DC Jazz Fest Hits the Right Notes This Weekend

Here is a comprehensive list of the DC Jazz Fest Artist Profiles. For more information, visit https://www.dcjazzfest.org/artists.

Marcus Miller
Multi-hyphenate Marcus Miller, a bassist, composer and media personality, will be one of the featured artists for the upcoming 2025 DC JazzFest. Miller, who has worked with Aretha Franklin, Herbie Hancock, Beyonce, and more, is also a two-time Grammy Award winner. Miller’s set will be at DC JazzFest at The Wharf on Saturday, August 30. -Kate Oczypok

John Scofield Trio
John Scofield is an experienced jazz improviser whose guitar work has influenced the genre for over 50 years. Scofield, an Ohio native and raised in suburban Connecticut, started learning the guitar at 11 years old and began his international career as a recording artist and bandleader in 1978. After that, as they say, the rest is history! Scofield’s set will be Sunday, August 31, at The Wharf. -Kate Oczypok

Tony Martucci Earth Tones
Tony Martucci has been performing for over 60 years. His original and interpretive drum style has made him the great collaborator, working with the likes of greats like John Abercrombie, Danny Gatton, Joe Henderson and more. His playing bridges styles like swing, bebop and modern jazz, often joining the past and present. Martucci and his band, the Earth Tones, will be playing Saturday, August 30 at The Wharf. -Kate Oczypok

Branford Marsalis Quartet
No jazz festival is complete without great saxophone, and DC JazzFest ’25 has one of the best in NEA Jazz Master Branford Marsalis and his brilliant quartet.  A robust, deeply expressive tenor saxophonist, these days Branford’s soprano saxophone may indeed be his most distinctive horn!  His longtime quartet includes pianist Joey Caldarazzo, drummer Justin Faulkner and bassist Eric Revis.cThe quartet will be playing Saturday, August 30 at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest

Emmet Cohen Trio
A young artist with an old soul, pianist Emmet Cohen has established himself through rewarding partnerships with his jazz elders – including NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Cobb and Ron Carter, as well as saxophonist Houston Person – both in-studio and onstage.  During the pandemic, his “Live from Emmet’s Place” concerts from his Harlem apartment became hugely popular, garnering millions of views. The trio will be playing Sunday, August 31 at The Wharf.  -DC JazzFest

The String Queens
With their performing profile increasing on a global scale, DCJF is proud to have presented The String Queens from the ensemble’s inception.  Recipients of a DCJF “Jazz Education Award” The String Queens, three dynamic women who are dedicated DC public school teachers, continue to excite global audiences with their vibrant mix of music from the Baroque period to modern jazz and beyond. The String Queens will be playing Saturday, August 30 at Arena Stage. -DC JazzFest

Herb Scott
One of the leading saxophonists in the DMV, Herb has been quite active on the jazz advocacy side as a co-founder of the Capital Hill Jazz Foundation.  A graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, he studied at Michigan State University under Rodney Whitaker.  He is the recipient of the 2023 Mayor’s Arts Award.  He has performed at venues ranging from DC’s renowned Mr. Henry’s, where is a regular, to the Kennedy Center and the White House. Scott will be playing Friday, August 29 at The Kennedy Center. -DC JazzFest

Leah Pilzer
The most in-demand baritone saxophonist in the DMV, she has been described as “A force of nature on the baritone” (CapitalBop).  A member of the JazzDC All-Stars, she has also performed with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, Baltimore’s Soulful Symphony, and has been a fixture on the annual Washington Women in Jazz Festival and is a member of the DIVA Jazz Orchestra. Pilzer will be playing Thursday, August 28 at The Kennedy Center. -DC JazzFest

Joshua Bayer
The guitarist has performed at venues across the region, including Blues Alley, NPR, the Kennedy Center, and Philadelphia’s Chris’s Jazz Café.  He has recorded for the Jazzheads and Interlace Records labels, and served on the music faculties at the Peabody Conservatory, American University, and the Washington Conservatory of Music. Bayer will be playing Wednesday, August 27 at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. ​-DC JazzFest

