Thursday, Feb. 9
The resurgence of the New Orleans brass band in the late 2000s was just about the unlikeliest musical development of its time. In some ways, it was a product of Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, a living proof of the steadfastness of the people of the Crescent City who endured such horror, natural and manmade. [...]
It's been a rocky road for The Enterprise. Charletta Lewis, the proprietor of the jazz lounge and theater space on Georgia Avenue NW, hosted the property's soft opening on Sept. 3, with plans for a grand opening in the second week of October. That grand opening came just a bit late—on Oct. 19—but it wasn't [...]
It hardly needs saying that Washington's jazz community is still mourning the loss last weekend of Jimmy "Junebug" Jackson. The much-loved drummer, singer, raconteur, and goofball is being mourned and celebrated all over town, but in particular at the HR-57 jam sessions he so often led. Last night's and tonight's jams are both being dedicated to [...]
Jimmy Jackson, the D.C.-based jazz drummer who was best known by his nickname "Junebug," died of congestive heart failure at about 1 a.m. today at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. Ten days earlier, he had turned 55.
Jackson had struggled recently with his health. "We played with him last two thursdays ago [at HR-57's weekly [...]
Friday, January 27
Longtime D.C. alto saxophonist Antonio Parker is one of the city's busiest, most reliable musicians, a first-call player and a regular leader in his own right (especially at HR-57, where he plays weekly) with perhaps the firmest grasp of the blues of any jazz sax around. He's kept so busy, in fact, that [...]
This Saturday marks the final musical sendoff for Gold Leaf Studios on I Street NW. But while the art space and DIY venue will soon be vacated, making way for fancy-looking apartments, DC Jazz Loft will live on.
Beginning next month, say organizers (and CapitalBop editors) Giovanni Russonello and Luke Stewart, the shows will continue in their new location [...]
Thursday, Jan. 19
Observers of the D.C. jazz scene have been known to refer to the Thad Wilson Jazz Orchestra as "now-defunct" or "former." And that's not true. While the large ensemble doesn't appear with any regularity—or for that matter, with a consistent lineup—the trumpeter has continued his work as a big bandleader after the group's [...]
Thursday, January 12
Setlist has not said enough—not nearly enough—about tenor saxophonist Bruce Swaim. A D.C. jazz musician for 30 years, Swaim has a deep, vinegary sound on his instrument and an enormous swagger that's matched by the enormity of his swing. He's worked all around town (he's a frequent player at the National Gallery's weekly [...]
It's easy to proclaim the inaugural season of jazz concerts at Atlas Performing Arts Center, which closed in December, a rousing creative success. Its commercial success seemed to be a little more mixed, but not unexpectedly so; Jazz at the Atlas is a new program in a still-developing area of the city, and by nature [...]
Honestly, folks, the best thing jazz fans can do this week is help the good people at Melody Records unload their inventory so they can walk away from their venerable store with something to show for it. Even when the city was flush with record retailers, Melody was far and away the best for jazz, [...]
