Ars Nova Workshop, Philadelphia’s paramount presenter of adventurous improvised music, celebrates its 25th anniversary this spring: the organization’s inaugural show, featuring Chris Speed’s yeah NO, took place in March of 2000. There have been hundreds of performances since, along with exhibitions, festivals, even a podcast. And for a little over two years now, ANW has hosted its musical offerings from a lively perch on South Broad Street: Solar Myth, former home of the Boot & Saddle saloon (whose historic neon sign still beams through the night).
Mark Christman, founder and executive and artistic director of Ars Nova Workshop, characterizes its quarter-century of programming in connective terms: “For 25 years, Ars Nova Workshop has worked hard to make the connection between improvisation — as an artistic language but also as a way of thinking, an approach to the world, a means for survival — and the spiritual, civic, and cultural life of Philadelphia and Philadelphians.”
“Our primary tool for exposing people to this work has been to present it on stage, and we will continue to do that,” Christman continues, in a statement provided to WRTI. “Building audiences for jazz and creative music is fundamental to our ability to strengthen its legacy, support contemporary practitioners, and pave the way for a next generation of artists. But in our next phase of work, we want to go further by inviting people to be part of a community that is inspired and galvanized by improvisational music’s world-building potential.”
Ars Nova Workshop’s 25th anniversary party will manifest in a number of ways, but first and foremost is an action-packed spring season at Solar Myth — featuring many artists who have taken part in past ANW presentations. Among them are guitarist Nels Cline, bringing his new Consentrik Quartet; pianist Matthew Shipp, with his trio; harpist Brandee Younger, also leading a trio; multi-reedist Roscoe Mitchell and percussionist Tyshawn Sorey, in a duo; and saxophonist Zoh Amba, who played the soft opening of Solar Myth in October of 2022.
WRTI has partnered with Ars Nova Workshop to present a series of pre-concert artist conversations, featuring either Josh Jackson or myself. (We each have ties to the organization: I’ve been friends with Christman since before ANW got started, and Jackson sits on the organization’s advisory board.) Events with a WRTI pre-concert talk are designated with an asterisk. Note that this schedule is likely to be updated with more artists in the weeks ahead. Subscribe to Moment’s Notice for our weekly guide to Philly jazz performances, and see Ars Nova Workshop’s website for the latest updates.
Ars Nova 25th Anniversary Season (All shows at Solar Myth)

March 2: John Zorn New Masada Quartet *
March 6: Matthew Shipp Trio
March 9: Lucy Railton
March 12-13: Brandee Younger Trio *
March 14-15: Daniel Villarreal
March 22: Tara Clerkin Trio
March 23: Carlos Niño & Friends
March 26: Steve Lehman Trio +1 performs Anthony Braxton *
March 28-29: Thurston Moore
March 31: Mestizx
April 4: mssv
April 9: Jenny Scheinman's All Species Parade *
April 10: Ben Ratliff: Run the Song *
April 11: The Messthetics perform Ask the Ages
April 12: Nels Cline Consentrik Quartet
April 18-19: Roscoe Mitchell & Tyshawn Sorey
April 22: Zoh Amba Sun Ensemble
May 2: Happy Apple
May 3: Lee Renaldo / Leila Bordreuil Duo
May 10: Pheeroan akLaff Global Mantras Quartet
May 14: Sharada Shashidhar
May 16: Brandon Woody's Upendo
May 21: Onilu (Joe Chambers, Kevin Diehl, Chad Taylor) *