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Sarah Hanahan, Jane Monheit, Todd Marcus, East Axis and more

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Spotlight: Sarah Hanahan Quartet — Wednesday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe

Among Giants is the supremely confident debut by Sarah Hanahan, an alto saxophonist with a full, rafters-raising sound and a firm foothold in the mainstream jazz tradition. A member of the inaugural class of Youngbloods touted by NPR’s Jazz Night in America, Hanahan recalls the expressive inside-out language of alto precursors like Jackie McLean — namesake of the jazz program at the Hartt School of Music, where she studied before earning her masters at Juilliard.

As its title suggests, Hanahan’s album — released last month on Blue Engine Records, the label run by Jazz at Lincoln Center — involves a cosign from some heavy elders, like pianist Marc Cary and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts. But as you’d know if you caught her performance at the Center City Jazz Festival last year, Hanahan doesn’t need an all-star band to set a stage ablaze. She’ll appear here this weekend with a quartet featuring TK.

July 24 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $20, $75 and $95, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.

Todd Marcus Quintet — Wednesday, Notsolatin

Bass clarinetist Todd Marcus, a proud son of Baltimore, has recently forged a strong musical bond with clarinetist Virginia MacDonald, a rising star out of Toronto. Their swinging quintet features an ace rhythm section with Bruce Barth on piano, Blake Meister on bass and Eric Kennedy on drums; it appears on the Notsolatin house concert series in between gigs in New York and Baltimore, playing music that will likely feature on an album due next year.

July 24 at 7:30 p.m., Notsolatin, 1440 West Ritner Street, free with reservation (donation suggested); tickets and information.

Hailey Brinnel Quintet — Friday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe

Philadelphia’s own Hailey Brinnel is the proverbial triple threat: an accomplished trombonist who has also earned high praise for her singing, and growing acclaim for her songwriting. Her most recent album, Beautiful Tomorrow, marshals all of the skills at her disposal. In this swinging engagement, part of Chris’ Jazz Cafe’s series “Sisterhood of Jazz,” Brinell’s band will feature another prepossessing young woman in its front line: trumpeter Summer Camargo, who was recently named one of DownBeat magazine’s “25 For the Future,” on the heels of her auspicious debut album, To Whom I Love.

July 26 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $25, $80 and $100, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.

Courtesy of the artist

East Axis — Saturday, Solar Myth

An avant-garde collective with a powerful instinct for revelation, East Axis has released two albums so far — the most recent, No Subject, appearing on the Brother Mister imprint of Mack Avenue Records last year. The lineup has changed slightly since then, but two constants — pianist Matthew Shipp and bassist Kevin Ray — maintain a high standard for in-the-moment eloquence. Rounding out the quartet are two distinct but compatible masters, multi-reedist Scott Robinson and drummer Newman Baker Taylor.

July 27 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $30; tickets and information.

Courtesy of the artist

Jane Monheit — Sunday, South Jazz Kitchen

For more than 25 years now, Jane Monheit has been among the leading exponents of a school of jazz singing that prizes emotional lucidity, lyrical poise, and a pearl-like purity of tone. Notwithstanding a recent holiday effort, she hasn’t released an album in several years — but that doesn’t mean she’ll come without new material, or a fresh take on the familiar. As usual, her impeccable band is led by her husband, drummer Rick Montalbano.

July 28 at 6 and 8:30 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $45, tickets and information.

Nate Chinen has been writing about music for more than 25 years. He spent a dozen of them working as a critic for The New York Times, and helmed a long-running column for JazzTimes. As Editorial Director at WRTI, he oversees a range of classical and jazz coverage, and contributes regularly to NPR.