Weekend in Jazz | 9.16-9.18: Ravi Coltrane, Kenny Garrett & Steve Turre keep straight-ahead moving -

Steve Turre brings his brawny trombone technique to Bohemian Caverns this weekend. Courtesy chipboaz.com

by Giovanni Russonello
Editor-in-chief

This weekend, the D.C. area welcomes a range of contemporary jazz giants who continue to push the straight-ahead jazz genre into new terrain. There’s the soulful saxophonist Kenny Garrett at Blues Alley, and trombone titan Steve Turre at Bohemian Caverns. And don’t forget that my fellow CapitalBop editor Luke Stewart and I will be interviewing saxophone great Ravi Coltrane onstage after his Saturday performance at the BlackRock Center for the Arts; the show is sure to be a thrill, and we’re excited to be a part of it. You can find details on all of these performances 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, SEPTEMBER 16

cb picks:

Kenny Garrett, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
Steve Turre, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 & 11 p.m.
Lyle Link Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Dr. Bill Clark, 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. The straight-ahead jazz band this evening features Denise Pearson on vocals, Dr. Bill Clark on piano, Arnold Sterling on alto saxophone, Muneer Nasser on trumpet, Emory Diggs on bass and Tiacoh Sadia on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website

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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

L’Tanya Mari, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Singer L’Tanya Mari is influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, singing jazz with depth and soulful warmth. 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

Kenny Garrett, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Saxophonist Kenny Garrett played for five years in Miles Davis’ band. Yes, that’s about all you need to hear to know this guy’s worth checking out. But what about his solo career, now more than 20 years in the making? It’s won him a Grammy; put him in charge of bands that included greats such as Pharoah Sanders and Joe Henderson; and established his reputation as one of the best soprano and alto saxophonists around. His soulful sound can be tender or searing, and it’s always captivating. He performs here with a combo. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Nicki Parrott & Chuck Redd, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Nicki Parrott, a renowned singer and bassist, pairs up with D.C. vibes master Chuck Redd for a pair of shows at Mandarin Oriental this weekend. The strong band, which will play straight-ahead, includes pianist Chris Grasso (in the Friday show only) and Lenny Robinson on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Steve Turre, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Sure, trombonist Steve Turre makes a great straight-ahead jazz player, but there’s always something in his playing that brims and pushes. In his urge to expand the very tradition of which he is a part, the expressive, tonally roving musician resembles a former mentor of his: reedist Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Turre’s CV also includes stints with Art Blakey, Elvin Jones, Woody Shaw and so many other greats. Turre here leads his own combo. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $24 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns 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 Bistro website

Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 & 11 p.m. | Although he’s most recognizable for his lineage (his father Chucho and grandfather Bebo are both famous Latin jazz innovators), pianist Chuchito Valdés deserves his own level of recognition. His modernistic Afro-Cuban style is magnanimous in demeanor, bursting with energy. Valdés’s last album, “Cuban Dreams,” was nominated for a Latin Grammy award. He’ll perform here with a small group. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $25 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

Lyle Link Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | With a presentation that’s always strong and often sultry, saxophonist and flautist Lyle Link grabs you, tells you the music is about feeling as much as it’s about hearing. This soulful and sophisticated player has been a mainstay of D.C.’s jazz scene for over 10 yeas, and he’s had a major hand in its revitalization. And it’s a revitalization – it bears mentioning – that wouldn’t have happened without clubs like Twins Jazz. This weekend, Link leads a quartet. 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 this straight-ahead jazz quartet, featuring piano, bass and drums, at the new Black Fox Lounge. 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. Donvonte’s joined every Friday by the talented, Billie Holiday-indebted singer Integriti Reeves. Cover varies ($5-10), no minimum. View event on calendar | 18th St. Lounge profile

DeAndrey Howard’s Collector’s Edition, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Trumpeter DeAndre Howard’s regular engagements at Utopia bring hordes to the restaurant and bar. 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, SEPTEMBER 17

cb picks:

Ravi Coltrane, BlackRock PAC, 8 p.m.
Kenny Garrett, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
Steve Turre, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 & 11 p.m.
Lyle Link 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

Full Ascent Jazz Band, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | This jazz band plays in a number of traditional styles, from hard-bop to Dixieland to calypso. 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

Ravi Coltrane, BlackRock Center for the Arts, 8 p.m. | A warm-blooded tenor saxophonist with a range of musical inclinations, Ravi Coltrane is one of this generation’s leading lights on the national jazz scene. He might not have the level of influence of his father, the great John Coltrane, but that’s not a very fair comparison, is it? Musically, Ravi Coltrane carries on the legacy of past generations with a gripping sense of swing and readiness to reinterpret jazz standards, but he’s fiercely modern: A member of Steve Coleman’s M-Base collective, he is proficient over intense, polyrhythmic rhythmic patters and occasionally employs hip-hop beats. He has collaborated with Flying Lotus, an experimental electronic musician who is also his cousin. Coltrane performs at BlackRock with his quartet. CapitalBop’s Giovanni Russonello and Luke Stewart will interview Coltrane in person at the end of this performance. Cover varies ($35-$40), no minimum. View event on calendar | BlackRock website

Nicki Parrott & Chuck Redd, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Nicki Parrott, a renowned singer and bassist, pairs up with D.C. vibes master Chuck Redd for a pair of shows at Mandarin Oriental this weekend. The strong band, which will play straight-ahead, includes pianist Steve Rudolph (in the Saturday show only) and Lenny Robinson on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Kenny Garrett, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Saxophonist Kenny Garrett played for five years in Miles Davis’ band. Yes, that’s about all you need to hear to know this guy’s worth checking out. But what about his solo career, now more than 20 years in the making? It’s won him a Grammy; put him in charge of bands that included greats such as Pharoah Sanders and Joe Henderson; and established his reputation as one of the best soprano and alto saxophonists around. His soulful sound can be tender or searing, and it’s always captivating. He performs here with a combo. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $27.50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar| Blues Alley 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

Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Although he’s most recognizable for his lineage (his father Chucho and grandfather Bebo are both famous Latin jazz innovators), pianist Chuchito Valdés deserves his own level of recognition. His modernistic Afro-Cuban style is magnanimous in demeanor, bursting with energy. Valdés’s last album, “Cuban Dreams,” was nominated for a Latin Grammy award. He’ll perform here with a small group. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $25 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Lyle Link Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. |With a presentation that’s always strong and often sultry, saxophonist and flautist Lyle Link grabs you, tells you the music is about feeling as much as it’s about hearing. This soulful and sophisticated player has been a mainstay of D.C.’s jazz scene for over 10 yeas, and he’s had a major hand in its revitalization. And it’s a revitalization – it bears mentioning – that wouldn’t have happened without clubs like Twins Jazz. This weekend, Link leads a quartet. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar |Twins Jazz 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, 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

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, September 18

cb picks:

Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
Angelica Sánchez Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m.
Kenny Garrett, Blues Alley, 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

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 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. B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. But as far as jazz brunch goes, it’s hard to top the Jolleys’ music. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s 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

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

Angelica Sánchez Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Pianist Angelica Sanchez is a deep breathing, brooding conceptualist. Her quintet features an all-star cast: Tony Malaby on reeds, Marc Ducret on guitar, Drew Gress on bass and Tom Rainey on drums. The performance is the first in this fall’s “Sundays at 7 at the Caverns” series, curated by Transparent Productions, the District’s leading avant-garde jazz presenters. $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

Kevin Peter Jones, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Drummer Kevin Peter Jones’ music toes the hazardous fault between smooth jazz and jazz-rock fusion. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $12 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

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