by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

This weekend marks the opening of the Christmas-music floodgates on the local jazz scene. If that makes you immediately wary, just know that some of the best talents in the country are here to do the holiday catalog justice: Tim Warfield is at Bohemian Caverns, and for the Kennedy Center’s annual “Jazz Piano Christmas” concert, four world-class pianists will perform. This Sunday, there’s also the D.C. Jazz Loft — it’ll largely be a respite from the holiday fare, with three innovative local groups onstage at the Marvin lounge. You can find details on all these shows and 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, DECEMBER 7

cb picks:

• Christie Dashiell Quartet, KC Jazz club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
• Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Keith Killgo Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Julie Mack & David Jernigan, Foundry Gallery, 5:30 p.m. | Vocalist Julie Mack performs a repertoire of straight-ahead and Brazilian jazz with spare but strong accompaniment from David Jernigan on bass. Free. View event on calendar | Foundry Gallery website

Cashandra J, Black Fox Lounge, 6 p.m. | CaShandra J sings jazz standards and originals with a combo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile

Jackie Hairston Trio w/Wade Beach, 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, Jackie Hairston will lead a slightly tweaked version of the classic, hard-swinging organ quartet format. The group is rounded out by Michael Hairston on saxophone, Leon Alexander on drums and the wild card: Wade Beach on piano. $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. | The Potomac Jazz Project is a jazz combo, led by bassist Stan Hamrick, that takes on modern and classic jazz tunes with a showmanly flair, as well as skill. The cast of supporting musicians tends to rotate, but it’s usually a very solid lineup. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Yamomanem, Sala Thai (Petworth), 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

Christie Dashiell Quartet, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 p.m. | Christie Dashiell has taken her talents to New York City, where she started out last year at the Manhattan School of Music’s graduate program. But as a member of Howard University’s Afro-Blue jazz choir and a star of NBC’s The Sing-Off, she’s still one of D.C.’s favorite young jazz personas. She has a rivetingly rich voice, with range and sensitivity and an effortless attention to detail. Whether singing over a re-harmonized Stevie Wonder tune or a jazz standard or an original, Dashiell almost always sounds like she’s smiling. Two separate sets at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. $16 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | KC Jazz Club profile

Sharón Clark Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Sharón Clark sings with fervor and soul, plus impressive precision. She’s one of D.C.’s top jazz singers. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental website

Marion Meadows, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | The saxophonist Marion Meadows has made a major name for himself since he started his career by recording with legendary smooth jazz pianist Bob James. He’s never lost the smooth. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $12 minimum, $2.50 surcharge. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tim Warfield’s fond of colored suits with bold, dark pinstripes or a sharp plaid. And he happens to play the tenor saxophone with just as much personality as he’s puts into his wardrobe. Warfield treasures standards, but also composes deftly modern bop tunes. His gliding blues inflections are sometimes laggard, sometimes urgent – both suit his swagger. Warfield left Howard University to become a full-time musician in D.C. and Baltimore before returning to his hometown of York, Pa., where he now lives. For this annual Christmas-themed show in his old stomping grounds, he’ll be joined by a combo with a vocalist. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $20 cover in advance, $25 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

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

Keith Killgo Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Keith Killgo is a hard-swinging drummer with a long history on the D.C. jazz scene. You might recognize him if you’ve ever been to hear the Antonio Parker Quartet at HR-57. His illustrious (spurious, from the straight-ahead jazz purist’s point of view) past includes stints with Joe Henderson and the Blackbyrds, plus an R&B album under his own name. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8

cb picks:

• NPR’s ‘A Jazz Piano Christmas,’ Kennedy Center, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
• Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m.
• Keith Killgo 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

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

NPR’s ‘A Jazz Piano Christmas,’ Kennedy Center, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.Four of the great jazz pianists in the game come together for a celebration of Christmas music, to be broadcast by NPR. The lineup includes the NEA Jazz Master Ellis Marsalis, the today’s king of innovators Jason Moran, the M-BASE affiliate Geri Allen, and the young talent Taylor Eigsti. Two separate shows at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Tickets $65. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center website

