Vocalist Janine Gilbert-Carter celebrates the release of her new album this month at Jazz Night in Southwest. (Photo courtesy of Janine Gilbert-Carter)
August 1
Area smooth jazz guitarist LeRon Young plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 2
Veteran area vocalist George V. Johnson performs at Sotto along with his band. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
The Feedel Band combines jazz, funk, and traditional Ethiopian music to create a truly groovy sound. The band continues its monthly residency at Bossa Bistro & Lounge. 9:30 p.m., $10.
Pianist/vocalist Freddy Cole lived for many years under the shadow of his legendary brother, Nat King Cole. In the past decade or so, however, the broader public has become aware of his talents and his career has seen a major resurgence. The 87-year old Cole begins a four-night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $30-$35 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 3
Dial 251 for Jazz plays Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 per person minimum.
Trumpeter Joe Herrera leads The Remix, a group of the area’s finest musicians that blurs the lines between improvisational jazz, electronic music, and hip-hop. The band plays Sotto from 8 p.m. to midnight. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Walt Weskopf is a celebrated saxophonist and music educator who began his career playing with the Buddy Rich Big Band in 1981. He has also performed with Frank Sinatra, Steely Dan, and Boz Scaggs. He begins a two night stand of 9 and 11 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz with the help of some of the area’s finest. $15 + minimum and surcharge.
Trumpeter Thad Wilson is a mainstay of the local jazz community, and is one of the first area artists we profiled here on DCist. His quartet comes to Jojo’s for the evening’s late set. 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover.
August 4
Irka Mateo is one of the pioneers of the Dominican alternative music movement and Afro-Caribbean fusion. The singer-songwriter comes to the Bossa Bistro + Lounge for a 7:30 p.m. show. $10 at the door.
Area favorite Akua Allrich plays Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 per person minimum.
Long a favorite of local jazz fans, Julian Hipkins sings blues, standards, and ballard at The Alex from 8 to 11 p.m. $20 minimum, reservations recommended.
August 5
The Bossa Bistro + Lounge hosts Entre Nous, a jazz duo performing jazz standards in French and Portuguese. 7 p.m. $5 at the door.
August 6
Dani Cortaza, a native of Argentina, moved to the area in 2002 and has since become an important voice in the area’s Latin Jazz community. The guitarist has assemble a top notch set of musicians, including drummer Mark Prince, pianist Wayne Wilentz, and bassist Michael Bowie, to celebrate the release of his new album with 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $25 + minimum and surcharge.
August 7
Vocalist Kenny Wesley is an artist whose star is on the rise. He was a finalist at the prestigious vocal competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival and his music spans any and all genres. Wesley comes to Blues Alley for 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $25 + minimum and surcharge.
August 8
Victor Provost has taken the steel pan to new heights, using the instrument to its maximum harmonic and melodic range. He is often on the road, but will be in town to play 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
Orchester Praževica brings its monthly gypsy soul party to the Bossa Bistro + Lounge. 8:30 p.m. No cover.
August 9
Twin brothers Nate and Noble Jolley, District natives who play drums and piano, respectively, have teamed up to form a new ensemble, Band Of Brothers. The two have toured the world as musicians, but play a hometown show at Sotto. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Area smooth jazz star Marcus Johnson kicks off a four-night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $30-$35 plus minimum and surcharge.
Hailing from Bogotá, Colombia, Tribu Baharú is an afro-champeta ensemble whose roots lie in music born on Colombia’s Atlantic Coast. The band comes to the Bossa Bistro + Lounge for a 9 p.m. set. $20 at the door.
August 10
Janine Gilbert-Carter is a classic jazz singer in every sense. She brings a band of local all-stars to Jazz Night in Southwest to celebrate the release of her new album, My Foolish Heart. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $5 at the door.
“Now You See Us: From Periphery to Presence” is a music and poetry showcase taking place at Tropicalia that is presented by the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. With the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, the performance explores narratives from the Central and South Asian diaspora. Artists include Qais Essar, Sham-E-Ali Nayeem, and more. 8 p.m. FREE
Baritone saxophonist Leigh Pilzer is a veteran of the local scene and regularly plays up and down the East Coast. She’ll lead a quartet at Jojo’s from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover.
August 11
Sam Newsome works primarily in the medium of solo saxophone. His 2009 recording, Blue Soliloquy: Solo Works for Soprano Saxophone received sterling reviews and charted new performance avenues for the instrument. Newsome headlines a bill at Rhizome that includes avant-garde trumpeter Jaimie Branch, who will perform with local free jazz ensemble, Heart of the Ghost. 8 p.m. $10 at the door.
Billie Holiday Competition winner Sara Jones plays The Alex from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. $20 minimum, reservations recommended.
August 13
Christie Dashiell, one of the area’s top vocalists, plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 15
Tim Whalen has emerged as one of the D.C. area’s most distinctive pianists. Equally respected for his composing and arranging as he is for his improvising, Whalen’s quintet is sure to create some intriguing sounds at Blues Alley. 8 and 10 p.m. sets. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 16
Charles Covington is not only a respected jazz musician and educator who has taught at Howard University and the Peabody Conservatory, but he is also a U.S. Life Master in chess. He leads a group on the Millennium Stage. 6 p.m. FREE
Loston Harris has forged an interesting career at the intersection of jazz and high society. He is an accomplished pianist who has held a residency at Manhattan’s Bemelmans Bar for over a decade, but who also played celebrity parties for the likes of George Clooney, Sarah Jessica Parker, and other stars. His trio plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $25 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 17
Baltimore’s Tim Green comes to Jazz Night in Southwest along with a stellar band to celebrate the music of jazz legend Wayne Shorter. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Wolf Trap celebrates the Crescent City’s musical heritage with a bill that brings together multiple generations of New Orleans greats. Trombone Shorty headlines the Voodoo Threauxdown, which includes Galactic and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. 7:30 p.m. $30-$60.
