Christie Dashiell performs at Bohemian Caverns this Saturday night. Jati Lindsay/CapitalBop
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
Alright. This weekend, you’ve got no excuse. There is a bevy of shows at your fingertips, from René Marie’s soulful vocal stylings to Nicholas Payton’s innovative trumpet trio, to CapitalBop’s inaugural D.C. Jazz Loft at the Dunes (featuring three of the area’s most amazing bands). That’s just the beginning of the list; Bohemian Caverns is also showcasing two talented D.C. singers, Heidi Martin and The Sing-Off star Christie Dashiell, who steps out here as a solo artist. Find details on these performances and many more in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” a 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, FEBRUARY 10
cb picks:
- Nicholas Payton, Kennedy Center, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
- René Marie, THEARC, 7:30 p.m.
- Heidi Martin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Johnny O’Neal, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Dred “Perky” Scott, 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. This week, the Rev. Dred “Perky” Scott, a vocalist, leads a group of Baltimore musicians: Greg Hatza on organ, Major Boyd on saxophone, Brian Kooken on guitar and Vance James on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church 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
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
Yamomanem, Sala Thai (U St.), 7 p.m. | The Yamomanem Jazz Band plays a faithful take on New Orleans jazz, conjuring the days of King Oliver and early Louis Armstrong with its lush brass section. 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
Nicholas Payton, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. | Nicholas Payton was among the crop of young jazz musicians to arrive on the New York scene in the early 1990s, just as traditional jazz was becoming “cool” again. He’s expanded his palette in recent years, making music infused with soul backbeats and electric instruments. His latest album, titled Bitches, is an R&B concept work on which he sings and plays all the instruments. In 2011, he wrote a post declaring that “jazz isn’t cool anymore,” although his intent went well beyond the literal; he was decrying the racially exploitative origins of the music, and the fact that the distinction of “jazz” has been used as a tool to objectify Black musicians. At the KC Jazz Club, he will mostly let the music do the talking with his trio. Two separate sets at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Cover varies ($26-30), no minimum. View event on calendar | KC Jazz Club profile
Jerry Butler, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Before they were Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, they were Jerry Butler and the Impressions. “The Iceman” Butler scored his first hit with the group in 1958, when he was its frontman, with the classic song “For Your Precious Love.” Butler’s voice is still deep, strong and smooth as ice. His Blues Alley performances is sure to provide for some timeless R&B. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
René Marie, THEARC, 7:30 | René Marie is a rich-voiced jazz vocalist who sings original interpretations of standards and pop tunes, often injecting a strong shot of social commentary. Her latest record, Voice of my Beautiful Country, earned a spot on NPR’s list of the top 10 jazz albums of 2011. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | THEARC website
Sue Matthews Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Sue Matthews draws from the great American songbook, and sings with lighthearted passion. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Heidi Martin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | The gifted D.C.-via-New York vocalist Heidi Martin is paying tribute this weekend to the great pianist and composer Herbie Hancock. Martin emits her messages complex but clear, with an essence of mourning and resilience that hints at Billie Holiday and delicate control that’s not unlike Joni Mitchell’s. She’s one of D.C.’s treasures. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $20 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
Veronneau, Café Montmartre, 8:30 p.m. | Virginia-based quartet Véronneau can sound like gypsy jazz colliding gently with Appalachian folk one moment, then slide into a smooth Brazilian samba the next. Lynn Véronneau’s voice is crisp and strong, and she can sing in English, French or Spanish. Her group is rounded out by acoustic guitarists Ken Avis and David Rosenblatt, and percussionist Pete Walby. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Café Montmartre website
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
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 profile
Johnny O’Neal, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Virtuosic pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal portrayed Art Tatum in the movie Ray!, which should give you a sense of just how tremendous his playing is. His pianistic touch is tender, his chordal voicings broad and warm. For those who don’t mind a bit of neo-traditional indulgence, O’Neal is tops. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $20 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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
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, FEBRUARY 11
cb picks:
- The Cookers, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m.
