About us
The Potomac River Jazz Club is a nonprofit society founded in 1971 whose purpose is to preserve, encourage and promote the playing and appreciation of traditional jazz. On our Web site [PRJC.org](https://prjc.org/) you’ll find information about trad jazz happenings in the Washington-Baltimore area, about our organization, about our affiliated jazz bands, about jazz history, and about many other items of interest to jazz fans. And be sure to check out what PRJC is doing to encourage young musicians to play traditional jazz with the Capital Focus Youth Jazz Band. Please look around the site, and if you want to make a comment or a suggestion, ask a question or just say “Hi,” please send us an e-mail. The PRJC can also be reached at 484-626-0887.
If you like traditional jazz, if you listen to Hot Jazz Saturday Night on WAMU, if you enjoyed the DC Tweed Rides' 1920s-themed after-parties, if you are listening to this kind of music online, you will enjoy the music at PRJC events.
While membership in this PRJC Meetup group is free to all, we encourage you to purchase a full Potomac River Jazz Club membership (annual dues $30 individual, $45 couple) to receive our monthly newsletter Tailgate Ramblings and $5 discount on admission to our events. Attend six events (we have typically 20+ per year), and you're gotten back the cost of your membership. Member ticket prices referred to in our event listings means people who have a paid membership in PRJC. Membership info is at https://prjc.org/joinprjc.html.
Upcoming events
4
- $15.00
The Conservatory Classic Jazz Band and the Monthly Jam Session
Alfio's La Trattoria, 4515 Willard Ave, Chevy Chase, MD, USThe Conservatory Classic Jazz Band opens and closes the music, with a Jam Session at the end of each set. All are welcome to sit in or just sit back and enjoy!
The Conservatory Classic Jazz Band was formed in 2003 to present the sounds of traditional jazz to Washington DC audiences. A seven-piece group, they play New Orleans style, Chicago style, small-group swing, and mainstream. CCJB members include Dave Robinson, leader/cornet/trumpet, Brian Priebe on trombone, Gary Gregg on clarinet/sax, Dan Hall on bass, Jeff Reynolds on guitar/banjo, Brian Alpert on drums. Visit the band's website for additional information.
The PRJC Monthly Jam Session is held at Alfio's La Trattoria in Chevy Chase. There is plenty or room for you and your friends. We could fit 100 people in there. That said, we do recommend, if you want a table for your group, arrive early. We will get you in, but can't promise seating groups together if the space has filled up.
Alfio's has free valet parking (tips are appreciated). Street parking is free but unobtainable. There is a full menu and bar.
Admission:
Non-Jammers (PRJC members $10, non-members $15), Youth & Jammers (Free). If you play, you don't pay!
Cash, checks or PayPal at the door, or in advance on Eventbrite.We welcome suggestions for possible event venues anywhere in the DMV. Our requirements include space for at least 70 people, plenty of parking, and a conveniently accessible location; near Metro is a plus.
3 attendees - $25.00
PRJC Presents: Marcel Penzies and The Peabody Promenaders
9707 Rosensteel Ave, Silver Spring, MD, USA joyful celebration of classic jazz performed by some of the region’s brightest young musicians from the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.
Back by popular demand after last year’s successful appearance, the Marcel Penzies Peabody Promenaders return to the Potomac River Jazz Club with the irresistible spirit of New Orleans jazz.
Featuring recent graduates and current students from The Johns Hopkins Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, this talented ensemble brings fresh energy and superb musicianship to the timeless sounds of the 1920’s and 1920’s. It’ll be an afternoon of lively, hot jazz rhythms, warm melodies, and familiar tunes that still delight listeners today—a joyful celebration of classic jazz performed by some of the region’s brightest young musicians.Marcel was named as a Strathmore Music Center Artist in Residence in 2025. Now, having earned his Master’s Degree in Music from Peabody, Marcel is an active player in the Baltimore-Washington area where he specializes in the jazz sounds of New Orleans and the boldness of Pan-American music. From an early age, Penzes performed at some of D.C.’s most famous venues, such as the Kennedy Center and Blues Alley. Being a product of the Washington D.C. music scene, Penzes is continually inspired by the diverse cultural landscape of the region, from Go-go to funk, salsa to jazz, reggae to rock, and everything in between.
Penzies has played in bands accompanying Braxton Cook, Sean Jones, Warren Wolf, Briann Lynch, Carmen Bradford, and Mike Rodriguez. In addition to sharing the stage with these modern greats, he has also opened for Joey Defranceso, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gabriel Alegria, and other notable jazz artists. As a bandleader, he has performed at Strathmore, the Kennedy Center, and more! He has also performed at many of the D.C. area’s jazz festivals, including the DC Jazz Fest, the Mid Atlantic Jazz Festival, and the Silver Spring Jazz Festival. Penzes has played at many of the D.C. region’s major venues and cultural institutions, including the Concert Hall at Strathmore, the Embassy of France, the Smithsonian Arts and Industries Building, and more principal venues.
