by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

Earlier this week, we announced that one of the world’s finest drummers, Quincy Phillips, would be leading a combo at the D.C. Jazz Loft this weekend. Turns out, this weekend is packed with great drummer-led ensembles. At the Kennedy Center on Friday, Matt Wilson will lead his playful quartet, Arts & Crafts; both Friday and Saturday, the great Art Blakey protege Ralph Peterson will present his own band at Bohemian Caverns. Then there are two notable shows by keyboardists who happen to have a drummer’s percussive instinct: Jason Moran (also at the Kennedy Center, on Saturday) and Kris Davis (at Bohemian on Sunday).

In addition, Joshua Redman — the most significant saxophonist to find prominence in the 1990s — is at Blues Alley, and the young D.C.-based Brazilian jazz vocalist Emy Tseng is celebrating the release of her new CD, Sonho, at Twins Jazz. There’s info on all those shows and many more in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz.” As always, you can find our full listings at CapitalBop’s D.C. jazz calendar. Our favorites have a label. Happy hunting!

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8

cb picks:

• Janine Gilbert-Carter, Westminster Presbyterian, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
• Matt Wilson, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
• Emy Tseng, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Ralph Peterson, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Janine Gilbert-Carter, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Vocalist Janine Gilbert-Carter has a fulsome set of pipes that she employs with masterful finesse and delicateness, in a style not entirely unlike Betty Carter’s. She often sings gospel, but she’s just as at ease doing straight-ahead jazz. Here she appears with a strong band: Brian Settles on saxophone, Glenn Douglas on piano, Wes Biles on bass and Jeffrey Neal on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church 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 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

Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. | Drummer Matt Wilson’s m.o. is clowning. You can feel the levity when he jerks back the reins on a ride cymbal pattern, or fakes you out with a beat that almost mimics the horn melody, or when he breaks out an unexpected Mariah Carey cover. His Arts & Crafts ensemble also happens to feature some of New York’s best contemporary players: Terell Stafford on trumpet, Gary Versace on keyboards and Martin Wind on bass. Two separate sets at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Tickets vary ($26-$30), no minimum. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center website

Emy Tseng, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The vocalist Emy Tseng focuses her pure and slender voice on popular tunes and standards – most of which she renders in a sleek, Brazilian-jazz style. Her band includes Matvei Sigalov on guitar, David Jernigan on bass and Lyle Link on saxophone and flute. Here they will be celebrating the recent release of her debut album, Sonho. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Joshua Redman is one of the world’s best tenor saxophonists. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition at the age of 22, and has come to symbolize self-sustainment through discovery ever since – whether in a standards-slaying quartet featuring Brad Mehldau during the early 1990s, with his fusion-funk group the Elastic Band, or floating through a sea of eastern influences with his all-star band, featuring Christian McBride and Brian Blade. For this weekend’s run at Blues Alley, he’ll show off his herculean, flaying attack at the helm of a combo. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $40 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Marianne Solivan Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | The fast-ascending New York vocalist Marianne Solivan performs here with a combo featuring some of D.C’s finest musicians. She’s got a brawny but nimble approach, and sensitivity in spades. Whether singing a standard or an original, Solivan stamps every syllable with a deep-digging sincerity. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental website

Jenelle Lynn Randall, GMU Harris Theater, 8 p.m. | The vocalist and George Mason University graduate Jenelle Lynn Randall returns to her alma mater to pay tribute to one of jazz’s greatest crossover stars, Nancy Wilson. $15 tickets, $10 for students. View event on calendar | Harris Theater website

Ralph Peterson, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | The drummer Ralph Peterson was Art Blakey’s last protege in the 1980s, and now carries on Bu’s legacy as an educator and mentor. Behind the kit, Peterson is vigorous and unrelenting, washing his entire band in polyrhythm and harking back to the greats of the 1960s and ’70s: Elvin Jones and Tony Williams especially. Here he performs with the New York-based trumpeter Josh Evans, plus a clutch of expert musicians from the D.C. area: Lyle Link and Antonio Parker on saxophones, Kris Funn on bass, and Allyn Johnson on piano. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $18 cover in advance, $22 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Zet Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | No description available. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

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

Alfredo Mojica, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Alfredo Mojica, who sang at Bossa for years with the group Sin Miedo, unites salsa, jazz and Latin American balladry. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa profile

CaShandra J, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | CaShandra J sings jazz standards and originals with a combo. 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

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9

cb picks:

• Jason Moran & the Bandwagon, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
• Emy Tseng, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Ralph Peterson, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 9:30 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

