Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Don Cunningham, a former St. Louisan who now lives in Las Vegas and performs with his wife Alicia as The Cunninghams, is returning to his old home town to play the Sheldon Concert Hall on Thursday, July 12.Working as a duo, the Cunninghams have performed with the Count Basie Orchestra, appeared with many other jazz luminaries in Las Vegas and on the West Coast, and toured as headliners in the U.S. and Japan. Their 1988 album Strings and Swing: I Remember Bird was nominated for a Grammy Award.
However, a whole different group of music fans, DJs, collectors and crate diggers also know Don Cunningham as the man who recorded Something For Everyone, a self-issued LP made in St. Louis way back in 1965 while Cunningham was performing at the Playboy Club. (The photo accompanying this post was taken during the session at the old Technisonic Studios. That's Cunningham playing percussion, with the late John Mixon on bass and Manny Quintero on drums.)
The album contained a track called "Tabu" that was reissued on a compilation, Hip City, released in 1995 by the West Coast label Luv "N Haight. It caught on with acid jazz DJs in Europe and Japan, leading to the 2003 reissue on CD of the entire album, which had an original vinyl pressing of just 500 copies.
The Cunninghams' current duo act showcases the vocal talents of both husband and wife, as well as Don's skills on percussion and saxophone. They interpret a variety of jazz favorites with their own arrangements of music from Basie, Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole, Horace Silver, Charlie Parker and others. (You can read a review of a 2002 concert of theirs here.)
For their St. Louis performance, they'll be joined by Quintero on drums; pianist Marion Miller, who also played on Something for Everyone, and saxophonist Chuck Tillman.
Mae Wheeler, an old friend of Don Cunningham's, is producing the show as part of the Sheldon's Notes From Home series, and a portion of the proceeds will go to her scholarship fund for St. Louis students. Tickets are $25 and $30 in advance, and are on sale now via Metrotix.
(Edited after posting.)
The Cunninghams' current duo act showcases the vocal talents of both husband and wife, as well as Don's skills on percussion and saxophone. They interpret a variety of jazz favorites with their own arrangements of music from Basie, Duke Ellington, Nat "King" Cole, Horace Silver, Charlie Parker and others. (You can read a review of a 2002 concert of theirs here.)
For their St. Louis performance, they'll be joined by Quintero on drums; pianist Marion Miller, who also played on Something for Everyone, and saxophonist Chuck Tillman.
Mae Wheeler, an old friend of Don Cunningham's, is producing the show as part of the Sheldon's Notes From Home series, and a portion of the proceeds will go to her scholarship fund for St. Louis students. Tickets are $25 and $30 in advance, and are on sale now via Metrotix.
(Edited after posting.)
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