Moment’s Notice is WRTI’s regular guide to the Philadelphia jazz scene. We’re here to tip you off to the best shows during the week ahead. Sign up now to receive this service in your inbox every Sunday. And if you want to let us know about a show on the horizon, or share any other feedback, drop us a line!
Spotlight: Isaiah Collier & The Chosen Few — Friday, Solar Myth
At a moment of cultural saturation for the phrase “spiritual jazz,” it’s uncommon to encounter an artist who fully inhabits and expresses that subgenre’s stated aims. Isaiah Collier, a tenor and soprano saxophonist from Chicago, is one such artist. In a notably brief timespan— he only just entered his mid-20s — Collier has earned accolades from across the jazz commentariat, notably in DownBeat magazine, which awarded his 2021 album Cosmic Transitions a rare five-star review.
The Almighty, a new album by Collier and his band The Chosen Few, only intensified his momentum, as did a recent performance at the Vision Festival in New York. Now Collier is bringing his fiery yet fine-honed improvisatory methodology to Solar Myth, leading a band featuring his regular compatriot Khary Abdul-Shaheed on drums, along with Jonathan Michel on bass and Philadelphia’s own Orrin Evans on piano.
Aug. 23 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $30; purchase tickets.
Marcus Miller — Thursday, World Cafe Live
The exhilarating spark of Marcus Miller’s electric bass playing has been a reliable feature of the contemporary jazz landscape for more than 40 years — and what’s remarkable is the extent to which he’s defied obsolescence, constantly renewing his lease on high-voltage, crisp-cornered jazz-funk. Listen to his most recent studio album, Laid Black, and you’re likely to be struck by how easily his myriad collaborators settle into the luxurious fabric of his sound design. Something similar will happen during this stop on his summer tour, as Miller reaches into his back catalog while sharing a taste of Basement Party, his next release.
Aug. 22 at 8 p.m., Music Hall at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street, $50-$95; tickets and information.
Ulysses Owens Jr.’s Generation Y — Thursday, Kennedy Plaza, Atlantic City
As its name suggests, Generation Y focuses on bright talent from a millennial cohort, spearheaded by the well-traveled drummer, bandleader and educator Ulysses Owens Jr. As on A New Beat, released earlier this year, the touring band features a front line with Anthony Hervey on trumpet and Erena Terakubo on alto saxophone; it appears on the free Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Series with an opening set by the John Lamkin Quintet.
Aug. 22 at 7 p.m., Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Series, Kennedy Plaza Stage, Atlantic City, NJ, free; more information.
Ari Hoenig Trio — Friday and Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Drummer-bandleader Ari Hoenig forged his reputation on the New York scene, but he’s a true Philly cat, and always a returning hero at Chris’ Jazz Cafe. His fine recent album Golden Treasures features an acoustic trio anchored by bassist Ben Tiberio, who rejoins him here alongside the Venezuelan-born Gabriel Chakarji on piano and a featured guest, Tivon Pennicott, on tenor saxophone.
Aug. 23 and 24 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $25-$105 depending on date, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
Andromeda Turre — Friday and Saturday, South Jazz Kitchen
A vocalist of farsighted vision and flexible execution, Andromeda Turre has continued to deepen her reputation as an artist, while putting into practice many of the lessons she’s gleaned from her father, the master trombonist Steve Turre. Her new album, From the Earth, is a suite inspired by our environmental plight; she’ll draw from it here, joined by Chelsea Baratz on saxophone, Fima Chupakhin on piano, and Shirazette Tinnin on drums.
Aug. 23 and 24 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $45; tickets and information.
