The Jazz Scene: A festival down the shore, don’t-miss dynamos, and more

If Philadelphia ever seriously considers presenting a major jazz festival, it would be intelligent to use Cape May’s Exit Zero Jazz Festival as a model. Presented annually since 2012 and twice per year since 2014, this singular confab has been booking the perfect mix of crowd-pleasers, cutting-edge improvisers, outstanding regional artists, and some refreshing surprises.

This year’s festival (taking place on Friday, November 9 through Sunday, November 11 at a number of venues) may be the best one yet. Highlights are vocal artists Dianne Reeves (Schmidtchen Theater on Saturday, November 10 at 7pm) and Kurt Elling (Saturday at 9pm at Cape May Convention Hall); Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra conducted by the legendary Carla Bley (4pm on Saturday at Convention Hall); and keyboard fusion master Bob James, working in a trio setting these days (Hawk Haven Vineyard Stage within Convention Hall on Sunday, November 11, at 2pm).

A welcome member of the regional lineup is Philadelphia-based vocalist Rhenda Fearrington, a vibrant, versatile, passionate, and swinging dynamo who is not heard often enough. Fearrington will perform on the Paramount Air Stage in Carney's Other Room on Friday, November 9 at 7:30pm. Exit Zero packs a tremendous amount of action into three days.

Marcus Miller and George Winston

The Grammy-Award-winning bassist Marcus Miller, who will appear at Exit Zero on Friday, November 9 at 7pm in Schmidtchen Theater, will also bring his energetic ensemble closer to home, as he checks into Ardmore Music Hall — presenting a good deal of jazz these days — on Thursday, November 8, at 8pm.

Say what you want — and many have — about pianist George Winston, who helped put the New Age genre on the map by way of the million-selling recordings he’s been grinding out since 1980. Like him or not, Winston’s style was once described by jazz writer Martin Williams as sounding like “touch typing” — the bottom line for purists is: he can play some valid jazz when the mood strikes. Winston concertizes at Sellersville Theatre on Wednesday, November 7, at 8pm.

Don’t overlook Jon Faddis

Since his young days as a protégé of Dizzy Gillespie, the career and the artistry of trumpeter Jon Faddis have evolved beautifully and inventively within the jazz tradition that is so important to him. Perhaps because he is so heavily involved in jazz education, Faddis doesn’t get the press lavished on, say, that Marsalis guy. But Faddis can, does, and will swing any size ensemble into, as is said in jazz vernacular, “bad health.” Faddis will make a rare appearance in this area when he comes to the Rustin High School Auditorium in West Chester on Friday, November 16, at 7pm.

Five years at Square on Square

A five-year jazz residency in Philadelphia doesn’t happen often. On Wednesday, November 14, at 7:30pm, The All-Star Jazz Trio — pianist Andy Kahn, bassist Bruce Kaminsky, and yours truly, also the founder of the trio, on drums — a group founded in 1972 at a small club on Rittenhouse Square, will celebrate five years of Wednesday-night jazz at Square on Square restaurant in Center City. Special guest is the legendary songstress who guested at the group’s first performance at Square five years ago: the incredible star of stage, screen, television, and recording Peggy King, still knocking them dead at the age of 89.