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Ethnic Heritage Ensemble returns; Yotam Silberstein raises standards

This week the Eagles are headed to New Orleans, where every night is a musical feast. Look at the landscape here in Philly, though, and you may not feel too envious. Here are some great shows in the week ahead; just, y'know, not on Super Bowl Sunday. Go Birds! (Do you get Moment's Notice in your inbox? If not, sign up now to stay in the know.)


Spotlight: Ethnic Heritage Ensemble — Wednesday and Thursday, Solar Myth

Led by the sagelike multi-instrumentalist Kahil El’Zabar, Ethnic Heritage Ensemble recently celebrated 50 years as a unit, though its sound and personnel have morphed, in the manner of a living organism, during that span. In its current incarnation, the Ensemble is a trio with El’Zabar on percussion and vocals, Corey Wilkes on trumpet, and Alex Harding on baritone saxophone.

The group’s most recent album, titled Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound & Spirit, features a blend of original themes, like El’Zabar’s “Barundi,” and deftly handled interpretations of familiar touchstones, like the soul staple “Compared to What.” The band’s version of Miles Davis’ “All Blues” puts Harding on the iconic bassline and Wilkes on a muted horn, while El’Zabar sounds a sparse chordal accompaniment on kalimba. It was a highlight of the last Ethnic Heritage Ensemble show I saw at Solar Myth, and may well be again this week.

Feb. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $30 advance, $35 day-of-show; purchase tickets.

Justin Griggs and The Lab — Thursday, Temple Performing Arts Center

Justin Griggs earned a local reputation as a piano prodigy — known by monikers like ”Piano Priest” and “88 Fingers” — well before joining the Jazz Studies program at the Boyer College of Music and Dance. For this installment of the Rite of Swing Jazz Cafe, he’ll corral nearly a dozen of his peers, including saxophonist Joshua Peeler, trumpeter Fabien Enger, trombonist Henry Koban Payne, and drummer Mekhi Boone.

Feb. 6 at 4:30 p.m., Temple Performing Arts Center, 1837 North Broad Street, free; more information

Courtesy of the artist

Hailey Brinnel — Friday, Barnes Foundation

Philadelphia’s own Hailey Brinnel is the proverbial triple threat: an accomplished trombonist who has earned high praise for her singing and growing acclaim for her songwriting. On her agreeable recent album, Beautiful Tomorrow, she marshals all the skills at her disposal, and calls in a couple of favors. She headlines this edition of the Barnes Foundation’s popular First Friday series.

Feb. 7 at 6 p.m., Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, $35, $10 for National, Patron and Contributor members and students, free for Supporters and Sustainers; tickets and information.

Brian To
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Courtesy of the artist

ELEW — Friday and Saturday, South Jazz Kitchen

It has been 15 years since Eric Lewis — winner of the 1999 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano Competition, where he just edged out Orrin Evans — turned heads by adopting a new stage name and style, which he christened “rockjazz.” ELEW has since proven his longevity as an interpretive force; see his most recent album, ELEW Plays Rosenwinkel: Cubism. No telling what he’ll get into this weekend.

Feb. 7 and 8 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $33; tickets and information

Yotam Silberstein Quartet — Friday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe

A guitarist of crisp fluency and glowing insight, Yotam Silberstein recently released an album whose title, Standards, identifies its scope and approach. What it doesn’t tell you is the elite company Silberstein has gathered: bassist John Patitucci and drummer Billy Hart, with tenor saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master George Coleman gracing a couple of tracks. Silberstein will soon release Standards, Vol. 2, featuring the same heavy personnel; he rolls into town with Asaf Yuria on soprano and tenor saxophone, Alex Claffy on bass and Mark Whitfield, Jr. on drums.

Feb. 7 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $25, $95 and $115, with dinner packages; purchase tickets

Dylan Band Quartet — Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe

Tenor and soprano saxophonist Dylan Band is a true-blue product of the local jazz pipeline: an alumnus of both the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts and Temple’s Boyer College of Music and Dance; a protégé of the late Larry McKenna; co-leader of the Philadelphia Ambassador Big Band. For this one-nighter, he features a guest vocalist, Kate Kortum, who’s currently earning her masters degree at Juilliard.

Feb. 8 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $30, $100 and $120, with dinner packages; 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.