Ken Vandermark Septet

Fri., Jan. 22, 8 p.m., $12, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, arsnovaworkshop.org.

by Shaun Brady

Ken Vandermark has never been shy about trumpeting his influences. On the contrary, the list of names to whom the Chicago multi-reedist has dedicated his compositions is more voluminous than many people's record collections (but then again, so is Vandermark's output). As part of Ars Nova Workshop's Composer Portrait series dedicated to trumpet master Don Cherry, Vandermark premieres new arrangements of Cherry's 1966 "Complete Communion" and 1975's electric-world music fusion "Brown Rice." For the occasion he's assembled a septet of many of the Windy City's finest along with Greek keyboardist Pandelis Karayorgis.

Fri., Jan. 22, 8 p.m., $12, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125, arsnovaworkshop.org.