South African Bakithi Kumalo’s work on the electric bass has garnered him a stellar reputation as a musician. In addition to recording and touring with Paul Simon on the album Graceland, Kumalo has recorded and/or toured with Hugh Masekela, Grover Washington, Jr., Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, Josh Groban, Chris Botti, and others.

 

5:15–5:45 p.m. Conversation with the artist
Before the music begins, join music writer David Adler for a conversation with Jason Moran on stage in the Museum’s Great Stair Hall at 5:15 p.m. Adler’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The New Republic Online, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Slate, Down Beat and Jazz Times. He is a 2006 nominee for the Helen Dance-Robert Palmer Award for Excellence in Newspaper, Magazine or Online Writing, given annually by the Jazz Journalists Association

6:00–7:30 p.m.
This world-premiere concert features jazz pianist Jason Moran, widely considered to be an innovative and provocative composer as well as a brilliant performer. Moran debuts a composition commissioned by the Museum that is inspired by the exhibition Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt. Moran is joined by his group The Bandwagon, and Grammy-award–winning jazz guitarist Bill Frisell.

This program, including the commissioning and presentation, is made possible by a grant from the Philadelphia Music Project, a program of the The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts, and administered by The University of the Arts.

 

Saxophonist Tim Warfield has been praised by the New York Times and has performed with such names as Christian McBride, Isaac Hayes, Orrin Evans, and others. This holiday concert also features Philadelphia vocalist Joanna Pascale.

 

Chuck van Zyl, host of the ambient music radio program Star’s End, performs live electronic music while instructors lead visitors in yoga poses in the Great Stair Hall. Have your tarot cards read for a peek into what’s in store in 2009.

 

Catherine Russell is a genuine blues and jazz singer, who has toured and performed with Paul Simon, David Bowie, Steely Dan, and Rosanne Cash. Her latest album, Sentimental Streak, topped Billboard’s jazz album chart.

 

Doc Gibbs is a percussionist who has toured with Anita Baker, Al Jarreau, Grover Washington, Jr., and Erykah Badu, and headed the house band on the television show Emeril Live. Gibbs studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in the early 1970s.

 

A compelling soloist and chamber musician, violinist Diane Monroe is a dynamic improvisational artist and composer, crossing boundaries of jazz, blues, and contemporary idioms.

 

At just seventeen, drummer Justin Faulkner is already a sought after musician and a rising star in the jazz world. He has performed with Peter Nero, Branford Marsalis, and Ravi Coltrane.

 

The Oscuro Quintet is an international group that pursues a collective passion for Ástor Piazzolla’s tango compositions and embraces the co-existence of composed music and creative interpretation. The quintet takes an adventurous approach to chamber music with an unorthodox ensemble and repertoire.

Featuring Andres Amarilla and Meredith Klein of the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School.

 

Saxophonist David Liebman is a master player in the modern style of John Coltrane and a disciple of tenorman Hank Mobley. Liebman is noted for having an extensive altissimo range on the soprano saxophone, and his group plays challenging, colorful music.

 

Neil Leonard is known for his unique approach to composition and improvisation. His ensemble has featured Robin Eubanks and Uri Caine, among others, and his collaborative works with visual artist María Magdalena Campos-Pons were exhibited at the 49th Venice Biennial.

 

A protégé of esteemed Philadelphia pianist Sid Simmons, Podgurski is steeped in tradition. There is a lot of joy and quirky, off-center energy in his live performances

 

Tim Ries, an extraordinary jazz musician and a member of the Rolling Stones touring band since 1999, translates the Jagger-Richards songbook with his Stones World Project.

 

Vocalist Paula West has been thrilling audiences with her heartfelt renditions of well-known standards and unique interpretations of dynamic jazz songs. With a particular dusky soulfulness, she has captured the hearts of critics and audiences with just the lilt of her voice.

 

During the 1920-30s, western jazz was extremely popular in Shanghai, and many of the decadent ballrooms and nightclubs of the city featured top British and American bands of the era. Shien Lee and Grandpa Musselman and his Syncopators create an authentic vintage sound that captures the essence of the rebellion, decadence, and romanticism of the 1920-30s in Shanghai. This special time in Shanghai’s history is the reason the city was known as "Paris of the East.”

