by Giovanni Russonello

This Sunday night, CapitalBop’s D.C. Jazz Loft returns after a very successful series at the D.C. Jazz Festival. Also, talented bass clarinetist Todd Marcus is at Bohemian Caverns on Friday, and D.C. fave Benito Gonzalez brings his irascible pianistics to Twins Jazz. Find details on all of these shows in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” our 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, JULY 8

cb picks:

• Todd Marcus, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Benito Gonzalez, Twins Jazz, 9 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | For this installation of the popular Jazz in the Garden series at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, the Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet gives the Great American Songbook a four-part-harmony makeover. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website

Lori Williams, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Smooth-voiced singer Lori Williams is a regular member of the local jazz group Saltman-Knowles. At this week’s edition of Jazz Night, she steps out with her own backing band: Tracey Cutler on saxophone, Dr. Weldon Hill on piano, James King on bass and Mark Prince on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website

Jacqui Simmons, 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

Wayne Wilentz Trio, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m. | Pianist Wayne Wilentz is well-versed in R&B and Latin jazz as well as bop, and it shines through in his playing. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Yamomanem Jazz Band, 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

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

Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk and frequent pop covers. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 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

Andréa Wood & Michael Kramer, Tasting Room, 8 p.m. | Singer Andréa Wood has started catching people’s ears since returning to D.C., her hometown, in 2009. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate moves fearlessly up and down octaves, all the while maintaining a distinct sense of purpose. She can explore the upper register in a beguiling waft, or plunge into the basement with buoyant, swelling articulation. Wood and guitarist Michael Kramer play Brazilian and classic jazz standards every week as background fare at the Tasting Room, a wine bar in Friendship Heights. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Tasting Room website

Todd Marcus Quartet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Todd Marcus, a musical autodidact, plays the clarinet and bass clarinet (rarities in the jazz world) with a sharp ease. His tidy but sprawled-out compositions have a similar preternatural comfort about them. As a result his swingin’, punchy post-bop often comes off both comforting and challenging. The Baltimore resident is joined here by an excellent cohort: Xavier Davis on piano, Eric Wheeler on bass and Eric Kennedy on drums. $15 cover in advance, $20 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

Benito Gonzalez, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Pianist Benito Gonzalez, now a major force on the New York jazz scene, has moved around a lot but will always retain a special place in the heart of D.C. jazz lovers. Before moving to New York, the Venezuelan-born Gonzalez spent years as the top pianist on the scene here. His language is founded in bebop, with quick and fiery runs up top and a pounding, trenchant left hand (stacked fourths à la McCoy Tyner are a distinctive foundation). But Gonzalez pours in plenty of Latin jazz, with montunos and straight-feel soloing layered over his swing. One of the best things about seeing Gonzalez play is the visceral joy he gets from it, and how he pours everything he has into each performance. On his recent CD, “Circles,” a star-studded cast joined Gonzalez: saxophonists Ron Blake, Myron Walden and Azar Lawrence, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. At Twins he’ll be performing with a quartet featuring Lawrence on saxophone. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Antonio Parker Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker has long been a regular performer at HR-57, and when the club moved to H St. NE earlier this year, he played at opening night. Parker’s playing refers to John Coltrane’s tenor technique, but his aggressive tone and rhythmic inclinations are more contemporary, bringing neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker’s style on the horn often nods toward another 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

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. Donvonte’s joined every Friday by the talented, Billie Holiday-indebted singer Integriti Reeves. 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 weekly engagement at Utopia brings hordes to the restaurant and bar every Friday night. 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, JULY 9

cb picks:

• Benito Gonzalez, Twins Jazz, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Elijah Jamal Balbed Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 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 Quartet, 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, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai 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

Oasis Band, Gallery O, 7:30 p.m. | The Oasis Band, comprised of five West Indian transplants to the D.C. area, plays music that’s most akin to reggae, but also draws on jazz and Latin American music traditions. Here it performs on the patio at Gallery O on H St. NE. $5 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Gallery O website

