6 OLIVER ALBERTINI QUARTET

7 STAN KILLIAN QUARTET(SAX)

"PERFORMING FIRST WEDNESDAYS @ TWINS JAZZ!"

Stan Killian - tenor sax
Harry Appleman - piano
Eric Wheeler - bass
Eric Kennedy - drums

Based in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area, tenor saxophonist Stan Killian is currently dividing his time between two major projects. The Stan Killian Quartet performs original music drawing inspiration from the minds of Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Henderson. He also co-leads Com Vocę, an ensemble which interprets Brazilian and American modern jazz from bossa nova to MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and beyond. Reviewers have described his playing as “virtuosic”, “muscular”, and “mellifluous.” Peter Westbrook from Jazz Review writes, “Killian is by no means another Coltrane clone. He has a voice of his own with an almost classical sonority at times.”

www.stankillian.com

8 THE DANIELLE EVA QUARTET

The Danielle Eva Quartet, jazz, blues, and bossa, featuring Danielle Eva, vocals, Allyn Johnson, piano, Lenny Robinson, drums, and Michael Bowie, bass.

Fusing groove, blues, swing, and bossa, jazz vocalist and songwriter Danielle Eva serenades in shades of blue-eyed soul with a compelling sincerity and a side of sass. She began her career in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she developed her craft singing in jazz clubs and festivals, in college opera roles, and performing modern world gospel. She then spent several years in New York performing in top jazz and cabaret venues as well as festivals along the East Coast. She has been honored as a scholarship recipient of Jazz Aspen Snowmass and as a 3rd place winner of the 2007 Billie Holiday Vocal Competition. Her latest recording project, to be released in February, features drummer Lenny Robinson, pianist Federico Pena, bass player Gavin Fallow, and guitarists Lenny White and Chuck Underwood.

9, 10 KENNY CARR "CHANGING TIDE" CD RELEASE

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Guitarist and composer, Kenny Carr, began playing violin at age nine, but at age eleven he realized his true passion was the guitar. Growing up in Santa Cruz with its inspiring natural beauty set the stage for Kenny's musical career. It seemed everyone in his small California beach town loved jazz. By his early teens, he was studying jazz theory with vibraphonist Rob Lautz as well as renowned trumpeter Ray Brown. GrowIng up in Santa Cruz, he found himself surrounded by talented and aspiring musicians who became his closest friends. By age sixteen, he was performing at local venues where he met drummer Kenny Wollesen and bassist Anders Swanson, as well as 2004 Grammy nominated saxophonist Donny McCaslin. In 1981, Kenny and his fellow Santa Cruz musicians were invited to open up for Carmen McCrea and Freddie Hubbard at the Mount Tamalpais jazz festival.

After high school, Kenny attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. During his final year in 1986, he received the call to audition for Ray Charles. "I remember running onto the stage as Mr. Charles instructed me to "play the blues", "Kenny explains. He toured worldwide with Ray Charles as his guitarist for over ten years.

This will be a CD release party for Kenny's new CD "Changing Tide"

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

11 ALYSE BLACK AND HER BAND

12 COMIC RELIEF

13 OLIVER ALBERTINI QUARTET

14 DENNIS J.

In the world of jazz we get a music more melodically improvised than any other American music form. Jazz singers or the vocal interpreters of this art form have to sound like that third or fourth or fifth instrument in that trio, quartet or quintet to become that “one”, unique wall of sound that particular group tries to convey to their listening audience. In the Washington D.C. area there are very few artists who seem capable of performing such a feat. Dennis J. appears to be one of the selected vocalists able to pull this off. Rarely has there come along a more pure adherent to the traditional, straight a head, no frills interpretations of the Great American Songbook Composers. From Ellington to Porter; from Gershwin, Anthony Newley and the wonderful composers in between, upon hearing Dennis Js’ renderings of their classic tunes, you are almost literally transformed back to what is called the “Golden Age of Jazz. There is a trueness to his voice that few artists in this area (and for that matter any other) can dare be compared to. It’s very clear that this “artist” has listened to the master vocalists and has learned his lessons very, well. A few years ago Dennis J. released a CD of standards called “The Best of Me”. Upon listening to the recording you get an idea of his strict adherence to the master vocalists of yesterday. But to be quite honest and although the CD has been well received, it does not do this artist justice. You have to hear this performer in a live setting. Here, you get the unvarnished, no hold back vocal stylings that is breathtaking to say the least. The emotion he conveys, the control and beauty of the voice, the phrasing and being able to relate personally to every song he sings(in particular the slower pieces) is turning out to be not just a performance but verging on being an “experience”. He sings “My Foolish Heart” with so much skill and confidence, you find yourself wondering if the writer of the tune didn’t have him in mind to sing it once it was written. “Who Can I Turn Too”, “All My Tomorrows”, “My Romance”, and “I‘ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face” and others will be worth the price of admission alone just to hear his vocal interpretation. For those folks who long for the masters of yesterday (male or female), for the novice jazz listener who is looking for a starting point, particularly jazz vocal listeners, and for those who needed to be reminded that jazz is as beautiful, provocative, relaxing, and as relevant today as it was decades ago, make it a point to frequent the many jazz venues in the Washington metro area. Above all, however seek out Mr. Dennis J’s performances. Repeating what one listener recently said of his shows, “as long as this brother continues to sing, the masters will never die”.

