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MUSIC: D.C.’s own funky soulstress YahZarah, a.k.a. Purple St. James, has made a name for herself singing with the likes of The Foreign Exchange and Little Brother, not to mention releasing her own material. She’ll be performing two shows at Blues Alley. $20 plus $2.50 per person and $10 purchase minimum per person, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

READING: Politics and Prose hosts Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, who will read from his new novel, The Increment at 7 p.m.

MUSIC: Dreamy Swedish shoegaze trio Liechtenstein are at the Velvet Lounge tonight, with the Sundresses. 7:30 p.m., $8.

PANEL: At 6 p.m., the 14th Street Busboys hosts a panel discussion and party for the launch of D.C. Central Kitchen’s official cookbook, Feeding the Soul of the City, which includes recipes from high profile chefs as well as stories about D.C. Central Kitchen. The panel, which includes Mike Curtin, Jr. (DCCK CEO), Ann Yonkers (FreshFarm Markets), Catherine Cash (VA Dept of Agriculture), Oren Molovinsky (Farm to Table) and chef Ris Lacoste, will discuss local food sourcing and sustainability.

CLASSICAL: The National Museum of Women in the Arts closes out its season of three concerts in the Shenson Chamber Music series with a free recital tonight by Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa. The ambitious program includes Beethoven’s daunting “Hammerklavier” sonata. 7:30 p.m. To attend, you must make a reservation (call 202-783-7370 or e-mail reservations@nmwa.org).