By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Bella White
Bella White is a Canadian singer-songwriter who combines the old school music of bluegrass and Appalachian tunes with modern-day influences of Americana and singer-songwriter genres.
In the spring, she toured across America with her “Spring 2025 Red Rhododendron Tour.” The single “Rhododendron” was released in October 2022 and included the following year on her sophomore album.
Now, White is back touring North America with her “Red Rhododendron Tour Part II.”
The spring tour hit New York and D.C. but skipped Philadelphia. This time, White is bringing her tour to Philly for a show at MilkBoy Philadelphia (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, www.milkboyphilly.com) on November 9.
White self-released her debut album, “Just Like Leaving,” in 2020. She then signed with Rounder Records, and the label re-released the LP in 2021.
She followed with two more releases so far on Rounder – the “Among Other Things” album in April 2023 and the “Five For Silver” EP last year.
“I recorded my first album in 2020 – right before COVID hit,” said White, during a phone interview last week from her home in New Orleans.
“It was tough during the pandemic, but I put it out anyway. I felt like it was a time when it connected with people. I put it out independently and relied on a radio campaign and social media.
“The people at Rounder found it and liked it. They picked it up and re-released it in spring 2021. Rounder is a very iconic label so that was a big deal for me.”
White, who is in her mid-20s, has lived the life of a musical nomad – starting with her childhood days in western Canada – in Calgary, the home of the world-famous Calgary Stampede.
“I grew in Calgary and then moved to Boston after high school,” said White. “I was in Boston for a while and then moved to Nashville.
“After Nashville, I went back to western Canada – but not Calgary. My parents had moved to British Columbia – to Vancouver Island – so I went there for a while. Then, I moved to New Orleans about three years ago.”
White’s country roots go way back. She got her love of country music from her father — a native Virginian who played in bluegrass bands ever since she was a little child.
“I first got into music from my dad who played music my whole life – traditional bluegrass music,” said White.
“I really loved all types of music when I was growing up. I liked Elvis and Michael Jackson. I was a musically inspired kid.
“I got my first guitar when I was around eight or nine. I always loved to sing, and I got to a point where I could do it totally independently.
“I was really keen on learning it – from my dad and self-taught. I also went to bluegrass class – including one from Molly Tuttle.”
White was a dedicated student going back to her pre-teen years.
“I’d say that I’m predominantly self-taught,” said White. “I always played traditional bluegrass. I used it as a basis for learning the instrument.
“After bluegrass and country, I got more into folk music and singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.”
It all came together when White was living in Boston.
“I recorded ‘Just Like Learning’ at a studio in Vermont – Guilford Sound. I was living in Boston at the time. I was feeding off the folk program at Berklee (School of Music in Boston) even though I wasn’t a student there.”
White recorded her sophomore album, “Among Other Things,” on the other coast at Fivestar Studios, a studio in the shadow of downtown Los Angeles.
“I cut the album in spring 2022 in Topanga Canyon,” said White. “Jonathan Wilson was my producer.”
Wilson is an A-list producer who has been the producer for albums by Father John Misty, Dawes, Angel Olsen and Margo Price.
“We cut the whole album in about two weeks,” said White. “We did almost all of it to tape. We recorded each of the songs in just a few takes.”
The album has a very real vibe – nothing sugar-coated. The songs are sorrowful, gritty and introspective.
Following its 2023 release on Rounder Records, “Among Other Things” received critical acclaim with Rolling Stone referring to the album as “Sublime Appalachian heartbreak.”
“I was just inspired to be authentic,” said White. “I used my life as a creative outlet.”
White’s latest release, the “Five For Silver” EP dropped in the middle of 2024.
The “Five For Silver” EP featured White reimagining songs by Lucinda Williams, Jeff Tweedy, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris and Ted Lucas.
“I have a new album that is in the works,” said White. “It’s already done. It will come out next year.
“Right now, I’m touring as a trio with Gina Leslie on bass and Sam Gelban on drums. We’ll be performing an amalgam of all three albums.”
Video link for Bella White – https://youtu.be/G3dg6tc3Qhs.
The show at MilkBoy on November 9, which has Mr. Sam & the People People as the opening act, will start at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $34.41.
Other upcoming acts at MilkBoy Philly are Echo Kid on November 6, Night Cap on November 7, Will Varley on November 8 and Hudson Freeman on November 11.
Boney James. Photo credit: DescribeTheFauna
Boney James is an internationally acclaimed smooth jazz saxophonist who visits the Delaware Valley several times each year to perform for his legion of area fans.
On November 8, James will treat fans to music from his recently released album, “Slow Burn,” in a concert at the Scottish Rite Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, New Jersey, scottishriteauditorium.com).
“I released the new album last October,” said James, during a phone interview from his home in Los Angeles.
“I’ve been on the road pretty much ever since – and I will be for the rest of the year.
“The album has been doing really well. The single, ‘All I Want Is You,’ went Top 10 immediately in the R&B charts.”
Another single from “Slow Burn” – “Slide” — hit number one on the Billboard Smooth Jazz Airplay chart.