15 MINOR THOUGHTS QUINTET

minor Thoughts is a Washington, D.C. based band with a repertoire of straight ahead standards, post bop and Latin influenced jazz. The trio was included in the St. Luke's Jazz in the Garden summer concert series last year in D.C. and in several other recent events. www.minorthoughts.net

Jerome Meltzer - Piano. Jerome Meltzer, a Takoma Park based pianist has played in a variety of jazz groups and settings. His music is influenced by jazz masters such as Bill Evans and McCoy Tyner. His musical style draws on ragtime, boogie-woogie, stride, swing, be-bop and modal and modern tendencies of the post-bop period.

Dan Griffin - Bass. Dan Griffin, born and raised in New York City, was introduced to music through Italian folk songs, secular music and the Beatles. Dan played in a variety of fusion, rhythm & blues, funk and jazz groups in New York over the past 20 years, as well as performing in stage orchestras, church and cabaret venues.

Gary Hacker - Drums & Percussion. Gary Hacker grew up in metropolitan Philadelphia area and was originally influenced by rhythm and blues and do-wop music that was a rich part of the Philadelphia musical culture at the time.

Joey Whitney - Alto Saxophone. Joey Whiteney began playing alto saxophone at age 9. Two years later, he switched to soprano saxophone exclusively and later added tenor saxophone. Joey picked up bass guitar in high school and played in various rock bands. As his interest in jazz grew he focused on the saxophone. He joined the Howard University Jazz Ensemble under Fred Irby and studied with saxophone virtuoso Charlie Young. Holding the jazz tenor chair, Joey has had the opportunity to perform with many legendary jazz artists. He toured Tokyo and Yokosuka Japan in 2005 and has cut multiple albums with the HUJE big band.

Maureen Mullaney - Vocals. Originally from Saratoga Springs, New York, Maureen started studying the voice at 14. She earned a degree in Music: Vocal performance from SUNY College at Geneseo and went on to win a "Best Actress" New York State Theater Award for her role as Erzulie in Once On This Island in 2002. After moving to Washington DC, she made a transition to Jazz performance and has never looked back. A student of the incomparable Jay Clayton at Peabody Conservatory, Maureen is excited to be returning to Twins. Visit Maureen at http://www.myspace.com/maureenmullaney.

16, 17 CHIP SHELTON & PEACETIME

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Chip Shelton is a multi-faceted "Jazz and Beyond" artist whose performance arsenal includes Flutes, Saxes, Vocals and Percussion. His wind instrument collection are visually and aurally unique, and include End-Blown Flutes in C and Bb, as well as Alto, Bass, Contrabass, Piccolo, & Ethnic Flutes; antique Tenor and Soprano Saxophones in C (ca.1921); and modern and Soprano Saxes in Bb.

Performances contain Originals, Standards, Current, and Historical repertoire, and incorporate an element of music education with an always-accessible variety of feels ranging from swing, shuffle, blues, waltz, 6/8, jazz funk, bossa, samba, calypso, latin, reggae, jazz rock, jazz pop, and more.

Shelton's 6th CD Release, “PeaceTime”, April 2006 on Summit Records, received a "Top Jazz Recording of 2006" award from Soul-Patrol.Com at their annual convention in Philadelphia in May, 2007. That same month, Summit Records released Shelton's 7th CD, titled "Have Flute Will Travel, Stop 2, Cape May Jazz Festival" Live!

Summit began a series of live Chip Shelton releases titled “Have Flute Will Travel” in 2004. The first in the live series was “Stop 1 Berlin”. Live in Cairo is already recorded, and awaiting release; and subsequent locations are in the works.

The best-known Chip Shelton recording , to date, “Flute Bass-ics”-featuring Ron Carter, isn’t his first to climb the jazz-radio-airplay charts, but it has generated a high volume of radio airplay, since it’s 2003 release, on Summit.

Memorable stellar Chip Shelton appearances include A-Trane Jazz Club-Berlin; Nomme Jazz Festival-Estonia featuring Ryo Kawasaki; Newark Arts Council-Annual Gala featuring Roy Meriwether and Santi Debriano; Blues Alley & Bohemian Caverns (Washington, DC), Cecil's Jazz Club (NJ), Minton's Playhouse (Harlem, NY), and the aforementioned Cape May Jazz Festival (NJ shore), featuring Doug Carn and Lou Volpe.

Further information available at www.chipshelton.com.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

18 TAREA ANDERSON (VOCALS)

Soulful, sassy and melodic are how audience members depict the voice of local artist Tarea Anderson. The 2004 winner of the 105.9 FM’s Sexiest Jazz Vocalist Competition has been featured in local famous jazz clubs. This year she was invited to share the stage with award winning saxophonist, Najee during two his performances in Washington, D.C.

Born in Washington, D.C and raised in the metropolitan area, Tarea attended Bowie State University where she performed as a vocalist in the university’s Jazz Ensemble. She also sang first and second soprano in the Bowie State University Choir. Vocal greats Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Betty Carter, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Rachelle Ferrell are major influences on the artist.

Though D.C.’s presence of Soul, R&B, Go-Go and Hip-Hop music has had an impact on the local performer, Jazz is where Tarea feels most at home. Compositions like those composed by D.C.’s own, the great Duke Ellington are both challenging and comforting for the artist. Audiences appreciate her soulful renditions of the standards and consider her voice a unique yet, familiar instrument.

Tarea has been encouraged by many great artists, in addition to loved ones to follow her dream. Join her as she experiences its realization.

