by Giovanni Russonello
Editor-in-chief

For the contemporary jazz fan – or the hip-hop and indie rock listener who’s looking for an entry point into the music – two bands playing this weekend ought to get you excited: The Christian Scott Quintet (at Bohemian Caverns Friday and Saturday) is a lustrous, dynamic group, and James Farm (at the University of Maryland’s Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center on Sunday) is a collective that includes four of jazz’s biggest names in the under-50 demographic. For those more interested in the music’s historical side, there is an Afrocentric tribute to John Coltrane on Friday at Nation House, as well as a performance by cool jazz giant Lee Konitz at the Atlas Performing Arts Center that night. And the novelty of the weekend goes to Twins Jazz, where bassoonist Daniel Smith does his best on Friday and Saturday to bring the traditionally classical instrument into the jazz world. You can find details on all of these performances in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” our listing of every D.C. jazz show on our radar. Our favorites have a label, and as always, you can read CapitalBop’s full listings directly at our D.C. jazz calendar, if you’d rather. Happy hunting!

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

cb picks:

• Lyle Link, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
• Tribute to John Coltrane, Nation House, 7:30 p.m.
• Lee Konitz with Brad Linde, Atlas PAC, 8 p.m.
• Christian Scott Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Daniel Smith, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Lyle Link, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | It’s hard to pass up an opportunity to hear Lyle Link. Especially when it’s at one of D.C.’s best jazz venues: the spirited “Jazz Church,” Westminster Presbyterian Church. Amidst the fish frying, a strong quartet will jam on standards and straight-ahead jazz: Benjie Porecki on piano, Romier Mendez on bass and John Lamkin III on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website

Greg Lamont, Black Fox Lounge, 6 p.m. | Greg Lamont plays piano and sings loungy renditions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar| Black Fox profile

Karen Gray Trio, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m.| Commanding vocalist Karen Gray sings laid-back renditions of jazz standards in a drumless trio. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Triple Double Jazz Band, Sala Thai (U St.), 7 p.m. | Consisting of Joey Whitney on tenor sax, Ed Gallagher on guitar, Alan Pachter on bass and Tom Reed on drums, the Triple Double Jazz Band plays straightforward, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Night & Day Trio, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | The Night & Day Trio plays traditional, swing-oriented jazz, featuring Renée Tannenbaum on vocals, Mike Suser on piano and vocals and Dennis Johnson on saxophone. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 7 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. But B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s website

Tribute to John Coltrane, Nation House, 7:30 p.m. | This annual celebration of John Coltrane’s life offers remembrances both musical and poetic. This year it doubles as a tribute to Pharoah Sanders, the former Trane collaborator who is still conjuring the spirits (though he won’t be at Nation House). Performers at this spiritual gathering will include OOO, members of Black Notes, Juini Booth, Carl Cornwell and others. Vegan and raw food will be available for purchase. No cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Nation House website

Rachelle Ferrell, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Rachelle Ferrell sings both R&B and jazz, often blending the two — and she possesses an impressive, more than six-octave range. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $60 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Sara Jones Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Sara Jones sings jazz standards sweetly; her top-notch band here includes Chris Grasso on piano, Tommy Cecil on bass and Lee Pearson on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Lee Konitz and Brad Linde, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 8 p.m. | Lee Konitz went from being a sideman in the nonet that recorded Miles Davis and Gil Evans’ famous “Birth of the Cool” album, to leading his own cool ensembles and eventually embracing the avant-garde. His music nowadays is a singular brand of post-bop: slippery, lyrical and extremely nimble (in spite of his octogenarian status). He performs here with a former saxophone student of his, D.C.’s Brad Linde, as well as the star New York City pianist Dan Tepfer, bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Tony Martucci. $25 cover, no minimum. View even on calendar | Atlas website

Christian Scott Quintet feat. John Lamkin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Since his start as a child prodigy in the band of his uncle, the famous New Orleans saxophonist Donald Harrison, Christian Scott has been well-versed in the history of jazz. It’s a history that involves swing, soul and social protest. So it’s no surprise that after releasing five albums under his own name and defined his own distinctly modern sound, he has retained all those critical elements of jazz history. Scott’s tone is smoky, and his flights as biting as they are ephemeral. Here he performs with John Lamkin, a hard-swinging drummer from Baltimore who played in Harrison’s band for a decade. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Sin Miedo, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Sin Miedo is an energetic, nine-piece Salsa band that plays highly danceable Afro-Cuban jazz, Mambo and Samba. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa Bistro website