 

Torch songs will reign as celebrated vocalist Jack Donahue returns to Philadelphia. New York City-based singer and songwriter, Donahue has performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra and headlined at such legendary clubs as Birdland and the Rainbow Room.

 

Jeremy Pelt arrived in New York in 1998 after graduating from Berklee College of Music. Once he got there, it wasn't long before he started being noticed by a lot of top musicians in the city. His first professional Jazz gig was playing with the Mingus Big Band. That gig lead to many long lasting associations with many of the talent in the band, and a great opportunity for growth. Since his arrival, he has been fortunate enough to play with many of today's and yesterday's Jazz luminaries, such as Jimmy Heath, Frank Wess, Charli Persip, Keter Betts, Frank Foster, John Hicks, Ravi Coltrane, Winard Harper, Vincent Herring, Ralph Peterson, Lonnie Plaxico, Cliff Barbaro, Nancy Wilson, Bobby Short, Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Skatalites, Cedar Walton, and many, many more. Jeremy has also been featured in a variety of different bands, including the Roy Hargrove Big Band, The Village Vanguard Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Big Band. Currently, he is member of the Lewis Nash Septet, and The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band featuring Louis Hayes. Pelt...maintains a consistent forward momentum.. while he transmits a modern-day sense of urgency with his songs.

 

It's no small accomplishment to be thought of as "The most creative and compelling singer-pianist since Shirley Horn", but that's exactly how Joel Siegel of the Washington City Paper described Dena DeRose. If she comes to your city and you want to catch the show, go early, because the room is going to be packed. She not only awes her audiences and music critics with her facility on the piano and her vocal talent, but, as Richard Scheinin of the San Jose Mercury aptly put it, "....she exudes joy.....what soul!"

 

Opera meets cabaret in this night of lively, informal performances by vocalists from one of Philadelphia's most exciting and critically acclaimed performing arts groups, the Center City Opera Theater. Performers will be stationed throughout the Great Stair Hall, interspersed with the crowd, so the audience will find singers appearing from unexpected places.

 

Pianist Matt Savage is just a teenager, yet he's already played with Dave Brubeck, Chick Corea, Clark Terry and Jimmy Heath. It's an unlikely start for a young man who, as a young child, was unable to tolerate noise, much less appreciate music.

Savage hails from Sudbury, Mass. At age 3, he was diagnosed with a "high-functioning" form of autism called Pervasive Developmental Disorder. With intensive therapy and a special diet, Savage has seen his initial aversion to sound replaced by a remarkable attenuation toward music. By age 6, Savage was teaching himself to read music and play piano. His parents enrolled him in classical music studies, though it wasn't long before he'd refocused on jazz.

At age 7, Savage began studying at the New England Conservatory of Music, and released his first solo album in collaboration with the school later that year. After his second solo album in 2001 and his first trio album, released in 2002, Savage found himself the subject of television and radio features, including an interview with Barbara Walters for ABC's 20/20, an appearance on The Today Show and a feature story on NPR's All Things Considered. Savage's amazing abilities are also featured in part two of a three-part documentary called Beautiful Minds — A Voyage into the Brain.

At 15, Savage is promoting and performing following the release of his sixth studio album, Hot Ticket. His list of accomplishments includes being the youngest person to be signed as a Bosendorfer piano artist and the youngest performer to have played at New York's legendary jazz club, Blue Note. Savage has also won three consecutive ASCAP "Young Jazz Composer" awards.

 

Pianist Edward Simon’s jazz is deeply rooted in his Latin background. His ability to blend Afro-Caribbean rhythms, boleros, and his native folk songs with jazz harmonies established him as a unique talent who transcended genres. Currently, he is producing a project close to his heart, arranging traditional Venezuelan songs for a jazz setting.

 

Kendra Shank's crystal-pure tone, powerful musicianship and elastic phrasing have won her rave critical notices and fans internationally. Hailed by The New York Times as a "superbly skilled vocalist" and an artist of "effervescence, depth," and "integrity" (Nate Chinen), she headlines at top venues across the U.S. and abroad, captivating audiences with her genuine warmth and musicality. Shank combines jazz originals, standards, world music, French songs, folk/pop tunes, and open improvisation in an adventurous, genre-bending style that inspired Gary Giddins to call her "one of New York's most original performers." (Jazz Times)

 

Born to Punjabi immigrant parents and raised in Rochester, NY, Jain has become an highly recognized musician who’s group, Sunny Jain Collective, has been touted as a leading voice for the new music Indo Jazz (a movement of first-generation South Asians equally steeped in the jazz tradition and the music of their cultural heritage). With 3 critically acclaimed CD releases (another 20 as a sideman), multiple tours throughout the world, and numerous of media accolades, Jain is an Indian-American trailblazer.

