by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

After more than a month of dormancy after a car crashed into the building, Bohemian Caverns will reopen this weekend. A standout group of area musicians calling themselves the “Bohemian Love Collective” have come together to headline on the club’s behalf on Friday and Saturday nights. Across town, the elegant duo of Julian Lage and Fred Hersch are playing at Blues Alley all weekend. And for the budding jazz vocalist, Dianne Reeves leads a master class at the Kennedy Center on Friday. All our favorite shows below have a label. Happy hunting!

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15

cb picks:

• Andrew Hare Quartet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Cindy Blackman & Another Lifetime, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 8 p.m.
• ‘Bohemian Love Collective,’ Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 18th St. Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
• Jazz Jam, Ulah Bistro, 11 p.m.

Greater U St. Jazz Collective, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | The greater U St. Jazz Collective, a combo featuring stalwarts of the D.C. jazz scene, plays classic jazz repertory. The collective includes Art Cobb on drums, Thomas View on bass, Peter Frassrand on piano, Russell Carter on woodwinds and Carl Macintyre on trumpet. $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

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

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, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Dianne Reeves: Jazz Master Session, Kennedy Center, 8 p.m. | The vocalist Dianne Reeves might be unequaled in the jazz world, in terms of the force and originality of her presentation. This program offers you the opportunity to watch Reeves at work with a group of young students, teaching technique as part of the Kennedy Center’s “American Voices” festival. The session ends with a panel discussion, moderated by Renée Fleming and featuring Kurt Elling, Darryl Pitt, Dianne Reeves, Larry Rosen and Don Was. Tickets $38. View event on calendar | KC Jazz Club profile

Andrew Hare Quartet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The drummer Andrew Hare puts an ear for precision toward beats and swing feels that trace a narrative and provide an aerial lift. Here the percussionist and composer appears with a strong quartet: Tedd Baker on tenor saxophone, Mark Meadows on piano and Joe Bussey on bass. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Julian Lage and Fred Hersch come from separate generations, but stand for many of the same ideals: elegance, precision, getting the music to take you just where you’d like to go. Hersch was among the most influential pianists of the 1980s, embedding a Romantic sense of harmony and beauty into his almost mythic readings of jazz standards. Lage, at 25 years old, is already among the most respected guitarists in jazz; he’s given to sprawling concept albums and performances that fit his assured, masterful chops into a chamber-like group sound. He and Hersch have recently been playing in duo, making concise and delicate statements over standards and originals. They’ll appear in that format here. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Lena Seikaly, Loews Madison Hotel, 8 p.m. | For the first installment of a new, weekly series of Friday-night jazz at Chez Billy, the vocalist Lena Seikaly sings. Seikaly covers jazz standards and her own relatively straight-ahead originals with a confident and playful demeanor. Here she’s joined by a small combo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Madison website

Cindy Blackman & Another Lifetime, Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club, 8 p.m. | Cindy Blackman is unrelenting in her attacks on the drum set; her mind never lets up either. Like her mentor Tony Williams, she is one of those drummers who are always playing with her foot on the gas and her mind cast ahead. On her 2010 CD, “Another Lifetime,” she pays tribute to Williams’ work with his late-’60s and ’70s group Lifetime, and the music that results is shape-shifting, powerful jazz-rock. At Bethesda Blues & Jazz, she performs with her Another Lifetime quartet, which features D.C.’s own Marc Cary on keyboards, Aurelien Budynek on guitar and Felix Pastorius on bass. $25 cover, $10 minimum for dining-area seating. View event on calendar | Bethesda Blues website

‘Bohemian Love Collective,’ Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | The District’s standard-bearing jazz club has been closed for more than a month after a driver crashed into the building, leaving no one seriously injured but the venue severely damaged. Now that Bohemian Caverns is back open, and facing a new battery of bills, some top area musicians often employed there are paying things forward with two nights of benefit concerts. The convivial feeling of reunion and renewal will be as much reason to attend as the sparkling lineup: Allyn Johnson, Federico Peña and Janelle Gill trading off on piano, Quincy Phillips and Corey Fonville sharing drum duties, Michael Bowie and Kris Funn on bass, Marshall Keys and Brad Linde on saxophone, and more. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $20 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian 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