Antonio Parker, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swingin’ and soulful, with a bright, aggressive tone and inclinations that bring neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker often pays tribute to John Coltrane with song dedications and covers, but his style on the horn often nods toward one of his personal favorites, the contemporary master Kenny Garrett. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 9 p.m. | The stalwart D.C. piano player Peter Edelman every week leads a rotating cast of musicians that often outgrows the title “trio.” No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Daniel Smith, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Don’t just go hear Daniel Smith for the quality of his improvising, or for the top-notch cast of local musicians he’s assembled, with Wade Beach on piano, Eric Harper on bass and Dominic Smith on drums. Go hear him for the pure novelty of what he does – and the persistence with which he does it. Smith, originally an accomplished classical bassoonist, has four jazz albums out to date, each with a title that indicates his mission to prove the bassoon can be a viable jazz axe. The latest, “Bassoon Goes Latin Jazz,” is a rhythmically compelling burner featuring an expert combo. The only caveat? Well, the bassoon’s nasally, sibilant tone is liable to leave you feeling as though there might be a reason it hasn’t crossed over into the bop idiom before. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Maureen Mullaney, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Maureen Mullaney sings jazz and blues songs with a light ensemble. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar| Black Fox profile

Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. Lounge, 10:30 p.m. | Arguably the city’s best jazz trumpeter, Donvonte McCoy plays every Friday and Saturday at the hip 18th St. Lounge. He likes to mix in some funk as well during the lounge gig, and he’s liable to inflect a touch of Chuck Brown-esque groove into his combo’s treatment of classic bop tunes by the likes of Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. After all, the setting is that of a dance club, not a jazz joint – no tables and chairs or hushed applause after every solo. Donvonte’s joined every Friday by the talented, Billie Holiday-indebted singer Integriti Reeves. Cover varies ($5-10), no minimum. View event on calendar | 18th St. Lounge profile

DeAndrey Howard’s Collector’s Edition, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Trumpeter DeAndre Howard’s regular engagements at Utopia bring hordes to the restaurant and bar. He and his small group, Collector’s Edition, play standards with a friendly, inviting touch, and they add to the positive vibes already flowing throughout the room — especially when Howard tosses aside the trumpet to sing a spontaneous blues. no cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Utopia profile

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

cb picks:

• Christian Scott Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson, HR-57, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Daniel Smith, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Jam Session with Peter Edelman, Columbia Station, 4 p.m.| Pianist Peter Edelman, a constant presence on the D.C. jazz scene for years now, leads an afternoon jam session every Saturday and Sunday. No cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Charles Woods, Johnny’s Half Shell, 6 p.m. | Saxophonist Charles Woods plays and has recorded in both free and straight-ahead jazz styles, but for his regular gig at Johnny’s Half Shell he keeps things within the traditional bop realm. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar| Johnny’s Half Shell website

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 7 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. But B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s website

Triple Double Jazz Band, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m. | Consisting of Joey Whitney on tenor sax, Ed Gallagher on guitar, Alan Pachter on bass and Tom Reed on drums, the Triple Double Jazz Band plays straightforward, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Mark Mosley Trio, Sala Thai (U St.), 7 p.m. | Baltimore guitarist Mark Mosley plays a slick hand as a smooth jazz guitarist, but he can also hunker down on serious bop. He performs laid-back straight-ahead here with his trio. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Hot Club of D.C., Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Featuring Ben Brooks on violin, Craig Bumgarner on guitar, Stephan on guitar and Rick Netherton on upright bass, the Hot Club of D.C. plays gypsy jazz. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Nancy Scimone, Henley Park Hotel, 7:30 p.m. | Nancy Scimone reaches into the jazz and popular American songbooks during this weekly gig at the Henley Park Hotel in downtown D.C. She’s typically joined by a pianist. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Henley Park’s website

Lena Seikaly Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Lena Seikaly sings jazz standards with a confident and playful demeanor, displaying a haziness reminiscent of Esperanza Spalding, but also nodding to traditional greats. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Rachelle Ferrell, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Rachelle Ferrell sings both R&B and jazz, often blending the two — and she possesses an impressive, more than six-octave range. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $60 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar| Blues Alley profile

Christian Scott Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Since his start as a child prodigy in the band of his uncle, the famous New Orleans saxophonist Donald Harrison, Christian Scott has been well-versed in the history of jazz. It’s a history that involves swing, soul and social protest. So it’s no surprise that after releasing five albums under his own name and defined his own distinctly modern sound, he has retained all those critical elements of jazz history. Scott’s tone is smoky, and his flights as biting as they are ephemeral. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Palanke Music Company, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Led by vocalist and guitarist Jaime Andrés Salazar, a.k.a. Gato, Palanke Music Company is tropicalia meets electro meets Samba meets Afro-Cuban jazz. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa profile

Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson is one of D.C.’s swingin’est drummers, and when he decides to bring the heat, watch out. He has a strong, distinctive shuffle beat, which he perfected during his two decades on the road with soul-jazz master Jimmy Smith. When the spirit moves him, Junebug sometimes steps up to the mic and graces the audience with a song. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Daniel Smith, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Don’t just go hear Daniel Smith for the quality of his improvising, or for the top-notch cast of local musicians he’s assembled, with Wade Beach on piano, Eric Harper on bass and Dominic Smith on drums. Go hear him for the pure novelty of what he does – and the persistence with which he does it. Smith, originally an accomplished classical bassoonist, has four jazz albums out to date, each with a title that indicates his mission to prove the bassoon can be a viable jazz axe. The latest, “Bassoon Goes Latin Jazz,” is a rhythmically compelling burner featuring an expert combo. The only caveat? Well, the bassoon’s nasally, sibilant tone is liable to leave you feeling as though there might be a reason it hasn’t crossed over into the bop idiom before. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar |Twins Jazz profile