Lyle Link
One of the DMV’s most in-demand tenor saxophonists and flutists, he has performed with an array of jazz and pop greats.  He has also performed with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, the Richmond Symphony, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.  In addition to leading his group, the Lyle Link Quartet, he is a music educator at the Sheridan School and the Levine School of Music. Link will be playing Sunday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest

Makoto Ozone & Gregoire Maret
A renowned Japanese pianist who studied at the Berklee College of Music, where he first encountered and subsequently performed with vibraphonist Gary Burton.  He has made over 40 albums as a leader or co-leader, including partnerships with NEA Jazz Masters Chick Corea and Burton.  Additionally, he has composed film soundtracks and has worked extensively in jazz education.​ Ozone and Maret will be playing Sunday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. This performance is presented with generous support from the Embassy of Japan, a proud partner of the DC Jazz Festival. -DC JazzFest

Todd Marcus
The Baltimore-based composer and bandleaders has been aptly characterized as one of only a handful of jazz artists in the world to focus their work primarily on the bass clarinet, though he also excels on the clarinet.  As a bandleader he has embraced the jazz clarinet tradition, including collaborations with such masters of the instrument as Don Byron. Marcus will be playing Sunday, August 31 at Arena Stage. -DC JazzFest

Akua Allrich & The Tribe!
Jazz vocalist and DC-native Akua Allrich has proven herself to be a musician of extraordinary talent and crowd-moving passion. With finesse and charisma, this vocalist, composer and teacher, has successfully etched out a place for her unique musical expression, electrifying audiences in and around the nation’s capital with sold-out performances. Allrich will be playing Saturday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. –DC JazzFest

Hiruy Tirfe Quartet
Winner of the 2024  DCJazzPrix, this energetic quartet is helmed by the soaring tenor saxophone of Philly-based Hiruy Tirfe, who is of Eritrean descent. He has collaborated with The Roots, Patti LaBelle and Solange Knowles, among others. The quartet will be playing Sunday, August 31 at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest

Paul Carr & Vanessa Rubin
Paul Carr, a Houston native and 1985 Howard University graduate, has dedicated his professional career to performing and promoting Jazz through education and community outreach. He carries on the Texas tenor tradition espoused by great heroes such as the late Houstonians Arnett Cobb and Don Wilkerson who served as his early idols and mentors. He grew up in inner-city Houston, Texas and was a member of the Kashmere High School Stage Band, whose director, the late Conrad Johnson, is the subject of a documentary, Thunder Soul, produced by actor, Jamie Foxx. Carr and Rubin will be playing Sunday, August 31 at Arena Stage. -DC JazzFest

The JazzMeia Horn Quartet
After winning the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition in 2015, this magnetic vocalist has received two GRAMMY nominations.  Her broad repertoire ranges from jazz standards in the tradition of Betty Carter and Sarah Vaughan to distinctive jazz remakes of material by artists like Stevie Wonder. The quartet will be playing Sunday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest 

Matthew Whitaker
New Jersey native Matthew Whitaker continues to amass an impressive audience through his kinetic and deeply soulful keyboard work.  Blind since birth, he has performed at the virtual DC JazzFest Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and the Apollo Theater, where he opened for Stevie Wonder’s Hall of Fame induction concert. Whitaker will be playing Friday, August 29 at DC JazzFest at The Anthem. -DC JazzFest

Eddie Palmieri Tribute Afro-Caribbean Jazz Octet
“Unfortunately health challenges prevent me from playing DC JazzFest 2025.  However, my band will be on fire as always and thank you for supporting the Eddie Palmieri Tribute.” -Eddie Palmieri

One of the reigning kings of Latin jazz, multiple GRAMMY-winning pianist, composer, bandleader and NEA Jazz Master Eddie Palmieri Tribute is a leading figure in the evolution of the genre.  A true legend, this celebrated artist from Puerto Rico will electrify the masses gathered at The Wharf for DC JazzFest® 2025. The tribute octet will be playing Sunday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. –DC JazzFest

