This Sunday’s performance will show you what the DC Jazz Loft is all about. It’s hard to think of three bands on D.C.’s creative music scene that are more different or more complementary. If you come, you’ll surely leave with a different idea of what jazz can be. The Cuban-American saxophonist Luis Faife has been searing his way into the memories of D.C. listeners for years now, playing with acts as wide-ranging as the Heath Brothers, Roy Hargrove and — just this past weekend — Pedrito Martínez. He played at the loft last month, in Fred Foss’s band, but this will be his first time as a leader.

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The avant-garde collective Colla Parte has been making shivery, ruminative sound for the past five years, but like Faife is making its loft debut. And at the beginning of the night, the drummer Howard “Kingfish” Franklin will bring a strutting and swinging straight-ahead ensemble.

As usual, the loft is donation-based: We suggest contributing $15, and all that you give goes straight to the musicians. To get there, arrive at Union Arts at 411 New York Ave. NE, and come to the loading dock entrance in the rear. Doors open at 7, and the music will be underway by 7:30. Come out and be a part of the discovery.

luis Faife Project

An Afro-Cuban saxophonist of acrid panache and fierce volatility, Faife is a regular presence on the clubs scene in both D.C. and New York, and he has put together an impressive résumé. He’s played at international festivals in the United States, Cuba, France, Switzerland and elsewhere, while always retaining a personal artistic conception that unites his upbringing in Holguin, Cuba, with the American jazz that’s always captured his imagination. At the loft he’ll be playing with an ace quartet: Hope Udobi on piano, Tarus Mateen on bass and Allen Jones on drums.

Colla Parte

In music lingo, colla parte, Italian for “with the part,” indicates that a musician should follow the lead melodist’s subtle cues. So a spirit of openness, sensitivity and in-it-together experimentation hangs around the music of Colla Parte, a self-described this “improvised chamber music” trio. It’s comprised of the bassist Daniel Barbiero, the saxophonist Perry Conticchio and the versatile percussionist Rich O’Meara.

Howard “Kingfish” Franklin

A powerful and joyous straight-ahead drummer, Franklin has played with an impressive array of jazz talent. He was mentored by Calvin Jones, the great University of the District of Columbia instructor and large ensemble leader, and has performed with stars like Benny Golson, Curtis Fuller and Steve Turre. Here he brings his own swinging combo.

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