by Giovanni Russonello

Heavyweight musicians both young and old are out in force this weekend — not only is the famous Freddy Cole (younger brother of Nat King Cole) paying Blues Alley a visit, but local icon Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson is headlining at HR-57 , and the Washington Jazz Ensemble, a 1970s hard-bop outfit, is reuniting for its annual show at Westminster Presbyterian. Then there are the young guns: Noble Jolley and Pete Muldoon are each headlining exciting post-bop dates at Bohemian, and the soulful saxophonist Herb Scott will be a special guest at Black Fox Lounge on Saturday. Find details on all of these shows and more in this week’s edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” our 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, AUGUST 5

cb picks:

• Washington Jazz Ensemble, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
• Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Noble Jolley Quartet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m.
• Antonio Parker, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Alan Wonneberger & co., Jazz in the Garden, 5 p.m. | Alan Wonneberger, a faculty member at the University of Maryland Baltimore College’s music department, will present a double-drummer show. Free. View event on calendar | Jazz in the Garden website

Washington Jazz Ensemble, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | The Washington Jazz Ensemble has been around, in some form or another, since the 1970s. In 1978, the group recorded its only record, an eponymous romp through hard-bop originals and jazz standards that has become something of a lost gem. The group’s membership has changed since then, and the album’s tenor saxophonist Buck Hill, a D.C. legend, won’t be with the band at Westminster Presbyterian tonight. But the group is sure to swing nonetheless, with bandleader Allen Houser on trumpet, Bob Balthus on trombone, Knud Jensen on saxophone, Darius Scott on piano, Paul Hannah on guitar, the great Steve Novosel on bass and Howard Chichester on drums. $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

Yamomanem Jazz Band, 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

Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Singer and pianist Freddy Cole shows plenty of similarities to his brother – the world-famous singer and pianist Nat King Cole – but his croonerism is laden with a gravellier, bluesier texture. While his older brother was a star in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, Freddy Cole enjoyed only middling succes. But since the 1970s, he has recorded a slew of well-received albums. His inflection and pop-jazz approach will remind you of the King, sure, but as he insists in one of his tunes, “I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me.” Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Julian Hipkins Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m.| Julian Hipkins sings with a swingin’ flair and jaunty, deep voice that recall Jimmy Rushing. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Noble Jolley Quartet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | One-half of D.C.’s acclaimed Jolley Brothers duo, Noble Jolley is a bold young pianist and keyboardist whose fluid, soul-shining pianisms are injected with a strong dose of Herbie Hancock’s influence. But he’s his own player — as modern today as Hancock was 50 years ago. Jolley, who once a month leads the Caverns’ late-night jam session the Hang, will lead a quartet featuring some of the area’s top jazz players. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns 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 Bistro website

Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson is one of D.C.’s swingin’est drummers, and when he decides to bring the heat, watch out. He has a strong, distinctive shuffle beat, which he perfected during his two decades on the road with soul-jazz master Jimmy Smith. When the spirit moves him, Junebug sometimes steps up to the mic and graces the audience with a song. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 9 p.m. | The stalwart D.C. piano player Peter Edelman every week leads a rotating cast of musicians that often outgrows the title “trio.” No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

Antonio Parker, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swingin’ and soulful, with a bright, aggressive tone and inclinations that bring neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker often pays tribute to John Coltrane with song dedications and covers, but his style on the horn often nods toward one of his personal favorites, the contemporary master Kenny Garrett. Here the HR-57 regular heads across town for a two-night run at Twins. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

Aaron Myers, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | Vocalist Aaron Myers leads this straight-ahead jazz quartet, featuring piano, bass and drums, at the new Black Fox Lounge. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox Lounge 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. Donvonte’s joined every Friday by the talented, Billie Holiday-indebted singer Integriti Reeves. 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 weekly engagement at Utopia brings hordes to the restaurant and bar every Friday night. 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, AUGUST 6

cb picks:

 
• Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
• Pete Muldoon Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
• Antonio Parker Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
• Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m.
• Donvonte McCoy Quintet, 18th Street Lounge 10:30 p.m.
• Elijah Jamal Balbed, Utopia, 11 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 Quartet, 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

