Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, and Bruce Springsteen recognized for their contribution to the arts at the 32nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors.

By Karin Tanabe

Honoree Bruce Springsteen with his wife Patti Scialfa (Photo by Joseph Allen)

American legends Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Dave Brubeck, Grace Bumbry, and Bruce Springsteen were saluted for their contribution to the arts on Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors. Often touted as the “Oscars of the East,” the annual event pulled in almost as much star power as the inauguration. Musicians, actors, politicos, and other boldfaced names rubbed shoulders on the red carpet before sitting down for a three-hour show.

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Sheila Johnson and Brandford Marsalis

Location: The Kennedy Center

WL SPONSORED – Photos by Kyle Samperton

ALL THAT JAZZ: On the closing night of the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, which included 100 performances in nearly 50 venues across the city, Ellis Marsalis and sons Branford, Wynton, Delfeayo, and Jason, as well as close family friend Harry Connick Jr. and the Kennedy Center’s Billy Taylor, turned Washington into a slice of New Orleans. CELEBRATING A MASTER: Ellis Marsalis: The tribute to the great musician brought the very talented family to Washington to honor their legendary father with family tales, incredible music, and poems read by son Ellis Marsalis III. And when the second encore had Harry Connick Jr. and the entire Marsalis family parading and playing down the aisles with cowbells, trumpets, and even an umbrella, the sold-out crowd was on its feet dancing in front of the stage and following the musicians grooving across the theater.   PLAYING ALONG: Chair of the DEJF Ovation Society Sheila Johnson, honorary chair Thomas Hale Boggs, founder and executive producer of the DEJF Charles Fishman, Sunny Sumter, and Steven Stolman.

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Allison and Chris Putala

Location: The home of Christopher & Allison Putala

WL SPONSORED – Photos by Kyle Samperton

ALL THAT JAZZ: At the Georgetown home of Christopher and Allison Putala, The Duke Ellington Ovation Society’s young donors counted down the days to the festival’s main event, a gala concert at the Kennedy Center with Harry Connick, Jr., and the Marsalis family on June 15th. The charismatic Steven Stolman stood barefootted on a white couch in his Palm Beach finery to address the enthusiastic guests who dined on canapés provided by Capital Grille and listened to jazz – of course. THE GUESTS: Ali Hershey, Kimberly Warfield, Keith Blackman, Diana Minshall and Bailey Rockwell.

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