September 11-17, 2003

special section: fall arts calendar

Music

Get out your autumn sweaters.

Checking in with Josh Ostrander of Laguardia

Singer/keyboardist Ostrander and the band, who have been rocking lotsa little stages around here for the last couple years, are getting their shot at the big time. Their debut CD, Welcome to the Middle -- released by Universal and produced by Brad Wood (Sunny Day Real Estate, Liz Phair) -- is the sort of melody-based power-pop you’ve come to expect from this Bucks County five-piece. Success, so far, hasn’t corrupted their sound (or let them quit their day jobs). Laguardia tries The TLA on for size Oct. 15. Ostrander’s pick for the season:

"I would like to see the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players. I saw them on Conan, just seemed like a good time. That little girl drummer cracked me up something fierce."

Rock/Pop

By Patrick Rapa

Dilated Peoples

Sept. 22, The TLA, 334 South St., 215-336-2000. Once the kings of the underground, the DP have been working the major label angle for a few years now. The promised follow-up to 2001's complicatedly groovy Expansion Team hasn't surfaced yet, but their live show -- full of battle raps and DJ tricks -- will whet your appetite.

Jewel

Sept. 24, Tower Theater, 69th and Ludlow sts., Upper Darby, 215-336-2000. You have to admit, that last video was pretty funny.

What I Like About Jew

Sept. 25, Doc Watson's, 216 S. 11th St., 215-922-3247. Sean Altman, Rob Tannenbaum, Cynthia Kaplan and Adam Brodsky deliver singer-songwriter fare on the funny Jewish tip.

The Polyphonic Spree

Sept. 28, First Unitarian Church, 22nd and Chestnut sts., 800-594-TIXX. There are about two dozen robe-wearing performers in this helio-philic cult/band. The music is sort of secondary to the bizarre spectacle. One day they're going to lead all their fans into the mountains to start civilization anew.

R.E.M.

Oct. 1, Liacouras Center, Temple University, Broad and Montgomery sts., 215-336-2000. Three of the original four continue their adventures in reverb.

Built to Spill

Oct. 2, The Trocadero, 10th and Arch sts., 215-922-LIVE. It's been too long since Doug Martsch hauled the whole hippy-indie trio out here for a loud and friendly concert. BTS does get a little indulgent up there -- they sure love the extended noisy jam. But it sounds great and there's nothing wrong with love.

The Trouble With Sweeney

Oct. 2, The Khyber. At press time the Troubles, who just finished a residency at Silk City and a gig opening for Howard Dean, do not have a drummer. Let's see how resourceful they are.

Peaches

Oct. 3, The Trocadero. You just know she's going to say dirty things while you're dancing.

Colleen Sexton

With Teddy Goldstein, Oct. 4, The Point, 880 W. Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-527-0988. She's a smart-strumming singer/songwriter with a skill for folksy acoustic blues. He's a Philly-born NYC singer/songwriter who sneaks a dark sense of humor into unsuspecting love songs. This is a CD release party for both of them.

Beth Gibbons

With Rustin Man, Oct. 8, The TLA. The former Portishead singer tries to scare your pants off. Might as well show up in your underwear.

Yo La Tengo

Oct. 11, The Trocadero. Matador just sent me a Yo La Tengo beach ball to try to get me to write about them. No dice.

Steve Winwood

Oct. 12, The Tower. When life is too much, roll with it, baby. Don't stop and lose your touch, oh no, baby. Hard times knocking on your door, I'll tell them you ain't there no more. Get on through it, roll with it, baby.

Iron and Wine

Oct. 14, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298. Somebody somewhere told lo-fi indie idol Sam Beam that if he strummed his guitar too loud it would break. This is one of those times where a lie can turn into a good thing.

Laguardia

Oct. 15, The TLA. We knew them when. A year ago, we wrote up this Philly five-piece as the little keyboard-driven rock band that could in our local music issue. Now they're the big label band that does. Their debut, Welcome to the Middle (Universal), is sharp as a handful of tacks.

