Freddy Cole, photo by Clay Walker. >> Vocalist Freddy Cole had long been in the shadow of his brother, the great Nat “King” Cole. Over the past 20 years, he has emerged as a world class artist in his own right with a sound that is darker and not quite as polished as that of his iconic sibling. He’s still going strong at 80-years old, and will begin a four night stand of 8 and 10 p.m. sets this evening at Blues Alley. $25 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Utopia, a staple of U Street’s jazz scene, has unfortunately closed its doors for a year in order to renovate during the construction of another gigantor condo building on 14th Street. Regular performers at the restaurant, including saxophonist Lyle Link and pianist Wayne Wilentz, will team up on Friday at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 to 9 p.m. $5.
>> Trumpeter DeAndre Shaifer has been a familiar voice in D.C. jazz since moving to the area 10 years ago. He will be at Bohemian Caverns on Friday and Saturday, leading his band through 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. sets. $18.
>> HR-57 hosts regulars Antonio Parker (Friday) and the Saltman-Knowles Quartet (Saturday). 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. $15.
>> Armand Ntep spent years honing his blend of jazz and global rhythms in Paris before relocating to this area. He will be leading a group through 9 and 11 p.m. sets on Friday and Saturday at Twins Jazz. $15 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Comprised of some of the best high school and college jazz musicians in the Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey regions, the Philadelphia Jazz Orchestra will perform on Saturday at the Millennium Stage. 6 p.m. Free.
>> Blue Monday Blues hosts singer Queen Aisha and her band. 6 to 9 p.m. $5.
>> Pianist Dwayne Adell is one of the local jazz scene’s best kept secrets, partly because of Adell’s own wish to avoid the spotlight. An entirely self-taught musician, Dwayne Adell has mastered the jazz vocabulary by ear, and never fails to blow away his audience. Catch him on Monday at Blues Alley. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $18 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
>> Chicago’s Third Coast Percussion uses found objects and a diverse array of instruments, both formal and found, to play original pieces and contemporary works. They’ll be at the Millennium Stage on Tuesday. 6 p.m. Free.
>> Legendary guitarist Pat Metheny brings his new band, the Pat Metheny Unity Band, to the Birchmere on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. set. The quartet includes bassist Ben Williams, a D.C. native whose career has skyrocketed since he won the prestigious Monk Competition in 2009. $65 + fees.
>> Oh the stories trombonist Greg Boyer must have. He left college after just three semesters to begin a 20-year stint with Parliament-Funkadelic, and has also performed or recorded with Prince, George Duke, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Chuck Brown. On Tuesday at Blues Alley, he’ll be leading his new group, Pocket Jazz, which infuses jazz with deep grooves. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $20 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge.
