The Center City Jazz Festival is back — and proudly presented by WRTI! Returning after a three-year hiatus, bigger and better than ever, the festival will feature jazz veterans like pianist George Cables, modern stalwarts like bassist Dezron Douglas, and rising stars like tenor saxophonist Sarah Hanahan and vibraphonist Sasha Berliner.
This year’s festival will take place from Thursday, April 20 through Sunday, April 23 at Temple University and seven Center City venues: Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Time Restaurant, Fergie’s Pub, Franky Bradley’s, South Restaurant and Jazz Club, Leda’s and Solar Myth.
The heart of the festival is a Saturday Marathon, scheduled for April 22. It will feature 20 bands performing within a walkable radius of Center City. Buy tickets here for access to all four marathon venues: Chris’ Jazz Cafe, Fergie’s Pub, Franky Bradley’s, and Time Restaurant. The shows are first come, first served.
Stay tuned for more coverage from WRTI, including an interview with festival founder Ernest Stuart. A full lineup, tickets and information can be found at ccjazzfest.com. Here is a detailed schedule:
Thursday April 20th
Temple Performing Arts Center, Rite of Swing Jazz Cafe
4:30 - 6:30 - Rich Perry (free!)
South Restaurant and Jazz Club
7:00 - Unscripted Series Presents | Kim Waters (get tickets)
Friday April 21st
South Restaurant and Jazz Club
7:00 - Unscripted Series Presents | Kim Waters (get tickets)
Solar Myth
8:00 - Plunky & Oneness of Juju (get tickets)
Saturday April 22nd
Fergie's Pub (SOLD OUT)
1214 Sansom St.
1:00-2:00 Brent White
2:30-3:30 U.S.E. Trio
4:00-5:00 Kendrah Butler Waters
5:30-6:30 Michele Lordi
Leda’s
1224 Chestnut St. (SOLD OUT)
1:00-2:00 James Santangelo
2:30-3:30 Sarah Hanahan
4:00-5:00 Corey Bernhard
5:30-6:30 Nazir Ebo
Chris’ Jazz Cafe (SOLD OUT)
1421 Sansom St.
1:15-2:15 Jeanie Brooks
2:45-3:45 Hannah Marks
4:15-5:15 George Cables
5:45-6:45 Dezron Douglas
Franky Bradley's (SOLD OUT)
1320 Chancellor St.
1:30-2:30 Victor North
3:00-4:00 Joanna Pascale
4:30-5:30 Willie Jones III
6:00-7:00 Chris Beck
Time Restaurant (SOLD OUT)
1315 Sansom St.
1:45-2:45 Anthony Tidd’s Sanity
3:15-4:15 Sasha Berliner
4:45-5:45 Max Swan
6:15-7:15 Louis Fouché
South Restaurant and Jazz Club
7:00 - Unscripted Series Presents | Kim Waters (get tickets)
Solar Myth
1131 S. Broad Street
8:00 - Tcheser Holmes' DrumsN'Butta: An Ode to Don Cherry (get tickets)
Sunday April 23rd
South Restaurant and Jazz Club
8:30 - Romona Presents Transformations Through Time featuring Houston Person & Aaron Graves (get tickets)