Nasar Abadey
Nasar Abadey and his SUPERNOVA band present “Healing Sounds” from the Purple Majic: A License To Heal project at Blues Alley. The performance invites audience members to wear purple or bring the color’s energy with them. Abadey’s music combines avant-garde and traditional jazz with African rhythms, bebop, fusion, modal music, and free-form improvisation.
A renowned jazz drummer and composer, Abadey is known for his dynamic playing and boundary-pushing approach. He founded and leads SUPERNOVA, whose influences include John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Wayne Shorter, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie. Abadey began playing drums at age five, drawing inspiration from Tony Williams, Max Roach, and Elvin Jones.
When: Tuesday, November 24, 2026
Showtimes: The page lists a 7:00 PM performance. The event listing also provides a 9:30 PM showtime.
Venue: Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007
Tickets: $30, plus $7 in fees
Food and beverage minimum: Each guest must purchase at least $15 in food or beverages; this minimum is not included in the ticket price.
Lineup: Nasar Abadey and the SUPERNOVA Band
Program: “Healing Sounds” from Purple Majic: A License To Heal
Musical background: Abadey’s work draws on African rhythms, bebop, fusion, modal jazz, free-form jazz, and both classic and avant-garde traditions.
Career highlights: Abadey has performed with Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Rouse, Ella Fitzgerald, and Eartha Kitt. He and SUPERNOVA released the albums Mirage and Diamond In The Rough, toured East Africa as American Music Abroad Rhythm Road ambassadors for the U.S. State Department and Lincoln Center, and have appeared at festivals including Italy’s San Remo Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the Chicago Jazz Festival.
Honors: Abadey received the Jazz Leadership and Service Award from the Capitol Hill Jazz Foundation in 2017, the Benny Golson Jazz Masters Award from Howard University in 2023, and the Jazz Service Award from the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in 2024. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the DC Jazz Festival.
Teaching: For two decades, Abadey has taught jazz percussion, jazz history and analysis, and jazz combo at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. He also leads workshops and provides private instruction.
Seating and doors: Seating is first come at the door. For the two evening shows, doors open at 6:00 PM and 8:45 PM, respectively, Monday through Saturday.
Policies: Tickets are final sale, nonrefundable, and nontransferable. Photography and recording are prohibited during the performance, and guests are asked to keep conversation to a minimum.
Ages: Age restrictions are not provided.
Run time: Not provided.