(Courtesy of DC Jazz Fest)

DCist’s rebirth coincides with an annual highlight of the District’s jazz calendar: The DC Jazz Festival. Now in its fourteenth iteration, the festival seems to have fully recovered from the economic crisis that dealt severe blows to most arts organizations, and the leadership team led by Executive Director Sunny Sumter and Artistic Director Willard Jenkins is on firm footing.

While we were out of pocket for the first few days of the festival, there’s still a jam-packed week to go. The full schedule includes more than 125 performances in over 40 venues located in each of D.C.’s quadrants, so we don’t blame you for having trouble choosing. We’ve looked the whole schedule over and picked listings that reflect a broad range of music and price points, as well as daily picks that showcase the outstanding local talent we have in the District.

MONDAY, JUNE 11

Our Top Pick:
Local saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed played in Chuck Brown’s band toward the end of the Godfather of Go-go’s life. Taking that experience, Balbed formed the JoGo Project, which adds jazz harmonies and melodies to incessant and infectious rhythms. The band plays Ivy City Smokehouse with Dupont Brass opening. 6:30 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

Runner-up:
Tia Fuller is an accomplished jazz saxophonist who also happens to have toured with platinum-selling superstar Beyoncé. She was named a “Rising Star” in Downbeat magazine’s influential critics poll in 2013 and 2014 and has several albums to her credit. Fuller is also a committed educator, serving as a full-time professor and directing a number of ensembles at the Berklee College of Music. Her band plays City Winery at 8 p.m. $23-$36.

Also:
African-born vocalist Ola Onabule is a dynamic vocalist who straddles the line between jazz and R&B in the vein of an Al Jarreau or George Benson. He comes to Blues Alley for 8 and 10 p.m. sets.

Listening local:
The husband and wife pair of vocalist Esther Williams and saxophonist Davey Yarborough has been a staple of the local music scene for decades, both in performance and as educators. They will lead a band through a 6 p.m. set on the Millennium Stage. FREE

TUESDAY, JUNE 12

Top Pick:
Tedd Baker is the lead tenor saxophonist for the Air Force’s premier big band, The Airmen of Note, but he also has a long-held Tuesday night residency at U Street’s Jojo’s. He often mixes up personnel, but nights like tonight, when he teams up with bassist Kris Funn and drummer Quincy Phillips, are absolute fire. 7 p.m. No cover.

Runner-up:
Allan Harris is a singer’s singer, using his rich baritone to give any lyric a heartfelt interpretation. Harris comes to The Hamilton with his band to pay tribute to Eddie Jefferson, the late and immensely under-appreciated jazz vocalist. Lena Seikaly, one of the region’s top vocalists, opens the show. 7:30 p.m. $17.25-$47.25.

Also:
Saxophonist Ron Sutton, Jr. has been a mainstay of the local scene for many years. His quartet will be playing a set of original songs at the Anacostia Playhouse that will be recorded for a forthcoming live album. 7:30 p.m. $20 in advance/$25 at the door.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 13

Top Pick:
Led by area pianist Harry Appelman, the Liberation Project performs jazz interpretations of music associated with civil rights struggles in the United States, South Africa, and Palestine. The quartet plays the Anacostia Playhouse at 7:30 p.m. $20 in advance/$25 at the door.

Runner-up:
What is a jazz festival without a jam session? Area saxophonist Herb Scott runs one of the city’s best jazz jams on Wednesday nights at Mr. Henry’s. As is often the case with major festivals like this, don’t be surprised if some of the more renowned artists pay a visit to sit in. 8 p.m. $12 food and drink minimum.

Also:
Pianist Allyn Johnson and saxophonist Paul Carr are not only two of the DMV’s finest jazz musicians, but they are also among its most dedicated music educators. They come together at the UDC’s Recital Hall for an evening of music and conversation. 7 p.m. FREE

Listening local:
Granted, all the other picks for tonight are local, but the festival is highlighting an abundance of area talent this evening and we can’t exclude Greg Boyer. The trombonist began a lengthy stint with George Clinton’s P-Funk at just 19-years old and went on to perform with the likes of Prince, Stanley Clark, and Chuck Brown. His band, Peloton, plays Sotto at 7 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

THURSDAY, JUNE 14

Top Pick:
Geri Allen was pioneering woman in jazz who passed away in 2017. One of her frequent collaborators, drummer Terri Lyne Carrington, has assembled a band to perform in tribute to the late Howard University alumnus. The band is an all-star assembly of the DCJF’s finest performers, including Bad Plus pianist Orrin Evans, saxophonist Tia Fuller, and the festival’s artist-in-residence, bassist Ben Williams. The 7:30 p.m. show takes place at the Historic Sixth & I Synagogue. $27-$35.

