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WEDNESDAY

After more than 50 years in jazz, legendary bassist Ray Brown still can deliver the goods with equal parts sophistication and stank. After working with several saxophonists and piano players, Brown is finally set to release an album that features his current pair of young-gun sidemen—pianist Geoff Keezer and drummer Karriem Riggins. Collaborating with a pianist who also plays guitar in a punk band and a drummer who grew up listening to hiphop may seem like risky business for an old-school veteran like Brown. But Keezer masterfully channels the bluesy spirit of Phineas Newborn while Riggins locks in the grooves as tight as Max Roach and coaxes the brushes as tastefully as Ed Thigpen. Brown grounds both with bass lines that walk with vintage 52nd Street hipness. Quite simply, the Ray Brown Trio is one of the best cross-generational small ensembles on the scene today. Catch Brown & Co. in action at 9 and 11 p.m. at One Step Down, 2517 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. $30. (202) 955-7141. (John Murph)