Outdoor Jazz Shows in Washington, D.C.

Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation hosts its ninth annual Celebrate Africa Festival, featuring several DMV-area performers. Anna Mwalagho, also known as “Mama Africa Anna,” performs a blend of comedy, spoken word, music, acting and African dance. Multi-instrumentalist Amadou Kouyate is a 150th generation Manding griot (a West African oral historian and storyteller), as well as a master instrumentalist on the kora, and djembe and koutiro drums. The kora carries a rich and resonant tone, which Kouyate plays deliberately and delicately, delivering intricate rhythmic melodies complemented by smooth, spoken word-style vocals. His repertoire is diverse, ranging from traditional 13th-century African folk, to original compositions that blend elements of blues and jazz. Osagyefo Dance Company promotes African traditional dance and music through performances, workshops and teaching residencies. Mlanjeni Magical Theater specializes in Muungamano, an East African theatrical tradition that blends puppetry, music, dance, magical illusion and interactive storytelling. Vocalist and composer Armand Ntep specializes in Afro-fusion, delivering a mixture of salsa, jazz, reggae and traditional lihongo rhythms from his native Cameroon. He performs alongside Memphis Gold , a D.C.-based guitarist whose sound calls back to the steady, rich musicianship of classic bluesmen like Charlie Patton and B.B King.

Sat, Sep 19, 8:00 PM

Renee Tannenbaum

Mr. Henry's / Capitol Hill / Map

Born in Toronto, vocalist Renée Tannenbaum appeared in a variety of venues inCanada, Italy and New York City before moving to Washington, D.C., in 2001. With herlyrical interpretations of standards in English, French, Spanish and Italian, Renée playswith the area’s top jazz musicians, bringing her warm and engaging energy to the city’s best music venues. She has performed at several of the Smithsonian’s prestigious concerts, including the Take Five! jazz series at the American Art Museum and the National Gallery of Art’s Jazz in the Garden concert series. Renée also tours internationally, in Italy and the Czech Republic. Her CD Sway was released in 2006.

Tue, Sep 22, 6:30 PM

Tuesday Jazz Nights at Ciel Downtown

Ciel Downtown / Downtown / Map

Join us for smooth jazz tunes and rooftop views on select Tuesdays at our Downtown location!

Alex Hamburger* grew up in D.C., playing with friends and bandleaders in the mid-2010s. After some time away, the flautist, vocalist and composer returned to the District in 2021. Her original music is always full of emotional weight, yet remains immediate and approachable. Her 2021 debut quartet album And She Spoke pays homage to forebears that pioneered space for other women in the arts while her 2023 album What If? channels her contemporary bop style through airy Flora Purim-esque melodic sensibility and the palette of modern electronic jazz. Brazilian-born pianist José Luiz Martins, often found accompanying Hamburger, can be found in clubs around the East Coast approaching straight-ahead with Oscar Peterson-style melodic sensibility and a touch of Monk-ish flair. On his latest project, Odyssey Mixtape , he electrifies his sound and lands it with a jolt between Afro-Brazilian traditions and buoyant West Coast funk. It’s a sound catching a lot of ears, from Alt.Latino to the clubs of D.C. The duo celebrates the release of their first formal duo album, Catalog of Dreams . Here they perform with bass, voice and electronics artist TY.000, the solo project of Tyrone Allen II. He combines 20th century Black American music with contemporary dance music. Disclosure: Alex Hamburger is CapitalBop’s managing director. She had no role in the writing or editing of this listing.

HillFest is a music festival celebrating the jazz community of D.C.’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, with performances by local musicians from noon to 6 p.m. 12 p.m. HillFest kickoff with Marching Band 12:15 p.m. Rhythminic Accents The Rhythminic Accents perform a mixture of jazz standards, classic funk, R&B and pop. 1:15 p.m. Dash Garcia Vocalist Dash Garcia is a jazz voice student at Howard University, with a repertoire that spans jazz, R&B and musical theater. 2:15 p.m. Josh Morris Trumpeter Josh Morris may still be an undergrad at Peabody Conservatory, but under the tutelage of Sean Jones his playing sounds far more mature. Morris’ tone can be easily reminiscent of Jones or a figure like Wadada Leo Smith: clear, bright and forceful, like the bugle in a matador fight. 3:15 p.m. BJ Simmons Saxophonist BJ Simmons’ music is heavily layered, bridging elements of jazz, hip-hop and soul. His compositions feature a mixture of spoken word, velvety R&B style vocals, rich improvisational melodies, abstract soundscapes and chilled syncopated beats. 4:15 p.m. Yvette Spears New Orleans-born vocalist Yvette Spears has that classic, deep belter tone; there’s an undeniable richness to the way she sings standards. 5:15 p.m. Capitol Hill Jazz Orchestra The Capitol Hill Jazz Orchestra is a 20-piece ensemble composed of all-stars in the D.C. jazz scene. 6:15 p.m. UCB Live Go-go band UCB Live has been active since the mid-1990s, fusing elements of R&B, jazz and rap.

Jazz in the Parks outdoor concert returns to The Parks at Historic Walter Reed, offering an evening of jazz and music programming for all ages. When Saxophonist Langton Hughes II performs he blends rhythmic, soulful melodies with swinging smooth jazz-style improvisations, thanks in part to his roots in gospel music.

Venezuelan percussionist Fran Vielma, an instructor up at Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory, gathers some of the strongest musicians from the District and Charm City to present a special program of music by Pan-American composers, including many from Latin America.

Elijah Jamal Balbed and JazzMob DC present music at Ciel Social’s rooftop lounge of its downtown spot every Tuesday. These listings will be faded out as the schedule become available.