AARON ABERNATHY
Monologue Meet n Greet
moderated by Marcus K. Dowling
at Songbyrd Record Cafe
2/12 · 2 – 4 PM
—
Join us for a special meet n greet / discussion with DC’s Aaron Abernathy in advance of his Valentine’s Night performance at Songbyrd! We’ll have copies of the LP on hand, Ab will be talking with DC journalist Marcus K. Dowling on his career, and we’ll have a few opportunities to win tickets (and more!) to the show.
—
Aaron Abernathy, is a multi-talented entertainer – musician, singer, songwriter, and producer. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Abernathy comes from a long-line of historical pioneers including Civil Rights Leader, Rev. Ralph David Abernathy and student of the same high school music program as the late R&B great Gerald Levert.
He joined the ranks of artists like Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack as a graduate from the prestigious music program at Howard University, where he sharpened his vocal abilities and musicianship. With outstanding talents as both a pianist and a vocalist, he has acted as musical director for global touring acts Black Milk and Slum Village and collaborated with Grammy-nominated artists including Jack White, The Foreign Exchange, and Eric Roberson.
His professional music pursuits began on the historical steps of Howard University, where he formed the band Ab and The Souljourners and developed a buzz on the local DC music scene with the release of his self-produced debut album Lyrically Inclined 1.3: The Odyssey. After graduating from Howard, they embarked on a US Tour. The band’s talent and showmanship style caught the eye of several artists, most notable Eric Roberson, Marsha Ambrosius, and Slum Village. Eric Roberson featured Abernathy in his NYC based showcases and on his 2009 single “Howard Girls.” Slum Village hired Abernathy to be their musical director from 2005-2010, revamping their performances from the traditional DJ and Emcee format to live band hip-hop experience. He also was featured on the single “Dance” from their 2010 album Villa Manifesto.
In 2009, Abernathy transitioned his musical director talents to underground hip-hop heavyweight Black Milk. In addition to touring the US, Europe, and Australia with Black Milk, he has been featured on his last four albums: Tronic, A.O.T.Y., No Poison No Paradise, and If There’s A Hell Below. Songs include: Reppin’ For You, Oh Girl, Parallels, and Leave The Bones Behind. In 2012, Abernathy’s band “Nat Turner” became Black Milk’s backing band and he helped establish his live shows as one of the best in hip hop!
In the Spring of 2015, Abernathy and his band Nat Turner opened up for Black Milk on his “Play Like Hell European Tour” to rave reviews from European audiences. Ab’s aggressive combination of gospel-inspired vocals, tight change-ups, and raw funk vamps has been compared to D’angelo’s Voodoo tour. Ab’s performance on stage reveals his diligent study in the Prince and James Brown schools of showmanship. Abernathy co-produced his band Nat Turner’s collaborative effort with Black Milk titled “The Rebellion Sessions” and has toured most of 2016 for the Rebellion Tour with Black Milk, to support the album. In addition, this summer he co-headlined the 2016 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival with Chick Corea.
