Playing overtime for the people
On a recent Saturday night on U Street, there were plenty of people going in and out of clubs and restaurants, traffic was heavy, and parking spaces were at a premium. In the 1200 block, across from the Lincoln Theatre, Andre Holmes, the manager at Duke’s City Restaurant & Lounge, was busy taking care of customers, then stepped outside for a moment and looked across the street.

He saw crowds of people coming out of the theater and quickly turned to his guitar player that night, Pete Muldoon, who had just come outside after his group had taken a break. But no rest for the talented, because Holmes asked Muldoon to get his group back together to play again in hopes that the music would draw some of the Lincoln Theater crowd into Duke’s City.

Muldoon, keyboardist Hope Nwachukwu and drummer Trey Cruddup started playing some more of their eclectic blend of contemporary jazz, with world beats and a little soul and funk for good measure.

Sure enough, a few couples wandered across the street, looked into Duke’s City and came in, and Holmes smiled and showed them to tables. So the group played almost two nonstop sets, but when it’s Saturday night and the people are out on the avenue looking for entertainment, you do what you have to do, guitarist, manager and waitresses joining in to keep the customers coming.

Muldoon, who said he moved to DC eight years ago, is a product of the University of the District of Columbia’s jazz studies program. He said the late Calvin Jones, noted trombonist and educator and former director of the program, “was the first person who really taught me what jazz was all about.” Muldoon, who also credits veteran bass master Steve Novosel and current UDC jazz guru Allyn Johnson as musical mentors, said his influences on the guitar include Wes Montgomery and Grant Green, among others. A Duke’s City regular lately, Muldoon has played around town at places like Maggiano’s on Wisconsin Avenue.

Duke’s City owner Donato Spinaci said there have been fewer customers this year when asked if the slowdown in the economy has affected his business. “It’s dropped off some, maybe 10 percent, but I will keep going,” said Spinaci of his 3-year-old restaurant. “U Street is still coming along very good. We get a lot of upscale clients.” Spinaci said he’s also thinking of opening a second location on H Street Northeast.

Keepers of the Heritage
In the tradition of this space highlighting not only the players but also the educators who are the keepers of the heritage of the music, like Davey Yarborough, Ron Kearns, Paul Carr, the late Joe Harris and many others, we caught up with Will Smith recently. No, not that Will Smith … this Will Smith is the saxophonist Will Smith of the dynamic W.E.S. Group, the Will Smith who has a doctorate in ethnomusicology and is an authority on hip hop as well as traditional jazz.

Smith was recently in Anguilla where he conducted a jazz camp and said, “We just wrapped up our second summer, and we will be back in November to get the students ready for the Anguilla Tranquility Jazz Festival. We have another summer program in St. Lucia coming up in the beginning of August. This will be our first program there, so I am really excited about growing that program as well.” Besides teaching, Smith said he is also working on another CD, as a follow up to “Ancestors” released two years ago.

You can (and should) catch this Will Smith performing at Westminster Church’s Jazz night Aug. 29, with some of the leading players of our jazz future, Nathan Jolley, drums, Noble Jolley, Jr., piano, and Eric Wheeler, bass.

The Right Medicine
Anyone in need of treatment to fix their jazz itch can find a doctor in the house at Blues Alley Aug. 14-17. He’s a healer who uses his Hammond B-3 organ to cure any ills you might have, as Dr. Lonnie Smith brings his unique brand of entertainment to the Northwest Washington club, fresh off his winning the Jazz Journalists Association’s Organ Player of the Year award at the organization’s annual awards event in June.

August Highlights: Thad Wilson, Aug. 4, 11, 18, 25, Bohemian Caverns … Paul Carr, Aug. 11, Vicino’s … Allyn Johnson, Paul Carr, Aug. 15, Westminster Church … Perry Conticchio, Aug. 15, National Gallery of Art  … Marcus Printup, Aug. 15, 16, Twins Jazz … Donvonte McCoy, Jon Ozment, Aug. 22, Westminster Church … The Young Lions, Aug. 22, National Gallery of Art … Mose Allison, Aug. 28-31, Blues Alley … Will Smith, Aug. 29, Westminster Church … Marty Nau Quintet with Luis Hernandez, Aug. 29, 30, Twins Jazz …