It makes perfect sense that Wallace Roney is bringing the music of his latest album, Home, to Philly: The trumpet great was born here in 1960 and nurtured at Settlement Music School. Since then, his roots have been most often traced not to a place, but to a person — namely, Miles Davis, who took a young Roney under his wing, the only horn player ever mentored by the tempestuous legend. Davis’ career has remained the touchstone for Roney’s own, though it’s a deep well to draw from and Roney is comfortable wandering through its entirety, from fiery post-bop to electric fusion. Home finds the trumpeter carving spiky, ferocious turns of phrase from knotty originals and tunes by Wayne Shorter and John McLaughlin. Hopefully this native son is in a similarly adventurous mood when he returns to his old stomping grounds this weekend.
Fri.-Sat., Feb. 15-16, 8 and 10 p.m., $20-$25, Chris’ Jazz Café, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131, chrisjazzcafe.com.