 

Vocalist and composer Gaida draws on classical Arabic music, Syrian folk traditions, and free improvisations that expand on traditional Arab maqams (modes) to produce an original and highly personal style marked by great emotional intensity.

An acclaimed singer from an early age, Gaida was born in Germany and raised in Damascus, Syria. She has lived in Kuwait, Paris, and Detroit, where she received classical voice training at Wayne State University. Now settled in New York, Gaida has worked with Amir ElSaffar, Brahim Fribgane, Arturo Martinez, Zafer Tawil, and Rufus Cappadocia. She has also appeared in Jonathan Demme's film, Rachel Getting Married and recorded with Gillian Welsh and Alejandro Escovedo on Demme's film, Jimmy Carter: Man from Plains.

 

In a genre where male jazz vocalists of substance are rare, Kevin Valentine is the real deal. He swings hard on a standard and yet has the sensitivity to nurture a ballad.

 

Kruno Spisic and his Gypsy jazz ensemble fuse Eastern European folk traditions with Django Reinhardt swing. Spisic has elated audiences with his performances at folk festivals and jazz clubs all over the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan.

 

Stephanie Nakasian is a modern interpreter of swing, ballads, bebop, and vocalise. Husband Hod O’Brien is an underground bebop legend, and daughter Veronica Swift O’Brien has been singing professionally for five years. Supporting the musical family will be Philly trumpeter John Swana, bassist Madison Rast, and drummer Dan Monahan.

 

Born in Mexico City, accomplished singer-songwriter Magos Herrera is immensely popular throughout Mexico and Latin America. Known for her beautiful voice and rhythmic scatting inflected with soulful phrasings, Herrera has a unique vocal signature that elegantly blends her classic jazz styling with Latin-American melodies. Fluent in Spanish, Portuguese and English, her repertoire is filled with the romance, intimacy, and enchantment of Mexican and Cuban sons and boleros, and sultry, languid Brazilian beats.

 

Modern jazz with a sheen of "clean beauty" (Philadelphia Inquirer), The Antfarm Quartet is an all-star ensemble performing original compositions as well as gorgeous covers of Johnny Mandel, Henry Mancini, Lennon/McCartney, Rodgers & Hart, Joe Henderson, Luis Bonfa, Jobim, and more.

 

This Philadelphia-based quintet is dedicated to the music of the great Thelonious Monk, celebrating his imagination and swing with their own personal spin.

 

Philadelphia tenor saxophone legend Larry McKenna showcases his exemplary saxophone skills with unique interpretations of classic standards.

 

Pennsylvania-based Earl Pickens & Family have opened for Marah, Mark Olson, and then-presidential-hopeful Barack Obama. Most recently they have recorded an acoustic interpretation of the classic U2 album, “The Joshua Tree.” Their rootsy, song-by-song take on the original album dismantles and reconstructs each track with upright bass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, snare drum, and haunting vocal harmonies.

 

This South Philly percussionist has been playing drums since childhood, playing his first professional gig when he was eight years old. He has toured Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean, and has collaborated with Nina Simone and Patti Labelle. Thompson is currently a visiting resident at the University of Pennsylvania.

 

Warren Oree and Jazz Headz showcase some of Philly’s most popular band leaders as one unified ensemble to create a collage of sound that reflects the Philly Jazz Sound that has been heralded worldwide.

 

For a young jazz musician growing up in Alaska, Philadelphia seemed like a far-off Valhalla of music; for saxophonist Victor North, getting to Philadelphia was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Now that he has lived here for more than fifteen years, Victor has established himself as a versatile sideman, and has recently begun devoting more time to showcasing his own ensemble.

 

Box Five is the brainchild of Philadelphia native Mary Bichner, a composer and performer who combines Mozart-inspired chord progressions with bratty Brit-rock hooks into a musical succotash she likes to call classipop. The eccentric musician breathes new life into the calcified world of "radio-friendly" contemporary music through memorable melodies and solid songwriting. This show will feature a rock band and a string quartet.

