MADELEINE PEYROUX
Madeleine Peyroux’s ninth album, Let’s Walk, is a bold, heartfelt exploration of personal and social themes, blending jazz, folk, and chamber pop. In ten deeply personal tracks co-written with longtime collaborator Jon Herington, Peyroux navigates confessional, political, and whimsical tones, driven by her signature soulful voice. Inspired by civil rights marches and informed by events like the George Floyd trial, songs such as “Find True Love” and “Let’s Walk” capture hope and resilience. With production by Elliott Scheiner, the album moves through reflections on privilege, justice, and healing, from the playful “Me and the Mosquito” to the spoken-word closer, “Take Care.” Following pandemic-driven delays, Peyroux now brings Let’s Walk to live audiences, merging new work with her beloved renditions of timeless classics.
Louisiana born-and-raised singer-songwriter and guitarist Joy Clark is charting her own path with her debut album Tell it to the Wind. As the youngest of five children born into a tight knit, deeply religious family just outside of New Orleans, her release is both a declaration of her independence and a love letter to the traditions that shaped her. The album marks Clark’s arrival on the national stage as a proud, queer, Black woman blending the social consciousness of folk, the rhythms of Southeast Louisiana, and the soul-centered music she grew up with.
Tickets: $65.00 ~ $82.00
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JANE MONHEIT
Jane Monheit is a jazz and adult contemporary vocalist with a deep passion for the Great American Songbook. With many highly acclaimed solo albums, countless awards and accolades, and over two decades of international touring experience, Jane has not only been an extremely successful bandleader, but has had the privilege of making music with some of the greatest musicians, arrangers, and producers in jazz.
During her childhood, Jane studied woodwinds and piano, spent a decade performing in award winning choirs, and participated in community theater on Long Island. Throughout all of this, her focus remained on jazz, especially interpretation of the Songbook. At the age of 20, during her senior year at the prestigious Manhattan School Of Music, Jane placed second in the Thelonious Monk Competition, now known as the Hancock Competition. This led to an incredible career trajectory, catapulting Jane into the jazz stratosphere nearly overnight.
By 22, Jane was working with legends such as Tommy Flanagan, Ron Carter, and Kenny Barron, recording her first albums, and touring the planet. This led to collaborations with jazz luminaries such as Terence Blanchard, Ivan Lins, Tom Harrell, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Vince Mendoza, Jorge Calandrelli, and many more. Countless television appearances followed, including David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show, The View, and many popular international talk shows. Several successful film soundtracks have also included Jane’s music, including Sky Captain And The World Of Tomorrow and Never Let Me Go.
TICKETS: $25.00 ~ $40.00
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50 SHADES OF O: ORRIN EVANS
50 SHADES OF O: Orrin Evans’ 50th Birthday Celebration with the Orrin Evans Trio and special guest vocalist Ms. Lisa Fischer! Orrin Evans and his 2x Grammy-nominated Captain Black Big Band released and will be performing music from their new studio album, Walk A Mile In My Shoe!
For more than two decades, Yamaha pianist Orrin Evans has made an art form of the unexpected. With more than 25 albums to his credit without ever relying on the support of a major label, Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who’s made a habit of rattling the jazz world’s confining cages. That determination has paid off in accolades like topping the “Rising Star Pianist” category in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and two Grammy nominations. As an adventurous composer he traverses stylistic boundaries with abandon, drawing on full-throttle swing, deep rooted blues, expressive soul or bracing excursions into the avant-garde.
After four decades of featured background singing with icons like Luther Vandross, The Rolling Stones, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner, and Nine Inch Nails, Ms. Lisa Fischer set out to take center stage with her own humble, heartfelt song. The 2013 Best Documentary Oscar winning film “Twenty Feet from Stardom” altered the course of Lisa’s musical journey, telling her story, with clips of her legendary duets with Sting or with Mick Jagger on “Gimme Shelter”, left audiences eager to see and hear more.
The Lineup:
Ms. Lisa Fischer ~ vocals
Orrin Evans ~ piano
Robert Hurst ~ bass
Jeff “Tain” Watts ~ drums
Tickets: $45.00 ~ $55.00 + fee | Streaming: 6:00pm Only ~ $15.00 + fee
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CATHERINE RUSSELL
My Ideal, a breathtaking new album from acclaimed GRAMMY®-nominated vocalist Catherine Russell and prodigious pianist Sean Mason. This modern classic marks a significant milestone in both artists’ careers, capturing a powerful and intimate musical dialogue. My Ideal elevates their partnership to new heights, featuring a complete set of voice-and-piano duets that hark back to classic jazz traditions.
Since her debut solo album in 2006, Catherine Russell has captivated audiences with her rich, soulful voice and exceptional interpretative skills, with her eight previous solo albums garnering critical acclaim. Catherine has toured and recorded with Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Toshi Reagon and Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.
Tickets: $45.00 ~ $55.00 + fee | Streaming: 6:00pm Only ~ $15.00 + fee
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The Jazz Voyager
The nation’s capital is this week’s destination as the Jazz Voyager departs the warm climes of South Florida for a more frigid weather experience ranging in the thirties. But jazz only knows two temperatures — cool and hot and the latter will be warming up the room at Blues Alley this Thursday with two shows at 7:00 and 9:30pm.
Wife and husband team Jean and Marcus comprise The Baylor Project which hail out of New York City are taking the stage this week. They have been nominated for four Grammy awards and continually pay homage to their wide-ranging musical influences. In doing so they generate an eclectic sound whose overall effect is spiritual, buoyant, and feel good music.
Tickets: $35 + $7 fee
Food and Beverage: $15 Minimum Per Person
Blues Alley’s address is 1073 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007. For more information visit bluesalley.com.
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