Renowned Route 1 jazz pianist Daniel Weatherspoon, a Grammy- and Dove Award-winning composer, producer, and recording artist who has worked with various popular artists, including Beyoncé, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Mary Mary, will perform two shows at the Carlyle Room in D.C. in March. Weatherspoon is also promoting his third studio album, which will be released mid-April.
He and his wife moved to Hyattsville last year after spending a lot of time visiting family in the area, including shooting portions of his “Lights Out” video at Hyattsville’s Vigilante Coffee and around Franklins back in 2020.
Weatherspoon began playing music as a creative outlet at a young age and performed professionally starting at the age of 16. As a keyboardist, he’s supported musicians in all kinds of genres but prefers jazz for his own compositions.
“I’ve touched everything from house music to R&B to gospel to reggae,” he told the Hyattsville Wire. “Jazz feels like home to me as the freedom of expression isn’t bound by mainstream formats. Jazz and classical are two of the few genres where internal emotion paints the picture, versus the marketplace painting it for you.”
One of his most unique performances was held at the Nasdaq stock exchange in Times Square where he promoted his first album, “The Langley Park Project,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart for Contemporary Jazz. His performance at Nasdaq also led to the Nord Keyboards company naming him an official ambassador.
“Let it be known, there is absolutely nothing like an acoustic piano,” he told the Wire. “The touch, the tone and personality are unmatched. Ive played hundreds of keyboards over the years. The Nord keyboards are hands down closest to the real thing.”
His most memorable concert, however, was a performance with Beyoncé in Capetown, South Africa, hosted by Oprah Winfrey and Bono in honor of the late president Nelson Mandela, with more than 700,000 in attendance.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that prior or since,” he said. “Emotionally, my very first show as an artist. The pure love of those in the audience clapping and appreciating my musical stories will never be outdone.”
Weatherspoon released his second album “Journey,” in 2020. In addition to “Lights Out,” he also released a new single last year, “Untitled (How Does It Feel),” featuring Mark Kibble and Hamilton Hardin.
Weathersoon’s upcoming Mar. 30 performance at the Carlyle Room is already sold out, following a sold-out show in November. Tickets for his March 29 performance are still available here for $35, but going fast.
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