In 2001 I received a grant from the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. I used this grant to paint a series of portraits of local Washingtonians: Joe Ruffin (artist), Anna Maria (restaurant owner and entrepreneur), Kelly and Maze (Twins Jazz owners), Mohammad Ali (local TV host), Peter Fraize (jazz saxophonist), and Federal Jazz Commission (dixieland band). I painted the musicians from the many sketches I did during their performances; they lent me their music as the sound tracks for the paintings. The rest of the people set for me in my studio. I recorded them speaking as I painted them.
The sound quality isn't great unfortunately; this was before iphones, so I used just a basic recorder.
Peter Fraize is my favorite local saxophonist (he is also director of Jazz Studies at George Washington University). I've been seeing him perform around the city since I first moved here in 1999. He is a very expressive musician and has inspired many of my jazz drawings, etchings, and paintings, including this one as part of "Washingtonian Portraits".
I will not include his soundtrack here - go see him Live!
Peter Fraize, acrylic on canvas, 40x30, 2001
private collection