(Washington, DC January 24, 2010) The nominees for the 26th annual Washington Area Music Awards (WAMA) were announced today and urban jazz harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet got nods in two categories — Urban Contemporary Instrumentalist and Urban Contemporary Recording.  The later nomination says a lot considering the curreent project, REED MY LIPS is promoted as a work “still in production.” REED MY LIPS is only available to fans attending live shows and thru the website. The final mix has not been released yet.  With that said, if WAMA members like the rough cut, their gonna luv the final mix.

Every year music critics complain about who made or didn’t make the list.  However, this year’s slate appears much more diverse.  The inclusions of rapper Fat Trel, experimental-pop act Bluebrain, Mariachi Los Amigos, eclectic indie label Sockets Records as well as Oddisee, Zenizia Allstar, Orquesta La Leyenda, The Caribbean, Deleted Scenes, Kid Congo Powers, and Edie Sedgwick are more reflective of the 2011 DC music scene.

Only dues-paying members of WAMA can vote so if you’re a member and want to show some love, vote Yonnet in both categories.  If your not a member, you have until Feb 5th to register and mark your ballots.

The Award show is Sunday, February 19th at the State Theater. For more info, visit www.wama.com.

Anaheim, Calif, January 22, 2012—Frédéric Yonnet represented C.A. Seydel Söhne harmonicas as an endorsee at The 110th National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) show which featured over 1,441 exhibitors and over 95,700 registered attendees from around the world.  The annual trade show is the place where music products retailers meet face-to-face with manufacturers to make their biggest purchases and gain product knowledge for their stores in the year ahead. It’s also a great place for musicians to reconnect, try new products, get endorsements or demonstrate the brands they already endorse.

Throughout the day Yonnet, along with several other Seydel endorsees – Ross Garren, Just Dave and John Schaman, MD – demonstrated their technique on the products while C.A. Seyel president Lars Seifert, U.S. President Rupert Oysler and sales manager Os Leguizamo took sales orders. When not demonstrating, Yonnet made his way through the various halls with the intent to check out the latest gear.  “It was really hard to got 10-feet without running into a musician that you knew or one that you wanted to know,” said Yonnet.

Stevie Wonder jokes with Yonnet to "get on the bus" as they make the rounds at NAMM.

While talking with representatives from a studio microphone manufacturer, Yonnet turned to see a huge crowd moving in his direction.  Leading the pack was none other than Stevie Wonder.  Yonnet approached, said “Bonjour” and the next thing he knew, he was apart of the entourage. Wonder wanted Yonnet to introduce him to the Seydel line of harmonicas so, after a few stops — which included Samson, Suzuki, and Moog, they headed the Seydel.  Wonder samples three harmonicas and settled on The Saxony, a chromatic with stainless steel reeds.

As if the exhibitions didn’t offer enough music during the day, almost every hotel and club in the area was booked with live music at night.  On Friday night, Yonnet checked out the Bass Bash hosted by Nate Watts — bassist for Stevie Wonder. As Stevie Wonder sat in the audience, Yonnet was called up on stage where he “ripped” a solo on “Superstition.”  Afterwards, Yonnet accompanied Wonder to Mike Phillips show hosted by Hidden Beach Records.

Special thanks to Shure microphones, T C Electronic and Peavey for loaning Seydel and Yonnet equipment for the booth.

Celebrity sightings included: Tommy Lee, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Donovan, Greyson Chance, Greg Grunberg, Scott Grimes, Bob Guiney, Chuck Lowery, Tinsel Korey, David Crosby, Shaun Barrowes, Maya, Joel and Benj Madden, Jackson Brown, Alan Parsons, Bob Weir, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Baby Face, Navarone Garibaldi, Jay Gordon, John Stamos, Ken and Colbie Caillat, Dan Jacobson, Amber Frakes, Stokley Williams, Bootsy Collins, Peter Escovedo,  Sheila E and Cameron Mitchell.

Photo credit: C. Sims

[Washington, January 13, 2012] After attending Debra Lee’s BET Pre-Honors party on Friday night, Stevie Wonder stopped by Blues Alley to hear his friend and fellow harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet who had performed “Autumn Leaves” with violinist Chelsey Greene at Lee’s party before racing over to Blues Alley for a scheduled guest appearance with Cheikh Ndoye & Friends.  The show, which included Karen Briggs, Marcus Baylor, Lao Tizer and Chieli Minucci. The band had just finished it’s last song, however Yonnet got them to do an encore.

