Legendary pianist Thelonious Monk was the pianist-in-residence at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem in the 1940s. That’s where he contributed to the pioneering emergence of modern jazz, such as be-bop. Credited as a founding father of the genre, he led improvisational jazz sessions accompanied by many rising contemporaries. This 1947 photo by William Gottlieb, a fixture on the music scene in New York City, is part of an exhibit about Black history and culture in the U.S. at the New York Public Library, Stephen A. Schwarzman Building.
“The loudest noise in the world is silence.”
― Jazz pianist-composer Thelonious Monk (1917 to 1982)
As the final notes of April’s Jazz Appreciation Month wind down, dive into these free or low-cost entertaining April and early May offerings.
Tribute Steps Back Into The 1800s
Thursday, April 30, 2026. Get ready for a real Jazz Appreciation Month finale that explores the talents of 1800s Philadelphia composer-band leaders, Francis Johnson and William Appo, once-noted pioneering musicians often forgotten in music history. In Dance Like It’s 1829, husband and wife duo dancer Lauren Putty and trombonist Brent White bring to life the music, dance and storytelling inspired by Johnson and Appo from Philadelphia’s Antebellum era. The dance comes with an improvisational modern spin. Putty, who toured with PHILANDANCO, and White, a Drexel University professor, are educators who researched their muses, staying largely true to the original source material. The performance will be part of local America250 celebrations.
$15 per ticket; 7 p.m. EST to 8:30 p.m. EST. Christ Church Neighborhood House. 20 N. American St. 215-922-1695 or https://www.phillyjazzscene.com/event-details-registration/dance-like-its-1829
Try Your Hand At This Heady Workshop
Friday, May 1, 2026. Learn about different areas of the world through the hands-on practice of braiding and art techniques at Global Braid Club. Create art and hairstyles derived from cultural traditions.
Free (registration is not required); 4 p.m. EST to 6 p.m. EST; for youth ages 10 to 18. Refreshments will be served. Eastwick Library, 2851 Island Ave. (Island Ave. & Lindbergh Blvd.) 215-685-4170 or https://libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/event/166358
Students To Connect With Peers & Arts Industry Pros
Saturday, May 2, 2026. Philadelphia high school students can connect in person with artists, entrepreneurs, and culture-shapers at the I AM PHL 2026 Contest & Student Summit. They can hear from industry insiders in music, the visual arts, and spoken word through workshops and networking. They can learn how to compete for prizes, including $1,000 in a future creative writing or oral competition, and get information about industry mentorships and professional work headshots from The Grind House. Aligning with the nation’s America250 birthday celebration in 2026, students at the summit who are interested in the contest will be encouraged to submit an original song, poem, spoken word piece, or visual art presentation that shows how Philly’s history connects to their story, voice, and future. An additional $1,000 is up for grabs for contest participants who best share how they would invest the prize money.
The summit will feature music by Grammy- and Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter Kristal Oliver. Students can polish up their skills in an open mic showcase hosted by Mic’d Up Philly. They can enjoy a fireside chat with engaging creatives and moderator, Philadelphia City Councilmember Isaiah Thomas. The panel includes: Recording artists Jesse Renee; Mani Cunningham, artist-manager; recording artist MCGWN; Philadelphia Youth Poet Laureate Rashawn Dorsey, and Bryan War, entrepreneur and visual artist. The event will be presented by PhillyGoes2College (powered by the Philadelphia Education Fund) in partnership with Wawa Welcome America. PhillyGoes2College.org is a digital platform for information on planning, applying, and paying for college. Says Emmanuel Sofolawe, Senior Manager for PhillyGoes2College: “We want every student who walks through those doors at the IAMPHL Summit to leave knowing that their creativity has a future here in Philly.”
Free (including breakfast & lunch), advanced registration is required; 11 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. Thomas Jefferson University East Falls Campus, 3900 Cherry Ln. (Downs Hall). Contest submissions will be due Tuesday, May 26, 2026 and winners will be announced Monday, June 1, 2026. 215-665-1400 or PhillyGoes2College.org/IAMPHL or https://phillygoes2college.org/i-am-philadelphia-contest/
African American Market Kicks Off
Saturday, May 2, 2026. Enjoy a Saturday in the park at the opening day of the African American Market in South Philly. Browse through an outdoor marketplace of Black-owned businesses, including food vendors, handmade goods, clothing, and art. Revel in the African music vibe and diverse shopping while celebrating culture and the success of small businesses. The market is part of World Heritage Month and World Heritage Day in May, saluting Philadelphia’s “World Heritage City” designation, history, culture, and robust multicultural communities.
Free admission; 10 a.m. EST to 6 p.m. EST. Franklin D. Roosevelt Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue. 215-683-3600 or https://globalphiladelphia.org/our-world-heritage-city/world-heritage-month or https://www.instagram.com/aamarket_fdrpark/
Workshop Teaches Will Power
Saturday, May 2, 2026. One smart way to preserve generational wealth is through family estate planning. That is where the Philadelphia Department of Records comes into the picture. The city Records Department will present the Build It. Protect It. Pass It. estate-planning workshop. Philadelphia homeowners can learn about wills, tangled titles, and how to protect their homes. Philadelphia has more than 10,000 tangled title properties where ownership is unclear because deeds were not properly transferred to heirs. Many of these dwellings are in communities that have had little access to formal legal and financial systems. Drafting up an official will can prevent issues.
Free but pre-register; 11 a.m. EST to 1 p.m. EST. Philadelphia City Archives, 548 Spring Garden St. Email: dthomas@ahcopa.org or https://www.facebook.com/people/City-of-Philadelphia-Department-of-Records/100069125503453/
Mother Bethel AME Church
Event Shines A Light On Historic Mother Bethel Church
Sunday, May 3, 2026, to May 31, 2026. Historic Mother Bethel AME is all about community unity. For an experience of art, culture, history, and preservation, check out Mother Bethel Crowns Exhibit, “A Celebration of Faith, Culture and Identity.” The event celebrates Mother Bethel’s role as the birthplace of the denomination and a center of Black faith, culture, and identity. As part of Philadelphia’s “52 Weeks of Firsts” for the ongoing 250th anniversary of the United States, the church is highlighting its history. Founded in 1787, the church sits on the nation’s oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans.
$10 per ticket; 10 a.m. EST to 3 p.m. EST. Mother Bethel AME, 419 S. 6th St. 215-925-0616 or https://motherbethel.org/church-events-calendar/
