SoulJourners Celebrate Summer at Peerless Rens Club

SoulJourners Jazz

The hippest location in Annapolis is opening its doors to the public for a special event. On Sunday, July 26, Peerless Rens and Annapolis Jazz & Roots will invite music lovers to visit the historic Black social club. Join friends and neighbors to hear the ever-popular SoulJourners band. Enjoy tasty refreshments and cooling libations on sale at the trendy Eastport location. Doors open at 3:30 PM. Shows begin at 4 and 6 PM.

Each November, for the past four years, the festival has paired up with the historic Black social club to bring jazz and roots music to residents and visitors as part of the Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival. The July 26 affair will help raise funds for even more free and low cost events in the fall. Other festival partners will also be on hand to meet and greet attendees and join in the fun.

The SoulJourners have entertained music lovers in nearly every Annapolis music venue or festival imaginable. The ensemble features award winning, seasoned musicians performing widely in the DMV. Known for their engaging sound and dynamic stage presence, they deliver a rich repertoire of jazz standards, Latin jazz, funk, pop and blues.

The band features David Arthur on bass, Carl Corse on tenor sax, Jim Stivers on guitar, Brad Strader on drums and vocalist Charlotte Kuethe. The set list includes ground breaking tunes that made music history. Enjoy “Blue Bossa” written by trumpeter Kenny Dorham in 1963. The innovative blend of hard bop and bossa nova was likely influenced by his visit to Rio de Janeiro and made famous by Joe Henderson with his debut album Page One.

Another favorite is “Mister Magic,” written by Ralph MacDonald and William Salter in 1974. A breakout hit for saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr., it was the title track of his 1975 release. His fusion of jazz funk with smooth jazz earned new respect and appreciation for the smooth jazz genre. There will be much more to enjoy such as the super hit “I Want You Back.” It was released as a single in 1969, heralding the album Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5. Get ready. The dance floor at Peerless Rens awaits!

The Annapolis Jazz & Roots Festival has presented international and regional artists from many countries and artistic disciplines since 2022 and its adventurous programming has attracted media attention across the U.S. Every event explores a different culture – with many musical traditions rarely or never heard before in the City of Annapolis (sounds from India, Spain, West Africa, Brazil, Venezuela and Korea, for example). The artistic director is Paula (Paulina) Phillips.

In 2026, festival events will take place in Eastport and four nearby neighborhoods, weekends November 6-15. Venue Partners include Peerless Rens, Eastport- Annapolis Neck Library, Eastport UM Church, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, Pip Moyer Recreation Center, Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis and Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. Attendees come from Maryland and surrounding states.

Peerless Rens Club is located in the Annapolis maritime neighborhood of Eastport. The July 26 concert is suitable for adults and teens. Admission is $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Most events sell out in advance. Early ticket purchase is advised. The cost at the door will be $35.

Parking is available on the street, at the nearby Eastport Shopping Center and at paid lots.