We always knew SPEC Jazz and Grooves were some cool cats, but now they’re going to be some cool online cats. Joining the world of ~*~*technology*~*~ will be jazzandgrooves.com, a website J&G plan to use as “the first ever Philadelphia music and events blog for Penn students.” Woah, hey, that’s pretty awesome! To celebrate, they’re holding a launch party, a final concert at the ARCH and a Fling shindig. Check out all dem sweet deetz below:
1. Launch Party at the Castle
WHEN: Thursday, 3/22
WHERE: The Castle, 36th and Locust
WHY: Headlined by French electro duo Mustard Pimp and New York-based DJ duo Designer Drugs, this is a must-go show. (Mustard Pimp? Come on! You can’t miss Mustard Pimp, guys.) Read the rest of this entry »
A brief ballad for the first day of classes in the style of Rebecca Black:
Eleven a.m., waking up in the morning
Gotta smell fresh, oops- I just fell downstairs
Gotta smoke a bowl, gotta have cereal
[Insert lyrics of choice here]
Drinking on and on, everybody’s stumbling
Gotta get down to Locust Walk
Gotta doze in class, then I see my FRANDS
Happy first day of the semester, everyone! Don’t screw it up.
Jennifer Bolande: Landmarks
Who: Institute of Contemporary Art
When and where: Wednesday, 6-8 p.m. until March 11; ICA (36th and Sansom)
Why: It’s no secret that we like the ICA (a lot), and for good reason– they bring the raddest ish to Philly. Like Jennifer Bolande! Choreographer, conceptual artist and innovative photographer, Bolande has an oeuvre that spans more than three decades. Her work will go on view starting tomorrow evening at a members-only reception. Not an ICA member? Check out the exhibition any other night before it closes in March.
Read the rest of this entry »
For those of us looking to funk up our lives a little, SPEC-TRUM and SPEC Jazz and Grooves are providing the perfect opportunity. Enjoy the confusing but beautiful weather tonight in Wynn Commons, where Little Brother will open for Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Doors open at 7:00 and Little Brother is set to go on at 7:30.
If you weren’t smart enough to get them on Locust Walk before today, tickets can be purchased for $20 at the door.
The Bad Plus and Wendy Lewis
This weekend’s band to see is the Bad Plus. They’ll be playing at Chris’ Jazz Cafe on 1421 Sansom on Friday and Saturday. (Each night has an 8 p.m. and a 10 p.m. set)
If you haven’t heard of the Bad Plus by now, you’re not alone. Allow us to fill you in: Formed in 2000 by Ethan Iverson (piano), David King (drums), and Reid Anderson (bass), TBP is a jazz trio that rocks. Though most of their material is original, they’ve made a name for themselves in the jazz community by making instrumental covers rock tunes as varied as “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, “Life on Mars”, and “Heart of Glass”. They even do “Iron Man”. Their most recent effort is “For All I Care” with vocalist, Wendy Lewis. Unlike your average restaurant or elevator music, this has still got a drive to it, incorporating free jazz mentality with bombastic drumming: a perfect mix of humor, chaos, and beauty.
