Recently on Heliocentric Worlds

With a name inspired by a classic Sun Ra album, StLJN's sibling site Heliocentric Worlds is devoted to exploring the universe of sound via a daily music video drawn from genres including jazz, blues, soul, funk, classic rock, prog rock, experimental, and more.

There have been some especially choice videos posted over the past month, including a number of complete shows, by artists including Betty Carter, Tom Waits, Coleman Hawkins, MC5, Chico Hamilton, Nat "King" Cole, Eddie Harris, the Young Rascals, Ray Bryant, Cecil Taylor, Groove Collective, Elvin Jones, Supersax, Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Sun Ra Arkestra, Miles Davis, Steve Coleman & Five Elements, Gil Evans Orchestra, Max Roach, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Lou Donaldson, Buddy Miles, Traffic, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tony Bennett, Don Cherry's Multikulti, Medeski Martin & Wood, Archie Shepp, Van Morrison, Art Blakey & Tony Williams, and Duke Ellington.

Sure, you could just start randomly searching YouTube in hopes that you'll find something good, but separating the wheat from the chaff there can be a challenge. Instead, you can see all these videos, plus thousands more carefully curated clips right away just by visiting http://heliocentricworlds.blogspot.com/.

April is Jazz Appreciation Month

Along with more suitably spring-like weather here in St. Louis, and the start of baseball season - always a major local event here in the Gateway City - the first of April also signals the beginning of Jazz Appreciation Month, the annual celebration of jazz music sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution.

Now in its 13th year, Jazz Appreciation Month (or JAM) was created "to draw greater public attention to the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz and its importance as an American cultural heritage. In addition, JAM is intended to stimulate the current jazz scene and encourage people of all ages to participate in jazz—to study the music, attend concerts, listen to jazz on radio and recordings, read books about jazz, and support institutional jazz programs."

The theme of this year's JAM celebration is “Jazz Alchemy: A Love Supreme,” in tribute to legendary saxophonist John Coltrane and the 50th anniversary of his composition "A Love Supreme." The original score of the work will be on display as part of the "American Stories" exhibition at the Smithsonian through June 17, 2014.

At the end of the month, jazz fans worldwide also will celebrate the third annual International Jazz Day on Wednesday, April 30. Sponsored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), International Jazz Day is designed to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.

Osaka, Japan is the 2014 host city, but various related events will take place in cities all over the world, including a live broadcast of an all-star concert streamed over the Internet. At the end of this post, you can see a short promotional video for International Jazz Day featuring Herbie Hancock, and, if it's made available to bloggers again this year, StLJN will present the live stream of the concert right here on April 30, too.

Meanwhile, if you can't wait to get started, the Smithsonian offers a list of "112 ways to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month," and once again has produced a poster honoring a famous musician. This year's JAM poster (pictured) features an image of Coltrane by artist Joseph Holston.

The posters were distributed for free to schools, libraries, music and jazz educators, music merchants and manufacturers, radio stations, arts presenters, and U.S. embassies worldwide, and anyone can download a copy in .pdf format here. You also can see and download commemorative posters from the previous 12 years here.

Finally, in support of both Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day, the Jazz Journalists Association has launched a promotional effort under the name JazzApril, with suggestions on how to commemorate the occasion for individuals, organizations, businesses, media outlets and more.

To help raise awareness of the effort, the JJA also has asked bloggers and media outlets to display a JazzApril logo, pictured at left. Look for it on the StLJN sidebar starting tomorrow.

15th annual Glendale Jazz Festival set for Friday, May 23

The city of Glendale and the Glendale Women’s Club will present the 15th annual Glendale Jazz Festival from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday, May 23 on the lower parking lot of the Glendale City Hall complex, 424 N. Sappington Rd.

Performers at this year's event will include the Bosman Twins (pictured), Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and rockabilly/swing trio Hudson and the Hoodoo Cats, with Don Wolff of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz serving as MC. The festival is free and open to the public.

Joe Sample cancels shows at Jazz at the Bistro

Due to medical issues, pianist Joe Sample (pictured) has cancelled his shows scheduled for Wednesday, May 28 through Saturday, May 31 at Jazz at the Bistro.