A Washington Post article dated Jan 16, 2012, mentioned Wonder’s “spotting” however, their reference to an “impromptu performance” by Wonder and Yonnet at the BET Honors Pre-Dinner was incorrect.  Instead, Yonnet performed a duet with Chelsey Greene. When Wonder heard the first harmonica note, he recognized Yonnet’s sound and, upon exiting the BET dinner, he alerted his security that he wanted to go to Blues Alley to hear more.

[Washington, DC,  January 13, 2010] Urban Jazz Harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet performed a soulful rendition of “Amazing Grace” at the memorial service of Ofield Dukes held at Shiloh Baptist Church, January 13, 2012, Washington, DC.

Hundreds of family, friends, political figures, media personalities and generations of communications executives turned out to celebrate the life of Ofield Dukes.  CNN Political Commentator Jamal Simmons and ABC 7 news anchor Maureen Bunyan served as masters of ceremonies. There were over 18 speakers. including DC Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, DC Mayor Vincent C. Gray, former DC Mayors Sharon Pratt and Marion Barry and former Secretary of Labor, Alexis M. Herman (pictured right).  Reverend Dr. Wallace Charles Smith, Senior Minister, Shiloh Baptist Church, presided.

Dukes died of bone cancer on Dec. 7, 2011 at the age of 79 in his hometown of Detroit.

Audience members were visibly moved and uplifted by Yonnet’s rendition of “Amazing Grace”.  Former wife Dr. Rosa Trapp Dail, told Yonnet “stirred my soul and that when Yonnet when to another place musically, I went with you”.  Virginia Williams, mother of former mayor Anthony Williams approached Yonnet after the service and said she only cried twice during the memorial and the second time was while listening to Yonnet.  Read more about Dukes and his contribution to the public relations society and the country.

FULL ARTICLE »

“Harmonicist  Frédéric Yonnet joined the orchestra for a moving rendering of the spiritual “O Freedom,” accompanied by a stirring reading by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton,” wrote the Examiner.  Who would have thought we would see the day that a symphony orchestra, let alone, the National Symphony Orchestra welcome a concert that featured a harmonicist, soulful gospel soloists and choir:  joined together seamlessly by words of a congresswoman? Yonnet was also featured in ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing’ and an “Ellington Freedom Medley”.

Below is a concert review written by Patric McCoy of Examiner.com.

A Mighty Stream: Music in tribute to MLK flows from NSO in DC at THEARC

Reprinted from the Washington Post, January 1, 2012

ARTS EXPLAINED
by Erin Williams

Harmonica player Frederic Yonnet has been making music since he was a teen, and his talents have led him to work with artists such as Erykah Badu, Anthony Hamilton and Stevie Wonder. On Saturday, he’ll play at THEARC as part of “A Mighty Stream,” a celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. that includes the National Symphony Orchestra and recording artists Shirley Murdock and Byron Nichols. Here, Yonnet discusses how his instrument can do more than the rest.

Also, read ARTIST EXPLAINED where Yonnet talks about Erykah Badu’s eye for the harmonica.

FULL ARTICLE »

Reprinted from the Washington Post

Artist, Explained: Frédéric Yonnet

By Erin Williams  |  04:59 PM ET, 12/29/2011

French harmonica player Frédéric Yonnet has performed with musicians including Stevie Wonder and Prince — but when it comes to teaching neo-soul singer Erykah Badua thing or two, the D.C.-based music man says it can’t be done. “Oh, you can’t school Erykah Badu! She’s definitely an artist on her own.”

Yonnet, who is set to play at the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration “A Mighty Stream,” presented by the NSO and NEWorks Productions on Jan. 7 at THEARC in Anacostia, talked with ArtsPost about performing with Badu at the 9th annual African American Cross-Cultural Works Blues and Jazz Festival in 2006.

“There’s this video where we basically play the harmonica together. It was totally spontaneous — I was totally surprised,” Yonnet said.

“On the video I was actually using two harmonicas because one of them was starting to act a little shaky. There was a stool standing behind Erykah and I. I switched [my] harmonica for a fresh one and put the broken one on the stool behind me. She turned around — she had a tambourine in her hand — she turned around, and put the tambourine down and grabbed the broken harmonica. So talking about schooling, she totally surprised me on this one. I had no idea that she actually could play! So she grabbed the harmonica and we had that spontaneous jam in the moment.”