by Giovanni Russonello

The weather’s just right for some outdoor jazz – and this weekend you can get your fill at Gallery O on H St. NE, at the National Gallery Sculpture Garden or at the Petworth Jazz Project’s fourth installment. On the club circuit, the Young Lions are back this week: Find D.C.’s favorite forward-pushing jazz trio at Bohemian Caverns, working through hip hop-infused rearrangements of standards and original tunes that marry a modern Latin flavor with swingin’ bop impulse. The soulful tenor great Paul Carr is at Twins, and New York’s Jerry Gonzalez, an important Latin jazz innovator, is at Blues Alley. Find details on all of these shows and more 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, AUGUST 12

cb picks:

• Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Young Lions, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Paul Carr Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Chuck Redd, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | Vibraphonist (and drummer) Chuck Redd came up playing with Charlie Byrd, and now he’s his own bandleader. Here he helms a combo. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website

Carter Family Quintet, 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’s hard-bop Carter Family Quintet comprises two generations and three brothers: Russell Carter, Sr. on tenor saxophone, Roland Carter on piano, Rahshaan Carter on bass and Russell Carter, Jr. 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, 9:30 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

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

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

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

Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache Band, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez, who doubles on congas, learned a lot of what he knows today during a stint in Dizzy Gillespie’s band – but he applies it to a progressive Latin jazz framework, to distinctive and electrifying effect. In a career spanning from the 1970s, Gonzalez has played with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, Jaco Pastorius and his own groups. One of those, the Latin combo Ft. Apache, featuring a dynamic young drummer in Dafnis Prieto, plays at Blues Alley this weekend. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 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

Young Lions, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Bohemian Caverns is an old haunt for the Young Lions. At this point, both the 85-year-old club and 15-year-old group are D.C. jazz institutions. When its three members were college students in D.C., the Young Lions formed and began playing weekly at the now-defunct Cafe Nema. Along the way, they took up a late-night residency at the Bohemian Caverns and achieved area-wide acclaim for their groove-laden improvisations. The trio covers a wide range of styles, but is especially gripping when dealing in its distinctive, hip-hop-meets-bebop idiom. Bassist Kris Funn is a regular sideman for superstar trumpeter Christian Scott, while pianist Allyn Johnson directs the University of the District of Columbia’s Jazz Studies program. When they come together with drummer and bandleader Quincy Phillips, it’s always a thrill. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30. $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

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

Paul Carr Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Paul Carr — a local tenor saxophone giant and educator, and the organizer of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival — has a sound that’s meaty and insistent, blending soul conviction with straight-ahead jazz’s special deference to impulse. He’s got a full repertoire of original pieces as well as a singular touch with standards, and he’s sure to appear with some of D.C.’s top musicians for sidemen. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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, AUGUST 13

cb picks:

• Akua Allrich, Petworth Jazz Project, 6:30 p.m.
• Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache Band, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Young Lions, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Antonio Parker Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 18th Street Lounge 10:30 p.m.
• Elijah Jamal Balbed, Utopia, 11 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

Akua Allrich, Petworth Jazz Project, 6:30 p.m. | India Arie, Aretha Franklin, Billie Holiday, Miriam Makeba – all of their influences bubble up in vocalist Akua Allrich’s Afrobeat-influenced neo-soul. The Howard University graduate, who composes many of her own tunes, will perform with a small band featuring top D.C. jazz talent, including bassist Kris Funn and drummer C.V. Dashiell III. The monthly Petworth Jazz Project is bringing great music into Petworth, which has lacked a jazz presence for a while. The shows occur at the Petworth Playground, and blankets are provided. Free.

Jolley Brothers’ B-Day, 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. This weekend, the twins celebrate their birthday with a special performance-cum-party, hosted by WKYS’s Jeannie Jones. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, a typical performance from the Jolleys brings 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. No cover, 1-drink It’s hard to say whether these eclectic brothers will spend their birthday party performing their typical neo-soul-jazz set – or if they’ll play at all – but there’s sure to be plenty of good vibes. 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

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

Yamomanem, Gallery O, 7:30 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. The group performs in the courtyard at Gallery O on H St. NE. $5 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Gallery O website

Julie Hall Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Julie Hall passionately projects a swirling, blooming tone, and flavors her renditions of jazz standards with a pregnant tremolo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache Band, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez, who doubles on congas, learned a lot of what he knows today during a stint in Dizzy Gillespie’s band – but he applies it to a progressive Latin jazz framework, to distinctive and electrifying effect. In a career spanning from the 1970s, Gonzalez has played with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, Jaco Pastorius and his own groups. One of those, the Latin combo Ft. Apache, featuring a dynamic young drummer in Dafnis Prieto, plays at Blues Alley this weekend. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar| Blues Alley profile

Young Lions, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Bohemian Caverns is an old haunt for the Young Lions. At this point, both the 85-year-old club and 15-year-old group are D.C. jazz institutions. When its three members were college students in D.C., the Young Lions formed and began playing weekly at the now-defunct Cafe Nema. Along the way, they took up a late-night residency at the Bohemian Caverns and achieved area-wide acclaim for their groove-laden improvisations. The trio covers a wide range of styles, but is especially gripping when dealing in its distinctive, hip-hop-meets-bebop idiom. Bassist Kris Funn is a regular sideman for superstar trumpeter Christian Scott, while pianist Allyn Johnson directs the University of the District of Columbia’s Jazz Studies program. When they come together with drummer and bandleader Quincy Phillips, it’s always a thrill. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Paul Carr Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Paul Carr — a local tenor saxophone giant and educator, and the organizer of the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival — has a sound that’s meaty and insistent, blending soul conviction with straight-ahead jazz’s special deference to impulse. He’s got a full repertoire of original pieces as well as a singular touch with standards, and he’s sure to appear with some of D.C.’s top musicians for sidemen. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $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

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-Chisholm, pianist William Knowles and bassist Mark Saltman. But the group’s ancillary instrumentation — like its musical ambitions — is always changing: On the band’s latest CD, Saltman Knowles refashioned itself as an octet, complete with the steel pan drum sounds of Victor Provost. What form the band will take at HR-57 is far from certain. $12 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

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

Dee Stone & Charles Wright, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Dee Stone and Charles Wright play 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 Lounge 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, AUGUST 14

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 p.m.
• Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache, Blues Alley, 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

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

Jerry Gonzalez & Ft. Apache, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Trumpeter Jerry Gonzalez, who doubles on congas, learned a lot of what he knows today during a stint in Dizzy Gillespie’s band – but he applies it to a progressive Latin jazz framework, to distinctive and electrifying effect. In a career spanning from the 1970s, Gonzalez has played with Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, McCoy Tyner, Jaco Pastorius and his own groups. One of those, the Latin combo Ft. Apache, featuring a dynamic young drummer in Dafnis Prieto, plays at Blues Alley this weekend. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Sunday Jazz Lounge, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Details TBA. 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

Comments

comments