When it comes to jazz vocalists, it is too often the case that they stick to a standard repertoire, reinventing the wheel by holding fast to the Great American Songbook. That’s not always their fault — an audience for innovative vocalists is lacking — but there are also too few singers who really try to stretch the medium in new directions. Fortunately, within the District’s jazz community, there are several singers who are trying to do just that. Musicians like Lena Seikaly, Jessica Boykin-Settles and Christie Dashiell are all trying to stretch the boundaries of what it means to be a contemporary jazz vocalist. Another name to add to that list is Akua Allrich, whose distinctive sound is rooted in jazz, but embraces the gamut of the African diaspora in a way that is both refreshing and respectful of tradition.