Ten-year-old trumpeter Geoff Gallante is playing a free concert of jazz standards on May 1, at 4 p.m., at the Heritage Presbyterian Church in Alexandria. Jean Baptiste will be playing piano, Michael Bowie will be playing bass, and Harold Summey will be on the drums at the show.

Since first picking up the trumpet at the age of four—not to make you feel like an underachiever in any way—Gallante’s played hundreds of shows, including performances at the Kennedy Center and the White House, on The Today Show and The Tonight Show, playing the national anthemeer at some sports arenas, and as a guest soloist with military ensembles and pops orchestras and big bands.

The May 1 show “is the first time it’s under my own name,” Gallante says. “I hope they fill the whole entire place up.”

In case you can’t make the May 1 show, on the weekends you can often see Gallante in front of the Torpedo Gallery at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront, playing jazz and bebop outside on his trumpet and coronet. He's wearing a trademark sportsjacket and a hat—a tribute, he says, to the jazz style of his heroes from the 1940s and 50s—looking (and sounding) every bit the young Chet Baker, with either his mother or father standing nearby, wearing regular mom and dad clothes and looking quite intent and proud.

Alas. Dutch piano prodigy Michiel Borstlap was scheduled for shows at Blues Alley tonight and tomorrow, a performance that was sure to be radiant. Now it will not be radiant or anything else, as the shows have been canceled due to poor ticket sales.

That's the bad news. The good news is that the club has managed to book two of D.C.'s finest musicians to fill the holes in its calendar. Tonight it's pianist Allyn Johnson, a master of the keys with a lightning-fast technique and a deep gospel reservoir, leading a trio with sets at 8 and 10 p.m. Tuesday, bassist Michael Bowie—arguably the best of the city's massive stockpile of bassists—performs sets at the same times at the Georgetown club.

Blues Alley is at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. Each of the four sets is $18.

Thursday, Jan. 27
Elijah Balbed was named Best New D.C. Jazz Musician last spring because of his brawny but sleek tenor sax tone and fountain of creativity, but also because of his tirelessly hard work. Ever since then, he's doubled down on his efforts, piling gig on top of gig as both leader and sideman and managing to sit in with seemingly every big-name musician who's come through town. The result is a tremendous reputation, one that now stretches all over the country and is still growing. Well, as it happens, one of the rising stars of jazz in D.C. and everywhere else turned 21 years old yesterday; his birthday party is taking the form of a concert—and the whole town is invited. Holding down the fort at Bohemian Caverns, his first time performing at the club as a bandleader, and he's lined up a splendid ensemble to back him: Dr. Alex Norris on trumpet; Harry Appelman on piano; Michael Bowie on bass; and C.V. Dashiell III on drums. They'll be performing a tribute to the late Freddie Hubbard, as well as other recently departed greats. The Elijah Balbed Quintet performs at 8 and 10 p.m. at 2001 11th St NW. $15.

Saturday, Jan. 29
As luck would have it, there is another tremendously talented young musician playing at the Caverns this weekend—and also performing with Michael Bowie on bass! Matvei Sigalov is a D.C. rarity, a jazz violinist; he also happens to be a spectacular one. The native of Samara, Russia, has been playing classical violin since he was 6, and doubles on guitar, both rock and jazz. He's also got a deep interest in fusion, symptoms of which include playing his violin solos through a wah-wah pedal with Wurlitzer electric piano and drums thumping behind him. It's a deeply unconventional approach on a deeply unconventional jazz instrument. Sigalov's band includes saxophonist Marshall Keys and drummer Nate Jolley along with Bowie...however, it also features yet another musician of steadily rising acclaim, this one from the Ukraine. Vadim Neselovskyi is a composer and pianist, a member of Gary Burton's working band who works on his own in the third-stream milieu. The group performs at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. at Bohemian Caverns. $22.

Sunday, Jan. 30
Although he has no small amount of jazz experience, Noah Getz is a classical saxophonist first and foremost. His website bills him as a concert saxophonist; his bio begins with his classical credentials; his CD Crosscurrents explores both genres, but "from the classical perspective"; and even when he plays jazz, his alto and soprano sounds have the precise articulation and agile-but-even pacing of the European repertoire. But does that in any subtract from his abilities in jazz? To the contrary—he's a highly skillful and even more highly adventurous player, bringing with him some of the difficult complexities of the post-Stravinsky composers. Getz (no relation to Stan, by the way) leads the Levine School Jazz Quintet (where he is artist-in-residence) as well as the small trio he's heading up with pianist Nathan Lincoln-DeCusatis another classical pedigree with strong jazz leanings, and bassist Luke Stewart. That trio performs at 8 and 10 p.m. at Twins Jazz, 1344 U St. NW. $10.