The Potomac River Jazz Club (PRJC) has been bringing Traditional Jazz to the DC area since 1971. Our monthly concerts, Trad Jazz Jams, and online Jazz Talks offer a variety of programming for everyone. Our concerts are held at Rosensteel Hall in Silver Spring, MD. It is close to the Forest Glen Metro, has ample parking, and a spacious dance floor. There is plenty of seating, and a cash bar with beverages and snacks. Come on out and see why we have stood the test of time!
Admission: PRJC members ($20 (this means dues-paying members of PRJC, not this free Meetup group), General admission $25 at door, $22.50 if purchased online in advance. Youth with valid student IDs: Free. Sales at door are by cash, check or PayPal only.
Click here to buy tickets in advance!
Our events page: https://prjc.org/prjcevents.html
1 attendee 
PRJC FREE Zoom Jazz Talk: Shrieks, Dances, and Revels: Early Jazz Venues
Location not specified yetPLEASE NOTE: RSVP ON MEETUP DOES NOT REGISTER YOU FOR THIS EVENT! YOU MUST REGISTER USING THIS LINK BY 5 PM ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT TO RECEIVE THE LOGIN INFORMATION TO ATTEND THE EVENT!
# Zoom Jazz Talk: The Restored Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues w/David Sager
David Sager gives a multimedia tour of Ma Rainey's life and music, focusing on a new 5-CD boxed set of her recordings from 1923-28.
One of the most anticipated music releases of the year is Mother of the Blues: The Complete Paramount Recordings, 1923–1928, the definitive new 5-CD boxed set from the GHB Jazz Foundation celebrating the legacy of Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, widely recognized as the “Mother of the Blues.”Join jazz historian and author David Sager, who wrote the collection’s historic new liner notes, for a special presentation exploring Ma Rainey’s extraordinary life, groundbreaking career, and the making of this landmark release. The recordings have been meticulously restored by acclaimed audio engineer Doug Benson, bringing new life to Rainey’s complete Paramount recordings for a new generation of listeners.
Join us from the comfort of your home for this Zoom presentation.
Our Zoom Jazz Talks are always FREE to the public, but we greatly appreciate any donations made toward the program.
Registration required by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight time the day of the presentation to receive the Zoom link.The PRJC has been bringing trad jazz and swing music to the DC area for 52 years in the way of concerts, jams, and talks. Our Jazz Talk series centers around early jazz topics and features top musicians and historians. As these are all hosted on Zoom, you can enjoy them wherever you are.
The PRJC began its Jazz Talk series during the pandemic shutdown as a way to support musicians who were less able to work. The series has blossomed into an ongoing project featuring speakers from across the country focusing on trad jazz and swing topics.
You can support the PRJC or our Educational Talks and Concerts with a donation using the Paypal link.
More info is on the Events page of the PRJC web site.
Video recording of the event will be posted on the PRJC YouTube channel after it is completed.
PRJC’s programs are supported in part by the Maryland State Arts Council and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County.
1 attendee- $15.00
The Conservatory Classic Jazz Band and the Monthly Jam Session
Alfio's La Trattoria, 4515 Willard Ave, Chevy Chase, MD, USThe Conservatory Classic Jazz Band opens and closes the music, with a Jam Session at the end of each set. All are welcome to sit in or just sit back and enjoy!
The Conservatory Classic Jazz Band was formed in 2003 to present the sounds of traditional jazz to Washington DC audiences. A seven-piece group, they play New Orleans style, Chicago style, small-group swing, and mainstream. CCJB members include Dave Robinson, leader/cornet/trumpet, Brian Priebe on trombone, Gary Gregg on clarinet/sax, Dan Hall on bass, Jeff Reynolds on guitar/banjo, Brian Alpert on drums. Visit the band's website for additional information.
The PRJC Monthly Jam Session is held at Alfio's La Trattoria in Chevy Chase. There is plenty or room for you and your friends. We could fit 100 people in there. That said, we do recommend, if you want a table for your group, arrive early. We will get you in, but can't promise seating groups together if the space has filled up.
Alfio's has free valet parking (tips are appreciated). Street parking is free but unobtainable. There is a full menu and bar.
Admission:
Non-Jammers (PRJC members $10, non-members $15), Youth & Jammers (Free). If you play, you don't pay!
Cash, checks or PayPal at the door, or in advance on Eventbrite.We welcome suggestions for possible event venues anywhere in the DMV. Our requirements include space for at least 70 people, plenty of parking, and a conveniently accessible location; near Metro is a plus.
5 attendees
Past events
311