20 OLIVER ALBERTINI QUARTET

21 CHOPER JAZZ PROJECT

The brainchild of Brian Choper, The Choper Jazz Project is an elegant, yet sometimes slightly aggressive band featuring contemporary straight-up jazz, where the musicians don't just play, but jam together, trading 8's or simply trading solos, always feeding off of one another and sharing their energy with one another and with the audience -- in a way that takes arrangements and turns them into band jams...intentionally! They create a sound and a groove that provides class and energy to any evening. This is a great band for anyone who likes watching good musicians open up and have fun. Brian Choper on Drums, Zulfugar Baghirov on saxophone, Lou Durham (from the Army Band) on keyboard, Bill Hones (from the Air Force Band) on Bass. For more details, see www.choperjazzproject.com.

22 DAVID MCDONALD

23, 24 JOANNA PASCALE (VOCALS) W/ SPECIAL GUEST TIM WARFIELD (SAX)

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Joanna Pascale w/ special guest Tim Warfield -sax
Andrew Adair-piano
Madison Rast-bass
Dan Monaghan-drums

All Music Guide raved that jazz vocalist Joanna Pascale possesses an "impressive vocal range, flawless intonation, [and an] abundance of feeling, warmth and emotion." “She not only has solid vocal chops; she has soul.” A highly sophisticated singer, Pascale relishes the more obscure standards from the 1920s-1960s and has a working repertoire of over 400 songs. Her vivid interpretations of the Great American Songbook are endowed with a spry sense of swing and romantic grace. Joanna’s latest album, When Lights Are Low, showcases her approach to the timeless standards of American music. This and other accolades helped nudge Pascale back to the studio with a brand-new recording project featuring renowned tenor saxophonist, Tim Warfield, scheduled for a January, 2008 release. On top of a busy performing and recording schedule, Pascale is currently a member of the vocal faculty at Temple University.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

25 THE KEITH WESBY GROUP

Keith has performed in countless venues since 1983. He has toured the country with many different acts. As a player, he has recorded on many sessions for Pop, Gospel, and Jazz artists. As a solo artist, he has a wide array of technical abilities. His style can range from soft and sensual to rough and gritty. He has a large catalog of compositions which often reflect the smooth sounds of contemporary jazz with hints of the fusion genre. In 2006, Keith formed the “Keith Wesby Group”. KWG is comprised of talented, seasoned musicians that possess the same skill, desire, and vision of its band leader. While the Keith Wesby Group will warm your heart with beautiful melodies, they will also dazzle you with their impressive improvisational skills.

Musicians:
Steve Wolfe – Sax
Charles Jablow – Keyboards
Cory Hoffman – Guitar
Damon Lomison – Drums
Keith Wesby – Bass

26 COMIC RELIEF

27 OLIVER ALBERTINI QUARTET

28 CHOPER JAZZ PROJECT

The brainchild of Brian Choper, The Choper Jazz Project is an elegant, yet sometimes slightly aggressive band featuring contemporary straight-up jazz, where the musicians don't just play, but jam together, trading 8's or simply trading solos, always feeding off of one another and sharing their energy with one another and with the audience -- in a way that takes arrangements and turns them into band jams...intentionally! They create a sound and a groove that provides class and energy to any evening. This is a great band for anyone who likes watching good musicians open up and have fun. Brian Choper on Drums, Zulfugar Baghirov on saxophone, Lou Durham (from the Army Band) on keyboard, Bill Hones (from the Air Force Band) on Bass. For more details, see www.choperjazzproject.com.

29 EASTERN BLOK WITH GRAZYNA AUGUSCIK

Eastern Blok
The Los Angeles Times calls Eastern Blok’s music “relentlessly innovative work.”

Downbeat Magazine claims that “the ensemble playing is often breakneck and consistently challenging.”

Acoustic Guitar Magazine raves that Eastern Blok plays with “blazing virtuosity and sheer beauty.”

After performing over 300 shows a year and selling more than 3,000 records, the band EASTERN BLOK formerly known as The Goran Ivanovic Group has recorded a new album, changed their name, and has been successfully packing venues throughout the country since the release of their self-titled debut album in 2005.

The group features classical guitar virtuoso GORAN IVANOVIC, who teamed up with DOUG ROSENBERG on saxophone and flute, MATTHEW ULERY on bass, and MICHAEL CASKEY, a five-time Detroit Music Award and Downbeat Magazine Award winner, on drums.

EASTERN BLOK’s “extraordinary pan-cultural ensemble effortlessly blends classical and jazz music with the rich folkloric traditions of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. The resulting music is as alluring as it is complex. Exotic Middle Eastern motifs merge gracefully with the evocative sounds of Eastern European Klezmer music. Beautifully conceived folk passages are followed by perfectly executed Mahavishnu-inspired pyrotechnics. The passion and urgency at which this group plays is heard in every note on this remarkable musical offering” (Minor 7th Magazine).

Listen to their mellifluous, intricate new compositions at www.easternblok.net and www.myspace.com/easternblok

Singer, composer, arranger, and producer Grazyna Auguscik has won the praise and admiration of music critics, jazz enthusiasts and even non-jazz audiences with a singular voice that speaks a universal language. She is one of the most intriguing contemporary vocalists on today’s World jazz scene. Her elusive style challenges traditional definitions of jazz and show vocalist and musician without boundaries. Her unorthodox approach to rewriting classic works is at once a tribute to its authors as well as an adventure into uncharted territory. Her originals give a fresh taste of uncanny flavor. Her professional music career She began in Europe, completed her studies in 1992 at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has since become a prolific collaborator shearing the stage with such jazz notables as Jim Hall, Michael and Randy Brecker, Bobby Enriquez, John Medeski, Paul Wertico, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Robert Irving III, Michal Urbaniak, Terry Callier, Patricia Barber, John McLean, Andrzej Jagodzinski, Jarek Bester and many others.Her new album "Live Sounds Live" is out now getting enthusiastic reviews and the second upcoming release of "ANDANÇA" as of 2008 with Paulinho Garcia is already here as well.

