As we approach the midpoint of Philly Jazz Month, there’s a wild profusion of options around town — covering everything from avant-funk to in-the-pocket post-bop, with a little something for everyone.
Spotlight: Anthony Tidd’s Quite Sane — Thursday, Solar Myth
Bassist and bandleader Anthony Tidd, a busy catalyst on the Philly jazz scene and within progressive circles in New York, foregrounds social commentary and stylistic convergence in his project Quite Sane. This year the group released a series of EPs under the title To Kill a Child of Troubled Times, drawing on the varied talents of collaborators like the rapper and poet Kokayi, guitarist Miles Okazaki, pianist Paul Cornish and drummer Sean Rickman.
This concert, part of Philly Jazz Month, celebrates the release of Side C - Epilogue. It features all of the aforementioned along with vocalist Astrid Kralisch and saxophonist Mark Shim, who should bring just the right note of urgency. And while the subject matter is heavy — as indicated by a two-part invention titled “Shorty’s Demise” — the music itself, with its funk foundation and clever convolutions in form, strives at all moments toward uplift.
April 16 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 S Broad Street, $30; tickets and information.
Amir ElSaffar New Quartet — Tuesday, Solar Myth
Amir ElSaffar is a trumpeter, santur player and vocalist who combines modern jazz and classical techniques with the microtonal traditions of Arabic Maqam. He performs here with the same dynamic ensemble heard on New Quartet Live at Pierre Boulez Saal, featuring the emerging young Greek pianist Tania Giannouli, Norwegian-born tenor saxophonist Ole Mathisen, and Boston-born, Brooklyn-based drummer Tomas Fujiwara.
April 14 at 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 S Broad Street, $30; tickets and information.
Dylan Band Quartet — Wednesday, 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. This special one-nighter, a benefit for Jazz Bridge, finds him at the helm of a band with Neil Podgurski on piano, Sam Harris on bass and Nazir Ebo on drums.
April 15 at 7:30 and 9 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe 1421 Sansom Street, $20, with dinner packages; tickets and information.
Coltrane Unscripted: A Philadelphia Homecoming — Thursday, South Jazz Kitchen
If you heard Jaleel Shaw on a recent episode of The Late Set, you know how deeply this alto saxophonist identifies with the jazz legacy of Philadelphia — including the spirit of John Coltrane. That’s the focus of this edition of the Unscripted Jazz Series, which brings Shaw home to a band spearheaded by bassist Gerald Veasley. The pianist is Adam Faulk, and the drummer is Khary Abdul-Shaheed. The set list hasn’t been announced, but be ready for an expedition.
April 16 at 6:30 and 9 p.m., South Jazz Kitchen, 600 N Broad Street, $42; tickets and information.
Orrin Evans Aries Birthday Hang — Friday and Saturday, Chris’ Jazz Cafe
Pianist Orrin Evans celebrated a milestone birthday last year with 50 Shades of O, a whole slew of shows packed with musical friends. This weekend looks manageable by comparison, though it’ll pack no less of a punch. On Friday, Evans leads a quintet with Tim Green on saxophones, Warren Wolf on vibraphone, Luques Curtis on bass and Ari Hoenig on drums. On Saturday, Wolf stays on but the rest of the band changes, with saxophonist Caleb Curtis, bassist Noah Garabedian and drummer Vinnie Sperrazza all rotating in.
April 17 at 9:30 p.m., April 18 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m., Chris’ Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom Street, $30 on Friday, $35 on Saturday, with dinner packages; tickets and information.
Snarky Puppy — Friday, Union Transfer
On its most recent album, Somni, the groove-forward band Snarky Puppy moves up to orchestral scale, collaborating with the Dutch ensemble Metropole Orkest for a musical tapestry both rousing and refined. The band, led as always by bassist Michael League, is on tour to support the album, and will play Union Transfer with an opening set by The Nth Power.
April 17 at 8 p.m., Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden Street, resale tickets available from $75; tickets and information.