Insane Clown Posse

With Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Oct. 17, Electric Factory, Seventh and Willow sts., 215-336-2000. The headliners, with their KISS makeup and Pro Wrestling/Ozzfest aesthetic, get all the attention. But the thinking man's hip-hopper is gonna get there early for Bone Thugs.

Death Cab for Cutie

With Mates of State, Oct. 21, The Trocadero. What I'm gonna do is show up at this place with T-shirts with some cute-but-not-too-cute iron-ons on the front -- like R2-D2 maybe? -- and sell them. I'll be rich!

Girlz Garage Tour

Oct. 22, The TLA. Brassy's gonna get all the ink, but fans of early Beasties will show up on time to see Northern State lay down sweet and sour rhymes.

Queensrÿche

Oct. 24, Keswick Theatre, Easton Rd. and Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-336-2000. Was noisy lucidity a problem at one point?

Elliott

Nov. 12, First Unitarian Church. Why this Kentucky emo band chose Philly to host their last show ever is a mystery, but the Big Basement's sweaty confines should make for a cathartic finale. Many punkers will know what it's like to roast in the depths of the Church that night, I can tell you.

King Diamond

Nov. 13, The Trocadero. Normally, people with such stellar vocal range don't sing heavy metal for a living. But this clown-painted Dane with a propensity for theatrically evil songs is not normal.

Ani DiFranco

Nov. 19, Keswick Theatre. She sounds sort of like Jackee these days, but it's still good indie-folk, child.

The White Stripes

Nov. 24, Tweeter Center, Mickle Blvd. and Riverside Dr., Camden, N.J., 215-336-2000. OK, ready -- who am I? "Oh, I hurt my finger! My pants came out pink in the wash! I just had to watch Down with Love and pretend to like it!"

Jazz

By Nate Chinen

Collective Voices Festival IV

Sept. 16-22, various locations, 215-627-6716, www.arsnovaworkshop.com. Philly's "other" jazz festival has become, in essence, the only game in town. But don't worry; no danger of complacency here. With a full week of envelope-pushing shows -- featuring the likes of Art Davis, Dave Burrell, Bobby Zankel and Sonic Liberation Front -- CV4 provides the season's can't-miss gauntlet for the stout of heart.

Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis

Sept. 19, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-893-1999. Wynton's image currently looms 10 stories high at Columbus Circle in Midtown Manhattan. Here he cuts an almost equally imposing figure, kicking off the Kimmel's jazz season with period style.

Vijay Iyer Quartet

Sept. 20, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914. Iyer's stock is about to go sky-high, with the forthcoming fall release of both a head-turning quartet session (Blood Sutra, on Artists House) and a wildly ambitious song-cycle suite (In What Language? on Pi Recordings). The progressive pianist opens this autumn's Jazz on Vine series.

Tony Malaby's Apparitions

Sept. 24, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215-545-0475. If you think you're seeing things, check yourself: This substantial tenor saxophonist has been known to make heads spin. His new group is a quartet with two drummers, which should clue you in to the escalated dynamic range of this gig.

Omar Sosa Octet

Sept. 26, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th St. and the Parkway, 215-684-7506. The latest Cuban piano phenom is a new breed, equally versed in Yoruban trance, Randy Weston and Frederic Chopin. His octet surfaces many of these influences, along with hip-hop versification and a modern world-chamber vibe.

Danilo Pérez Trio

Sept. 27, Kimmel Center. Before he entered the sphere of Wayne Shorter, the Panamanian pianist ably backed Dizzy Gillespie -- so it stands to reason that he'd be the one to curate the Kimmel's "Dreaming of Dizzy" concert series, and open the proceedings in person.

Dianne Reeves

Oct. 3, Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut St., 215-898-3900. Long pegged as a mere eclectic, Reeves has just released a standard-bearing effort that should silence all but the staunchest critics. A Little Moonlight (Blue Note) reveals not only the singer's celebrated richness of tone, but also her deft command of phrase.