30, 31 THIRD KIND OF BLUE W/ RONNIE BURRAGE

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Essiet Okon Essiet first received critical acclaim more than a decade ago as a member of saxophonist Bobby Watson's post hard bop group Horizon He has long since established himself as one of New York's premier bassist."Some musicians are purist"says Essiet,"but I like to mix styles.I like many different types of cultures". His first big break came in 1982 when he met Chicago based percussionist Famoudou Don Moye,a founding member of such important collectives as the Art Ensemble of Chicago and The Leaders.Moye asked Essiet to join his quartet and during that same year the bassist met Abdullah Ibrahim,the famed South African pianist. He has performed and recorded with such notables as Benny Golson,Johnny Griffin,James Moody,Freddie Hubbard,Bobby Hutcherson,Cedar Walton,Sam Rivers,George Adams,Pat Martino,Kenny Burrell,Jackie McLean,Frank Morgan,Kenny Barron,Louis Hayes,Ben Riley,Jimmy Cobb,Billy Higgins,Billy Hart,Art Farmer,Abby Lincoln,Dee Dee Bridgewater,Billy Cobham,Bennie Maupin,Al Foster,Eddie Henderson,Steve Turre,Jon Faddis,Bobby Watson,Victor Lewis,Kenny Garrett,Kenny Kirkland,Mulgrew Miller,Jeff "Tain " Watts,Mike Stern,Kevin Mahogany,Kurt Elling,Fort Apache Band,Danilo Perez,Claudia Acuna,Geri Allen,and Ralph Peterson to highlight only a partial list. Currently,Essiet leads his own group called "IBO"named after a Nigerian tribe.It is a Nigerian jazz project which mixes jazz harmonies with West African rhythms.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

1 THE MOSHIER-LEBRUN COLLECTIVE

Chicago musicians Mike Lebrun (tenor saxophone) and Josh Moshier (piano) formed their quartet in 2006 out of a mutual passion for eclectic, originally composed jazz music. Oscar-winning songwriter Glen Hansard has called their music "amazing," and their compositions have been described by Chicago jazz saxophonist John Wojciechowski as "melodically accessible, but at the same time harmonically smart." Their music draws inspiration from Chicago's rich jazz tradition, as well as Chicago's recent boom in creative music led by the city's young jazz talent. Their debut recording was released in the summer of 2007 and it is available on iTunes and CD Baby. Rounding out the group is DC-native Robert Meier on double-bass and Hans Moscicke on drums.

Mike Lebrun has played in Chicago with The Temptations, Bob Purna's Persistence, and The Red Hot Organ Trio. Josh Moshier has performed with saxophonists Doug Stone, John Wojciechowski and Mark O'Connor. Josh's music has also been played by the Northwestern University Jazz Ensemble and the Joel Spencer Quartet.

4 STAN KILLIAN QUARTET(SAX)

"PERFORMING FIRST WEDNESDAYS @ TWINS JAZZ!"

Stan Killian - tenor sax
Harry Appleman - piano
Eric Wheeler - bass
Eric Kennedy - drums

Based in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area, tenor saxophonist Stan Killian is currently dividing his time between two major projects. The Stan Killian Quartet performs original music drawing inspiration from the minds of Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Henderson. He also co-leads Com Vocę, an ensemble which interprets Brazilian and American modern jazz from bossa nova to MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and beyond. Reviewers have described his playing as “virtuosic”, “muscular”, and “mellifluous.” Peter Westbrook from Jazz Review writes, “Killian is by no means another Coltrane clone. He has a voice of his own with an almost classical sonority at times.”

www.stankillian.com

5 OUTLAW COLLECTIVE

Founded in September 2007 at the Berklee College of Music, the Outlaw Collective is comprised of five of the school’s finest young composer/musicians. Having gravitated to the music epicenter from across the nation, each musician brings in their own compositions, making it a truly collaborative effort.

Drummer and group leader Cameron Outlaw, a native of Northern Virginia, has performed at festivals around the nation and has studied and played with Ralph Peterson, George Garzone, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Gary Grainger.

Pianist Julian Shore, originally from Rhode Island, has performed with Chris Cheek, Ferenc Nemeth, Marcus Strickland, John Benitez, and other prominent musicians around New England and New York.

Minnesotan bassist Dan Carpel is a regular at the world famous Wally's Jazz Club in Boston, and has performed with Sean Jones, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Jason Palmer, Andre Hayward, and Terri Lyne Carrington.

As a member of the 2007 Berklee/Monterey Quartet, guitarist Jeff Miles was featured at the 50th annual Monterey Jazz Festival. In addition to his busy performance schedule in Boston, Jeff remains an active member of the San Diego, CA jazz scene.

Tenor saxophonist Jesse Scheinin, originally from California, was a winning composer in Downbeat Magazine’s Student Musician Contest, and has performed with Joshua Redman, Miguel Zenon, Billy Harper, and Dave Douglas.

