The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts

Motown Meets Jazz - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-12-14 19:30 (America/New_York) | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Join The Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble as the open the holiday season and relive our favorite Motown tunes like Get Ready, Can’t Help Myself, Tracks of My Tears and more that make us dance, laugh, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Get your tickets now! https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/motown-metts-jazz-jazz-cultural-voices

Steve Turre - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-10-03 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
October 3, 2024 7:30PM
Steve Turre – Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series

$35

Steve Turre at the Clef!
One of the world’s preeminent jazz innovators, trombonist and seashellist Steve Turre, has consistently won both the Readers’ and Critics’ polls in JazzTimes, Downbeat, and Jazziz for Best Trombone and for Best Miscellaneous Instrumentalist (shells). Turre was born to Mexican-American parents and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area where he absorbed daily doses of mariachi, blues and jazz. While attending Sacramento State University, he joined the Escovedo Brothers salsa band, which began his career-long involvement with that genre.
In 1972 Steve Turre’s career picked up momentum when Ray Charles hired him to go on tour. A year later Turre’s mentor Woody Shaw brought him into Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. After his tenure with Blakey, Turre went on to work with a diverse list of musicians from the jazz, Latin, and pop worlds, including Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, J.J. Johnson, Herbie Hancock, Lester Bowie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria, Van Morrison, Pharoah Sanders, Horace Silver, Max Roach, and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The latter introduced hum to the seashell as an instrument. Soon after that, while touring in Mexico City with Woody Shaw, Turre’s relatives informed him that his ancestors similarly played the shells. Since then, Turre has incorporated seashells into his diverse musical style.
In addition to performing as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band since 1984, Turre leads several different ensembles. Sanctified Shells utilizes the seashell in a larger context, transforming his horn section into a “shell choir”. Turre’s Spring 1999 Verve release, Lotus Flower, showcases his Sextet With Strings. The recording explores many great standards and original compositions arranged by Turre for a unique instrumentation of trombone and shells, violin, cello, piano, bass and drums. Turre’s quartet and quintet provide a setting based in tradition and stretching the limits conceptually and stylistically. In the Summer of 2000, Telarc released In The Spur of the Moment. This recording features Steve with three different quartets, each with a different and distinct master pianist: Ray Charles, Chucho Valdes, and Stephen Scott.
Turre’s self-titled Verve release pioneers a unique artistic vision, drawing upon jazz, Afro-Cuban, and Brazilian sources. This innovative recording also features Cassandra Wilson, Randy Brecker, Graciela, Mongo Santamaria and J.J. Johnson. Previously Turre recorded Right There and Rhythm Within, featuring Herbie Hancock, Jon Faddis, Pharoah Sanders, and Sanctified Shells, on Verve’s subsidiary label, Antilles.
Steve Turre continually evolves as a musician and arranger. He has a strong command of all musical genres and when it comes to his distinct brand of jazz, he always keeps one foot in the past and one in the future.

Danilo Perez Trio feat. John Patitucci and Adam Cruz - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-06-15 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
June 15, 2024 – 7:30 pm
Danilo Perez Trio featuring John Patitucci and Adam Cruz
$45
As a solo artist and as a collaborator with jazz giants from Dizzy Gillespie to Wayne Shorter, for over three decades Grammy-Award Winning Panamanian Pianist-Composer Danilo Pérez has been lauded as one of the most creative forces in contemporary music. With Jazz as the anchoring foundation, Pérez’s Global Jazz music is a blend of Panamanian roots, Latin American folk music, West African rhythms, European impressionism – promoting music as a borderless and multidimensional bridge between all people. Since 1993 Pérez has released twelve albums which have earned him critical acclaim, and numerous accolades around the world. He is a recipient of the United States Fellowship 2018, and the 2009 Smithsonian Legacy Award.
For nearly two decades, Pérez performed alongside bassist John Patitucci as the pianist and musical director of the Wayne Shorter Quartet. The quartet became known for an almost telepathic way of communicating musically, winning the Best Jazz Instrumental Album Grammy Award in 2019 for Blue Note Records release, EMANON. Patitucci first came to worldwide acclaim in the mid-1980s, when his work with Chick Corea helped put him at the forefront of the jazz world. Patitucci has recorded and performed throughout the world with his own band and with countless jazz luminaries, pop, and classical artists.
Drummer, composer, and educator Adam Cruz was born in New York City and has been a vital creative force on the international jazz scene. He leads his own group, is an integral part of renowned pianist Danilo Pérez’s trio, and regularly works with artists such as Tom Harrell, The Mingus Big Band, Joey Calderazzo, Chris Potter, Steve Wilson and Edward Simon. Adam currently teaches at CCNY and the Berklee Global Jazz Institute.

George Cables - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-06-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
June 8th @7:30PM
George Cables – Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
$45
George Cables has emerged as a major voice in modern jazz. He is currently performing and recording as a soloist, with trio and larger ensembles, and as a clinician in college jazz programs. In addition to composing and arranging for his own albums, George Cables has contributed to recordings by Dexter Gordon, Art Pepper, Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson and many others. He is noted for his fresh Interpretations of classic compositions and for his innovative style of writing.

