Weekend in Jazz | 7.6-7.8: The D.C. Jazz Loft returns, and the clubs on U Street are happenin’

Marshall Keys performs this Sunday at the D.C. Jazz Loft. Jati Lindsay/CapitalBop

by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

This weekend, the D.C. Jazz Loft returns after three blowout shows at the DC Jazz Festival last month. More details on that are available here. Separately, Bohemian Caverns hosts the young French pianist Romain Collin, and Twins Jazz turns into a swinging hot house at the hands of alto saxophonist Bruce Williams. 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 6

cb picks:

  • Romain Collin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
  • Bruce Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
  • Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Afro-Bop Alliance, Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | The Afro-Bop Alliance is an excellent local Latin jazz quintet and a Latin Grammy winner. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website

Tony Martucci, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | A frequent sideman and bandleader in the D.C. area, drummer Tony Martucci is a seasoned bop drummer with a lively swing. Here he leads a talented band at Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Jazz Night,” an irrepressible Washington jazz tradition. The group includes Wade Beach on piano, James King on bass, Greg Boyer on trombone and Jeannie Marshall on vocals. $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

Denise Thimes Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Denise Thimes has a robust, intimate delivery, and typically employs it on age-old jazz standards. She’s joined here by Chris Grasso on piano, Zack Pride on bass and Lenny Robinson on drums. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Jean Carne & Tom Browne, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | R&B singer Jean Carne appears alongside trumpeter Tom Browne. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Romain Collin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Romain Collin is a talented pianist and sharp composer who hails from France, by way of Berklee College of Music. He pulls together some lessons from the Romantic composers with a post-bop expansiveness that might not be here without Herbie Hancock. 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

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

Bruce Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Bridling and bristling alto saxophonist Bruce Williams plays post-bop firmly rooted in the combustive swing and numinous trance of McCoy Tyner. He’s got an approach that brings to mind Kenny Garrett; with a flaying tone and pipes to match, Williams digs deep – and check out his stellar band of local heavyweights: Paul Carr on saxophone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Herman Burney on bass and Howard Franklin on drums. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Cheney Thomas, 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

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 7

cb picks:

  • Romain Collin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
  • Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m.
  • Bruce Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
  • WKP Jazz Trio w/Herb Scott, Black Fox Lounge, 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

Full Ascent, District Jazz Trio (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

Jean Carne & Tom Browne, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | R&B singer Jean Carne appears alongside trumpeter Tom Browne. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Denise Thimes Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Denise Thimes has a robust, intimate delivery, and typically employs it on age-old jazz standards. She’s joined here by Chris Grasso on piano, Zack Pride on bass and Lenny Robinson on drums. 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

Romain Collin, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Romain Collin is a talented pianist and sharp composer who hails from France, by way of Berklee College of Music. He pulls together some lessons from the Romantic composers with a post-bop expansiveness that might not be here without Herbie Hancock. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $18 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Bruce Williams Quintet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Bridling and bristling alto saxophonist Bruce Williams plays post-bop firmly rooted in the combustive swing and numinous trance of McCoy Tyner. He’s got an approach that brings to mind Kenny Garrett; with a flaying tone and pipes to match, Williams digs deep – and check out his stellar band of local heavyweights: Paul Carr on saxophone, Allyn Johnson on piano, Herman Burney on bass and Howard Franklin on drums. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Rhythminic Accent, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Led by saxophonist Brian Horton, this quartet performs straight-ahead bop. $15 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

WKP Jazz Trio w/Herb Scott, Black Fox Lounge, 9 p.m. | The WKP Trio is a straight-ahead jazz ensemble consisting of Kenny Peagler on piano, Percy White on bass and Will Stephens on drums. Here, the group is joined by a young, soulful powerhouse of an alto saxophonist, Herb Scott. 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 8

cb picks:

  • D.C. Jazz Loft, The Dunes, 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

Capital Focus Jazz Band, Acadiana, 11 a.m. | The Capital Focus Jazz Band is an educational big band for youth. Its repertoire focuses on music in the early New Orleans jazz tradition, drawing on pieces by Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Jack Teagarden and others. 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

D.C. Jazz Loft, The Dunes, 7 p.m. | CapitalBop hosts the first D.C. Jazz Loft since a successful series of three blowout shows at the DC Jazz Fest. Here, saxophone masters Marshall Keys and Matt Rippetoe will lead groups, as will experimental drummer Ethan Snyder. $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

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

Jean Carne & Tom Browne, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | R&B singer Jean Carne appears alongside trumpeter Tom Browne. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 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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