by Shaun Brady
[ jazz ]
Joey DeFrancesco so deeply imbibed the groove-jazz sounds of his Philadelphia organ forebears, from Jimmy Smith to his noted father "Papa John" DeFrancesco, it's easy to forget he wasn't raised entirely within the confines of some windowless North Philly bar. At 39, DeFrancesco belongs to a generation that couldn't help but be affected by the music of Michael Jackson, so it's no particular surprise that the King of Pop has earned a tribute album from one fan who has never been afraid to please a crowd. The results are mixed — he nails a slinky, midtempo "Beat It"; the hokum of "Thriller" should be left to the professionals (Joey D ain't no Vincent Price) — but this should be a blast live.
Fri.-Sat., Dec. 10-11, 8 and 10 p.m., $25, Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131, chrisjazzcafe.com.


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