"We are working with Mr. Sample’s management on a new set of dates for the 2014-2015 season," said a statement issued by Jazz St. Louis. "We will not be booking a replacement performer for May 28-31, 2014 at the Bistro."

Refunds will be processed automatically using the original form of payment, with no further action required. Subscribers and anyone who paid via check or cash will receive a refund check for your tickets within the next two weeks.

In lieu of a refund, ticket buyers who wish to donate the value of their tickets to Jazz St. Louis can get a tax-deductible donation receipt. To donate, please respond by 5:00 p.m Monday, March 31 by calling the JSL box office at 314-289-4030 or emailing Jessie@jazzstl.org.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A few minutes with Cyrus Chestnut and Russell Malone

This week, let's spend a little time with pianist Cyrus Chestnut and guitarist Russell Malone, who will be returning to St. Louis to join forces for a series of performances Wednesday, April 2 through Saturday, April 5 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Both men are quite familiar to St. Louis audiences, as they first teamed up for a series of dates at the Bistro back in April 2012, and each has led their own band there several times before that. So today we'll skip the biographical information and go straight to some music and interviews.

In the first clip above, you can see a solo performance by Chestnut recorded in August 2012 in the studios of KPLU in Tacoma, WA, in which he plays "Tonk," "Polka Dots And Moonbeams," and "No Problem".

In the second video, Chestnut performs his composition "Solace" with a band of students from Berklee College of Music at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola in NYC. Along with Chestnut, the featured musicians are Edmar Colon (soprano sax), Joseph Streater (trumpet), Ido Meshulam (trombone), Tabari Lake (bass), and John Lee (drums).

The third and fourth clips feature Malone, bassist Ron Carter and pianist Donald Vega playing "Candlelight" and "Samba de Orpheus," and are taken from an October 2013 gig at the Teatro Gran Rex in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The fifth video is a short interview with Chestnut, in which he discusses his influences and early career work with singer Betty Carter, while the sixth clip features Malone talking about his influences and mentors, such as Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell.

Check out the rest of today's videos after the jump...

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Peter Martin was interviewed by Calvin Wilson of the Post-Dispatch for a preview story about this Sunday's "Newport Jazz Festival: Now 60" concert at the Sheldon.

* In related news, the Sheldon and Metrotix now are offering tickets for the Newport tribute concert for just $25, a significant discount from the advertised prices of $45 and $40. The offer is good at all points of purchase; to get the discount price, use the promo code NEWPORT60.

* The Post-Dispatch's Nick Pistor has an informative look at how the City of St. Louis' proposed deal with music festival producers Summer Rocks compares to similar arrangements in Chicago, Milwaukee and elsewhere. Spoiler: Not that well.

* Meanwhile, the Musicians Association of St. Louis Local 2-197 has a statement on the music festival deal advocating for the employment of local producers, talent and vendors.

* The new Miles Davis CD box set Miles at the Fillmore – Miles Davis 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3, touted in several items here last week, finally has gone on sale. The set (pictured) includes full unedited shows from the Fillmore East in NYC as well as 35 minutes of previously unheard bonus tracks from 1970 and 1971 at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.

* Another recent Davis reissue, the "bonus track version" of 1981's We Want Miles, was reviewed for AllAboutJazz.com by Karl Ackermann.

* Saxophonist and Webster U alum Chris Cheek's new recording with fellow reedman Seamus Blake was reviewed by London Jazz News.

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts' next Business Edge workshop will be "Anatomy of A Contract" at 7:00 p.m. this coming Monday, March 31 at the offices of the Regional Arts Commission. Tuition is $10 in advance; to reserve a seat, send an email to vlaa at stlrac dot org.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson offers some straight-ahead tracks from artists known for crossover success, including saxophonist David Sanborn and pianist Bob James, pianist Joe Sample and saxophonist Michael Brecker.

After that on The Jazz Collective, Jason Church will spin sounds from Chris Standring, David Pack, Citrus Sun, Down To The Bone, Freddie Hubbard, Euge Groove, Aloe Blacc, Stanley Turrentine, Jeff Kashiwa, Pete Belasco, and Joe Mancuso.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Jazz this week: Mwata Bowden, a David Sanborn tribute, "Newport Jazz Festival: Now 60," Alarm Will Sound, and more

Events have conspired to make this week's preview of jazz and creative music shows in and around St. Louis both rather terse and somewhat behind schedule. so let's go straight to the highlights....

