The JoGo Project is a WAMMIE Award-winning Jazz and Go-Go band from Washington, DC founded in 2014 by Washingtonian and local Jazz Ambassador Elijah Jamal Balbed, who performed with the Godfather of Go-Go Chuck Brown the last year of Mr Brown's life. Elijah joined the band in May of 2011 and his last gig with “Pops” (as the band members knew him) was in February 2012. The last few songs of that performance were recorded on a camera phone from an audience member and can be seen on YouTube. A few years later, Elijah was accepted into the Artist-in-Residence program at Strathmore and decided it was time to start a band to continue Chuck's legacy and bring his Jazz and Go-Go worlds together - hence The JoGo Project. Ten years later, JoGo has become a mainstay in the DC music community and is dedicated as ever to keeping DC's Go-Go music alive while also exploring new sounds and repertoire. Over the years, the band has written several original songs and arrangements, having recorded an EP and several singles including a collaboration with the legendary Sugar Bear. In 2017, JoGo Project was commissioned to write 3 original works that were exclusively featured in the video game Tom Clancy's The Division 2. 

JoGo has started to spread its wings outside of the DC area and in 2018 made history as the first Go-Go band perform in Russia! The band went on a cultural diplomacy tour to 3 cities in Russia (Moscow, Orenburg, and Yekaterinburg) on behalf of the U.S. State Department, where the musicians conducted educational masterclasses, participated in radio interviews, and did performances ranging from intimate Jazz clubs to massive concert halls. In 2019, the band won the WAMMIE Award in the category of Best Go-Go Song for "Dear Draylen" composed by Elijah, with lyrics by JusPaul Spires and featured artist Wes Felton. In 2020, the band released their debut holiday track "JoGo Christmas" featuring Go-Go legend Sugar Bear. Since June of 2021, JoGo has maintained a residency at Keystone Korner, a historic venue where the likes of Grover Washington and Patrice Rushen have performed. In 2022 the band was featured in a published book about Go-Go music called “DC Go-Go: Ten Years Backstage” by Chip Py. In December 2023, the band released another single “Baby Fever” with vocalist JusPaul. The song is nominated for a WAMMIE Award in the category of “Best Go-Go Song”.

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