Sun Ra Arkestra
Though its leader, the Afro-Futurist and NEA Jazz Master Sun Ra, , this uniquely colorful large ensemble continues to carry on its leader’s traditions in music ranging from swing time to no time.  Now led by 2025 NEA Jazz Master Marshall Allen, the Arkestra includes vivid elements of song, dance and film in its expressions of Sun Ra’s cosmic pursuits. Sun Ra Arkestra will be playing Saturday, August 30 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest

Gary Bartz NTU Troop
The recipient of a 2024 NEA Jazz Master award, alto and soprano saxophonist Gary Bartz is a proud son of Baltimore whose legacy runs deep in the DMV, where he has developed a robust audience.  Bartz’s Ntu Troop is an electrifying ensemble that delivers a powerful message of struggle, love and hope, exploring Black consciousness within the realm of jazz. The NTU Troop will be playing Sunday, August 31 at DC JazzFest at The Wharf. -DC JazzFest

Ron Carter

Grammy Award-winning bassist Ron Carter will headline D.C. Jazz Fest Sunday, Aug. 31, at Arena Stage. Spanning a career of 50 years, Carter holds the distinction of being the most recorded bassist in the history of recorded music, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, having contributed to more than 2,200 albums across multiple genres and styles. Carter has collaborated with renowned jazz musicians, including on the albums “Speak No Evil,” “Maiden Voyage,” and “Red Clay.” His early career included his 1961 studio album “Where?” Just two years later, Carter joined famed trumpeter and band leader Miles Davis’ Second Great Quintet from 1963-1968. Carter scored music from “A Gathering of Old Men” and “Blind Faith.” Carter has won three Grammy Awards: in 2022, he won with Skyline for Best Jazz Instrumental Album with the Skyline Trio; in 1993, he won for Best Jazz Instrumental Group— the Miles Davis Tribute Band; and in 1986 for his instrumental composition in the film “Round Midnight.” Beyond playing music, Carter has amassed an academic career, including teaching and six honorary degrees. Carter served as Artistic Director of Boston’s Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz Studies. He spent 18 years as a professor in the music department of The City College of New York, where Carter is now a Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He also taught at the Juilliard School and at the Manhattan School of Music.

Carter has also received foreign accolades for his work, including an award from the French Minister of Culture, accompanied by the medallion and title of Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters. The Japanese government also awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun, a distinction for people who have served the government, for his contributions to Japan-US relations in the field of music. -Maren Fagen

John Scofield Trio.

The JazzDC All-Stars Orchestra with Saxophonist Steve Wilson and Vocalist Christie Dashiell

The JazzDC All-Stars Orchestra, accompanied by Steve Wilson, a saxophone player, and Christie Dashiell, a vocalist, will perform at Arena Stage on Saturday, Aug. 30. The All-Stars Orchestra will perform a special composition of the work of Billy Childs, a renowned jazz pianist and composer. Allyn Johnson, an acclaimed pianist and composer, directs the group. The ensemble previously included pianist Janelle Gill, bassist Herman Burney, drummer Nasar Abadey, trumpeter Thad Wilson, trombone artist Reginald Cyntje, lead alto Antonio Parker and tenor saxophonist Tedd Baker.

JazzDC has support from the Galena Yorktown Foundation and the Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation. Additional support provided by Tanner Powell, Peter Gillon, Leslie Whipkey, Debbie Veney, Carmencita Whonder, Erik Moses, Stephen Riddick, Jeffrey Freund, Sunny Sumter, D’Qwell Jackson, Pamela Frazier, and Patricia Sarcone.

Wilson will perform alongside the group, having recorded more than 25 albums in his career and contributing to more. He is currently a faculty member with the New England Conservatory in Boston. In the Aug. 30 performance, he will play the saxophone, though Wilson is also known for his performance on the clarinet and piccolo.

