A native of Soweto Township outside Johannesburg, Bakithi Kumalo's musical career has been characterized by a series of serendipitous events, ranging from his debut gig as a precocious 7-year-old filling in for the bassist in his uncle's band to his enlistment into Paul Simon's group during the recording sessions of the pop star's landmark 'Graceland' album in 1985. Kumalo's bass sound has garnered him a stellar reputation as a musician. In addition to touring with Simon, he's also recorded and/or toured with the likes of Herbie Hancock, Grover Washington Jr.,Gloria Estefan, Chaka Khan, Harry Belafonte, Gerald Albright, Miriam Makeba, Josh Groban, Jonathan Butler, Hugh Masekela, and Chris Botti.

 

By opting for the musical road less traveled, vocalist Kate McGarry has placed herself firmly on the road to critical and popular success. This concert is part of the CD release tour for McGarry’s organ trio with Gary Versace, Clarence Penn, and Keith Ganz.

 

Jazz vocalist and arranger Ella Gahnt has been performing professionally since the age of 18. The Philadelphia native has a radiant stage presence and an impressive, octave-spanning voice that allows her to shift from wonderfully lush ballads to swinging, uptempo tunes without missing a beat. She is joined tonight with Jeannie Brooks, a sophisticated singer in her own right who has been performing on concert stages and in jazz festivals in New York, Philadelphia, and Europe for several years. Raised on gospel, rhythm and blues, and the legends of Philadelphia jazz, Brooks is bridging the genre’s glorious past with its promising present.

 

Enjoy an evening of classic jazz sounds by some of Philly’s finest musicians, including pianist Orrin Evans, trumpeter Duane Eubanks, drummer Lucky Thompson, saxman Umar Raheem, and bassist Warren Oree.

 

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. Collectively they've played all over the world. For this performance the 5 are joined by vocalist Denise King, whose sophisticated stylings bring to mind one of her idols, Sarah Vaughan.

 

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.

 

Vocalist Meg Clifton has proven that she’s adept at translating the standards – now she brings her heart-felt phrasing and improvisational technique to bear on this pet project, reinterpreting 1960s and ‘70s rock. The atypical twists and turns she adds to a song are the foundations from which the instrumentalists stretch their solos into serendipitous new directions.

 

Singer-songwriter Alyssa Graham has been called “something special and truly unique” by critically acclaimed vocalist Luciana Souza and “lovely and haunting” by The New Yorker. Her most recent CD, Echo, is influenced by her travels to Brazil, India, Africa, and Europe.

 

Trumpeter Amir ElSaffar, who has performed with Cecil Taylor and Rudresh Mahanthappa, put his career on hold in 2002 to immerse himself in the music of his ancestry, Iraqi Maqam. He now leads Safaafir, the only ensemble in the United States performing Iraqi Maqam.

 

Celebrate Halloween with DJ Knobhead as he spins 80s goth music. The night will also include ghost stories in the galleries, tarot card readings, spooky art tours, and a costume contest with prizes. Costumes are highly encouraged.

 

The band DisCanto combines the lyrics and expressions of Abruzzese vocal traditions of central Italy with guitar, mandolin, violin, cello, accordion, and traditional Italian bagpipes. Its repertoire includes traditional songs from Abruzzi and southern Italy, saltarello music, and original songs in the Abruzzese dialect. This evening also includes a performance by Philadelphia-based Animus, who will celebrate the sounds of Turkey and Greece.

This program is supported by the Turkish American Friendship Society of US (TAFSUS).

 

International jazz singer Jackie Ryan frequently plays both coasts and overseas, where her gig at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London has garnered her critical praise as “one of the finest singers to perform at Ronnie’s since Shirley Horn.” – Evening Standard

 

Chilean singer/songwriter/arranger Claudia Acuña draws upon the culture of her homeland by fusing Latin rhythms with her instinctive jazz sensibilities. Singing mostly in Spanish, Acuña makes it clear that music crosses all barriers.

This concert is part of the Week of Chile in Philadelphia and is supported by the Embassy of Chile.

 

Grammy-nominated Kenny Werner was a child prodigy who recorded a single with a fifteen-piece orchestra at the age of eleven. He went on to become one of greatest jazz pianists, performing with Toots Thielemans and Joe Lovano, and later acted as the musical director for Betty Buckley.

 

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.

 

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!"

