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Published: Feb 10, 2009

While Philly's Chance Trio — the eccentric, playful acoustic threesome of trumpeter Bart Miltenberger, guitarist Matt Davis and bassist Michael Taylor — has never had much trouble reshaping favored material to its own quirky demands, there is definitely a shortage of actual repertoire jazz trio sans rhythm section. Saxophone iconoclast Jimmy Giuffre's drumless trios, however, are a rich, largely untapped source. Living up to their name, however, Chance will bypass Giuffre's trio with Jim Hall and Ralph Pena, which features similar instrumentation, and re-create his 1958 Western Suite, recorded with Hall and trombonist Bob Brookmeyer.

—Shaun Brady

Thu., Feb. 12, 8 p.m., $10, Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S. 18th St., arsnovaworkshop.com.

Brazilian-born saxophonist Felipe Salles is a composer first, an instrumentalist second. That's not an insult — no one would mention Duke Ellington's piano before his pen. Salles' South American Suite is Third Stream Latin Jazz, striving to wed Duke's lush elegance with the evocative narratives of countryman Hermeto Pascoal. If you prefer romance of the Piazzolla kind, with a tinge of Gil Evans adventurousness, this is your V-Day destination.

—Shaun Brady

Sat., Feb. 14, 7 and 9 p.m., $25, Painted Bride Art Center, 230 Vine St., 215-925-9914, paintedbride.org.

It is my happy duty to report that of the four tribute bands on this bill, the one from Philly is the best. Based on an intensive review of MySpace pages, the local, all-female Metallica fans of Misstallica have perfected a combo of precision riffs and garagey enthusiasm. Tragedy: A Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees (pictured) is also worth checking out, if only because their namesake song has been crying out for a metal cover for years anyway.

—Michael Pelusi

Appetite for Destruction, Tragedy: A Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees, Ziggy Starlet and Misstallica, Fri., Feb. 13, 8 p.m., $10, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, thetroc.com.

In the '80s, Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill and Ralph Tresvant made their bones as the voices of hood romance in New Edition. Since the group's split, reunion, split and reunion, the solo careers of each have moved women to tears with hits like "Tenderoni," "My My My" and "Sensitivity." The trio's Valentine's Day concert at the Keswick will set you back $60, but the laugh you'll get seeing Bobby Brown gyrate is priceless.

—Deesha Dyer

Sat., Feb. 14, 8 p.m., $59.50, Keswick Theater, 291 Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-1894, keswicktheatre.com.

There is so much excellent chamber music to hear in the area, it becomes tempting to take the scene for granted. The Philadelphia Trio, for example, has been chugging away for years now in a series in Devon, offering superb music making at rock-bottom prices. This Sunday's program is especially alluring, with great trios by Tchaikovsky and Mozart, and the seldom-heard Elgar Sonata for violin and piano.

—Peter Burwasser

Sun., Feb. 15, 3 p.m., $15, Main Line Unitarian Church, 816 S. Valley Forge Road, 610-664-0346, mychurchevents.com.

The name Sean Price can stand alone in hip-hop, but when you add it with his Boot Camp Clik cohort Rock, well, it's nuts. With several albums under their belt, Heltah Skeltah are bringing their energetic, rhyme-infested show to the Khyber. They'll be joined by Silent Law, Skyzoo, MAGr and more.

—Deesha Dyer

Fri., Feb. 13, 9 p.m., $20, with DJ Gravity, DJ Jim Redz and Big O, Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888, thekhyber.com.

Sugar Blues
Ethnic Heritage Ensemble
Kevin Seconds
Meg Baird
Stuck in Context
Philomel/Piffaro
Andy Friedman and The Other Failures