George Shearing/ John Pizzarelli Trio

Oct. 17, Kimmel Center. No pianist alive has the touch of Shearing, and few share his sense of melodic restraint. His reunion with guitarist-crooner John Pizzarelli, who joined him last year for The Rare Delight of You (Telarc), should provide this season's cabaret win.

Brad Mehldau

Oct. 24, Philadelphia Museum of Art. His last solo piano performance in Philly was revelatory. Chances are he'll have no problem working his ruminations under an Alexander Calder mobile.

Pat Metheny Trio

Oct. 31, Annenberg Center. Metheny's last trio was documented on a live album, and for good reason. This one could scale even greater heights, as the leader's lyrical guitar meets both a supple pulse (via drummer Antonio Sanchez) and a muscular drive (courtesy of bassist Christian McBride). On this Halloween gig, there'll be no distinguishing the tricks from the treats.

Dave Holland Quintet

Nov. 8, Painted Bride. Fresh on the heels of Extended Play -- Live at Birdland (ECM), jazz's most reliable super-group marks its Philadelphia return. For sheer kinetic exhilaration and aesthetic accomplishment, there's hardly a better show anywhere on the road.

Cassandra Wilson/ Jason Moran's Bandwagon

Nov. 14, Kimmel Center. One was last heard down in the Delta; the other grows more urbane with every pass. But labelmates Wilson and Moran share an overlapping vision of innovation, even when their methods bear no resemblance. This smart double-bill proffers a snapshot of jazz's occasionally miraculous present tense.

Classical

By Peter Burwasser

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Sept. 17, Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-893-1999. The first season of our new Maestro features an electrifying blend of new and unconventional fare, but for his first opening night, Christoph Eschenbach gives us meat and potatoes. This will be a rich meal indeed, including Berlioz, Dvorak and Brahms.

1807 and Friends

Sept. 22, Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce St., 215-438-4027. A creamy, dreamy program of Ravel, Chausson, and a contemporary classic, "Fratres," by Arvo Pärt.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Oct. 2, 3, 4, Verizon Hall. Eschenbach begins his Olivier Messiaen tribute in grand style, with the late, great French composer's most celebrated work, his massive Turangalîla Symphony. A Gamelan ensemble will also play, highlighting the Asian roots of the symphony.

Ethel

Oct. 9, Perelman Theater, Kimmel Center, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-893-1999. This scrappy young ensemble is an offshoot of New York's Bang on a Can crowd. This is new music that freely dips into rock and jazz pools of influence.

Network for New Music

Oct. 17, Rock Hall, Temple University, Broad St. and Cecil B. Moore Ave., 215-848-7647. Opening night for this pioneering ensemble features music that explores emotional contours using quirky rhythms and patterns of speech.

Leon Fleisher

Oct. 17, Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute of Music, 1726 Locust St., 215-893-7902. Fleisher is a faculty member at Curtis, and this is a free recital. His career was radically altered when he lost the use of his right hand, but piano aficionados know Fleisher as one of the great talents of the previous generation, a pioneering American virtuoso in an age that was dominated by Europeans. And, by the way, he's using all 10 fingers these days.

Peter Serkin

Piano, Bach Concerto Festival, Oct. 29, Verizon Hall. Serkin, who studied here and takes students at his alma mater, Curtis, is practically a native son. This all-Bach program centers around Serkin's incisive and often startling pianism.

Choral Arts Society

Oct. 30, Philadelphia Cathedral, 38th and Ludlow sts., 215-545-8634. This may be the most unusual of the annual spate of Halloween concerts. A choral bouquet of spooky music.

Open Night

Nov. 13, Perelman Theater. A local tilt here, for this installment of Kimmel's rather daring new music series. Works of Higdon, Reise, Hyla, Moe and Yi.

Orchestra 2001

Nov. 15, Trinity Center for Urban Life, 2212 Spruce St., 215-922-2190. The latest edition of George Crumb's "American Songbook." This world premiere will be partnered with other music of Afro-American inspiration.

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra

Nov. 16, Verizon Hall. Last season, a rare Philadelphia performance by the Vienna Philharmonic left local music lovers with a magical, once-in-a-lifetime memory. Will this other legendary European band leave as deep an impression?