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

** The Pedro Giraudo Jazz Orchestra was forced to postpone tonight’s performance due to inclement weather. Art After 5 will go on as scheduled, with a performance by Philadelphia jazz musicians at the usual times.

 

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.

 

South Africa’s Sharon Katz & The Peace Train have been musical ambassadors for peace and reconciliation throughout the world for over a decade. Their first U.S. release, Imbizo (2002), was nominated for a Grammy Award, and they appeared on the recording Carnival! Rainforest Foundation Concert with Sting, Elton John, Tina Turner, and Luciano Pavarotti. Their intricate harmonies, Afro-jazz-worldbeat rhythms, and Zulu dancing take you on a joyride to the heart of South Africa and its people.

 

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, West has captured the hearts of critics and audiences alike with just the lilt of her voice.

 

Jim Ridl is a jazz pianist and composer who performs internationally with the Jim Ridl Trio and Quintet, vocalist JD Walter, Spanish jazz guitarist Ximo Tebar, the Antfarm Quartet, and the Dave Liebman Big Band.

 

Saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter is a living legend in jazz. His great body of work as a musician and composer for such illustrious groups as Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, Miles Davis’s famous mid-1960s quintet, and fusion supergroup Weather Report is enough to ensure him a spot in the Jazz Hall of Fame. He will premiere a new work inspired by the Museum’s collection.

Prior to the performance, Shorter and the members of his band—pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci, drummer Brian Blade—will participate in a panel discussion moderated by music journalist Tom Moon. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to hear them talk about their influences and creative processes—and Shorter’s new composition.

Panel Discussion to take place from 3 – 4:30 p.m. in the Van Pelt Auditorium

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

 

Performance by Martha Colburn with guest musicians Helena Espvall, Thollem McDonas, and Tsigoti
Organized in collaboration with Art After 5

To mark the opening of Live Cinema/Histories in Motion, Martha Colburn creates a visual performance using film screenings, single channel video and handmade projection effects to the music of cellist Helena Espvall, pianist Thollem McDonas and the band Tsigoti. Colburn is a stop-action animator whose work is inspired by American and European history. Fusing her animation and found footage into live 16mm performances, she performs internationally with the group Deerhoof and her own ensemble of musicians to create narratives using 1970s film re-enactments, pilgrim films, puppet films, and re-filmed Godzilla movies, to name but a few. Multi-instrumentalist Espvall plays cello with several ensembles, most notably the Philadelphia-based psych-folk group Espers. McDonas is critically acclaimed as one of the most interesting pianists of the current improvised music genre who has redefined the concept of piano performance. Tsigoti is a collaborative and improvisational quazi-punk band combining revolutionary politics and intelligent avant-punk fervor.

 

David Berkeley is an indie singer-songwriter who performs acoustic music. He has appeared on the radio program This American Life and has toured with Billy Bragg, Nickel Creek, Rufus Wainwright, and Ray LaMontagne, among others. His debut came in 2002 with the mostly acoustic The Confluence, which displays elaborate lyrics about personal topics, complex song construction, and varying chord patterns, traits that still identify his style. His most recent CD is called Strange Light.

 

Whether singing in English, Spanish, or Portuguese, Magos Herrera’s expressive voice bridges language barriers through pure emotion. Her U.S. debut CD, Distancia, features a blend of Latin and African-inspired grooves.

 

“Just when you thought nobody made the kind of jazz that depends more on class, beauty, chops and communication than on concepts and star value, along comes bassist Buster Williams…. It's enough to restore your faith in the art form.”
- Boston Herald

Bassist, composer, and bandleader Buster Williams celebrates over 50 years of performing and recording and has earned his place amongst jazz legends. Mr. Williams has collaborated with such jazz giants as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Miles Davis, Count Basie, Chet Baker, Chick Corea, Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Lee Konitz, McCoy Tyner, Illinois Jacquet, Nancy Wilson, Elvin Jones, the Jazz Crusaders, Ron Carter, Woody Shaw, Sarah Vaughan, Benny Golson, Mary Lou Williams, Hank Jones, Lee Morgan, Cedar Walton, Bobby Hutcherson, Billy Taylor, Sonny Rollins, Errol Garner, and Freddie Hubbard. As a bandleader, Mr. Williams tours primarily with his "Something More" Quartet.

Throughout its 20-year history, Buster Williams' great jazz ensemble "Something More" has collaborated with - and in many cases trained and developed - some of the finest musicians in jazz today, including Patrice Rushen, Steve Wilson, Lenny White, Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Eric Reed, and Stefon Harris. Something More's work can be heard on eight albums, all enthusiastically received by press and fans alike.

