Summer Nights Continues with Pop, Soul and All that Jazz!

A packed house at the historic Howard Theatre took in a range of music genres at the second Summer Nights concert. Offered by AARP DC, the audience swayed to the cool sounds, then got on the dance floor with well-known musical talent who are favorites with Washington, DC-area audiences. As with the first concert, WHUR Radio personality and comedian Joe Clair was MC for Summer Nights.

Opening the show was Howard University alum Marshall Sims whose neo-soul sounds were warmly embraced by the Summer Nights crowd. Many in the audience agreed that Marshall’s “star is on the rise.”

Sylver Logan Sharp has a wide-ranging repertoire opening with a classic Chic composition the dance group she sang with previously. Sylver continued with pop hits we love and a few of her own songs woven into her performance. This Duke Ellington School graduate showed her DC roots by closing out with a song she recorded with Rare Essence, one of the area’s stalwart Go-Go bands. The audience was up in a flash “dancing to the beat” on the Howard Theatre dance floor.

Concert-goer singer Maiesha Rashad was there. She is known around the DC area from her performances with her group The Hip Huggers. Maiesha came out in support of her friend Sylver Logan Sharp. “Sylver Logan Sharp just killed it!" said Maiesha. "Sylver and Marcus were fabulous.”  Asked about her impression about AARP offering the Summer Nights concert series, Maiesha said, “This was the first time I’ve seen an AARP event and I was very pleased.”

Headliner Marcus Johnson had the crowd moving back and forth with his cool jazz vibe. Marcus is not only a popular and accomplished composer-musician, but he’s a successful entrepreneur as founder/CEO of Flo Wines. He has been an supporter of AARP’s Life Reimagined for Work initiative encouraging older District residents to pursue a vision of thinking differently about work.

The Howard Theatre has an illustrious history and there are some like Summer Nights attendee Lesley Haney, who reminisced about how her father would talk on and on about performances he attended at the theatre. “This is my first time at the Howard Theatre.  This is truly what I needed … the stage, everything.  I knew (it) was going to be great and I got what I paid for and more. I’m so excited!”

The Summer Nights concert series wraps up on Tuesday, August 26th with a concert featuring international Reggae group Third World. Use the AARP discount code DCSN for 30% off of the ticket price. Get your tickets early at: http://thehowardtheatre.com/show/2014/08/26/third-world
(NOTE:  You do not have to be an AARP member to use the discount code.)