Also Jan. 30
Everything you've heard about Wynton Marsalis is wrong—or at least incomplete. His place in the jazz world is much more complicated than the stories about him let on. For example, he's far and away the most controversial jazz musician of our time; he's also far and away the most famous and successful. He's criticized for not being a musical innovator, but he has innovated the way jazz is presented and taught. (You'll occasionally hear musicians/critics/et al. complain that with his talent, Wynton "could have" re-shaped the whole jazz universe in his own image; the fact is, for better of worse, he did.) He's neither the devil that edgier musicians and fans denigrate him as, nor the majestic god that Stanley Crouch insists him to be. He's just a world-class trumpet player with preservation-minded (if quirkily so) ideas about where jazz stands and how it should be maintained, and his vehicle for those ideas is the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra that he leads. And in that unique position, he's very good at what he does: Last fall's Vitoria Suite CD is a masterfully crafted, genuinely intriguing affair between classic jazz and the traditional music of Spain. You might hear some of it mixed in with the JLCO's classic jazz repertoire at the 7 p.m. at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW. Which brings me to why I've listed it as a second pick for Sunday: Marsalis is always worth checking out (and you must see him at least once), but the show is sold out. Don't let that stop you; that's why God made cancellation lines.

Friday, July 2
Nathan and Noble Jolley Jr. are together one of the most powerful musical forces known to man. The twin sons of local legend Noble Jolly Sr., who passed away in 2003, play drums and keyboards, respectively, and swing each with such intensity and aggression that it can often seem like they're barely in control of it. They are, don't worry. But they don't only swing: The Jolleys also love to experiment with funk and hip-hop sounds, plus a twist or three of the avant-garde, and do it all with a gospel bite. Now that's fusion. But don't let it fool you; the brothers Jolley are as firmly entrenched in the jazz tradition as anyone you've ever heard. How else would they end up on the stage at the (literal) cathedral of D.C. jazz tradition, Westminster Presbyterian Church? Admittedly, though, they are starring in a concert there titled "The Future of Jazz," leading a quintet that features Curtis Taylor on trumpet, Eric Wheeler on bass, and Christie Dashiell on vocals. The show begins at 6 p.m. at 4th and I streets SW. $5.

Saturday, July 3
Anyone who puts tenor saxophonist Brian Settles on the bandstand with them is employing a ringer. There is nothing the guy can't and doesn't play, from the giddiest swing to the most ultramodern experiments. (The last is especially potent, with New York adventurers Jonathan Finlayson and Mary Halvorson among his most frequent collaborators.) On the other hand, calling Settles a "ringer" suggests that his talents fly under the radar, and that's not the case. He's performed all around the nation and outside of it, and his sound on the horn—bluesy, robust, and unfalteringly lyrical—is unmistakable. He leads a band called Central Union in 8:30 and 10:30 sets at Bohemian Caverns, 2001 Eleventh St. NW. $20.

Tuesday, July 6
You'll notice that saxophonist Paul Carr gets no short shrift in this column, and that's as it should be. The accomplished tenor man is also a composer, educator, mentor to God knows how many, and, as of recently, custodian of the reborn Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival. So when he releases a new album, we should pay attention. Carr's new Straight Ahead Soul is anything but: It's soul-jazz, no question, but with big helpings of Latin rhythm and juke-joint rhythm & blues, plus the swing, bop, and post-bop lineages of jazz that Carr keeps alive in his playing. The record, which features far-flung musicians such as Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom and New York drummer Lewis Nash as well as local stars like Allyn Johnson, Michael Bowie, and Lori Williams is a keeper, one you should definitely pick up—at the same time that you listen to highlights of it played live at the CD release party. It takes place at 8 and 10 p.m. at Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW. $20.

