A Jazz-Filled Weekend: King’s Kitchen, Shableek, Al Jarreau

Experience live jazz at three different events this weekend, and mark your calendar for first Friday

Friday, March 18
Friday Night Jazz at The King’s Kitchen
Owner and chef Jim Noble is pleased with the response to his live jazz offerings and has decided to continue it each Friday night at The King’s Kitchen. The Quentin Bethea Trio will play 7-10 p.m. and this is a great opportunity to experience jazz while enjoying dinner. Plus, in case you’ve been out of touch with the local dining scene, you should take pleasure in knowing that The King’s Kitchen is a not-for-profit restaurant whose proceeds go to charities to help feed the less fortunate. So you get some of the city’s best Southern cuisine while supporting a good cause. The King’s Kitchen, 129 W. Trade St., 704-375-1990. kingskitchen.org.

Saturday, March 19
Shableek’s Birthday Bash at Wine Up
This edition of Saturday Night Live is a birthday party for Shan “Shableek” Richardson, one of Charlotte’s most popular jazz musicians. The saxophonist will be accompanied by a full band. Then after the band performs, DJ DR takes over on the turntables. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. $10-$15; tickets available online at bandtastic.com/shableek. Wine Up, 3306-C N. Davidson St., 704-372-2633. wine-up.com.

Sunday, March 20
Legends of Jazz: Al Jarreau at Knight Theater
One of the most accomplished jazz musicians of all time is performing in Charlotte this Sunday night. Al Jarreau has won seven Grammy Awards and after a forty-plus-year career is still going strong. Presented by The Jazz Diva Foundation. Also at this event, the lineup for this summer’s Uptown Charlotte Jazz Fest will be announced. 7 p.m. $38.50-$75.50. Knight Theater, at Levine Center for the Arts, 430 S. Tryon St., 704-372-1000. carolinatix.org.

Looking Ahead – April 1
Jazz at the Bechtler: Tribute to Miles Davis
For the last several months, the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art has presented its Jazz at the Bechtler series on the first Friday of each month, with performances by the Ziad Jazz Quartet and other guest artists. The next installment takes place April 1, and because of the beautiful spring weather it moves outside to The Green (the park across the street from the museum). This concert will pay tribute to Miles Davis and feature favorites such as “Nardis,” “Blue in Green,” “Seven Steps to Heaven,” “Milestones,” and “Four.” The concert is also a complement to the Bechtler’s new exhibition, Niki de Saint Phalle: Creating a New Mythology. 6-8 p.m. Free with museum admission or museum membership. Cash bar. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, at Levine Center for the Arts, 420 S. Tryon St., 704-353-9200. bechtler.org.