 

Mimi Jones is a bassist, vocalist, and composer, whose elegant sound is an eclectic mix of genres on a jazz foundation. In 2009, she released her debut CD, A New Day. As a sideman, Jones has performed with Lionel Hampton and Roy Hargrove, among others.

 

Opera meets cabaret in this night of informal performances by vocalists from the Center City Opera Theater. Performers will be interspersed with the crowd in the Great Stair Hall and will sing from unexpected places. To evoke the eighteenth-century Italian masquerade ball, make and wear a mustache or a mustache-shaped mask. Nina Frenkel and Aya Kakeda, The Mustache Sisters, will guide you in this free art activity.

From 5 - 5:30, the Savoy Company will sing selections from Gilbert & Sullivan's Ruddigore, Pirates of Penzance, Trial by Jury and other popular Gilbert & Sullivan Operas.

 

Singer-songwriter Avi Wisnia finds inspiration in classic bossa nova, acoustic American folk, 1950s West Coast jazz, and contemporary pop. He uses unexpected arrangements in his own music as well as reinterprets songs by pop artists like Björk, Wilco, and The Cure.

 

A nationally renowned jazz saxophonist, composer, and educator, Tia Fuller has generated acclaim for her original and standard jazz arrangements. She made her debut as a bandleader on Pillar of Strength (2005), which features an all-female quartet, and in 2007 she was a member of Beyoncé’s touring band.

 

Bassist Rufus Reid has recorded and performed with legends André Previn, Stan Getz, and Dizzy Gillespie. In presenting him with the 2005 Mellon Jazz Living Legacy Award, the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation saluted him as “an American treasure with the vision to make a difference and turn possibilities into results.”

 

New York City-based Eleanor Dubinsky writes soulful, heartfelt songs that express her passion for a diversity of people and cultures. Drawing on the genres of singer-songwriter, world music, and jazz, her music has a mellow groove that samples French pop, new American soul and Latin rhythms to tell a story that is both personal and accessible. Dubinsky performs with a four-piece band consisting of guitar, bass, drums, percussion and cello.

 

An evolving performance outlet for composers interested in testing the limits of their own compositions, the Dirt Party features a rotating pool of musicians blending jazz, funk, rock and collective improvisation to create a unique series of performances. On this evening, The Dirt Party will consist of five players (including two bassists), blending styles to create improvisational backdrops for each soloist. Headed by Carl Bahner, the Dirt Party creates original music that is memorable, challenging and ever changing.

 

A long-time favorite at Art After 5, tenor-sax legend Larry McKenna returns by popular demand. The Philadelphia native is well known around the region, and has performed as soloist with jazz stars such as Woody Herman, Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Buddy DeFranco, Rosemary Clooney, Tony Bennett, Bootsie Barnes and Frank Sinatra. In this performance, he channels the lyrical, tone of the great Stan Getz in a program of jazz standards. McKenna, also an accomplished composer and arranger, has received the acclaim of reviewers across the United States and Canada.

 

Described as “stunning, sophisticated, and extremely soulful” (Philadelphia Weekly), Joanna Pascale has established herself in Philadelphia's jazz scene as a compelling and skilled vocalist. According to All Music Guide, “She not only has solid vocal chops; she has soul.” In this tribute to jazz songstress Nancy Wilson and alto-saxophone player Cannonball Adderley, Pascale evokes the greats while incorporating her own interpretations. Pascale is well known for her original takes on material from the Great American Songbook, and has amassed a working repertoire of more than 400 songs. She has appeared and recorded with jazz giants such as Cyrus Chestnut, Terell Stafford, Nicholas Payton, Tim Warfield, Mickey Roker and others. On top of a busy performing schedule, Pascale is a member of the vocal faculty at Temple University.

 

Philadelphia-based jazz vibraphonist Tony Miceli has been performing in the United States and Europe for the last 20 years. Initially inspired by rock music, Miceli lists Milt Jackson of the Modern Jazz Quartet as a major source of influence, and pays his homage in this tribute to the band. He has performed with numerous local jazz players, and has also collaborated with jazz legends including Joe Magnarelli, David Liebman, Ken Peplowski, Charles Fambrough and John Swana. Miceli currently conducts master classes at the Curtis Institute of Music, is on the faculty at the University of the Arts and Rowan University, and works with many local community centers and correctional facilities.

