Japanese star Toshiko Akiyoshi plays Blues Alley this weekend. Courtesy NaturaLite/flickr
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
This weekend, the local legend Buck Hill (the famous Swinging Mailman of D.C. jazz lore) performs at Twins Jazz; over in Georgetown, the 82-year-old Japanese piano trailblazer Toshiko Akiyoshi is at Blues Alley. And on Friday, the folks at Westminster Presbyterian Church are honoring the late Jamal Muhammad with a tribute jam. If you’re looking for slightly more fresh-faced performers, there’s CapitalBop’s D.C. Jazz Loft on Sunday, or Tedd Baker at Bohemian Caverns. Find details on those 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, APRIL 6
cb picks:
- Tribute to Jamal Muhammad, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
- Toshiko Akiyoshi, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Tedd Baker, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Buck Hill Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Tribute to Jamal Muhammad, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Jamal Muhammad, jazz historian and DJ on WPFW 89.3 FM, was a pillar of D.C.’s music community and an incorruptible mentor to many musicians and community leaders. He died this past winter, and the community of musicians whom he served is now coming together to celebrate his life with song: At this week’s Jazz Night at Westminster Presbyterian, drummer Nasar Abadey, bassist James King and pianist Bob Butta lead a jam session in Muhammad’s honor. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church 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
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. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Yamomanem, Sala Thai (Petworth), 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
Delores King Williams Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | No description available. No cover, 1-drink minimum View event on calendar |Mandarin Oriental Hotel website
Toshiko Akiyoshi, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Toshiko Akiyoshi, an 82-year-old NEA Jazz Master, was one of the first pianists in Japan to master the bebop idiom. She learned the craft largely by playing at clubs frequented by U.S. soldiers in the years immediately following World War II. Akiyoshi’s style – with its glistening cascades and spartan dissonances – is indebted to Thelonious Monk, a hero in Japan. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Tedd Baker, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tedd Baker is a D.C. saxophonist with an impressive résumé. In addition to playing in the Airmen of Note, the swinging saxophonist recorded a well-received debut album. Baker is possessed of a burly tone and rhythmic improvisatory approach, and he often gigs around the city. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $18 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
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
Buck Hill Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tenor saxophonist Buck Hill is a D.C. legend. Had he moved to New York City, he surely would have become a national figure. He was already making waves with his music by the mid-1940s, and in the coming years he honed his skills as a bebop master alongside Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and other greats who came through D.C. to perform. Hill’s uncompromising swing and rich, reedy tone were originally “discovered” by the famous guitarist Charlie Byrd, with whom Hill recorded a series of albums in the 1950s. By the ’70s, he was recording as a leader alongside Buster Williams, Kenny Barron and other greats. Here he performs in a quintet with drummer Keith Killgo, bassist Cheyney Thomas, pianist John Ozment and trumpeter Thad Wilson. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $18 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Aaron Myers, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Vocalist Aaron Myers leads a straight-ahead jazz quartet, featuring piano, bass and drums. 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
SATURDAY, APRIL 7
cb picks:
- Toshiko Akiyoshi, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Tedd Baker, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Buck Hill Quintet, 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
District Jazz Trio, Sala Thai (Bethesda), 7 p.m. | A self-described “cool swinging jazz trio,” the District Jazz Trio is saxophonist Seth Popkin, pianist Dan Nathan and bassist Roger Rosa. The group plays jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Full Ascent, 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
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
Toshiko Akiyoshi, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Toshiko Akiyoshi, an 82-year-old NEA Jazz Master, was one of the first pianists in Japan to master the bebop idiom. She learned the craft largely by playing at clubs frequented by U.S. soldiers in the years immediately following World War II. Akiyoshi’s style – with its glistening cascades and spartan dissonances – is indebted to Thelonious Monk, a hero in Japan. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Lori Williams Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Smooth-voiced singer Lori Williams is a regular member of the local jazz group Saltman-Knowles
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
Tedd Baker, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Tedd Baker is a D.C. saxophonist with an impressive résumé. In addition to playing in the Airmen of Note, the swinging saxophonist recorded a well-received debut album. Baker is possessed of a burly tone and rhythmic improvisatory approach, and he often gigs around the city. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $18 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns 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
TBA, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Performer TBA. View event on calendar | HR-57 website
Buck Hill Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tenor saxophonist Buck Hill is a D.C. legend. Had he moved to New York City, he surely would have become a national figure. He was already making waves with his music by the mid-1940s, and in the coming years he honed his skills as a bebop master alongside Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie and other greats who came through D.C. to perform. Hill’s uncompromising swing and rich, reedy tone were originally “discovered” by the famous guitarist Charlie Byrd, with whom Hill recorded a series of albums in the 1950s. By the ’70s, he was recording as a leader alongside Buster Williams, Kenny Barron and other greats. Here he performs in a quintet with drummer Keith Killgo, bassist Cheyney Thomas, pianist John Ozment and trumpeter Thad Wilson. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $18 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Jeron White, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Bassist Jeron White leads a straight-ahead jazz combo. 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
SUNDAY, APRIL 8
cb picks:
- 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
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. | The D.C. Jazz Loft returns with a fresh cast of electrifying bands. The stunning saxophonist Lyle Link brings a quartet, the innovative D.C. Jazz Composers Collective showcases its wares, and young (as in, still in high school kinda young) drum gun Allen Jones leads a combo. This is shaping up to be a night that’ll shoot you through with more energy than a bucket of Easter candy. $10 suggested donation, no minimum. View event on calendar | The Dunes 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
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
Indigo Love, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | No description available. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 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 
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