Mark Kosower

Cello, Nov. 16, Trinity Center for Urban Life. The mission of Astral Artistic Services is to present youthful, nascent talent to the public. Kosower has been praised by Janos Starker, one of the great masters of the instrument, as a "dominant cellist of the 21st century." His program will include a Starker specialty, the magnificently craggy "Sonata" of Zoltán Kodály.

Garrick Ohlsson

Piano, Nov. 18, Perelman Theater. Ohlsson is a big guy with big hands that seem to gather up the notes of the piano music he plays, which are then molded and shaped to his desire. There is a Rachmaninoff-like solidity to his manner that renders works of Chopin and Scriabin, both on this program, with wonderful heft and heart.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Nov. 28, 29, Dec. 2, Verizon Hall. A hometown happening, with Jennifer Higdon's radiant "Blue Cathedral," and Curtis boss Gary Graffman at the 88 for the Ravel "Left Hand" Concerto.

Philadelphia Youth Orchestra

Nov. 30, Saint Mark's Church, 1625 Locust St., 215-563-7308. A brassy blast to beckon in the holiday season, care of this acclaimed party of precocious players.

Roots

By Mary Armstrong

E.C. Scott

Sept. 12-14, Warmdaddy's, 4 S. Front St., 215-627-2500. This blueswoman, songwriter and now Black Bud Record label owner is charming, smart and full of laughter between songs. While she's singing, it's the whole gamut of emotion -- much sass but equal time is devoted to honoring the got-me-this-time moments of life.

The Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash

Sept. 16, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St., 215-928-0770. Does the name say it all or what?

Dale Watson

Sept. 17, Tin Angel. More country with attitude, but he won't advertise it. Watson doesn't care about fashion, he's all about heart and roots -- take him or leave him.

C.J. Chenier

Sept. 19, T.K. Club, East Hector and Apple sts., Conshohocken, 215-576-0839. Think of zydeco as Creole country music, French Louisiana with plenty of blues on the chanky-chanky accordion. Clifton Chenier was the first to really bring the music outside the region, building on a regional hit of the song that lent its name to the sound. His son C.J. has been keeper of that flame for many years now and has added his own contemporary twists.

The Iguanas

Sept. 20, NXNW, 7165 Germantown Ave., 215-248-1000. They're back for the second time this year but still a rare treat for lovers of New Orleans/Latino/roots-rock parties.

The Mavericks

Oct. 3, The TLA, 334 South St., 215-336-2000. They are among that rare breed of country band that purists love yet country radio plays. Their opening act, The Hot Club of Cowtown, doesn't get that airplay, but its breathtaking western swing instrumentals certainly should.

Merle Haggard

Oct. 7, Keswick Theatre, Easton Rd. and Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650. He may not have a hot single these days, but he's sure to sell out the thousand-plus seats of the Keswick far in advance.

Ann Rabson

Oct. 18, Calvary Center, 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue, 215-724-1702. The Cherry Tree is dead, long live the Cherry Tree. The dependable Sunday nights in the parish hall have gone on, after more than a quarter century, but all is not lost. The Cherry Tree continues its cooperation with the Calvary Center, a bit further west. Check out Rabson, a.k.a. the pianist from Saffire, The Uppity Blues Women band.

Emmylou Harris

Oct. 29, Keswick Theatre. Like Haggard, she's a stubbornly roots-oriented country legend.

Kila

Nov. 5, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th St. and the Parkway, 215-763-8100. They are nominally Irish and play from that tradition. But, do not be surprised to hear a hint of klezmer or gypsy from the fiddler and other cosmopolitan gleanings added by the rest of Kila, along with distinctly urban rhythm overlays. Blended with the high energy native to Irish music, Kila puts on an exhilarating show.

Johnny Cunningham

Dec. 4, Calvary Center. This Scot's legendary fiddling and sidesplitting stories have been absent far too long. Expect his show with Irish singer Susan McKeown to sell out far in advance.