Ellington Carthan, Eliot Seppa, Aldo B.

Recording of their performance on 5/15/21

Ellington Carthan, piano
Eliot Seppa, bass
Allen Bernard Branch, drums

Just like his namesake, jazz pulses through Ellington Carthan’s veins. This up-and-coming jazz pianist, whose diverse career includes performing, teaching, producing, and composing, holds dual degrees in jazz studies and music technology. Born in California and raised in North Carolina, it’s perhaps Carthan’s bicoastal upbringing that make him such a versatile musician. Like his mentor, celebrated pianist Cyrus Chestnut, Carthan enjoys mixing genres and resists being typecast. Carthan has been honored to perform at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Strathmore AMP, the Library of Congress, Smithsonian museums, Howard University, and more. Notable Collaborators: Afro Blue, Warren Wolf, Kris Funn, Cyrus Chesnut, Josanne Francis, Sarah Reich, Elijah Jamal Balbed, Michael Bowie, Imani-Grace Cooper, and Rochelle Rice.

Eliot Seppa is a bassist, composer, arranger, and bandleader from Washington, DC. He began playing the upright bass at nine years old and the electric bass at 14. Eliot graduated from Howard University with his Bachelor’s degree in 2013 and his Master’s degree in 2018, both in Music - Jazz Studies. Eliot is equally comfortable playing bass with an orchestra, jazz quintet, R&B singer, gospel choir, or afrobeat band. His ability and affinity for soaking in the nuances of many different genres has led him to opportunities to perform with many of the top musicians in the DC area and tour internationally with artists such as Raul Midon, Cecily and The Jogo Project. Eliot leads jazz groups ranging in size from a trio to a big band. His music embraces rich harmonies, syncopated rhythms, and organic interplay between the band members.

Allen Bernard Branch, a.k.a Aldo B., is a master percussionist, background vocalist and multi-instrumentalist (piano, keyboard, guitar, bass). Born and raised in Baltimore, Aldo attended the Baltimore School for the Arts where he studied percussion with Donna DiStefano and John Locke of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. After attending the Baltimore City Community College, Aldo toured the United States with various bands and throughout Europe with the Original USA Gospel Singers and Band. After three European tours, Aldo moved to New York City and played with multiple bands. Aldo was scouted by a casting agent to appear as Carlton Barrett of The Wailers in the HBO series, Vinyl in 2016. Aldo is a student at The Peabody Institute (anticipated Bachelors of Music, 2021), a musician for The Friendship Baptist Church, a keyboardist for The Living Word Ministries and a bassist and percussionist for the Unified Voices Choir of Johns Hopkins Hospital (UV). With UV, Aldo has accompanied such artists asVicki Winans, Beverly Crawford, Daryl Coley, Stevie Wonder, Lecrecia Campbell, Kathy Taylor, D’Atra Hicks, David and Tamela Mann.

Streaming cost is $10
Donations are welcomed.