- Christie Dashiell, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Johnny O’Neal, 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
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
Triple Double Jazz Band, Sala Thai (Petworth), 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
The Cookers, KC Jazz Club, 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. | This septet is mostly comprised of what you might call musicians’ musicians. Pianist George Cables, tenor saxman Billy Harper, trumpeter Eddie Henderson, bassist Cecil McBee and D.C. native drum master Billy Hart – they’re all veterans of the late hard-bop scene and its aftermath, and each one is considered a legend by many musicians. But somehow, public prominence has escaped them. The Cookers is a group that synthesizes the tenacious swing of Art Blakey; the slippery, harmonically tiered songwriting of Wayne Shorter; and the soulful sizzle of Freddie Hubbard. The group is rounded out by trumpeter David Weiss and saxophonist Craig Handy, both a generation younger than their counterparts. Two separate sets at 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Cover varies ($26-30), no minimum. View event on calendar | KC Jazz Club profile
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., where she’s accompanied by a pianist. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Henley Park’s website
Lena Seikaly Trio, 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 and a fulsome power that approaches Sarah Vaughan’s. Here she leads her own drumless trio, joined by guitar and bass. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Extra Virgin’s website
Jerry Butler, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Before they were Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, they were Jerry Butler and the Impressions. “The Iceman” Butler scored his first hit with the group in 1958, when he was its frontman, with the classic song “For Your Precious Love.” Butler’s voice is still deep, strong and smooth as ice. His Blues Alley performances is sure to provide for some timeless R&B. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Steve Washington, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Steve Washington sings standards with the controlled grace of so many 1950s soul and jazz singers. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Lydia Lewis Trio, Tasting Room, 8 p.m. | Tasteful drummer and composer Lydia Lewis leads her trio in background fare at the Tasting Room, a wine bar in Friendship Heights. She’s consistently joined by expert side musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Tasting Room website
Christie Dashiell, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Christie Dashiell has taken her talents to New York City, where she started out last year at the Manhattan School of Music’s graduate program. But Dashiell, a member of Howard University’s Afro-Blue jazz choir and a star of NBC’s The Sing-Off, is still one of D.C.’s favorite young jazz personas. She has a rivetingly rich voice, with range and sensitivity and an effortless attention to detail. Whether singing over a reharmonized Stevie Wonder tune or a jazz standard, Dashiell almost always sounds like she’s smiling, her voice a welcoming hearth that sizzles and warms. Here she’s joined by an expert trio of instrumentalist
Cheney Thomas Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Bassist Cheney Thomas, a longtime D.C. resident and HR-57 stalwart, leads his own straight-ahead quartet. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 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
Johnny O’Neal, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Virtuosic pianist and vocalist Johnny O’Neal portrayed Art Tatum in the movie Ray!, which should give you a sense of just how tremendous his playing is. His pianistic touch is tender, his chordal voicings broad and warm. For those who don’t mind a bit of neo-traditional indulgence, O’Neal is tops. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $20 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Dee Stone, Black Fox Lounge, 9:15 p.m. | Dee Stone sings soul, blues, jazz and rock. The first set of every performance is usually comprised of jazz standards. 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. 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
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, FEBRUARY 12
cb pick:
- Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
- D.C. Jazz Loft, The Dunes, 7 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
Al Jarreau w/the Airmen of Note, DAR Constitution Hall, 3 p.m. | Jazz and funk vocal legend Al Jarreau performs a free show with the Air Force’s world-class swing band, the Airmen of Note. The warm-voiced singer has a penchant for soft R&B, but he will probably lean more heavily on the jazz side of his repertoire with the Air Force band behind him. No cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | DAR 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
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D.C. Jazz Loft, The Dunes, 7 p.m. | CapitalBop’s beloved D.C. Jazz Loft has relocated; this month’s loft will be the first at the Dunes, our new home. We are starting things off with a bang – local stars Paul Carr, Donvonte McCoy and Lenny Robinson will all lead groups. Carr is a hard-swinging saxophonist, who also runs the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival; McCoy is an innovative trumpeter fond of blending jazz with go-go, soul and whatever genre he well pleases; and Robinson’s trio, MadCurious, is a free-flowing lava bath of innovation, and features world-class bassist Tarus Mateen and loft favorite Brian Settles on saxophone. $10 suggested donation, no minimum. View event on calendar | The Dunes website
Overtone Quartet, Clarice Smith Center (UMD), 7 p.m. | There are not four more impressive names in the jazz world than those that comprise the Overtone Quartet. Bassist Dave Holland is the leader, and by far the eldest member; his career launched in Miles Davis’ early fusion ensembles of the 1960s. He has gone on to prove himself as one of the most rewarding bassists in jazz history, with a bottomless tone and a compositional instinct that never ceases to uncover fresh terrain. He’s joined in the quartet by three musicians who were not alive when Holland first hit the scene: relentless saxophone giant Chris Potter; McArthur Fellow Jason Moran on keyboard; and pattering drummer Eric Harland. $45 cover, $9 for University of Maryland students, no minimum. View event on calendar | Clarice Smith Center website
Andrea Parkins, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Experimental improviser Andrea Parkins doesn’t like to delineate boundaries. She plays accordion, piano, and sampler, and she makes music that has its roots in jazz (she has played with John Zorn, Jim Black and others) but delves into minimalism and found sounds. This is the first of three shows in Transparent Productions’ February “Sundays at 7 at the Caverns” series. $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
Jerry Butler, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Before they were Curtis Mayfield and the Impressions, they were Jerry Butler and the Impressions. “The Iceman” Butler scored his first hit with the group in 1958, when he was its frontman, with the classic song “For Your Precious Love.” Butler’s voice is still deep, strong and smooth as ice. His Blues Alley performances is sure to provide for some timeless R&B. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $50 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Mychael Pollard, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | You might know Mychael “Myke P.” Pollard as a member of the hip-hop group Triflava, but the Duke Ellington School of the Arts graduate is also a talented keyboardist and multi-instrumen
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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