The Jazz in the Heights festival is a partnership between CapitalBop and Sycamore & Oak, bringing a full day of jazz, art, food and community to Congress Heights and Ward 8. Jazz in the Heights is a key example of CapitalBop’s dedication to ensuring that jazz remains rooted and accessible throughout all communities and wards of Washington, D.C.  

Since HR Fest’s founding in 2022, CapitalBop has served as a core presenting partner, helping to bring world-renowned artists to The Parks at Walter Reed for a day of free music, community and culture. Every June, HR Fest creates a space to honor the legacy of Black music in D.C., while keeping a diverse community of listeners intact to engage its future.

Marvin’s Place, presented in partnership with Washington Parks & People and Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center, is CapitalBop’s weekly youth education program in Deanwood/Lincoln Heights, D.C. All middle and high schoolers in the area are invited to attend free, after-school music sessions on Thursday afternoons at the Riverside Center near Marvin Gaye Park in Ward 7. These open performances and workshops are free to any middle or high school student in the area and directed by vocalist/composer Akua Allrich, who leads an exciting team of musician educators. 

Our most-used resource, the D.C. jazz calendar has been your nightly guide to all things jazz in D.C. over the past 15+ years. Support the calendar with a monthly pledge or just sign up to our newsletter to make sure you don’t miss our curated show picks each month.

Our editorial crew covers the D.C. jazz, #BAM and creative music scenes with artist profiles, interviews, critical reviews, essays and long-form reported features. Twice singled out in the Washington City Paper’s “Best of D.C.” list, CapitalBop pushes back against the erasure of local reporting and arts journalism, while engaging with cutting-edge approaches to telling the story of the capital’s jazz scene. Read here 

CapitalBop offers regular video coverage and documentation of the best of D.C. jazz, including our CB Sessions video profiles, “Teach Me Something” educational videos, and more. 

The website you’re reading right now is a multi-part resource for getting to know and stay engaged with the D.C. jazz scene! Be sure to check out Dr. Maurice Jackson’s history of jazz in D.C., seen through a social justice lens; our full D.C. jazz map, reflecting the venues featured on our D.C. jazz calendar; and our constantly updated list of D.C.-based jazz musicians.