Sonic Sunsets: Live Jazz in the Heart of History at Christ Church Burial Ground

Beginning this May, Christ Church Burial Ground will come alive with Sonic Sunsets, a new live jazz series offering Philadelphians a chance to experience bold, boundary-pushing music in one of the city’s most iconic and historic settings. Presented on the first Saturday of each month from May through September, this outdoor concert series invites audiences to bring a blanket, a bottle, and their curiosity as they picnic among the gravestones and welcome the changing seasons through sound.

Each month will feature a new ensemble of some of the most creative jazz artists working today—local legends, rising voices, and nationally recognized improvisers—performing in an intimate, reverent, and radically unique outdoor space. Audiences are also invited to arrive early for an optional pre-show tour connecting Philadelphia’s rich artistic legacy to the music of today. See below for the line up. 

Spiraling Lines and Emerging Fusions will take place on May 3 with Anne Ishii (drums), Matt Smith Lee (sax), and Bert Harris (contrabass). Avant-garde artist and drummer Anne Ishii leads a hypnotic trio dancing at the edge of jazz, combining freestyle blues, idiosyncratic drumming, and deep bass roots.

The Sound of Freedom will take place on June 7 with Stan Zenkov (sax), Pete Dennis (contrabass), and Karen Smith (drums). NYC-based reedist Stan Zenkov joins Philly rhythm powerhouses Pete Dennis and Karen Smith for a modal-meets-polyrhythmic celebration of joyful contradiction.

On July 5, Grooves and Songs will perform with Abe Mamet (French horn) and Jamie Sandel (contrabass). French horn and bass duo Mamet & Sandel bring their signature mix of groove-based improvisation and deep explorations of Black American music traditions.

On August 2, Inverse & Obverse: Jazz Turned Inside/Out will perform with Aaron Pond (French horn), Bert Harris (contrabass), Max Glazier (drums), and Mattie McDonnell (accordion). Rooted in spontaneous composition and a philosophical approach to sound, this quartet explores the skin of the world through poly-idiomatic jazz.

Finally, The Young Lions Roar will take place on September 6 with Deborah Smith Quartet. Trombonist and Temple University standout Deborah Smith leads a fearless ensemble blending free jazz, standards, and original works—a bold collage of jazz history.

Pre-Show Burial Ground Tour

Set the stage for your evening with a 20-minute tour introducing visitors to Philly’s musical past. Meet the composer of the first American opera, the woman behind the city’s most influential colonial salon, and the man who debuted Handel’s Messiah in the U.S. Plus, hear the haunting story of Ben Franklin’s glass armonica. The tour is included with ticket purchase and begins at 6:00 PM.

About Christ Church Burial Ground

Final resting place of Benjamin Franklin and many of America’s early visionaries, Christ Church Burial Ground is not only one of Philadelphia’s most significant historic sites—it’s also a space for reflection, creativity, and connection to the city’s evolving cultural story.