Dashiell will join the orchestra and Wilson to perform for the festival. She was a Grammy nominee for the 2025 Best Jazz Vocal Album, honoring her second album “Journey in Black.”  She also contributed to Terri Lyne Carrington’s noted recreation of the classic landmark jazz album addressing the Civil Rights Movement by Max Roach and Abbey Lincoln’s collaboration, “We Insist: Freedom Now!” Dashiell has performed with the All-Stars Orchestra before. -Maren Fagen

Birckhead

Brent Birckhead, an award-winning alto saxophonist, will perform for D.C. Jazz Fest at the Wharf Saturday, Aug. 30.

Birckhead released his first album in 2019 with producer Revive Music, resulting in a self-titled work that explores themes of activism and experimentation. Songs on this album include “4 and 6,” “3 Uptown” and “Flux.”

His second album, “Cacao,” released in April 2024, garnered critical acclaim as he continued to develop his craft in jazz music and expression, according to his website. This album features the namesake record, “Cacao,” as well as other songs, including “Headspace” and “Skyline.”

Birckhead was an artist-in-residence at Bohemian Caverns, a D.C. jazz club that closed in 2016.

While performing, Birckhead has shared the stage with renowned artists such as Lauryn Hill, SWV, Nas, and George Duke. Birckhead has also made appearances in NPR’s Tiny Desk performances alongside other artists and musicians.

Birckhead studied and practiced music in the Howard University Jazz Ensemble, where he received DownBeat magazine accolades including “Best Blues/Pop/Rock Soloist” and “Outstanding Instrumental Jazz Soloist.” At Howard, Birckhead earned his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music.

Beyond recording music, Birckhead also teaches the saxophone as a professor at the Baltimore School for the Arts and Morgan State University, both in Baltimore, Md. Birckhead is a Baltimore native but now resides in New York City.

The New York Times has called him “one of the most riveting young improvisers in New York,” and the Washington City Paper has also said Birckhead has “bottomless potential.”

Corcoran Holt

Jazz bassist Corcoran Holt will perform at the Wharf for D.C. Jazz Fest on Sunday, Aug. 31. Holt, a D.C. native, is the 2024-2025 D.C. Jazz Fest Artist-in-Residence. Holt’s album, “The Mecca,” includes his original “14th Street Bounce,” which represents the street he grew up on as a teenager in D.C. and the diverse cultures present on that one street, according to his website.

Holt also contributed to three Grammy-nominated recordings, including Kenny Garrett’s 2013 “Pushing the World Away,” Jamison Ross’s 2014 “Jamison” and The Baylor Project’s 2017 “The Journey.”

Holt began studying music at the age of four, focusing on West African percussion instruments, including the djembe, a goblet drum played with the hands. He studied these instruments as a member of the Wose Dance Company under the tutelage of Baba Aidoo Holmes and Mahiri Edwards. Holt began studying the upright bass with the D.C. Youth Orchestra.

Holt graduated from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Georgetown and received a Bachelor of Arts in jazz studies from Shenandoah Conservatory in 2004, where he studied bass with Michael Bowie. Holt earned his master’s in jazz studies from Queens College in New York City in 2006.

Having traveled extensively on tours during his professional career, Holt also toured the Middle East as a Jazz Ambassador alongside Alvin Atkinson and the Sound Merchants. On this tour, he represented the United States under the US State Department as a musician and educator.

Holt is now a professor in the School of Music, Dance and Theatre at Arizona State University.

-Maren Fagen

Cecile McLorin Salvant

Lalah Hathaway

A multitalented performing artist known for her ability of vocal expression, Lalah Hathaway is a singer, songwriter, and producer who effortlessly crosses multiple genres from R&B to jazz and is embraced by hip-hop artists for her rich contralto expressions. First rising to fame in the 1990s with the release of her debut self-titled album, “Lalah Hathaway,” the album’s lead single “Heaven Knows” peaked in the top-five on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. She has continued to top the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart with songs such as “Forever, for Always, for Love”. She has won several Grammys including Best R&B Performance and Best Traditional R&B Performance. Currently, Hathaways owns independent record label, Hathaway Entertainment, through which her last two albums, “Honestly” and “Vantablack” have been released. Lalah Hathaway will be performing at the Anthem on Friday, August 29. – Caroline Woodward

