Capitol Groove Collective Presents: DC Music Rocks

Born and raised in Mississippi, now settled on the Virginia side of D.C., Gracious Me brings southern flair to Americana/ folk/ alt. country music. Her writing takes a literary, female perspective on the major connection points in life, and her soulful singing brings that perspective to life in song. She has performed live throughout the South and Atlantic regions.  The new album True to Life has made it into the Top 20 on both the Roots Music Report Folk and Contemporary Folk charts, with singles breaking into the Top 15 on the Roots Music Report Contemporary Folk Singles chart and the Radio Guitar One Folk Singles chart.  An award-winning songwriter, she has most recently been selected as an honorable mention in the 2020 Great River Folk Fest Songwriter Video Contest, as a performer at the 2020 Singer-Songwriter of Cape May Festival and Conference, and she was one of twelve finalists in the 2019 South Florida Folk Fest Songwriter Contest.  Gracious Me is focused on digging deeper with her songwriting, and she is sharing the results with audiences in her 2020 full album release, True to Life.

In this episode, Gracious Me shares her vision for how her music can heal the wounds of the United States, the power of the music scene in the DC/MD/VA area, and the struggles of balancing full time music with having “a real job”.

Featured Song "Don't Become What You Claim To Hate" by Gracious Me

Hosted by Emma G.

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Produced by Capitol Groove CollectiveGraphic Design by Stephanie Mathias & SoliaAudio/Video Editing, Mixing & Mastering by Daniel Warren HillDistributed by Alchemical Records

©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

The bold vocal sound and lyrical darkness of Adele and Lana Del Ray meet Virginia charm and instrumentation in the music of solo pop artist Rachel Brassfield, known by her fans as Brassie. Brassie describes how, while she has never written a happy song, she brings listeners comfort in knowing they are not alone in sad and hard experiences. Her single “Tomb” is a captivating example of the depth and richness of her musical style and message.

Featured Song "Tomb" by Brassie

Hosted by Stephanie Mathias

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Produced by Capitol Groove Collective

Graphic Design by Stephanie Mathias & Solia

Audio/Video Editing, Mixing & Mastering by Daniel Warren Hill

Distributed by Alchemical Records

©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Growing up in Delaware, Andrew Toy first experienced music in his childhood in the 90s, falling in love with drums almost immediately. He has played with numerous bands from high school to after college on cruise ships, soaking up influences from different types of music and cultures around the world. Andrew is all about getting out of his comfort zone to learn and grow as an independent musician. He takes inspiration from different worlds while creating his own music, which started in 2016. He loves experimenting with different textures and sounds when writing and performing with drums or percussions. During this pandemic year, he has been able to focus more on his own music as well as virtual recording for other artists and teaching students remotely. Proud to be a part of the DMV music community, Andrew thinks that it brings people from all over the world together and it’s a melting pot of music influences.

Featured Track: “Daytime Raccoon” by Andrew Toy

Hosted by: Ting Lin

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Produced by Capitol Groove CollectiveGraphic Design by Stephanie Mathias & SoliaAudio/Video Editing, Mixing & Mastering by Daniel Warren HillDistributed by Alchemical Records

©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Black Dog Prowl is considered one of Washington, DC’s hardest hitting rock bands. This four piece ensemble hits both extremes of sound from slow down-tuned to fast-paced kick in the teeth! Their most recent EP, Fine Lousy State, won three Wammie Awards for Best Hard Rock Album, Best Hard Rock Artist/Group, and Best Hard Rock Song ("The Hill You Die On"). They have drawn sonic comparisons to Soundgarden, Torche, and Queens of the Stone Age. In this episode, vocalist/guitarist Josh Finver and drummer Enzo Ferroggiaro are joined by Avik Ray, curator of The Crossover.tv, to announce a special collaborative project honoring an iconic group and album. We also discuss what makes the DMV a melting pot of creativity and how the pandemic allowed those connections to flourish.