Antonio Parker Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | The alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swinging and soulful, colored by 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 of Kenny Garrett. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 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

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

U St. Jazz Jam, Ulah Bistro, 11 p.m. | U Street restaurant Ulah Bistro has stepped up to fill the void that Utopia left open last year, when it closed to make way for the construction of a new condos complex. That restaurant housed the block’s most reliable, convivial jam sessions. Ulah gives a taste of that energy once a week, late on Friday nights. This week the saxophonist Herb Scott helms the proceedings. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Ulah website

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 23

cb picks:

• Andrew Hare Quartet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• ‘Bohemian Love Collective,’ Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 18th St. 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

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, 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, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

Paige Wroble Martin, Loews Madison Hotel, 8 p.m. | Lead vocalist in the U.S. Air Force’s Airmen of Note big band, Paige Wroble Martin has a sharp and strong style, which she applies to a range of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Madison website

Andrew Hare Quartet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The drummer Andrew Hare puts an ear for precision toward beats and swing feels that trace a narrative and provide an aerial lift. Here the percussionist and composer appears with a strong quartet: Tedd Baker on tenor saxophone, Mark Meadows on piano and Joe Bussey on bass. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Julian Lage and Fred Hersch come from separate generations, but stand for many of the same ideals: elegance, precision, getting the music to take you just where you’d like to go. Hersch was among the most influential pianists of the 1980s, embedding a Romantic sense of harmony and beauty into his almost mythic readings of jazz standards. Lage, at 25 years old, is already among the most respected guitarists in jazz; he’s given to sprawling concept albums and performances that fit his assured, masterful chops into a chamber-like group sound. He and Hersch have recently been playing in duo, making concise and delicate statements over standards and originals. They’ll appear in that format here. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

‘Bohemian Love Collective,’ Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 p.m. | The District’s standard-bearing jazz club has been closed for more than a month after a driver crashed into the building, leaving no one seriously injured but the venue severely damaged. Now that Bohemian Caverns is back open, and facing a new battery of bills, some top area musicians often employed there are paying things forward with two nights of benefit concerts. The convivial feeling of reunion and renewal will be as much reason to attend as the sparkling lineup: Allyn Johnson, Federico Peña and Janelle Gill trading off on piano, Quincy Phillips and Corey Fonville sharing drum duties, Michael Bowie and Kris Funn on bass, Marshall Keys and Brad Linde on saxophone, and more. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $20 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian profile

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

EC3, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Las Vegas-based Ernest “EC3” Coleman is a talented tipper – a straight-ahead drummer with serious chops. He spent years on the road with bass legend Al McKibbon, and nowadays leads his own groups, in addition to other sideman work. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 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, NOVEMBER 24

cb picks:

• Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Mr. HO’s Orchestrotica, Twins Jazz, 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

Jazz Brunch, 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

Todd Simon, Kellari Taverna, 12 p.m. | The sturdy and swinging pianist Todd Simon performs every Sunday in a duo setting; his accompanists vary from bass to guitar to saxophone, depending on the week. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Kellari Taverna 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, 6:30 p.m. | The D.C. 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

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

Fred Hersch & Julian Lage, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Julian Lage and Fred Hersch come from separate generations, but stand for many of the same ideals: elegance, precision, getting the music to take you just where you’d like to go. Hersch was among the most influential pianists of the 1980s, embedding a Romantic sense of harmony and beauty into his almost mythic readings of jazz standards. Lage, at 25 years old, is already among the most respected guitarists in jazz; he’s given to sprawling concept albums and performances that fit his assured, masterful chops into a chamber-like group sound. He and Hersch have recently been playing in duo, making concise and delicate statements over standards and originals. They’ll appear in that format here. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $2.50 surcharge, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Mr. HO’s Orchestrotica, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Mr. HO’s Orchestrotica, a band of four multi-instrumentalists, performs an original blend of world music, sourced from the flavors of East Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans and Latin America. It has a love for musical curios, too; sometimes the Orchestrotica expands its ranks to become a 22-piece orchestra, and plays Esquivel!’s 1960s space-lounge music. At Twins, the core quartet will play. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $15 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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