Weekend in Jazz | 1.31-2.2: Tootie Heath sets his tempo, and avant-garde documentaries abound -

Editorial board

Albert “Tootie” Heath hasn’t just played with the masters — he’s one of them. Since the 1950s, he has lent his gallivanting swing feel and hi-hat dexterity to bands led by John Coltrane, Benny Golson, Nina Simone, Yusef Lateef and so many others. Now he’s stepping forward as a leader, something he does too rarely, helming a trio that also features Ethan Iverson (of Bad Plus fame) and Ben Street. The band plays on Friday night at Bohemian Caverns.

Also this weekend, two screenings of documentaries on avant-garde jazz: a double feature at the Library of Congress on Friday, and a showing of Black February at the Takoma Park Community Center on Sunday. You can also find our full listings at CapitalBop’s D.C. jazz calendar. All our favorite shows below have a label. Happy hunting!

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31

cb picks:

Film Screening: Double feature, Library of Congress, 7 p.m.
Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
Corey Harris, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
Tootie Heath, Ethan Iverson & Ben Street, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Jazz Jam, Ulah Bistro, 11 p.m.
Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Bonnie Harris, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | What began as an experiment over a decade ago continues today as one of Washington’s greatest weekly traditions: Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Jazz Night.” Every Friday night, the house of God becomes a hub for fish frying, communing and jamming on straight-ahead jazz. This week, Bonnie Harris leads a quintet in a tribute to Gloria Lynne. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website

Charles Rahmat Woods Duo, Firelake Grill, 7 p.m. | The saxophonist Charles Woods plays in both free and straight-ahead jazz styles, but for his regular gig leading a low-key duo at Firelake Grill, he keeps things within the traditional, swinging realm. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Firelake Grill website

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

Film Screening: “Inside Out and in the Open” and “The Breath Courses Through Us,” Library of Congress, 7 p.m. | For the final installment of its monthlong jazz-film series, the Library of Congress presents a double feature of documentaries by Alan Roth: first “Inside Out and in the Open,” which examines free jazz and presents long live performance scenes, and then the D.C. debut of “The Breath Courses Through Us,” a new documentary on the New York Art Quartet. That group, featuring a mind-bending frontline of Roswell Rudd and John Tchicai, helped pioneer the jazz avant-garde in the 1960s and collaborated extensively with the late Amiri Baraka. Free. View event on calendar | Library of Congress film series website

Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Bobby Muncy is a saxophonist with chops, conviction and the drive to make jazz sound and feel fresh. This weekend he brings his Radiohead covers project back to Twins Jazz for a two-night run. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Corey Harris, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Corey Harris plays the Delta blues with depth and credibility. He’s also a dedicated eclectic, exploring genres from reggae to Malian popular music. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Lori Williams, Loews Madison Hotel, 8 p.m. | The smooth-voiced singer Lori Williams is a regular member of the local jazz group Saltman-Knowles. Here she steps out, singing standards at the fore of her own combo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Loews website

Tootie Heath, Ethan Iverson & Ben Street, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | You’ve heard Wes Montgomery, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Yusef Lateef — but do you know what links them? All welcomed the drummer Tootie Heath into their universe at some point or another. Now in his 70s, the youngest (and most overlooked) member of the famous Heath Brothers triumvirate has fabulous dexterity on the hi-hat, a bounding swing feel and a taste for knee-slapping showmanship that you have to see to understand. (I won’t try to recreate his jokes here. You’re welcome.) His trio with the pianist Ethan Iverson — also of the Bad Plus — and the bassist Ben Street has just released its second album, Tootie’s Tempo, and it’s a keeper. Catch their set at Bohemian and expect an overflow of pithy, creative, inside-outside renditions of jazz standards. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian profile

Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 9 p.m. | The stalwart D.C. piano player Peter Edelman every Friday 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

Antonio Parker, HR-57, 9 p.m. | The alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is doggedly swinging, soulful and colored by a bright, aggressive tone. He casually sprinkles neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bop, and his improvisation shows a redolence of Kenny Garrett. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 profile

Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 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

U St. Jazz Jam, Ulah Bistro, 11 p.m. | U Street restaurant Ulah Bistro has stepped up to fill the void that Utopia left open last year, when it closed to make way for the construction of a new condos complex. That restaurant housed the block’s most reliable, convivial jam sessions. Ulah gives a taste of that energy once a week, late on Friday nights. This week the saxophonist Herb Scott helms the proceedings. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Ulah website

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1

cb picks:

Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
Spring Quartet, Warner Theatre, 8 p.m.
Don Byron, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 8 p.m.
Corey Harris, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
DeAndre Shaifer, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. 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