Tonight, multi-instrumentalist Mwata Bowden of Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, performs a free concert with bassist Paul Steinbeck and drummer Gary Sykes for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. For more about Bowden and some video samples of him performing, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also tonight, the Tavern of Fine Arts presents their monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night" with live improvised music; and The Freedom plays smooth jazz and fusion at The Engine Room.

Tomorrow night, saxophonist Jim Stevens teams up with jazz/funk/R&B quartet Good 4 the Soul for the first of two nights in which they "Play the Music of David Sanborn" at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also on Friday, singer Erin Bode provides the musical entertainment for "Heart 2 Heart," a benefit for the organization Education 4 All, Inc, at Gallery 400 on Washington Ave; saxophonist Michael Fitzgerald returns to Jazz on Broadway; Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and the Lindenwood University Jazz Band, with special guest soloist Marshall Gilkes on trombone, will wrap up the first-ever Lindenwood University Jazz Festival with a performance at the Scheidegger Center for the Arts on campus.

On Saturday, singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Adam Maness will duet at Chaser's Lounge in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; the Coleman Hughes Project performs at The Rustic Goat; and husband-and-wife cabaret performers Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts will reprise their show "Swing Into Spring" for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival at the Gaslight Theater.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show, having been postponed due to bad weather twice already this year, will present their first show of 2014 at the usual location, the American Czech Hall, 4690 Lansdowne at Kingshighway. Also on Sunday afternoon, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Sunday evening, the all-star "Newport Jazz Festival: Now 60" tribute show, which has been touring for the past two months, arrives at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The ensemble (pictured) features St. Louis' own Peter Martin on piano, along with clarinetist/saxophonist and music director Anat Cohen, singer Karrin Allyson, trumpeter Randy Brecker, guitarist Mark Whitfield, drummer Clarence Penn and bassist Larry Grenadier.

Also on Sunday evening, singer Steve Lippia will join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to perform his tribute show "Simply Sinatra" at Powell Symphony Hall.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Webster University's student jazz combos will give a free performance at the Community Music School building on campus; and "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Tuesday, the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound resumes their St. Louis season at a new venue, performing music from Aphex Twin, Tyondai Braxton, and Steve Reich at The Pageant. For more details, check out this preview story written by Terry Perkins for St. Louis Public Radio.

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.)

Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center to celebrate 20th anniversary with concerts by Chicago Underground Duo, Peter Brötzmann Trio

The Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is 20 years old this year, and to celebrate, they've booked a couple of concerts this spring that will be of special interest to StLJN readers.

* First up, the Chicago Underground Duo (pictured) will perform at LNAC at 8:00 p.m., Friday, April 25. Comprised of cornetist Rob Mazurek and percussionist Chad Taylor, the group has roots dating back to 1996, when Mazurek started an experimental jazz workshop at the Chicago club The Green Mill.

The "Chicago Underground" sessions subsequently spawned a number of ensembles, starting with the Chicago Underground Orchestra, which has released several albums on Delmark. Mazurek and Taylor have continued to form groups under the Chicago Underground umbrella, performing as the Chicago Underground Duo, Trio and Quartet, and putting out several recordings on the Thrill Jockey label.

Their seventh, Locus, is out this month on the Northern Spy imprint, and features "experiments with new forms, washes of electronic ambiance, beats and free playing." Their St. Louis performance will be part of 17-date tour supporting the new album.

* Next, saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and his trio will return to LNAC to perform at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 4. Brötzmann, who just turned 73, is a German who's been a major force on the free jazz and creative music scene in Europe and here in the US since the late 1960s, recording dozens of albums as a leader and appearing on many more as a sideman or collaborator.

Influenced by Albert Ayler and other "New Thing" players of the 1960s, Brötzmann is known for a high energy approach to improvisation; a forceful sound that can be sandpaper-toned at select times; and for being a prolific collaborator with musicians from all over the globe. He also has a Chicago connection, as from 1997 to 2012 he led a ten-piece group that was based there. He last played in St. Louis in a 2010 duo gig at LNAC with drummer Hamid Drake.

Tickets for both concerts will be $5 at the door.