The phrase “Slow Burn” is described as a feeling that grows with a slow but deliberate intensity.
It is a good description of James’ music, career and the vibe of his newest album. The iconic four-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist’s 19th album is another deliberate step on his creative journey.
Featuring legendary Jazz/R&B artists Marcus Miller and Cory Henry, the record also spotlights R&B’s next superstar — October London, who handles the vocals on “All I Want Is You.”
With 10 songs — eight originals plus homages to Herbie Hancock and Stanley Turrentine – “Slow Burn” is James at his best.
The track, “Arcadia,” features Marcus Miller while “Butterfly” features Cory Henry and Marcus Miller. Rick Braun is the guest artist on “Sugar.”
“Slow Burn’ was released on October 18, 2024, by Concord Jazz.
“At the beginning of last year, my label signaled that it was time for another album,” said James, a saxophonist, songwriter, record producer – and one of America’s most popular soul, jazz and R&B saxophonists.
“I worked on it from April through August and then it came out in October. Most of the album was recorded at my home studio – ‘The Backyard.’
“I also did some recording at East-West Studio here in L.A. I cut 10 songs. Then, I do the editing while I’m working. It’s a lot of work producing an album.
“We’ve released a couple singles. One single has an R&B vocal. Two are instrumentals and another will be released later this month.
“I don’t choose which songs are to be singles. I leave that up to the radio team. I love every song on there.”
James has a tight band with a drummer and a guitarist in the line-up for more than two decades.
“The current live set has six songs off the ‘Slow Burn’ album,” said James. “I don’t change the set list once we’ve started the tour.
“I stick with it all the way.
“I’ve released 19 albums so I can’t get all the music into one show. I try to play everyone’s favorites.
“Some of the must-play songs are ‘Sweet Thing,’ ‘Grazing in the Grass’ and ‘After the Rain.’ I’m always trying to pay my homage to R&B. At the same time, I just try to make my music individual to me.”
According to James, who lives in L.A. with wife, director Lily Mariye, “I wake up each day and try to play a little better. To quote the cellist Pablo Casals – ‘I think I’m making progress.’ I am really proud of my playing on this new record. And I absolutely love the songs and the sound I achieved.”
Video link for Boney James — https://youtu.be/x1FTCf5sTC0.
The show at the Scottish Rite Auditorium will begin at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $49.50, $65 and $89.
Other upcoming shows at the Scottish Rite Auditorium are Murder Mystery on November 14 and Atlantic City Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” on November 29.
Jamey’s House of Music (32 South Lansdowne Avenue, Lansdowne, 215-477-9985,www.jameyshouseofmusic.com) will host Philadelphia Blues Society Night featuring Brad Vickers and His Vestapolitans with Philadelphia Slim and the South Street Hustle.
On November 7, Jamey’s will present Danielia Cotton with Jack Murray and the Blue Tarp Wranglers.
Cotton, who is known for her emotive vocals and blistering guitar work, has been rocking hard for more than two decades.
Her debut album “Small White Town’ was released in 2005 – the same year she introduced herself to Chester County fans with a free show in Exton as part of the Eagleview Town Center’s “Concerts on the Square” summer concert series.
Cotton is a powerhouse who can do it all. She moves too fast to be pinned down. She’s a great composer and singer/songwriter who has shared stages with Robert Cray, Bon Jovi, and Gregg Allman.
Her music is touched by genius and always comes straight from the heart. Cotton fuses rock, soul, gospel, and jazz, for a stunning performance. Her latest EP reimagines Charley Pride classics.
Cotton is very strong as a singer, songwriter and performer. She is also very strong at dealing with life’s challenges.
More than a decade ago, five months into her pregnancy Cotton lost the twins she’d conceived through in-vitro fertilization. In 2012, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
Cotton is a survivor.
Through it all, she has just kept moving forward – and rockin’ hard.
The show at Jamey’s on November 7 will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
The show is also available on pay-per-view for $15.45.
Other upcoming shows at Jamey’s are the Deb Callahan Band on November 8 and the Sunday Blues Brunch and Jam featuring the Girke-Davis Project with Steve Solotist and Russ Joell sitting in.
Callahan has been playing the blues at area venues for more than two decades.
“I’m from the Boston area and I’ve been in Philly for over 20 years,” said Callahan. “I moved here to go to grad school at Penn.”
After graduation from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Work, Callahan stayed in the area and still works as a social worker in the city.”
“I got a master’s degree in social work,” said Callahan. “I do youth counseling. My music is definitely influenced by my work as a social worker.”
Callahan’s debut LP was “If Blues Had Wings” and she followed with “The Blue Pearl” in 2005, “Grace and Grit” in 2008 and “Tell It Like It Is’ in 2010.
Her most recent album, which was released in 2023, is “Backbone.” The album features 12 songs including 10 original new tunes.
“Backbone” was produced by Philadelphia producer, songwriter, and guitarist Chris Arms and recorded live at Morningstar Studios in Glenside.