6, 7 THE ARI HOENIG QUARTET

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Ari Hoenig - Drums
Gilad Hekselman - Guitar
Orlando LeFleming Bass

As a drummer, Ari Hoenig's success has been unprecedented. Growing up in Philadelphia, his parent's influence exposed Ari to a variety of alternative musical experiences. His father is a conductor and classical singer, his mother a violinist and pianist. Accordingly, at six years of age, Ari began studying the violin and piano. He began playing drums at age twelve and by age fourteen, he was honing his skills with other young jazz musicians at Philly clubs such as Ortlieb's Jazz Haus.

The Ari Hoenig Quartet was formed at the end of 2002 while playing steadily every Monday night at the New York Village jazz club Fat Cat. The band featured Jacques Schwarz-Bart, on tenor sax, Jean Michel Pilc on piano and Matt Penman on bass. They released two records on the Smalls Records label: "The Painter" (2004) and the DVD "Kinetic Hues" (2005) Both records received rave reviews and Fanfare Magazine listed "The Painter" as one of the top 5 records of 2004. Interviews and articles featuring Ari himself have appeared in numerous publications, including Jazz Times, Modern Drummer, Jazzman, Bateria, Citizen Jazz, Philadelphia City Paper, All About Jazz, Philadelphia Weekly, Rim Shot, Drummer, Jazziz, Relix and Downbeat, which included Ari in the article "13 Drummers for the Future." Ari's quartet was filmed live at Fat Cat by Arte (French) television as part of a concert series "Jazz in New York." They appeared on the show "After Hours" on MSNBC and toured extensively worldwide, drawing strong audiences and critical acclaim wherever they played.

In 2006 Ari signed a multi record deal with Dreyfus Records and released his first record for them, "Inversations." Inversations features Jean Michel Pilc, Johannes Weidenmueller. The fall of 2006 kicked off a long CD release tour, taking the group through Spain, Italy, and Finland, as well as various cities in the U.S. Currently Ari leads two bands which both play his original music. Ari's Quartet, a.k.a. "Punk Bop," features Will Vinson on alto, Jonathan Kreisberg or Gilad Hekselman on guitar, and Matt Penman on bass. Ari looks forward to his next Dreyfus release on which "Punk Bop" will be joined by Chris Potter on tenor. Ari's other group is a trio that he co-leads with longtime partner pianist Jean Michel Pilc. After playing in each other's trios for some time, Ari and Jean Michel formed the Hoenig Pilc Project in 2006 to meld their two trios into a single, uniquely bold musical statement. Ari plays often with these two groups at his regular Monday night gig at Smalls in the Village. He also uses this gig to present other side projects and experiments he is working on at the time.

Both of Ari's self-produced solo drum CDs, "Time Travels" (2000) and "The Life Of A Day" (2002), document his exploratory nature. They represent an ambitious tribute to the melodic possibilities of the drum set. Ari continues to build on the concepts of these two records by playing largely improvised solo concerts using a regular four piece drum kit and no percussion. In January and Febuary of 2007, Ari played solo drum concerts in the Opera House in Leon France; in New York City's 55 Bar; and for a live broadcast on Philadelphia radio station WRTI. Ari is also a composer, arranger, and pianist/keyboardist. His compositions and arrangements are included in the repertoires and recordings of Kenny Werner, Jean Michel Pilc, Jazz Mandolin Project, the R & B band "Good Results," and Bojan Z's group. In 2005, in affiliation with the National Endowment for the Arts, Ari was awarded a "Meet the Composer" grant to perform his compositions with his own group.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

SUNDAY 8 THE BOBBY MUNCY OCTET

A native of Miami, Florida, Bobby Muncy was 11 when he began studying the clarinet, then moved to the tenor saxophone in school and at 16, began playing with several groups in South Florida. Over the next 15 years Bobby Muncy has played professionally along the east coast and toured internationally with several bands. He has performed with The Temptations, Little Anthony and the Imperials, The Platters, The Drifters, The Spinners, Skip Mahoney and the Casuals, Joe Piscopo, Nestor Torres, Bobby Parker, Tabou Combo, D’Zine, and many others. Bobby Muncy received his bachelors degree in jazz studies from Florida State University, masters degree in jazz saxophone performance from The University of Maryland.

This octet has been a labor of love for all members of the group. Very simply, it consists some of my favorite musicians in the greater Washington D.C. area. Sunday June 8th will feature Lena Seikaly on vocals, Joe Herrera on trumpet, Nathan Lincoln-Decusatis on piano, Anthony Pirog on guitar, Kevin Pace on Bass, Dennis Hoffman on drums and Brad Linde on saxophone.

13,14 BRIAN VANARSDALE QUINTET (SAX)

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Brian VanArsdale - saxophones
Eli Asher - trumpet
Roy Dunlap - piano
Jeff Hanley - bass
Jared Schonig - drums

Brian VanArsdale is a New York-based saxophonist and composer whose music combines the beauty and form of previous generations with a splash of the current direction and cutting edge articism - creating a product that is appealing to both listeners and jazz critics alike.

Originally from the southern United States, Brian attended school at the University of Illinois, University of North Florida, and Eastman School of Music, where he was twice recognized with awards for best performer. Brian was the recipient of five DOWNBEAT awards for his playing and writing, and twice performed at the East Coast Jazz Festival and IAJE Annual Convention. Brian’s playing and composing can be heard on the University of North Florida’s award winning albums Things to Come and Second Thoughts.

Professionally, Brian has been a participant in the Steans Institute for Young Artists at the Ravinia Festival in Chicago Illinois, and in 2003 he was selected as one of the top 15 jazz composers under the age of 30 by ASCAP.

