Blessed as an iconic center of arts and global culture, Philadelphia is hosting a plethora of musical and artistic events this month, showcasing Korean music, salsa, jazz fusion, soul, blues and EDM among others. Below are some picks I rounded up to help you navigate the scene.
Friday, July 16th, 8:08 PM – 12:12 AM – Sera Phi Cosmic Vibes and Conscious Dance
Sera Phi, 941 N. Front Street, Philadelphia, PA
Ticketed – $25-$35
For accessibility information, call (415) 794-2174
Recording studio and vibroacoustic wellness center Sera Phi, founded by Stephen Rossmeisl, hosts an audio-visual immersive sound healing experience. Live DJs, painters, and sonic artists lead an electric night of art, dance, food, and elixirs.
Saturday, July 17th, at 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM – Saturday Night Jazz with the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble
9201 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
Ticketed – $25, $15 for members
Wheelchair accessible
Listen to vocalists Lisa Chavous and Sherry Butler team up with the Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble to bring to life the voices of blues’ earliest pioneers such as Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith.
Saturday, July 17th, 7:30 PM — Chicago: Greatest Hits
BB&T Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd, Camden, NJ
Ticketed – $30+
Wheelchair accessible
One of the definitive blues bands for over 60 years returns to Camden, NJ for an evening of their greatest hits. The prolific band will be playing various sing-a-longs from their expansive 37 album discography.
Sunday, July 18th, 3:00 – 7:00 PM — Sistah Soul Series
Spruce Street Harbor Park, 301 South Christopher Columbus Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA
Free – Register here
Wheelchair accessible, meter parking, close to Market-Frankford line
Experience this monthly live showcase of Philadelphia’s premier Black women vocalists. Local independent artists will perform an array of genres including R&B, jazz, soul, house, world, funk-fusion, and more!
Sunday, July 18th, 7:00 PM – 12:00 AM and Tuesday, July 20th, 6:00-9:00 PM — Philadelphia Piazzolla Festival
Lithuanian Music Hall, 2715 E Allegheny Ave and Sunflower Philly, 1725 N 5th Street
Ticketed – $40
Call Lithuanian Music Hall (215) 739-4831 or Sunflower Philly (215) 236-0237 for accessibility information
Catch a variety of world music concerts, master classes, Milongas, and dance events hosted by the Philadelphia Argentine Tango School.
Thursday, July 22nd and Friday, July 23rd, 7:00 and 9:30 — Eric Darius and Gerald Veasley Band
South Jazz Club, 600 North Broad Street
Ticketed – $37
For accessibility information, call (215) 600-0220
Genre-fusing saxophonist Eric Darius brings his band to Philly for a promotion of the most current album out of his seven, Breakin’ Thru. The album features glimpses of jazz, pop, and R&B and features multiple chart-topping singles.
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 8:00 PM — Philadelphia Orchestra Three-Day Stint at Fairmount Park
TD Pavilion, The Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Avenue
Ticketed – $25-$55
Wheelchair accessible
Tune in as the Philadelphia Orchestra plays three shows in a row: first up is a Tchaikovsky spectacular, followed by a sonic art gallery set to Modest Mussorgsky’s famous composition, Pictures from an Exhibition, concluding with a Toy Story viewing accompanied by the live Philadelphia Orchestra.
Monday, July 26th, 7:00 PM — Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Wiggins Park, 2 Riverside Drive, Camden, NJ
Free (for now) – Information
Wheelchair accessible
See the Spanish Harlem Orchestra light up the Philly metropolitan area with high-energy salsa tunes from their sixth studio album, Anniversary. The 13-piece big band has been playing together for 15 years and has earned a reputation for intricate arrangements and danceable rhythms.
Friday, July 30th, 5:30 – 7:30 PM — Sunset Summer Series – A’Tiya Flow by Nalaverse & Drumming by Hyun Jin Cha
Philadelphia Rail Park, 1300 Noble Street
Free – Register
ADA and wheelchair accessible (ramp found East of Broad on Noble), outdoors with tree cover (cool down tent found above 12th street)
Enjoy an interactive yoga session hosted by Nalaverse – Black-owned, women-led mental wellness community – followed by Philly-based Korean percussionist, Hyun Jin Cha.
Bio
Ashwin Suseendran is a Philadelphia-based musician and writer. He studies Music Education/Jazz Piano as well as Geography/Urban Studies at Temple and works as a music teacher at multiple local schools. He has trained in classical/jazz piano for 17 years and performs with various Philly bands on bass, trumpet, tabla, and mridangam. He currently directs award-winning a cappella group, Liachorus, and aspires to pursue ethnomusicological research long-term. Ash enjoys hiking, biking, and motorcycling as well as writing about Philadelphia’s burgeoning arts scene with Artblog.