There's more about LNAC's 20th anniversary after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Claire Chase and ICE

This week, let's check out some videos of flute player Claire Chase and the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), who are coming to St. Louis to perform in a concert presented by New Music Circle at 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 4, at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts.

Chase, who's 36 and based in Chicago, has premiered more than 100 new works for flute, many of which were composed specifically for her. A California native who attended Oberlin College, she founded the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) in 2001 after graduating from Oberlin, and has been its executive and artistic director ever since.

As much a presenting organization as a group with fixed membership and instrumentation, ICE has premiered more than 500 compositions in venues ranging from alternative spaces to concert halls around the world. Chase has released eight albums under her own name, and in 2012, she became a MacArthur Fellow - popularly known as "the genius grant" - and is using the $500,000 prize to continue and expand her work commissioning and performing new compositions.

At the Pulitzer, she and ICE will be performing works selected in response to the venue's current exhibition "Art of Its Own Making." While we can't tell you much more today about the specifics of the program, here are a few clips that at least suggest the range of capabilities of Chase and her colleagues.

The first clip is an excerpt of a performance by Chase and ICE in January 2012 at (Le) Poisson Rouge in NYC, and in the second, she performs Edgard Varèse's "Density 21.5" on a platinum flute.

The third video features Chase and two other members of ICE, cellist Katinka Kleijn and pianist Jacob Greenberg, performing George Crumb's 1971 work "Vox Balaenae (Voice of the Whale)" in October 2013 for the Chicago Humanities Festival.

The fourth video is another full performance featuring Chase as a soloist, playing Kaija Saariaho's Flute Concerto (2003) with the New Millennium Orchestra in February 2012 at the Harris Theater in Chicago.

In the fifth clip, Chase and fellow ICE member Eric Lamb perform Phillippe Hurel's "Loops III" and Mario Diza de Leon's "Altar of Two Serpents" during an appearance on "Real Flutists," an online video series hosted by Nathalie Joachim and Allison Loggins-Hull (aka Flutronix) at The Flute Center of New York. (You can see the interview in two parts here and here.)

The final clip is a short interview with Chase recorded in 2012, in which she talks about her work in the context of just having received the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship. For more about her and ICE, check out this 2011 feature about her from NPR's "The Record" and these 2013 interviews with Bloomberg News and The Street.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Multi-instrumentalist and composer Marty Ehrlich was on NPR's "Fresh Air" this week to talk about Trumpet In The Morning, his new album of orchestral music (pictured).

* Drummer Dave Weckl will take off in May to the Great White North, where he'll do a series of daylong drum clinics in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Laval, Quebec; Toronto, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

* Two local music festivals announced their schedules this week, each with what can only be described as a token presence for jazz. Pianist Peter Martin will kick off the 2014 Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden with a free concert on Wednesday, June 4. However, the rest of the schedule for the series that began years ago as "Jazz in June" is sadly bereft of the genre, unless you count Irish singer-guitarist Nigel Mooney, whose website seems to suggest that he's a blues performer with jazz influences. (With regard to the notion of bringing an Irishman to St. Louis to play the blues, you can insert your own "coals to Newcastle" reference as you see fit.)

* Meanwhile, the Bluesweek festival, subject of much recent controversy stemming from organizers' decision to leave the streets of downtown for the Chesterfield Amphitheater, will take place Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 with Otis Clay and Ronnie Baker Brooks as headliners, plus a number of ad hoc combinations of St. Louis blues players and singers as support acts. The jazz content for 2014 will be supplied by funk/jazz quartet Good 4 The Soul, who will perform on Saturday afternoon with singer Denise Thimes and saxophonist Jim Stevens as special guests.

* The list of special releases for Record Store Day 2014 is out, and while rock continues to predominate, there will be new and reissued records this year in a variety of genres including jazz, as well as one item of particular local interest: Donny Hathaway Live At The Bitter End 1971, a live show by the singer, songwriter, keyboardist and former St. Louisan that has never been issued before on vinyl.

* Speaking of records, the Miles Davis news this week is all about the promotional push for the release of the trumpeter's latest posthumous box set, Miles Davis at the Fillmore 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. Fans can listen to an online stream of three of the Fillmore CDs via an app on on Davis' Facebook page, and iTunes has launched a curated Miles Davis artist page, including albums mastered specially for iTunes plus videos, books and more. New articles about Davis in Esquire and SPIN also feature online streams of sample cuts from the box set.

