Warren Wolf performs at Westminster Presbyterian this weekend. Courtesy warrenwolfmusic.com
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
This weekend, you’ll find a mix of thrilling contemporary jazz, more traditional approaches, and even impressive investigations of jazz’s roots. Vibraphonist Warren Wolf, a Baltimorean who puts a modern-day twist on Milt Jackson, performs at Westminster Presbyterian on Friday, and New York City’s The Flail – a quintet with a strong roster of original compositions – plays Friday and Saturday at Twins. On Saturday night only, the hard-swinging, soulful piano master Dwayne Adell plays at Wesley United Methodist Church, and the beloved pianist-vocalist Dick Morgan performs a couple sets at Blues Alley. Also that night, the Petworth Jazz Project launches its second summer of monthly outdoor concerts with a show by the Jolley Brothers. Then on Sunday, catch Black Notes at Bohemian Caverns or the West African duo Eme & Heteru at Twins Jazz. 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, MAY 25
cb picks:
- Warren Wolf, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
- The Flail, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Warren Wolf & Wolfpack, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Warren Wolf has an unassuming personality but a bold style on the vibraphone, reapplying Milt Jackson’s minor blues tonalities in an energized, post-bop setting. The Baltimore resident is a linchpin of bassist Christian McBride’s band, Inside Straight, and is an in-demand sideman on the national scene. At Westminster Presbyterian, he leads a hard-hitting band: Allyn Johnson on piano, Tim Green on saxophone, Kris Funn on bass and John Lamkin III 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
Triple Double, 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
Paige Martin Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Paige Martin, who contributed to the latest album by the U.S. Air Force’s jazz band, takes a straightforward approach focused on strength and projection. Here she leads her own combo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Karla Chisholm, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Singer Karla Chisholm’s music is somewhere between pop singer-songwrit
Grégoire Maret, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Grégoire Maret, the most talked-about jazz harmonica player to come along in years, hails from Switzerland – although his mother is originally from Harlem. Maret boasts a contemporary sensibility and a swift dexterity on the instrument. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $18 cover in advance, $22 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
Antonio Parker Quartet, 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
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
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 profile
The Flail, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | The Flail is a multinational, New York-based quintet that writes taut originals and hits hard. Its rhythms tend to bounce around like a super ball in a tin can, relentless and aggressive. The group’s post-bop approach is tinged with rock-ish grooves here and there, but there’s plenty of jazz’s history in this music too, if you go looking for it. $15 cover, $10 minimum. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. 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. Cover varies ($5-10), no minimum. View event on calendar | 18th St. Lounge profile
SATURDAY, MAY 26
cb picks:
- Jolley Brothers, Petworth Jazz Project, 6 p.m.
- Dwayne Adell, Wesley United Methodist Church, 6:30 p.m.
- Dick Morgan, Blues Alley, 8 p.m.
- The Flail, 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
Jolley Brothers, Petworth Jazz Project, 6 p.m. | The opening concert of the second annual Petworth Jazz Project free concert series centers on the Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, who have their roots in gospel, soul, the modal bop of the 1960s and Golden Age hip-hop. The brothers, who also compose prolifically, bring it all into the 21st century while stamping things with a distinctive flavoring. The show takes place at the Petworth Playground, and blankets are provided. Rich Patterson will be DJing before and after the Jolleys’ performance, spinning classic jazz records. Free.View event on calendar | Petworth Jazz Project website
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
Dwayne Adell, Wesley United Methodist, 6:30 p.m. | One of the area’s most respected – and mysterious – pianists, Dwayne Adell is a musical autodidact with devastating fluidity and virtuosity. He has greater ability at the keyboard than with a pencil and staff paper, but he can master virtually any piece of music by memory and make it his own. Tickets $10, $7 for seniors, free for children 12 and under. View event on calendar | Wesley United Methodist 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
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., where she’s accompanied by a pianist. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Henley Park’s website
Dick Morgan, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Top-notch pianist Dick Morgan has been playing jazz piano in the classic bop tradition for decades. His entertaining style recalls Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson and variety of other influences from jazz’s so-called golden age. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $22 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Steve Washington Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Steve Washington sings standards with the controlled grace of so many 1950s soul and jazz singers. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Lydia Lewis Trio, Tasting Room, 8 p.m. | Tasteful drummer and composer Lydia Lewis leads her trio in background fare at the Tasting Room, a wine bar in Friendship Heights. She’s consistently joined by expert side musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Tasting Room website
Grégoire Maret, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Grégoire Maret, the most talked-about jazz harmonica player to come along in years, hails from Switzerland – although his mother is originally from Harlem. Maret boasts a contemporary sensibility and a swift dexterity on the instrument. 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
The Flail, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | The Flail is a multinational, New York-based quintet that writes taut originals and hits hard. Its rhythms tend to bounce around like a super ball in a tin can, relentless and aggressive. The group’s post-bop approach is tinged with rock-ish grooves here and there, but there’s plenty of jazz’s history in this music too, if you go looking for it. $15 cover, $10 minimum. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. 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
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
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 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
SUNDAY, MAY 27
cb picks:
- Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
- Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m.
- Eme & Heteru, 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
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
Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Following in the tradition of era-defining Black bards like GIl Scott-Heron, the Last Poets, Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Black Notes integrates deep grooves and red-blooded messages of revolution and solidarity. The accomplished band includes Reginald Cyntje on trombone and Antonio Parker on alto saxophone. $15 cover, 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
Sharón Clark, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Vocalist Sharón Clark sings with fervor and soul, plus impressive precision. She’s one of D.C.’s top jazz singers. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Eme & Heteru, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | In the supercharged grooves of Eme and Heteru’s large ensemble, the rhythms of West Africa give a hip-swiveling seminar in the roots of jazz, soul and hip-hop, and the real-time magnetism of Afrobeat. Two separate sets at 8 & 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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