 

Double bassist and composer Ranaan Meyer has performed throughout the United States solo and with his string trio, Time For Three. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, he has performed with Branford Marsalis and Ari Hoenig, and opened for Carrie Underwood and k.d. lang. Also an avid teacher, Meyer has held adjunct professorships at Princeton University and the University of Delaware; he also holds his own bass camp, Wabass, in Wabash, Indiana. This show will also feature Norma Meyer on piano.

 

The Philly 5 represents five of the city's leading jazz musicians, including trumpeter John Swana, tenor sax Chris Farr, vibist Tony Miceli, and the rhythm section of Maddison Rast and Dan Monaghan. For this performance The Philly 5 are joined by vocalist Denise King, whose sophisticated styling brings to mind one of her idols, Sarah Vaughan.

 

Born western Cuba, Elio Villafranca was classically trained in percussion and composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, Cuba. Since his arrival in the U.S. in late 1995, he has been involved in jazz and Latin jazz scenes on both the East and West Coasts. Inspired by musical genres that developed as a result of the African Diaspora, Villafranca creates original cultural and musical fusions notable for their spirited, groundbreaking innovations. Based in New York City he is resident professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Over the years his Quartet has included Blue Note recording artists guitarist Pat Martino, the Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett, and trumpeter Terell Stafford, among other notable instrumentalists. His Quartet has performed in New York City at the Blue Note Jazz Club, Jazz Standard, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and other venues.

 

The New York Gypsy All-Stars Band showcases some of New York City’s finest musicians playing jazz-inflected Turkish, Balkan, and Mediterranean Romany (Gypsy) songs with a personal touch as well as original compositions. This performance is supported by TAFSUS (Turkish American Friendship Society of US).

 

Pianist Yoko Miwa was a student of Minoru Ozone, the father of renowned jazz pianist Makoto Ozone. She was also the personal accompanist for Grammy Award–winning jazz singer Kevin Mahogany and was a featured performer at the Kennedy Center’s Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival.

 

Saxophonist Sonny Fortune, who has played with Miles Davis and McCoy Tyner and subsequently made a series of diverse and imaginatively arranged solo albums, is a Philadelphia native and living legend.

 

Inspired by the classic and passionate sounds of bolero and Argentinean tango, Federico Aubele infuses his distinctive Spanish guitar sound with sultry vocals and subtle electronic beats to create a unique collage of intimate love songs.

 

Celebrate the Day of the Dead with friends and family! Brooklyn-based Colombian band Cumbiagra plays the classic cumbias of Colombia and Mexico. Spooky art tours, costume contests, face painting, and tarot card readings round out this special evening.

 

This evening of music inspired by the Armenian experience and culture features jazz pianist and composer Armen Donelian with bassist David Clark and drummer George Schuller. The trio will perform original compositions and jazz interpretations of Armenian folk songs.

This performance is being held in conjunction with Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective. This exhibition celebrates the Armenian-born artist Arshile Gorky, a seminal figure in the movement toward abstraction that transformed American art. Admission to the Gorky retrospective is free with Museum admission.

 

Join guitarist and vocalist Jon Dichter, French guitarist Stephane Wrembel, and Philadelphia’s Underwood Family for a night of Gypsy heat and Philly beat.

 

Led by Warren Oree, some of the city’s most popular band leaders come together as one unified jazz ensemble to create a collage that reflects the Philly jazz sound.

 

Broadway/recording artist (and wife of Latin superstar Rubén Blades) Luba Mason is blessed with “a celestial voice” (Los Angeles Times). She mixes Latin and jazz rhythms with the raw emotionality of folk and pop on her latest recording, Krazy Love.

 

Richard Hagopian leads a concert of Armenian music, including folk songs from Gorky’s birth village, Khorkom. He and his band will perform on instruments that date back to the sixteenth century: Hagopian on oud (Middle Eastern fretless lute), Harold Hagopian on kanun (ancient seventy-six stringed harp), and Paul Aljian on dap (traditional handheld percussion).

This performance is being held in conjunction with Arshile Gorky: A Retrospective. This exhibition celebrates the Armenian-born artist Arshile Gorky, a seminal figure in the movement toward abstraction that transformed American art. Admission to the Gorky retrospective is free with Museum admission.