Jazzmeia Horn - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-06-01 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
June 1, 2024 7:30PM
Jazzmeia Horn – Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
$45
““Horn is among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present.”
— The New York Times
“On her poised and pugnacious second album,Jazzmeia Hornslips free of lingering comparisons —to Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and other jazz-vocal touchstones —by sharpening the angle of attack. Her singing is exuberant, her original songs reveal a sturdy intellect, and her message is nothing less than everything the title implies.”
— NPR Music’s Top 12 Albums of August
“If nomenclature is destiny, Jazzmeia Horn was indeed born to swing. Maturing in what is proving to be a renaissance period for female jazz singers, Horn—who has won in both the Thelonious Monk and Sarah Vaughan vocal-jazz competitions—holds her own as an assured and spunky interpreter of song.”
— The New Yorker
“Love and Liberation cements her as the next big carrier of straight-ahead jazz’s vocal tradition.”
— The New York Times

Steve Green's Return of the Griot’s Groove: The Power of the Drum - Jazz Cultural Voices Series
2024-05-18 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
May 18, 2024 – 7:30 pm
Steve Green’s Return of the Griot’s Groove: The Power of the Drum
$35 Get Your Ticket

The program takes a musical journey through the origin of African American Music while reflecting on the historical and cultural experiences that birthed the creation of this great art form. The Music, dance and poetry that would rise from the ashes of oppression to captivate and change the entire world. Return of the Griots Groove is American History. Return of the Griots Groove is our history.
Combining live musical performances with video, dance and poetry. Told in the tradition of the Griots of West Africa. We will walk through historical events that took place and the music that evolved as a result. We will focus on the power of the drums as we demonstrate how the times affected the music and the music affected the times. From the guttural moans of despair to celebratory shouts of the hallelujah chorus, we will walk through the story of the African American diaspora.
Beginning with the drums of West Africa. To the slave songs of secret communication. Through the Negro spirituals that sustained. Then to the birth of the Blues and to New Orleans for the birth of Jazz. Next the evolution of Rhythm and blues and Rock and roll. Then the celebration of Soul, Funk and the ONE. Culminating in the explosion of Hip-hop. The power of the drum is central in all forms of African American music. We celebrate the pride and achievements of a people who continue to rise above a system designed to kill their spirit and the music that continues to flow from the soul of America. This is the return of the Griots Groove.

Odean Pope | Reggie Workman Philadelphia Summit - PCC Jazz Cultural Voices
2024-04-20 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
April 20, 2024 7:30PM
Odean Pope|Reggie Workman Philadelphia Summit
$45
Odean Pope
Odean grew up in jazz rich territory with other Philadelphia notables such as: John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Clifford Brown, Benny Golson, McCoy Tyner, Jimmy and Percy Heath, Ray Bryant, Bill Barron, Kenny Barron, Archie Shepp, Jymie Merritt, Jimmy Garrison, Philly Joe Jones and Dizzy Gillespie. Coltrane chose Odean to replace him in Jimmy Smith’s Group when he left for New York to join Miles Davis. Although he was close to Coltrane and continues to revere his artistry, Odean was always searching for his own musical sound.
Reggie Workman
Early in his career, Workman worked in jazz groups led by Gigi Gryce, Donald Byrd, Duke Jordan and Booker Little. In 1961, Workman joined the John Coltrane Quartet, replacing Steve Davis. He was present for the saxophonist’s Live at the Village Vanguard sessions, and also recorded with a second bassist (Art Davis) on the 1961 album. Workman also played with James Moody, Yusef Lateef, Pharoah Sanders, Herbie Mann and Thelonious Monk. He has recorded with Archie Shepp, Lee Morgan and David Murray. Workman, with pianist Tommy Flanagan and drummer Joe Chambers, formed The Super Jazz Trio in 1978.

Camille Thurman and Darrell Green Quartet - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-03-09 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
March 9, 2024 – 7:30 pm
Camille Thurman and Darrell Green Quartet
$35
Called a ”classic double threat” by NPR, Camille Thurman is equally adept on tenor saxophone, flute, and vocals. The New York City native has distinguished herself as a potent player as a member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra from 2018-2020. Her own albums as a leader — Origins (2013), Spirit Child (2014), Inside the Moment (2017) and Waiting for the Sunrise (2019), a collection of standards and original compositions— showcased her chops as both an incredibly dynamic singer and instrumentalist. A respected leading musician, she has appeared at notable venues and festivals around the world, including The Kennedy Center, Rose Theater, Winter Jazz Fest, and on The Colbert Show.
Camille has partnered with veteran drummer Darrell Green, a seasoned New York drummer and inventive rhythmatist who has toured and recorded with such leading jazz luminaries as Cassandra Wilson, Pharoah Sanders, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Antoine Roney, Charles Tolliver, Steve Turre, Wallace Roney, Wayne Escoffery, Russell Malone and Jeremy Pelt.