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

District Jazz Trio, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m. | A self-described “cool swinging jazz trio,” the District Jazz Trio is saxophonist Seth Popkin, pianist Dan Nathan and bassist Roger Rosa. The group plays jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Karen Gray Trio, Sala Thai (RI Ave.), 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

Full Ascent, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | This jazz band plays in a number of traditional styles, from hard-bop to Dixieland to calypso. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Don Byron, Atlas Performing Arts Center, 8 p.m. | The clarinetist Don Byron travels easily with his command of jazz’s most antediluvian instrument, floating across boundaries of time and genre. Into his inquisitive music he has worked klezmer, hip-hop and much else. Today he maintains a searing, jubilant ensemble called the New Gospel Quintet: It features the vocalist Carla Cook, the pianist Xavier Davis, the bassist Brad Jones, and the drummer Pheeroan akLaff, and it’s a bright-swinging revelation. (The show is preceded by a “Riffin'” listening session at 7 p.m., during which CapitalBop’s Luke Stewart will guide an interactive conversatoin between Byron and the audience. Attendees will watch performance videos featuring some of Byron’s biggest musical influences, and talk about them with him.) Tickets $28.50 in advance, $33.50 at the door, $10 for students. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Akua Allrich, Loews Madison Hotel, 8 p.m. | Nina Simone and Miriam Makeba are two strong influences that bubble up in Allrich’s Afrobeat- and jazz-infused music. The Howard University graduate, who composes many of her own tunes, is a searingly effervescent singer, with a sort of earthbound optimism that she passes along. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Loews website

Spring Quartet, Warner Theatre, 8 p.m. | The Spring Quartet is jazz’s latest supergroup du jour: Esperanza Spalding on bass, Joe Lovano on saxophone, Jack DeJohnette on drums and Leo Genovese on piano. The group’s members have all played together in various situations, but this current tour marks the first time that these straight-ahead jazz all-stars will perform as a quartet. It’s one of the most promising shows to come through D.C. so far in this young year. Ticket prices vary ($39-49). View event on calendar | Bohemian profile

DeAndre Shaifer, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 p.m. | DeAndre Shaifer is a lithe, ecstatically swinging trumpet player living in D.C. His talent on his main instrument jumps out at you quick — but if you hang out before or after a gig, you might also spy him messing around on the piano. Then you feel the weight of his virtuosity. Shaifer’s not seen on the District scene as often as he ought to be; this show, with him leading a combo, is a rare delight. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian profile

TBA, HR-57, 9 p.m. | No information available. View event on calendar | HR-57 profile

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 2

cb pick:

Film Screening: “Black February,” Takoma Park Community Center, 5 p.m.

Gospel Brunch, The Hamilton, 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. | Every Sunday morning, the Hamilton presents two sets of rafters-raising gospel, along with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Two separate shows at 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. $25 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | The Hamilton website

George Oakley Group, Redwood Restaurant, 11 a.m. | George Oakley invests all the reeds he plays – saxophone, clarinet and flute – with a whispering coolness. In this weekly brunch gig, he performs with a laid-back trio featuring Scott Giambusso on bass and Nick Lipkowski on guitar. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Redwood website

Harlem Gospel Choir, Howard Theatre, 12 p.m. | The talented Harlem Gospel Choir, which has been active since 1986, performs a Sunday brunch show every week at the Howard Theatre. Either an all-you-can-eat buffet or an a la carte menu are available. Doors open at noon, and the music starts at 1:30 p.m. Tickets vary ($35 for all-you-can-eat or $20 for admission and a la carte options in advance, $45 or $30 at the door). View event on calendar | Howard website

Todd Simon, Kellari Taverna, 12 p.m. | The sturdy and swinging pianist Todd Simon performs every Sunday in a duo setting; his accompanists vary from bass to guitar to saxophone, depending on the week. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Kellari Taverna website

Film Screening: “Black February,” Takoma Park Community Center, 5 p.m. | Lawrence “Butch” Morris was a quiet colossus, who knew that the best path to powerful expression runs through combined forces. After becoming a trumpeter of note on the downtown scene in the 1970s, Morris turned his energies toward Conduction, his advanced but fluid system of spontaneously arranging free improvisations for large ensembles. The documentary “Black February” reflects on the late master’s life and work. This screening will be followed by a performance of the Morris composition of the same name, by the trumpeter Lewis “Flip” Barnes. Free. View event on calendar | Takoma Park Community Center website

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

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

Bob Schwartz Quartet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The Bob Schwartz Quartet plays amiably swinging bop. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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