by Giovanni Russonello
Editor-in-chief

This weekend, the focus falls squarely on the local musicians. They’re the workhorses who pull the proverbial cart of the D.C. jazz scene, and in what’s been a star-studded autumn, this is the weekend when they come out to shine. Saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk pays tribute to Thelonious Monk’s compositions at Twins Jazz; stalwart trumpet man Kenny Rittenhouse leads a septet at Bohemian Caverns; and on Saturday night only, trumpeter John Williams II brings his swinging quartet to HR-57. You can find details on these performances and many others in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” a 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, OCTOBER 28

cb picks:

• Kenny Rittenhouse Septet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Jeff Antoniuk & Jazz Update, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Davey Yarborough, 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, the band consists of famed Duke Ellington School of the Arts jazz director Davey Yarborough on saxophone, Esther Williams on vocals, Jon Ozment on piano, Wes Biles on bass, Ike Daniels on guitar and Francis Thompson 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 Lounge 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

Jeff Coffin & Mu’tet, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist in the Dave Matthews Band, calls his own group the Mu’tet. The small band blends New Orleans second line and jazz stylings with jam band and prog-rock. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

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

Kenny Rittenhouse Septet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Kenny Rittenhouse was a mainstay on the D.C. jazz scene throughout much of the 1990s, playing at venues such as the One Step Down and Twins Lounge. The highly respected trumpeter has a tone that can be both mellow and punchy, and he has played with the U.S. Army Band and the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra. Rittenhouse now teaches at George Mason University and doesn’t play out as much as he used to. He appears here with a top-notch septet of local musicians: Reginald Cyntje on trombone, Antonio Orta on alto saxophone, Elijah Jamal Balbed on tenor saxophone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Cheney Thomas on bass and Jay Jefferson on drums. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30. $18 cover in advance, $22 at the door, 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

Jeff Antoniuk & Jazz Update, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tenor saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk plays straight-ahead jazz with his sights set on what lies just past the horizon. Antoniuk’s tone is broad, with a constantly swelling life of its own. In his combo, Jazz Update, the D.C.-area musician is joined by the nimble pianist Wade Beach, bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Tony Martucci. For this weekend engagement at Twins, the quartet will explore the music of Thelonious Monk, bebop’s foremost and most idiosyncratically compelling composer. $20 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. 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, October 29

cb picks:

• Kenny Rittenhouse Septet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• John Williams II Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m.
• Jeff Antoniuk & Jazz Update, 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

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

Hurricane Howie, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m. | Howard Feinstein, or “Hurricane Howie,” performs theatrical pianistics. 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

Django Reinhardt Festival All-Stars, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. | Led by guitarist Dorado Schmitt, the Djando Reinhardt Festival All-Stars revive the gypsy guitar master’s music. The group is joined by Colombian harp phenom Edmar Castañeda for this performance at the Kennedy Center’s Terrace Theater. Two separate shows at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Tickets $45. View event on calendar | KC Jazz Club profile

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 & Potomac Jazz Project, Extra Virgin Restaurant, 7:30 p.m. | Vocalist Lena Seikaly sings jazz standards with a confident and playful demeanor, displaying a haziness reminiscent of Esperanza Spalding as well as a deference to traditional greats. 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 | Extra Virgin’s website

Julian Hipkins Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Julian Hipkins sings with a swingin’ flair and jaunty, deep voice that recall Jimmy Rushing. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Jeff Coffin & Mu’tet, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist in the Dave Matthews Band, calls his own group the Mu’tet. The small band blends New Orleans second line and jazz stylings with jam band and prog-rock. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar| Blues Alley profile

Kenny Rittenhouse Septet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Kenny Rittenhouse was a mainstay on the D.C. jazz scene throughout much of the 1990s, playing at venues such as the One Step Down and Twins Lounge. The highly respected trumpeter has a tone that can be both mellow and punchy, and he has played with the U.S. Army Band and the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra. Rittenhouse now teaches at George Mason University and doesn’t play out as much as he used to. He appears here with a top-notch septet of local musicians: Reginald Cyntje on trombone, Antonio Orta on alto saxophone, Elijah Jamal Balbed on tenor saxophone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Cheney Thomas on bass and Jay Jefferson on drums. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30. $18 cover in advance, $22 at the door, 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

Jonathan Williams II Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m.| Trumpeter John Williams II, a disciple of the Lee Morgan school of hard-bop trumpeters, plays with clear articulation. His phrasing is infectiously energetic, but precise. Williams is frequently seen at HR-57 during the middle of the week, when some of D.C.’s top players congregate on the bandstand for jam sessions. Here he leads his own quartet. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Jeff Antoniuk & Jazz Update, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tenor saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk plays straight-ahead jazz with his sights set on what lies just past the horizon. Antoniuk’s tone is broad, with a constantly swelling life of its own. In his combo, Jazz Update, the D.C.-area musician is joined by the nimble pianist Wade Beach, bassist Tom Baldwin and drummer Tony Martucci. For this weekend engagement at Twins, the quartet will explore the music of Thelonious Monk, bebop’s foremost and most idiosyncratically compelling composer. $20 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar |Twins Jazz profile

Some Like It Hot, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Some Like It Hot is a small jazz and that performs traditional music from the swing era. 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. 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, October 30

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Cricket Fusion Sextet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 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

Jam Session with the Django Reinhardt Festival All-Stars, Kennedy Center, 11:30 p.m. | Guitarist Dorado Schmitt and the Djando Reinhardt Festival All-Stars will lead a jam session one day after their Kennedy Center performance. All are invited to bring their instruments – especially guitarists. It might be the only jam this year where there can never be too many guitarists. $5 cover. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center 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

 

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

Cricket Fusion Sextet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Trumpeter Joe Brotherton’s Cricket Fusion Sextet slides hip-hop flow into the paradigm of bebop. Five acoustic instruments play improvised music that’s focused on groove, and emcee Yusef interjects verses from time to time. The mix is captivating. And it’s of a rare breed in the District. Other than Brotherton, the instrumentalists are Herb Scott on alto saxophone, Elijah Jamal Balbed on tenor, Blake Meister on bass and Terence Arnett on drums. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Jeff Coffin Mu’tet, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Jeff Coffin, the saxophonist in the Dave Matthews Band, calls his own group the Mu’tet. The small band blends New Orleans second line and jazz stylings with jam band and prog-rock. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 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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