BAG taps Gary Sykes for tribute to St. Louis drummers

As mentioned briefly in an earlier post, BAG will present drummer Gary Sykes in a free concert paying tribute to St. Louis drummers Phillip Wilson, Joe Charles and Sonny Hamp at 7 p.m. this Sunday, October 21 in the Rosebud Café at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar Blvd.

Wilson, who died in 1992 at age 50, is known for his work with Lester Bowie, Julius Hemphill, and many others. He was the original drummer with the Art Ensemble of
Chicago and also was a member of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, with whom he performed at the famous Woodstock music festival. Though less known than Wilson beyond St. Louis, both Charles and Hamp were important and influential figures on the local scene - Hamp as a straightahead player and mainstay of Gaslight Square, and Charles as a musician and teacher who could play effectively both inside and outside, with time and without.

Sykes seems a fitting choice to pay tribute to their percussive prowess. He's an excellent and highly inventive drummer who's not heard around town nearly often enough these days to suit me. Sykes has played with a number of notable musicians, including Oliver Lake, Julius Hemphill, James Moody, Eddie Harris, Pharoah Sanders, Lester Bowie, John Hicks, and Andrew Hill; as well as Dakota Staton, Duke Jordan, James Moody, and bluesman Albert King. From the news release emailed by BAG, it sounds as if he'll be performing solo. Not every drummer can pull off that sort of thing, but Sykes has the both the necessary chops and the ideas in ample supply.

For more information, you can call the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site at 314-340-5790 or email BAG at bag_blackartistgroup@yahoo.com.