APRIL 1
Ace local drummer Tyler Leak leads his band, Freeform, at Marvin. 7 p.m.-10 p.m. No cover.
APRIL 2
Glenn Miller was one of the most celebrated bandleaders of the swing era, and 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of his death while he was serving in World War II. The U.S. Airmen of Note, the Air Force’s big band, pays tribute to Miller with an 8 p.m. performance at the Music Center at Strathmore. FREE, but tickets are required.
Reedist Mars Williams, bassist Kent Kessler, and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love are all deeply involved in the free jazz scene and come together as Boneshaker, a group that headlines an 8 p.m. show at Rhizome. $15.
APRIL 3
Guitarist Will Csorba, multi-instrumentalist Dann Pell, and violinist Liz Meredith are all rooted in folk traditions, but then take their music in more experimental directions. They each play a solo set at Rhizome beginning at 8 p.m. $10.
Master drummer Steve Smith started his career with Journey, playing on all of their big hits in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. He has spent the better part of the last four decades pursuing his jazz muse, and leads his band, Vital Information, through 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $25 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 4
Antonio Sanchez made his name playing with jazz greats like Chick Corea and Pat Metheny. His career then got a huge boost after he scored Birdman, starring Michael Keaton. Sanchez is now stepping out as a leader with his band, Migration, which comes to AMP to play music from his latest album, Bad Hombre, which combines virtuosic drumming with electronic soundscapes. 8 p.m. $28-$42.
Buster Williams is one of the great bassists in jazz and has played with all of genre’s legends over the past 50 years. He co-leads Something More with drummer Lenny White, whose career began with the great Miles Davis on the iconic recording, Bitches Brew. The quartet begins a four night run of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $30-$35 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 5
Cellist Tomeka Reid is equally adept in classical music and jazz, often blurring the line between the two. Her ensemble, Stringtet, brings together seven string players and drums to play compositions with a strong improvisational component. The group plays 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets at MilkBoy ArtHouse. $25-$30.
Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and avant-garde icon Henry Threadgill performs at the Kennedy Center’s Family Theater with his ensemble, Double Up, as part of the Center’s ongoing DIRECT CURRENT festival. 7:30 p.m. $45.
Coniece Washington is a classic jazz chanteuse who plays 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets at Sotto. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Maria Grand is a saxophonist whose career took off immediately after she moved to New York in 2011. She has performed with esteemed musicians such as Vijay Iyer, Steve Coleman, and Mary Halvorsen. Grand shares the Rhizome stage with guitarist Ava Mendoza and saxophonist John Dikeman. Also on the bill is a duo featuring local saxophonist Sarah Hughes. 8 p.m. $20.
Local saxophonist Brad Linde is constantly juggling a number of projects. DIX OUT is a quartet he formed to play music from the trad jazz repertoire that was popular during the 1920s. The band celebrates its new album, There’ll Be Some Changes Made, with an 8 p.m. performance at the Atlas. $13-$30.
Area saxophonist Clarence Ward III leads a band at Jojo’s from 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 6
Pianist, composer, and MacArthur “genius” Vijay Iyer leads his groundbreaking sextet at the Kennedy Center. The band’s 2017 recording, Far From Over, made top ten lists across the country. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets. $45.
Craig Alston is a saxophonist out of Baltimore who is perhaps best known for his playing with the defunct-yet-much-loved band, Fertile Ground. He leads a group through 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets at Sotto. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Chucho Valdes is one of the giants of Afro-Cuban jazz. The pianist is a six-time Grammy-winner and a three-time Latin-Grammy winner who has taken the technical possibilities of his instruments to new heights while also embodying the passion and soul of his native Cuba. He comes to Sixth & I Synagogue for an intimate solo performance. 8 p.m. $45.
Herb Scott is not only a fine saxophonist, but also an advocate for the arts, generally, and working artists, in particular. He has assembled a quartet of local all-stars to celebrate the release of his new album, The Jazz Show, at Atlas. 8 p.m. $13-$25.
Alison Crockett has one of the most nimble voices you’ll here. The area veteran plays Jojo’s with her band from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 7
Andrew Earle Simpson, a pianist/composer and resident curator at the Atlas, has created a program of classic silent comedy shorts by cinematic pioneers such as Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. The performance features screenings of four films with live jazz accompaniment. 4 p.m. $14-$16.
World jazz keyboardist Keiko Matsui comes to The Birchmere for a 7:30 p.m. set. $45.
