There's quite a bit of jazz activity going on this week in St. Louis, so, as they say on TV, let's go to the big board.Starting with the biggest marquee name first, smooth jazz trumpet star Chris Botti will be in concert at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on both Friday and Saturday nights. The TouPAC's Web site leads one to believe that tickets are still available for both shows, but given that ducats to Saturday night's concert were originally offered as pledge premiums by local public TV station KETC for a good while before sales to the general public, I'm betting the selection of seats will be better for Friday's show, which was added as a second date well after Saturday's show was announced. Those who wish to whet their musical appetites for the Botti show may want to peruse the video clip appended to this post, which shows him performing the standard "Embraceable You" last year at the Blue Note in Tokyo.
Update #1 - 6:30 p.m., 1/25/07: The ever-timely Terry Perkins has written a story for the Post-Dispatch featuring an interview with Botti, who talks about his recent turn toward a more acoustic sound. Read it online here.
On Saturday night, pianist and St. Louis native Peter Martin will play at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Martin is a St. Louis native who serves as musical director for singer Dianne Reeves as well as leading his own group, which has recorded for the locally based MAXJAZZ label. He was also one of the main organizers behind the Big River benefit concert for New Orleans musicians, staging it first at the Sheldon in December 2005 and then taking it to Chicago's Symphony Hall last September. For this gig, Martin and his trio will be joined by Erin Bode as special guest vocalist.
Update #2 - 6:35 p.m., 1/25/07: P-D columnist Sylvester Brown devotes today's missive to a chat with Martin and Bode, who discuss the local jazz scene and what listeners can expect at Saturday's show. Read it online here.
On Sunday, the Sheldon again looks like the place to be as St. Louis musicians come together to stage a concert paying tribute to and benefiting singer Mae Wheeler (pictured). The veteran of Gaslight Square has been battling cancer, and though she's continuing to work and stay as active as possible, many of her friends in the music community wanted to help raise funds and to celebrate Wheeler's accomplishments and legacy while she's able to enjoy the accolades. For more details and the lineup of announced performers, see StLJN's previous coverage of the event.
Elsewhere in town, drummer Montez Coleman takes the stage at Jazz at the Bistro for performances on Friday and Saturday. A native of East St. Louis, Coleman is known mostly as a sideman, performing and recording with internationally known musicians like Rufus Reid, Grady Tate, Gary Bartz and Russell Gunn as well as hometown artists including Willie Akins, Erin Bode, Denise Thimes, and Mardra and Reggie Thomas. He hasn't released any recordings as a leader, and since I didn't catch his gig at the Bistro last year, I can't really tell you much about what to expect other than that the bandstand should be filled with some topnotch local players.
On Thursday, saxophonist Dave Stone does a free concert as part of the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum returns to Brandt's Cafe and Red Carpet Lounge, and trumpeter Dan Smith and singer Debby Lennon do their monthly gig at Cookie's Jazz and More.
Then on Friday, saxophonist Willie Akins does a free performance from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Grigg Gallery of the Saint Louis Art Museum, pianist Carolbeth True is at Crossings Taverne and Grille; and Lennon, this time without Smith, will take the stage at Finale Music and Dining.
On Sunday, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center has a triple bill of improv brands, including the End Times Trio, M.U.K.E.R., and the Lemp Workshop Ensemble, and on Monday, Webster University's music department resumes its Monday night jazz concert series with "World On A String - 75 Years of American Song," featuring vocalist Ashley Mason, guitarist Steve Schenkel and True on piano.
That's quite a bit of music for one weekend, but there's actually even more going on around town, and you can find out who, what, where and when by sneaking a peek at the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.
(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. No attachments, please.)
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