Native Washingtonian and jazz historian James Zimmerman thought for a long time about the music he would select for his “Sunset Sessions at The Parks” performance, a new virtual series from The Parks at Walter Reed.

“I knew I could start with something — for lack of a better term — somber, but when the opportunity came up, I was not feeling very much like an entertainer,” Zimmerman said. The event producers had scheduled the filming for May 30th — but that week, protesters were crowding the streets of Washington, DC, and vigils were held in Petworth, Brightwood, Shepherd Park (and around the world) in honor of the black Americans killed recently by law enforcement. Zimmerman’s full 35-minute set includes several songs from Oscar Brown, Jr., including a powerful rendition of “Brown Baby,” in which Zimmerman whispers “I can’t breathe” throughout the song.