What is your ideal summer-jazz heat signature? Cool and refreshing, like a standard sung by Stacey Kent? Or bright and blazing, like an uptempo blues by the Marel Hidalgo Organ Trio? Whatever the case, Moment’s Notice has you covered this week. There’s something here for every temperament — and in case you’re saving pocket change for the water ice budget, three of our five picks are free of charge. — Nate Chinen
Spotlight: Ben Williams Quintet — Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Ben Williams is a bassist of versatile poise and boundless soul; perhaps you know him from Pat Metheny’s Unity Band, or his work with the likes of Terrace Martin and José James. A native of Washington, D.C., Williams hit the national jazz radar in 2009, when he took first prize in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Bass Competition. He has since released several albums of his own, including the declarative 2020 statement I Am a Man.
His latest is Between Church & State, released this spring. It’s a showcase for Williams’ sure hand as a bandleader and convener, with featured guests including vocalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, saxophonist Kamasi Washington and trumpeters Chief Adjuah and Keyon Harrold. But the album also tells a personal and topical story — delving into a legacy that Williams inherited from his mother, who worked for several founding members of the Congressional Black Caucus, and his paternal grandfather, a former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I really feel this album is right on time considering the current political and social climate,” Williams tells WRTI. He’ll surely bring that urgency to Chris’ Jazz Cafe this weekend, leading a quintet with Chelsea Baratz on saxophone and vocals, Danae Greenfield on piano, David Rosenthal on guitar and Quincy Phillips on drums.
Aug. 16 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $30, $100 and $120, with dinner packages; purchase tickets.
Stacey Kent — Monday, Wiggins Park, Camden, NJ
The jazz singer Stacey Kent has a delicate yet determined style, girded by multilingual poise. Her charming 2023 album Summer Me, Winter Me includes songs composed by her husband, saxophonist and flutist Jim Tomlinson, with English lyrics by the novelist Kazuo Ishiguro. Kent will be joined by Tomlinson and pianist Art Hirahara in this free concert on the Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Waterfront Park.
Aug. 11 at 8 p.m., Wiggins Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ, free; more information.
Lucas Brown Trio — Wednesday, Etting Square Park
Lucas Brown is an organist whose Philly pedigree includes a formative apprenticeship with the late Bootie Barnes. He’s never stopped exploring new angles on the soul-jazz tradition, as you may recall from his NPR Live Sessions hit at WRTI. His trio with John Swana (EVI) and Doug Hirlinger (drums) has more than two decades on the odometer; these versatile players will bring their alert rapport to a free concert in Etting Square Park, presented by Jazz Bridge.
Aug. 13 at 6 p.m., Etting Square Park, 3255 Marston Street, free; more information.
Marel Hidalgo Organ Trio — Thursday, Kennedy Plaza, Atlantic City
Around this time last year, we were touting Marel Hidalgo in our WRTI Young Artist Spotlight. A disarmingly self-possessed guitarist, he’s now 17, with an ever-expanding fan base. He headlines the Chicken Bone Beach Jazz Series this week with a special edition of his organ trio, featuring the legendary drummer Roger Humphries and veteran Hammond B-3 specialist Pat Bianchi; opening the free concert is a Youth Jazz Collective from the IDEA Center for the Arts.
Aug. 14 at 8:30 p.m., Kennedy Plaza, Atlantic City, NJ, free; more information.
Brian Simpson - Thursday and Friday, South Jazz Kitchen
Keyboardist Brian Simpson has established a steady track record in smooth jazz, sometimes by reaching beyond the tent. His new album, Midnight Groove, is a case in point: in addition to peers like saxophonist Jeff Kashiwa, it features outliers like trumpeter Keyon Harrold and rising-star saxophonist Isaiah Collier. Expect a similarly ecumenical vibe this week at South.
Aug. 14 at 6:30 and 9 p.m., August 15 at 7 and 9:30 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 North Broad Street, $34-$44; tickets and information.
