What a weekend. One of the greatest living pianists, Cyrus Chestnut, is in town — but the narrative of the week is local innovation. Brian Settles’ freewheeling trio stages a temporary takeover at the Sunday Jazz Lounge, a move that’s bound to kick things into even higher gear; Lyle Link and Chris Grasso inject the sleepy Black Fox Lounge with a straight-ahead jazz upper, aiming to turn it into a more music-centric venue; 18-year-old drum whiz Aaron Seeber turns the tables on his old teachers (the great Allyn Johnson and Paul Carr), using them as sidemen for his first weekend run at Twins Jazz; and trumpet virtuoso Donvonte McCoy brings his slippery flights of funky fancy to Bohemian Caverns on Saturday night. Find details on all of these shows in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” our 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 22
cb picks:
- Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Lyle Link, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Aaron Seeber, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Elikeh, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | D.C.-based Elikeh is an Afro-pop band that specializes in the catchy melodies and infectious rhythms of West African popular music. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website
Amy Shook, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Amy Shook is a strong bassist and popular “sideman” around town. Here she leads a band that includes vocalist Felicia Carter, who sings standards and originals with sass and patent personality and who recorded an album with Shook last year. The rest of the band includes Bob Butta on piano, Donato Soviero on guitar and Frank Russo on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website
Greg Lamont, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Greg Lamont plays piano and sings loungy renditions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile
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
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
Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 7 p.m.| The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. But B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s website
Md. Summer Jazz Festival, St. Mark Presbyterian, 7 p.m. | In conjunction with the Maryland Summer Jazz workshop and camp, students will perform at 7 p.m. and faculty will perform at 8:15. The faculty — or “all-stars” — are indeed some of the area’s great jazz players, including trombonist Greg Boyer, saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk and drummer Tony Martucci. For this concert, the first in a series of two, they will pay tribute to the blues’ role in jazz. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, $5 for children 12 and under, no minimum. View event on calendar | St. Mark website
Lee Konitz with the BLE, Mansion at Strathmore, 7:30 p.m. Correction: This post originally misreported the date of this show. It is not this weekend, but on Sept. 22.
Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Cyrus Chestnut is a piano player who’s got it all down pat: the stride piano of the ’20s and ’30s, the bebop acrobatics of Bud Powell’s generation and the heady groove of modern jazz. It’s all laced with gospel underpinnings — full of doubled octaves and blue-tinted licks — and boundless exuberance. Chestnut, a Baltimore native, is one of this generation’s finest piano players. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Joe Gransden Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m.| Vocalist and trumpeter Joe Gransden performs light and swaggering jazz, in the style of the swing era. Gransden, who is based in Atlanta, performs here with a quartet featuring D.C. musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Andréa Wood & Michael Kramer, Tasting Room, 8 p.m. | Singer Andréa Wood has started catching people’s ears since returning to D.C., her hometown, in 2009. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate moves fearlessly up and down octaves, all the while maintaining a distinct sense of purpose. She can explore the upper register in a beguiling waft, or plunge into the basement with buoyant, swelling articulation. Wood and guitarist Michael Kramer play Brazilian and classic jazz standards every week as background fare at the Tasting Room, a wine bar in Friendship Heights. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Tasting Room website
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 Bistro website
Aaron Seeber Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Drummer Aaron Seeber is just 18 years old. He may look it, but he sure doesn’t play like it. The hard-swinging drummer is steeped in the straight-ahead jazz tradition, and he knows how to craft a deep, deft pocket; he’s also informed by post-boppers like Tony Williams, and the top drummers of today. This weekend, the dynamic new face on the D.C. scene has his first pair of weekend shows as a leader at Twins Jazz, supported by two of his elders on the local scene: heavyweights Paul Carr (saxophone) and Allyn Johnson (piano). The quintet is rounded out by Caroline Davis on alto saxophone and Zach Brown on bass. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Antonio Parker Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker has long been a regular performer at HR-57, and when the club moved to H St. NE earlier this year, he played at opening night. Parker’s playing refers to John Coltrane’s tenor technique, but his aggressive tone and rhythmic inclinations are more contemporary, bringing neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker’s style on the horn often nods toward another one of his personal favorites, the contemporary master Kenny Garrett. $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 week leads a rotating cast of musicians that often outgrows the title “trio.” No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile
Maureen Mullaney, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Maureen Mullaney sings jazz and blues songs with a light ensemble. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile
DeAndrey Howard’s Collector’s Edition, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Trumpeter DeAndre Howard’s weekly engagement at Utopia brings hordes to the restaurant and bar every Friday night. He and his small group, Collector’s Edition, play standards with a friendly, inviting touch, and they add to the positive vibes already flowing throughout the room — especially when Howard tosses aside the trumpet to sing a spontaneous blues. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Utopia profile
SATURDAY, JULY 23
cb picks:
- Afro-Bop Alliance, Gallery O, 7:30 p.m.
- Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Aaron Seeber Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Elijah Jamal Experience, Utopia, 11 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 Quartet, 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
Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 7 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. But B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s 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
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
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, straight-ahead versions of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Lena Seikaly & Potomac Jazz Project, Extra Virgin Restaurant, 7:30 p.m. | Vocalist Lena Seikaly sings jazz standards with a confident and playful demeanor, displaying a haziness reminiscent of Esperanza Spalding as well as a deference to traditional greats. 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 | Extra Virgin’s website
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. She’s typically joined by a pianist. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Henley Park’s website
Joe Gransden Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist and trumpeter Joe Gransden performs light and swaggering jazz, in the style of the swing era. Gransden, who is based in Atlanta, performs here with a quartet featuring D.C. musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
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
Ajay Parham, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Ajay Parham is a smooth, deep-voiced vocalist who sings R&B with inflections of jazz. But on the bandstand at HR-57, where he’s long been a stalwart performer, Parham often tries his hand at jazz standards. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website
Dee Stone & Charles Wright, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Dee Stone and Charles Wright play soul, blues, jazz and rock. The first set of every performance is usually comprised of jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile
Kaos Theory, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Kaos Theory is a smooth funk band. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile
Donvonte McCoy (sub), 18th St. Lounge, 10:30 p.m. | NOTE: McCoy will most likely sub out this entire gig; he is headlining tonight at Bohemian Caverns. 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
The Hang, Bohemian Caverns, midnight | Bohemian Caverns’ late-night jam, The Hang, is hosted by a different band every week of the month. The kitchen remains open until 1 a.m., so there’s a chance to get a late bite without having to traipse to Ben’s Chili Bowl. $7 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
SUNDAY, JULY 24
cb picks:
- Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
- Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 p.m.
- Lyle Link-Chris Grasso Quartet, Black Fox Lounge, 7 p.m.
- Cyrus Chestnut Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Sunday Jazz Lounge feat. Amy K. Bormet, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m.
Alvin Trask Trio, Bayou, 12:30 p.m. | Alvin Trask is a deft local trumpeter; here he leads his trio through a background set during Sunday brunch. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bayou profile
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
Arnold Sterling, Anacostia Art Gallery, 4 p.m. | Baltimorean Arnold Sterling plays a bluesy alto saxophone in a style influenced by Sonny Stitt. Here he leads a quartet as part of the semi-weekly Be Mo Jazz series at the Anacostia Art Gallery. $20 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Anacostia Art Gallery website
Anthony Compton & Tacha Coleman-Parr, Indian Ocean Restaurant, 6 p.m. | Vocalists Anthony Compton & Tacha Coleman-Parr sing jazz standards with the straight-ahead Wayne Wilentz Trio as a backing band. $10 cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Indian Ocean website
Jazz Jam, Dahlak, 6:30 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 | View 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
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
Jacob Garbus Quartet & Little Big Band, Carlyle Club, 7:30 p.m. | As part of the Virginia Music Adventures youth program, two bands will perform at the Carlyle Club restaurant: Jacob Garbus’ straight-ahead quartet, featuring the 19-year-old Virginia native and forceful saxophone player, and the Summer Institute’s Little Big Band, with a style more in line with the swing era. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Carlyle Club 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
Cheryl Jones Trio, Utopia, 9 p.m. | Singer Cheryl Jones has a weekly engagement every Sunday at Utopia, where she sings with depth, force and clarity. Jones is equally likely to sing jazz standards, pop tunes or gospel classics. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Utopia profile
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