* And speaking of Davis, the latest blog entry from The Bad Plus' Ethan Iverson gets historical to take issue with a biographer who suggests that Miles had a strained relationship with Louis Armstrong.

*Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will spin jazz interpretations of the songs of Jimmy Van Heusen by artists including singer-trumpeter Chet Baker, saxophonist Lee Konitz, singer Rickie Lee Jones, and more.

After that, there's a new episode of The Jazz Collective, in which host Jason Church will spin music from Boney James, Nick Colionne, U-Nam, Oscar Peterson, Ramsey Lewis, John Klemmer, Bob James, Tim Cunningham, Jesse Gannon, Tommy Halloran and Dawn Weber.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Last but not least, though we don't have a playlist for the whole show, singer Joe Mancuso tells StLJN that music from his debut release Cut to the Chase will air on an upcoming episode of "Jazz Unlimited," which can be heard at 9:00 p.m. Sundays on KWMU (90.7 FM) and online at http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php.

Music For Lifelong Achievement conducting musical instrument drive in April

Music For Lifelong Achievement (MFLA), which provides musical instruments to St. Louis area students in need, is conducting a drive during the month of April to collect new and used instruments.

Part of the not-for-profit Sheldon Arts Foundation, MFLA over the past ten years has distributed more than 800 instruments to students in St. Louis City and County school districts and a variety of community music programs.

If you have an instrument to donate, you can bring it to any concert at The Sheldon during the month of April, or stop by and drop it off during normal business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

MFLA also is encouraging businesses and community groups to hold instrument drives this month. If you'd like to collect instruments at your workplace, school, civic organization or place of worship, get in touch with MFLA coordinator Matt Brinkmann by calling 314-533-9900 or via email at mbrinkmann at thesheldon.org.

If you'd like to help but don't have an instrument to donate, MFLA also accepts financial contributions, which pay for necessary repairs of donated instruments as well as accessories such as strings, reeds and sheet music. However you contribute, MFLA will provide a "thank you" letter to serve as a tax deduction receipt for the value of the instruments or the funds donated.

For more information or to make a donation, call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 or visit www.supportmfla.org.

Jazz this week: Rudresh Mahanthappa, Miles Davis Memorial Project fundraiser, and more

This week brings both the official start of spring and an assortment of jazz and creative music music performances in and around St. Louis, including the local debut of a fast-rising saxophone star; a couple of big band concerts; a benefit to raise money for a statue honoring Miles Davis, and much more. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa (pictured) makes his St. Louis debut, opening a four-night stand with his band Gamak at Jazz at the Bistro.

A prolific collaborator who keeps at least a couple of different projects going at any one time, Mahanthappa has gotten a good amount of media attention - by jazz standards, anyway - for his blend of jazz and Indian classical music, including features in the major jazz magazines, appearances on NPR, and so on.

Gamak is one of his more extroverted ensembles, incorporating electric guitar and near-rock dynamics into a sound that should appeal to fans of fusion, funk and world music. You can find out more about Mahanthappa and check out some video samples of Gamak in this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also tonight, Sarah Jane & The Blue Notes trio will do their monthly gig at The Feasting Fox, and trumpeter Jim Manley will be on tap at Sasha's Wine Bar.

On Thursday night, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present "The Colors of Chloe," a free concert featuring an ensemble led by drummer Steve Davis and guitarist William Lenihan playing music inspired by the ECM label. Also on Thursday, Common Time plays jazz-fusion at The Engine Room, and Wack-A-Doo will perform swing and vintage pop at the Schlafly Tap Room.

On Friday, violinist David McNair will lead a quartet at Robbie's House of Jazz; guitarist Dave Black plays solo at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and the Darrell Mixon Trio performs at Cigar Inn.

Saturday evening is a big night for the Miles Davis Memorial Project, as the organization will present its  "Kind of Blue" Fundraising Dinner at The Commons at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL. Proceeds from the event will go toward putting up a statue of Davis in downtown Alton.

