Maloya singer Maya Kamaty plays the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Sunday and the Millennium Stage on Monday.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7
Flutist Bill Haymon leads a group at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Busy area saxophonist Bobby Muncy will bring one of his many projects to Twins Jazz for 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8
Dennis Chambers is one of the all-time great drummers and has been viewed as such for the better part of 30 years. He will be at Blues Alley on Thursday along with saxophonist Bob Franceschini and bassist Tom Kennedy to kick off a four night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $25-$30 plus minimum and surcharge.
The Twins Jazz Orchestra plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at its namesake club. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Will Rast leads his organ trio at Wicked Bloom. 9-11 p.m. No cover.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
The Clarice, which is the University of Maryland’s performing arts center, celebrates the start of the new school year with the NextNOW Fest, taking place Friday and Saturday. The festival features events in all artistic media, most of which are free.
Steve Novosel has been one of the area’s first-call bassists for decades. His resume includes some of the most respected names in jazz over the last half-century, including Pharoah Sanders, Elvin Jones, Cedar Walton, and Roberta Flack, just to name a few. Novosel will be the featured artist on Friday at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Trumpeter Kevin Cordt leads his ensemble at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
Angélique Kidjo‘s blend of West African traditions, American R&B, funk, and jazz have earned her fans the world over. The Benin-born artist will bring her passion and uplifting sensibilities to the Music Center at Strathmore. 8 p.m. Tickets $28-$78.
Chopteeth‘s music is rooted in afrobeat, scattered with a heavy dose of funk and jazzy improvisation, making the band an area mainstay for over a decade. The group will perform an 8 p.m. set at The Hamilton. 8 p.m. Tickets $15-$20.
Benito Gonzalez took the D.C. jazz scene by storm in the early 2000s when he moved to this area from his native Venezuela. He moved to New York several years ago, leading his own bands and playing with a number of jazz greats, but he still pays regular visits to our fair city. Gonzalez will play Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday. 9 and 11 p.m. sets. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
The annual Silver Spring Jazz Festival takes place from 3 to 10 p.m. at the Silver Spring Civic Building at Veterans Plaza. Saxophonist David Sanborn headlines the event. Free.
Those on the other side of the Potomac can head down to Gateway Park for the Rosslyn Jazz Festival, taking place from 1 to 7 p.m. The lineup includes area vocalist Akua Allrich and guitarist Vieux Farka Toure. Free.
The Kyrgyz Republic’s leading jazz band, Salt Peanuts, plays the Millennium Stage to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the former Soviet Republic’s independence. In addition to playing traditional Kyrgyz instruments, the band will incorporate a manaschi, who will recite parts from the Kyrgyz epic, “Manas.” 6 p.m. Free.
Pianist Bill Washburn brings his quartet to Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Vocalist Candice Bostwick will perform at Mr. Henry’s from 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
Todd Marcus plays Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society on Sunday.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11
Maloya is one of the two major music genres from Réunion, a French territory/island in the Indian Ocean. Maya Kamaty is gaining international attention for her interpretation of this style, which has many similarities to French chanson and torch song. She will perform at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Sunday. 7 p.m. $10 at the door.
Todd Marcus is a talented musician and composer who does well representing Baltimore’s underrated jazz community. The bass clarinetist will make the trip down 295 to lead an outstanding group of local talent at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door. Marcus is also one of the performers at Saturday’s Silver Spring Jazz Festival.
The Novas Trio comes to Twins Jazz in support of its latest album, Gravity’s Empire. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
If you can’t catch Maya Kamaty on Sunday, she will also play a free show on the Millennium Stage. 6 p.m.
Blues Alley will host a Brazilian jazz series that begins on Monday with a performance from the local band, Veronneau. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 13
Guitarists Romero Lubambo and Chico Pinheiro continue Blues Alley‘s Brazilian jazz series. Each has collaborated with a host of world class artists and this will be an intimate duo performance. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
Battle Trance, a New York-based experimental group comprised of four tenor saxophonists, plays Songbyrd. 9 p.m. Tickets $10.
