Jazz Lovers Appreciation Weekend

Do you currently subscribe to our weekly newsletter? Looking for some Jazz to get into this weekend? Well check your inbox for a very special treat in this weeks edition of Caverns News! Bohemian Caverns celebrates our loyal customers this weekend! Enjoy a 50% discount off of all tickets to second sets 11/18/11-11/20/11. Offer good for tickets purchased in advance at www.bohemiancaverns.com. Check your newsletter to grab your discount code before this offer expires! Catch you in the Cave.

Available exclusively for our newsletter subscribers. Discount code in this week's newsletter and redeemable for 11/18-19 10:30pm set and 11/20 10:00pm set.

Stay connected and join our list serve for the latest in authentic Jazz at the Caverns!

Lonnie Liston Smith

As if you needed yet another reason to make your way down to U Street this weekend, we're going to give it to you anyway. BC proudly presents one of contemporary music's most versatile musicians. In a career that spans some 25 years, Lonnie Liston Smith has been headlined in a variety of recordings as a featured sideman for some of Jazz music's most ILLUSTRIOUS leader's before stepping out to reveal his own original concepts as a bandleader in the mid 70s. Lonnie made several contributions to the work of artists of the time such as Ethel Ennis, Betty Carter, Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Max Roach and Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Miles Davis. He is a keyboardist of the first rank and has influenced a generation of young players who have acknowledged his rhythmic (swing), harmonic acumen and composing skills. Early in his musical career, Lonnie learned about the magical, healing power of music. Since that impressionable time, he has cultivated a rich musical mosaic which he hopes has helped to expand the consciousness, and raise the moral values of Planet Earth's humanity.

Fri, 11/11 & Sat, 11/12
8:30p & 10:30p

Catch you in the Cave...

Hot Ticket Weekend :: Tia Fuller

The good vibes keep rolling in the Caverns. This weekend don't miss a fantastic opportunity to catch accomplished Jazz musician and performer Tia Fuller. Jazz musicians are blessed with the desire and ability to play a genre that has a history as rich as its sound. All the greats, past and present know that it's not enough to simply play the notes, one has to live the music and feel it with every breath. When Tia Fuller picks up her sax to play, the two become one and something amazing happens as the notes and reverberations of her musical elixir fill the room. Suddenly, everything in the universe feels right and it's easy to see and hear why this artist and teacher was selected to be a member of the all-female band touring with R&B star, Beyoncé. An accomplished performer in her own right, this artist and teacher has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA and Master's degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Tia has recorded three CDs with her quartet, the most recent being "Decisive Steps". Tia can also be seen performing regularly with a number of bands, including the Ralph Peterson Septet, the T.S. Monk Septet, the Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, the Rufus Reid Septet, the Sean Jones Quintet, the Nancy Wilson Jazz Orchestra, and Wycliff Gordan Septet.

The Colorado native, who now resides in Essex County, New Jersey, says playing music makes her feel as if she is a vessel for the Spirit to flow through. While listening to her songs, she wants people to be uplifted and experience a sense of restoration, compelling them to move forward not in fear, but in love and faith.

Tia Fuller
11/4-11/5 | 8:30p & 10:30p
Click here to reserve seating!
Catch you in the Cave...

The Piano is Killing it this Year!

This Monday I found myself in a particularly pleasant mood getting ready for what the busy week ahead had in store for us at the Caverns. To get the morning going while my coffee was percolating I decided to listen to a little Pandora...station surfing, station surfing, still surfing - then finally! Robert Glasper will definitely do the job (Of Dreams to Come always does it). What was truly surprising and inspiring was what was to follow - I swear the next three artists were all Jazz pianists we have featured in the Cave THIS YEAR. All amazing talent. 1st up, Marc Cary (and the best cut on the album Focus of course - Taiwa. BTW this song is even hotter when you hear it live)...next up Cedar Walton - a living legend, enough said...and next (NO LIE) Jacky Terrasson. Wow. Could it be a sign that things are moving in the right direction or what?! I think so.

Well we are extremely proud to present this weekend's BC Feature: Jacky Terrasson. Right on time. Needless to say I've had a great week - we got off to a strong creative start musically and we are looking forward to ending it that way as well. Most importantly we are looking forward to sharing this energy and creativity with you! Don't miss some amazing artistry this weekend...and if you love it, make sure to tell us about it! Blog back, share your thoughts and share YOUR inspirations. Who gets you through your week?

Catch you in the Cave!