The Baylor Project

Looking for a vibrant, ever engaging, and consistently crowd-pleasing band? The Baylor Project, a modern jazz ensemble, co-led by the wife and husband duo of vocalist Jean Baylor and drummer Marcus Baylor, offers just this sort of musical excitement. This multi-GRAMMY nominated group manages to highlight both jazz traditional and sound, with its explosive horn section and Marcus’ drum, while maintaining the soul of R&B via Jean’s gospel and expressive-rich vocalizations. Their album “Generations” won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Vocal Jazz Album in 2022 and the band has been featured on NBC’s viral series, Tiny Desk Concert. The Baylor Project will be performing at DC Jazzfest at The Wharf on Saturday, August 30th. – Caroline Woodward

Cécile McLorin Salvant

Mixing the spirit of musical invention with wonderfully polished singing talent, French-American vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant has elevated the current state of jazz tradition through her work as a vocal artist. Equally comfortable with the American Songbook repertoire as she is with crafting her own original music, Salvant performs an eclectic array of songs with strong narratives, unexpected twists and humor. Her storytelling skills are magnetic and imbued with a singular vocal sensibility and overwhelming technique. At the age of only 21, she released her first album, “Cécile & the Jean-François Bonnel Paris Quintet,” which won the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. Now, Salvant is a 6-time Grammy nominee and 3-time winner of the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal album for her works, “For One to Love” (2015), “Dreams and Daggers” (2017), and “The Window” (2018).

Cécile McLorin Salvant will be performing as the Arena Stage on Thursday, August 28. – Caroline Woodward

Day 2

Brass-A-Holics

DOWNTOWN DC ANTHEM ROW – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Brass-A-Holics: Is an infectious band from New Orleans which incorporates funk and DC’s native go-go sound in its crowd-pleasing repertoire, which includes bass, guitar, and drum kit in expressions that can range across the Black music spectrum, literally from Louis Armstrong to Kendrick Lamar. This performance is made possible thanks to support from Events DC and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

Benjie Porecki

DOWNTOWN DC ANTHEM ROW – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Benjie Porecki: A versatile pianist and keyboard player versed in the B-3 organ, Porecki draws inspiration from a broad spectrum of soulful artists ranging from Ray Charles and Jimmy Smith to Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder. Porecki has released six recordings as a bandleader, his latest being 2025’s All That Matters. This performance is made possible thanks to support from Events DC and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.​

Be’la Dona

DOWNTOWN DC ANTHEM ROW – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

DC-based upholders of the go-go tradition established by the legendary Chuck Brown, this all-female band performs a captivating mix of R&B covers over go-go beats, and also incorporates jazz, pop and other R&B selections in their mix.​

Langston Hughes II

DOWNTOWN DC ANTHEM ROW – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Langston Hughes ll: Blessed with a rich, pure tone any, list or consideration of “who’s next” in jazz or on the alto saxophone must certainly include Langston Hughes ll.  A native of PG County, Langston matriculated at Howard University and recently achieved his graduate degree in music at the famed Juilliard School.  He has lately been firing up the bandstand at Blues Alley, with his own quartet as well as with pianist Cyrus Chestnut’s latest band. This performance is made possible thanks to support from Events DC and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development.

Elijah Easton

TAKOMA STATION – THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

From the future-funk of Nag Champa, to the jazz-meets-go-go fusion of Marc Cary’s Indigenous People, to the hard bop of frequent partner trumpeter Muneer Nasser, Elijah Easton’s hard-hitting tenor saxophone has been a major element.

Imani-Grace Cooper

KREEGER MUSEUM- THURSDAY, AUGUST 28

Imani Grace Cooper: A teaching artist, who matriculated at Howard University through the famed vocal ensemble tradition known as Afro Blue, Imani has vocalized alongside NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves, as well as Esperanza Spalding, and the late George Duke.  Deeply rooted in jazz voice, she draws inspiration from that wealthy tradition as well as from contemporary soul singers.

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