Maya Beiser comes to AMP on Thursday (photo by iolux).
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29
Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead, now in its 19th year at the Kennedy Center, brings together a group of the country’s top young jazz talent for a week of intensive workshops and jazz instruction. The Millennium Stage hosts nightly concerts this week featuring this week’s participants. 6 p.m. FREE
Eliot Seppa is a rising young bassist who is already getting calls to play at the area’s top venues. He is stepping out front to lead a quintet of the DMV’s top musicians at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
4ThaGruv, a local jazz-funk outfit, plays Greenbelt’s New Deal Cafe. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. FREE
Rhizome hosts a triple bill of experimental acts that includes Gilded Milk, Minerals, and Plain Jane. 8 p.m. $10 suggested donation.
Roy Hargrove is rightfully regarded as one of the finest trumpeters of his generation. He continues a week-long residency at Blues Alley that concludes on Sunday. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $40-$45 plus minimum and surcharge.
Saxophonist Bob Schwartz leads his group through 8 and 10 p.m. sets tonight at Twins Jazz. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Violinist Nistha Raj hosts the DC Raga Jam at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge. 8:30 p.m FREE
THURSDAY, MARCH 30
The Brass-A-Holics brings its infectious blend of go-go and New Orleans street beats to The Hamilton. 7:30 p.m. $19.50-$25.50.
The Twins Jazz Orchestra plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at the U Street club. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
Old And New Dreams was a quartet that existed from the mid-’70s to the mid-’80s. All of its members spent considerable time playing with free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman. Still Dreaming is comprised of Joshua Redman (sax), Ron Miles (trumpet), Scott Colley (bass), and Brian Blade (drums). Redman conceived the band to carry on the spirit of that seminal group. The quartet plays an 8 p.m. set at The Howard Theatre. $30-$35.
Maya Beiser rose to prominence with the celebrated experimental ensemble, Bang on a Can. In recent years, she has devoted her career to finding new possibilities in solo cello performance to great acclaim. Beiser comes to AMP for an 8 p.m. show. $25-$40.
Brazilian vocalist Cissa Paz is at the Bossa Bistro & Lounge for her monthly appearance. 10 p.m. $10 at the door.
FRIDAY, MARCH 31
Howard University boasts one of the top jazz programs in region. The school’s jazz ensemble, under Fred Irby’s direction, plays Jazz Night in Southwest from 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door. A screening of the A&E Biography episode on Nat King Cole follows the performance.
Back in 2014, pianist Billy Childs released a gorgeous album that featured his exquisite interpretation of music by the late singer-songwriter Laura Nyro. Childs brings an ensemble to the Kennedy Center, featuring vocalists Alicia Olatuja and Becca Stevens, to play material from that album. 7 and 9 p.m. sets. $35.
Falu’s Bollywood Orchestra brings its South Asian dance beats to the Barns at Wolf Trap. 8 p.m. $25-$35.
Saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed leads a group on Friday at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
Reginald Cyntje is not only one of the area’s most in-demand trombonists, he is also a prolific composer who leads bands using a number of different configurations. His latest ensemble plays 9 and 11 p.m. sets on Friday and Saturday at Twins Jazz. $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
Still Dreaming plays The Howard Theatre on Thursday (photo courtesy of The Howard Theatre).
SATURDAY, APRIL 1
April is Jazz Appreciation Month, so the Smithsonian Museum of American History has scheduled a number of free and paid offerings to celebrate the great Ella Fitzgerald’s centennial. Visit the museum’s website for complete information.
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is devoting a stage to South Asian performers from 12-5 p.m. Performers range from semi-professional dance companies to bands the fuse South Asian melodies with contemporary rhythms. FREE
The Ballroom at Glen Echo hosts Swingtopia for an evening of live music and swing dancing. 8 p.m. $18 ($14 with student ID).
Smooth jazz saxophonist Marion Meadows plays an 8 p.m. show at the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club. $30 plus minimum and surcharge.
Vocalist Barbara Papendorp performs at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. Two item per person minimum.
The Bad Plus is one of the distinctive trios working in jazz today. Its members have managed to draw the fine balance necessary to create music that is at once intellectual, emotional, and accessible. The group will be at the Barns of Wolf Trap for an 8 p.m. set. $28-$34.
Third Coast Percussion brings together the energy of a rock concert, the sophistication of classical music, and the accessibility of interactive technology for an experience one genre name cannot capture. The Grammy-winning quartet performs an 8 p.m. concert at The Clarice with a talk back afterwards. $10-$25.
BLK TAG, Matt Wellins,and Sarah Halpern share a bill for a night of experimental electronic music paired with projected visuals at Rhizome. 8 to 11 p.m. $10 at the door.
Soumya Chakraverty (Sarod) and Amod Dandawate (tabla) team up for an evening of Indian classical music at Bloombars. 8 to 11 p.m. $20 suggested donation.
SUNDAY, APRIL 2
Vocalist Tiya Ade leads a band from 6 to 9 p.m. at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. $5 at the door.
Will Csorba, Domingues & Kane, and Jon Camp explore the the guitar’s sonic boundaries at Rhizome. 4 p.m. $10 suggested donation.
Saxophonist Tissa Khosla leads a trio at Petworth’s Ten Tigers Parlour. 7 to 10 p.m. FREE
Guitarist Nelson Dougherty plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
MONDAY, APRIL 3
The National Endowment for the Arts will honor five jazz leaders—vocalist and broadcaster Dee Dee Bridgewater; author, editor, producer, and educator Ira Gitler; bassist, cellist, composer, and bandleader Dave Holland; keyboardist, composer, and arranger Dick Hyman; and organist and composer Dr. Lonnie Smith—at a free concert at the Kennedy Center. The concert is free, but all of the advance tickets are have been reserved. There will be standby tickets available at the door.
The local jazz community still hasn’t gotten over last year’s closing of Bohemian Caverns. Thankfully, the Bohemian Caverns Jazz Orchestra, whose Monday night residency at the historic club was a must for any local music fan, continues to perform occasionally. The BCJO celebrates its 7th anniversary on Monday with 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $20 plus minimum and surcharge.
TUESDAY, APRIL 4
Keyboardist Jeff Lorber brings his fusion ensemble to Blues Alley for 8 and 10 p.m. sets. Legendary bassist Jimmy Haslip is a featured guest. Tickets $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
