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 St. Louis based label MAXJAZZ once again is offering discounts on CDs purchased from their website for the holiday season. Between now and the end of the year, those who purchase a MAXJAZZ CD from their site at the full price of $16.99 can get up to four more releases at $12.99 each, with free shipping in the U.S.

* The Riverfront Times' Annie Zaleski looks at the music-related documentaries in this year's St. Louis International Film Festival in a blog post here. One film of particular interest to jazz fans is In My Mind, which "explores the parallels (and differences) between a 2009 concert by jazz pianist Jason Moran -- which paid tribute to the great Thelonious Monk -- and a gig that the late, great jazz legend performed exactly fifty years earlier." In My Mind screens at 1:15 p.m. next Saturday, November 20 at the Tivoli.

* Author/illustrator Kevin Belford's book on the history of St. Louis blues, Devil At The Confluence, got another nice review, this time from the blog In A Blue Mood.

* The Gaslight Square veterans in the group Banjos and Brass were featured in a recent story written by Chris Campbell for the Suburban Journals. The band plays on Fridays at The Sands in Shrewsbury.

* Mel Bay, the St. Louis-based publishers of music instructional books, CDs and DVDs, are holding a sweepstakes to give away a free Apple iPad with case and $250 worth of Mel Bay materials in the company's new eBook format. The contest closes on November 30; for details on how to enter, go here.

* Music retailer Webster Records (pictured) has announced that they've gone "back to the future" and are once again selling vinyl, with a selection of LPs and 45s in various genres including jazz, classical, rock and show tunes. The store also now is buying used vinyl from collectors, and will have a open house sale with refreshments and special pricing this Sunday, November 14 as part of the holiday season kickoff in the Old Webster business district.