Weekend in Jazz | 9.21-9.23: Monk competition leads the way on a jam-packed Sunday
by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board
As far as the future of jazz is concerned, there’s no moment more packed and condensed with import than the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. This weekend, the 25th annual contest takes place; it starts with the semifinals on Saturday, which are free, and culminates on Sunday with a finals competition at the Kennedy Center. But that’s just one of many thrilling shows this Sunday, including the Bad Plus at the Hamilton and a birthday tribute to John Coltrane 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, SEPTEMBER 21
cb picks:
- Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Sachal Vasandani, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Larry Carlton Jazz Trio, The Hamilton, 8:30 p.m.
- Leonardo Lucini & Rogerio Souza, Twins Jazz, 9 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Bebop & Vocalese, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | At this week’s installation of Jazz Night at Westminster, some of the city’s best instrumentalist
CaShandra J, Black Fox Lounge, 9:30 p.m. | CaShandra J sings jazz standards and originals with a combo. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Black Fox profile
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
Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Vocalist and vibraphonist Roy Ayers – beloved by acid-jazz fans, hip-hop heads and disco lovers alike – touts the title “King of Neo-Soul Music.” But before that, his days as an experimental jazz musician found him partnering with greats like Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Hubert Laws. Nowadays, Ayers typically sings sultry ballads over programmed drums and synthesizers; he’s experienced something of a renaissance, too, as the greater jazz community finally embraces osmosis with hip-hop, underscoring Ayers’s earlier prescience. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $35 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
Sachal Vasandani, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Vocalist Sachal Vasandani is a master of the shades between dark and light, with a hazy presentation coated in what might as well be a trumpet mute. Vasandani uses swing like honey in his tea – a tested and comfortable way of adding some pep, but by no means a necessity. The singer and composer is as fond of a plucked acoustic guitar as of a classic piano trio. Even when using the latter, the singer’s wont to wade in a modern, propulsive groove rather than a classic 4/4 swing feel. He performs this weekend with a talented quartet featuring Nir Felder and Camila Meza on guitars, Keita Ogawa on percussion and Buster Hemphill on electric bass. Separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
Larry Carlton Jazz Trio, The Hamilton, 8:30 p.m. | You’ve probably heard the big-boned, cutting sound of Larry Carlton’s expert guitar playing – but you probably weren’t aware of it. He’s recorded solos for a sundry array of Top 40 success stories, from Steely Dan to Joni Mitchell. Nowadays, he performs his own stuff – straight-ahead jazz, with flinty backbeats and deep swing intermingling comfortably. Cover varies ($38-54), no minimum. View event on calendar | Hamilton website
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
Leonardo Lucini & Rogerio Souza, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Led by the bassist Leonardo Lucini and the guitarist Rogerio Souza, this strong band explores a variety of Brazilian musics, namely bossa nova, samba and samba choro. The rest of the group includes the guitarist Alejandro Lucini, the saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk, the drummer Harold F. Summey, Jr., and the pianist Wayne Willentz. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $20 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Antonio Parker Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Alto saxophonist Antonio Parker’s playing is swingin’ and soulful, with a bright, aggressive tone. He casually sprinkles neo-soul and R&B influences into his otherwise straight-ahead bop, and his improvisation shows a redolence to Kenny Garrett’s. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website
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, SEPTEMBER 22
cb picks:
- Thelonious Monk Competition Semifinals, Natural History Museum, 7 p.m.
- Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Steve Synk Trio, Columbia Station, 8:30 p.m.
- Sachal Vasandani, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
- Leonardo Lucini & Rogerio Souza, Twins Jazz, 9 p.m.
- Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.
Thelonious Monk International Drum Competition Semifinals, Natural History Museum, 12 p.m. | Every September, the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition trains its spotlight on the rising stars of a particular instrument. This year’s 25th annual contest is focused on the drum kit. At the semifinals, 12 of the world’s best young jazz drummers will face off at the National Museum of Natural History. Judges at the event include some of the jazz world’s absolute eminences: Roy Haynes, Ben Riley, Peter Erskine, Carl Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Brian Blade. Free, but tickets required (they can be picked up at the Natural History Museum, starting at 11 a.m. on the day of the show). [words by Alexandra Warner Nash] View event on calendar | Museum 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
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
Jacqui Simmons & Friends, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Jacqui Simmons sings jazz standards with a heartfelt and elegant presentation. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Sala Thai website
Triple Double, Sala Thai (Petworth), 7 p.m. | Consisting of Joey Whitney on tenor sax, Ed Gallagher on guitar, Alan Pachter on bass and Tom Reed on drums, the Triple Double Jazz Band plays straightforward
Julian Hipkins Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Julian Hipkins sings with a swinging flair and jaunty, deep voice that recall Jimmy Rushing. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental website
Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Vocalist and vibraphonist Roy Ayers – beloved by acid-jazz fans, hip-hop heads and disco lovers alike – touts the title “King of Neo-Soul Music.” But before that, his days as an experimental jazz musician found him partnering with greats like Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Hubert Laws. Nowadays, Ayers typically sings sultry ballads over programmed drums and synthesizers; he’s experienced something of a renaissance, too, as the greater jazz community finally embraces osmosis with hip-hop, underscoring Ayers’s earlier prescience. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $35 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile
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
Sachal Vasandani, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Vocalist Sachal Vasandani is a master of the shades between dark and light, with a hazy presentation coated in what might as well be a trumpet mute. Vasandani uses swing like honey in his tea – a tested and comfortable way of adding some pep, but by no means a necessity. The singer and composer is as fond of a plucked acoustic guitar as of a classic piano trio. Even when using the latter, the singer’s wont to wade in a modern, propulsive groove rather than a classic 4/4 swing feel. He performs this weekend with a talented quartet featuring Nir Felder and Camila Meza on guitars, Keita Ogawa on percussion and Buster Hemphill on electric bass. Separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $22 cover in advance, $25 at the door, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns profile
Leonardo Lucini & Rogerio Souza, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Led by the bassist Leonardo Lucini and the guitarist Rogerio Souza, this strong band explores a variety of Brazilian musics, namely bossa nova, samba and samba choro. The rest of the group includes the guitarist Alejandro Lucini, the saxophonist Jeff Antoniuk, the drummer Harold F. Summey, Jr., and the pianist Wayne Willentz. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $20 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile
Kent Miller Quartet, HR-57, 9 p.m. | Strong and swinging bassist Kent Miller leads his own straight-ahead quartet. $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
Dee Stone, Black Fox Lounge, 9 p.m. | Dee Stone sings soul, blues, jazz and rock. The first set of every performance is usually comprised of jazz standards. 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, SEPTEMBER 23
cb picks:
- Thelonious Monk Competition Finals, Natural History Museum, 12 p.m.
- Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
- Tribute to John Coltrane, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m.
- Jazz Brunch: Reginald Cyntje, Twins Jazz, 11 a.m.
- The Bad Plus, The Hamilton, 8:30 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
Blue Styles Brass Band, Acadiana, 11 a.m. | The trumpeter Joe Brotherton leads the Blue Styles Brass Band, which blends elements of traditional New Orleans jazz with classic funk and hip-hop. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Acadiana website
Jazz Brunch: Reginald Cyntje, Twins Jazz, 11 a.m. | Twins Jazz’s new Sunday Jazz Brunch initiative revolves around the magnetic powers of Reginald Cyntje’s trombone. Last year, he released his debut CD, “Freedom’s Children: The Celebration,” a glimmeringly hopeful record immersed in the warm, danceable rhythms of Cyntje’s native U.S. Virgin Islands. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Twins profile
Trio Blue, Melody Tavern, 11:30 a.m. | Trio Blue consists of Joe Lerner, Pat Bergin and Jay Brown – three longtime musicians in the D.C. area. In this band, they dust off blues and early R&B classics from the middle of the 20th century. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Melody Tavern 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
Rockville Swing Band, Rockville Town Sq. Plaza, 1 p.m. | The Rockville Swing Band, a large ensemble specializing in classic Jazz Age repertoire, performs here at the Rockville Town Sq. Plaza. Free. View event on calendar | Rockville Town Sq. 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
Tribute to John Coltrane, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | In commemoration of the 86th anniversary of John Coltrane’s birth, the free-jazz reedist and trumpeter Joe McPhee – who explores melody and tone with equal fervor – will perform alongside the bassist Dominic Duval, a longtime collaborator. The night will open with a performance, coordinated by the bassist Luke Stewart (also a CapitalBop editor), in which a large ensemble will perform a rendition of Coltrane’s “Peace on Earth.” The saxophone legend performed the long-form, avant-garde work only once, in 1966. This show is part of Transparent Productions’ “Sundays @ 7 @ the Caverns” series. $10 cover in advance, $15 at the door Updated: (each set charges separate admission), 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
Thelonious Monk International Drum Competition Finals, Kennedy Center, 7:30 p.m. | In the ultimate round of the 25th annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition (this year’s contest is focused on up-and-coming drummers), the three finalists will face off in what will surely be an intense, fiery display of talent. Many of the star judges are also likely to take the stage; they include Roy Haynes, Ben Riley, Peter Erskine, Carl Allen, Terri Lyne Carrington and Brian Blade. Tickets $50-75. View event on calendar | Kennedy Center website
Kelly Ash, Twins Jazz, 8 & 10 p.m. | The vocalist Kelly Ash sings jazz standards and covers of contemporary popular tunes. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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
Roy Ayers, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Vocalist and vibraphonist Roy Ayers – beloved by acid-jazz fans, hip-hop heads and disco lovers alike – touts the title “King of Neo-Soul Music.” But before that, his days as an experimental jazz musician found him partnering with greats like Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter and Hubert Laws. Nowadays, Ayers typically sings sultry ballads over programmed drums and synthesizers; he’s experienced something of a renaissance, too, as the greater jazz community finally embraces osmosis with hip-hop, underscoring Ayers’s earlier prescience. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $35 cover, $12 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley 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
The Bad Plus, The Hamilton, 8:30 p.m. | The Bad Plus – a trio comprised of Ethan Iverson on piano, Reid Anderson on bass and Dave King on drums – improvises on acoustic instruments with unassailable rigor and captivating stridency. Whether that makes them a jazz band, per se, is a common point of contention. They’re interested in the legacy of Monk, but they put it in a bubbling petri dish with the musics of John Cage and Brian Eno. Whatever you call it, the Bad Plus’s sound is unlike that of any other band – and it’s worth hearing. $30.50 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Hamilton website 