StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Sean Jones

This week, let's get acquainted via video with trumpeter Sean Jones, who's coming to St. Louis to perform Wednesday, April 15 through Saturday, April 18 at Jazz at the Bistro.

The 30-year-old Ohio native studied music at Youngstown State University and Rutgers University, and is known for his work as a lead trumpeter for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as well as for his five albums as a leader for Mack Avenue Records.

Jones was featured on singer Nancy Wilson's 2007 Grammy Award-winning CD Turned to Blue, and also has recorded with well-known jazz musicians such as Gerald Wilson, Joe Lovano, Tom Harrell, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath and Frank Foster. Jones now resides in Pittsburgh, and in addition to his big band work in NYC also serves as interim artistic director of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra.

The first clip up top shows a long excerpt from a Jones performance of Fats Waller's standard "Jitterbug Waltz". It was shot in November 2008 at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, and also features Tanner Taylor (piano), Gordy Johnson (bass), and Phil Hey (drums).

Down below, you'll find a clip of Jones playing "Take The A Train" at the Billy Strayhorn Birthday Bash held last Thanksgiving weekend at Pittsburgh's Kelly-Strayhorn Theater.

Next, there's a short video interview with Jones from 2007, and at the very bottom of this post, a promotional video for his new CD The Search Within, which came out just last week.