THE WASHINGTON POST • FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010
4
A jazz flutist in tune with herself
by Keith L. Alexander
While attending Howard University on a classical music scholarship in the 1980s, Althea René discovered that she no longer aspired to play her flute in a symphony or orchestra. She wanted to blow her flute to tunes by Coltrane, Ella or Gerald Albright. But at the time, Howard didn’t embrace the idea of a flutist in the jazz program. And soon, after René’s money for lodging and books dried up, she returned to her home town of Detroit and picked up a badge and a Smith and Wesson revolver. In 1992, René entered the police
academy and spent the next 11 years as a deputy sheriff in Wayne County, Mich. She worked days guarding prisoners in courthouses. At night, she honed her bebop skills jamming with jazz groups around Detroit.
But René soon learned that she had to
be creative if she was to be heard. So she trained herself to play more than one note at a time, which, she says, makes her sound stronger. She also learned to play between beats. She also learned to scat and even sing while blowing through the flute, a technique she calls “flute talk.” On Saturday, René returns to the
Washington area to perform at the Capital Jazz Fest. She will be appearing with such artists as Albright, Ledisi and Lee Ritenour. “It feels good to be performing back in Washington, in the city where I first fell in love with performing jazz,” she said from her Houston area home. René (which is her middle name) was born into a musical family. Her mother was a homemaker who encouraged her to go into classical music. Her father, Dezie McCullers, played trumpet and saxophone for the original Funk Brothers, who played for Motown groups from the late 1950s through the early 1970s. René performed with the jazz group Straight Ahead for six years before leaving
law enforcement to focus on her music. She isn’t a traditional flutist, and she knows it. Her show is just as visual as it is audible. She works out five times a week to keep her body and her breathing in shape. “There’s no way I would have the wind to do the kind of shows I do if I didn’t work out,” she said. “Besides, nobody wants to see a fat flutist up there.” René has released four projects, including her first CD, “Chocolate Rush,” and has toured with Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, George Duke and Kenny G. In addition to creating original compositions, René rewrites tunes including Gershwin’s “Summertime” and Beyoncé’s “DejaVu” as flute instrumentals. With ear monitors and a wireless microphone attached to her high-performance Altus flute, René often walks through her audience, seemingly daring them to remain in their seats while she blows into the silver instrument. “I want them to feel what I feel,” she said. “At one time, people used to dance to jazz music. That’s what I want.”
alexanderk@washpost.com
CAPITAL JAZZ FEST
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday noon to 10 p.m.
Where: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy., Columbia.
Tickets: Starting at $44.50 for Friday; $54.50 for Saturday and Sunday.
Performers: Althea René takes the stage as part of the “Catch a Rising Star Showcase” Saturday at noon. Gladys Knight headlines Friday night. Esperanza Spalding and Ledisi perform Saturday night, and Patti LaBelle and Kenny G take the stage Sunday. For a complete lineup of performers, go to
www.capitaljazz.com.
FROM ALTHEA RENÉ
Flutist Althea René says she fell in love with performing jazz at Howard University.
Martin Herman, conductor
Mrs.Warren’s Profession
by George Bernard Shaw directed by Keith Baxter June 8–July 11
Tickets start at $20!
Call 202.547.1122 or
visit
ShakespeareTheatre.org
Groups of 10+, call at 202.547.1122, option 6
From the mop-top days to the explorations of the yellow submarine.
Thu., June 24 at 7 p.m., Fri. & Sat., June 25 & 26 at 8 p.m. Concert Hall
Audi is the proud sponsor of the 2009-2010 National Symphony Orchestra Pops Season.
Tickets from $20 at the Box Office or charge by phone (202) 467-4600
Order online at
kennedy-center.org | Groups (202) 416-8400 | TTY (202) 416-8524
Home delivery makes good sense.
1-800-753-POST
SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY
Production support has been provided by
The Artistic Leadership Fund
Photo of Elizabeth Ashley by Carol Rosegg.
Media Partner:
June 11DCJazz Festival
Poncho Sanchez
Latin Jazz Band
spec guest Paquito D'Rivera $24 7:30 pm
Edmar Castaneda
June 12
Chuck Brown
SecretSociety
Let It Flow Band
June 18
Washington Post
GoingOutGuide.com's
JazzNight
R E! (with tickets) 7:30 pm
June 19
Freddie Jackson
Miki Howard
Style Band
$24 7:30 pm
Concert Line (202) 426-0486
(202)397-7328
www.nps.gov/rocr
SF
A Tribute to the
BEATLES!
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