Kaos Theory, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Kaos Theory is a smooth funk band. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. Lounge, 10:30 p.m. | Arguably the city’s best jazz trumpeter, Donvonte McCoy plays every Friday and Saturday at the hip 18th St. Lounge. He likes to mix in some funk as well during the lounge gig, and he’s liable to inflect a touch of Chuck Brown-esque groove into his combo’s treatment of classic bop tunes by the likes of Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard. After all, the setting is that of a dance club, not a jazz joint – no tables and chairs or hushed applause after every solo. Cover varies ($5-10), no minimum. View event on calendar | 18th St. Lounge profile

DeAndrey Howard’s Collector’s Edition, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Trumpeter DeAndre Howard’s regular engagements at Utopia bring hordes to the restaurant and bar. He and his small group, Collector’s Edition, play standards with a friendly, inviting touch, and they add to the positive vibes already flowing throughout the room — especially when Howard tosses aside the trumpet to sing a spontaneous blues. no cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar |Utopia profile

The Hang, Bohemian Caverns, midnight | Bohemian Caverns’ late-night jam, The Hang, is hosted by a different band every week of the month. The kitchen remains open until 1 a.m., so there’s a chance to get a late bite without having to traipse to Ben’s Chili Bowl. $7 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

SUNDAY, September 25

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m.
• James Farm, Clarice Smith PAC (UMD), 7:30 p.m.

Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.| Marshall Keys’ saxophone can sing the blues or swing to the rhythms of bebop with a laid-back sense of cool; the native Washingtonian is a fluid, graceful player. He plays every Sunday brunch at Acadiana, usually with a group consisting of the city’s top jazz scene veterans: Federico Peña on piano, Tarus Mateen on bass and either Lenny Robinson or Mark Prince on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Acadiana website

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. But as far as jazz brunch goes, it’s hard to top the Jolleys’ music. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s website

Jam Session with Peter Edelman, Columbia Station, 4 p.m. | Pianist Peter Edelman, a constant presence on the D.C. jazz scene for years now, leads an afternoon jam session every Saturday and Sunday. No cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Potomac Jazz Project, Laporta’s, 6:30 p.m. | The Potomac Jazz Project is a quartet that takes on modern and classic jazz tunes (and even some pop covers) with a showmanly flair, as well as skill. It’s led by bassist Stan Hamrick, and its rotating lineup often features some of D.C.’s best musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Laporta’s website

Jazz Jam, Dahlak, 6:30 p.m.| This jazz jam presents a friendly, relaxed environment where professionals and amateurs can play together. No cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | View Dahlak profile

Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Following in the tradition of era-defining Black bards like GIl Scott-Heron, the Last Poets, Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Black Notes integrates deep grooves and red-blooded messages of revolution and solidarity. The accomplished band includes Reginald Cyntje on trombone and Antonio Parker on alto saxophone. Two separate shows at 7 & 9 p.m. $15 cover in advance, $18 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

DC Choro, Grill from Ipanema, 7:30 p.m.| DC Choro is a sextet that plays Brazilian music drawing on European folk traditions. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Grill from Ipanema profile

Mike Flaherty’s Dixieland Jazz Direct, Zoo Bar Café, 7:30 p.m.| This combo specializes in traditional New Orleans-style jazz. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Zoo Bar website

James Farm, Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center (UMD), 7:30 p.m. | James Farm is a group for the ages: saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Matt Penman and drummer Eric Harland. You don’t get four more accomplished, distinctive musicians playing together very often. Much rarer still do you find them think-tanking their way toward a collective concept, forging something more than a supergroup: a plain old band, one that is all about the unit and greater than the sum of its parts. That’s just what James Farm is, with its focus on original compositions (contributed by each of the members) and heady modern grooves. Cover varies $45 cover, $9 for University of Maryland students, no minimum. View event on calendar | Clarice Smith website

Memphis Gold, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Memphis Gold is a blues guitarist and singer who draws on the legacies of the old bluesmen but also incorporates some R&B influences. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Rachelle Ferrell, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Rachelle Ferrell sings both R&B and jazz, often blending the two — and she possesses an impressive, more than six-octave range. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $60 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m.| The stalwart D.C. piano player Peter Edelman every Sunday night leads a rotating cast of musicians that often outgrows the title “trio.” no cover, one-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Cheryl Jones Trio, Utopia, 9 p.m. | Singer Cheryl Jones has a weekly engagement every Sunday at Utopia, where she sings with depth, force and clarity. Jones is equally likely to sing jazz standards, pop tunes or gospel classics. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Utopia profile

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