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Peter Apfelbaum & The Hieroglyphics Ensemble, Photo courtesy the Painted Bride Arts Center

Lenny Seidman, music curator of the Painted Bride Art Center, tells me that Peter Apfelbaum keeps adding more people to the group he’ll bring in November 14. At the moment, the count stands at one dozen. But hey, that can change. It just means even more variety for an ensemble that’s already a mega-mix of personnel and musical styles.

Apfelbaum’s group, the Hieroglyphics Ensemble, is often tagged as presenting world or multi-culti music. Those affiliations are apt, however Peter himself doesn’t care to categorize what he does.

He’s primarily interested in how sounds fit together. If that means cooking jazz, blues, gospel and African music into a tasty stew, well, then that’s the dish he serves. His spice cabinet includes Middle Eastern, Latin and Indian flavors and he can also readily riff on on the avant-garde.

Stellar members of Apfelbaum’s outfit include Cuban-born percussionist Dafnis Prieto who builds powerful rhythms atop elaborate patterns, and vocalist Abdoulaye Diabate, who’s descended from a long line of Malian griots. Part of the fun of a Hieroglyphics Ensemble show is that you never really know what the crew will toss together.

Apfelbaum does love a good groove, so you can count on that.

Peter Apfelbaum and the Hieroglyphics Ensemble
Saturday, November 14

Painted Bride Art Center
230 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA
(215) 925-9914
www.paintedbride.org