Jazz St. Louis offering "Jazz 101" class

As part of their ongoing educational efforts, the staff of Jazz St. Louis has come up with a program called "Jazz 101" that's designed to help both novice and veteran jazz fans to better understand the music and how to listen to it. The first "Jazz 101" class will take place at 8:30 p.m. next Thursday, March 20, at Jazz at the Bistro. From the blog entry at the JSL Web site:

"This presentation will look at the rhythm section: the combination of piano, bass and drums that makes up the foundation of most jazz ensembles. You will learn about how this particular group of instruments came about, its history and the role each of the instruments plays in a jazz performance. The presentation will feature our Director of Education, Phil Dunlap, an accomplished jazz pianist who will lead the presentation. It promises to be an enjoyable and informative evening for those new to jazz as well as the aficionado."

Tickets are $15 per person and can be ordered via Metrotix.