The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra plays on Sunday afternoon, then its saxes duke it out at the D.C. Jazz Loft that night. Giovanni Russonello/CapitalBop
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
This weekend, Tim Warfield is in town with his annual Jazzy Christmas program at Bohemian Caverns; local drummer Nasar Abadey’s reputable quintet Supernova does a run at Twins Jazz; and the D.C. Jazz Loft returns to Red Door with performances from Michelle Webb, the Jolley Brothers and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra. Find details on these performances and many more 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, DECEMBER 9
cb picks:
- Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Nasar Abadey & Supernova, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
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
Michael Thomas, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Trumpeter and composer Michael Thomas has been all over this country. After growing up in Las Vegas, he attended Grambling University in Louisiana before moving to upstate New York, then leading a successful gigging career in Philadelphia and finally settling in the D.C. area. Thomas has become a frequent bandleader in the region. His tenaciously swingin’ music tends toward the Jazz Messengers’ strain of no-compromises hard-bop; Thomas’ searing tone and dipping-and-div
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
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
Yamomanem, Sala Thai (U St.), 7 p.m. | The Yamomanem Jazz Band plays a faithful take on New Orleans jazz, conjuring the days of King Oliver and early Louis Armstrong with its lush brass section. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Jacqui Simmons & Friends, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Jacqui Simmons sings jazz standards with a heartfelt and elegant presentation. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Ramsey Lewis, Strathmore, 8 p.m. | A soul-jazz legend and NEA jazz master, Ramsey Lewis will be at Strathmore to revisit his classic disco-R&B crossover record, Sun Goddess. Lewis is no stranger to major performances in D.C., having recorded two albums at the Bohemian Caverns in the 1960s. Ticket prices vary ($28-$68), no minimum. View event on calendar | Strathmore website
Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk. He frequently indulges in pop covers, and this weekend he’s doing a holiday-centric program. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Eric Byrd Trio w/Carey Smith, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist and pianist Eric Byrd sings in a silky croon that’s not too far from Nat “King” Cole – but with more soul and gospel influence. He performs regularly with his trio, featuring Bhagwan Khalsa on bass and Alphonso Young Jr. on drums. Here the group appears with special guest Carey Smith. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Batuque, Gaffney’s 8 p.m. | Batuque is a five-piece Brazilian jazz band that ranges into the genres of partito alto, forro and xote. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Gaffney’s website
Tim Warfield’s Jazzy Christmas, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tim Warfield typically sports colored suits with bold, dark pinstripes or punchy plaid. And he happens to play a mean tenor saxophone, packed with just as much personality as his wardrobe. Warfield treasures standards, but also composes deftly modern bop tunes. His gliding blues inflections are sometimes laggard, sometimes urgent, but always laden with a signature swagger. It’s not unlike the twinkle in a grandfather’s eye – benign, loving, but marked by a knowing glint of mischief just beneath the surface. Warfield dropped out of Howard University to work as a full-time musician in D.C. and Baltimore before returning to his hometown of York, Pa., where he now lives. For this annual Christmas-theme
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
Nasar Abadey & Supernova, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Preeminent local drummer Nasar Abadey leads his quintet, Supernova, with aplomb. Heavily influenced by native African rhythms as well as bebop’s golden age, Abadey is tirelessly modern; he prods and pushes on the drums with a contemporary sense of groove. The group includes pianist Allyn Johnson and special guest Azar Lawrence on saxophone. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Maureen Mullaney, Black Fox Lounge, 9:45 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, DECEMBER 10
cb picks:
- NPR’s ‘A Jazz Piano Christmas,’ Kennedy Center, 8 p.m.
- Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Nasar Abadey & Supernova, 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
Triple Double Jazz Band, Sala Thai (Petworth), 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
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
NPR’s ‘A Jazz Piano Christmas,’ Kennedy Center, 8 p.m. | Four of the greatest jazz pianists in the game come together for a celebration of Christmas music, to be broadcast by NPR. The lineup includes NEA Jazz Master Barry Harris, a classic bebopper; Jason Moran, one of the foremost musicians mixing rap, gospel and other artistic influences into modern jazz; Eddie Palmieri, an original innovator of Latin jazz; and rising Cuban virtuoso Alfredo Rodriguez. Two separate shows at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. $55 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center website
Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk. He frequently indulges in pop covers, and this weekend he’s doing a holiday-centric program. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Lori Williams Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Smooth-voiced singer Lori Williams is a regular member of the local jazz group Saltman-Knowles
Tim Warfield’s Jazzy Christmas, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tim Warfield typically sports colored suits with bold, dark pinstripes or punchy plaid. And he happens to play a mean tenor saxophone, packed with just as much personality as his wardrobe. Warfield treasures standards, but also composes deftly modern bop tunes. His gliding blues inflections are sometimes laggard, sometimes urgent, but always laden with a signature swagger. It’s not unlike the twinkle in a grandfather’s eye – benign, loving, but marked by a knowing glint of mischief just beneath the surface. Warfield dropped out of Howard University to work as a full-time musician in D.C. and Baltimore before returning to his hometown of York, Pa., where he now lives. For this annual Christmas-theme
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
Saltman Knowles, HR-57, 9 p.m.| Saltman Knowles is a band that blends Latin, straight-ahead and soul-jazz influences. The core trio consists of joyous and smooth-voiced singer Lori Williams-Chisho
Nasar Abadey & Supernova, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Preeminent local drummer Nasar Abadey leads his quintet, Supernova, with aplomb. Heavily influenced by native African rhythms as well as bebop’s golden age, Abadey is tirelessly modern; he prods and pushes on the drums with a contemporary sense of groove. The group includes pianist Allyn Johnson and special guest Azar Lawrence on saxophone. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar |Twins Jazz profile
Dee Stone, Black Fox Lounge, 9:15 p.m. | Dee Stone sings soul, blues, jazz and rock. The first set of every performance is usually comprised of jazz standards. 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, DECEMBER 11
cb picks:
- Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
- Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, Bohemian Caverns, 3 & 7 p.m.
- D.C. Jazz Loft, Red Door, 7 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
Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, Bohemian Caverns, 3 & 7 p.m. | The Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, featured at the caves every Monday night, performs a pair of special, Christmas-theme
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
Click for info on the D.C. Jazz Loft
D.C. Jazz Loft, Red Door, 7 p.m. | CapitalBop’s D.C. Jazz Loft returns for this month’s edition, featuring Michelle Webb, the Jolley Brotehs and a Battle of the Saxes involving a handful of the District’s greatest hornists. At the rugged Red Door loft space, Webb will perform a solo guitar set, blending her jazz and world music influences; the Jolley Brothers will bring their neo-soul-jazz fusion; and the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra’s five saxophonists will go toe to toe in an old-school cutting session. This will be the second-to-last jazz loft held at Red Door, which closes at the end of January. $10 suggested donation, BYOB. View event on calendar | Red Door website
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
Anita King, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Anita King sings straight-ahead jazz with a romantic, soulful attack. Here she performs a Christmas-theme
Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk. He frequently indulges in pop covers, and this weekend he’s doing a holiday-centric program. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 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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