 

Dances of Vice invite you to a romantic Victorian summer promenade at the museum, inspired by the works of revered French Impressionist painter Pierre-August Renoir. Enjoy spectacular live performances by the enchanting performance artist Ms. Tickle and ballerina Miss Lixx, an interactive introduction to Victorian ballroom dancing and parlour games by Antonia Pugliese of the Commonwealth Vintage Dancers, and a unique phonograph DJ experience provided by Michael Cumella, who will be playing rare music from the early century on two period disc phonographs for your dancing pleasure.

Dr. Sketchy’s Anti-Art School, founded by Brooklyn-based illustrator Molly Crabapple, is an endeavor that specializes in providing themed live models (coming from such diverse sources as the roller-derby, burlesque shows, and sideshow acts) to artists in order to spark creativity and provide an alternative to traditional drawing classes. The Philadelphia branch of Dr. Sketchy's will present a session on August 6 where the theme will be Renoir, with costumes influenced by Renoir’s palette and subject matter, as well as the Museum’s permanent collection.

 

Born in Western Cuba, Elio Villafranca received classical training in percussion and composition at the Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana. Since his arrival to the U.S. in late 1995, he has played jazz and Latin jazz across the country, while continuing to be influenced by different cultures. Inspired by musical genres that developed in response to the African Diaspora, Villafranca fuses original cultural and musical references to create spirited, innovative compositions. Over the years his quartet has featured Blue Note recording artists including guitarist Pat Martino, Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett, and trumpeter Terell Stafford, among others. Based in New York City, he has performed at the Blue Note Jazz Club, Jazz Standard, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, and other venues. He is a resident professor at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

 

Growing up in New York City, Kevin Valentine was exposed to many musical influences. He met future bassist Mike Boone when both were early members of the Boys Choir of Harlem, and has performed everything from jazz standards to R&B covers in venues such as the Apollo, Sweetwater's, the West End and Lennox Lounge. He continues to be inspired by musical greats ranging from John Coltrane and Miles Davis to Prince and Sarah Vaughn, as well as the legendary Nat King Cole, to whom he pays tribute in this performance of jazz standards

 

The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble pays tribute to bebop and hard-bop pioneer John Coltrane with an inspired and varied program. Headed by Warren Oree, an acoustic bassist, producer and composer, the 1979-founded ensemble is known for its eclectic style and adventurous programs, which often feature a wide variety of acoustic- and electric-jazz styles. On August 27, the ensemble will play a mix of Coltrane’s well-known and more obscure compositions, while paying tribute to Coltrane’s memory with anecdotes and a history of the man and his music.

 

Born in Istanbul, award-winning composer and pianist Fahir Atakoğlu is well known for his ambitious symphonic works and music for film. He has composed music for many of Turkey’s top musicians, and earned a loyal international following through the release of nine albums, including the Grammy award-nominated release Istanbul in Blue (2008), which features jazz/rock fusion with traditional Turkish influences. Employing unique rhythmic, melodic and harmonic sensitivities, Atakoğlu’s music reflects his many different cultural influences, which combine to create compositions with striking originality that still play in tune with the culture of his motherland.

 

Power of 10, an all-star Big Band ensemble from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, will take center stage this evening, with a mixture of new music and transformed jazz and pop music classics arranged by local composer/arranger Rick Lawn for the ensemble. Lawn, a saxophonist, is Dean of the College of Performing Arts at the University of the Arts.

 

Philadelphia native Sumi Tonooka has been described by The New York Times as “provocative and compelling, both in straight-out swinging situations and when she is developing fresh ideas for familiar ballads.” Throughout her 20-year career, Tonooka has been surprising and delighting audiences and piling up accolades from jazz writers and her fellow musicians. Working in trios or quartets with such noted jazz stalwarts as bassist Rufus Reid and drummers Akira Tana and Lewis Nash, Tonooka's recordings characteristically blend her own compositions with highly personal readings of jazz standards. In this performance, she pays tribute to Mary Lou Williams, whose compositions and recordings featured a wide array of genres, including religious jazz, spirituals, ragtime, blues, and swing.

 

Headed by Warren Oree, the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble returns to pay tribute to the great improvisational musician Thelonious Monk. Often regarded as a founder of bebop, Monk made numerous contributions to the standard jazz repertoire, including “Epistrophy,” “Blue Monk,” and “Straight, No Chaser,” while experimenting with dissonant harmonies and angular melodic twists.