Anthony Walker presents the Prince of Soul (Jazz/Soul Tribute to Marvin Gaye)
2024-02-24 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
February 24, 2024 – 7:30 pm
Anthony Walker presents the Prince of Soul (Jazz/Soul Tribute to Marvin Gaye)
$35
Anthony Walker began his piano training in his native St. Paul, Minnesota, at age five, making his public debut at age ten. He received his M. Mus degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from Temple University where he studied with the late Natalie Hinderas. His musical background in classical, gospel, jazz and rhythm & blues has established Anthony in high demand as a solo artist, session musician, teacher and producer. His sophisticated style is comparable to jazz icons Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample, Ramsey Lewis, Bobby Lyle, and George Duke. His talent as a pianist has allowed Anthony to perform for audiences on five continents, sharing the stage with acts such as Stevie Wonder, Patti Austin, Raheem DeVaughn, Leela James, Kelly Price, Chaka Khan, Cynthia Erivo, Robert Glasper, The Yellow Jackets, jazz vocal group Take Six, gospel legend Richard Smallwood, Donnie McClurkin, Maurette Brown Clark, Kim Burrell, Edwin Hawkins, BeBe & CeCe Winans, Vickie Winans, T.D. Jakes and the Potter’s House Mass Choir and Classical Music icon, vocalist Reneé Fleming. He also spent five months on Broadway and 18 months touring with The Winans in the gospel musical, “Don’t Get God Started.” Additionally as a solo artist, Anthony headlines regularly at the prestigious Blues Alley in Washington D.C., City Winery DC, Amp by Strathmore and the legendary jazz venue The Blue Note in New York City. He’s also been a featured performer with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, the San Diego Symphony Pops and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In his role as musical director for Grammy Award winner Ledisi, Anthony performed at The White House (at the request of First Lady Michelle Obama) as well as the 2013 Inauguration of President Barack Obama and has made multiple television appearances including the NBC Today Show, the CBS Morning Show, Late Night with David Letterman Show, Good Morning America and The Queen Latifah Show. In 2000-2001, the Smithsonian Institution invited Anthony to be part of its 18-month-long exhibit of historic pianos, commemorating the 300-year anniversary of instrument’s invention. As part of this showcase, Anthony played pianos that had been favored instruments of artists as diverse as Liberace, Liszt, Duke Ellington, Beethoven and Mozart.

Edgardo Cintron Mambo Magic - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2024-01-27 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
January 27, 2024
Edgardo Cintron Mambo Magic – 7:30 pm
$35
Percussionist Edgardo Cintron is a second-generation Puerto Rican and a second-generation musician. Known as much for his affable personality and generous spirit as for his tasty musicianship, Edgardo has created his new band mambo magic in 2023 featuring the music of the great Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Eddie Palmieri, Spyro Gyra and more.
The Mambo Magic band features some of the most prolific musicians in the area including Dr. Don Collins (Trombone), John Katz (Tenor Sax), Bob Ferguson (Trumpet), Alex Figueroa and Hector Rios (Congas), Freddy Martin (Piano), Bobby Cabanas (Bass) and lead Vocalist Cuquito de la Salsa, directly from Puerto Rico.
Edgardo has put together a few high-powered Latin bands including: Tiempo Noventa in the 80’s and the 90’s, and the band Cintron, which performed at festivals around the country and the Caribbean for over 22 years. Cintron’s hit song, Suavecito on the universal Record label, has already received over 1.2 million views on YouTube.

Bobby Watson - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2023-12-16 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
December 16, 2023
Bobby Watson – 7:30 pm
$35
Bobby Watson’s year-long birthday celebration continues at PCC with a pre-holiday concert. Saxophonist Bobby Watson sits among the pantheon of present-day jazz greats. Born in Lawrence, Kan., his career now spans more than four decades. A multi-GRAMMY®-nominated saxophonist, composer, bandleader, educator and producer, Watson trained formally at the University of Miami and then, from 1977-1981, earned his “doctorate” as musical director of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers. During his four-plus years with the legendary drummer, the saxophonist contributed to 14 Jazz Messengers recordings — more than anyone else in the group’s 35-year (1955-1990) storied history. Early on, in addition to Blakey, the saxophonist also worked with notable jazz icons and elder statesmen such as Max Roach, Louis Hayes, George Coleman and Sam Rivers, as well as sharing music experiences with innumerable noteworthy peers and colleagues as well as legendary vocalists such as Joe Williams, Lou Rawls, Betty Carter, Dianne Reeves and Carmen Lundy.

Philadelphia Undefeated Jazz Festival
2023-11-25 14:00 - 20:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Philadelphia Undefeated Jazz Festival
November 25, 2023 – 2 pm to 8 pm
$35
Undefeated Jazz! The mission of festival producers, LifeLine Music Coalition (LMC). LMC is celebrating its 10th Philadelphia Undefeated Jazz Festival and is going back to the venue where it all began – The Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts (PCC). Sit back and enjoy 6 hours of world-class music from some of Philly’s finest artists including:
Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
Val Ray
Alfie Pollitt Trio
Suzanne Burgess
Project Capoeira: Brazilian Dance

Minas Sextet - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2023-10-07 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Minas Sextet
Minas – Brazilian Jazz featuring Orlando and Patricia Haddad (guitar, piano, vocals), with John Swana (trumpet, flugelhorn, EVI), Andrew Neu (sax, flute), Jim Stager (acoustic and electric bass), Tom Cohen (drums)
October 7, 2023 – 7:30 pm
Cost: $35
Minas’ longevity speaks for itself. With over four decades performing in a variety of formats, their professionalism and versatility, from the duo to ensemble, to orchestra and big band, has placed Minas in high demand. From small intimate settings to large venues, Orlando and Patricia have enchanted audiences with their magical and unique sound, artistry and warmth, where the poetry of their lives is heard in every note. Minas reflects a perfect musical marriage with a stage presence and chemistry that only a lifetime can produce.
Minas takes Brazilian and American roots to create a sound that is fresh and innovative, from ballads tinged with melancholic traits of Blues and Choro, to Folk coasting on the subtle coolness of a Bossa Nova pulse, to upbeat Sambas elaborated with instrumental jazz improvisation, scat singing and whimsical whistling. With a catalogue of 8 recordings released on their label Bluezul and a collection of over 100 songs, Orlando and Patricia’s compositions have been compared to classics by Cole Porter and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Capturing the essence of great songwriting with memorable melodies, inventive harmonies, and poetic lyrics, the music of Minas is engaging and timeless.

