Trumpeter Nicholas Payton emerged in the early 1990s as part of a new wave of young lions who picked up the trail left by the likes of Wynton Marsalis in the 1980s. The Crescent City native, who will be performing tonight and tomorrow at Blues Alley, is the son of respected bassist Walter Payton. Growing up, he studied and performed with some of the finest jazzers New Orleans had to offer. This upbringing has had......

Sunday marks the start of the Israeli Jazz Series at Blues Alley, a collaboration between the historic club and the Cultural Affairs Department at the Embassy of Israel. The series is meant to showcase jazz artists that are of Israeli origin, but who have also garnered international notice. “These artists are from the best of the best that we have,” said Tamar Mayer, Director of Cultural Affairs at the embassy. Monday’s artist, Eli Degibri (pictured),......

Baltimore-based jazz musician Todd Marcus (pictured) experienced first-hand the cruelty of the music business when he held a CD release event at Charm City's historic Patterson Theater in June 2006. His group, the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra, had a strong album with In Pursuit of the 9th Man, so named because of the difficulties in arranging rehearsals for such a large group, and put on a first-rate performance in front of a capacity crowd. Despite......

While there are some great shows coming up in January, this week is still subject to holiday doldrums. Here are a few shows to check out. >> Tomorrow, vocalist/pianist Mose Allison comes to Blues Alley to begin a four night stand with daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. It is common for touring jazz acts to hire local rhythm sections, and concert goers will be treated to two of D.C.'s finest in bassist Tommy......

So now you know who we loved locally this year. Here's our list of the live shows that came through town and left a lasting impression in '07. Dismemberment Plan Reunion Shows @ Black Cat DCist Ian says: The Plan's much anticipated reunion to benefit Cal Robbins, the son of Jawbox/Burning Airlines frontman and recording engineer J. Robbins, sold out in under five minutes. So Travis Morrison & co. added a second show. In all......

>> Beginning tonight, piano legend Ahmad Jamal (pictured with bassist James Cammack) continues his annual tradition of closing each year with a week-long residence at Blues Alley. Daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets begin tonight and run through Sunday. Tickets are $30 + $12.50 surcharge/drink minimum. On New Year's Eve, the Keter Betts memorial band, which includes celebrated guitarist Paul Bollenback and local drumming ace Lenny Robinson, will join Jamal to ring in 2008......

>> Blues Alley's Christmas music extravaganza continues tonight with The Redd Brothers, a group led by vibraphonist Chuck Redd and pianist Robert Redd. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets are $18 + $12.50 surcharge/minimum. >> If smooth jazz is your thing, head down to the Birchmere tonight to hear Boney James play selections off his latest release, Christmas Present. Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are sold out, but that's what Craigslist......

>> Tonight, the Alliance Francaise and Twins Jazz present the Dupont T quartet, a group led by bassist Hubert Dupont, a major player in the jazz scene in Paris. Tickets to the 8 and 10:30 p.m. sets are $20. Discounted tickets are available to Alliance members. >> Marshall Allen (pictured) is a long-time member of the influential avant-garde outfit, the Sun Ra Arkestra. Tonight, Allen brings his own group to George Washington Univ, Phillips Hall,......

Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard (pictured right) is a friend to D.C. The New Orleans native chose Blues Alley as the spot to release his latest CD, A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Though he is a celebrated bandleader and performer, he has also been quietly making his mark in the film world as Spike Lee's chief musical collaborator. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., the Kennedy Center will host Terence Blanchard for what......

>> Tonight, New York based woodwind player Rob Jacoby comes to Twins Jazz for an evening of straight ahead jazz. Call (202) 234-0072 for set time and cover information. >> The Big Apple sends another one of its gifted talents to Twins. Daniela Schaechter, a skilled composer, vocalist, and pianist, has already wan numerous awards including the Mary Lou Williams Jazz Piano Competition 2005, The Sister in Jazz Competition 2002, and the Betty Carter’s Jazz......

