Happy Mother’s Day! However this day finds you, we hope you’re surrounded by great music. While we’re talking mothers, you should know that next Sunday, May 19, Philly’s own Moor Mother will be at Solar Myth on a double bill with Lea Bertucci and Henry Fraser. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, because there’s plenty to get excited about this week, all over town.
Spotlight: Donny McCaslin — Saturday, Solar Myth
The world — a decent slab of it, anyway — knows Donny McCaslin as the tenor saxophonist and bandleader tapped by David Bowie to shape the surging yet sensitive sound of his final album, Blackstar. McCaslin has leaned into that renown even as he continues to explore separate tangents like a collaboration with the electric bassist and producer Tim Lefebvre, on the forthcoming single “KID.” This weekend, on the heels of a week at The Village Vanguard, McCaslin shows up at Solar Myth with keyboardist Jason Lindner, one of his key Blackstar associates; they’ll be joined by Jonathan Maron on bass and Nate Wood on drums.
May 18 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $30; tickets and information.
Luke Stewart’s Silt Trio — Monday, Solar Myth
Bassist and composer Luke Stewart is a wildly prolific force in creative music, best known as the gravitational center of the band Irreversible Entanglements. His Silt Trio, with Brian Settles on tenor saxophone and Chad Taylor on drums, specializes in deep-earth groove as well as all manner of heat and friction, as they demonstrate on a winning new album, Unknown Rivers.
May 13 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $25; tickets and information.
Nate Wooley Columbia Icefield — Tuesday, Solar Myth
A trumpeter and composer of expansive imagination, Nate Wooley drew inspiration from one of North America’s great natural wonders on his album Columbia Icefield, released in 2019. The album, he has said, “really came down to trying to build structures that have a feeling of being really large and slightly disturbing, but also, natural.” He’ll resume that expedition here, as on the album, with Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar and Ryan Sawyer on drums; on guitar is Ava Mendoza, capably picking up where Mary Halvorson left off.
May 14 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $25; tickets and information.
Norah Jones — Wednesday, The Met Philadelphia
Her latest album, Visions, is hardly her most jazz-informed work. But Norah Jones will always be a singer-songwriter with Billie Holiday and Bill Evans in her pantheon, alongside Willie Nelson and Ray Charles. Her tour touches down at The Met with an opening act, Emily King, who strikes a similar balance, while creating her own sound.
May 15 at 8 p.m., The Met Philadelphia, 858 North Broad Street, $54-$269, tickets and information.
Luke Carlos O’Reilly Quartet — Friday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Pianist Luke Carlos O’Reilly has long been a key fixture in the Philly jazz scene, and with his recent trio album, Leave the Gate Open, he’s making some noise beyond his hometown. There’s no doubt he’ll bring the utmost soul and band cohesion to this album-release show.
May 17 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $25, $80, and $100, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
Pete Malinverni Trio - Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
On The Town - Pete Malinverni Plays Leonard Bernstein is an astute recent songbook tribute by somebody who knows his way around the town. Drawing from the album here, Malinverni leads an ace piano trio with Ugonna Okegwo on bass and Aaron Seeber on drums.
May 18 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $30, $85, and $105, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