 

Combining jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms, Afro Bop Alliance offers enticing grooves and exciting improvisation. Also appearing is Dave Samuels, widely acknowledged as the top mallet player of his generation. Their last collaboration, under the umbrella of Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels, won a Latin Grammy Award for the album entitled Afro Bop Alliance.

 

Saxophonist Tim Warfield has been praised by The New York Times and has performed with such names as Christian McBride, Isaac Hayes, Orrin Evans, and others. This holiday concert features Philadelphia vocalist Joanna Pascale.

 

Recover from the previous night’s festivities with a nice quiet evening of jazz standards.

 

Israeli folk band HaBanot Nechama built a huge and dedicated following from their live shows before releasing even one single. Reggae influences, soul-folk melodies, one of a kind harmonies, and impeccable song-craft are highlights of this perfect showcase of how English and Hebrew can co-exist. Their single “Lovers” was featured on the acclaimed show “The L Word.”

 

Cuban pianist, bandleader, composer, and arranger Manuel Valera is in the forefront of contemporary modern jazz. He represents the next generation of great performers and composers with his fresh, inviting, and evocative sound. Bringing together Cuban, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, and various jazz styles and forms, Valera brings a vitality and newness to the idioms of jazz and Latin jazz.

 

Canadian saxophonist and composer Jeff Antoniuk, and his Washington, D.C.-based band, the Jazz Update, bring their critically acclaimed original songs and lush covers of Ellington, Monk, and Golson to the Museum. The quartet features bassist Tom Baldwin, pianist Wade Beach, and drummer Tony Martucci.

 

Since 2008, PRISM Quartet has released no fewer than five recordings, encompassing an astonishing range of musical styles, from Middle Eastern laments to progressive rock to Highland bagpipes to Chinese folk music. To celebrate the group’s 25th anniversary, PRISM performs a CD release concert featuring music from each of the five albums, including compositions by Steven Mackey, Roshanne Etezady, Jacob TV, Lei Liang, and William Albright. You've never heard saxophones quite like this!

This concert is co-presented by New Sounds Music, Inc.

 

Brooklyn Qawwali Party, an eleven-piece ensemble of New York City-based jazz musicians, was formed in honor of the legendary qawwali singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. By reworking Nusrat’s approach to Pakistani folk music and the devotional music of the Sufis, Brooklyn Qawwali Party is one of the most exciting and dynamic groups performing today.

 

Ever wish you could relive your prom? Art After 5 provides the music and the dance floor. Love themed tours of the galleries, and a photo booth to capture the memories, too! Prom wear encouraged.

 

Philadelphia bassist Gerald Veasley's soulful approach to jazz has helped him garner a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim. He has been voted “Best Electric Bassist” by Jazziz magazine and named in Down Beat magazine's Critic's and Reader's Polls.

 

Argentinean bass player and arranger Pedro Giraudo has captivated listeners around the world with his unique blend of South American grooves, Argentine folk songs, and the passion of tango and jazz improvisation, masterfully weaving together pre-composed and improvised elements.

 

Miho Hatori—former member of Cibo Matto, original voice of the Gorillaz member Noodle, and Handsome Boy Modeling School and Beastie Boys collaborator—fuses her eclectic musical interests with her Japanese heritage, creating a unique and organic blend of music. Bossa nova, hip-hop, funk, metal, and rock all find their way into her musical styling.

 

Sofía Rei Koutsovitis, “one of the most versatile and in-demand singers on the New York music scene” (All About Jazz), a Buenos Aires native, is a vocalist and composer who mixes and uniquely fuses South American rhythms with a jazz aesthetic. Singing in Spanish, Portuguese, or English, Sofía's voice is graceful and sophisticated, reflecting her immersion in modern and progressive jazz while also responding to the pull of ancestry and the appeal of organic, pan-musical connections.

Sponsored by the Young Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art

 

Martha Graham Cracker, the spectacularly unmatched queen of the Philadelphia drag cabaret, creates a special night at the Museum. An unabashed diva, her vocal range is matched only by her witty banter—and she takes requests!

 

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Alexandre Kautz is a jazz drummer and graduate of the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Based in New York City, he has shared the stage with Tim Ries, Ingrid Jensen, Jorge Molina, and wife Magos Herrera.