DC Jazz Festival Picks for June 7

Michael Thomas

This is the seventh post I am making to highlight some of the shows associated with this year’s DC Jazz Festival. I am specifically not highlighting the DC JazzLoft Fest since I have posted on this already. I will may also pick a few other shows around the DC Virginia area that should not be overlooked. I am posting this a day ahead of the date of performances.  For more information visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/content.cfm/schedule_and_major_events.

At 1:00 PM, as part of the East River Jazz Festival, Todd Marcus Ensemble will be at the East River Washington Senior Wellness Center. Todd Marcus, one of the few who specialize in the bass clarinet, leads a little big band which displays his compositions and ability to make use of a variety of musical colors. Capital Bop notes that he leads a nine piece ensemble. “Thankfully, both Marcus’s oddball instrumentalism and his offbeat ensemble are astonishingly strong, modern and infectious. Few people improvise with more fervor or write music better than he does.”

At 5:00PM, trumpeter Michael Thomas will be featured at the Phillips Collection with their hard bop and blues inspired by such legendary figures as Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard and Art Blakey. This is hard swinging music at its finest.

Roberta Gambarini

The Hamilton hosts the wonderful singer Roberta Gambarini along with the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, led by one of today’s most accomplished pianists.

The 6th and I Historic Synagogue will host the Anat Cohen Quartet. Proficient on saxophone as well as clarinet, Anat Cohen is a repeat poll winner on the clarinet and brings a contemporary approach to traditional jazz and Brazilian music as well as displays her mastery of the modern jazz canon.

Anat Cohen with guitarist Howard Alden

DC Jazz Festival Picks for June 3

This is the third post I am making to highlight some of the shows associated with this year’s DC Jazz Festival. I am specifically not highlighting the DC JazzLoft Fest since I have posted on this already. I will may also pick a few other shows around the DC Virginia area that should not be overlooked. I am posting this a day ahead of the date of performances.

For more information visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/content.cfm/schedule_and_major_events.

Elijah Jamal Balbed

The Phillips Collection, the prestigious modern art museum near Dupont Circle hosts the first of two Jazz 'n Families Fun Days. Performances to note today include Elijah Jamal Balbed Quartet at 2:00PM featuring one of the DC area’s acclaimed young saxophonists. Michael Bowie and Sine Qua Non appears at 3:30PM. The bassist leads a five-piece ensemble that applies specific lessons from Spanish classical guitar music to an unorthodox jazz combo setting, without a guitarist. Legendary pianist Kenny Barron appears at 4:00PM.

At 6:00PM, the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage will host a performance by the Erena Terakubo Quartet leading an ensemble from Berklee College of Music. The Sapporo, Japan native plays alto saxophone. Saxophonist David Sanchez is at the Hamilton this evening. David Sanchez was mentored by Dizzy Gillepsie, toured with Kenny Barron, Roy Haynes and legendary drummer Elvin Jones, while recording with Barron and Haynes respectively. He incorporates and re-contextualizes the rhythms and folk melodies of his native Puerto Rico in his music that has achieved international acclaim including winning a Latin Grammy® Award. Here is David Sanchez performing.

DC Jazz Festival Picks for June 2

Herman Burney

This is the second post I am making to highlight some of the shows associated with this year’s DC Jazz Festival. I am specifically not highlighting the DC JazzLoft Fest since I have posted on this already. I will may also pick a few other shows around the DC Virginia area that should not be overlooked. I am posting this a day ahead of the date of performances.

The Phillips Collection, the prestigious modern art museum near Dupont Circle hosts the first of two Jazz 'n Families Fun Days. Included today are a performance at noon by the Herman Burney Trio. Burney is one the area’s most accomplished players of the double bass. At 2PM, Victor Provost will lead his group on the steel pan. He has an excellent recent album, Her Favorite Shade of Yellow. DC Native Brian Settles is scheduled at 3:30PM and this saxophonist has received considerable acclaim from his recording Secret Handshake.

Michael Bowie

Trombonist Reginald Cyntje performs at the Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique at 4:00 PM. This is part of the East River Jazz Festival that is part of DC Jazz Festival. This trombonist has a wonderful album, Freedom's Children: The Celebration.

Michael Bowie and Sine Qua Non appears at the Anacostia Art Gallery & Boutique at 8:00PM. Bowie is another of the DC area’s most accomplished bass players. Capital Bop conducted an interview with Bowie where he talks at length about this group.“The five-piece applies specific lessons from Spanish classical guitar music to an unorthodox jazz combo setting — notably, one without a guitarist.” For the full interview go to Capital Bop’s website.

The legendary bassist Ron Carter at the Bohemian Gardens for the second of two nights at this legendary DC club. Ron Carter may have recorded more than any bass player in history (he is on over 2000 albums) who first came to notice as part of the last great Miles Davis Quintet, and recorded with Eric Dolphy, Esther Phillips, Freddie Hubbard, Gil Evans and countless others.

For more information visit http://www.dcjazzfest.org/content.cfm/schedule_and_major_events.