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

Kristine Key Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Delicate-voiced and plaintive singer Kristine Key is joined here by Vince Smith on piano, Wes Biles on bass and DeAndrey Howard on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum.View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk and frequent pop covers. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Romeir Mendez Quartet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Baltimorean Romeir Mendez, a frequent sideman in the area, is a fierce and hard-swingin’ bop bass player. Here he takes the helm, leading his own quartet. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Benito Gonzalez, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Pianist Benito Gonzalez, now a major force on the New York jazz scene, has moved around a lot but will always retain a special place in the heart of D.C. jazz lovers. Before moving to New York, the Venezuelan-born Gonzalez spent years as the top pianist on the scene here. His language is founded in bebop, with quick and fiery runs up top and a pounding, trenchant left hand (stacked fourths à la McCoy Tyner are a distinctive foundation). But Gonzalez pours in plenty of Latin jazz, with montunos and straight-feel soloing layered over his swing. One of the best things about seeing Gonzalez play is the visceral joy he gets from it, and how he pours everything he has into each performance. On his recent CD, “Circles,” a star-studded cast joined Gonzalez: saxophonists Ron Blake, Myron Walden and Azar Lawrence, bassist Christian McBride and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. At Twins he’ll be performing with a quartet featuring Lawrence on saxophone. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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

Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson is one of D.C.’s swingin’est drummers, and when he decides to bring the heat, watch out. He draws some inspiration from Max Roach’s cymbal style, and he’s always deep in the pocket. Jackson spent two decades on the road with soul-jazz master Jimmy Smith. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Aaron Myers, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Vocalist Aaron Myers leads this straight-ahead jazz quartet, featuring piano, bass and drums, at the new Black Fox Lounge. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile

Kaos Theory, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Kaos Theory is a smooth funk band. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station 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

Elijah Jamal Experience, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Young powerhouse tenor saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed heads up one of the swinginest shows on U Street every Saturday night. His sound drips with the blues, and from the bell of this 20-year-old’s horn seem to rise the ghosts of Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon. With the Washington City Paper‘s 2010 Best New D.C. Jazz Musician award under his belt, Balbed can always be expected always to deliver the goods. 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, JULY 10

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 p.m.
• D.C. Jazz Loft, Red Door, 7 p.m.
• Sunday Jazz Lounge feat. Gavin Fallow, 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

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

Alvin Trask Trio, Bayou, 12:30 p.m. | Alvin Trask is a deft local trumpeter; here he leads his trio through a background set during Sunday brunch. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bayou profile

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

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

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

D.C. Jazz Loft, Red Door, 7 p.m. | For the fourth edition of the D.C. Jazz Loft, three groups comprising some of D.C.’s top jazz talent are featured before things finish up most untidily with a wild, free-jazz jam. The Jolley Brothers blend neo-soul with straight-ahead jazz; Reginald Cyntje is a trombone player whose Caribbean roots bring his music a joyful depth of feeling; and the distinctive but adaptable saxophonist Brian Settles here teams up with drummer Jeremy Carlstedt (and no one else) for a set of avant-music fury. And for serious, folks – don’t miss the free-jazz jam at the end, led by Settles! $10 suggested donation, BYOB. View event on calendar | Red Door 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

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

Marcus Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Pianist Marcus Johnson makes highly danceable smooth jazz, with strong inflections of funk and frequent pop covers. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Sunday Jazz Lounge feat. Gavin Fallow, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Guitarist Rodney Richardson and trumpeter Joe Herrera lead this weekly jazz hangout, popular among musicians and fans alike. It’s founded on creative ambitions – intended to nurture a climate where the band’s repertoire stretches beyond the typical jazz standards, and the focus is on taking chances. To that end, every set starts with a 20-minute, unaccompanied solo performance. This week’s is from bassist Gavin Fallow. Then Herrera and Richardson take the stage with their quartet for two sets. $5 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins 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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