Jazz this week: Dr. Lonnie Smith and more

After a couple of very busy weeks, things look a bit slower this weekend for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with just one well-known touring jazz musician passing through town.

All the more reason, then, to go check out the veteran organist Dr. Lonnie Smith (pictured) who's back with his trio for a four-night engagement that opens tonight and continues through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. For more on the good Doctor, please see last Saturday's video showcase post and/or read this interview that Smith did a few years ago with journalist Ted Panken for Down Beat.

On Thursday, clarinetist Scott Alberici is a late substitution as the performer for this week's free concert in the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, as the previously scheduled artist, guitarist Scott Jones, is unable to appear. Alberici will be aided and abetted by bassist Ric Vice, pianist Kim Portnoy, and drummer Marty Morrison. Also on Thursday, the Dixie Dudes will play traditional New Orleans favorites in an early-evening, no-cover-charge show at Jazz On Broadway in Alton.

On Friday, singer Cheryl Brown and keyboardist Tony Simmons will be at Robbie's House of Jazz; and trombonist/vocalist Doug Burns will lead a quartet with drummer Paul Shaw, guitarist Tom Byrne and bassist Willem von Hombracht at Cigar Inn.

Then on Saturday, the Funky Butt Brass Band will do a matinee at Blues City Deli and an evening performance at Broadway Oyster Bar; Jazz On Broadway will present saxophonist Michael Fitzgerald; and Robbie's will feature keyboardist Eddie Brown and Elements.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday saxophonist Willie Akins will perform at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium; and Byrne's Pat Metheny-inspired project Have You Heard? will be at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups. Then on Tuesday, there's more guitar at BB's, as Dave Black and Friends take the stage.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

(Edited after posting to add Saturday's shows by Funky Butt Brass Band.)