Gibby's Joint

Horace Pippen 

In celebration of Black History Month, this performance is inspired by the work of Horace Pippin. Horace Pippin was a self-taught artist whose paintings were inspired by a near-fatal bullet wound received during his military service that left him permanently disabled. Upon returning home from World War 1, Pippin was faced with stigmatization due to his disability and race. He leveraged the social injustices he experienced by demonstrating his tenacity and not allowing them to halt his artistic expression. Pippin ‘s works focused on biblical scenes, portraits, American history, landscapes, and the realities of war. The intention of this performance is to align music & Pippin's works. Selected works will be paired with music that reflects the story within the painting. This is a free event sponsored by Local 77 Musicians Union and the Musicians Performance Trust Fund.

Click here to view the accompanying slide show. 

A Celebration of Women & Song 

This performance has been curated to celebrate Women's History Month: The interpretation of the songs of others has a long history in folk music. Each artist brings their own perspective to lyrics and music that has been performed countless times before by unknown numbers of performers. They draw on their own life and experiences to inform their performance. But what happens when the experiences of the characters in the song are outside of their own? This performance will focus on songs associated with or written by women, performed by men. In addition to the performance, the artists will discuss how the gender of the narrator impacts their thought process when preparing to perform. This is a free event sponsored by Local 77 Musicians Union and the Musicians Performance Trust Fund.

Jazz thru Folk 

The mid-20th century forged a unique bond between Philadelphia and Jazz Music. During the 1940s-1960’s that bond developed into an influential training ground for Jazz Musicians. Philadelphia also was a mecca for some of Jazz’s earlier pioneers; Trumpeter Freddie Keppard, clarinetist George Baquet, and band leader Frank Johnson through current jazz luminaries such as bassist Christian McBride. The city of brotherly love and sisterly affection remains a Jazz hub for established & up-coming musicians today. In celebration of Jazz History Month, we will be exploring some of the genre’s notable pieces through a folk lens, deconstructing Jazz standards down to their essential elements while upholding the integrity of each composition. This is a free event sponsored by Local 77 Musicians Union and the Musicians Performance Trust Fund.