This review is long past due. DCist began its jazz coverage over six months ago and only now are we covering a performance at the venerable Twins Jazz. A mainstay of the D.C. jazz scene, first with its Colorado Ave. location and now with new digs on U Street, the club, especially on weekends, hosts respected musicians who draw national attention, but who are also a bit too experimental for venues such as Blues Alley......

It's an unusually slow week in JazzLand, but there's still some great stuff to check out and a must-see show coming up this weekend. >> For jazz fans who prefer the smoother side of things, Pieces of A Dream will be playing tonight through Sunday at Blues Alley. Tickets to the daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets are $27.50 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge. >> HR-57 presents a great program tonight that will be much easier......

>> Tonight, head over to Twins Jazz to check out New York's Mark Feldman (violin) and Sylvie Courvoisier (piano) as they team up for an evening of experimental jazz. Feldman has recorded with artists as diverse as John Zorn and They Might Be Giants while Courvoisier has worked with a number of notable European artists. Call 202-234-0072 for set time and cover information. >> Most of you will be stuffing your faces with Turkey Day......

>> One of the biggest names in smooth jazz, altoist David Sanborn, begins a five night stint at Blues Alley tonight with daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets are $50 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge. >> Our first must see of the week takes place at Twins Jazz, where the club will feature three ensembles under the direction of local saxophonist Brad Linde. The University of Maryland Jazz Chamber Ensemble will play the first set......

>> Tonight's a big night for music, beginning with a celebration of one of the great musicians of the 20th century, Frank Zappa. His son, Dweezil, leads a group of Zappa-alums for this tribute, which takes place at Warner Theater. 7:30 p.m., $50/$75 + Ticketmaster fees. >> Tonight, the musical flavor of New Orleans comes to the Wonderland Ballroom tonight as Yamomanem takes the stage. Call 202-232-5263 for cover information. 9 p.m. >> Also tonight,......

>> Those who want to hear smooth sounds with global influences should head down to Blues Alley this week as guitarist Jonathan Butler comes to town for a 3-night stand beginning Thursday. Tickets to the 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets are available here. $43 + $12.50 minimum/surcharge. >> Mavis "Swan" Poole, an up-and-coming young vocalist who is an alum of the prestigious Betty Carter Straight Ahead Jazz Workshop will perform at Twins Jazz on......

>> Rachelle Farell, one of the few vocalists who successfully straddles the line between jazz, R&B and pop, will be playing at Blues Alley tonight, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The rather outrageously priced tickets are available here. $60 + $10 food/drink minimum. >> Two local ladies of jazz come to Twins Jazz tonight for our first must see. Trombonist Jen Krupa, a member of the Navy Commodores......

>> The 1900s are playing the Rock and Roll Hotel, not to be confused with the 1990s. Three Stars alum Shortstack will join them on the bill, along with The Dead Trees and Kitty Hawk. $10, 8:30 p.m. >> Tonight at Blues Alley one of the area's finest jazz drummers, Nasar Abadey, takes the stage with SuperNova, featuring Allyn Johnson on piano, Gary Thomas, Jazz Studies Chair at Peabody, altoist Joe Ford, and bassist......

>> This week's first must see takes place tonight at Blues Alley as one of the area's finest drummers, Nasar Abadey, takes the stage with SuperNova (pictured right), a local jazz supergroup. The band features Allyn Johnson on piano, Gary Thomas, Jazz Studies Chair at Peabody, altoist Joe Ford, and bassist James King. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. $18 + $10 food/drink minimum. Tickets available here. >> Also tonight, Twins Jazz hosts......

>> Tonight, check out bassist/composer Howard Britz as he brings his repertoire of original post-bop compositions to Twins Jazz. Call (202) 234-0072 for set times and cover information. >> This week's first of many must see shows takes place at GW's Lisner Auditorium on Thursday as The Global Drum Project (pictured) takes the stage. Comprised of four percussionists hailing from very different musical traditions, the ensemble features Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead, tabla master......