2023 PCC Jazz Camp Recital
2023-07-21 12:00 - 15:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Kirk Whalum Concert - Jazz Cultural Voices
2023-07-08 19:30 - 21:30 | PA
Soulful, passionate, stirring…these are the words most often used to describe Kirk Whalum’s music. Forged from his Memphis, (TN) gospel roots. The 80’s were highlighted by Kirk’s stepping out of his blossoming sideman role and forming his own band. It was there that Kirk ultimately developed both his “voice” and songwriting in the crucible of the local club scene––especially at a rooftop club called Cody’s. It was also in Houston where jazz pianist Bob James “discovered” him and brought him on tour, which led to five successful albums with Columbia Records, including Cache, Kirk’s first #1 album. As well, Kirk and Bob received a Grammy nomination for their collaboration album, Joined at the Hip. After moving to Los Angeles, Kirk became an in demand session player for top artists like Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Larry Carlton, Quincy Jones and most notably, Whitney Houston, amongst many others. It’s his sax heard on the mega-hit, “I Will Always Love You.” Kirk soon followed that career high point with his phenomenal hit album released on Warner Bros. Records, For You, perhaps the most successful of over 25 solo recordings to date; others include his eclectic, and much lauded, Gospel According to Jazz series, (Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4). In addition to his many solo projects, Kirk was also a member of the popular soul/jazz group, BWB, which features Kirk as the “W” of the group with Rick Braun (trumpet) and Norman Brown (guitar).
An ordained minister, Kirk has earned a Masters of Art in Religion. It’s in this spirit that he serves his community in various ways when his touring schedule allows. There is also his daily fifteen minute podcast, Bible In Your Ear (BIYE), in which he invites you to listen along as he reads through the Bible in a year. In addition to music and ministry, Kirk has a passion to educate young, aspiring musicians and is currently engaged as a music professor at Visible Music College in his hometown of Memphis.
Kirk is the recipient of numerous awards and acknowledgments for his musical excellence including three Dove Award nominations, an NAACP Image Award nomination and has won two Stellar Awards-Gospel music’s highest honor. A twelve time Grammy® Award nominee, Kirk won his first Grammy® Award (2011) for Best Gospel Song (“It’s What I Do”––featuring Lalah Hathaway) alongside life-long friend and gifted songwriter, Jerry Peters. Kirk has also been honored with a Brass Note on the Memphis Walk of Fame and a Star on the Nashville Walk of Fame.
In a career spanning decades, Kirk has a sound that is uniquely his; it is a sound that leaves an indelible imprint on the listener.

*FREE* MasterClass Series - Kirk Whalum
2023-07-08 12:00 - 13:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Kirk Whalum is one of the world’s most successful saxophonists and the genius behind many of the world’s best-loved sax solos from Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross to Quincy Jones, Larry Carlton and Al Jarreau to name just a few. If you are a musician, whatever your instrument and whatever your skill level; here’s a class for you.

Bobby Watson Master Class and Concert Cancelled
2023-06-16 12:00 - 2023-06-17 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
We regret to inform you that due to unforeseen circumstances Bobby Watson’s Master Class and Concert will not take place on Friday, June 16th (Master Class) or Saturday, June 17th (Concert).
If you purchased a ticket, you are welcome to a full refund or you can use the $35.00 ticket(s) that you purchased for Bobby Watson to gain entry to the Kirk Whalum Concert, scheduled July 8, 2023 (a $45.00 value) at no additional cost. Please email info@clefclubofjazz.org if you are interested.