APRIL 8
Busy local saxophonist Herb Scott leads a band from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. at Marvin. No cover.
Pianist Rina Yamazaki plays 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $22 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 9
Organist Delvon Lamarr brings his soul jazz to Blues Alley for 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $25 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 10
Saxophonist Rick Alberico brings a group to Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 p.m. $10 at the door.
The DC Music Salon hosts a discussion around the recently published book, Images of America: Washington, D.C. Jazz. at the Shaw Neighborhood Library. Panelists include the book’s co-author Sandra Butler Truesdale and Willard Jenkins, the DC Jazz Festival’s Artistic Director. 7 p.m. FREE
Respected vocalist Tessa Souter comes to Blues Alley in support of her latest recording, Picture in Black and White, which earned praise as one of the best vocal jazz recordings of 2018. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $24 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 11
Sarah Hughes returns to Rhizome to perform in a duo with Sweden-based guitarist Jon Collin, whose music lies on the abstract/minimalist side of the spectrum. Also on the bill is the Heumann Homan Highway, an experimental guitar duo. 8 p.m. $10.
The Anansi Trio is comprised of saxophonist Matt Belzer, bassist Larry Melton, and percussionist Mark Merella. Each member is trained in jazz, but as a group they draw from a number of international styles and traditions. The trio plays Sotto at 8 p.m. $10 in advance/$15 at the door.
Piano legend Monty Alexander begins a four night stand of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $40-$45 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 12
Afro Blue, Howard University’s celebrated vocal jazz ensemble, plays Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Vocalist Michael Mayo is a rising star in the jazz world and he plays the Kennedy Center’s KC Jazz Club as part of its Discovery Artist series. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets. $20.
Brent Birckhead has played saxophone with notables like Greg Porter, Bilal, and Lauryn Hill. His band plays 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. sets at Sotto to celebrate the release of his new album, Birckhead. $20 in advance/$25 at the door.
Rooted in Ukranian culture but drawing on Arabic, African, and other global music traditions, DakhaBrakha is a vocal ensemble known for its technical skill and rich harmonies. The quartet plays MilkBoy ArtHouse at 8 p.m. $25-$30.
APRIL 13
Vocalist Rose Moraes brings her Brazilian sounds to Mr. Henry’s from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. $15 per person minimum.
Lisa Sokolov has taken the art of improvisational singing to new heights, with a sound that goes from an ethereal whisper to an ecstatic scream. She performs with cellist Jake Sokolov-Gonzalez at Rhizome. 3 p.m. $20.
Veteran area vocalist Aaron Myers plays Jojo’s from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 14
Vocalist Audrey Shakir performs at Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $10 at the door.
The Kennedy Center’s Artistic Director for Jazz Jason Moran has programmed a series of performances this season to give a musical interpretation of the African American experience. He teams up with his wife, vocalist Alicia Hall Moran, to present Two Wings: The Music of Black America in Migration. The concert examines the period following emancipation when millions of African Americans left the south to relocate in other regions of the country. 8 p.m. $29-$69.
APRIL 15
Though he is still relatively young, Eliot Seppa is establishing himself as one of D.C.’s premier bassists. His band plays Marvin from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. No cover.
The 2019 NEA Jazz Masters Tribute Concert takes place at the Kennedy Center and honors pianist/composer Bob Dorough (who wrote the jingles for Schoolhouse Rock!), jazz journalist Stanley Crouch, composer/bandleader Maria Schneider, and pianist Abdullah Ibrahim. 8 p.m. Reservations are filled but standby tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Embassy of Japan presents pianist Yuko Mabuchi’s trio at Blues Alley. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $22 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 16
Griot master Cheick Hamala Diabate continues his Tuesday night residence at Bossa Bistro + Lounge. 9:30 p.m. No cover.
APRIL 17
The Bailsmen, based out of Brooklyn, plays the hot jazz and gypsy swing that was popular in Paris between the two World Wars. The band comes to Sotto for a 7 p.m. show. No cover.
Guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Larry Goldings, and drummer Bill Stewart have been playing together on-and-off for 30 years, and as a result have a simpatico that few jazz groups achieve. The trio comes to Blues Alley for 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $25 + minimum/surcharge.
Afrobeat veteran Leon Ligan-Majek, aka Kaleta, fronts the Super Yamba Band, whose sounds recall Benin’s fertile music of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Kaleta accents the band’s infectious grooves with melodies sung in several different languages. The band plays Bossa Bistro + Lounge at 9 p.m. $10 at the door.
