by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

This weekend, the popular H St. NE club HR-57 is celebrating its official grand reopening with back-to-back performances by Latin jazz scion Chuchito Valdés. (The club actually opened the doors of its new location last month.) At the new, spacious digs, HR finally has a home that’s equally welcoming to performers and listeners – it’s got sharp acoustics, plenty of room with consistent stage visibility, and a prime location.

Also in town for the weekend is Louis Hayes, the fascinating and storied drummer, who’s bringing a top-shelf band to 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, JULY 20

cb picks:

• Janine Gilbert-Carter, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
• Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Juanita Williams, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | Juanita Williams, a soul-baring jazz singer, performs as part of Jazz in the Garden, a weekly series at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website

Janine Gilbert-Carter, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | Vocalist Janine Gilbert-Carter has a fulsome set of pipes that she employs with masterful finesse and delicateness, in a style not entirely unlike Betty Carter’s. She often sings gospel, but she’s just as at ease doing straight-ahead jazz. $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, but it’s usually a very solid lineup. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website

L’Tanya Mari Trio, 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

Sharón Clark Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Sharón Clark sings with fervor and soul, plus impressive precision. She’s one of D.C.’s top jazz singers. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Shanice, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | The singer Shanice’s music exists somewhere between smooth jazz, soul and radio pop. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $35 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Drummer Louis Hayes has been a leading light in American jazz for decades. He launched his career in the 1950s with Yusef Lateef, before going on to play with Cannonball Adderley and Horace Silver. An energetic and unrelenting drummer, he can blow away listeners with subtly placed but explosive bass drum “bombs,” and the fervor of his swing. In the Jazz Communicators, he’s joined here by a quorum of thrilling, adventurous players: Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, Anthony Wonsey on piano and Santi Debriano on bass. $23 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

Alfredo Mojica, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Alfredo Mojica, who sang at Bossa for years with the group Sin Miedo, unites salsa, jazz and Latin American balladry. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa profile

Tom Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tom Williams is a lyrical trumpeter from Baltimore. He leads a hard-bop quintet here featuring Paul Hannah on saxophones, Allyn Johnson on piano, Geoff Harper on bass and John Lamkin III on drums. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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. The staff at HR-57, which started hosting music at 1007 H St. last month, is treating Valdés’s weekend run – in which he’ll appear with a small combo – as the location’s “grand opening.” Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $25 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Aaron Myers, Black Fox Lounge, 9 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, JULY 21

cb picks:

• Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m.
• Chuchito Valdés, HR-57, 9 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, 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

Shanice, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | The singer Shanice’s music exists somewhere between smooth jazz, soul and radio pop. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $35 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Kristine Key Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Delicate-voiced and wistful singer Kristine Key is accompanied here by an expert quartet. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m. | Lyrical bassist Steve Synk, a music major at the University of Maryland, leads a young trio that explores music ranging from standards to originals, groove-based contemporary jazz to swinging bop. No cover, one-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Louis Hayes Jazz Communicators, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Drummer Louis Hayes has been a leading light in American jazz for decades. He launched his career in the 1950s with Yusef Lateef, before going on to play with Cannonball Adderley and Horace Silver. An energetic and unrelenting drummer, he can blow away listeners with subtly placed but explosive bass drum “bombs,” and the fervor of his swing. In the Jazz Communicators, he’s joined here by a quorum of thrilling, adventurous players: Abraham Burton on tenor saxophone, Anthony Wonsey on piano and Santi Debriano on bass. $23 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Tom Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Tom Williams is a lyrical trumpeter from Baltimore. He leads a hard-bop quintet here featuring Paul Carr on tenor saxophone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Geoff Harper on bass and John Lamkin III on drums. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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. The staff at HR-57, which started hosting music at 1007 H St. last month, is treating Valdés’s weekend run – in which he’ll appear with a small combo – as the location’s “grand opening.” Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $25 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Cubista, Bossa Bistro, 9 p.m. | Cubista is a salsa band that plays at Bossa every Saturday. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Bossa profile

Some Like It Hot, Black Fox Lounge, 9 p.m. | Some Like It Hot is a small jazz and that performs traditional music from the swing era. 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, JULY 22

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m.

Gospel Brunch, The Hamilton, 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. | Every Sunday morning, the Hamilton presents two sets of rafters-raising gospel, along with an all-you-can-eat buffet. Two separate shows at 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. $25 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | The Hamilton website

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 often plays Sunday brunch at Acadiana, 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

Harlem Gospel Choir, Howard Theatre, 12 p.m. | The talented Harlem Gospel Choir, which has been active since 1986, performs a Sunday brunch show every week at the Howard Theatre. Either an all-you-can-eat buffet or an a la carte menu are available. Doors open at noon, and the music starts at 1:30 p.m. Tickets vary ($35 for all-you-can-eat or $20 for admission and a la carte options in advance, $45 or $30 at the door). View event on calendar | Howard 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

D.C. Jazz Jam, Dahlak, 6 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 | Dahlak 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

Black Notes, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Following in the tradition of era-defining Black bards like GIl Scott-Heron, the Last Poets, Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield, Black Notes integrates deep grooves and red-blooded messages of revolution and solidarity. The accomplished band includes Reginald Cyntje on trombone and Antonio Parker on alto saxophone. $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

Bobby Muncy, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Saxophonist Bobby Muncy writes snaky tunes influenced by 20th century classical and alternative rock, as well as jazz. He appears at Twins with a straight-ahead combo four out of five Sundays this July. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Arnold McCuller, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | No description. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $20 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Bill Heid, Black Fox Lounge, 8 p.m. | Bill Heid plays piano and sings blues songs and jazz standards. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox Lounge profile

Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 9 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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