Featured Song "Lousy Lying Liar" by Black Dog Prowl

Hosted by Jarreau Williams

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Produced by Capitol Groove Collective Graphic Design by Stephanie Mathias & Solia Audio/Video Editing, Mixing & Mastering by Daniel Warren HillDistributed by Alchemical Records

©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Nicolas Springer will think he’s in trouble if you use his full name, so you best use “Nick” instead. This multi-instrumentalist from Frederick, MD released ten singles in 2020 featuring the chill vibes of his Indie Dreampop sound through his solo looping project Mahogany Bees. Nick talks about some of his favorite locations, artists, and social causes in and around the Washington D.C. community. As a recording engineer in a local recording studio, Nick Springer has a unique perspective resulting from being on both sides of the microphone, and shares how he is preparing to release even more music and increase his collaboration with other area artists in 2021.

Featured song: "Don't Think" by Mahogany Bees

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Graphic Design by Stephanie MathiasAudio/Video Editing & Mastering by Alchemical Records©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Dante Frisiello is a music writer and guitar player both fronting a solo project, and working behind some of DC’s most notable indie rock and Americana music groups. Both of Dante’s albums: “Alignment” & “Fool’s Paradise” were written and produced from his own bedroom apartment in Washington, D.C., while he was in law school.In this episode, hosted by Emma G., Dante discusses his newest project, the power of using guitar as his voice, balancing life as a lawyer and a rock musician, and leaning into life’s purpose.

Featured song "The Wellspring" by Dante Frisiello

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Graphic Design by Stephanie MathiasAudio/Video Editing & Mastering by Alchemical Records©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Jahnel Daliya, a creator since her childhood, shares how the welcoming DMV Open Mic scene brought her out of her shell as an adult and led her to writing, performing, and publishing her own beautiful authentic songs.  Her latest single and music video “Lucky One” released in winter 2020 is a perfect example of her music’s acoustic pop-folk vibe, heartfelt lyrics, and uniquely rich voice. Jahnel and host Stephanie Mathias dive into motherhood, self-care, and authenticity in music and in life.

Featured song: "Lucky One" by Jahnel Daliya

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Graphic Design by Stephanie MathiasAudio/Video Editing & Mastering by Alchemical Records©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Alexia Christian is an original artist who writes both Rock and Pop style music. Everyday experiences, books, and fantasies are a few inspirations for her songwriting, especially in her newest album, “For Singles Only”. Her new album talks about the beauty of being single, standing up for oneself, and empowering others. She has been in a few bands as she enjoys collaborating with other talented musicians and sharing the energy on stage. Right now she is focused on her solo career as a Pop artist. Aside from that, she is also a music teacher for voice, guitar, and piano. Her students range from age 5 up to 50 and she loves sharing her passion with music with them. Alexia also loves fashion and thinks that it plays an important role in the music persona. Her style varies depending on her mood on the day of the performance. She loves all the awesome music venues that DMV has to offer, as well as the talented musicians that she gets to collaborate with. She is currently recording her next single so expect new music from her in the Spring!

Featured song: "100" by Alexia Christian

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Graphic Design by Stephanie MathiasAudio/Video Editing & Mastering by Alchemical Records©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.

Wild Whispers is a harmony-driven cinematic pop duo formed by Eli Lev and Megan Leigh. Their sound consists of lyrical storytelling and arrangements that push the boundaries of indie folk music. Their debut single “Icarus Rising”, released in September 2020, takes everything you know about acoustic pop and soul and flips it on its head. This is the first of a trilogy project based on the Greek myth of Icarus’ journey to the Sun. The two remaining singles are scheduled to release later this year. Always a plan in place when this duo creates! In this episode, Eli and Megan share their past travels, musical beginnings, the events that inspired them to join forces, and how they have creatively navigated the pandemic finding exciting ways to engage their fanbase virtually. This episode is hosted by Jarreau Williams of Capitol Groove Collective.

For more about our guests, our hosts, Capitol Groove Collective, and DC Music Rocks, please visit capitolgroovecollective.com

Graphic Design by Stephanie MathiasAudio/Video Editing & Mastering by Alchemical Records©2021 Capitol Groove Collective. All rights reserved by their respective rights holders, and used with permission.