Washington, D.C. - The rich traditions of classical and jazz music have been brought together by local guitarist and composer John Kamman and pianist Carl Banner of Washington Musica Viva, in Evolutions, a new concert series beginning in early 2004.

Evolutions is a response to the emerging sense that, especially in the US, jazz and classical chamber music share a musical vocabulary, a depth of expression, and a sophisticated audience base. Bringing together a group of top Washington classical and jazz musicians, three concerts will explore the natural affinity of American jazz and chamber music:

Elements introduces the musical conversation between works of chamber music and jazz standards, Recombination crosses the boundaries with new compositions by Kamman and chamber works that borrow and blur boundaries, and The New Species includes a work for combined ensembles by John Kamman commissioned by Washington Musica Viva. Evolutions will be presented over the course of three evenings, January 24, 2004, March 20, 2004, and May 8, 2004 at St. Columba's Episcopal Church, 4201 Albermarle St., in Northwest Washington, DC, at 7:30 p.m.

Carl Banner founded Washington Musica Viva in 1998 and produces regular concert series' at the Embassy of the Czech Republic, at the Dennis & Phillip Ratner Museum, and also in a Kensington art studio. "For years I have been excited about American chamber music, because it is a real melting pot of musical genres."

John Kamman combines backgrounds in jazz performance with formal musical composition. Experiences growing up in a diplomatic family, particularly time spent in Nairobi, Kenya, have infused Kamman's work with influences from diverse cultures. "If it was done in the right spirit people didn't worry as much about the style. The idea behind calling it Evolutions was for people to see the music evolve into this blend, into a marriage between the two styles."

Evolutions will feature prominent local jazz and chamber musicians, including Cameroonian singer Armand Ntep, leader of the Afro Jazz Explosion, and vocalist Grace Chung.