanship at various venues and festivals, having shared the stage with Lonnie Jordan of WAR, acclaimed jazz unit Phaze II and chart-topping smooth jazz bassist Christian de Mesones. Avon has been called a "superstar harmonicist" by industry peers and his shows are described as ‘must-see events’, turning first-time listeners into loyal supporters.