Pianist Brad Mehldau leads his trio on Thursday at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue.>> The U.S. Air Force’s premiere big band, the Airmen of Note, will perform a free show tonight at the Ronald Reagan Building (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW). Saxophonist Bob Mintzer will be the guest soloist. 7:30 p.m.
>> That a jazz musician has embraced a wide range of music is not that unusual, but it is if the artist in question plays the steel pan. Victor Provost has done just that, creating an approach to the pan that includes fluid be bop runs and his native Caribbean rhythms. Provost leads his new band through 8 and 10 p.m. sets tonight at Twins Jazz. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Nasar Abadey has been among the area’s first call drummers for decades. He will lead his band, Supernova, tonight at Blues Alley. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Smooth jazz guitarist Earl Klugh performs a 7:30 p.m. show on Thursday at The Birchmere. Tickets $35.
>> Trombonist Shannon Gunn leads a group on Thursday at Twins Jazz. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Brad Mehldau has led one of the most acclaimed piano trios of the past two decades. The groups Art of the Trio series is a must-listen. Combining inventive takes on rock and jazz standards alongside creative originals, Mehldau, bassist Larry Grenadier and drummer Jeff Ballard have achieved a cohesion that is both inventive and accessible. The Washington Performing Arts Society presents the trio at Sixth and I Historic Synagogue on Thursday. 8 p.m. Tickets $35.
>> The Creative Music series at Union Arts continues to present some of the most interesting performers within the experimental music scene. On Thursday, the bill includes Man Forever, cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm‘s trio, and local guitar whiz Anthony Pirog. 8 p.m. Tickets $10. An 8 p.m. show on Saturday will feature Sontag Shogun, Aaron Martin and Br’er. Tickets $9.
>> Drummer E.C. “EC3” Coleman holds it down at Dukem Jazz on Thursday with his quartet. 9 and 10:30 p.m. sets. No cover.
>> Vocalist Cissa Paz brings her Brazilian sounds to the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Thursday. 9:30 p.m. Tickets $5.
>> Legendary fusion outfit The Yellowjackets first formed back in 1977. While the lineup has changed many times over the years, the group continues to put out high quality music that lives up to its long history. The band begins a four-night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets on Thursday night at Blues Alley. Tickets $35 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> On Friday, the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra will be at the Smithsonian American Art Museum to pay tribute to the iconic vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald. Joining the band in this homage will be one of the area’s finest singers, Lena Seikaly. 5 to 8 p.m. Free.
>> Michael Bowie grew up in D.C. and still plays regularly in the area despite having toured the world with some of the finest musicians to ever play jazz. On Friday, the bassist pays tribute to one of his idols at Jazz Night in Southwest as he leads a group playing the music of Charles Mingus. 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets $5. The following day at 1 p.m., the venue hosts author John Goodman, who will deliver a multi-media lecture on the outspoken jazz icon.
>> Trumpeter Graham Breedlove and other area regulars have come together under the moniker, Zydeco Boogaloo, as a vehicle to explore the infectious sounds of New Orleans. The band will play 8 and 10 p.m. sets on Friday and Saturday at Twins Jazz. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Allyn Johnson is arguably the most respected pianist in the city. He combines impeccable technique with a spirituality rooted in the gospel tradition to make a soulful sound that is all his own. Johnson leads a trio on Friday and a quartet on Saturday at Bohemian Caverns. 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. sets. Tickets $20 online/$25 at the door.
>> HR-57 hosts regulars Ajay Parham (Friday) and Cubano Groove (Saturday). 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets $15.
>> Vocalist Kevin Mahogany can swing hard over bebop lines or draw out the lyricism of lush ballads, but underneath it all is a strong blues influence that comes from his hometown of Kansas City. Tickets to his 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. sets on Saturday at the Kennedy Center are sold out, but it’s worth contacting the box office for last minute availability.
>> Matthew Shipp is best known for his avant-garde work, but he is equally at home playing straight-ahead swing. That duality makes his Sunday night tribute to Duke Ellington all the more intriguing, as it will be fascinating to see what he does with those beloved and well-known songs. The pianist leads his trio through 7 and 8:30 p.m. sets at Bohemian Caverns. Tickets $10 online/$15 at the door.
>> John Clayton is not only an esteemed bassist, but is also in demand for his composing and arranging skills. Catch this jack-of-all-trades, master of many, on Sunday at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club. His group also features his brother, saxophonist Jeff Clayton. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $25 plus food and drink minimum.
>> Ubiquitous saxophonist Brad Linde has put together yet another project, Team Players, to explore original material as well as compositions by Paul Motian, Ronnie Ball, Warne Marsh, Ornette Coleman and Eric Dolphy. Team Players plays Twins Jazz on Sunday. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Guitarist Roni Ben-Hur has been a familiar face in New York’s jazz scene since he moved there from his native Israel in the mid-1980s. He bring a group to the District on Monday for 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. Tickets $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> The University of the District of Columbia’s annual Calvin Jones Big Band Festival is always a highlight of the spring jazz season. The big band from UDC joins with those from Howard University and the University of Maryland for a swingin’ night of music from tomorrow’s jazz masters. This year’s concert takes place on Monday. 8 p.m. Tickets $10-$20.
