So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of links and short local news items of interest that you may have missed:

* The Post-Dispatch's Sarah Bryan Miller reports that the new work composed by Wayne Shorter for soprano Renée Fleming and conductor David Robertson, which gets its world premiere Saturday night at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's gala concert, now has a name: "Aurora." Miller also talked with Fleming about working with Shorter and the SLSO, while the St. Louis American's Chris King scored an interview with the often-elusive saxophonist to discuss the project.

* Meanwhile, the P-D's Suburban Journal subsidiaries had a couple of items of interest this week: a feature on the St. Louis Banjo Club, written by Chris Campbell for the South County edition; and an unbylined Q&A with trumpeter and educator Prince Wells in the Madison County paper.

* Jazz St. Louis has photos from last week's shows by Kenny Barron and Mulgrew Miller on their Facebook page. (You don't have to have a Facebook account to view them.) JSL also has begun a series of blog posts back on their main site in which various staff members describe their 15 favorite jazz albums. Director of operations Bob Bennett was first up last week.

* Lisette Dennis of the Regional Arts Commission sends word of a French-American jazz exchange offering grants of up to $10,000 for small jazz ensembles and/or individual musicians from France and the United States or their territories engaged in collaborative projects and/or exploring new music. The application deadline is October 22; for more details, go here.

* Last but not least, a belated "Happy Birthday" to one of St. Louis' foremost jazz advocates, broadcaster Don Wolff (pictured), who celebrated his 75th natal day last week. Although yr. humble editor's knowledge of Yiddish is gleaned entirely from old Lenny Bruce records and a few other Jewish comedians, I believe it would be accurate to describe Mr. Wolff as a mensch, as well as a longtime and vocal supporter of jazz in general and St. Louis jazz in particular. Here's hoping he'll continue to do his thing for many years to come.

(Edited 10/4/10 to correct Lisette Dennis' last name.)