THE SHOWDOWN: A spazzy, fuzzed-out time

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THE SHOWDOWN: A spazzy, fuzzed-out time

POSTED: Monday, January 3, 2011, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

Monday: Jarrett Gilgore needs update his MySpace status. As I write this, it says that he's "finding a sound," but just one listen to his experimental jazz pieces suggests that he's already found it. The multi-instrumentalist tends to focus on the saxophone, but his proficiency with other instruments gives him a well-rounded ear for arrangements. As for that sound, it ranges from rollicking bop to manic freeform, and shifts character from measure to measure. 7 p.m., $5 - $10, Chris' Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St. 215-568-3131. Tuesday: One of the Philadelphia roots scene's busiest busybodies, Joe D'Amico somehow finds the time to lead an eponymous band. The Mason Porter man's new album, Asleep In My Shoes, arrives in a few short weeks, and its release certainly calls for a celebration. A month-long celebration, to be precise. This show is the first of D'Amico's January residency at the Grape Room, each of which will feature various support acts. Considering D'Amico's friendly, collaborative disposition, spontaneous jams should be in order. w/ Phil D'Agostino Quartet, Brian Flanagan Band & Adam Monaco, 8 p.m., $5, The Grape Room, 105 Grape St., 215-930-0321. Wednesday: Everyone knows that, when it comes to hip-hop, Philadelphia's always been a little bit...odd. Our progressive tastes have left us with a bevy of acts that mix rap with countless genres to create unique variations on the theme. Philadelphia Slick headlines this showcase of just a few of the city's brightest stars. Constantly ebbing and flowing when it comes to the number of musicians in their ranks, Philadelphia Slick never fail to create an atmosphere of funky, soulful and downright fun energy. w/ Writtenhouse & Elijah McKinley and the Trees, 9 p.m., $5, The Blockley, 38^th & Chestnut Sts., 215-222-1234. Thursday: Strictly speaking, One Child Born is more a musical cabaret performance than it is a concert. Nonetheless, the way the show is constructed around the music of Laura Nyro gives it a bit of a tributary feel. One Child Born features some of the idiosyncratic songstress' most beloved tunes, all while telling the stories of nine characters (all played by writer Kate Ferber), each with their own connections to Nyro's music. Though never a commercially successful artist in her own right, Nyro's songs served as both hits and inspirations to countless musicians (and, evidently, playwrights). 8 p.m., $22 - $36, World Cafe Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Friday: The haunting new project from Sean Lennon, The Ghost Of A Saber Tooth Tiger is an excursion into the dark realms of folk-pop. With woodsy harmonies and ethereal instrumentation, TGOASTT (great initialism, by the way) features Lennon's partner, Charlotte Kemp Muhl, as the other evocative voice. Though Lennon's last solo recordings didn't really hint at this creative turn, the shift is deftly executed. Being a musical vanguard must be in his genes or something. w/ Chris Forsyth, 9 p.m., $14, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684. Saturday: Wa-hoo! It's been a few years, but Cheers Elephant's new album is here. Man Is Nature, the psych-popsters' latest, is as much of a riot as you've come to expect from the guys. And this isn't just any old concert; it's an album release that features some of their bestest musical friends (including The New Connection, whose drummer, Todd Mecaughey, produced Man Is Nature). A spazzy, fuzzed-out time is to be had by all who attend this Nuggets-inspired freak-in. w/ The Fleeting Ends & Nico's Gun, 8:30 p.m., $16 (students: $13 with ID), World Cafe Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Sunday: Conversations With Enemies made a splash late last year with their altogether ooky debut, but you needn't be draped in cobwebs or gorging on candy corn to enjoy their playfully macabre tunes. Since the release of Nowhere, OK, CwE have been making the rounds, playing the undead-riddled material of that album (as well as new and unreleased tunes). If their audiences were all made up of zombies, the songs would be brains. Tasty, tasty brains. w/ Metroplex & Enter The Rooms, 8 p.m., $8, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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