StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Keyon Harrold comes home

This week, let's take a look at some videos featuring trumpeter Keyon Harrold, who will be coming back home to perform next Wednesday, February 7 and Thursday, February 8 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Harrold, who grew up in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, has been in the spotlight recently thanks to the release in September of The Mugician, his second album as a leader. Featuring guest appearances from guitarist and singer Gary Clark Jr., rapper Big K.R.I.T., R&B vocalist Bilal, keyboardist Robert Glasper, multi-instrumentalist Georgia Anne Muldrow, and more, the album has been well-received by fans and critics, with reviews calling it a “vibrant and wide-reaching set of tunes” (AllMusic.com) and praising it for “redefining the textures and sounds of traditional jazz” (Salon.com).

His gigs next week at the Bistro will be Harrold's first appearances here since the release of The Mugician, so the hometown crowd can expect material from the album to be featured prominently in his sets. For a bit more of a preview of what his live shows are like, check out today's collection of videos, starting up above with a full set of Harrold's recorded in June 2016 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City.

After the jump, there's an episode of "B Side," a web series from the Brooklyn-based BRIC TV, with Harrold as the featured guest in performance and interview segments.

Below that, there are audience-shot videos of live versions of two songs from The Mugician - "Stay This Way" with Big K.R.I.T. and Bilal, recorded in January 2017 at the Blue Note in NYC, and "Lullaby," recorded in June 2017 at the McKittrick Hotel in NYC, with Ben Williams (bass), Amaury Acosta (drums), James Francies (piano) and Nir Felder (guitar).

Next, there's a short video interview with Harrold recorded for "Open Space," a web series from Mass Appeal (which also runs the Legacy Records imprint that released The Mugician).

Last but not least, there are a couple of video excerpts from Harrold's last St. Louis gig, via the prolific local videographer James Ross, who was at the Bistro in April of last year to capture Harrold, pianist Lawrence Fields, drummer Kimberly Thompson, saxophonist Adam Larson and bassist Bob DeBoo playing "The Lookout" and "Green Chimney."

For more about Keyon Harrold, check out his interview on the October 2017 episode of Jazziz magazine's podcast, and his "20 questions" interview with AmericanBluesScene.com.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...