Brian has released three commercial albums-each with different ensembles and varied subject matters. The first, The Flood, featured the Brian VanArsdale Orchestra performing a five movement piece written to interpret the ‘flood story’ (most commonly known as the story of Noah and the Ark from the bible). This album received great critical acclaim, including a ranking by the Sunday Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia as the number six best CD of 2005, with critic Kenny Weir calling the work “a sprawling epic that surges and swirls.” Brian’s second release, Cryptography, featured Brian in a trio setting with bass and drums. The album features five originals, along with three reinterpreted standards, and a composition by Bunky Green that was written for Brian. Both albums are available worldwide from most popular outlets.

Brian's newest release, featuring his quintet is entitled From the Heart. The album features Clay Jenkins, Mamiko Kitaura, Dan Loomis, Ivan ‘Ike’ Sturm, and Jared Schonig, and attempts to take a fresh look at the classic quintet instrumentation in jazz. This album, released November, 2007 on Jazz Excursion Records, is receiving radio play all over the country, along with acclaim from critic and casual listener alike. Brian’s playing and writing can also be heard on The Dan Loomis Quartet's newest album I Love Paris, also on the Jazz Excursion Records label.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

15 DJABE (Jazz/World Fusion)

"It's very nicely played and produced and the musicianship is certainly world class. I think Steve surpassed himself. The packaging looks fantastic. Congratulations!" Billy Budis, manager of Steve Hackett Djabe is one of the most famous and widely recognised authorities from Hungary all over Europe, well-known for its varied jazz music with a taste of Hungarian folk music spiced with all kinds of world music components (Indonesian, African ...etc). Their style of music is really sophisticated and colourful - they play both dinamic and relaxing compositions.

Djabe is made up of extraordinary virtuoso musicians, like Ferenc Kovacs (violin, trumpet) who also worked together with David Murray and Archie Shepp. The band has had various gigs with Ben Castle (Sting, The Brand New Heavies, Jamie Cullumn) and Steve Hackett (former guitarist of Genesis)as well. Tamas Barabas, one of the best bass guitaist in Hungary played together with Gary Willis.

Last but not least, Djabe is a multi-awarded band - the Witchi Tai To album won the prize of the most prestigiuos Hungarian Music Award in the category of the best Jazz/World Music Album of the Year, in 2002 the Update was the Best Hungarian World Music Album of the Year. At Klaipeda Jazz Festival Djabe has won a special prize for their performance in 2006. The DVD audio version of the 'Sheafs are dancing' album was awarded by the Surround Music Award in 2005 in L.A., USA and won the international PRince Award in 2004.

18 THE JAZZ EMPERORS

Elijah Balbed - Tenor Sax
Michael Brandon - Alto Sax
Jacob Baron - Piano
Adam Neely - Bass, Arranger
Ele Rubenstein - Drums

This Straight-Ahead/Modern Jazz group consists of college students, all Washington, DC natives, who collectively represent some of the best music schools along the East-Coast including Howard University, Temple University, Oberlin Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. Formed in 2007 by saxophonist Elijah Balbed, the Emperors play a wide range of jazz from Be Bop to Latin to Funk to Fusion and have performed at venues such as Ellington's on Eighth, the U.S.S. Sequoia Presidential Yacht, and at the Takoma Park Jazz Festival. You can find out more about Elijah Balbed and the Jazz Emperors at http://www.elijahbalbed.com.

19 CHOPER JAZZ PROJECT

The brainchild of Brian Choper, The Choper Jazz Project is an elegant, yet sometimes slightly aggressive band featuring contemporary straight-up jazz, where the musicians don't just play, but jam together, trading 8's or simply trading solos, always feeding off of one another and sharing their energy with one another and with the audience -- in a way that takes arrangements and turns them into band jams...intentionally! They create a sound and a groove that provides class and energy to any evening. This is a great band for anyone who likes watching good musicians open up and have fun. Brian Choper on Drums, Zulfugar Baghirov on saxophone, Lou Durham (from the Army Band) on keyboard, Bill Hones (from the Air Force Band) on Bass. For more details, see www.choperjazzproject.com.

20,21 JAMIE BAUM AND TIMEPIECE

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Timepiece is a cooperative jazz quartet that performs creative and exciting arrangements of jazz standards and originals with contributions by all its members. Long-time friends and compatriots Jamie Baum on flute and alto flute, Roberta Piket on piano, Cameron Brown on bass and Jeff Hirshfield on drums bring together their rich and varied experiences to create some unique and fresh music. While rooted in the jazz tradition with a modern sound and spirit, their very personal take is realized in a recently recorded self-titled CD where they incorporate today’s harmonic and rhythmic palette with time-tested songs. Having performed in many different configuration with several of the jazz icons, their collective list reads a who’s who of jazz ranging from Art Blakey, George Russell, Joe Lovano, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Toots Theilman, Dewey Redman, Benny Golson, Jim Hall, Woody Herman, Red Rodney and Ira Sullivan, Lionel Hampton, Randy Brecker, etc. Adding spice to the mix is their individual work with Latin, Brazilian, Indian and classical musicians. All based in New York, they have performed in both local clubs as well as having toured almost every continent.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

26 CHOPER JAZZ PROJECT

The brainchild of Brian Choper, The Choper Jazz Project is an elegant, yet sometimes slightly aggressive band featuring contemporary straight-up jazz, where the musicians don't just play, but jam together, trading 8's or simply trading solos, always feeding off of one another and sharing their energy with one another and with the audience -- in a way that takes arrangements and turns them into band jams...intentionally! They create a sound and a groove that provides class and energy to any evening. This is a great band for anyone who likes watching good musicians open up and have fun. Brian Choper on Drums, Zulfugar Baghirov on saxophone, Lou Durham (from the Army Band) on keyboard, Bill Hones (from the Air Force Band) on Bass. For more details, see www.choperjazzproject.com.

