Coming attractions include Jeff Coffin, Greyboy Allstars in May, John Pizzarelli in October

Jazz and the jam band scene have been cross-pollinating for some time now, and as the latter has diversified over the last decade, it's grown to include some groups whose jazz influences are, if not predominant, at least way up front in the stylistic mix.

Two such bands will perform in St. Louis next month, starting with saxophonist Jeff Coffin's Mu'Tet, who will play at the Lucas Schoolhouse on Wednesday, May 9. Based in Nashville, Coffin is best known as a member of Bela Fleck's Flecktones, but has also kept his own band going as a side project.

Then on Thursday, May 17, the Greyboy Allstars, recently reunited after six years off the road, come to St. Louis to play the VooDoo Cafe and Lounge at Harrah's Casino. Known for their funky grooves, the Allstars are fronted by saxophonist Karl Denson (pictured) and will be touring in support of their new CD What Happened to Television?

In other coming attractions news-that-somehow-escaped-earlier-attention, Pollstar is now showing a show at the Sheldon Concert Hall for guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli on Saturday, October 6 of this year.

Pizzarelli has made several St. Louis appearances in recent years, and, assuming this information is correct, on one level, it's hard to argue with him making another one - he's a talented musician and entertainer with a substantial local fan base and a real knack for working the media. On the other hand, booking him for what is presumably one of just a half-dozen slots in the Sheldon's 2007-08 jazz series when there are so many other major jazz musicians who haven't played St. Louis at all in recent years also indicates a certain lack of adventurousness.

Yes, Pizzarelli will put on a good show and likely will do box-office business, but, as I've said before and will no doubt say again, I'd like to see our town's not-for-profit presenters engage in more risk taking and less repetition. At some point, the continued recycling of the same relatively small group of performers stops being quality control and turns into artistic cowardice; I leave it to you, O readers, to draw your own conclusions as to the precise time and location of that point.

(Edited 4/4/07 to correct the date of the Greyboy Allstars show.)