As for the music, once again performers will be walking the galleries and responding musically to what they see, guaranteeing something interesting and surprising; the musicians are solo, but find intriguing ways to build their sound (often with electronics). There's also excitement in Phillips' music room, where the cream of the DC crop will be performing: bands led by saxophonist John Kocur, vocalist George V. Johnson, steelpan drummer Victor Provost, flutist Charles Woods, bassist Michael Bowie, and violinist David Schuman. This writer will be taking his 4-month-old daughter for her first taste of live music; perhaps she'll supply a good endorsement too.

As mentioned before, most of this first week's local-artist showcase for the DC Jazz Festival is par for the course in terms of the regular Washington club rotation. There are, however, some exceptions, and the Thad Wilson Quartet is one of them.

Wilson, a trumpeter with a busy schedule of teaching at GWU and raising a family in PG County, is medium-to-light on the gigging these days; he leads a combo roughly once a month at HR-57, pops up sporadically on the Westminster Presbyterian calendar, and has been spotted as both leader and sideman in and around Silver Spring. But he is a good draw for DCJF, and this year is leading a solid foursome on jazz standards at the Madison Hotel's bar in a set entitled "Miles, Monk & More at the Madison."

Actually, "solid" isn't a fair description. This iteration of the Thad Wilson Quartet swings so ferociously that "wild" is nearly the word for them. In addition to Wilson, whose shadowy, lyrical horn has never sounded better, the band includes Michael Bowie, arguably the District's most dexterous bassist (quite a mouthful in this bass-heavy town); Keith Kilgo, who may have the swingingest snare drum in the business; and Johnny O'Neal, a legendary Alabama-based piano virtuoso who played Art Tatum in the film Ray, and to whom Wilson refers as "My friend, my hero, and my mentor."

They work their way through the standard book in the ground-floor bar of the Madison Hotel, a swanky atmosphere with pretty good drink prices and fantastic acoustics. Sets are at 8 and 10 pm at the Madison, 1177 15th Street NW. Free (but buy something at the bar).

March 5
There's no stopping Thad Wilson. After a dozen years on the scene, the trumpeter keeps busy with regular quartet appearances at HR-57, teaching at GW, and a new project creating new scores for classic films (with a new one premiering next week). In the midst of all that, Wilson also makes occasional gigs around town playing standards; such is the case this weekend, with two sets at Bohemian Caverns. Wilson leads a quartet of some of D.C.'s finest, steadiest jazz musicians: pianist Hope Udobi, bassist Michael Bowie, and drummer Kermit Walker. Call it a trip through the basics with a deft and charismatic musician. The music is at Bohemian Caverns, 2001 11th St. NW. $15.

March 6
Like Wilson, the great local tunesmiths Saltman Knowles—that's bassist Mark Saltman, pianist William Knowles, and singer Lori Williams-Chisholm, among others—are mainstays of HR-57. Indeed, in reviewing their new CD Yesterday's Man a few weeks ago, I all but promised there'd be a CD release concert there soon. Well, here it is, right down to the tagline that the band will be celebrating the release of Yesterday's Man. It's a great excuse for a gig, and a great place for one; the intimacy of the staging should concentrate the richness of the melodies so that each will feel as though they're aimed directly at you. The concert is from 9 P.M. to 1 A.M. at HR-57, 1610 14th St. NW. $12.

March 8
Despite Art Blakey’s admonition that “jazz doesn’t have a damn thing to do with Africa,” musicians everywhere have never stopped trying to establish the link. Americans like Kahil El’Zabar usually think of African music in terms of traditional percussion and tribal rhythms; guitarist Lionel Loueke, who’s from Benin, fuses his jazz with melodic West African pop. That approach only further confounds the “authenticity” debate, but its primary effect is to generate music of startling beauty. The approach of Loueke's trio (featuring bassist Massimo Biolcati and drummer Ferenc Nemeth) is melodic and intense, but gentle; it also builds a bridge between the disparate African and American legacies that even the most hardened cynic will delight in. That's surely why Loueke is fast becoming a major force in the jazz world, and one you can't miss. His trio performs at 8 and 10 PM at Blues Alley, 1073 Wisconsin Av. NW. $25.

The former East Coast Jazz Festival returns this weekend as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, under the stewardship of DC saxophonist, educator, and mentor Paul Carr. Held at the Hilton Rockville — the ECJF's longtime home base — the festival features a gallimaufry of performances, master classes, and live interviews, with a couple of film screenings thrown in as well.

