Announcing...

Nate Wooley’s all-star quartet celebrates its debut album release at CapitalBop’s Traveling Loft

Trumpet luminary Dave Douglas calls Nate Wooley “one of the most interesting and unusual trumpet players living today.” And violinist Josh Modney describes him as “a true sonic explorer who has redefined the capabilities of his instrument while making profound spiritual connections with his listeners.” Critic Massimo Ricci calls his sound “exquisitely hostile.” In short, […]
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News

CapitalBop’s guide to the 2019 Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival

For the last decade, the D.C. jazz educator and saxophonist Paul Carr has run the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, a celebration of the sort of swinging, straight-ahead jazz that has been traditionally been the region’s jazz calling card. This year’s 10th anniversary incarnation, held this Friday through Sunday, Feb. 15-17 at the Hilton in Rockville, Md., […]
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Features
Stuff Smith's Violin

How Stuff Smith’s favorite violin came back to D.C.

Hezekiah Leroy Gordon “Stuff” Smith was the life of any party he ever walked into. He loved a crazy story; he lived out his share of them. And I don’t think there can be much doubt he was the most important American jazz violinist of the 20th century. Stuff Smith wrote songs recorded by Louis […]
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Announcing...

At the DC Jazz Loft this Sunday, catch Marshall Keys and Nik Francis

Last month’s DC Jazz Loft was a die-hards-only affair: Amidst the worst blizzard of the winter thus far, Brian Settles and his trio braved the storm to bring an unbelievable set of music to a rapt, intimate audience of true believers. (In the process, he and bassist Tarus Mateen ended up repeating CapitalBop history that […]
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CapitalBop

Patrick Jarenwattananon joins CapitalBop as managing editor

Maybe you’ve noticed: These days, CapitalBop is in the midst of some serious growth as an organization. Our new Spotlight Residency series, and the revival of our Jazz and Freedom Festival and monthly DC Jazz Lofts, are only part of the story (keep your eyes peeled for another big presenting-related announcement this week, by the […]
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Features

What we can learn from the loss of a beloved U Street jazz gig

Walking down the street, you hear a saxophone blazing full-throttle and you see the drummer in the window, giving it his all. The guests are attentive — their ears, their enthusiasm for the music, even their stray conversations add to the vibe. Naturally something beckons, and before you’ve even thought about it, you’re inside. You can […]
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CapitalBop