Music
From Left. Andrew Musselman, Herb Scott, Dave Manley, Aaron Myers and Colin Chambers perform at Mr. Henry’s. Photo by Nick Moreland.
7 Jazz Venues in D.C. You Should Know
July 1, 2023 @ 12:00pm
Back in the 1940s and ’50s when U Street was Black Broadway, you could throw a quarter down the street and it would probably land in front of some jazz club, the music blaring and swinging. Fifteen years ago, the corridor was still a musical center, hosting keystone houses built for jazz like HR-57, Twins, Café Nema and Bohemian Caverns. Even before then, and certainly now, jazz music — whether played with shiny horns by sharp-dressed bands or grooved by synthesizers and percussion — has found homes wherever possible. Part of this was by necessity as the “jazz clubs” closed down, but it was also a result of the music democratizing, becoming less stylistically rigid and developing broader palettes that could be accepted in different neighborhoods.
The seven venues listed below represent that idea. More importantly, they are where the music is happening — truly happening — in Washington, D.C. today. There are others, like Takoma Station Tavern, Green Island Café or Alice’s Jazz and Cultural Society (and you should check out their programming), but at some point, these lists get nitpicky and things need to be cut for space. So, here’s an introduction to seven key spots where you can experience D.C.’s jazz scene, with some testimony of importance by the very musicians who make them great.
Blues Alley
Some of the top commercial jazz performers in the world and a diverse array of local acts play in this classic, low-lit, cramped, storied “jazz club,” including Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, who has played with violinist and bandleader Dave Kline at Blues Alley several times over the past few years.
“I love Blues Alley,” Kaine says. “Not just the actual Blues Alley but the legendary Blues Alley, a place of mystique down an alleyway where the best of the best have played for decades. And I really grew to love it as it fought to stay alive during a pandemic that shut down classic live music venues all over the country. Last fall, when I played a live show [at Blues Alley] after it had been closed for more than 500 days, I felt a real joy. And everyone in the audience felt the same way.”
Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom
Jazz shows: Almost every night starting at 7 p.m. + 9 p.m.
Map it: 1073 Wisconsin Ave. NW, DC
Learn more: bluesalley.com // @bluesalleydc
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Jojo Restaurant and Bar
Here, you can expect heavy R&B and soul-influenced jazz that grooves smooth, as well as a mix of classic jazz, blues and young cats trying something new.
Bassist and bandleader Steve Arnold is one of leading figures in the younger generations of D.C. jazz musicians. You can find him playing just about anywhere around the city with any kind of band, from punk jazz to classic vocal performers. But Jojo’s has a special place in Arnold’s heart.
“Jojo’s is where I got my start in D.C. playing the old jazz singer’s jam session,” he says. “It is one of the few clubs where musicians can present their original projects, but there is also usually an open bandstand so it is a great place for musicians to listen to each other, meet and play. Jojo’s is the last real jazz club on U Street, and it is completely vital to the scene.”
Closest Metro: U Street/Cardozo
Jazz shows: Open Thursday – Sunday; shows play at various times.
Map it: 1518 U St. NW, DC
Learn more: jojodc.com // @jojoustreet
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The Kennedy Center
This venue hosts legends, up-and-comers and true masters of jazz in comfortable, elegant settings.
Pianist Jason Moran, artistic director for jazz at the Kennedy Center, truly has his finger on the pulse of the musical genre, bringing artists who push the boundaries of jazz while also showcasing new explorers. He says he inherited his approach to curation from his predecessor Dr. Billy Taylor.
“[Taylor] had a historical approach; but also, he was a modernist,” Moran says. “He understood the relationship between music’s language and the language around the music, and activism and music. As the nation’s performing arts center, we have to make sure we keep tabs on how the music feels, what the country is moving toward and what music suggests about our future.”
Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom
Jazz shows: Held periodically and at various times.
Map it: 2700 F St. NW, DC
Learn more: kennedy-center.org // @kennedycenter
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Mr. Henry’s
Whether it’s jazz vocalists or the weekly D.C. jazz jam, Mr. Henry’s is a great intersection for many jazz players in the city in an explicitly queer-friendly environment.
Mr. Henry’s has been around since the late ’60s and has hosted music for just as long. Roberta Flack frequented the spot when she lived in D.C. — you can even see its wood-paneled walls on the cover of her debut album. Singer and activist Aaron Myers co-leads the jam and has graced its stage often for the last several years.
“When you play Mr. Henry’s, you’re surrounded by history,” he says. “You never know who’ll show up and it is a welcoming space. There’s a sense of community any artist would be grateful to have.”
Closest Metro: Eastern Market
Jazz shows: Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday + Saturday at various times.
Map it: 601 Penn Ave. SE, DC
Learn more: mrhenrysdc.com // @mr.henrys.dc
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Rhizome DC
You’ll find experimental, free-form and creative, highly original music that will challenge you — but it’s always worth it.
Janel Leppin-Pirog is a cellist and bandleader who crosses many paths in D.C.: She played with hometown punk heroes Priests; makes ethereal, ambient music with guitarist Anthony Pirog; and leads her own groups like Mellow Diamond and Ensemble Volcanic Ash that exist at the crossroads of chamber music, jazz, experimental music and more.
“Rhizome is a DIY community center where any musician can organize a gig,” she says. “It is democracy actualized where art can breathe. I wouldn’t have recorded Ensemble Volcanic Ash in winter 2022 without a residency there. Long live Rhizome.”
Closest Metro: Takoma
Jazz shows: Held periodically and at various times.
Map it: 6950 Maple St. NW, DC
Learn more: rhizomedc.org // @rhizome_dc
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St. Vincent Wine
Here, you’ll find rising stars, established bandleaders and a wide host of local jazz musicians performing a mix of their original music and traditional jazz songs.
D.C. native Alex Hamburger, a vocalist, flautist and composer who released her first album “And She Spoke” in 2021, is a regular performer and audience member at the wine bar.
“St. Vincent has become a place in D.C. I not only love playing, but [a spot where I love] hanging out and seeing fellow musicians,” she says. “The warm vibe the crew creates with great food and drink, alongside the fact that they’ve found a way to make it a listening room without putting pressure on the audience, is special and needed. It’s not a background gig or a show; it’s just a great bar and restaurant where people can dig in musically, as well as enjoy and be social.”
Closest Metro: Georgia Ave-Petworth
Jazz shows: Jazz brunches are held every weekend at 12:30 p.m.
Map it: 3212 Georgia Ave. NW, DC
Learn more: stvincentwine.com // @stvincentwine
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Westminster Presbyterian Church
D.C. jazz elders play the classic version of the music here: Think 1950s, sharp-suits, swinging bands, shiny horns, the home-cooked fish fry in the basement and a true education in the history of jazz.
Bassist Michael Bowie, who has played with everyone from soul icon Isaac Hayes to legendary vocalist Betty Carter, has played the church many times.
“It has become a mecca of music in D.C.,” he says. “There is something magical about that stage. Maybe it’s the ‘pulpit effect,’ but the connection between the audience and the musicians is quite often electric. [It’s] a comfortable listening atmosphere for the aficionado and the newbie.”
Closest Metro: Waterfront
Jazz shows: Jazz nights are held every Friday at 6 p.m.
Map it: 400 I St. SW, DC
Learn more: westminsterdc.org
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