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

Lena Seikaly & Potomac Jazz Project, 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 as well as a deference to traditional greats. 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 | Extra Virgin’s 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. She’s typically joined by a pianist. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Henley Park’s website

Big Joe Maher with Lyle Link, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Drummer Big Joe Maher plays boogie-woogie and blues, and sings in a playful drawl. His band is rounded out by the soulful, highly skilled saxophonist Lyle Link; Andrew Adair on piano; and D.C. legend Steve Novosel on bass. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 11 p.m. | Singer and pianist Freddy Cole shows plenty of similarities to his brother – the world-famous singer and pianist Nat King Cole – but his croonerism is laden with a gravellier, bluesier texture. While his older brother was a star in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, Freddy Cole enjoyed only middling succes. But since the 1970s, he has recorded a slew of well-received albums. His inflection and pop-jazz approach will remind you of the King, sure, but as he insists in one of his tunes, “I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me.” Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar| Blues Alley profile

Pete Muldoon Quintet, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Guitarist Pete Muldoon is a frequent face on the D.C. jazz scene; he’s led groups at Twins Jazz, Columbia Station and the now-defunct Cafe Nema; every Sunday he plays a duo brunch gig at Marvin on 14th Street, and once a month he leads the late-night Hang jam session at Bohemian Caverns. But now he’s going one step up: The bluesy bop guitarist will bring his earthen tone on the hollow-body to Bohemian for a night as a headliner. His band is filled with some of the most exciting improvisers in the city: Allyn Johnson on piano, Zack Pride on bass, Brian Lee Settles on saxophone and Kush Abadey on drums. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile

Antonio Parker Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swingin’ and soulful, with a bright, aggressive tone and inclinations that bring neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker often pays tribute to John Coltrane with song dedications and covers, but his style on the horn often nods toward one of his personal favorites, the contemporary master Kenny Garrett. Here the HR-57 regular heads across town for a two-night run at Twins. $15 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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

Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Drummer Jimmy “Junebug” Jackson is one of D.C.’s swingin’est drummers, and when he decides to bring the heat, watch out. He has a strong, distinctive shuffle beat, which he perfected during his two decades on the road with soul-jazz master Jimmy Smith. When the spirit moves him, Junebug sometimes steps up to the mic and graces the audience with a song. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Kaos Theory, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Kaos Theory is a smooth funk band. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Columbia Station profile

WKP Trio with Herb Scott, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 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 Lounge 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

Elijah Jamal Experience, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Young powerhouse tenor saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed heads up one of the swinginest shows on U Street every Saturday night. His sound drips with the blues, and from the bell of this 20-year-old’s horn seem to rise the ghosts of Coleman Hawkins and Dexter Gordon. With the Washington City Paper‘s 2010 Best New D.C. Jazz Musician award under his belt, Balbed can always be expected always to deliver the goods. 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, AUGUST 7

cb picks:

• Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.m.
• Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 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

Dunbar Alumni Jazz Ensemble, Anacostia Art Gallery, 4 p.m. | As part of the semi-weekly Be Mo Jazz series at the Anacostia Art Gallery, Charles Funn leads a collection of alumni from the jazz ensemble at Baltimore’s (not D.C.’s) Dunbar High School. Funn is a talented trombonist and educator, in addition to being the father of prominent D.C. bassist Kris Funn. This is the second-to-last of six shows in the Be Mo Jazz series. $20 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Anacostia Art Gallery website

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

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

Freddy Cole, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Singer and pianist Freddy Cole shows plenty of similarities to his brother – the world-famous singer and pianist Nat King Cole – but his croonerism is laden with a gravellier, bluesier texture. While his older brother was a star in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, Freddy Cole enjoyed only middling succes. But since the 1970s, he has recorded a slew of well-received albums. His inflection and pop-jazz approach will remind you of the King, sure, but as he insists in one of his tunes, “I’m Not My Brother, I’m Me.” Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $37.75 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Sunday Jazz Lounge, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Details TBA. View event on calendar | Twins 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

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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