Jazz this week: Tia Fuller, Steve Tyrell, an International Jazz Day jam, and more

As Jazz Appreciation Month winds down, there are plenty of opportunities to get out and hear some live jazz and creative music this weekend in St. Louis. So without further ado, let's go to the highlights:

Tonight, saxophonist Tia Fuller (pictured) and her quartet open a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. This is the St. Louis debut as a bandleader for Fuller, who may be best known as a member of pop singer Beyoncé's backup group, but also has been building some serious jazz cred of her own over the past decade.

For more about Fuller and some video clips of her in performance, check out this post from last Saturday. (I also interviewed Fuller for a piece that should go online later today at the RFT Music Blog; when it's up, there'll be a link to it here. )

Also tonight, the Meramec Jazz Lab Band will play a concert at the Black Cat Theatre in Maplewood, and singer Erin Bode will be at Porter's in Collinsville.

On Thursday, singer Steve Tyrell returns to town for a performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall to benefit Hope Happens, which raises money for research at Washington University's Hope Center for Neurological Disorders. Though at last word the show was approaching a sell-out, you can find out if any patron tickets are left by calling Hope Happens at 314-725-3888; for concert-only tickets, check with Metrotix.

Also on Thursday evening, saxophonist Jim Stevens plays at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, and guitarist Tom Byrne will lead a jam session at Highway 61 Roadhouse.

On Friday, pianist Adaron "Pops" Jackson will perform at Robbie's House of Jazz; singer Dean Christopher is at Frontenac Grill; hot jazz/jump blues band Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes are playing at the Venice Cafe; and guitarist Dave Black leads a trio with drummer Kevin Gianino and bassist Willem von Hombracht at the Cigar Inn

Then on Saturday night, saxophonist Jerry Greene leads a trio at Robbie's; guitarist Brian Vaccaro plays at the Map Room; and singer Joe Mancuso will perform at the BYOB house-concert venue Kinda Blue, located at 6101 Idaho on the south side.

On Sunday, Erin Bode will perform at Moulin, located inside Vin de Set at 2017 Chouteau Ave, in a benefit for Lutheran Senior Services Benevolent Care.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Jazz St. Louis will celebrate the inaugural International Jazz Day with a jam session at Jazz at the Bistro, hosted by Adaron "Pops" Jackson's trio; and drummer Joe Pastor's group will play at BB's.

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.)