Interpreting classic jazz standards or singing her own bluesy jazz pieces is her sound today, but her background is varied, from playing in marching bands as a child to a back up singer with Joni Mitchell and  singer in funk bands.

In the 1980 she explored into the New York jazz scene and has since recorded over 20 albums, won a Grammy and was named the female Jazz Vocalist of the Year by Down Beat magazine, three years in a row.

Cassandra Wilson
Warner Theatre
513 13th Street, NW, between E & F St.
Washington, D.C., 20004 (map it)

Date and Time – Saturday, November 8, 2008.  8:00 p.m.

Tickets – $40.00 – $80.00 and are available online.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Metro Center – Red, Orange and Blue lines, then a one-block walk or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Paid garage parking and very limited metered street parking is available.

Image – Flickr – Cassandra Wilson in NYC

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Post from: The DC Traveler

The photo exhibit Jam Session: America’s Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World at the White-Meyer House near U Street, celebrates this unique form of cultural diplomacy.  The exhibit includes over 100 photos of these famous musicians as they toured the globe, meeting world leaders and playing to enthusiastic audiences.

Jam Session: America’s Jazz Ambassadors Embrace the World
White-Meyer House
1624 Crescent Place, NW
Washington, DC 20009   (map it)
202-667-6670

Dates and Times – Wednesdays – Sundays through July 13, 2008, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Tickets – FREE

Nearest Metro Subway Station – U Street, Green and Yellow line, then a ¾-mile walk.

Parking – Street parking is available.

Images – Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington

Post from: The DC Traveler

The list of performances by jazz and smooth jazz headliners includes some great names, including:

• Justin Young, Boney James and Brian McKnight – Friday, June 6, 2008 – 7:30 p.m. $36.50
   
• Spyro Gyra, Kim Waters, Roberta Flack, Wayman Tisdale,  Dianne Reeves, and Chris Botti — Saturday, June 7, noon – 10:00 p.m. $45.50
• Down to the Bone, Rick Braun & Richard Elliot, Randy Crawford & Joe Sample, Jonathan Butler and Brian Culbertson  – Sunday, June 8, noon – 10 p.m. $45.50

Capital Jazz Fest 2008
Merriweather Post Pavilion 
10475 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, MD 21044 (map it)

Tickets – Available online at Ticketmaster.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – New Carrollton – Orange line, then a 30-minute cab ride.

Parking – Available at park.

Images – trumpet, piano

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Post from: The DC Traveler

In May, there’s lots of great music in and around Washington, DC,  including the first shows at Wolftrap and lots of classic bands. So lets take the highlight tour.

At the Birchmere this month, a couple great guitarists, a killer mandolin player and a smooth piano player.

• Smooth jazz guitarist, Norman Brown. Sunday May 4, 2008  at 7:30 -$45.00
• Another guitarist, this one acoustic, Leo Kottke, brings his unconventional folksy 6 and 12-string slide guitar picking sound. Tuesday, May 13, 7:30 – $35.00

• Sultry sounding jazz pianist, Alex Bugnon – Saturday May 24, 7:30 - $29.50
• Bluegrass mandolin player David Grisman – Sunday May 25, 7:30 - $37.50

The Birchmere
3701 Mt. Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22305 (map it)

At the State Theatre, it’s some great 80s and 90s sounds.

• On of DC’s favorite 1980s retro tribute bands, The Legwarmers, cover bands metal to pop, Brian Adams to the Go-Gos.  Friday and Saturday, May 16 & 17, 7:00 – $16.00
• The Gin Blossoms bring their big hits from the 1990s such as “Hey Jealousy”, “Found Out About You” and “Till I hear from You” to The Birchmere.  Thursday, May 22, 7:00 – $26.00

State Theatre
220 Washington Street
Falls Church, VA
703-237-0300 (map it) 

At Georgetown’s Blues Alley, a pop jazz great, and a band I loved in college and still enjoy today. 

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC, 20007 (map it)

• In 1965, trumpeter Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass released two albums that swept America, Whipped Cream (and other delights) and Going Places. Both records became instant hits.  The cover of Whipped Cream, showing a female model dressed only in whipped cream was considered racy and quickly became a mid-1960s classic album cover. It also spurned a bunch of copycat album covers.  “Spanish Flea” and “Tijuana Taxi” are tunes just about everyone can hum. And one his tunes became the theme song for the Dating Game.  He’s performing with Bossa Nova singer, Lani Hall. Monday and Tuesday, May 12 & 13, 8:00 – $50.00
• The dynamic jazz-fusion of Yellowjackets – Thursday through Sunday, May 29 – June 1, two shows nightly, 8:00 & 10:00 – $32.50

MORE —>

9:30 Club in DC is hosing a very unique and politically active artist, Serj Tankian.

