Etienne Charles.>> April is Jazz Appreciation Month! As usual, the Smithsonian has an impressive lineup of events to celebrate this great American art form. We won’t list them all on these pages, but it’s worth your while to check out the complete schedule.
>> Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society has brought a totally new approach to the big band sound, drawing upon a steampunk aesthetic, and is one of the most talked about groups in jazz today (read our interview with Argue here). The Secret Society will return to D.C. tonight for an 8 p.m. show at the Atlas. $15-$25.
>> Mary Alouette is a Maryland-based gypsy jazz vocalist who is April’s Artist-in-Residence at Strathmore. She will be performing tonight at the center’s mansion. 7:30 p.m. $12.
>> Pianist George Winston is known for his new age recordings, but his solo shows draw heavily from jazz, blues and R&B. Tonight, he starts a 3-night stand of 8 p.m. shows at the Barns of Wolf Trap. $35.
>> Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers is a vocally fronted 7-piece band out of San Francisco that specializes in classic swing from the golden age of jazz. They will be at Blues Alley for 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $22 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Busy local saxophonist Bobby Muncy returns to Twins Jazz on Thursday with his Radiohead Jazz Project, which, as you might guess, puts music by the influential alt-rockers into a jazz context. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $10 + $10 food/drink minimum.
>> Overtures is a concert series that celebrates the centennial of the gift of cherry blossom trees from the people of Japan. Legendary pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi will take part in Overtures with a 3-night stand at Blues Alley that begins on Thursday. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $25 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Disc jockey Jamal Muhammad was a local institution who passed away in February. A long-time presenter at WPFW, Muhammad had an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz that he was more than willing to pass on to anyone willing to listen. On Friday, a group of D.C. all-stars, including drummer Nasar Abadey, bassist James King and pianist Bob Butta, will pay tribute to Muhammad at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 to 9 p.m. $5.
>> Trumpeter Etienne Charles first started making waves with his 2009 release, Folklore, whose compositions were based on characters from Afro-Caribbean myth. Last year, he released Kaiso, where he again draws upon the musical traditions of his native Trinidad. Charles will feature songs from the album when he brings his band The Hamilton on Friday. 8:30 p.m. $22.50.
>> Tedd Baker is the lead tenor saxophonist for the Airmen of Note, the premiere jazz ensemble of the U.S. Air Force. Baker’s debut release, Mugshots, earned critical praise and he will be playing selections from the recording, as well as new material, this Friday and Saturday at Bohemian Caverns. 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. sets. $18.
>> Buck Hill is nothing short of a local institution. The “Wailin’ Mailman” is still swinging at 85 years of age, and has been cited by the likes of Sonny Rollins and Jimmy Heath as one of the most under-rated saxophonists of his generation, Hill will be performing 9 and 11 p.m. sets this Friday and Saturday at Twins Jazz. $15 + $10 food/drink minimum.
>> The folks at CapitalBop continue their series of monthly jazz lofts this Sunday at The Dunes. This month’s show features one of the city’s most respected saxophonists, Lyle Link, the D.C. Jazz Composers Collective and 18-year old phenom drummer Allen Jones. 7 p.m. $10 suggested donation.
>> Blue Monday Blues hosts the Tom Newman Blues Band. 6 to 9 p.m. $5.
>> Howard University a cappella ensemble, Afro Blue, gained national recognition with an impressive run on NBC’s The Sing-Off (read our interview with Afro Blue director Connaitre Miller here). The group will be performing on Monday at Blues Alley along with the Howard University Jazztet. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $20 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> If you miss him at Sunday’s Jazz Loft, Lyle Link will also be playing Twins Jazz on Tuesday. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $10 + $10 food/drink minimum.
>> Chano Dominguez is a brilliant pianist who draws from influences as varied as Thelonious Monk, Weather Report and traditional flamenco music. He will be performing 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley on Tuesday. $35 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Guitar whiz John Lee will be leading his new trio at Jojo‘s every Tuesday in April 8 p.m. to midnight. No cover.
