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Last week’s kickoff concert for Amy Bormet’s Washington Women in Jazz Festival featured an unexpected appearance by the Y chromosome. Specifically, local bassist Tom Baldwin was on stage for both trombonist Melissa Gardiner and vocalist Lena Seikaly’s sets at Twins Jazz. “He’s subbing for Karine Chapdelaine, who’s recovering from pneumonia,” Bormet explained.
Alas, this week was to be native Quebecois/Howard alum Chapdelaine’s night in the spotlight, sharing the bill with Ms. Bormet herself—-but it seems that pneumonia takes a while to recover from.
Instead, the evening’s second set belongs to Baltimorean Gabrielle Murphy. An adept player on both alto and tenor saxophone (and flute), Murphy, like many local players, is a graduate of Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory with a fiery, sly sound on her axe. She’ll be brandishing the tenor in the 10 p.m set (and supporting Bormet during the 8 p.m. one) this Wednesday at Twins.