StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on The Wee Trio

This week, our video spotlight shines on The Wee Trio, who will be in St. Louis next week to perform Friday, October 16 and Saturday, October 17 at Jazz at the Bistro.

The Wee Trio is comprised of former St. Louisan Dan Loomis on bass, James Westfall on vibraphone and Jared Schonig on drums. The group came together a few years ago in Brooklyn, NY, although Westfall has subsequently moved back to New Orleans, where he previously had lived and attended university. Their first CD, Capitol Diner, Vol. 1, was released last year.

In addition to performing original music, they've done covers of contemporary pop and rock songs that have invited critical comparisons to The Bad Plus, E.S.T. and pianist Brad Mehldau's Largo. The Wee Trio have played several one-off gigs in St. Louis over the last year, but since this will be their Bistro debut and first multi-night engagement in one spot here, it seems like an opportune time to take a closer look/listen to them.

First up is a Dan Loomis composition titled "Orange Finnish Tulip," recorded live in concert at an unspecified location in California. The second clip features one of Westfall's pieces, "The Ghost of Potato Creek Johnny," and was recorded in September 2008 at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. The third video offers The Wee Trio's' interpretation of "About A Girl," written by the late singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain of the rock band Nirvana and taken from a concert at West Valley College in Saratoga, CA.