Unfortunately, the festival doesn't charge by individual performance, but rather by session — Friday evening and late night, Saturday afternoon, evening, and late night. But buying into the session will get you these recommended performances:

Friday Evening
Quite possibly the highlight of the whole festival: tonight’s performance by the Paul Carr Quintet, in which the saxophonist plays with local bassist Michael Bowie and three world-renowned players: pianist Mulgrew Miller, trumpeter Terrell Stafford, and drummer Lewis Nash. It's rather a microcosm of the whole festival: a mix of local and national musicians, all of them with virtuoso chops, strong schooling in bebop, and a deceptive taste for risky bandstand business.

Saturday Afternoon
The afternoon session really belongs to two local sets of twins. Saxophone duo Peter (tenor) and Will Anderson (alto) are Bethesda natives now holding court on the Manhattan scene as members of the Village Vanguard and Lincoln Center jazz orchestras, and with their quintet: Sacha Perry (piano), Ari Roland (bass), and Keith Balla (drums). The latter will perform at 1:30 on the MAJF's Ronnie Wells mainstage. They'll be followed at 3 PM by DC's Jolley Twins, pianist Noble and drummer Nathan, scions of a D.C. musical dynasty (their father, Noble Sr., was a guitarist) and together and separately among the most powerful forces on the DC club circuit.

Saturday Evening
Marc Cary is another homegrown talent; born and raised in DC, the pianist is now in New York and boasts an impressive resume that includes work with vibraphone sensation Stefon Harris and a long run as Abbey Lincoln's musical director. His own musical project is the Focus Trio — a group that explores and amplifies the crossroads of West African, Native American, Indian, and Chinese music. (Bassist David Ewell is half Chinese; drummer Sameer Gupta is of Indian heritage and an expert on the country's musical traditions; and Cary's roots are both African American and Chappaquiddick Wampanoag.) Their world fusion happens at 8:30 on the Ronnie Wells mainstage; at 10:15 Cary does a "Before and After" session with JazzTimes contributor and Library of Congress jazz guru Larry Appelbaum

Late Night
The late night sessions for both Friday and Saturday are the same: a jam session, with the trio led by Maryland bassist Wes Biles as its core. Each, however, is likely to include some of the star musicians who play in the evening sessions, and with the loose and unpredictable nature of a jam session there's a good chance of some edgy, adrenaline-charged performances that are not to be missed.

Check the full schedule and ticket page for more info.

After Paquito d'Rivera's phenomenal set at the Inter-American Developmental Bank, I hurried over to Blues Alley to catch Jamie Broumas' second show. It's hard to imagine a better home for Broumas than Blues Alley, and easy to imagine the scene in black and white—3 a.m. drunks slumped astride their chairs with their ties loosened and their hats tipped back, watching this beatific chanteuse through tired eyes, remembering (if they can) the one that got away.

Jamie and her band are very much the tight-knit combo, and—despite the late hour and inevitable second-show fatigue—few rough edges were on display last night. Marshall Keyes struck a delicate balance on sax, matching Jamie's fluid grace with his muted, plaintive leads. Steve Rudolph, looking very professorial at the piano, spun out trillingly elegant solos and played niftily off Harold Summing's high-hat patterns with silvery little cascades in the upper octaves. This classic quartet approach is eminently suited to Jamie's voice, which sails (cf. "Small Day," "Fair Weather") with sophisticated ease over the group's delicate swing.

Last night's thrilling moments were always slow and deliberate—Jamie's gentle triplets in "Come Fly with Me," Michael Bowie's syncopated double-stops, Keyes' slow-mounting solo in "What Are You Doing The Rest of Your Life?" Their motion as a group rarely swerved off-center, and their center was the soft purity of Jamie's voice—retreating always, at the end of the phrase, into the supple dreaminess of the mix. Her scats and ethereal high notes are the ribbon on the package, and if at times the package is a little precious, a little too clean, don't despair: they're sure to mix it up on "What a Little Moonlight Can Do."

My favorite moment came at the close of the latter song, when a simple miscommunication sent half the band to the coda before the other half was ready. "A terrible way to go out," Jamie laughed afterwards at the bar. But I loved it. Even while righting themselves, the band were smiling and laughing. It was a moment for which they hadn't planned. And, during their stylish, giddy recovery, it became one of their best.

Tonight I'll be at Bohemian Caverns to see the French-American jazz quintet. Read about it tomorrow.