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

Jason Moran & the Bandwagon, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. | The irrepressible pianist and experimentalist Jason Moran doesn’t see many boundaries. With the trio that brought him to the summit of jazz stardom, the Bandwagon, he lets rhythm run spiky and fluid, and his harmonies grow into almost physical forms despite their pointed dissonance. The group is completed by two of the most unimpeded and seeking musicians out there: the bassist Tarus Mateen, a D.C. resident, and the drummer Nasheet Waits. Two separate sets at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Tickets vary ($26-$30), no minimum. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center website

Emy Tseng, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The vocalist Emy Tseng focuses her pure and slender voice on popular tunes and standards – most of which she renders in a sleek, Brazilian-jazz style. Her band includes Matvei Sigalov on guitar, David Jernigan on bass and Lyle Link on saxophone and flute. Here they will be celebrating the recent release of her debut album, Sonho. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Joshua Redman is one of the world’s best tenor saxophonists. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition at the age of 22, and has come to symbolize self-sustainment through discovery ever since – whether in a standards-slaying quartet featuring Brad Mehldau during the early 1990s, with his fusion-funk group the Elastic Band, or floating through a sea of eastern influences with his all-star band, featuring Christian McBride and Brian Blade. For this weekend’s run at Blues Alley, he’ll show off his herculean, flaying attack at the helm of a combo. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $40 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Marianne Solivan Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | The fast-ascending New York vocalist Marianne Solivan performs here with a combo featuring some of D.C’s finest musicians. She’s got a brawny but nimble approach, and sensitivity in spades. Whether singing a standard or an original, Solivan stamps every syllable with a deep-digging sincerity. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental website

Ralph Peterson, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | The drummer Ralph Peterson was Art Blakey’s last protege in the 1980s, and now carries on Bu’s legacy as an educator and mentor. Behind the kit, Peterson is vigorous and unrelenting, washing his entire band in polyrhythm and harking back to the greats of the 1960s and ’70s: Elvin Jones and Tony Williams especially. Here he performs with the New York-based trumpeter Josh Evans, plus a clutch of expert musicians from the D.C. area: Lyle Link and Antonio Parker on saxophones, Kris Funn on bass, and Allyn Johnson on piano. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $18 cover in advance, $22 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Kent Miller Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Strong and swinging bassist Kent Miller leads his own straight-ahead quartet. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Cubista, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Cubista is a salsa band that plays at Bossa every Saturday. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa profile

Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Lyrical bassist Steve Synk, a music major at the University of Maryland, leads a young trio that explores music ranging from standards to originals, groove-based contemporary jazz to swinging bop. No cover, one-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

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10

cb picks:

• D.C. Jazz Loft, Chez Billy, 7 p.m.
• Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Kris Davis, Bohemian Caverns, 7 & 9 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

TBA, Acadiana, 11 a.m. | Performer TBA. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Acadiana 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

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

D.C. Jazz Jam, Dahlak, 6 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 | 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, Chez Billy, 7 p.m. | At this month’s D.C. Jazz Loft, presented by CapitalBop, the District’s best Caribbean jazz musicians will be sending out sun-drenched rays of sound, and danceable grooves. Reginald Cyntje, one of the area’s greatest trombonists, is about to record his second LP, The Love Album, and will be displaying original material from that record with a combo. The steel pan virtuoso Victor Provost — like Cyntje, a Virgin Islands native — will play with his own band. And then there’s Quincy Phillips, truly one of the most imposing drummers in the world, who tours with the renowned trumpeter Roy Hargrove and plays in D.C.’s beloved Young Lions trio. He will be leading a band to cap the night. $15 suggested donation, no minimum. View event on calendar | D.C. Jazz Loft website

Kris Davis, Bohemian Caverns, 7 & 9 p.m. | The pianist Kris Davis has been earning a reputation as a satisfying sidewoman and a compelling bandleader in equal measure. That’s partly because she knows how to apply her percussive attack so flexibly; it’s tightly wound but loosely dissipating at the same time. Davis will perform with a stellar band – featuring Mat Maneri on violin and viola, Ingrid Laubrock on reeds, Tom Rainey on drums and Trevor Dunn on bass – at this show, which is part of the “Sundays @ 7 @ the Caverns” series presented by Transparent Productions. Two separate sets at 7 & 9 p.m. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns 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

Joshua Redman, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Joshua Redman is one of the world’s best tenor saxophonists. He won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition at the age of 22, and has come to symbolize self-sustainment through discovery ever since – whether in a standards-slaying quartet featuring Brad Mehldau during the early 1990s, with his fusion-funk group the Elastic Band, or floating through a sea of eastern influences with his all-star band, featuring Christian McBride and Brian Blade. For this weekend’s run at Blues Alley, he’ll show off his herculean, flaying attack at the helm of a combo. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $40 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Buddha Fly, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | No description available. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. 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

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