Summertime is here, and whether you’re looking to pack up the car for a family road trip or hop on SEPTA to save a few bucks on gas, there’ll be no shortage of live music for all to enjoy! The WRTI Summer Music Guide is your road map to great music and lasting memories. Don’t forget that we also compile each week’s best shows, indoors and out, in Moment’s Notice and Fanfare — and that you can get them straight to your inbox!
Festivals
The Princeton Festival — June 5-21, Princeton, NJ
The premier summer program of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, this festival will feature a multi-genre program, including fully-staged operas, musical theater, jazz, chamber music, symphonic performances, and more. Some featured performers will be Sondra Radvanovsky, Twelfth Night Ensemble, The Sebastians, and Time for Three. Performances will be held at both the Morven Museum and Garden and Trinity Church.
Serafin Summer Music — June 9-26, Wilmington, DE
At Grace United Methodist Church, The Serafin Ensemble will be featuring a summer program featuring classical pieces from nations around the world, played by musicians from around the world. Represented in the program are America, Austria, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, Scandinavia, and Italy.
Lake Arbor Jazz Festival — July 15-19, Lake Arbor, MD
The 16th annual edition of this festival will take place at the MGM National Harbor Hotel & Casino, with artists including Gerald Albright and Philly’s own Jeff Bradshaw, as well as a variety of events such as Jazz and Java, a Saturday Day party featuring Philadelphia’s Urban Guerilla Orchestra, and a Sunday Jazz Brunch featuring Kirk Whalum, Gerald Veasley, and more.
Clifford Brown Jazz Festival — Aug. 2-8, Wilmington, DE (Lineup not yet announced)
Although this year’s lineup has yet to be announced, last year’s festival featured a number of high-caliber performers such as Ingrid Jensen, Victor Wooten & the Wooten Bros., Sullivan Fortner, Esperanza Spalding, and Carmen Lundy. Performances will be held outdoors at 1000 North Market Street in Wilmington, Delaware.
The Philadelphia Orchestra at SPAC — Aug. 5-22, Saratoga Springs, NY
The Philadelphia Orchestra will be continuing its longstanding summer residency in Saratoga Springs. Led by director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, the orchestra will be featured in a number of performances at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center Amphitheatre.
Scranton Jazz Festival — Aug. 7-9, Scranton, PA
The 21st annual Scranton Jazz Festival will be held at a variety of venues and feature artists including Ron Carter, the SJF Big Band, Carl Fischer’s Organic Groove Ensemble, the Marko Marcinko Latin Jazz Quintet, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more. Free trolley service will also be offered between participating stops.
Montclair Jazz Festival Jamboree & Block Party — Aug. 15, Montclair, NJ
Held at Lackawanna Station in downtown Montclair, this grand Finale of the Montclair Jazz Fest will feature Philadelphia’s own Bilal and Christian McBride, as well as Dianne Reeves, Patrice Rushen, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Take Me To The River, and Gotham Kings. Immediately following the jamboree will be a block party from 8-10 p.m.
DC Jazz Festival — Sept. 2-6, Washington, D.C.
Overlooking the Potomac River at the Wharf and running over Labor Day weekend, the DC Jazz Festival will feature the Dee Dee Bridgewater Quartet, Philly’s own Orrin Evans, the Joshua Redman Quartet, Kurt Elling, Nate Smith, Emmet Cohen, Bill Frisell, and more.
Outdoor Concert Series
Mount Gretna Concert Series — June 14-Sep. 12, Mount Gretna Playhouse, 200 Pennsylvania Ave, Mt Gretna, PA
Gretna Music will be hosting a number of outdoor classical, jazz, and chamber music concerts at the Mount Gretna Playhouse, featuring The Raleigh Ringers, New Jazz Underground, Fabiola Mendez, Michael Mayo, and more.
All performances listed here.
Chicken Bone Beach — (Thursdays) Aug. 5-Sept. 3, Atlantic City, NJ (Line up not yet announced)
While this year’s lineup remains to be seen, last year’s Jazz on the Beach concert series included Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Vijay Iyer Trio, and Gabriel Cavassa. Concerts will take place at Kennedy Plaza.
Jazz at Woodmere — Saturday evenings, typically from 5-6:30 p.m., Charles Knox Smith Hall, 9201 Germantown Avenue;
- July 11: Motown Magic, featuring Sherry Butler and Kim Payton
- July 18: John Coltrane’s Temptations, featuring The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
- July 25: Could You be Loved? - The Music of Bob Marley, featuring Herb Smith
- Aug. 1: James Brown: The Godfather of Soul, BLAQMEL
- Aug. 8: Songs and Poems of Gil Scott-Heron, featuring The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble and vocalist Elijah Pringle
Longwood Gardens Summer Performance Series — Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Open Air Theatre, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square, PA;
- June 24: Kermit Ruffins & The BBQ Swingers
- Aug. 12: Stanley Clarke N•4EVER
- Aug. 13: Silvana Estrada
- Sep. 3: The String Queens
KOP Concerts Under the Stars — Upper Merion Township Building Park & Heuser Park, King of Prussia, PA;
- June 25 at 7 p.m.: An Evening With Béla Fleck, Edmar Castañeda, Antonio Sanchez Trio — Upper Merion Township Building Park
- July 11 at 7 p.m.: A Celebration of John Coltrane & Miles Davis ft. Nasir Dickerson & The Life Light Empower Band — Upper Merion Township Building Park
- July 23 at 6 p.m.: Preservation Hall Jazz Band — Upper Merion Township Building Park
- Aug. 2 at 5 p.m., Dinner Party: Kamasi Washington, Robert Glasper, Terrace Martin — Heuser Park
Outdoor Concerts at Highmark Mann — TD Pavilion, 5201 Parkside Avenue;
Jazz:
- July 22 at 8 p.m.: Coltrane 100: Legacy featuring Ravi Coltrane with The Philadelphia Orchestra
- Aug. 14 at 7:30 p.m.: Jon Batiste - Jon Batiste Live
- Aug. 20 at 8 p.m.: Jazz Under The Stars: Marion Meadows featuring Philly’s own Gerald Veasley Band
Classical:
- June 17 at 8 p.m.: A Hundred Years On: A New Oratorio About the 1876 Centennial Exposition
- July 21 at 8 p.m.: Tchaikovsky Spectacular
- July 24 at 8 p.m.: Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back In Concert
Camden County Rocks, Sunset Jazz Series at Wiggins Park — Mondays at 8 p.m., Roland Traynor River Stage, Wiggins Park, 2 Riverside Dr, Camden, NJ;
- June 8: Tank and the Bangas
- June 29: Pieces of A Dream
- Aug. 24: Will Calhoun: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Miles Davis
- Aug. 31: Miguel Zenón Quartet
More performances listed here.
Montclair Jazz Festival Soundcheck Series — Tuesdays (and one Wednesday) at 6 p.m., The Wellmont Arts Plaza, 5 Seymour Street, Montclair, NJ;
- June 16: Bobby Watson + Jason Moran
- July 1: The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra
- July 14: Michele Rosewoman and Quintessence / Orrin Evans
- July 28: Joel Ross’ Good Vibes
- Aug. 4: Rebirth Brass Band
