Weekend in Jazz | The last D.C. Jazz Loft at Red Door, Jimmy Cobb turns 84, and more -

The D.C. Jazz Loft will be relocating next month. This Saturday was the last chance to catch a show at Red Door.

by Giovanni Russonello
Editorial board

For us, the highlight this weekend is sure to be the last D.C. Jazz Loft at Red Door; since December 2010, at the ramshackle, beloved Red Door, CapitalBop has been presenting the upper crust of D.C. jazz’s creative class. This Saturday, we are hosting a blowout show, which will mark the final concert of any kind at the storied venue and meeting ground.

In other shows, legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb returns to his hometown; Rudresh Mahanthappa swings Indian-style; and Abdou Mboup presents his Senegalese drum conceptions. Find details on these 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, JANUARY 20

cb picks:

Jazz Night Anniversary Jam, Westminster Presbyterian, 6 p.m.
Rudresh Mahanthappa, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m.
Jimmy Cobb, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Abdou Mboup & Waakaw, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m.
Donvonte McCoy, 18th Street Lounge, 10:30 p.m.

Jazz Night Anniversary Jam, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 6 p.m. | What began as an experiment over a decade ago continues today as one of Washington’s greatest weekly traditions: Westminster Presbyterian Church’s “Jazz Night.” Every Friday night, the house of God becomes a hub for fish frying, communing and jamming on straight-ahead jazz. This week’s show marks the 13th anniversary of Jazz Night, and a raucous jam session will take place in celebration. The expert house band includes Vince Evans on piano, Steve Novosel on bass and Nasar Abadey on drums. $5 cover for adults, no cover for attendees under 16, no minimum. View event on calendar | Westminster Presbyterian Church website

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 7 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. But B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s 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

Rudresh Mahanthappa, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Rudresh Mahanthappa, one of the world’s leading alto saxophonists, blends an abundance of post-bop fury – a constant sense of pushing, striving and igniting – with Indian classical impulses. Mahanthappa, who was named alto saxophonist of the year in DownBeat‘s 2011 critics’ poll, appears here with a combo in the culmination of Blues Alley’s weeklong celebration of jazz musicians with South Asian roots. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $22 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Lena Seikaly Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Lena Seikaly sings jazz standards with a confident and playful demeanor, displaying a haziness reminiscent of Esperanza Spalding, but also nodding to traditional greats. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Jimmy Cobb, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Jimmy Cobb, a self-taught drummer who hails from D.C., became one of the most important drummers in jazz during the 1950s. He recorded extensively with Miles Davis, including on the landmark album Kind of Blue. Cobb, a savvy swinger with fine touch, will be celebrating his 84th birthday with a pair of hometown shows, alongside an expert cast: saxophonist Javon Jackson, pianist George Cables and bassist John Webber. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $30 cover, 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 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. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | HR-57 website

Abdou Mboup & Waakaw, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | Senegalese drummer Abdou Mboup brings to bear a range of interests – from the traditional drum-based, rhythmically weaving music of his homeland to jazz-rock fusion. Here he appears with his band Waakaw, which means “country boys” in Wolof. Two separate sets at 9 & 11 p.m. $16 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz profile

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

DeAndrey Howard’s Collector’s Edition, Utopia, 11 p.m. | Trumpeter DeAndre Howard’s regular engagements at Utopia bring hordes to the restaurant and bar. 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, JANUARY 21

cb picks:

The FINAL D.C. Jazz Loft at Red Door, 7 p.m.
Jimmy Cobb, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Abdou Mboup & Waakaw, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 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

