The Sun Ra Arkestra returns to D.C. on Friday to perform at Liv Nightclub.

>> Byron Miller rose to prominence in the ’70s, playing electric bass for luminaries like George Duke, Santana, and Herbie Hancock. He will lead his own band tonight at Blues Alley. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.

>> Jason+ is a multidisciplinary series the Kennedy Center launched this season, featuring its artistic director for jazz, Jason Moran. Tonight through Friday, Moran’s ensemble will collaborate with choreographer Ronald K. Brown’s EVIDENCE dance company to investigate the possibilities of intertwining music and movement. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $29-$59.

>> Area vocalist Bob McDonald pays tribute to Frank Sinatra on Thursday at AMP. 8 p.m. tickets $25-$35.

>> Brazilian vocalist Cissa Paz takes the stage on Thursday at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge. 10 p.m. Tickets $5.

>> Longtime area saxophonist Fred Foss leads a quartet at Dukem Jazz on Thursday. 9 p.m. to midnight. No cover.

>> John Pizzarelli is known for his mastery of the Great American Songbook. The vocalist and guitarist will take on another set of classics during his Thursday to Sunday run at Blues Alley, focusing on the works of Paul McCartney.

>> On Friday, keyboardist Marc Cary and his band, Indigenous People, will precede the night’s Jason + performance with a free 6 p.m. set on the Millennium Stage. He will also return afterwards for a set of go-go, dancing and drinks in the Center’s Grand Foyer.

>> Willis Conover was a jazz broadcaster at Voice of America for decades, bringing this great American art form to countries behind the Iron Curtain and remote places throughout the world. Jazz Night in Southwest has assembled some of the District’s best to pay tribute to Conover on Friday. 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets $5.

>> METTA Quintet is the official residential ensemble of JazzReach, a jazz education program in New York. The band will perform an 8 p.m. show on Friday at AMP. Tickets $12-$20.

>> Last year’s Along Came Ra festival, celebrating the centennial of jazz iconoclast Sun Ra, was a smashing success. The Sun Ra Arkestra, under the direction of Marshall Allen, returns to D.C. for a performance at Liv Nightclub on Friday. Space is the place at any Ra-related event, so costumes and merrymaking are strongly encouraged. 8 p.m. Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door.

>> Mr. Henry’s host saxophonist Herb Scott (Friday) and vocalist Coniece Washington (Saturday). 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.

>> The Dakshina/Daniel Phoenix Singh Dance Company presents its annual Fall Festival of Indian Arts this Friday through Sunday at the Atlas. The festival presents some of the world’s top musicians and dancers from traditional and contemporary South Asian genres. Visit the festival web site for full schedule and ticketing information.

>> Local pianist Mark Meadows is steadily increasing in stature and has received critical praise for his most recent album, Somethin’ Good. The D.C. native will lead a quartet on Friday and Saturday at Bohemian Caverns. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door.

>> Alex Norris is a trumpeter’s trumpeter who has been a first-call musician for 20 years, in addition to being a respected educator at the Peabody Conservatory. Norris will lead a band through 9 and 11 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.

>> The Washington Jewish Music Festival his hosting pianist Roy Assaf and his trio on Sunday at the Washington D.C. Jewish Community Center. Assaf has played with the Dizzy Gillespie All Stars, the Mingus Big Band, and David Sanborn, bringing together jazz with international forms. 5 p.m. Tickets $26.50

>> The Jazz and Cultural Society is a new space in Northeast that is a welcome addition to the local music landscape. The dream of Dr. Alice Jamison and trumpeter DeAndrey Howard, it is designed to be a community-oriented space for musicians and listeners. On Sunday, the JACS will host Elijah Balbed, a talented young saxophonist and area native who is now based out of New York. His group will include area veterans Steve Novosel (bass) and Lenny Robinson (drums). 6 to 9 p.m. $5 cover.

>> Vocalist Chad Carter has been performing regularly throughout the area for the past 15 years. He will play 7 and 9 p.m. sets at Bohemian Caverns on Sunday. Tickets $18 in advance/$23 at the door.

>> Area pianist Chris Grasso is presenting a monthly performance series this fall at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club that will feature the area’s finest vocalists. The second show takes place on Sunday, when Grasso will team up with vocalists Danielle Wertz and Shacara Rogers. Wertz is one of three area vocalists who have been named as semi-finalists to the prestigious Monk Competition. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $20 plus minimum and surcharge.

>> The Brass-A-Holics is a horn-driven New Orleans brass ensemble that also mixes it up with hip-hop and go-go. The band’s infectious sound got audiences dancing at several notable performances during past iterations of the DC Jazz Festival. The group returns to the District on Sunday for a 7:30 p.m. show at The Hamilton.

>> Busy local saxophonist Bobby Muncy will lead one of his several ensembles through 8 and 10 p.m. sets on Sunday at Twins Jazz. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.

>> Blue Monday Blues hosts the band, Midnight Blue. 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets $5.