>> If Billie Holiday and Björk had a love child, Grazyna Auguscik would be the result. Combining a thorough knowledge of traditional jazz with the sparse and ethereal qualities of traditional northern European music, this singer/composer comes to Blues Alley tonight for 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets. Tickets available here. $20 + $10 food/drink minimum. >> This Thursday, legendary pianist/keyboardist/composer George Duke begins a four night stand at Blues Alley. This gentleman has played......

>> Tonight, The Alfred Mojica Band, a latin-jazz ensemble, performs at The Bossa Bistro & Lounge. Call 202-667-0088 for details. >> On Thursday, guitarist Robben Ford (pictured), an alum of Miles Davis' band, takes the stage for a four night stand at Blues Alley. Tickets to the daily 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. sets are available here. $35 + $10 food/drink minimum. >> HR-57 has some cool things going on this weekend. On Friday, saxophonist......

>> Jazz fans won't want to miss guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel at Blues Alley tonight, feauturing saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Aaron Parks, bassist Ben Street and drummer Rodney Green. Sets are at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Tickets available here. $25 + $10 food/drink minimum. >> Tickets are still available for Woolly Mammoth's production of The Unmentionables, about which our critic said that it "points Fat Albert’s giant index finger at the audience in a......

Last week we gave you an overview of all that's going on at the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. This week, we'll tell you a bit more about all the great music happening this weekend as well as our picks for those of you, which is probably all of you, who don't have time to make it out to every show. >> Tonight's pick is Kurt Rosenwinkel, an inventive guitarist who is not to be missed.......

>> Heading over to check out semi-crazy ambient rockers Deerhunter play with Clockcleaner tonight at the Black Cat seems like an entirely reasonable thing to do. 9 p.m., $10. >> NYC's Beat the Devil host a CD release party at the Red and the Black with Brandon Butler and Revival. Doors 9 p.m. $8. >> The charity organization Bartending for Change hosts a benefit for Food For All at a happy hour from 6:30......

For the second week in a row, the dog days of August plague Jazz Land. Next week, we'll be telling you all about the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, but until then, enjoy your holiday and check out these cool shows. >> Tonight, local bassist Keith Wesby brings his quintet of fine local talent to Twins Jazz. Call the club at (202) 234-0072 for showtime and cover information. >> Puerto Rican native Jose Negroni brings is......

This weekend, Blues Alley hosts Terence Blanchard (pictured) and his fantastic quintet for the release of his new album, A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). Going into Thursday's early set, it was unclear how lushly orchestrated material would translate into a more traditional combo setting. As it turns out, it translates quite well, though we didn't get to hear very many of the new songs. While the band was burning, they only......

>> Sigh. It's the last night of Fort Reno, which means summer is officially ending soon. Hopefully it'll dry out in time to make this a great final concert -- scheduled to play are drag-rocker Edie Sedgwick, Sentai, and the adorable Eyeball Skeleton, a Maryland band featuring brothers age 8 and 10 (plus their dad) who are known to sing the lyric "eyeball skeleton" over and over again in what sound almost like fake......

>> Our first item this week has absolutely nothing to do with jazz but it's just too noteworthy not to mention. This week, The Millennium Stage hosts the 2007 Coupe Mondiale World Accordion Championships. Tonight through Sunday, each free 6 p.m. concert will showcase a different internationally renowned accordion ensemble. Admit it, you're curious. >> As we told you yesterday, trumpeter Terence Blanchard will be celebrating the release of his new album with a four......

>> The 3rd annual Can A Sista Rock A Mic? Festival kicks tonight off at the Rock and Roll Hotel. Bahamadia and Emoni Fela among others will be performing tonight, stay tuned for a full preview from us later. 9 p.m., $12. >> Like we mentioned in the jazz agenda, pianist Abdullah Ibrahim is one of the most influential jazz musicians to come out of South Africa, and tonight he'll be at Blues Alley......