Avant Garde Jazz by Ashé Mystics

Ashé Mystics play Velvet Whip Arts & Social Club on Wednesday, October 21, for a night of avant-garde jazz. They describe their work as the adventurous side of jazz, where improvisation, experimentation and musical conversation push the listener beyond the familiar. It's the kind of set that doesn't stick to a script, leaning instead on how the players respond to one another in the moment.

The lineup puts three musicians on stage, each handling a mix of acoustic and electronic instruments. Julius Masri and Kevin Diehl both cover drums, percussion and electronics, so you'll have two rhythmic foundations running at once. Joshua Marquez adds guitar, kulintang — a set of small, graduated gongs from the Philippines — and percussion, along with his own electronics. With all three playing percussion and electronics, the sound can shift from rhythmic and driving to something more textural and open.

Velvet Whip bills itself as Philadelphia's most unique members' club, and the programming reflects that: weekly jazz, blues and jam sessions sit alongside comedy, cabaret, opera and more. It's a spot where a late-night avant-garde set like this fits right in with the rest of the calendar. The show runs from 10 PM to 11:59 PM at 319 North 11th Street in Philadelphia, and it's a free show.