Fresh off his gig on the Jon Stewart show with Esperanza Spalding, Jef Lee Johnson is coming to Collingswood this Thursday, May 3rd! A true American original, Johnson grew up playing in the church his grandfather built in Germantown, Philadelphia, PA, so therefore he plays almost every instrument and is a powerful vocalist with a broad and soulful range. According to Phil DiPietro of All About Jazz, it's on guitar that Jef Lee Johnson "burns most incandescent, conjuring jawdroppingly brilliant, careening stylistic collisions of legato-laden fusion, angular outness, and state-of-the-art acid-funk." Johnson has toured and recordied with such heavyweights as James Carter, Rachelle Ferrell, George Duke, and D'Angelo. He's probably the only musician who has worked with McCoy Tyner and Sister Sledge on the same day! In demand mostly in Europe, Jef Lee Johnson is a prolific creator, putting out numerous projects on Dreambox Media: Hype Factory, Things Are Things, Monkey Zero, St. Somebody, Laughing Boy (to name just a few!) and his latest project - Black and Loud - is a top seller at the record label. This rare opportunity to see Johnson, bassist Chico Huff and drummer Charlie Pateirno should not be missed! 

Appearing on Wednesday, May 2nd, in Kennett Square, will be saxophonist Lynn Riley and her band World Mix. She has performed with many noted artists like Grover Washington Jr., Philly Joe Jones, David Bromberg, Rachelle Farrell, Charles Earland, Gerald Veasley, David Murray and Johnny Pacheco and opened for artists such as Najee, Spyro Gyra, Nester Torres, Andy Narell, the Indigo Girls, Brenda K Star, the Mahotella Queens and Compai Segundo of the Buena Vista Club. She has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Africa, South America and the Caribbean, touring with diverse groups such as Sharon Katz and the Peace Train ("the South African band that rocks"), and the funky latin jazz band Ellas y Amigos. More recently Lynn has been expanding her composing vocabulary and style by traveling and performing in countries such as Cuba, South Africa, Bolivia and Brazil. This multicultural exposure gives Riley's music a unique traditional ethnic sound blended with her original ideas and jazz roots, culminating in a funky accessible world influenced mix. She can be heard this Wednesday with her long time friend and bassist Rubin Edwards, a collaboration that has generated many magical musical moments, from riveting live performances to the beautiful compositions on Lynn's new album - Too Cool.