One of this city’s greatest advocates of free jazz and atonal sounds across sonic boundaries came to the game late. After spending his early adulthood teaching, saxophonist/composer Jack Wright left academics to preach radical politics before returning to the musical training of his youth. Determined to live freely, he bought a beat-up house on the cusp of Northern Liberties, called its improvisational co-inhabitants and their raucous, randomly held events “Spring Garden Music” and began releasing albums such as Free Life, Singing, Thaw and Rattle OK through his own label in 1982. Thirty years later, Wright is still bleating happily, still making albums (and surging roars against my pillow came out in June) and blasting off. Wright celebrates his 70th birthday tonight at Highwire Gallery by honking his horn freely and with gusto, as he always has. Bring cake.
Thu., Nov. 8, 7:30 p.m., $6-$8, Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave., museumfire.com/events.
