The Jazz Scene: 2016 gets a great start in Philly

Though Philadelphia has not had a multi-day, nationally sponsored jazz festival for some years, there is no shortage of impressive fests in outlying areas. One of the oldest, finest, and widest-ranging is the Berks County Jazz Festival in Reading, now celebrating its 26th year of operation. The lineup for the April 1 to April 10 confab has just been announced, and among the bigger names booked are vocal groups Take 6 and the Manhattan Transfer, guitarist Robben Ford, bassist Brian Bromberg’s Big Band, Grammy-winning blues singer/guitarist Keb' Mo’, drummer Sherrie Maricle, the Rippingtons, the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, and piano legend Chick Corea. Long a ubiquitous presence at Berks is Philadelphia bassist Gerald Veasley, who will lead a number of jam sessions throughout the 10-day event.

Madison Rast, Joey DeFrancesco, and the Mack Avenue SuperBand

It’s never been formally documented, but this city has long been home to an astounding number of world-class jazz bassists. One of the finest and busiest, and he’s still a youngster, is bassist/composer and Temple University faculty member Madison Rast. Rast checks in with his group at the Free Library of Philadelphia for a 7pm performance on Monday, January 25.

Perennial poll winner in the “best jazz organist” category Joey DeFrancesco will appear at Chris’ Jazz Café on Friday and Saturday, January 29 and 30. There are two shows each night at 8 and 10pm.

The Mack Avenue SuperBand, named for the record label, is a grouping of all-stars that is indeed super. The band, which will appear at the Annenberg Center on Sunday, January 31 for a 7pm show, includes Grammy-winning vibraphonist Gary Burton; R&B saxophonist Tia Fuller; Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra trumpeter Sean Jones; and one of Philadelphia’s finest, bassist Christian McBride, backed by pianist Christian Sands and drummer Carl Allen. And congratulations are in order for McBride, who just received a 2016 Grammy nomination for “Best Improvised Jazz Solo” for his version of “Cherokee” within his Live at the Village Vanguard album.

An Eartha Kitt tribute and jazz in photographs

Vocalist René Marie “proves herself masterful,” said DownBeat magazine. One of Marie’s inspirations is the late and legendary Eartha Kitt. This powerful vocalist pays tribute to Kitt via her “I Wanna Be Evil (With Love to Eartha Kitt)” show on Saturday, January 30 for an 8pm show at the Kimmel Center.

Just announced, in celebration of the sixth annual Philadelphia Jazz Appreciation Month — the month of April — is a unique photographic exhibit at City Hall called Live Philly Jazz: Through the Photographic Lens. The exhibition sites are the Art Gallery at City Hall and the display cases on the northeast corner of City Hall’s second floor, and the event will run from February 29 through May 6. The exhibit is being presented under the aegis of Creative Philadelphia, within the Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy. Creative Philadelphia is now looking for, as they say, “photography that captures the spirit of jazz during live performances, or subtle behind-the-scenes creative moments.” The organization is seeking original works of art that show a mastery of the photographic medium and visually depict the rhythms, sounds, energy, and intricacies of jazz music. Digital works exploring the photographic image will be considered, but Creative Philadelphia will not accept works taken by or appropriated from other photographers, including collages or arrangements of other artists’ works. This city has any number of first-rate jazz photographers, whose works will no doubt be on display.