The storied drum master Jimmy Cobb performs in a trio at Blues Alley all three nights this weekend. Courtesy Tom Pich/nea.gov
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
Drummer Jimmy Cobb, a D.C. native best known for his work with Miles Davis and John Coltrane, leads an unlikely all-star band this weekend at Blues Alley, teaming up with the fusion guitarist Larry Coryell and the soulful organ player Joey DeFrancesco. Also, pianist Larry Willis leads a band at Bohemian Caverns and the young alto powerhouse Herb Scott performs a free concert in Petworth on Saturday evening. Find details on those 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, JULY 26
cb picks:
- Buck Hill & Arnold Sterling, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
- Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Larry Willis, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Paul Pieper Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Juanita Williams, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | Incendio combines Latin jazz guitar music with influences from across the globe. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website
Buck Hill & Arnold Sterling, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Tenor saxophonist Buck Hill is a D.C. legend. Had he moved to New York City, he surely would have become a national figure. He was already making waves with his music by the mid-1940s, and in the coming years he honed his skills as a bebop master alongside Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and other greats who came through D.C. to perform. Hill’s uncompromising swing and rich, reedy tone were originally “discovered” by the famous guitarist Charlie Byrd, with whom Hill recorded a series of albums in the 1950s. By the ’70s, he was recording as a leader alongside Buster Williams, Kenny Barron and other greats. At this week’s edition of “Jazz Night,” Hill performs alongside the soulful, Baltimore-based alto saxophonist Arnold Sterling, with a quintet that includes Jon Ozment on piano, Cheyney Thomas on bass and Keith Killgo 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
Potomac Jazz Project, 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
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
Irene Jalenti Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Italian vocalist Irene Jalenti sings in a tone that’s husky and hushed. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Here’s a trio that you really couldn’t have anticipated. Its lineup implies a whole lot of combustive potential, mostly at the stylistic fault lines between its principals. The 83-year-old drummer Jimmy Cobb, in his playing with fellow innovators like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, was an early architect of bebop’s jagged structures and the mutable side-rooms built from it in the 1950s and ’60s. Larry Coryell, the guitarist, came at the music more than a decade later than Cobb, and quickly became a leading exponent of jazz-rock fusion. Joey DeFrancesco, on organ, is half Cobb’s age; he drew acclaim starting in the late ’80s – the era of straight-ahead jazz’s neo-traditional revival – for his precocious ability to channel the current of soulful expression that runs through most of jazz’s great organ playing. On their own, these three players would seem to have more than enough questions to ask each other through the music. But they’ve thrown in an icing-on-the-ca
Larry Willis, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Famous jazz pianist Larry Willis has a soulful sophistication, which he’s applied in a vast array of settings – from alto saxophone great Jackie McLean’s band to the 1970s rock outfit Blood, Sweat & Tears. Here he leads his own straight-ahead quintet. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
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
Paul Pieper Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Paul Pieper is a skilled jazz guitarist who came in second at the 1995 Thelonious Monk Competition. Here he leads an impressive quartet of D.C.-based straight-ahead jazz players: Tedd Baker on saxophone, Gavin Fallow on bass and Shareef Taher on drums. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $17 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Antonio Parker, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swingin’ and soulful, with a bright, aggressive tone. He casually sprinkles neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bop, and his improvisation shows a redolence to Kenny Garrett’s. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website
Aura Jazz, Black Fox Lounge, 9 p.m. | Aura Jazz is a trio that blends jazz, soul and funk. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile
Robbie Wancowicz Ensemble w/Jenny George, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Jenny George can’t yet drink legally at Black Fox Lounge, but she’s a prescient young vocalist who takes on jazz standards with strength and sensitivity. Here she appears with the Robbie Wancowicz 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
SATURDAY, JULY 28
cb picks:
- Fred Foss, Wesley United Methodist, 6:30 p.m.
- Herb Spice & Cinnamonstix, Petworth Jazz Project, 7:30 p.m.
- Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Larry Willis, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m.
