Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer

Second Wednesdays: Jazz at the Kramer

August 13, 2025

*NEW START TIME: 6:30pm - 8:00pm *

FREE

Join us at the Betty Mae Kramer Gallery & Music Room on the second Wednesday of each month for an evening of jazz! This month's artists feature vocalist Darden Purcell, bassist Ben Thomas, and Pianist Chris Ziemba.

Admission is FREE but advanced registration is required due to limited capacity. Kindly be aware that reservations are limited to 2 tickets per person. For group reservations, feel free to contact us directly at [email protected].

Jazz at the Kramer is presented by Paul Carr's Jazz Academy of Music in partnership with the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County and curated by Paul Carr.

** Please Note: Outside food and beverages are not permitted in the gallery with the exception of water.

Darden Purcell

Darden Purcell, a Washington D.C. based jazz vocalist, is an active featured soloist with symphony orchestras, big bands and small ensembles, band leader and vocal instructor. Ms. Purcell has shared the stage with many top jazz artists including Maria Schneider, Joe Locke, Christian McBride, Branford Marsalis, Eric Alexander, and Terell Stafford. She has performed at concert halls and clubs nationally and internationally, including Club Bonafide (NYC), Blues Alley (Washington DC), and Aalt Stadhaus (Luxembourg). Dr. Purcell is the Director of Jazz Studies, Jazz Voice instructor and Director of the Downbeat award-winning Mason Jazz Vocal Ensemble at George Mason University.

Learn more about Darden Purcell

Ben Thomas

Jazz bassist Ben Thomas hails from Connecticut and currently resides in Washington D.C. He has performed with Melissa Aldana, Ted Nash, Sean Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Tony Malaby, Till Brönner, Ari Honeig, The New York Ballet, and Ryan Truesdell in notable venues including The Kennedy Center, The White House, The Midwest Clinic, The Jazz Education Network, Umbria Jazz Festival, Smalls, and Birdland. He is the Adjunct Professor of Jazz Bass at George Mason University as well as the bassist of the prestigious Airmen of Note, the premier jazz big band of the United States Air Force.

Learn more about Ben Thomas

Chris Ziemba

Chris Ziemba is a jazz pianist, composer, and educator based on the East Coast. He holds performance degrees from the Eastman School of Music and The Juilliard School. Ziemba first entered the scene in 2009, when he was invited to be a featured guest on Marian McPartland's iconic radio program on NPR, Piano Jazz. In 2011, just before relocating to New York City to further his studies and launch a career, Ziemba won first place in the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition. In New York, Ziemba worked to become an in-demand pianist at clubs and performance venues throughout the city.

Learn more about Chris Ziemba

Host or Publisher Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County