Master pianist Ramsey Lewis will play four nights at Blues Alley this week.
>> Area vocalist Coniece Washington brings her quartet to the Jazz & Cultural Society tonight. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
>> Tonight, The Hill Center presents the ensemble, Mokoomba, from Zimbabwe. The group blends traditional Tonga and pan-African music cultures with dashes of rap, ska, soukous, and Afro-Cuban music. 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets $12 in advance/$15 at the door.
>> Area vocalist Abby Schaffer will be at Twins Jazz tonight to celebrate the release of her new album. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Chaise Lounge performs a style of sophisticated yet easy going jazz that was epitomized by releases on Capitol Records in the early ’60s, and which was commonly heard in coffee shops on every college campus before social upheaval changed things. The band will be performing 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley tonight. Tickets $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> The Capital City Voices jazz choir plays The Carlyle Club on Thursday along with Cloudburst. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> DMV native Gracie Terzian is a jazz singer, songwriter, and ukulelist now based in New York City. Her debut EP, Saints and Poets, received many positive notices and she will perform some of that material on Thursday at Twins Jazz. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> The Feedel Band combines jazz, funk, and traditional Ethiopian music to create a truly groovy sound. They play the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Thursday. 9:30 p.m. $10 at the door.
>> The Creative Cauldron in Falls Church is hosting some fine performances this week with an international bent. Argentinian guitarist Cristian Perez and Brazilian vocalist Cissa Paz will lead ensembles on Thursday and Friday, respectively, with both shows at 7:30 p.m. Jazz vocalist extraordinaire Akua Allrich will be at the venue on Sunday with her group. 6:30 p.m. These shows are part of a broader series called Passport to the World. Tickets $18-$20.
>> Ramsey Lewis‘s group was playing the historic Bohemian Caverns in 1965 when it recorded a live album that featured “The In Crowd,” a cover of a pop hit by singer Dobie Gray. The song became a hit on both the R&B and jazz charts that year and is Lewis’s most recognizable performance. The legendary jazz pianist has not stopped since and will be at Blues Alley on Thursday to begin a four night run. Tickets $60-$70 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Howard University has a celebrated jazz program that has produced a number of world class musicians over the years. The school’s jazz ensemble will perform at Jazz Night in Southwest on Friday. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
>> Under the direction of saxophonist Davey Yarborough, the New Washingtonians is the resident student jazz ensemble of D.C.’s Duke Ellington School of the Arts. The band will play the Kennedy Center‘s KC Jazz Club on Friday with Integriti Reeves, who is quickly establishing herself among the area’s finest jazz vocalists. 7 and 9 p.m. sets. Tickets $25.
>> Most people remember Molly Ringwald from her iconic roles in John Hughes movies from the ’80s. She has also moonlighted for quite some time as a cabaret singer, and will be at AMP on Friday. 8 p.m. Tickets $35-$45.
>> Doc Scantlin and His Imperial Palms Orchestra will bring the classic big band elegance of the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s to the Carlyle Club on Friday. 8 p.m. Tickets $35 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Mr. Henry’s hosts trumpeter Kevin Cordt (Friday) and Batida Diferente (Saturday). 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
>> Pianist Terry Marshall will bring his ensemble to Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday for 9 and 11 p.m. sets. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Stefon Harris emerged in the 1990s along with a crop of young lions that injected some real electricity into the jazz community. He also brought much needed attention to the vibraphone as a lead instrument in jazz. Now 20 years into his career, he continues to assemble outstanding bands, one of which is his electric group, Sonic Creed. The band will be at the Kennedy Center on Saturday for a 7 p.m. show. Tickets $32.
>> Keiko Matsui has long explored more ethereal sounds, creating music that straddles smooth jazz and new age. She will bring her rich soundscapes to The Birchmere on Saturday. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $45.
>> Danny Gatton was among the best guitarists in the world, respected by many of the instrument’s masters. He never sought widespread fame and sadly took his own life in 1994. AMP will host a tribute to the D.C. music legend on Saturday. 8 p.m. Tickets $35.
>> Saxophonist B.J. Simmons leads his band on Sunday at the Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
>> Dr. Lonnie Smith is a master of the B-3 organ and a bona fide jazz legend whose career has spanned over five decades. His ensemble will be at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club on Sunday. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $35 in advance/$45 at the door.
>> NEA Jazz Master Branford Marsalis usually plays large theaters and concert halls, but on Sunday he will play an intimate show at The Birchmere. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $35.
>> Saxophonist Marty Nau performs 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz on Sunday. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Twenty-three-year-old French-American singer-songwriter Francesca Blanchard has been compared to Norah Jones and Eva Cassidy. She will be at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Sunday. 9:30 p.m. $10 at the door.
>> Jimmie Vaughan spent his early professional years in the shadow of his legendary brother, Stevie Ray. But he has emerged as a world class musician in his own right since his brother’s death in 1990. Vaughan will be performing on Tuesday at The Hamilton. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $30-$40.
>> César Orozco leads Kamarata Jazz, an ensemble that draws heavily from his Cuban and Venezuelan roots. The repertoire is based in some of the Orozco’s original compositions, as well as innovative versions of well-known Venezuelan and Cuban pieces from the traditional repertoire. The pianist will lead his band through 8 and 10 p.m. sets on Tuesday at Blues Alley. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
>> Trombonist Shannon Gunn will be leading a quartet on Tuesday at Columbia Station. The group will be interpreting Herbie Hancock’s classic recording, Empyrean Isles. 8 to 11 p.m. No cover.
>> Indie Adams Morgan will host an evening of 21st century music on Tuesday at The Black Squirrel. The bill will include the string quartet, Rogue Collective, and Red Fetish. 9 p.m. Donations encouraged.