Helen Sung Concert - Jazz Cultural Voices
2023-05-20 19:30 - 21:30 | PA
Helen Sung is an acclaimed jazz pianist and composer, and a 2021 Guggenheim Fellow. A native of Houston, Texas, and graduate of its High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), she eschewed her classical piano upbringing after a jazz epiphany during undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin. Helen went on to become part of the inaugural class of the Thelonious Monk Institute (now the Herbie Hancock Institute) at the New England Conservatory of Music.
As a classical-turned-jazz artist, one of the things I have come to love the most about this American art form is its generous, communal heart: this is music made together, played together, and enjoyed together. Tenor legend Jimmy Heath told me (during my studies at the then Monk Institute) the jazz bandstand exemplified true democracy, where the musicians each had a role to play, everyone got a chance to shine and have their say, but in the end they create something greater together than they could on their own. After the prolonged isolation of the pandemic, getting to play (and hang!) with beloved colleagues and tour again has been a joy and revelation: as Maestro Heath taught me, we need one another. May we take this message out into the jazz venues of our nation, and the world.
Helen Sung newest album Quartet+ (Sunnyside Records), garnered a 4.5 star DownBeat review and inclusion in its “Best of 2021 Albums” list, and a JazzTimes cover story (January 2022 issue), while previous releases Sung With Words (Stricker Street), a collaborative project with renowned poet Dana Gioia, and Anthem For A New Day (Concord Jazz) topped the jazz charts. In addition to her own band, Helen has performed with such luminaries as the late Clark Terry, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Regina Carter, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and the Mingus Big Band. Recent activities of note include Re-Orientation: Asian American Artists Out Loud (made possible by a Chamber Music America Digital Residency grant): provoked by anti-Asian violence, Helen teamed her quartet with a poet, a hip-hop artist/rapper, and an installation artist in a series of interdisciplinary events to celebrate the range and diversity of Asian American artistry. Helen’s 2021 Guggenheim Fellowship is being applied toward a mutli-movement composition for big band; one of the movements, “Wayne’s World,” won the 2022 BMI Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize. Helen has served on the jazz faculties of the Berklee College of Music and the Juilliard School. She is currently visiting faculty at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and an Associate Professor at Columbia University, where she also was the inaugural jazz artist-in-residence at its Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute exploring the intersection of jazz and neuroscience. Helen is a Steinway Artist.

*FREE* PCC MasterClass Series - Helen Sung
2023-05-19 18:00 - 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Finding A Voice Through Jazz Composition

Despite growing up in a family culture that valued deference and “real jobs, Chinese-American pianist/composer Helen Sung had secret dreams of becoming a concert pianist. Then an unexpected encounter with iazz during undergraduate classical studies began dismantling her world, jump-starting a journey of self-discovery. Helen went on to graduate from the Thelonious Monk Institute (now renamed the Herbie Hancock Institute) of Jazz Performance at the New England Conservatory, where bass legend and Artistic Director Ron Carter required her and her fellow classmates to regularly write original music, saying, “If you want to find your own voice, write your own music.” Today, in addition to a busy performance career, Sung is also a commissioned, award- winning composer/arranger. For this masterclass, she will share her artistic journey and development as seen through the lens of musical composition. FREE ADMISSION – REGISTER TODAY

Connie Han Concert - Jazz Cultural Voices
2023-04-15 19:30 - 21:30 | PA
Pianist and Steinway Artist Connie Han has tackled the pantheon of jazz with her own fiery contemporary style, managing to shake up a staid jazz scene with her meteoric rise and compelling musical voice.
$35

*FREE* PCC Master Class Series: Connie Han
2023-04-14 18:00 - 19:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
FREE AT PCC
Connie Han Master Class on Friday, April 14, 2023 at 6PMMasterclass by the Connie Han Trio: An exploration in using the jazz language for effective interactions in a small group setting.

Honoring Joey DeFrancesco: A Celebration of Life and Music
2023-04-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Honoring Joey DeFrancesco: A Celebration of Life & Music
A special event celebrating the incomparably talented jazz musician Joey DeFrancesco, in which friends and former band members celebrate the life, music, and legacy of the five-time Grammy nominee, multi-instrumentalist, innovator, producer, and radio personality.
Proceeds from this event will go towards The Philadelphia Clef Club Summer Jazz Camp.
Click Here for tickets
Lineup includes:
Terell Stafford – Trumpet
Lucas Brown – Organ & Guitar
Anwar Marshall – Drums
Jerry Weldon – Saxophone
Temple University Jazz Band
Doors at 6pm.
Performance at 7pm

Now save $5.00 when pre-ordering your delicious Charle Parker Platter in advance and enjoy great food and drink while celebrating the life and music of Joey DeFrancesco. Just present proof of purchase at the box office when you enter with your concert ticket and our wait staff will see that you are served once you are seated.
CLICK HERE to per-order your food and save!

Seated bar service available.

