5 live jazz picks for October in D.C.
At last, the summer of our discontent – like every oppressively muggy summer in D.C. – is over and we can settle into the coziness of fall. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month to all of our Latinx musicians and readers in the area. There are quite a few ways to celebrate the occasion (including at least […]
The best D.C. jazz albums of 2022 (so far)
Summer is drawing to a close, and the fall arts season is nearly upon us. So, as concerts blossom across the city, we thought this would be a good moment to shine a light on all the great recorded music that has come out this year from D.C.-area jazz musicians. Most of these artists are […]
5 live jazz picks for September in D.C.
The running theme of this column tends to be: “There is a lot of great music happening in D.C. this month, and here’s a fraction of some of the best of it that I think you’ll enjoy.” So, bear that in mind when I say that this particular month might be the most exciting one […]
Musicians tell you what they’re excited to hear at this week’s DC Jazz Festival
This year, we do have our usual CapitalBop guide for what to see at the DC Jazz Festival — which starts today and runs through Sunday. But we’ve also decided to ask some of the finest musicians in and around D.C. for their picks: Everyone on here is playing at the festival themselves, but we’ve also […]
DC Jazz Festival 2022: CapitalBop’s picks
Last year the DC Jazz Festival moved its annual festivities from its usual timetable in early June to Labor Day weekend, avoiding what was then a surging Delta variant wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and allowing for higher numbers of guests to be vaccinated in time for the fest). Now that move looks permanent, as […]
Matthew Shipp, an icon of creative music, says improvisation is everything
The avant-garde piano luminary Matthew Shipp is always fearless, often ambiguous and unendingly ambivalent about how his music is received by the audience, so long as he knows what he has produced is honest and meaningful. The 61-year-old pianist makes work that blends the more formalized structures and timbres of the bop tradition with avant […]
‘About the music, about the people:’ Clarence Ward III Talks Roy Hargrove, the sounds of Baltimore City and his new EP
Multi-instrumentalist and composer Clarence Ward III has recently established himself as a staple of Baltimore jazz. His weekly jam sessions at R. House, near the Charles Village neighborhood, have ignited the scene and created a joyous environment for both attendees and the best jazz musicians in the city, young and old. His music, which he […]
5 live jazz picks for August in D.C.
Four of this month’s D.C. jazz picks feature ticket prices at $20 and below. Two — well, two and a half – are completely free to the public. Could it be a sign of new horizons in community-based, well-funded, public arts programming here in the District? Either way, it’s worth taking advantage while it’s here. […]