Callahan recorded this album with her road tested, all-star band of Allen James on guitar, Garry Lee on bass and Tom Walling on drums.
“
Backbone” has a blues and funk base and embraces a range of rock, soul, roots and swing styles.
The show at Jamey’s on November 8 will start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
The show is also available on pay-per-view for $15.45.
The Sunday Blues Brunch and Jam starts at noon on November 9 and features free admission.
Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295, http://www.kennettflash.org) is hosting Tom Hampton on November 6, Here Again and Impolite Society on November 7, Leslie Mendelson on November 8 and Flash Open Mic Night on November 9.
Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Center (226 North High Street, West Chester, www.uptownwestchester.org) will present Dwayne Dolphin & Roger Humphries with The West Chester University Criterions Jazz Ensemble on November 7 and Kashmir on November 8.
The Colonial Theater (227 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, thecolonialtheatre.com/events) will host Stanley Clarke on November 6 and Know Return (Kansas Tribute) & Fooling Ourselves (Styx Tribute) on November 8.
Elkton Music Hall (107 North Street, Elkton, Maryland, www.elktonmusichall.com) will host Tell Me Lies on November 6, Wishbone Ash on November 7 and Tall Tall Trees & Christopher Paul Stelling on November 8,
Here’s something different – a free show.
On November 7, the Arden Concert Gild is presenting a free, all-ages show at its venue – Arden Gild Hall, 2126 The Highway, Arden, Delaware, ardenconcerts.com).
The concert, which starts at 8 p.m., features Grace Vonderkuhn & Sug Daniels with IDLY.
Grace Vonderkuhn is three-piece rock band from Wilmington which combines elements of shoegaze, post-punk and psych with a sharp pop sensibility. The band’s latest album, “Into the Morning,” dropped over the summer.
Sug Daniels is a Delaware-born, Philadelphia-based ukulele player, singer-songwriter, storyteller, and producer who is using the tools around her to capture the emotions of an era. After years of touring with The Black Opry, Daniels is working on her debut studio album, “I Believe In You.”
IDLY is a Delaware-based indie outfit that came roaring onto the house show circuit just last year. The band’s 2025 single, “Verterbrae,” is now streaming on all platforms.
“Wishing to Grow Up Brightly” is a new musical from Amanda Morton (“KPOP,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “Gutenberg! The Musical!”) and Matthew Decker (“La La Land” Broadway adaptation) that is being presented at Theatre Horizon (401 DeKalb Street, Norristown, www.theatrehorizon.org).
The show, which opened this week and runs through November 23, is supported by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
The play blends humor, heart, and imagination in exploring adoption, family, and the stories that shape who we become.
At once hilarious and heartfelt, the musical follows Amanda Newton, a Korean-born woman adopted by white parents in the U.S., as she returns home to help her mother pack up their house after the death of her father.
Amidst the clutter and grief, Amanda stumbles upon reMEMOREX™, a futuristic company that promises families a way to reconnect with the past.
Amanda sifts through boxes both real and virtual, and the boundaries between memory and imagination blur, revealing a story about family, loss, and the inheritance of identity.
Powered by a genre-defying score that spans satirical pop and choral requiems, “Wishing to Grow Up Brightly” explores how we search for connection in the fragments left behind.
Morton, a three-time Barrymore Award-winning Korean-American composer and adoptee, draws from her own experience to tell a universal story about memory and belonging.
Several cast and creative members are also Korean adoptees, giving the piece rare authenticity and depth.
“Wishing to Grow Up Brightly” is running now through November 23 at Theatre Horizon.
Ticket prices start at $25.
The silent era’s most shocking film comes to life with a haunting new score as Not So Silent Cinema presents “Häxan” at Glen Foerd (5001 Grant Ave, Philadelphia, www.glenfoerd.org) on November 6 from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Released in 1922, “Häxan” (Swedish: “The Witch”) is a Swedish-Danish silent horror essay film written and directed by Benjamin Christensen.
Part documentary, part dramatization, the film explores the historical roots and superstitions surrounding witchcraft — from medieval witch trials to the modern age — drawing on Christensen’s study of the “Malleus Maleficarum,” a 15th-century inquisitor’s manual.
At Thursday night’s event, live music will be performed by Not So Silent Cinema. Known for breathing new life into classic silent films, Not So Silent Cinema is led by composer and pianist Brendan Cooney.
NSSC has been performing since 2010 and boasts an active repertoire of more than a dozen scores.
The ensemble’s original score for “Häxan” combines classical and modern influences to create an evocative live soundtrack that amplifies the film’s eerie and transgressive beauty.
The performance will feature Brendan Cooney (piano and music direction), Carlos Santiago and Liz Carlson (violins) and Chris Coyle (bass).
Glen Foerd is an 18-acre public park and historic site located along the Delaware River in Philadelphia. It was built in 1850 and enlarged in 1902-03.
The performance will take place in Glen Foerd’s Gilded Age mansion’s second-floor art gallery, offering an immersive experience where early cinema meets contemporary live music. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Admission is $25 for general entry, and $20 for students and seniors.
