Whole Notes

News and thoughts about jazz in Philadelphia

Upcoming Events

Our online publication Whole Notes includes our Hometown Heroes program of ongoing artist profiles, news, thoughts, community events, and stories, as well as features from our Philadelphia Jazz History Timeline.

JAZZ SHOWS

see who’s playing

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Workshops, festivals, residency deadlines, awards, conferences, education programs, master classes, book readings, movie screenings, fundraisers, and more

see what’s happening

Features

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023 as part of Philadelphia’s Jazz Appreciation Month.

Read More

Jazz Appreciation Month

Philly Celebrates Jazz Kickoff Event at 12 p.m. on March 28 at LOVE Park

Help us kick off Jazz Appreciation Month by setting a world record of 500 people doing jazz hands at once!

Read More

News

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023 as part of Philadelphia’s Jazz Appreciation Month.

Read More

Celebrations of the Life and Music of Joey DeFrancesco

“Honoring Joey DeFrancesco: A Celebration of Life & Music”

“Honoring Joey DeFrancesco: A Celebration of Life & Music” will be held April 1 at The Philadelphia Clef Club and April 9 at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. 

Read More

Jazz Road Tours & Creative Residencies Webinar

Informational webinar by South Arts

Join the Jazz Road team on February 2 from 3 – 4:30 p.m. ET for a webinar about Jazz Road Tours and Creative Residencies, our vision for these grantmaking programs, and best practices on assembling an application. Register today!

Read More

The Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra

New program division of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute

The Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO), a new program division of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute under the direction of Justin Faulkner, creates a unique opportunity for students to explore the origins of the American contribution to the sonic history of the world.

Read More

Stories

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023

The Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival will take place on April 22, 2023 as part of Philadelphia’s Jazz Appreciation Month.

Read More

Spotlight on: Hiruy Tirfe

CORE Cooperative

“Philadelphia means everything to me. I would love to see this city back on the map. My hope for Philadelphia as a jazz city is to bring back the value of our music, musicians, artists and lovers of the arts.”

Read More

Spotlight on: Lora Sherrodd

CORE Cooperative

“Jazz music is an art form that stems from a place of oppression and the oppression of women is a subject that is rarely discussed within the genre. My hope is that writing this music will spark conversation about the current situation of women so that we can begin to create spaces for women in music.” 

Read More

Spotlight On: Geraldine Oliver

CORE Cooperative

“Continuing my mission as a healer, I see using this music to help people heal. Heal their minds, hearts and spirits. Jazz is the healing force—my mantra.”

Read More

Spotlight on: Kenny Rosario-Pugh

CORE Cooperative

“I love playing Jazz and the unique freedom improv gives me. I also want to be an important part of helping the Jazz scene in Philly to grow.”

Read More

Events

The Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra

New program division of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute

The Philadelphia Youth Jazz Orchestra (PYJO), a new program division of the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra Music Institute under the direction of Justin Faulkner, creates a unique opportunity for students to explore the origins of the American contribution to the sonic history of the world.

Read More

July Jazz Event Round-up

Concerts & festivals you wont want to miss

Lancaster Avenue Jazz and Arts Festival, Hawthorne Park present Mid-Summer Jazz Fest, and Ledisi Sings Nina at the Mann Center.

Read More

Two Philadelphia debuts at Ars Nova Workshop

Adam O’Farrill’s Stranger Days on May 6 and “Of Shadow and Substance” on May 8

Stranger Days is the acclaimed, adventurous quartet led by a third-generation member of one of jazz’s most innovative family trees and Of Shadow and Substance” is a newly commissioned work by sound artist Lea Bertucci, with an opening set by bassist Luke Stewart.

Read More

Timeline

“I don’t care much about music. What I like is sounds.” Dizzy Gillespie