Notes from the Net: Miles and Sonny re-released; Jazz Times to publish again; plus news, reviews, interviews, and more

Here's the latest compilation of assorted news briefs and links related to jazz, improvisation, and creative music in St. Louis, including news of musicians originally from the Gateway City, recent visitors, and coming attractions, plus assorted other items of interest:

* Starting, as usual, with some Miles Davis-related news, it seems that Concord Music Group will be releasing Miles Davis & Sonny Rollins: The Classic Prestige Sessions, 1951-1956 on August 4. The two-CD set compiles everything Davis and Rollins did together for the Prestige label during those years. For more recent news of everything and anything Miles-ish, we encourage you to visit Miles Davis Online, where proprietor Jeff Hyatt recently has been posting more lots more rarely seen photos and art, including a very nice portrait of Davis painted by singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.

* Speaking of trumpeters, a recent guest post at Destination: Out by famed horn-blower Dave Douglas spotlighting some of his favorite solo music from various contemporary trumpeters included tracks from St. Louis' own Lester Bowie and Baikida Carroll

* Here's a review by Wade Luquet for AllAboutJazz.com of a couple of recent club gigs by in New Orleans by pianist and St. Louis expat Tom McDermott.

* Another piano-playing former St. Louisan, Linda Presgrave, just emailed to say she'll be playing with her quartet at NYC's Kitano on Wednesday, August 5.

* Turning to the "coming attractions" file, there's news this week of three musicians who will be part of the 2009-10 season at Jazz at the Bistro. First, bassist Christian McBride (pictured) has a new CD, Kind of Brown, with his new Inside Straight quintet just out on the Mack Avenue label. McBride will be at the Bistro from November 18 to November 21, with (we've been told) St. Louis' own Peter Martin on the piano bench in place of Eric Reed, who's on the CD.

* Meanwhile, singer Kurt Elling recently was on NPR performing material from his new CD Dedicated to You. Elling will return to St. Louis in December to perform music from the CD, which pays tribute to the historic collaboration between singer Johnny Hartman and saxophonist John Coltrane.

* And the piano trio The Bad Plus are bringing their quirky approach to re-imagining and improvising on rock, pop and classical material to the Sioux Falls, SD JazzFest. They'll be back at the Bistro as the first act of the new year in January, 2010.

* Last but not least, there's some good news about the magazine Jazz Times, which was forced to suspend publication a few weeks ago due to financial problems. The mag has been sold to new owners, and will return in August with new content. (Alas, freelance writers and photographers who have been waiting for months on payment for pieces already published under the old regime will only be getting .50 on the dollar; Howard Mandel has the scoop on that unfortunate development here, as well as an interesting comparison of the stated circulations of Jazz Times and its main competitor Down Beat.)