Terell Staford
Terell Stafford, acclaimed trumpet player based in New York, has been hailed as “one of the great players of our time, a fabulous trumpet player” by piano legend McCoy Tyner. Stafford is recognized as an incredibly gifted and versatile player, he combines a deep love of melody with his own brand of spirited and adventurous lyricism. Stafford’s exceptionally expressive and well defined musical talent allows him to dance in and around the rich trumpet tradition of his predecessors while making his own inroads.
Since the mid-1990’s, Stafford has performed with groups such as Benny Golson’s Sextet, McCoy Tyner’s Sextet, Kenny Barron Quintet, Frank Wess Quintet, Jimmy Heath Quintet and Big Band, Jon Faddis Jazz Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Alumni Band. Stafford with the Hamilton- Clayton Jazz Orchestra, performed on Diana Krall’s GRAMMY nominated From this Moment On (2006). John Clayton invited Stafford to perform with the Clayton Brothers Quintet and Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra. Stafford is a member of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra and they were awarded a GRAMMY in 2009 for Best Large Ensemble, Live at the Village Vanguard. Stafford can be heard on over 130 albums including his own, BrotherLee Love, Celebrating Lee Morgan, which received a 47th Annual NAACP Image Award nomination. His most recent album, Family Feeling, is a BCM&D release.
Stafford is the Director of Jazz Studies and Chair of Instrumental Studies at Temple University, founder and band leader of the Terell Stafford Quintet, and Managing and Artistic Director of the Jazz Orchestra of Philadelphia (JOP). Stafford is renowned in the jazz world as an educator, performer and leader and has received countless award nominations and accolades.
Lucas Brown
Lucas Brown is a performing artist, composer and educator. He actively performs both Jazz and classical music and has performed around the US and Canada at such venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kimmel Center, the Jazz Standard and the Blue Note, as well as in Europe and Asia. His compositions have been presented throughout the US and Europe. A member of the faculty at Temple University’s Esther Boyer College of Music, Lucas holds a BM in Jazz Performance from Temple University and a MM in Organ Performance from Westminster Choir College.
Known to many throughout the Jazz world as an organist, Lucas has been a member of saxophone legend Bootsie Barnes’ organ trio since the age of 21. Since that time, he has performed with such Jazz artists as Pat Martino, Eric Alexander, Terell Stafford, and Gerald Veasley, and is one of Joey DeFrancesco’s last touring band members. He was awarded the Clef Club Jazz Award in 2014 in recognition of his contributions as an organist in Philadelphia. Lucas was a member of the Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) artist roster as a member of the group Three Blind Mice, with Victor North and Wayne Smith Jr. Lucas has also performed with Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Anwar Marshall
Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, music lover, and producer, Anwar’s ears and skill have been cultivated through exposure, experience, practice, and the academy. His roots in Black music were planted in Philadelphia, where he was born. Always eager to create, Anwar began playing drums at an early age. With a culture as vibrant as Philadelphia’s, there’s a multitude of musical directions to travel. As it were, Anwar branches from the tree of great musicians and producers from Philadelphia’s iconic Soul, Jazz, and R&B sounds. His work as a sideman has earned him 2 Grammy nominations as well as the opportunity to travel across the world. Anwar is one of Joey DeFrancesco’s last touring band members. Currently performing with his own band and touring internationally with Marcus Miller.
Jerry Weldon
Internationally renowned veteran sax man Jerry Weldon, has been a player on the jazz scene for more than 45 years. With eight CD’s as a leader and more sideman sides than even he can count…or remember, this native New Yorker’s performance/recording résumé reflects his venerable tenor tenure and reads like a virtual “Who’s Who of Jazz.”
After graduating from Rutgers University Jazz Studies Program in 1981, Jerry joined the legendary Lionel Hampton Orchestra and continued his association with Hamp into the new millennium. Next came a long, rewarding stint with master organist Jack McDuff & his “Heatin’ System.” Additionally Jerry has worked with organists Jimmy McGriff, Joey DeFrancesco, Bobby Forrester, Dr. Lonnie Smith, and Mel Rhyne, trombone great Al Grey, piano giants George Cables and Cedar Walton, drum legends Roy Haynes and Jimmy Cobb as well as guitarist/singer George Benson, guitarist Earl Klugh, bassist Keter Betts, singer Mel Tormé and a host of other legendary musicians.
In 1990, Jerry became a charter member and featured soloist with Harry Connick Jr.’s newly formed big band. Since then Jerry has toured the U.S., Europe, Asia and Australia with Harry and was also part of Connick’s Broadway musical production, “Thou Shalt Not” and appeared on stage as well as in the orchestra.  Thanks to his talent, and long association with Connick, Jerry was part of the “house band” on Harry, Connick’s daytime television variety show for its two year run.
Temple University Jazz Band
Led by Director of Jazz Studies and Laura H. Carnell Professor of Jazz Terell Stafford, the Temple University Jazz Band (TUJB) performs on Temple’s main campus and throughout the greater Philadelphia region, and hosts the annual Essentially Ellington Eastern Regional High School Jazz Band Festival. Other festival appearances include the Mellon/PSFS Jazz Festival, International Association of Jazz Educators Conferences, the East Coast Jazz Festival, the Midwest Clinic International Band and Orchestra Conferences, and the Detroit International Jazz Festival. The TUJB is also a frequent award winner at the annual Villanova Jazz Festival.
In addition to numerous on-campus performances, the TUJB has performed many times at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and performs each spring at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. In March 2003, the TUJB toured Germany, which included five performances with the Phoenix Foundation Jazz Band. In May 2008, they traveled to Amsterdam where they performed with the Amsterdam Conservatory Jazz Band and at The Hague Jazz Festival. The band has performed at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with the Terell Stafford Quartet and Carla Cook in a tribute to Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan. Other performances in recent seasons have included appearances with John Faddis, Frank Wess, Clark Terry, Joe Wilder, Jimmy Heath, Benny Golson, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Karrin Allyson, and Freddy Cole.
Among the many respected jazz artists who have played with the TUJB on stage, in master classes and in clinics are Wynton Marsalis, The Vanguard Orchestra, Slide Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Dr. Billy Taylor, Max Roach, Frank Wess, Phil Woods, Jon Faddis, Mel Lewis, Dick Oatts, Byron Stripling, Conrad Herwig, Claudio Roditi, Antonio Hart, Carl Allen, JoAnne Brackeen, Regina Carter, Cyrus Chestnut, Joey DeFrancesco, McCoy Tyner, Norman Simmons, Benny Golson, Savion Glover, Joshua Redman, Huston Person,  John Clayton, Rene Marie, Wycliffe Gordon, and Marshall Gilkes.

