Welcome to the inaugural edition of “Weekend in Jazz,” a weekly listing of all the jazz shows happening in Washington, D.C. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Here you’ll find a brief preview of each gig, as well as the start times and pricing info. For profiles, contact info and directions for each club, you can click on the link provided at the end of every event listing — or just visit CapitalBop.com/clubs, choose that particular venue’s neighborhood and scroll down to the club you want.
You’ll also notice that certain shows have the marker next to them. Those are CapitalBop’s choices for the very best jazz happening on that particular night, although by no means does this mean that the other performances might aren’t high quality. Without further ado, please browse the listings below to figure out what music to go hear this weekend. Or, as always, you can always visit CapitalBop.com/calendar to view the listings in an interactive calendar. Happy hunting!
Friday, Sep. 17
Mose Allison Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | This famous Mississippi Delta native sings and plays jazz piano, integrating the murky feel of the Delta blues and the sass of early rock ‘n’ roll into what might at first blush seem like a jazz trio. Over a more than 50-year career, he has recorded albums for Atlantic, Columbia, Elektra and Blue Note Records, among others. His mid-September run at Blues Alley spans the whole weekend, from Thursday through Sunday. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum Blues Alley profile
Matvei Sigalov, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Violinist Matvei Sigalov came to the United States eight years ago from his native Russia, and since then he’s accumulated a history of successes. He has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center and New York City’s Iridium jazz club, where he was a sideman for the late legend Les Paul. He loves to experiment with textures on his electric violin, only adding to his strong improvisational sensibility. He’ll be performing with Marshall Keys on saxophone, Janelle Gill on piano, the inimitable Tarus Mateen on bass and Mark Prince on drums. Two separate sets at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum Bohemian Caverns profile
Antonio Parker Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker idolizes (and often eulogizes, with musical tributes) John Coltrane. But his aggressive alto tone and rhythmic inclinations are more up-to-date, bringing neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bebop. Parker’s style on the horn often nods toward another one of his personal favorites, the contemporary master Kenny Garrett. $12 cover, no minimum HR-57 profile
Harold Summey Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | As part of the Congressional Black Caucus’ 40th anniversary celebration, native Virginian and drummer Harold Summey will play forward-looking bop with Paul Carr, another local powerhouse, on saxophone, Greg Hatza on organ and Paul Wingo on guitar. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum Twins Jazz profile
Brulee, Columbia Station, 9:30 p.m. | Brulee is a jazz and alt-pop fusion quartet featuring vocalist Aura Kanegis. no cover, one-drink minimum Columbia Station profile
Kevin Pace Quintet, W Hotel’s POV Lounge, 10 p.m. | A hard-swinging bop bassist, Kevin Pace leads his quintet every Friday night at this upscale hotel hangout. no cover, no minimum
Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. Lounge, 11 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. cover varies ($5-15), no minimum 18th St. Lounge profile
DeAndre 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 Utopia profile
Saturday, Sep. 18
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 Columbia Station profile
Mose Allison Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | This famous Mississippi Delta native sings and plays jazz piano, integrating the murky feel of the Delta blues and the sass of early rock ‘n’ roll into what might at first blush seem like a jazz trio. Over a more than 50-year career, he has recorded albums for Atlantic, Columbia, Elektra and Blue Note Records, among others. His mid-September run at Blues Alley spans the whole weekend, from Thursday through Sunday. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum Blues Alley profile
Butch Warren Experience, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m. | Bassist Butch Warren is bebop royalty, having played on dozens of Blue Note records with Thelonious Monk, Joe Henderson and other legendary figures in the 1960s. Nowadays he presides over a biweekly congregation of musicians on Wednesday and Saturday nights that also includes Olivier Brown on trumpet, Ted Efantis and Knud Jensen on saxophones, and Jerrol Pennerman, Peter Edelman or Jim West on piano, depending on the night. Warren, who is 71, doesn’t play on most of the songs — but when he does, it’s a treat. no cover, one-drink minimum Columbia Station profile
Matvei Sigalov, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Violinist Matvei Sigalov came to the United States eight years ago from his native Russia, and since then he’s accumulated a history of successes. He has performed in venues such as the Kennedy Center and New York City’s Iridium jazz club, where he was a sideman for the late legend Les Paul. He loves to experiment with textures on his electric violin, only adding to his strong improvisational sensibility. He’ll be performing with Marshall Keys on saxophone, Janelle Gill on piano, the inimitable Tarus Mateen on bass and Mark Prince on drums. Two separate sets at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. $15 cover in advance, $20 at the door, no minimum Bohemian Caverns profile
Harold Summey Quartet, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | As part of the Congressional Black Caucus’ 40th anniversary celebration, native Virginian and drummer Harold Summey will play forward-looking bop with Paul Carr, another local powerhouse, on saxophone, Greg Hatza on organ and Paul Wingo on guitar. Two separate sets at 9 and 11 p.m. $15 cover, $10 minimum Twins Jazz profile
Rhythiminic Accent, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Led by saxophonist Brian Horton, this quartet performs driving, straight-ahead bop. $12 cover, no minimum HR-57 profile
Donvonte McCoy, 18th St. Lounge, 11 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. cover varies ($5-15), no minimum 18th St. Lounge profile
Elijah Jamal Experience, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Young powerhouse tenor saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed heads up one of the swingin’est shows on U Street every Saturday night. The lineup of musicians on this late-night gig varies from week to week, but it’s consistently outstanding. Plus, with the Washington City Paper’s 2010 Best New D.C. Jazz Musician award under his belt, the 20-year-old Balbed can always be expected always to deliver the goods on sax. no cover, 1-drink minimum Utopia profile
Sunday, Sep. 19
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 Columbia Station profile
Jazz Jam, Dahlak, 6 p.m. | This jazz jam presents a friendly, relaxed environment where professionals and amateurs can play together. Dahlak profile
Jam Session, HR-57, 7 p.m. | This is a chance for local musicians to stretch out and see which of their new ideas stick when thrown against HR’s craggy brick walls. It’s also an inexpensive way for jazz fans to get a peek into the raw collaborations of D.C.’s rising stars. $8 for audience members, $4 for musicians HR-57 profile
Mose Allison Trio, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | This famous Mississippi Delta native sings and plays jazz piano, integrating the murky feel of the Delta blues and the sass of early rock ‘n’ roll into what might at first blush seem like a jazz trio. Over a more than 50-year career, he has recorded albums for Atlantic, Columbia, Elektra and Blue Note Records, among others. His mid-September run at Blues Alley spans the whole weekend, from Thursday through Sunday. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $25 cover, $10 minimum Blues Alley profile
Syssi Mahieu and Zeebop, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | Syssi Mahieu leads this evening of jazz vocals. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum Twins Jazz profile
Peter Edelman Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m. | The stalwart D.C. piano player every Sunday night leads a rotating cast of musicians that often outgrows the title “trio.” no cover, one-drink minimum Columbia Station profile
[…] that we can get our eager, bloggerly hands on. In case you missed it, check out last week’s inaugural edition for an explanation of this weekly feature. Or, since it’s all self-explanatory, simply scroll […]