Bass clarinetist Todd Marcus brings his Jazz Orchestra to Bohemian Caverns for one night.

Based in Baltimore, The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra is a nonet comprised of 6 horns ( bass clarinet, alto saxophone/flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone) along with piano, bass, and drums.

Through the group's instrumentation, compositions, and arrangements, the ensemble achieves a uniquely dark and rich texture of sound. The music often incorporates jazz with other influences from classical to middle-eastern themes but always swings hard and features strong solos from of each member in the ensemble. Throughout however, the group swings hard and showcases the strongly individualized soloing of each member in the ensemble.

Todd Marcus is critically acclaimed for expanding the language of the bass clarinet in jazz.  The bass clarinetist and composer is one of the few jazz artists worldwide to focus exclusively on use of the bass clarinet as a primary soloing instrument.  Jazz Times contributing journalist David Adler writes, “Marcus…brings a saxophonic rigor to the bass clarinet while also generating enough sonic power to front a nine-piece ensemble…With his melodic imagination and technical aptitude on an unorthodox horn, Marcus has something truly new and personal to offer.”

First exposed to jazz at the age of 20, Marcus made the switch from the more common soprano clarinet to bass clarinet and taught himself the fundamentals of jazz theory.   Despite a lack of formal jazz training, he soon began to explore composition and in 2000 began to arrange his work for a larger ensemble that would eventually evolve into the Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra.

The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra grew out of an interest to combine the broader sounds of a large jazz ensemble with the extended soloing typical of a quartet.  The group's instrumentation utilizes a 6-horn front line that includes bass clarinet, alto saxophone/flute, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet, and trombone and uses a 3-piece rhythm section of piano, bass, and drums.  Unlike a more traditional approach that allows an ensemble’s leader to play each composition’s melody, Marcus arranges his pieces in multiple movements that attempt to harness the rich array of sounds and textures offered by the band’s full horn section.  The instrumentation and the style the compositions enable the ensemble to achieve a uniquely dark and rich texture of sound.

The Todd Marcus Jazz Orchestra debut album In Pursuit of the 9th Man (Hipnotic Records) features his compositions as arranged for his band of six horns and a three-piece rhythm section.

You can also visit Todd at http://www.myspace.com/toddmarcusjazz.

Bohemian Caverns began its rich history of showcasing Jazz on U Street in 1926. The original venue, known as Club Caverns, consisted of the basement level only, operated from 1926 until 1942. In 1943 Cab Calloway purchased the venue and operated under the name of The Crystal Caverns until 1958. In 1959 Tony Taylor and Angelo Alvino renamed the venue Bohemian Caverns and operated it until 1968.

The Caverns derived its name from the unique cave-like décor, faux stalactites and stalagmites that adorned the walls and ceilings of the club. Designed after a Hollywood set, The Caverns catered to the elite of its day and attracted an endless array of top Jazz performers such as Shirley Horn, Duke Ellington, Pearl Bailey, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Ramsey Lewis, Less McCann, The Supremes, Roberta Flak, John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy, JFK Quintet, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie and Billy Holiday. The club's unique décor coupled with its dynamic artist line-up made it THE fashionable place to see and be seen.

During the roaring 20's and throughout the late 60's The Caverns and the U Street corridor served as the epicenter of Black nightlife in Washington, DC. The Caverns served for many decades as a central business along the bustling U Street Corridor that included several large theaters, restaurants, after-hours clubs and private jazz societies. It was one of the few places in Washington, DC where blacks and whites came together as equals to equally share their love of jazz. During de-segregation, many U Street businesses began to decline as expanded social, shopping, residential and entertainment opportunities became available for Blacks beyond the U Street corridor. After the riots of 1968, Bohemian Caverns experienced several decades of decaying vacancy until it was purchased by Al Afshar in 1997. During the three year renovation particular attention to detail was used to ensure the original design was maintained.

On Jul 6, 2000, Bohemian Caverns opened its doors to the public with a Grand Gala Reception. The event celebrated both the rich history of The Caverns and marked the first of numerous new business and residential construction projects along the U Street corridor. The current structure is an expanded, state-of-the-art facility consisting of the elegantly adorned Bohemian Caverns Restaurant (main level), The Caverns Jazz Lounge (basement level) and Club 2001 Nightclub (2nd and 3rd levels). Weekly events include live jazz performances, happy hour events, dance parties and other social events. In addition, the facility caters various special events such as weddings, fund-raisers, birthday parties and other celebrations ranging in size from parties of two to as many as 1,000 guests.