Lavenia Nesmith and Paul Bratcher

About

Singer Lavenia Nesmith, who has portrayed Mahalia Jackson in one-woman shows, brings her gospel-influenced style to “Jazz at the Kramer,” a series presented by the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County in partnership with Paul Carr’s Jazz Academy of Music. Also performing is keyboardist Paul Bratcher, who can groove on the organ like Jimmy Smith or conjure beautiful melodies from the piano’s invories. A veteran educator, he heads the jazz ensembles at Georgetown University.