Trevor, Whalum and Wheeler to co-headline New Year's Eve show at Brandt's

Jay Brandt of Brandt's Cafe and Red Carpet Lounge has emailed with an early advisory regarding the club's entertainment plans for New Year's Eve.

Singer Jeanne Trevor, singer/pianist and saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, and singer Mae Wheeler (pictured) are all veterans of the St. Louis music scene who lead their own groups regularly at Brandt's and other local venues. For New Year's Eve 2007, Brandt's is teaming them up for a show that's bound to evoke some fond memories of the Gaslight Square era, which helped launch all three performers' careers.

Trevor's been compared to greats like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, and has proved her versatility by doing musical theater as well as concerts and clubs. Whalum has been enjoying something of a renaissance since signing with the Rendezvous Music label in 2006, traveling more often for gigs on jazz cruises and opening-act slots for the likes of Chris Botti.

For her part, Wheeler remains a fine musical example of how blues and jazz are inextricably entwined here in the Gateway City. Equally important, in addition to her still-considerable performing skills, over the years she's been a combination mother hen, kind-yet-sassy aunt and no-nonsense mentor to several generations of St. Louis' young people, raising money for scholarships through her charity efforts and giving many up-and-coming musicians valuable sit-in and gig experience in her band. That she continues to do all this today, despite an ongoing fight with cancer, is truly remarkable, and just one more reason St. Louis holds the woman known as "Lady Jazz" in such high esteem.

The three headliners will be supported by a band including guitarist Dave Black and bassist Jeff Anderson. Brandt's is an intimate venue, and with this lineup New Year's Eve could fill up quickly, so if you're interested, I'd suggest calling or emailing for reservations sooner rather than later.