Every so often, we encounter an act who has a solid reputation among musicians and has played high profile gigs in the past, yet does not receive deserved recognition at present. Karen Briggs is such an artist. Her violin playing is immaculate, she is a talented composer/arranger and her featured playing on New Age artist Yanni‘s multi-platinum Live at the Acropolis exposed her abilities to millions. While Briggs led her skilled band through sets at the Kennedy Center‘s KC Jazz Club this past Friday, we can only hope that the next time around, she will be featured in the Concert Hall.

To give you an idea of the impression Briggs left, consider that by the time her second set began, she had sold out of her entire supply of CDs. The autograph line after the first set was so long, it actually delayed the second.

Briggs’ performance was in support of her 2009 independent release, Soulchestral Groove, which provided the material for much of the second set. Sporting her trademark dreadlocks, Briggs took to the stage with little fanfare and her band launched into that album’s title track. The song’s simple form was an effective warm-up for both band and audience, allowing the soloists to stretch out, while informing those present that it would be a show of virtuoso instrumentalists anchored by a deep, deep pocket.