Jane Ira Bloom plays music that draws inspiration from the words of Emily Dickinson on Friday at the Kennedy Center.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
Veteran area bassist Cheyney Thomas leads his band at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Baltimore’s Orchester Praževica plays high energy music that comes from the traditions of Eastern European Czardas and Gypsy Swing, accompanied by a heavy dose of jazz and blues. They will be at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge tonight. 10 p.m. No cover.
Bobby Muncy will lead a band of excellent local musicians tonight at Twins Jazz. The group will feature Dennis Hoffman on drums, Gene D’Andrea on keys, and Marc Blackwood on bass. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Nasar Abadey is a world class drummer and music educator who has been an area mainstay for decades. His band, SUPERNOVA, plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
Saxophonist J. Plunky Branch and his band, Oneness, will celebrate the release of their new album at Blues Alley. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
Veteran area trumpeter DeAndrey Howard leads a band of excellent local musicians at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom is known for performances that cross-pollinate between different creative media. She has composed a new work for jazz quartet and spoken word called Wild Lines, which provides musical accompaniment to the words of the 19th century poet, Emily Dickinson. The performance takes place at the Kennedy Center‘s KC Jazz Club. 7 and 9 p.m. sets. Tickets $26-$39.
The Hot Lanes Big Band, a 16-piece ensemble led by Bobby Jasinski, focuses on promoting jazz in the D.C. metropolitan area through festivals, concerts, and educational masterclasses in the public school system. The ensemble will be premiering Jasinski’s “Spectrum Suite” at the Old Town Hall in Fairfax. 8 p.m. Free.
Trumpeter Kevin Cordt plays classic jazz at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
The musicianship present in the California Guitar Trio allows for a group where genres and style mean nothing, as the group’s virtuosity render categories meaningless. The trio’s blend of rock, jazz, classical, and world music will be on display at AMP. 8 p.m. Tickets $30-$40.
Combining the infectious rhythms of South Asian bhangra music with the horn driven power of a New Orleans brass band, Red Baraat is rightfully building a reputation as one of the best live bands on the concert circuit. The group will be at The Hamilton with Dead 27s opening. 8 p.m. Tickets $20-$25.
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 plays an 8 p.m. show at The Barns of Wolf Trap. Tickets $25-$27.
Peter Blasser creates his own instruments, which he uses to create his experimental sounds. He will join local avant-gardist Layne Garrett and visual artists at Rhizome for a sonic and visual exploration. 8 p.m. $10 suggested donation.
Despite being one of the area’s first-call trombonists, Reginald Cyntje waited until he was good and ready before releasing his first album, which came out in 2011. Since then, he has been composing prolifically and has released a number of other albums. Cyntje’s latest ensemble will play Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday. 9 and 11 p.m. sets. Tickets $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
Red Baraat brings its infectious bhangra brass band grooves to The Hamilton on Friday.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15
Seasoned jazz fans have long held Fred Hersch in high esteem for his skills as a pianist and composer. He has keen ability to draw new insights into the interpretation of time-honored standards from the classic jazz repertoire in a way that reveals harmonic and melodic possibilities that are generally hidden. Hersch’s trio plays the Kennedy Center‘s KC Jazz Club on Saturday. 7 and 9 p.m. sets. Tickets $36-$39.
Smooth jazz saxophonist Dee Lucas leads his band, Phaze II at AMP. 8 p.m. Tickets $25-$35.
Trombonist Shannon Gunn leads her all-female quintet, The Bullettes, at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16
Aspiring jazz vocalists should head to Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society on Sunday afternoon for a masterclass taught by two of D.C.’s finest, vocalist Lena Seikaly and pianist Chris Grasso. 12:30 to 5 p.m. $5 at the door.
The interPLAY company Orchestra was founded in 1986 to provide a creative outlet for adults with cognitive disabilities. Now 70 musicians strong, interPLAY will share the stage at the Music Center at Strathmore with the Craig Gildner Big Band. 3 p.m. Tickets $30.
Pepe Gonzalez has been a go-to bassist for the local jazz community for over 20 years. He will front his own ensemble at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
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 a 7:30 p.m. show at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club with JaneliaSoul. Tickets $20 in advance/$25 at the door.
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. 7:30 p.m. Tickets $45.
Up-and-coming local bassist Nicole Saphos leads her band on Sunday at Twins Jazz. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Led by singer Sunny Jolie, The Beat Fairy plays a combination of folk traditionals, jazz standards, and whimsical originals that overlay Malian, Ghanaian, Nigerian, and electronic rhythmic foundations. The group plays the Bossa Bistro & Lounge on Sunday along with opener JaJa Bashengezi, vocalist/guitarist and bassist for Vieux Farka Touré. 10 p.m. $5 at the door.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 17
Jazz legend Chick Corea leads his Electric Band through a 7:30 p.m. set at The Birchmere. It’s sold out. Tickets were $79.50.