Jacky Terrasson :: Fri, 10/21 & Sat, 10/22 8:30p & 10:30p

Two time Grammy nominee Jacky Terrasson was acclaimed by the New York Times Magazine as "one of 30 artists under the age of 30 most likely to make an impact on American culture in the next 30 years." Since his 1994 Blue Note debut, Jacky Terasson, he has earned phenomenal worldwide response, ranking among Time magazine's Top Albums of 1995 and establishing him as a creator of new standards. Los Angeles Times heralds Jacky as "a pianist with a shining improvisational imagination. Terrason seems clearly determined to follow his own path." His feathery keyboard touch is coupled with a lot of power and passion, and a complete understanding of the blues and improvisation. Terrasson is also a gifted arranger, putting his own personal stamp on well-known tunes. He's been one of the jazz world's most talked about piano player/composers since he captured everyone's attention when he won the Thelonious Monk Competition in 1993.

Pieces of Ledisi | Up Close & Personal in the Cave!

On Oct. 5 The Recording Academy Washington, D.C., Chapter hosted Up Close & Personal with Ledisi with yours truly - the Caverns!

Moderated by GRAMMY-nominated producer Chucky Thompson, the event featured a lively and candid discussion with the four-time GRAMMY-nominated R&B artist, touching on topics such as Ledisi's creative process, her journey from an indie to a major label, future goals, performing at the White House, and balancing roles as an artist and entrepreneur, among other topics. Following the discussion, Ledisi took questions from the audience.

Check out GRAMMY.com for more exclusive coverage of this great event and to watch live video of the amazing chanteuse herself! We were honored to host such amazing talent in the Cave. The good vibes keep rolling. Hold on tight to see what's next...

The Rebirth of Cool

Check out Bohemian Cavern's feature in this month's issue of Arrive Magazine!

..."And then I saw it, glowing like a beacon a block away: the large, yellow saxophone jutting from the side of an old brick building. Below it, an awning spanned into a massive black-and-white keyboard. This was Bohemian Caverns, the venerable club that stands as a memorial of sorts to jazz in this city. Today,with new owners, diverse shows and an infusion of young fans, the venue is helping to usher in a new and vibrant era of music." www.arrivemagazine.com, "The Rebirth of Cool"

.:: The Fall is on FIRE in the Cave .::

BC Weekend Feature:

Benito Gonzalez | Fri, 10/14 & Sat, 10/15 | 8:30p & 10:30p

The fusion of world rhythms and straight-ahead jazz makes this performer an audience favorite all around the world. Benito Gonzalez is being recognized as an exciting pianist and composer for his well received debut album "Starting Point." After six years touring with jazz master Kenny Garrett, he added numerous festivals and jazz club dates to his credit. Benito has shared the stage with Curtis Fuller, Billy Hart, Jackie McLean, Hamiet Bluiett, and Steve Turre. His multicultural talents have led to frequent recording dates from American jazz masters to West African musicians to Latin bands.

This weekend's band will feature an AMAZING cast of musicians including:

Casey Benjamin - Saxophone
Ameen Saleem - Bass
Sam Knight - Drums
& Benito Gonzalez - Piano

A show to be talked about for months to come. Catch you in the Cave.

Club History

In 1926 a little jazz club was opened in the basement of a drugstore located at 11th and U St. called Club Caverns. Club Caverns soon became famous for their floor and variety shows. Washington's elite would come in droves dressed in their most formal attire, to be entertained by the likes of Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway.

In the 1950's Club Caverns soon became known as Crystal Caverns. The club would operate successfully, but it would reach its zenith peak when the club became known as Bohemian Caverns in the late 1950's to early 1960's, best known for its great Jazz and elegant atmosphere.

In 1962 Ramsey Lewis recorded "The Ramsey Lewis Trio at the Bohemian Caverns." This recording earned accolades and great commercial success. Mr. Lewis would shine another bright light on the corner of 11th and U St. when he won a Grammy for his recording "The In Crowd" recorded on the LP "The In Crowd, Live at the Bohemian Caverns."

The Caverns has brought a great many artists to its stage, but it was the immortals that built this house and our legacy: Washington's Son Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Louis Armstrong, Ramsey Lewis, Les McCann, Miles Davis, Shirley Horn, John Coltrane, Eric Dolphy, Wynton Marsalis, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus and even Bill Cosby. Even today, the Caverns continues to foster the best local talent, to amaze audiences with the hottest new acts, and to exclusively feature living legends such as Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Cyrus Chestnut, Pharoah Sanders, the Heath Brothers and Roberta Flack, to name a few.