27,28 BENITO GONZALEZ (PIANO)

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

In 2004, Benito released his debut album as a leader, “Starting Point”, featuring world-class musicians Christian McBride on bass, Antonio Sanchez on drums, Ron Blake and Rene McLean on reeds and Pernell Saturnino on percussion. “Starting Point” was ranked #6 by Washington D.C.’s jazz radio programmers placing this independent release in the company of jazz legends and record company giants. Benito is being recognized as an exciting composer and vibrant performing virtuoso. His sound, a wealth of diverse musical ideas, represents the next generation of great performers and composers. He is currently leading a jazz/Latin project that incorporates world rhythms and classical concepts. 2005 marks a year of touring with his working band to promote his new release. Later this year Benito returns to the studio to record his second album featuring Jack DeJohnette on drums, Christian McBride on bass and Gary Thomas on sax.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

2 STAN KILLIAN QUARTET(SAX)

"PERFORMING FIRST WEDNESDAYS @ TWINS JAZZ!"

Stan Killian - tenor sax
Harry Appleman - piano
Eric Wheeler - bass
Eric Kennedy - drums

Based in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area, tenor saxophonist Stan Killian is currently dividing his time between two major projects. The Stan Killian Quartet performs original music drawing inspiration from the minds of Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Henderson. He also co-leads Com Vocę, an ensemble which interprets Brazilian and American modern jazz from bossa nova to MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and beyond. Reviewers have described his playing as “virtuosic”, “muscular”, and “mellifluous.” Peter Westbrook from Jazz Review writes, “Killian is by no means another Coltrane clone. He has a voice of his own with an almost classical sonority at times.”

www.stankillian.com

11,12 JAMES "SAXSMO" GATES QUARTET w/ SPECIAL GUEST LARRY WILLIS

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Michael Hawkins - Bass
Billy Williams - Drums
Special Guest Larry Willis - Piano
James "Saxsmo" Gates - Saxophones (Alto, Tenor, Soprano)

IT'S TIME is the new CD from James Saxsmo Gates. IT'S TIME is a great second solo CD from Saxsmo. It features great performances by James Gates, the great Fred Wesley, Robbie Cunningham, noted drummer and composer Nate Smith (who plays with Grammy winner Dave Holland), Hannon Lane, the prodigy - Brandon Lane, smooth jazz trumpeter - Bill McGee, noted pianist and educator - Dr. Weldon Hill, Tom Reaves on guitar, and a host of talented musicians.

IT'S TIME is a collection of ten great compositions featuring exciting performances by SAXSMO and friends. Several songs have been acclaimed as stand out singles by radio professionsals all around the country. The title track IT'S TIME features SAXSMO at his best laying down a memorable melody with a hip groove, UNLIMITED CHANCES is another stand out contemporary standard with a traditional quartet line up featuring Dr. Weldon Hill on piano, Billy Williams on Drums and Mike Hawkins (Cyrus Chestnut). You will definitely want to hear SAXSMO perform the Luther Vandross ballad I'D RATHER this song is going to get a lot of quiet storm airplay all around the globe.

The great FRED WESLEY is prominently featured on the classic jam AIN'T NO STOPPIN' US NOW. Fred came to town and blew the doors of the studio off. The live strings on this track and on I'D RATHER were arranged and conducted by one of the most talented producers and musicians around Hannon D. Lane. SAXSMO is also joined by his friend, partner and smooth jazz trumpeter BILL MCGEE on the funky duet SEXOPHONE this is a rompin' track with great horns played by Bill, James and Hannon.

As a performer, you'll find everyone who has heard Saxsmo play live will agree that James Saxsmo Gates is without a doubt one of the most exciting sax players in the country and we all know that it's truly just a matter of time before Saxsmo takes his place at the top of the Jazz charts alongside all of the other notable present day saxophonists.

Saxsmo is a graduate of the venerable Berklee College of Music and a protege of Billy Kilson, Terri Lynn Carrington, Lynne Fidmont, Walter Beasley, Alex Bugnon, Freddie Fox, Cyrus Chestnut, Brandon Marsalis, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jeff Tain Watts, Shelia Ford, Marvin Smitty Smith, Wallace Roney, Makoto Ozone, Ron Savage, Billy Hart, Omar Hakim, Lala Hathaway, Greg Osby, Kevin Eubanks, Robin Eubanks, Wil Calhoun, Donald Harrison, and many many others.. From Be-Bop, to Straight Ahead, to Swing, to Modern, to Progressive, to Smooth Jazz, when it comes to the language of Jazz, James Saxsmo Gates, is one of America's most fluent speakers of the language. A virtual encyclopedia of the genre, embodied all in one very special artist.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

16, 17 LESLIE CASEY AND COMPANY

Leslie Casey and Company
Piano Jessica Stewart
Bass- Hideshi Omachi
Sax - Neal Spitzer
Drums- Glenn Sorino

Leslie Casey and Company comes back to DC for "two nights" bringing back their brand of jazz/ neo-soul to Twins. The New York based band has been giving great and solid performances since forming last May. In 2007, Leslie released her four song EP entitled "Take A Chance" which has allowed the band to perform at venues such as Cornelia Street Café and Smalls Jazz Club in New York. Along with being a regular in Twins, they are also a favorite at The River Room of Harlem.

