Jazzed up: The events all you cool cats have to check out this Jazz Appreciation Month

You have our permission to go and check out these special jazz events to keep you busy all month long.

First Friday! Jazz Age Music & Dance

It’s the 1920s: you’re thirsty for a good time – and a good cocktail – so you crawl into a speakeasy. Subversive jazz acts are jamming loud music you’ve never heard before. You start swinging your hips, dancing like you never have before. The power of the Jazz Age will be recreated at this event with a performance from Philly’s own Blackbird Society Orchestra. Swing ‘til you can’t see straight during a swing showcase offered by Society Hill Dance Academy. | Friday, April 5. 6pm. $28. The Barnes Foundation, 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. barnesfoundation.org

Friday Night Jazz

Get every weekend rolling with jazz artists that are sure to heat up the stage and light a fire on the dance floor. First up are Bebop pioneers Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. | Fridays, April 5-26. 6pm. $12-$22. Woodmere Art Museum, 9201 Germantown Ave. eventbrite.com

Gallery B Exhibition Opening

Philly native Mark Garvin focuses on live performance in this exhibit of black-and-white photos of legendary artists doing their thing on stage. The photos will be on display every day after April 5, so be sure to squeeze this in and allow Garvin to take you back to the pinnacle of live jazz. | Friday, April 5. 6pm. Free. Twenty-Two Gallery, 236 S. 22nd St. facebook.com

Jazz Brunch at Jerry’s Bar and Warmdaddy’s

Live jazz will be played at both locations, but Warmdaddy’s will be offering a fixed-priced buffet while Jerry’s Bar will be pay-what-you-wish. It all depends on how much cash you have left after catching all the events throughout the month. | Sundays, April 7-28. Prices vary. Jerry’s Bar, 129 W. Laurel St., and Warmdaddy’s, 1400 S. Columbus Blvd. creativephl.org

Jazz Roots: Solo Swing Dance Lessons

It doesn’t take two to jam to jazz. This weekly lesson will introduce people to the art of jazz dance moves that are essential for any true fan to know. OK, maybe you can get away without knowing how to dance, but wouldn’t it be fun to show off to your friends that you can do the Charleston? | Sunday, April 7- Sunday, April 28. 4:30 pm. $10-$15. Urban Movement Arts, 2100 Chestnut St. urbanmovementarts.com

Jazz Jam Session

All you need to bring is your talent (or lack thereof) to this jam session open to all levels of experience. A piano, guitar, amp, drum set and sound system will be provided in this intimate space. But it’s not the instruments – it’s what you do with them. Just get the crowd moving and you should be fine. | Monday, April 8. 7 pm. $5. Drummers, 2152 E. Norris St. jazznearyou.com

Jeff Bradshaw

There must be something in the cheese whiz that makes people from Philly unstoppable. Bradshaw has been awarded the “Living Legend Award” by the African American Musical Society for his extremely successful jazz career. Celebrate this honor with him as he jams out two sets over two days for us lucky sons of bitches. | Thursday, April 11- Friday, April 12. 7 pm. $27-$29. South Jazz Parlor, 600 N. Broad St. ticketfly.com

Dariel Peniazek Work-in-Progress Performance

Get a first listen to all the jams this artist has been working on at this special performance. You’ve taken in enough jazz history – now it’s time to see what the future holds. | Thursday, April 18. 8 pm. Free. The Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St. kimmelcenter.org

Rush Arts Philadelphia Celebration

Now, this sounds like a party. A trio of jazz musicians will be performing at this event alongside spoken word by D-Cross and Danny Simmons, the founder of RAP and creator of the legendary Def Poetry Jam. You will Mos Def-initely not want to miss this one. | Friday, April 19. 6:30 pm. Free. Rush Arts Philadelphia, 4954 Old York Rd. facebook.com

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