PHILADELPHIA, PA — Philadelphia trombonist, composer, and scholar Brent White brings a bold reimagining of early Black American music to Chris’ Jazz Café on Tuesday, June 10 with Code-Switching—a dynamic jazz suite inspired by the works of Francis “Frank” Johnson (1792–1844), the first prominent Black composer in the U.S. Set times are 7:30 and 9 p.m. Admission is $15.
A celebrated 19th-century Philadelphia bandleader, Johnson was one of the first Black musicians to gain international recognition, performing for both Black and white audiences during a time when over 85% of Black Americans were enslaved. His ensembles often adapted their performances based on the audience—what White frames as musical code-switching. This ability to bridge cultural and racial divides through music is at the heart of Code-Switching.
With no recordings of Johnson’s music, White reinterprets his surviving scores through modern jazz elements like improvisation, polyrhythm, and swing. Doing so restores the rhythmic vitality, groove, and call-and-response sensibilities that scholars believe were integral to Johnson’s performances but were filtered out by white publishers.
The result is Code-Switching, a fresh, historically rooted jazz suite that reimagines Johnson’s ballroom waltzes, parade marches, and cotillions with cultural complexity and emotional depth. The performance includes new jazz arrangements of Johnson’s works “Battle of New Orleans” and “Lafayette Ball,” representing White’s research as a 2022 Innovation Fellow at the Library Company of Philadelphia.
The Brent White Sextet features Brent White on trombone, Todd Bashore on alto sax and flute, Adam Faulk on piano, Jason Fraticelli on bass, Pablo Batista on percussion, and Wayne Smith Jr. on drums.
Dinner & Show packages (including a 3-course chef tasting menu), VIP, and General Admission tickets are on sale now (beverages, tax & gratuity not included). Check Chris’ Jazz Café’s website for prices and arrival times. All tickets offer premium seating. Streaming is also available on Chris’ YouTube channel: @ChrisJazzCafePhilly. Don’t forget to explore their merchandise store for items like t-shirts, stemware, and more: https://www.chrisjazzcafe.com/products.
Chris’ Jazz Café, located at 1421 Sansom Street, is Philadelphia’s longest continuously operating jazz club, hosting live jazz Tuesdays through Saturdays. For reservations or more information, call 215.568.3131 or visit http://www.ChrisJazzCafe.com.
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