Jazz St. Louis announces educational residencies for 2010-11 season

Jazz St. Louis has announced the artists who will be coming to St. Louis for educational residencies during the 2010-2011 season.

The resident artists each come to St. Louis for a week, taking part in educational activities at schools all over the St. Louis area, including clinics, master classes, workshops, lectures, and in-school performances. They also work directly with smaller groups of students involved in Jazz St. Louis’ JazzU, Jazz St. Louis All-Stars and Adopt-a-School programs.

Gene Aitken will be the first resident artist/instructor of the season, coming to St. Louis from November 8 through November 12. Aitken is the former director of jazz studies for the award-winning program at the University of Northern Colorado. More recently, he served as director of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore, and he continues to be active in Southeast Asia, China, and the United States, working with students, teachers, ensembles, and administrators in both the wind ensemble and jazz areas.

Saxophonist Ronald Carter, the noted jazz educator and former band director for East St. Louis HS who now heads the jazz program at Northern Illinois University, will return to St. Louis for a residency March 7 through March 12, 2011. Carter's stint in St. Louis will include public performances on Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12 at Jazz at the Bistro, backed by keyboardist Reggie Thomas and OGD.

Then from April 4 through April 9, pianist Cyrus Chestnut will team with special guest trumpeter Jon Faddis (pictured) for a weeklong residency. Both should know their way around town; Chestnut has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis in recent, performing most recently in April at the Sheldon Concert Hall, while Faddis was here for the 2009 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival. Chestnut and Faddis will wrap up their week with public performances on Friday, April 8 and Saturday, April 9 at the Bistro.

Tickets for the Bistro performances featuring Carter, Chestnut and Faddis will be available through Metrotix and directly from Jazz St. Louis. For more information on JSL's residency program, go here.