SPEC Jazz unveils spring show lineup

Jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco and his trio will be the featured act at this year's Social Planning and Events Committee's annual spring jazz show, according to SPEC Jazz Director Matt Kogan, a College senior. The two-and-a-half hour concert will take place on April 2 in the Harrison Auditorium of the University Museum. The "up-and-coming" DeFrancesco was recently named best organist by Jazz Times, Kogan said. "He's a multi-talented organist," he explained. "He plays funky electric jazz, sort of a faux Sinatra style." Kogan added that DeFrancesco sings not only standard jazz classics, but original songs as well. DeFrancesco's band consists of himself on the Hammond organ, an electric guitarist and a drummer. Opening for DeFrancesco will be drummer Leon Parker and his quartet. The Philadelphia native has produced two albums so far in his career. "He's experimental -- he doesn't stick to the rules," Kogan said. "And he has a cult following in Philly." His music is a combination of "hard-bop, Latin funk and blues," Kogan added. According to Classical Choice store manager Jim Wilson, both artists are well-known in the jazz world. "Both play fresh, funky, fun modern jazz," Wilson said. "They're hip, young musicians." Each band will perform for one hour, with a 20-minute intermission between acts, Kogan said. In a departure from most performing arts shows at the University, the concert will have reserved seating. The show will begin at 7 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. Students with Penn ID will pay $8 for the show, and the cost to the general public will be $12.50. Tickets will be on sale on Locust Walk and through the Annenberg Center. SPEC Jazz has a history of sponsoring low-cost shows featuring relatively well-known performers. In 1992, Branford Marsalis performed in Irvine -- and tickets sold so fast that some had to be recalled from TicketMaster. SPEC had initially promised TicketMaster that it could sell 800 of the 1,800 seats in Irvine, but was forced to repossess 500 of those after the tickets set aside for Penn students sold out faster than anticipated. Marsalis' came the year after a 1991 show that featured the talents of jazz greats Ellis Marsalis (Branford's father), Marcus Roberts and Owen Brown. Wilson said he thinks the University community should support this year's show. "SPEC Jazz has a good track record for picking well-received acts in the past," he added.