Results for "Philadelphia"

Alto Saxophonist-composer Bobby Zankel Shines A Brilliant Light On American, Philadelphia History With 'A Change Of Destiny,' Due September 22 From Mahakala Records

July 30, 2023

Philadelphia alto saxophonist and composer Bobby Zankel explores a darker side of his longtime city’s history with A Change of Destiny, set for a September 22 release on Mahakala Records. The album is a distillation of music that Zankel wrote for a dance piece, The Spirits Break to Freedom, in the 2010s, and was recorded with ...

Wayne Smith Jr.

Nurtured in the legendary Philadelphia jazz scene, Wayne Smith, Jr.’s career as drummer is as promising as it is eclectic. After graduating from the famed Creative and Performing Arts High School, he went on to study at the world renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. Eager to advance his music career, Wayne began performing regularly at staples of the Philadelphia jazz community including Chris’ Jazz Cafe and Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus. As his reputation grew, he branched out, performing in New York, Baltimore and Washington D.C alongside such well known musicians as Donald Byrd, Orrin Evans, Duane Eubanks, John Ellis, Stacy Dillard and Bootsie Barnes.  He teamed up with Victor North (saxophonist) and Lucas Brown (organist) to form Three Blind Mice and the trio still performs together to this day. After being tapped to join the legendary Sun Ra Akestra, Wayne toured Europe, Canada, and Australia, which would prove instrumental in his development as an artist.

Bill Frisell Trio featuring Thomas Morgan and Rudy Royston at World Cafe Live Music Hall

by Cary Tenenbaum
July 2, 2023

Bill Frisell TrioWorld Cafe Live Music Hall Philadelphia, PA July 29, 2023 The band took the stage at the intimate Music Hall at World Cafe Live on Walnut Street at about 8:15 for the 8 p.m. scheduled performance. Arranged in a tight semicircle with leader and guitarist Bill Frisell ...

Anais Reno and the Dylan Band Quintet at Chris’ Jazz Cafe

by Victor L. Schermer
June 30, 2023

Anais Reno and the Dylan Band Quintet Featuring the Music of Antonio Carlos Jobim Chris' Jazz Café Philadelphia, PA June 24, 2023 At 19, Anais Reno is one of the finest emerging jazz vocalists amid a hefty scene of great young singers. And her repeated engagements ...

3x3: Jazz Trios Playful and Pensive

by John Chacona
June 15, 2023

Can we finally retire the assertion that we are living in a Golden Age of the jazz piano trio? It seems like every month brings trio dates of such imagination and accomplishment as to render superlatives beside the point. These three recordings released in an eight-week period in Spring 2023 are a reminder that one of ...

Philadelphia Jazz

by Victor L. Schermer
May 27, 2023

Philadelphia Jazz Suzanne Cloud and Diane Turner 127 pages ISBN 978-1-4671-0784-6 Images of America Arcadia Publishing 2022 Philadelphia longs to be known as a jazz town, a city distinguished by its major contribution to the jazz legacy. There is a good ...

George Starks

Born: November 7

Dr. George L. Starks Jr., professor emeritus of music, served for 35 years as director of the highly acclaimed Drexel University Jazz Orchestra, Jazzet, and Saxtet. For 20 years, he produced the Jazz Orchestra's celebrated Jazz Extravaganza, an annual event that drew capacity crowds to Drexel's Mandell Theater. An esteemed lecturer, "Doc," as he was fondly called by his students, taught a variety of courses including World Musics, African American Music, Jazz History, Jazz Improvisation, Topics in Jazz, and Introduction to Music.

An ethnomusicologist with a specialty in New World Musics of African origin, he holds B.S

Miss Justine: Jazz Appreciation Month Event at Bob and Barbara’s Lounge

by Victor L. Schermer
May 5, 2023

Miss Justine Philadelphia Jazz Legacy Project and the Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy Bob and Barbara's Lounge Philadelphia, PA April 23, 2023 Vocalist Miss Justine (full name Justine Keeys) is a Philadelphia phenomenon. She has a unique mastery of the jazz ...

Norman David and Group 4 at Chris’ Jazz Cafe

by Victor L. Schermer
May 2, 2023

Norman David and Group 4 Chris' Jazz Café Philadelphia, PA April 25, 2023 Norman David is a saxophonist/clarinetist, composer, arranger, and educator par excellence, and for many years has directed his high-powered larger ensemble, the Eleventet, first in Boston, then at Colby College in Maine, and for ...

Mark Kramer

Born: November 3, 1945

Mark Kramer is a Philadelphia jazz musician born on November 3rd, 1945. Although not widely recognized, he is highly regarded among fellow musicians for his talent and skill on the piano. Critics have compared his style to that of other famous jazz pianists like Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and Herbie Hancock, but his unique harmonic vocabulary and pianistic style (as reviewed) set him apart. As of 2025, Mark Kramer's projects tend to intertwine elements of structured and free jazz, combining sparseness and complexity to create emotionally-driven strories /"tunes".    He has just released the first of 3 full length albums  ("BEYOND"),  all by year end.