- Paul Pieper Quartet, 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
Fred Foss, Wesley United Methodist, 6:30 p.m. | The tenor saxophonist Fred Foss has been an important performer and educator in the D.C. region for decades. His straight-ahead bop playing – searing, laden with conviction and bearing the indelible influence of John Coltrane’s innovations – is always gripping; here he leads a quartet including Wade Beach on piano, Herman Burney on bass and Harold Summey on drums. Tickets $10, $7 for seniors, free for children 12 and under. View event on calendar | Wesley 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 (Bethesda), 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
Kirk Winters Trio, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Guitarist Kirk Winters draws inspiration from bop guitar greats such as Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery and Grant Green. He performs here with a straight-ahead trio. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Herb Spice & Cinnamonstix, Petworth Jazz Project, 7:30 p.m. | Herb Scott is a young, soulful powerhouse of an alto saxophonist. As a bandleader, he sometimes veers into smooth jazz, but when working within the straight-ahead realm his fleetness and power are undeniable. Here he’s joined by an all-star band of young D.C. jazz practitioners: Hope Udobi on piano, Eric Wheeler on bass and Terence Arnett on drums. Free. View event on calendar | Petworth Jazz Project website
Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Here’s a trio that you really couldn’t have anticipated. Its lineup implies a whole lot of combustive potential, mostly at the stylistic fault lines between its principals. The 83-year-old drummer Jimmy Cobb, in his playing with fellow innovators like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, was an early architect of bebop’s jagged structures and the mutable side-rooms built from it in the 1950s and ’60s. Larry Coryell, the guitarist, came at the music more than a decade later than Cobb, and quickly became a leading exponent of jazz-rock fusion. Joey DeFrancesco, on organ, is half Cobb’s age; he drew acclaim starting in the late ’80s – the era of straight-ahead jazz’s neo-traditional revival – for his precocious ability to channel the current of soulful expression that runs through most of jazz’s great organ playing. On their own, these three players would seem to have more than enough questions to ask each other through the music. But they’ve thrown in an icing-on-the-ca
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
Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 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
Larry Willis, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Famous jazz pianist Larry Willis has a soulful sophistication, which he’s applied in a vast array of settings – from alto saxophone great Jackie McLean’s band to the 1970s rock outfit Blood, Sweat & Tears. Here he leads his own straight-ahead quintet. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
Paul Pieper Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Paul Pieper is a skilled jazz guitarist who came in second at the 1995 Thelonious Monk Competition. Here he leads an impressive quartet of D.C.-based straight-ahead jazz players: Tedd Baker on saxophone, Gavin Fallow on bass and Shareef Taher on drums. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $17 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Cheyney Thomas Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Bassist Cheney Thomas, a longtime D.C. resident and HR-57 stalwart, 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
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
Aaron Myers, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Vocalist Aaron Myers leads a straight-ahead jazz quartet, featuring piano, bass and drums. 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
SUNDAY, JULY 29
cb picks:
- Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
- Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 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
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 often plays Sunday brunch at Acadiana, 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
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 feat. Geoff Reecer, Dahlak, 6 p.m. | This jazz jam presents a friendly, relaxed environment where professionals and amateurs can play together. This week, as part of its monthly masters series, guitarist Geoff Reecer will be on hand to offer mentorship and critiques. 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
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
Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Saxophonist Bobby Muncy writes snaky tunes influenced by 20th century classical and alternative rock, as well as jazz. He appears at Twins with a straight-ahead combo four out of five Sundays this July. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Jimmy Cobb-Larry Coryell-Joey DeFrancesco, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Here’s a trio that you really couldn’t have anticipated. Its lineup implies a whole lot of combustive potential, mostly at the stylistic fault lines between its principals. The 83-year-old drummer Jimmy Cobb, in his playing with fellow innovators like Miles Davis and John Coltrane, was an early architect of bebop’s jagged structures and the mutable side-rooms built from it in the 1950s and ’60s. Larry Coryell, the guitarist, came at the music more than a decade later than Cobb, and quickly became a leading exponent of jazz-rock fusion. Joey DeFrancesco, on organ, is half Cobb’s age; he drew acclaim starting in the late ’80s – the era of straight-ahead jazz’s neo-traditional revival – for his precocious ability to channel the current of soulful expression that runs through most of jazz’s great organ playing. On their own, these three players would seem to have more than enough questions to ask each other through the music. But they’ve thrown in an icing-on-the-ca
Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 9 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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