The spotlight in St. Louis this week is on vocalists, with several very different singers presenting their talents and hoping to capture the time and attention of local jazz fans.Perhaps the best known is Kurt Elling, who returns with his trio to Jazz at the Bistro for a four-night stand Wednesday through Saturday. One of the most talked-about male jazz singers on the scene today, Elling tends to inspire strong, love-him-or-hate-him reactions. I was a bit a of a skeptic before hearing him perform last year, first on the TV program Legends of Jazz and then at the Bistro, but came away from those expereinces with a new respect for Elling's skills and artistry. You can read my reconsideration and review of Elling here and here. Elling will also be doing a free master class at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon at Webster University's Community Music School building, located at 8282 Big Bend.
Also in St. Louis this week is Frank Sinatra's pal and protege Frankie Randall, who will be singing and playing piano at The Cabaret at Savor on Wednesday and Thursday night. Randall's show incorporates some of the songs Sinatra made famous, and is said to evoke a 1960s Rat Pack sort of vibe that's quite a contrast from Elling's more introspective presentation.
On Sunday, singer Nnenna Freelon (pictured) performs at the Sheldon Concert Hall to benefit Community Women Against Hardship. A mother of three, Freelon spent her young adulthood raising her kids and thus got a comparatively late start on a music career. However, since bursting on to the scene in the early 1990s, she's more than made up for lost time, performing around the world as a headliner and with the Count Basie Orchestra and many others, and earning five Grammy nominations in the jazz vocal category.
Other shows of note this week: Saxophonist Dave Stone will do a free concert at Washington University on Thursday night as part of the Jazz at Holmes series, while chanteuse Erin Bode and her band will perform at Finale Music and Dining on Friday and Saturday. Also on Saturday, pianist Ptah Williams returns with his trio to Cookie's Jazz and More.
To see a more extensive list of jazz-related events in the St. Louis area, please visit 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. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)
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