So What: Local News, Notes & Links

Here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short local news items of interest:

* A new episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz began airing September 1 on the local cable network. The episode features performances by guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and singer/pianist Tony DeSare from their concert earlier this year at the Sheldon, as well as stories about young musician Michael Ferrante of the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars and the East St. Louis High School Jazz Band's trip to New York City for the Essentially Ellington competition at Jazz at Lincoln Center. You can watch the whole episode online here.

* The Funky Butt Brass Band's new CD You Can Trust The Funky Butt Brass Band was reviewed by the RFT's Christian Schaefer.

* In his latest blog post for St. Louis magazine, Dennis Owsley writes about multi-instrumentalist and former St. Louisan Don Cunningham, who came back home last month for a show at the Sheldon.

* From an online publication called The Trades, here's a review of the recent concert by Return to Forever and Zappa Plays Zappa at St. Louis' Fox Theatre.

* Jazz St. Louis still needs volunteers to help staff an information booth this weekend at the 2011 Saint Louis Art Fair in Clayton. Specificaly, JSL needs help from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. If you're interested, email JSL's Devin Rodino at devin @ jazzstl.org or call him at 314-289-4144.

* Single tickets for the 2011-12 We Always Swing series in Columbia are on sale now via the organization's box office and Ticketmaster. Although this year's series includes a number of musicians who also will be playing St. Louis, there are several who, so far, do not have a stop scheduled here, including Nilson Matta's Brazilian Voyage with Anne Drummond and Vic Juris, singer Rene Marie, pianist Benny Green and guitarist Russell Malone.