Sam Prather is a composer and multi-instrumentalist whose genre-defying compositions draw heavily from jazz, the neo-soul of the 1990s, and a number of other musical streams. His group comes to Sotto. 8 p.m. to midnight. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
The Messthetics is a band comprised of drummer Brendan Canty and bassist Joe Lally, formerly known as the rhythm section of Fugazi. The band has found a fascinating intersection between avant-garde jazz, prog-rock, and punk. The band headlines a bill to celebrate Rock & Roll Hotel‘s 12th anniversary with Mellow Diamond and Puff Pieces opening.(8 p.m. $15.
Trumpeter Carol Morgan is an in-demand musician in New York’s crowded jazz scene. She’ll lead a band through a two night run of 9 and 11 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz. $15 plus minimum and surcharge.
Fred Foss is an elder statesman of the local jazz community, having mentored many of the area’s best musicians. The respected saxophonist brings a band to Jojo’s from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover.
August 18
Traditional blues was the source from which jazz first developed. Clarence “The Bluesman” Turner is one of the area’s best practitioners of this quintessentially American art form and his band comes to Sotto to play from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
August 19
Jazz violin has a long tradition, but it was Jean-Luc Ponty who adapted the instrument to the fusion movement of the 1970s, when jazz went electric. He comes to The Birchmere to explore his years on Atlantic records, which saw him collaborating with groundbreaking acts like The Mahavishnu Orchestra and Frank Zappa. 7:30 p.m. $45.
Drummer William Hooker is one of the New York experimental scene’s mainstays. He has been working continuously for 40 years at a very high level and shows no signs of slowing down. His band plays 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 20
Jeff Beck is best known as a rock guitarist, but that description does not do justice to the breadth of his output, which ranges from classical music to in-your-face electric jazz. He comes to Wolf Trap with Heart’s Ann Wilson opening. 8 p.m. $35-$75.
Area guitarist Anthony Pirog released his trio album, Palo Colorado Dream, in 2014 to critical acclaim. He has engaged in many projects since then, including the aforementioned Messthetics, but he returns to the trio format for 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 21
The Commodores, the U.S. Navy’s premiere big band, plays the Millennium Stage at 6 p.m. FREE
August 22
Award-winning local pianist and vocalist Mark G. Meadows leads his sextet through a 7 p.m. show as part of Strathmore’s free Live From The Lawn series. FREE
August 23
Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin‘s dynamic sound and presence have led her to share stages with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and The Roots. She brings her blend of funk, R&B, and jazz to the Millennium Stage. 6 p.m. FREE
Nicole Saphos has firmly established herself as a bassist and bandleader since moving to the area in 2012. She released her debut recording, Tiptoe, in 2016 and is now working on its follow-up. Saphos’s band comes to Sotto for an 8 p.m. show. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Cyrus Chestnut is one of the finest pianists of his generation, bringing together impeccable technique with the soul of the blues, jazz, and gospel traditions. The local music community received a huge boost when he accepted a teaching position in Howard University’s storied jazz program. Chestnut will begin a four night run of 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley on Thursday. $30-$35 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 24
Saxophonist Davey Yarborough and fellow D.C. mainstays will convene at Jazz Night in Southwest to celebrate U Street’s contribution to jazz history. 6 to 9 p.m. $5 at the door. The following day Westminster DC, which hosts Jazz Night, invites scholar Blair Ruble for a 1 p.m. lecture on U Street’s role in the broader broader cultural landscape. FREE
Star smooth jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum comes to the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club for an 8 p.m. show. $59.50-$79.50 plus minimum and surcharge.
Busy area vocalist Aaron Myers leads his band at Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 per person minimum.
August 25
Sheila E. broke all sorts of ground in the ’80s. A female drummer, even more of a rarity then than now, she rose to prominence with Prince’s band before having her own chart-topping success, all without stifling any of what makes her unique. She will lead her own band through its blend of Latin jazz, funk, and pop at The Howard Theatre. 8 p.m. $49.50-$79.50.
Pianist/vocalist Christopher Linman plays Mr. Henry’s. 8 to 11 p.m. $15 per person minimum.
August 26
Saxophonist Brad Linde‘s Therapy Band presents an evening of torch songs and standards at Twins Jazz after a short opening set by some of his students at Georgetown Day School. 8 p.m. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
August 29
Bob James helped establish smooth jazz as its own standalone genre, but his tasteful playing fits in any style. The celebrated keyboardist/composer leads his trio at The Birchmere for a 7:30 p.m. show. $39.50.
Local trombonist Shannon Gunn leads her band through 8 and 10 p.m. sets at Twins Jazz. $10 plus minimum and surcharge.
The District of Raga, a monthly showcase for international musicians that area violinist Nistha Raj organizes, returns to the Bossa Bistro + Lounge. 9 p.m. $5 at the door.
August 30
Brazilian vocalist Cissa Paz is at the Bossa Bistro + Lounge for her monthly appearance. 10 p.m. $10 at the door.
August 31
Baltimore-based vibraphonist and drummer Warren Wolf earned nationwide exposure through his work with world-renowned bassist Christian McBride. Wolf is also a bandleader in his own right, and leads his Wolfpack at Sotto from 8 p.m.-midnight. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Jojo’s has a strong lineup to close out the month, with ubiquitous area bassist Luke Stewart playing the early set from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Veteran local saxophonist Antonio Parker then takes over, leading a band from 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