• System of a Down singer and guitarist, and co-founder of musical artist-based political activist organization, Axis of Justice, Serj Tankian brings his unconventional and unique sound of his latest CD, Elect the Dead. Thursday, May 15, 7:30, $25.00

9:30 Club
815 V Street, NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-393-0930

Along with nightly up and coming bands, the Black Cat brings back an experimental psychedelic band from the late 1960s. Who knew they were still playing?

• Not sure if you’ll ask your kids to go with you, or your kids will want to invite you to join them, but The Electric Prunes are back.  I Had Too Much to Dream and Get Me to the World on Time were their biggest hits in 1966. Too Much was later covered by the punk band The Damned almost 20 years late.  A couple of the Prune’s tunes ended up on the soundtrack of the classic film, Easy Rider.

Black Cat
1811 14th Street, NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-667-7960

The Ram’s Head in Annapolis brings a powerhouse, a fun singer and a forgotten member of the Beetles.

• Rock powerhouse Wishbone Ash inspired the aggressive sounds of band that would come years later, such as Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden. And was a staple of my high school record collection, with other bands like Uriah Heep, King Crimson and Deep Purple. Check out this 1973 clip of the band playing one of their classics, Blowin’ Free. Monday, May 5, 7:00 – $23.50
• Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard had a breakthrough when she was featured weekly performances on the hit television series Ally McBeal. Wednesday, May 7 – 7:00 & 9:30 – $35.00
• If you’re a Beatles fan, the band’s original drummer, Pete Best, was replaced in 1962 by Ringo Starr just a couple weeks before the band’s first recording session. For a few years he tried to recapture the magic of a new band, but failed. He worked as a government worker for over 20 years before deciding to get back into music.  He then formed The Pete Best Band and plays the classic early 1960s Liverpool sound. Thursday, May 29, 8:00 – $23.50

If you’re a Beatle’s fan, check out The Beatle Invasion, another great b5media blog.

Ram’s Head Tavern
33 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401 (map it)
410-268-4545

And finally, the outdoor season opens at Wolftrap at the end of the month.

• The fast-footed Celtic dancers of Riverdance start things off with a bang. Thursday – Sunday, May 29 – June 1, Lawn – $20.00, Reserved seats – $40.00-$65.00 – 8:00, plus 2:00 shows on Saturday and Sunday.

Wolf Trap
1551 Trap Road
Vienna, VA 22182 (map it)

Images – Gin Blossoms, Leo Kottke, The Electric Prunes, 

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Post from: The DC Traveler

A few of the highlights include performances by The Duke Ellington Orchestra, a special tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, and the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and its “Tribute to Quincy Jones”.

Check the Big Band JAM schedule for performance information.

Venues include:

• Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
• Sylvan Theater at the Washington Monument
• Voice of America Stage (Auditorium)
• Smithsonian Institution
• Grace Episcopal Church
• Blues Alley at 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW

Dates – April 18-27, 2008

Tickets – Many concerts are free, some will have a cover charge.  Advanced reservations may also be required for both free and paid concerts.  Check the schedule and policy for each performance.

Images – Flickr – trumpet, sax player, Army band,   

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Post from: The DC Traveler

And the annual Spring Wine Festival and Sunset Tour at George Washington’s Mt. Vernon Estate is once such event.

The gardens at Mt. Vernon will be in full bloom and the views of the Potomac River from the lawn, accompanied by live jazz, should make for a perfect evening of relaxation.

An evening Candlelit Mansion tour is also available and includes a visit to the rarely-visited basement cellar. The ground’s outbuilding can also be toured, but not the wharf, Washington’s tomb, the pioneer farmer site, or the gardens. 

Expect an appearance by the General himself, George Washington.

Tickets for all three nights go on sale tomorrow.

Spring Wine Festival and Sunset Tour
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway – 16 miles south of DC
Mount Vernon, VA, 22121 (map it)

Dates and Times – Friday, May 16 – Sunday, May 18, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. nightly

Tickets – $30.00 and are available online at Ticketmaster or by phone at or 703-573-SEAT. This event sells out quickly, so order your tickets ASAP.

