Touring the southeast, taking part in a historic recording

A special recording for the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, NC, has been added to Fred's October tour with stops Oct. 9 at RiverMusic in Asheville, Oct. 11 at the Beyu Caffe in Durham and Oct. 12 at Bethesda Jazz and Blues for Washington, DC.

Fred and the New JBs at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in 2011. (Photo courtesy of the festival)

Fans in Washington, DC, are especially excited, since it's been since 2011 that Fred last performed there with his band. Pacifica radio station WPFW (89.3FM) aired two interviews with Fred today, the first early on the 5am Millie's Mellow Moment show with Millie Ware, the second at 5 pm with Scooter Magruder. Click here to hear archived recordings of those shows.

Before arriving in DC, Fred and company will visit the Greensboro museum before heading into the studio to record a piece being written with Fred in mind by composer, trumpeter and Mondre Moffett to musically reflect the history in the exhibits. Like Moffett, Fred is volunteering his services to the fundraising CD project.

Located downtown Greensboro, the museum is an archival center, collecting museum and teaching facility that was created in the old Woolworth's building that was the site of the Feb. 1, 1960, start of the national sit-in movement by four students of N.C. A&T State University. Moffett also is a professor and directs the jazz ensemble at A&T. 

Moffett (with trumpet) teaching. (Photo by Jerry Wolford, News & Record)

On Oct. 8, Fred will travel to Madison, Wisconsin, to honor a former James Brown compadre at the show MadCity Sessions "Give the Drummer Some" with Clyde Stubblefield & Friends.

The Asheville show on Oct. 9 is free. Click here and here for tickets to the Durham and Bethesda shows.