8:00pm • $10 Cover

Rick Whitehead Jazz Trio

Rick Whitehead • John Previti • Nick Ruggieri

"Whitehead’s style encompasses the entire history of jazz guitar – the chordal solos of Joe Pass, the bop lines of Barney Kessel, the octaves of Wes Montgomery, the fluid melodicism of Tal Farlow, the rhythmic push of Django Reinhardt, even the controlled noise of more modern players. [He is] clearly comfortable working in any song form and style." – Eric Brace, The Washington Post.

Led by acclaimed guitarist Rick Whitehead, this powerhouse jazz trio features John Previti on bass and Nick Ruggieri on drums — three master musicians with deep roots in the Washington, D.C. jazz community. Formed in 1994, shortly after the passing of legendary guitarist Danny Gatton, the trio quickly earned a reputation for their tight interplay and virtuosic performances. They’ve appeared at premier venues including Blues Alley, Bohemian Caverns, the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, and the Smithsonian Jazz Club.

Their first album, Live in Captivity, won the 1998 Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) Award for Best Contemporary Jazz Album, followed by Live in Captivity, Again (2001) and So There We Were… (2006). Each member brings decades of experience: Whitehead’s lyrical guitar phrasing, Previti’s swinging power from years with Gatton and Charlie Byrd, and Ruggieri’s Berklee-honed rhythmic precision create a dynamic trio celebrated for both technical mastery and emotional depth.