Note - No outside food or beverage is allowed. You can purchase a variety of food, desserts, snacks and beverages at Mount Vernon. No tables, pets,  Event occurs rain or shine. Designated drivers and under 21 visitors will receive free soft drinks.  ID required for purchasing alcohol. This event is designed for adults, not families.

Nearest Metro subway station – Huntington – Yellow line, then catch the Fairfax Connector bus to Mount Vernon.

Images – Flickr – people on blanket, all others – personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti _____________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

This engaging young jazz vocalist delivers heart-felt interpretations of moody ballads, well-known standards from the 30s and 40s and upbeat swing tunes with a sweet delivery that highlights her unique phrasing.  She has a simple, clean and simply unaffected, easy to listen to voice.
 
Since her first album in 1997, Stacey has won critical and popular acclaim, as well as the 2001 British Jazz Award, the 2002 BBC Jazz Award for ‘Best Vocalist,’ and the 2006 “Album of the Year” for her release of ‘The Lyric’.

          
As a student in Europe studying languages and comparative literature her life changed when she met a fellow student and saxophonist (now husband) at a chance meeting in Oxford, England.  After developing her skills on the London jazz scene, she landed a record contact and the rest is history.
 
Stacey will be performing six shows at Blues Alley in Georgetown (see my previous post on Jazz in DC).

Performances
December 14th, 15th and 16th, two shows nightly – 8:00 and 10:00 p.m. (the Friday and Saturday 8:00 p.m. shows are already sold out).

Tickets $27.50, are available online (use the Blues Alley link below)

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington, DC, 20007
202-337-4141

Hours
6:00 p.m. until about 12:30 a.m. nightly

Nearest Metro subway station

Foggy Bottom station – Orange line, then about a mile walk or take the Circulator using the Georgetown – Union Station route.

Parking
It’s a challenging area to find street parking, so your best bet is to park in one of the many lots or garages. The easiest is across the street from Blues Alley at The Shops at Georgetown Park. The fee for parking is usually $12.00.
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Post from: The DC Traveler

Blues Alley
Located in an alley in historic Georgetown, just a block from Wisconsin Ave. and M Street, Blues Alley has been a music mainstay in DC since 1965. It  bills itself as the oldest continuing jazz supper club in the country. 

They offer a full dinner menu with all their dishes named for famous performers that have played the club, such as Maynard Ferguson’s Shrimp and Pepper Pasta or Dizzy Gillespie’s Shrimp Creole (all in the $20.00 range).  They also serve sandwiches in $8.00 – $10.00 range. 

Tickets are generally $20-$30 per person and can be purchased online or at the club, but popular performances, especially on weekends, may be sold out.  They have a $10 minimum per person (cocktails and food) and a $2.50 surcharge per person.  Seating is first come and most nights there are two performances — 8:00pm and 10:00pm. 

Upcoming featured artists include:

David Sanborn – November 16-18
Kim Waters – December 1-3
David Benoit – February 22-24
Stanley Jordan – March 8-11
Stanley Clark – March 15-18 

Parking in the area can be tough, but there are many garages close by in Georgetown, including across the street from Blues Alley at The Shops at Georgetown Park. The fee for parking for over 4 hours is $12.00.

Blues Alley
1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20007
Phone: 202-337-4141
Hours: 6:00 p.m. until about 12:30.a.m. nightly
Credit cards: Accepted

Bohemian Caverns
Located in the U Street area, has hosted some of jazz greatest artists since the 1920s -  from Billie Holliday and Sarah Vaughn to Wynton Marsalis and Mile Davis. Today it’s one of DC’s classic spots to hear local and upcoming jazz performers. 

They also offer a full dinner in the restaurant with all the dishes similarly named for famous performers – entrees in the $10-$18 range. You can have cocktails in The Cavern, a lounge area that feels subterranean.

Tickets prices vary depending on the act, generally around $10 per person, but check in advance as some nights are reggae or other styles.

Valet parking is available and garage parking is available and advisable at garages on 12th NW & U St. as well as in the 1400 block of U St. garage. Parking rates vary by day and time. 

Bohemian Caverns
2001 Eleventh Street N.W., Washington DC, 20001 (11th & U Street NW).
Phone: 202-299-0801
Tickets: Can be purchased online.

Photo credit 1: flickr, Photo 2: flickr

Post from: The DC Traveler