This Week In Jazz
We're still getting over the amazing Big Band Jam and next week we'll tell you all about the Kennedy Center's annual Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. In the mean time, there's plenty of great jazz to be had in our fair city.
>> Trumpet player Sean Jones, a young lion who was recently chosen to be a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, brings his group to Blues Alley. Jones is touring in support of his latest album, Roots, which has received very favorable reviews and brings together Jones' jazz, gospel, soul, and R&B influences. He will be performing 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets tonight. Visit the club's web site for more information.
>> The funky sounds of N'awlins visit the Wonderland Ballroom on the first Wednesday of every month. Yamomanem, led by New Orleans native and tubist "Monty" Montgomery, plays traditional New Orleans jazz that transports the crowd to the parades of Bourbon Street. Laissez les bons temps roulez encores! The dancing starts at 9 p.m.
>> Thursday is always a great night for jazz in the D.C. area with a lot of great music from which to choose. The Young Lions, a fantastic trio led by pianist and UDC jazz director Allyn Johnson with Kris Funn on bass and Quincy Phillips on drums, performs every Thursday at Cafe Nema. The music starts at 9 p.m., no cover. For those of you who can't catch them on Thursday and couldn't get Arcade Fire tickets, you can ease your pain by catching the group every Friday at Bohemian Caverns. Visit the club's web site for more information.
>> The Rob Muncy Group, comprised of up-and-coming younger musicians, some of whom went through the music program at The University of Maryland, brings its latin jazz sounds to Twins Jazz. Sets start at 8 p.m., contact the club for cover information.
>> Jeff Antoniuk and The Jazz Update is comprised of Antoniuk on saxophone, drummer Tony Martucci, bassist Tom Baldwin, and pianist Wade Beach. All of these players are local heavyweights who perform with a variety of groups in the area. Antoniuk, Baldwin, and Martucci are also faculty members in the area's major music programs. On Thursday, they will pay a visit to The Sign of the Whale in Falls Church. Be sure to check out their latest release, Here Today, which has made the jazz charts in both the U.S. and Canada since its release in early 2007.
>> This weekend marks the start of "The Philly Sound" concert series at Twins Jazz. Pianist George Burton brings a group this Friday and Saturday that features young star altoist Jaleel Shaw, powerhouse tenorman Tim Warfield, and Philly vocalist Shakera Jones. The group will perform two sets each night. Visit the club's web site for ticket information.
>> Every Friday and Saturday, The Mandarin Oriental Hotel features some of the area's top jazz vocalists. This Friday, Janine Carter will be performing along with Jon Ozment on piano, Tom Baldwin on bass, and Tom Williams on drums. On Saturday, Sandra Y. Johnson performs with Jon Ozment, bassist Baghwan Khalsa, and drummer Tony Martucci. Visit this web site for a list of scheduled performers. There is no cover and the music is from 8 p.m. to midnight.
>> Take your average jazz piano trio, add a dollop of classical influence, a pinch of punk attitude, a splash of cool, and you get The Bad Plus, one of the most exciting working bands in jazz. On Sunday, this renegade trio brings its unique sound to The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at the University of Maryland. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.. Visit the venue's web site for ticket information.
>> Pianist Amina Figarova, a native of the Netherlands and alumnus of last week's International Jazz Jam, brings her sextet, traditional rhythm section plus flute, tenor sax, and trumpet, to Blues Alley on Monday night. Ms. Figarova is already well established in Europe and is now gaining notice in North America as well. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
>> Minneapolis-based vocalist Connie Evingson comes to D.C. on Tuesday night. Her performance at Blues Alley features a band of local heavyweights. Accompanying her will be Lenny Robinson on drums, bassist Michael Bowie, Marshall Keyes on saxophone, and pianist Robert Redd.
Photos from The Bad Plus and The Young Lions' MySpace pages