Runner-up:
Spanish bassist Javier Moreno presents his eight part suite, In Sides, at the former Spanish Ambassador’s residence. Performed by his quintet, Moreno’s piece explores the musical and cultural dialogue that takes place between the Spanish speaking peoples of Europe, North, and South America. 7 p.m. Free with RSVP.

Also:
Lisa Fischer is the gifted singer who filled the emotional core of the Oscar winning documentary, 20 Feet From Stardom. She begins a four-night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley along with her band, Grand Baton. $65-$70 plus minimum and surcharge.

Listening local:
Saxophonist Marshall Keys has long been an important piece of the local scene. He has forged an artistic relationship with keyboardist Federico Gonzalez Peña that stretches back over 20 years. The two, along with drummer Mark Prince, hold a Thursday night residency at Jojo’s. 7:30 p.m. No cover.

FRIDAY, JUNE 15

Top Pick:
Chucho Valdes is a six-time GRAMMY winner who, at 76-years old, is viewed as one of the great elders in Cuban music. He teamed up with fellow Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba for Trance, an exploration of the Afro-Cuban piano tradition. The duo will perform at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall and the set will feature music from the popular and classical Cuban repertoire, as well as their original arrangements of jazz standards. 8 p.m. $39-$59.

Runner-up:
Todd Marcus is a bass clarinetist who has used the relatively unusual jazz instrument to create a truly personal approach to improvisation and composition. He draws inspiration from his own biography, having explored his Egyptian roots on his previous recording. For his latest release, On These Streets, his West Baltimore neighborhood served as his muse, in particular the events that took place after the 2015 death of Freddie Grey. Marcus’s quintet plays a 7:30 p.m. set at Honfleur Gallery. $20.

Also:
Drummer and Baltimore native John Lamkin III has played with a “who’s who” of jazz greats that includes vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, vocalist Abbey Lincoln, saxophonist Kenny Garrett, and pianist Chick Corea. He has assembled a group of DMV all-stars to play 9 and 11 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz on Friday and Saturday. $15 plus food and drink minimum.

Listening local:
Christie Dashiell, one of the area’s top vocalists, plays a 6 p.m. set at the Millennium Stage with a band that includes her brother, Carroll “CV” Dashiell III, on drums. FREE

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

Top Pick:
DC Jazz Fest at The Wharf is the festival’s most large-scale event, featuring two full days of free performances at new waterfront development’s District Pier. The lineup includes Batala Washington, D.C.’s popular all-female Brazilian drumming ensemble, bassist and festival artist-in-residence Ben Williams, local favorite Akua Allrich, and Brazilian songwriting legend Ivan Lins. Trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah headlines Day 1. 10:45 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. FREE

Runner-up:
You probably tried to get tickets to see Hamilton at the Kennedy Center. Fret not if you failed. Leslie Odom, Jr., who played Aaron Burr in the original cast, headlines a stellar bill at The Anthem. The lineup also includes R+R=NOW, a group with nu-jazz pioneer Robert Glasper and his most prominent collaborators, as well as funk-jazz legend Maceo Parker. 7 p.m. $75-$140.

Also:
DCJazzPrix, now in its third year, is a competition that DC Jazz Festival hosts to recognize rising talent. The winning band receives a $15,000 grant and professional support. This year’s finalists include Cornerstore, a band under the direction of area bassist Kris Funn, The LRK Trio from Russia, and several rising bands out of New York. The finalists perform from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Wharf Hyatt House with the winner announced immediately after the show. FREE, with registration.

Listening local:
Veronneau, the 2013 WAMMY winners for Best Jazz Group, moves effortlessly from samba to gypsy jazz. The group is built around vocalist Lynn Veronneau, whose dexterity allows her to sound authentic in a number of styles. The band plays the Millennium Stage at 6 p.m. FREE

SUNDAY, JUNE 17

Top Pick:
Day 2 of the free concert at The Wharf includes performances from area artists Rochelle Rice (vocals) and Reginald Cyntje (trombone), what is sure to be a fiery exchange between harpist Edmar Castaneda and harmonica player Gregoire Maret, and headliner Fabrizio Bosso’s quartet. Noon to 7:15 p.m. FREE

Runner-up:
Busy area saxophonist Brian Settles teams up with his wife, vocalist and educator Jessica Boykin-Settles, for a 6 p.m. show at the Millennium Stage. FREE

Also:
Drummer Dante Pope, a Chicago native who moved to D.C. to work on Captiol Hill, returned to music and now performs regularly with Raheem DeVaughn and Wes Felton in The CrossRhodes Project. He also leads his own band, which plays Sotto at 7 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.

Listening local:
Jojo’s hosts an afternoon jam session for aspiring jazz vocalists. 12 p.m. FREE