Leesburg Listening Room: Kareem McCullough and Gina Sobel

Join us as the Leesburg Listening Room concert series returns!

This evening will feature Loudoun-local artist Kareem McCullough and regional artist Gina Sobel.

Kareem McCullough has made a presence on the stage as a soloist, chamber musician and conductor. He has performed solo concerts in various places around the United States. He has performed and toured with the inaugural US Guitar Orchestra, led by Bill Kanengiser, and also served as the ensemble director for the Romero Guitar Institute, in which he conducted the famous quartet and guitar orchestra in many performances. Kareem had the great pleasure of studying with renowned guitarists like Roland Dyens, Pepe Romero, Jorge Caballero, and Marcin Dylla.

In 2020, he was invited to be the guest composer for the 2020 Marlow Guitar International Youth Guitar Competition. This inspired him to explore composition even further and in 2021 he released his debut album titled, “Under Quarantine”. Kareem’s album is an intricate display of originally composed music that reflects his profound and personal journey throughout the 2020 pandemic. “Under Quarantine” is available now on all music streaming services.

Gina Sobel is a natural improviser. A virtuoso on multiple instruments (flute, sax, voice), she exudes energy and excitement in her live performances and is sought after as a soloist with national and international performers. In her own music, Sobel combines diverse genres to unite elements of funk, jazz and American folk music into a fresh and compelling sound. Sobel is the bandleader of Choose Your Own Adventure, a high-energy funk band featuring a brilliant group of musicians, and she partners with drummer Joey Antico in the lo-fi jazz/funk outfit Gold Sounds. She is active in genres across the spectrum, ranging from hip hop to bluegrass and everything in between.

Sobel’s improvisation and style is so compelling that she is in high demand across a massive range of genres. Over the last couple years, Gina has recorded, collaborated and performed with artists including: Emancipator (down-tempo electronica), Rickie Simpkins (bluegrass), Jeff Coffin (jazz), Parachute (pop), Cory Wong of Vulfpeck (funk), Darryl Davis (boogie woogie), John D’earth (jazz), Flory Jagoda and Susan Gaeta (Sephardic), Dopapod (funk/electronica), Wytold (contemporary chamber music) and McKinley Dixon (hip hop). Recently, Sobel has played Red Rocks Amphitheater, New Orleans Jazz Fest, The Kennedy Center, 9:30 Club and the Richmond Folk Festival. In 2018, she completed both the Strathmore Artist in Residence program and the Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship. She has a number of her own releases, most recently a self-titled single by Gold Sounds.

Only 30 tickets available so don't hesitate to grab yours today!