The Hammond B-3 organ is an expensive and unwieldy instrument, so it is understandable why we don't see very many of them on the club circuit or why there are so few young organists out there. It must have been refreshing to the jazz community in the late 80s when a young Joey DeFrancesco (pictured) put out his first album as a leader at the tender age of 18. DeFrancesco, son of "Papa" John DeFrancesco, a well respected organist in his own right, is carrying the torch of organ jazz and has played with luminaries such as Miles Davis, John McLaughlin, and Pat Martino. Last night, his trio arrived at Blues Alley to begin a four night stand. Unlike many organists who tend to adopt a soul-jazz sound in the vein of Richard "Groove" Holmes or Jack McDuff, last night's trio stuck mainly to a straight ahead jazz sound and occasionally ventured into more adventurous territory. more ›

>> The keepers of traditional New Orleans jazz, The Preservation Hall Jazz Band (pictured), whose members range in age from 31 to 88, visit The Lincoln Theater tonight. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are $30. >> For those who prefer to look to the future instead of the past, fusion violinist Jean-Luc Ponty comes to The Birchmere to perform his unique blend of jazz, rock, and world music. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.... more ›