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: Clifford Brown Jazz Fest — Wednesday through Saturday, Rodney Square, Wilmington, DE
Seventy years ago, the greatest jazz musician ever to come out of Wilmington, Delaware made two of his defining statements on record: Clifford Brown with Strings and Study in Brown. Both albums are landmarks of mid century modern jazz, and a joint testament to Clifford Brown’s supreme clarity of expression as a trumpet player. Because he died tragically the following year, they also stand as a memorial, a tribute to the magic Brown created in an all-too-brief career.
For nearly the last four decades, Brown’s native city has paid tribute in another way, with a jazz festival that celebrates his spirit by gathering the finest talent of the day. This year marks the 38th Clifford Brown Jazz Fest, and that formula holds true. Over four days, Wednesday through Saturday, historic Rodney Square will pulsate with modern sounds from across a range of jazz, soul, funk and gospel music.
Wednesday’s kickoff will feature local musicians in a Celebration of Black Joy and Friends, along with a trumpeter that would have made Brownie proud: Ingrid Jensen, heard to superb effect on the latest release by Artemis. Thursday will feature bassist Victor Wooten and the Wooten Brothers, as well as pianist Sullivan Fortner & His Galactic Friends, playing the music of Sun Ra. On Friday the focus turns to R&B, with Chanté Moore and Eric Benét. And the festival culminates in vocal excellence, from headliners Carmen Lundy and esperanza spalding, as well as Wilmington’s own Maya Belardo and Philly-based singer-songwriter Lili Añel.
June 18 through June 21, Rodney Square, 1000 North Market Street, Wilmington, DE, free; more information.
Kahil El’Zabar and David Murray — Wednesday, Solar Myth
Kahil El’Zabar and David Murray first met in Chicago roughly half a century ago. They have shared many sonic vibrations since then, including the mesmerizing 2020 album Spirit Groove, which featured them in a quartet setting. Their return to Solar Myth as a duo promises to strike a rousing balance of spiritual inquiry and physical abandon, with Murray on tenor saxophone and El’Zabar on drums, mbira and cajón.
June 18 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 South Broad Street, $35 advance, $40 day of show; purchase tickets.
Nasir Dickerson: Life Light Empower – Thursday, South Jazz Kitchen
An unassuming pillar of the local jazz community, Nasir Dickerson is a tenor saxophonist who also doubles seriously on kora, bringing a folkloric West African influence into his music. His Life Light Empower band features trusted partners like trumpeter Jojo Streater and drummer Khary Shaheed; they’ll surely bring deep conviction to this Juneteenth celebration at South.
June 19 at 6:30 and 9 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $25-$30; tickets and information.
Victor North Quartet with Dylan Band — Friday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
A surefooted saxophonist with decades of experience on the Philly scene, Victor North enlists a front-line compatriot, fellow saxophonist Dylan Band, for this one-nighter on familiar turf. They’ll be backed by a first-tier local rhythm section, with Neil Podgurski on piano, Dave Brodie on bass and Byron Landham on drums.
June 20 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $25, $95 and $115, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
Kaisa’s Machine — Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
The Finnish bassist Kaisa Mäensivu has a warmly engaging approach to small-group interplay, and with her band Kaisa’s Machine, she favors a hearty, progressive sound. Her assured new album with the group is Moving Parts, and that title says something about how she’ll marshal her fellow musicians gathered here: guitarist Max Light, vibraphonist Simon Moullier, pianist Eden Ladin and drummer Joe Peri.
June 21 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $30, $100 and $120, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
Warren Oree’s tribute to Charles Mingus — June 22, Philadelphia Clef Club
Philadelphians of a certain listening demographic know Warren Oree as the bassist and leader of the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, which he started way back in 1979. In this matinee concert, part of the Clef Club’s Jazz Cultural Voices series, he pays tribute to a towering bass influence, Charles Mingus, with a lineup that includes Umar Raheem on saxophones, Frank Butrey on guitar, Doug “Pablow” Edwards on congas and percussion, and Greg “Ju-Ju” Jones on drums.
June 22 at 3 p.m., Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 South Broad Street, $35; tickets and information.