Orrin Evans
2023-01-21 19:30 - 21:30 | PA
During his kaleidoscopic quarter-century as a professional jazz musician, pianist Orrin Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who pushes the envelope in all directions. Never supported by a major label, Evans has ascended to top-of-the-pyramid stature on his instrument, as affirmed by his #1-ranking as “Rising Star Pianist” in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll.
Grammy nominations for the Smoke Sessions albums The Intangible Between and Presence, by Evans’ raucous, risk-friendly Captain Black Big Band, stamp his bona fides as a bandleader and composer. In addition to CBBB, Evans’ multifarious leader and collaborative projects include the Eubanks Evans Experience (a duo with eminent guitarist Kevin Eubanks); the Brazilian unit Terreno Comum; Evans’ working trio with bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Mark Whitfield, Jr.; and Tar Baby (a collective trio of 20 years standing with bassist Eric Revis and drummer Nasheet Waits). One of Tar Baby’s two 2022 releases will be released on Evans’ imprint, Imani Records, which he founded in 2001 and relaunched in 2018.

PCC Annual Students and Alumni Frosty Winter Recital
2022-12-18 15:00 - 17:00 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Support our Rising Stars
Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts presents the
PCC Annual Students and Alumni Frosty Winter Recital
Sunday, December 18,2022
Time : 3:00PM
Donation $15.00
Seniors /Children free

Clef Club Community Big Band
2022-12-17 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States

Anthony Tidd - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2022-08-20 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
As a Grammy Award winning musician Tidd has recorded and produced a number of records for multiplatinum artists such as, The Roots, Macy Gray, Zap Mama, Lady Gaga, The Black-Eyed Peas, Fergie, Pink, Jill Scott, Ursula Rucker, as well as composing scores, for the hotly anticipated Broadway musical Black No More (featuring The Roots), and major film and television projects, most recently including Jay Z’s Paramount/BET docuseries, Rest in Power – The Trayvon Martin Story. As an international touring bassist, Tidd has had the pleasure of working with several celebrated names, including David Byrne, Steve Coleman, Greg Osby, Ravi Coltrane, Vijay lyer, Kindred, Wayne Krantz, Talib Kweli, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Meshell Nadegeocello, Common, De La Soul, Gangstarr, Frank Ocean and many others.
Tidd serves as the Musical Director of the Rehearsing Philadelphia Public Orchestra project.
Tidd helped to create the music for the play Black No More, a new musical inspired by George S. Schuyler’s Afrofuturist novel set during the Harlem Renaissance.
Tidd is the former creator/director of the Creative Music Program, Jazz Camp of Philadelphia, as well as curator of Meet the Masters, and popular Philly concert series Sittin’In, all at the prestigious Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where he served as the Jazz Artistic Advisor.
As an educator, and long-standing member of the M-BASE collective, Anthony has taught and presented masterclasses at a number of prestigious institutions including New York University, Berklee College of Music, New England Conservatory, Engelsholm (Denmark), The Pavoritti Center (Bosnia), The Lincoln Center among others.

Kevin Diehl's Ashe Allstars w/ Special Guest Donald Harrison - Jazz Cultural Voices
2022-07-16 19:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
This evening at the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, and in this installment of the “Jazz Cultural Voices” concert series saxophonist Donald Harrison, joins Kevin Diehl and the Ashe All Stars celebrating these musical traditions and their impact on the current day.
Join us in an evening celebrating the musical ties of Jazz, Afro Cuban Rumba and Lucumi Song Culture.
Donald Harrison along with the artists assembled have performed or recorded with some of the iconic names in jazz, Latin, and folkloric music. New Orleans born is a musician and composer who master musicians consider a master of every era of jazz, soul, funk, and a composer of orchestral classical music. In the HBO drama Treme, Emmy winning director David Simon created two characters to portray how Harrison innovated new styles of music. Harrison has appeared as an actor/musician in 9 episodes of Treme, Oscar- winning director Johnathan Demme’s film Rachel Getting Married, Spike Lee’s When The Levee’s Broke documentary, and Marvel’s Luke Cage.
Harrison honed his experience playing with Roy Haynes, Art Blakey, Eddie Palmieri, Dr. John, Lena Horne, McCoy Tyner, Dr. Eddie Henderson, Miles Davis, Ron Carter, Billy Cobham, Chuck Loeb, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Digable Planets, Guru’s Jazzmatazz, The Headhunters, The Chicago Symthony Orchestra, and The Notoriious BIG. He has performed with over 200 jazz masters and created three influential styles of jazz.
KEVIN DIEHL’S ASHE ALLSTARS – AFRO CUBAN CULTURAL CONTINGENT
Kevin Diehl is a Philadelphia-based drummer, percussionist, and composer. He came of age on the 1980s New York Loft Jazz scene and jam sessions. There, he led bands, and worded and studied Afro-Cuban drumming with Jerry Gonzalez. Returning to Philly, Diehl dedicated himself to the Lucumi cultural drumming.
Gene Golden – Drummer, percussionist
Skip “Brinquito” Burney – Singer, Drummer, percussionist
David Campanioni – Lead Singer, Drummer, percussionist
Joe Toledo – Singer, Drummer, percussionist
Shakoor Hakeem – Singer, Drummer, percussionist
Ama Schley – Dancer
THE LUCUMI YOUTH CHOIR
This new youth choir sings the Afro-Cuban Canon and is based at OMO ORISHA ILE OSHUN TEMPLE, Philadelphia

