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Motel: Home

Welcome to Motel

Motel is the intersection of DC hip-hop with original NYC jazz. It's not typical hip-hop; it's MCs with positive messages performing as jazz musicians. And it's not "straight ahead" jazz: it's fusion and heavy funk played by killin', killin' cats.

Jon Irabagon wins the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition! - October 27, 2008

It's quite an honor to announce that saxophonist Jon Irabagon, my friend and original member of the Motel project, is the winner of the 2008 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition! We knew he was bad@$$ before, this just confirms it. Congratulations, Jon! Mad, mad props.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/27/jon-irabagon-wins-thelonious-monk-jazz-competition/

Motel on YouTube - June 2, 2008

Motel has a bunch of clips on YouTube from the DC9 CD release party as well as our Kennedy Center show. Check it:
Day 57 @ DC9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUGgw_iCHvQ

Best Intentions at KC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUAlVdPhjm4

Miles Beyond -- MCs' freestyle @ DC9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGkG7eieNQg

Motel at the Kennedy Center - February 4, 2008

Check it:
http://www.kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/artist_detail.cfm?artist_id=MOTEL