Philly
King of Pop
Legendary Philly soul producers Gamble & Huff are mourning “a dear friend.” This is one of the songs they wrote and produced for him. Catch the rhythmic detail in the choreography at exactly 2:00. And the early hints of the moonwalk, 4:02. [P.S. – My colleague John Murph points out that Jeffrey Daniels of Shalamar was doing the moonwalk before
Philadelphia haps
All in the current Philadelphia Weekly (with minor modifications): AlasNoAxis Wed., June 24, 8pm. $12. Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St. 215.545.4302 www.arsnovaworkshop.com Jim Black, a pillar of New York’s avant-jazz scene for some 15 years, has developed one of the most identifiable drumset approaches in all of music, his dry thuds and thwacks stirring up a riot of
On Charles Fambrough
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Charles FambroughSat., June 13, 7 & 10:30pm. $25 ($20 advance). Philadelphia Clef Club, 738 S. Broad St. 215.893.9912 www.clefclub.org Search for bassist Charles Fambrough on YouTube and you’ll find him with Art Blakey in 1982, holding it down behind Wynton and Branford Marsalis, both fresh-faced and in their early 20s. Fambrough’s deep, bone-shaking tone helped
Darcy James Argue redux
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Darcy James Argue’s Secret SocietyFri., June 5, 8pm. $12. International House, 3701 Chestnut St. 215-895-6546 www.arsnovaworkshop.com Vancouver-born composer Darcy James Argue came to New York via Boston and launched what he calls a “steampunk big band,” Secret Society, in which he does not play an instrument. The name is a riff on the insularity of
PMP magazine
I have a jazz survey piece, somewhat out of date, in the annual Philadelphia Music Project magazine. Go here for “Jazz Horizons: A Diverse Lineage in Context.” If you access the entire magazine via pdf and scroll to page 38, you can also find my report on Philly book lectures by Ben Ratliff and Alex Ross.
On the Sun Ra Arkestra
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Sun Ra ArkestraSun., May 24, 8pm. $10. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684 www.johnnybrendas.com Pianist, bandleader and self-proclaimed extraterrestrial Sun Ra (Herman Poole Blount) died in 1993, but he remains an “Afrofuturist” black culture icon whose influence always extended beyond avant-garde jazz. His example looms particularly large in Philadelphia, where he lived from 1968
Sci Fi Philly Turns 1
This coming Sunday marks the first anniversary of Sci Fi Philly, the creative music series I wrote about here [pdf]. It’s going strong and celebrating with an all-day blowout on May 24. Click on the image to enlarge and peruse the amazing lineup.
On Rafael Toral
In the current Philadelphia Weekly: Rafael ToralMon., May 18, 8pm. Free. With Alex Nagle/Joe Lentini, Dave Smolen. The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St. www.bowerbird.org “Let your body move to the music,” Madonna once sang, and Lisbon-born Rafael Toral responds to that directive in some of the most radical ways you’ll see — producing real-time sound with “glove-controlled computer sinewaves,” for instance.