Gerald Veasley and Carol Riddick Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2022-06-22 19:30 - 21:30 | PA
Gerald Veasley/Carol Riddick
Gerald Veasley
Gerald Veasley’s musical odyssey has taken him to the top of the contemporary music world as a bassist, bandleader, composer, producer and educator. He has recorded and/or performed with many of the world’s top performers in many genres of music such as; Chuck Loeb, Maysa, Kim Waters, Nick Colionne, Special EFX, Pieces of a Dream, McCoy Tyner, Gerald Levert, Teddy Pendergrass, Nnenna Freelon, Philip Bailey, the Dixie Hummingbirds, John Blake, Phil Perry, Will Downing and Pat Martino. His performance as a bassist has been top shelf, as his memorable work with the late, great Grover Washington Jr., Joe Zawinul, and the Jaco Pastorius Big Band attests.
When not collaborating with notable artists, Gerald tours and records with his band, which features some of the top musicians in the country. Gerald’s recordings as a bandleader are: Look Ahead, Signs, Soul Control, Love Letters, On The Fast Track, Velvet, Live at The Jazz Base, Your Move and The Electric Mingus Project.
Veasley teaches the history and fundamentals of the electric bass to musicians and educators, both privately and at the university level. He has served on the faculty of the University of the Arts (Philadelphia) and is founder and artistic director of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp, nurturing a growing army of bassists from all skill levels. Gerald is currently curator of the “Unscripted Jazz Series” with special guests such as Kirk Whalum, Raul Midón, Alex Bugnon, Maysa and Gerald Albright. He is in the process of producing an album of Nina Simone’s music to add to his rich repertoire.

Carol Riddick
This sultry songstress/songwriter has graced stages from her hometown of Philadelphia and across the globe, winning fans and admirers with her extraordinary voice and presence. Highly regarded in the music community for her vocal dexterity, mesmerizing performances and genuinely warm personality, Carol is a unique entertainer whose evolution is ongoing.
Born and raised in South Philadelphia, music has been a part of her life since she was a teenager. It was in her early adulthood that the industry took notice of her vocal talent when she got her start touring with Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff. Since then, Carol has blessed the tracks of many distinguished artists. She is featured on records by Anthony Hamilton, Jill Scott, Norman Brown, Kindred the Family Soul and a host of others. Most notably, her distinct vocal delivery can be heard on Musiq’s “Soulstar”, the title track on his multi-platinum album. Carol has collaborated with GRAMMY award winning producers and songwriters including James Poyser (Erykah Badu, The Roots), Anthony Bell (Jill Scott, Jewel), and Carvin Haggins & Ivan Barias (Musiq, Faith Evans).
Carol’s fondness for the Philly International and Motown recordings on which she grew up is reflected in her debut album, “Moments Like This”, which carries on the tradition of music that moves people. Her sophomore project “Love Phases” which includes the soul stirring single “Love Like I’ve Never Been Hurt Before” is a collection of songs expressing facets of the joy and hurt of love; whether it be with regard to romantic or self-love. In addition to her solo efforts, Carol has also lent her impressive background vocal ability to musically acclaimed R&B crooner and Prince of Sophisticated Soul, Will Downing’s, live performances. Her performance of the riveting duet “Nothing Has Ever Felt”, originally recorded by Will Downing and the incomparable Rachelle Ferrell, is sure to take your breath away.

Ruth Naomi Floyd - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2022-06-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
Ruth Naomi Floyd is a vocalist, composer and educator. She leads her own multi-faceted ensemble and her discography consists primarily of original compositions. Served as Director of Jazz Studies at Cairn University, Langhorne, Pennsylvania and is an Artist in Residence at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ruth taught music for twenty years at The City School in Philadelphia. The Frederick Douglass Jazz Works is Ruth’s latest body of compositions for jazz septet, based on the speeches and writings of the great leading orator, abolitionist, writer, publisher, and statesman. This body of work won the Best Vocal Recital Award at the San Francisco Classical Voice Audience Choice Awards for 2020-2021. In 2021, Intercultural Journeys commissioned Ruth to compose a three-song cycle for voice and cello in honor of the legacy and activism of the great contralto Marian Anderson. In May 2021, Ruth in partnership with Intercultural Journeys was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Project Grant for her new body of work, The Frances Suite, which explores the life, advocacy and literary work of Frances Ellen Watkin Harper, and will feature an all-female ensemble.

Sun Ra Arkestra - Jazz Cultural Voices Concert Series
2022-05-21 19:30 - 21:30 | Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz & Performing Arts, 736 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA, United States
The Sun Ra Arkestra, under the longtime leadership of founding saxophonist Marshall Allen, is as vital and cheekily unpredictable as ever. Blending jazz and blues with electronic and extraterrestrial influences, these true pioneers of Afrofuturism carry on the inimitable vision and spirit of their enigmatic founder—composer, pianist, bandleader, poet, and cosmic philosopher Sun Ra.
Nominated for a Grammy for the very first time in the band’s history for their album ‘Swirling’ on Strut in the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album category. Recorded in Spring 2019 pre-pandemic and released in October 2020, the album was recorded at Rittenhouse Soundworks in Philadelphia and was the Arkestra’s first new studio recording to emerge in over 20 years, capturing them at the peak of their powers.