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 website

Marion Meadows, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | The saxophonist Marion Meadows has made a major name for himself since he started his career by recording with legendary smooth jazz pianist Bob James. He’s never lost the smooth. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $12 minimum, $2.50 surcharge. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Tim Warfield, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tim Warfield’s fond of colored suits with bold, dark pinstripes or a sharp plaid. And he happens to play the tenor saxophone with just as much personality as he’s puts into his wardrobe. Warfield treasures standards, but also composes deftly modern bop tunes. His gliding blues inflections are sometimes laggard, sometimes urgent – both suit his swagger. Warfield left Howard University to become a full-time musician in D.C. and Baltimore before returning to his hometown of York, Pa., where he now lives. For this annual Christmas-themed show in his old stomping grounds, he’ll be joined by a combo with a vocalist. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $20 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Keith Killgo, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Keith Killgo is a hard-swinging drummer with a long history on the D.C. jazz scene. You might recognize him if you’ve ever been to hear the Antonio Parker Quartet at HR-57. His illustrious (spurious, from the straight-ahead jazz purist’s point of view) past includes stints with Joe Henderson and the Blackbyrds, plus an R&B album under his own name. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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

Dee Stone, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 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

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, DECEMBER 9

cb picks:

• Jazz Brunch: Reginald Cyntje, Twins Jazz, 11 a.m.
• Roy Campbell Jr. Trio, Bohemian Caverns, 7 & 9 p.m.
• Ellis Marsalis Quintet, Howard Theatre, 8 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

Jazz Brunch: Reginald Cyntje, Twins Jazz, 11 a.m. | Twins Jazz’s new Sunday Jazz Brunch initiative revolves around the magnetic powers of Reginald Cyntje’s trombone. Last year, he released his debut CD, “Freedom’s Children: The Celebration,” a glimmeringly hopeful record immersed in the warm, danceable rhythms of Cyntje’s native U.S. Virgin Islands. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Twins profile

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. This month, the jam welcomes December’s “monthly master,” Kenny Rittenhouse, a sleek and dime-turning trumpeter. 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

Roy Campbell Jr. Trio, Bohemian Caverns, 7 & 9 p.m. | The trumpeter Roy Campbell Jr. plays free jazz with a savvy only acquired from a broad musical erudition. He studied with Yusef Lateef in the 1970s, and has since played with William Parker, Matthew Shipp and even the experimental rock band Yo La Tengo. He’ll lead his own trio at this show, part of Transparent Productions’ “Sundays @ 7 @ the Caverns” series. 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

D.C. Jazz Loft, Marvin lounge, 7 p.m. | This month, CapitalBop’s D.C. Jazz Loft returns to the U Street Corridor, where we’ll be taking over the intimate lounge at Marvin. It’s a “strung out” edition – with two guitarists leading bands, plus one bassist. The great D.C. native (and recent Chicago transplant) Rodney Richardson will play guitar in a quartet, alongside his longtime cohort Joe Herrera on trumpet. The rock- and blues-tinged guitarist John Lee will lead a band, and so will Blake Meister, a studied bassist and composer with power plus erudition. $15 suggested donation, no minimum. View event on calendar | Marvin 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

Bill Heid, Black Fox Lounge, 8 p.m. | Bill Heid plays piano and sings blues songs and jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox Lounge profile

Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 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 all five Sundays this December. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Marion Meadows, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | The saxophonist Marion Meadows has made a major name for himself since he started his career by recording with legendary smooth jazz pianist Bob James. He’s never lost the smooth. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $12 minimum, $2.50 surcharge View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Ellis Marsalis Quartet, Howard Theatre, 8 p.m. | A dignified and swinging pianist, Ellis Marsalis will be remembered for his legendary progeny as much as for his own work. But when he sits down at the piano, this NEA Jazz Master can steal your breath. He performs here in a quartet with the saxophonist Derek Douget, the bassist Jason Stewart, and his youngest son, Jason Marsalis. Tickets $26 in advance, $30 day of show. View event on calendar | Howard Theatre website

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

Mark De Clive-Lowe, Liv, 8:30 p.m. | The New Zealand-born keyboardist Mark De Clive-Lowe builds heavy grooves with wide-open centers and plenty of room for jazz improvisation. You’ll hear European dance music, J Dilla and Art Blakey all wrapped up in his music. Cover $10. View event on calendar | Liv website

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