The Free Library of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Jazz Project invite you to a third season of free concerts: Mysterious Travelers 3 : Internal Investigations. This time we’re turning inward to explore, through sound, the collections that constitute the Parkway Central Library. Every third Monday from September 2016 through May 2017, emerging and veteran musicians, all calling Philadelphia home, will debut new works. This season, our librarians sat in on the compositions: musicians met with librarians just like our city’s students do, except not with term papers as the goal, but new artistic expression. Librarians steered musicians toward inspiration within the Library’s world class collections, band leaders responded, and these reference jam sessions surged to life. We’re thrilled for you to hear the results of these shared intellectual and musical improvisations. Join us this season for librarian jazz!

Get your FREE tickets here!

Featuring: Kunu Bi/Ed Stokes and Tom Lowery
Featured Department: Music

Papa Ed Stokes is a multi-instrumentalist/vocalist who plays more than a dozen instruments,
including the Kamale Ngoni, a stringed African harp, and the Ngoni, a stringed African lute. One of his primary instruments is the Diddley Bow, or “One-String,” which has its origins in West Africa—where he studied in 2013. He is also a highly accomplished instrument maker (often from recycled materials) and a lifelong student of ethnic and African music and the Blues. Papa’s main goal is to keep these African-influenced musical traditions alive and make people happy.

Tom Lowery is an accomplished drummer from Philly known for Latin/Brazilian hand drumming and ably manning the drum kit. Bassist Bert has often performed at The Blues Stroll and Jazz by Night, and on New Year’s Eve he locks down the rhythms of Philly Gumbo at The Ball Drop on State Street.

All events in this series are free. All concerts start at 7:00 p.m. and will be held in the Montgomery Auditorium.

The Philadelphia Jazz Project (PJP) works to inspire a network to support, promote, archive, and celebrate the diverse elements within the Philadelphia jazz community, with the larger goal of connecting to the global community. www.philajazzproject.org

Parkway Central Library | Montgomery Auditorium
1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Accessibility: A wheelchair ramp is located at the Library’s Wood Street entrance, and an elevator for the public is located next to the building’s northeast courtyard.

For more information, full biographies, and the most up-to-date details, visit freelibrary.org or call 215-686-5316.