Later this year, Leslie and her band are in the process of making their first full length CD.

18, 19 MARK MOSLEY QUARTET FEATURING DAVE SCHNITTER (SAX)

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

Radam Schwartz - Organ
Greg Holloway - Drums
Dave Schitter - Tenor Sax
Mark Mosley - Guitar

Dave Schnitter Jazz Master, Tenor Sax, Composer, Arranger, Educator. “Schnitter's sound is now somewhere between Hank Mobley's warm muskiness and Coltrane's direct, vibratoless approach. He is the jazz world’s forgotten messenger, a marvelous musician who just happened to be in the right place right before the right time.” All About Jazz New York. In 1972 Schnitter formed his own group in New York. Folks who remember Dave Schnitter as a hard-bop tenor player with the Jazz Messengers in the '70s might be a bit surprised by his latest offering. Sketch (Sunnyside), recorded in early 2001, does indeed demonstrate Schnitter's continued ease with that classic approach, but with its lack of a chordal instrument, quirky stop-and-go compositions by Schnitter or trumpeter James Zollar ("Dili Dali," "Sketch," "Sooner or Later," "Flirtation With Faust," "Sputnik"), and sometimes free-jazz improvisational phraseology, it also shows the marked influence of Ornette Coleman's early groups. It's on the standards "For All We Know," "All or Nothing at All" and "You Don't Know What Love Is" where Schnitter is most likely to show his Coltrane and Joe Henderson influences and Zollar to demonstrate his considerable hard-bop skills (he can also do a fine New Orleans gut-bucket imitation). With long-time associate Jimmy Madison on drums and the broadly experienced Thomas Bramerie on bass, the group achieves a high level of cohesion that enables them to interact quite effectively. Sketch is a satisfying combination of the familiar and the unpredictable. David Franklin, JAZZTIMES, December 2004 issue

Mark Mosley is a Baltimore-based jazz and blues guitarist who was inspired to pursue music as a career after performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival while in high school. Since then, Mosley has expanded his experience in a variety of ways - even during his stint with the United States Army, often making an evening gig after having jumped out of a C-130. Since his days with the Army, Mark has toured Spain with Lou Donaldson and worked with Gary Bartz and Keter Betts, among others.

www.guitaristmarkmosley.com

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

25, 26 T.K. BLUE "FOLLOW THE NORTH STAR" CD RELEASE

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

T.K. Blue (born Talib Kibwe) is an American jazz saxophonist from New York City. His parents were Jamaican and Trinidadian, and he has used their Afro-Caribbean musical styles in his own work. He has worked with, among others, Don Cherry and the South African pianist Dollar Brand.

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

6 STAN KILLIAN QUARTET(SAX)

"PERFORMING FIRST WEDNESDAYS @ TWINS JAZZ!"

Stan Killian - tenor sax
Harry Appleman - piano
Eric Wheeler - bass
Eric Kennedy - drums

Based in the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area, tenor saxophonist Stan Killian is currently dividing his time between two major projects. The Stan Killian Quartet performs original music drawing inspiration from the minds of Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, McCoy Tyner, and Joe Henderson. He also co-leads Com Vocę, an ensemble which interprets Brazilian and American modern jazz from bossa nova to MPB (Musica Popular Brasileira) and beyond. Reviewers have described his playing as “virtuosic”, “muscular”, and “mellifluous.” Peter Westbrook from Jazz Review writes, “Killian is by no means another Coltrane clone. He has a voice of his own with an almost classical sonority at times.”

www.stankillian.com

15,16 THE DAVID GUIDI QUARTET W/ VINCENT GARDNER

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

“The music is introspective and thoughtful, yet by turns burningly hot when it needs to be.”- Cadence Magazine

The members of the David Guidi Quartet have performed across the globe and as a group, they program original compositions along with a wide array of arrangements of jazz standards. They have featured several prominent musicians including Jason Marsalis and Marcus Roberts and seek to coordinate venues as a quartet in addition to upcoming collaborations with musicians such as Ron Westray, Marcus Printup and Vincent Gardner.

The leader of the quartet, David Guidi, is an award-winning composer and performing musician who is consistently recognized as a rising jazz artist. He has been referred to as both a “…Significant young artist, clearly committed to a long life of jazz” (Jazzreview.com) and as “…Someone to watch carefully in the future” (Cadence Magazine).

The Quartet’s performances include the blues and swing aspect of jazz music along with numerous other styles that are synonymous with the most respected and recognized groups performing today. They have performed extensively in the southeast and continue to welcome other national and international venues.

Vincent Gardner is widely recognized around the world as a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra directed by Wynton Marsalis. He has performed, toured, and/or recorded with the most well known artists of today, including The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bobby McFerrin, The Count Basie Orchestra, Frank Foster, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Chaka Kahn, A Tribe Called Quest, Nancy Wilson, McCoy Tyner, Nicholas Payton, Illinois Jacquet, Tommy Flanagan, Marcus Roberts, Matchbox 20, Jimmy Heath, Lauryn Hill and others.

www.davidguidi.com

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

5,6 KATY ROBERTS TRIO

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

BUY TICKETS ONLINE

9 FUGIMUNDI