APRIL 18
The Mansion at Strathmore hosts Capital Jazz, a showcase of the area’s finest jazz musicians. (Despite the name, the event is not affiliated with Capital Jazz Productions or Capital Jazz Fest.) Performers include saxophonist Elijah Jamal Balbed, pianist Mark Meadows, and vocalist Rochelle Rice. 7:30 p.m. $30.
yMusic is an ensemble dedicated to bringing classical instrumentation into non-traditional contexts, leading the sextet to work with the likes of Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Jose Gonzalez. MilkBoy ArtHouse hosts yMusic for an 8 p.m. performance. $25-$30.
Legendary Latin jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval begins four nights at Blues Alley. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $65-$70 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 19
Fred Irby, the longtime director of Howard University’s renowned jazz ensemble, brings his latest batch of students to Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $5 at the door.
Aaron Goldberg is often seen playing piano in saxophonist Joshua Redman’s globetrotting quartet. He also leads his own band and last fall released At The Edge Of The World, a trio recording with bassist Matt Penman and innovative percussionist Leon Parker. The ensemble comes to the Atlas for an 8 p.m. concert. $20-$32.
Joe Herrera is one of the area’s top trumpeters and participates in a number of projects as a leader and sideman. He continues his residency at Marvin with his jazz/electronic hybrid, The Remix. 8 p.m.-11 p.m. No cover.
APRIL 20
Baltimore-based vocalist Kristen Callahan makes the trip down 295 to play Jojo’s from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 23
Area saxophonist Andrew White is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the music of John Coltrane. His quartet plays 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Blues Alley. $25 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 24
Vocalists Darden Purcell, Sara Jones, and Alexis Cole come together at Blues Alley to pay tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $25 + minimum/surcharge.
Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society hosts saxophonist Carl Cornwell. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $10 at the door.
APRIL 25
Akua Allrich has long been a favorite here at DCist. She is the featured artist for CapitalBop’s monthly Spotlight Residency, held at U Street’s Local 16. Allrich leads her band, The Tribe, through 7:30 and 9 p.m. sets tonight and tomorrow. $10 at the door.
Though the band has gone through some lineup changes in recent years, The Yellowjackets have been touring and playing their brand of fusion since the late 1970s. The quartet comes to Blues Alley for four nights of 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $30-$35 + minimum/surcharge.
APRIL 26
Veteran area trumpeter Thad Wilson assembled a sextet of local mainstays to pay tribute to the great jazz vocalist Billy Eckstine at Jazz Night in Southwest. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $5 at the door. The venue hosts a free lecture on Eckstine on the following day at 1 p.m.
In both style and substance, vocalist Integriti Reeves wraps a contemporary outlook in a retro sheen to create a signature look and sound. She plays 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets at Sotto. $15 in advance/$20 at the door.
Bassist Ameen Saleem was raised in D.C., graduating from Ellington High School, before relocating to New York and spending many years playing with the late trumpeter Roy Hargrove. He pays a hometown visit tonight, leading a band at Jojo’s from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 27
Sixth & I Synagogue showcases the local scene with a bill that features Afro-folk act VeVe & The Rebels, which uses music to weave stories of discovery and identity, along with the DuPont Brass. 8 p.m. $25.
The Desertion Trio is the brainchild of guitarist Nick Millevoi, who uses it as a vehicle to explore the gamut of instrumental guitar music. The group plays Rhizome, headlining a bill that also includes local guitar wiz Anthony Pirog. 8 p.m. $10.
Longtime area vocalist Michael Gude plays Mr. Henry’s from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. $20.
Vocalist Darcy Cooke plays Jojo’s from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. No cover.
APRIL 28
Vocalist Tarea Anderson plays Alice’s Jazz & Cultural Society. 6 p.m.-9 p.m. $10 at the door.
APRIL 29
Trumpeter Jack Kilby’s band plays music that is reminiscent of the hardbop style that was popular in the late ‘50s and ‘60s. The ensemble plays Marvin from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. No cover.
APRIL 30
Chris Potter is one of the finest saxophonists of his generation, having led his own groups and played alongside a host of jazz greats. His Circuits Trio also includes bassist James Francies and drummer Eric Harland. The band comes to Blues Alley for two nights. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. $30 + minimum/surcharge.
This post has been updated to clarify that the Capital Jazz event is not affiliated with Capital Jazz Productions or Capital Jazz Fest.