The FINAL D.C. Jazz Loft at Red Door, 6 p.m. | All good things must pass, or at the very least be turned into condos. The best we can do is make the most while they’re still around, before the bulldozers bust in. In that sprit, the FINAL D.C. Jazz Loft at Red Door will be a blowout, featuring six acts and a closing jam session for the ages. The all-night show’s lineup includes the experimental, rhythmically driven Brian Settles Trio; the Kris Funn Trio (led by a Christian Scott and Kenny Garrett collaborator who will be debuting a handful of his own compositions); the free jazz group OOO with some very special guests; the swinging Elijah Jamal Balbed Quartet; the solo sax sounds of Jonah Parzen-Johnson; and the post-bop cinescope of the Jonathan Parker Quartet. $10 suggested donation, BYOB. Free. View event on calendar | Red Door 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

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

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

Syleena Johnson, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | Syleena Johnson is a contemporary soul vocalist. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $35 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Blues Alley profile

Janine Gilbert-Carter Quartet, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 8 p.m. | Vocalist Janine Gilbert-Carter has a fulsome set of pipes that employs with masterful finesse and delicateness, in a style not entirely unlike Betty Carter’s. She often sings gospel, but she’s just as apt to do straight-ahead jazz – which is what’s on the bill at the Mandarin Oriental. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Mandarin Oriental Hotel website

Lydia Lewis Trio, Tasting Room, 8 p.m. | Tasteful drummer and composer Lydia Lewis leads her trio in background fare at the Tasting Room, a wine bar in Friendship Heights. She’s consistently joined by expert side musicians. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | Tasting Room website

Jimmy Cobb, Bohemian Caverns, 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. | Jimmy Cobb, a self-taught drummer who hails from D.C., became one of the most important figures in jazz during the 1950s. He recorded extensively with Miles Davis, including on the landmark album Kind of Blue. Cobb, a savvy swinger with fine touch, will be celebrating his 84th birthday with a pair of hometown shows, alongside an expert cast: saxophonist Javon Jackson, pianist George Cables and bassist John Webber. Two separate sets at 8:30 & 10:30 p.m. $30 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Bohemian Caverns 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

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, JANUARY 22

cb pick:

Marshall Keys, Acadiana, 11 a.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

Jolley Brothers, B. Smith’s, 12 p.m. | The Jolley Brothers, Noble on keyboard and Nate on drums, play thrice a weekend at B. Smith’s, the upscale soul-food restaurant in Union Station’s massive East Hall. The Jolleys, who perform with a bassist, comprise one of D.C.’s most exciting and auspicious acts. With roots in gospel, soul and the modal bop of the 1960s, the brothers (who also compose prolifically) bring some of the most creative elements in the African-American music canon forward into the 21st century, all while stamping it with their own distinctive flavoring. B. Smith’s is a restaurant first, and the music remains in the background – no matter how expertly played. But as far as jazz brunch goes, it’s hard to top the Jolleys’ music. No cover, 1-drink minimum. View event on calendar | B. Smith’s 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

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

Min Xiao-Fen, Bohemian Caverns, 7 p.m. | Min Xiao-Fen explores jazz via the pipa, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument. Here she will take on the compositions of Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis. Two separate sets at 7 & 9 p.m. $20 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | View Bohemian Caverns profile

Brad Linde Sextet, The Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. | Local saxophonist Brad Linde is a consummate bandleader who plays alto, tenor and baritone saxes with equal mastery. Here he leads what he calls a “post-cool free-bop” sextet at a sparklingly new music venue, the upscale Hamilton. The band is rounded out by Sarah Hughes on alto saxophone, Michael Kramer on guitar, Dan Roberts on piano, Tom Baldwin on bass and Tony Martucci on drums. $15 cover, no minimum. View event on calendar | Hamilton 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

Lahla Hadiya, Blues Alley, 8 & 10 p.m. | D.C. native Lahla Hadiya sings insistent, full-throated neo-soul. Two separate sets at 8 and 10 p.m. $20 cover, $10 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

SwagFunk, Twins Jazz, 9 & 11 p.m. | No description available. Two separate sets at 8 & 10 p.m. $10 cover, $10 minimum. View event on calendar | Twins Jazz 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