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Immanuel Wilkins at the Barnes, and André 3000 at The Met Philly

Now that we’re deep into pumpkin spice season, it feels right to talk about fall abundance — an appropriate measure for the riches of our music calendar, as you’re about to find out. Whether your taste in improvised music runs toward spiritual vibes or visceral grooves, there’s something on the near horizon for you this week. Have a look, and let us know if there’s a show we need to consider down the line.


Spotlight: Immanuel Wilkins Quartet — Friday, Barnes Foundation

With his stunning third album, Blues Blood, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins deepens his scope as a conceptualist and composer — creating a song cycle that explores themes of familial bonds, ancestral bloodlines, and Black resilience. The album creates space for four sensitive singers, including the transfixing South Indian vocalist Ganavya and the brilliant jazz troubadour Cécile McLorin Salvant. Their contributions on the album overlap and intertwine, in ways that evoke a subterranean root system.

Wilkins, 27, won’t be appearing with vocalists in his First Friday concert at the Barnes Foundation, so it’s likely that he will draw sparingly from the material on Blues Blood. But he will be at the helm of the album’s core ensemble, a working quartet with Micah Thomas on piano, Rick Rosato on bass and Kweku Sumbry on drums. This is the same band heard on Wilkins’ previous acclaimed albums, Omega and The 7th Hand, and featured in a 2022 NPR concert video from PhilaMOCA. Their slashing rapport has only strengthened since, and it will be fascinating to see how Wilkins connects their appearance to the Barnes’ current exhibition Mickalene Thomas: All About Love.

Nov. 1 at 6 p.m., Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, $10-$35, Supporters and Sustainers free; tickets and information.

Courtesy of the artist

Stanley Jordan — Wednesday, Sellersville Theater, Sellersville

Almost 40 years after the release of Magic Touch, his breakout Blue Note debut, Stanley Jordan retains the ability to beguile audiences with a signature tapping technique on the fretboard of his Vigier guitar. He’s likely to draw partly from Fusion, a new album made in collaboration with drummers Billy Cobham and Dennis Chambers — though, to be clear, he’ll be performing solo here.

Oct. 30 at 8 p.m., Sellersville Theater, 24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, $33-$45; tickets and information

André 3000 — Friday, The Met Philadelphia

By now, most observers have come around to the fact that André 3000 plays an assortment of flutes, and spits nary a verse, in his current incarnation as a performing artist. Since the release of New Blue Sun, he has brought his new improvisational practice before a broad array of audiences, meeting varying degrees of acceptance. Here as elsewhere, he’ll likely enlist a clutch of musical empaths like keyboardist Surya Botofasina and percussionist Carlos Niño.

Nov. 1 at 8 p.m., The Met Philadelphia, 858 North Broad Street, $41.25 and up; tickets and information.

Pianist Joe Block, a semifinalist in the 2023 Herbie Hancock International Jazz Piano Competition, pictured at Smalls Jazz Club in New York.
courtesy of the artist

Joe Block Open Heart Trio — Friday and Saturday, South Jazz Kitchen

For this weekend homecoming gig, pianist Joe Block augments his Open Heart Trio with a different singer each night. On Friday he’ll welcome Shabnam Abedi, a Juilliard acquaintance who has become a close collaborator; they’ll play material from a new album, Love Shadows. And on Saturday, Block enlists the artist known as Jamile, whose most recent release, Daring Two Be, is a collaboration with guitarist Tony Davis and alto saxophonist Steve Wilson.

Nov. 1 and 2 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $30; tickets and info for Friday and Saturday.

Najee — Nov. 3, City Winery

Now in his mid-60s, Najee has earned the right to be considered smooth-jazz royalty, even if his most recent releases haven’t extended his reign atop the charts. His most recent album, Savoir Faire, showcases both his flute and saxophone proficiency over an airtight band — one that he has further honed on tour.

Nov. 3 at 5 p.m., City Winery, 990 Filbert Street, $45-$65; purchase tickets.

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.