The experimental music fan has two very different but equally appealing avant-garde music options this weekend.

On Saturday, hop over to Twins Jazz for a free-jazz concert the likes of which the District doesn’t get enough these days, as pianist Joel Futterman and reedist Ike Levin duo it up. Futterman played Twins Jazz a couple years ago with legendary New Orleans saxophonist Kidd Jordan, and immediately won me over with a style that is most easily compared to a somewhat more accessible Cecil Taylor. He’s been playing with Levin at least since 2002, and this should be an excellent night for those who miss the shows like this that Transparent Productions used to put on regularly.

Read More “Your Weekend in Experimental Music: Futterman/Levin Duo, Cheer-Accident” »

Slumgum is a jazz quartet from L.A. with a name that only a beekeeper could love.  The young group’s sophisticated, elegant blend of modern classical music and avant-garde jazz belies its icky moniker.  The members formed Slumgum when they met as students at the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts.  However, expect the band to sound more like the Art Ensemble of Chicago than the trumpeter who gave us Whipped Cream (and Other Delights).

Read More “Tonight: Slumgum at Twins Jazz” »

Ever philosophical Reginald Cyntje — the District’s go-to jazz trombonist — has been inspired by the until-today-nonsucky weather to put on a special concert at Twins Jazz, 1344 U Street NW, on Saturday afternoon at 3.

Billed as the “Celebration of Love & the Change of Season concert,” the gig features Cyntje with a quartet (Richard Johnson on piano, Nasar Abadey on drums, To Be Named Later on bass); he also promises some special guests, i.e., “[a] variety of musicians and poets that will stop by for the celebration.”

Sounds good, no? Plus it’s a rare opportunity to see what Twins looks like during daylight hours. The show is $12. Come one, come all.

UPDATE 3:07: The bassist for the concert will be Zach Pride.

Tuesday nights at Twins Jazz now belong to local flautist and saxophonist Charles Rahmat Woods, whose edgy trio the Blue Tuesday Club (with pianist Jerrel Pederman and drummer Joe Link) has a regular gig at the U Street haunt. The band’s name was inspired by the intensity of this year’s primary elections—a sign that Woods is something of a political animal, like most of us in this town.

To that end, you get an extra bang for your buck in going to see the Blue Tuesday Club Trio. From now through October, one dollar of your $10 cover charge to see Woods and his gang on Tuesday nights at Twins will go towards Barack Obama’s campaign. You’ve heard about his historic fundraising with small-amount donors? Now you can be one of them, and get some wonderful music for your trouble.