The Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival takes place this weekend in Rockville, MD. The lineup features world class talent including drummer Roy Haynes, vocalist Kim Burrell, as well as the area’s best local talent.

Nearly four years have passed since we lost Ronnie Wells, and she is still sorely missed. The District’s jazz matriarch was a world-class vocalist, educator, and along with her husband, Ron Elliston, a mentor to so many area musicians. Wells was also the driving force behind the East Coast Jazz Festival, an annual event held in Rockville, Maryland between 1992 and 2006, presenting top-notch local, regional and student talent. Unfortunately, the East Coast Jazz Festival ceased to exist after Wells’ passing — but in 2010, the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival (MAJF) arose in its place.