Mon, October 26, 2015 7:00 P.M.
Music Department at Parkway Central Library

Back by overwhelming popular demand! The Music Department at the Parkway Central Library is again collaborating with the Philadelphia Jazz Project and the Producers Guild to present: Mysterious Travelers 2 - Great Migrations. Through free concerts every 4th Monday night from September 2015 through May 2016 audiences will hear from veteran as well as up-and-coming musicians who are shaping the future sounds of Philadelphia with a sharp ear to the legacies of our past. This season will directly honor and celebrate the past century’s brave journey of African Americans to Philadelphia from the South to which owe we our rich urban musical heritage. Starting in January 2015, each band leader will be presenting a new composition inspired by the Great Migration during his or her set. You’ll hear it first, here at your Free Library of Improvisation.

This month’s concert is led by drummer, pianist, and composer Kevin Ripley. Ripley hails from Philadelphia, and can be heard performing daily at venues across our city and its countryside. He leads a trio at Deanna’s in the upriver artists’ village of Lambertville NJ, and performs frequently with ill Delta, Hot Bijouxx, Triage, and numerous jazz combos with such local scenesters as: Madison Rast, Brian Howell, Timothy Brey, Chris Simonini, Dan Hanrahan, Najwa Parkins, and many others. A rising young talent, Ripley is known for a distinctively intense melodic approach to the drum set the draws inspiration from a vast array of musical idioms.

Philadelphia Jazz Project (PJP) works to inspire a network to support, promote, archive and celebrate the diverse elements within the Philadelphia jazz community, with the larger goal of connecting to the global community. PJP is a sponsored project of the Painted Bride Art Center, with funding provided by the Wyncote Foundation.

The mission of the Producers’ Guild is to ensure that the appreciation and enthusiasm for the rich cultural heritage of African American Arts continues to thrive in Philadelphia, especially Black Classical Music, commonly known as JAZZ.

RSVP on Facebook or Reserve Free Tickets

All events in this series are free.

For more information, full biographies, and the most up-to-date details, visit freelibrary.org, call the Music Department at 215-686-5316, email erefmus@freelibrary.org, or connect with us on Facebook.