Tower of Power
Checking out Pollstar for upcoming local shows of interest, we've spied three recently added performances coming to various St. Louis venues that aren't exactly jazz concerts, but seem worth noting here anyway.
On Friday, September 22 and Saturday, September 23, Tower of Power will bring their distinctive East Bay Grease to the the Metro East, performing at the Argosy Alton casino. While TOP is usually thought of as a soul or funk band, their daring, tricky arrangements and occasional extended soloing reveal a definite jazz influence, and I certainly know a number of jazz fans who dig them.
Though their last pop hit was in the 1970s, the current TOP lineup (as heard on the recent CD Oakland Zone) is as musically accomplished as any they've fielded in their near 40-year history. Given the band's devoted fan base, and the length of time since they last played St. Louis, I'm betting that the smallish music room - capacity of maybe 350 to 400, seated theater style - at the Alton casino will be packed. Alas, no ticket info yet on the casino's Web site.
Later that same month, the Devil Music Ensemble, a group specializing in performing live soundtracks to screenings of silent movies, is scheduled to be at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium on Saturday, September 30. The Boston-based ensemble's past work includes providing accompaniment for films such as Nosferatu, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Presumably, their trip to St. Louis is under the auspices of the Webster University Film Series, though their Web site has not yet been updated to list any fall programs.
And looking ahead to spring 2007, the Gangbe Brass Band has been booked to play at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 13. This group from the West African country of Benin is said to have been influenced by American jazz and brass band music as well as Afro-pop artists like Fela Kuti and traditional music of their region. Their Web site seems to need updating, but this review of their last CD should help you get a better idea of what they're all about.
Caveat auditor: None of these shows are listed yet on the Web sites of their respecitive venues, and so, as is usual with items like these gleaned from Pollstar, should be considered tentative until confirmed by the venue in question.
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