Information and Photos Courtesy of the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM)
In the mood for a night of music? We checked in with the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) to find out about their upcoming shows. Below are just a few, but many more can be found on their website. We hope this inspires you to get out and enjoy the eclectic sounds of spring.
The MIM is located at 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard in Phoenix. Find showtimes, ticket prices, COVID-19 safety protocols, and a full list of upcoming events at mim.org/concerts.
Sons of Kemet, April 15
From the mind of visionary saxophonist and bandleader Shabaka Hutchings comes Sons of Kemet, an eclectic project combining elements of otherworldly jazz, funk-infused rock, cerebral hip hop, Caribbean folk, and diverse African traditions. The London-based quartet features some of the most progressive 21st-century talents in British jazz and beyond. Sons of Kemet is born of many vital elements, including a name that nods to ancient Egyptian culture and an unusual instrumentation combining tenor sax, tuba, and a pair of dynamic drummers.
Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita Suba Trio, April 19
“SUBA” is the second recording from seven-time Grammy-nominated pianist, composer, and bandleader Omar Sosa and UK-based Senegalese kora master and singer Seckou Keita. The record, which also features folkloric Venezuelan percussionist Gustavo Ovalles, was named “one of the best albums of 2021” by NPR’s Felix Contreras, reached number one on the Transglobal World Music Chart in December 2021, and received a four-star review in “DownBeat,” just to mention a few of its accolades. Each a charismatic and virtuosic performer, Sosa and Keita share a special musical chemistry that brings audiences to their feet. Each concert, a unique fusion of jazz and world music, is an uplifting experience, reflecting the close and compassionate listening of artists engaged in a captivating musical conversation.
John Scofield, April 22
Aside from being one of the principal innovators of modern jazz guitar, John Scofield is a creative artist of an even rarer sort: a stylistic chameleon who has forged a consistent, rock-solid aesthetic identity. A triple Grammy Award–winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, Scofield has expressed himself in the vernacular of bebop, blues, jazz-funk, organ jazz, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style, and orchestral ensembles with ease and enthusiasm. Scofield is joined by a stellar band featuring Jon Cowherd (keyboardist with Brian Blade Fellowship and Cassandra Wilson, among others), Vicente Archer (string bass with Robert Glasper, Louis Hayes, and Scofield Combo 66, etc.), and drummer Josh Dion.
Booker T. Jones, April 23-24
Booker T. Jones is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, record producer, and arranger. Best known as the front man of the band Booker T. & the MGs, he has worked with countless award-winning artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries and has earned a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Along with the band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. Jones continues to record and tour internationally, both as a solo artist and as head of Booker T.’s Stax Revue.