Elsewhere on Saturday evening, singer Tandra Williams will be backed by guitarist Tom Byrne's trio at Robbie's House of Jazz;  Miss Jubilee plays at Nathalie’s; singer Danita Mumphard and friends return to Jazz On Broadway; and, for those in the mood for some Rat Pack nostalgia, the Viviano Brothers - comprised of singer Tony Viviano and his siblings Jerry and Frank - will open for singer Deana Martin's "Reflections of Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra" show at Lindenwood University's Scheidegger Center for the Arts.

On Sunday, the Dave Dickey Big Band will return for their monthly gig at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, with the Bishop DuBourg High School Jazz Band performing a set during intermission.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Dizzy Atmosphere will return to The Shaved Duck, and trumpeter Keith Moyer's quartet will play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Tuesday, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, directed by bassist Jim Widner, will perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and singer Erin Bode will be back at Cyrano'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.)

Kurt Elling to perform Friday, June 6 at The Sheldon

Singer Kurt Elling is returning to St. Louis to perform a benefit concert at 8:00 p.m., Friday, June 6 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Proceeds from the event will go to support the Sheldon Art Galleries.

Elling (pictured) last visited St. Louis in February 2013 to perform at Jazz at the Bistro, a venue he's played numerous times. However, this will be his debut at The Sheldon, and his first trip to St. Louis since parting ways with his longtime musical director and pianist Laurence Hobgood. His most recent recording, made with Hobgood still at the piano bench, is 2012's 1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project.

Patron tickets for Kurt Elling at The Sheldon are on sale now for $500, $250 and $125, and include preferred seating, a post-concert dessert reception, complimentary parking and a tax deduction. To purchase patron tickets or for more information, call The Sheldon's development department at 314-533-9900. Concert-only tickets will be $45 orchestra, $40 balcony, and will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, April 26 via MetroTix, The Sheldon’s website, and at the Fox Theatre box office.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Spotlight on Mwata Bowden

This week, let's get acquainted with Chicago multi-instrumentalist Mwata Bowden, who's coming to St. Louis to perform with the trio Low End Theory for Washington University's Jazz at Holmes series on Thursday, March 27. Bowden plays a variety of saxophones and clarinets, flute and didgeridoo, and he'll be joined for the performance by bassist and Wash U faculty member Paul Steinbeck and drummer Gary Sykes.

Bowden is associated closely with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, having been a member for nearly 40 years and serving for a time as the organization's chairman, and also teaches jazz and improvisation at the University of Chicago. That's where he connected with Steinbeck, who earned his bachelor's degree at UC.

While he's in St. Louis, Bowden also will present a lecture on "Creating Culture" at 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 26 at the Music Classroom Building 102, which is located at 6500 Forsyth Blvd. (at Wallace Dr.) on the Wash U campus. Both the concert and lecture are free and open to the public.

Born in Memphis, the 66-year-old Bowden moved with his family to Chicago when he was ten, and attended DuSable High School, where he studied under the renowned band director Captain Walter Dyett. He earned a degree in music education at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, and after graduating, started gigging as a baritone saxophonist with big bands and R&B groups. After touring with soul vocal group the Chi-Lites in the early 1970s, Bowden wanted to get off the road, so he began teaching and in 1974, got involved with the AACM.

As a bandleader, Bowden has led the jazz groups Sound Spectrum and Tri-tone, as well as the Black Classical Music Ensemble. He also directs a student ensemble, the Chicago Jazz X-Tet, as part of his work at the university. Bowden is a longtime collaborator with saxophonist Ed Wilkerson, playing in Wilkerson's groups 8 Bold Souls and Shadow Vignettes. He also works frequently with bassist Tatsu Aoki in various ensembles, including the Miyumi Project, which blends jazz with Japanese taiko drumming and folk music styles.

Though Bowden may be less well known outside Chicago that some of his fellow AACM members, he's an important part of the organization and the city's music scene, so much so that in 2013 he was recognized by the Jazz Journalists Association as one of 25 "Jazz Heroes" in various cities across the US. And so it was on the night that award was presented that our first video clip, which features Bowden as part of an ensemble jam, was recorded at a venue called Elastic.

Down below, you can see him conducting and playing didgeridoo with the University of Chicago Jazz X-Tet Reunion Band, leading them through his composition "Maze Factor Suite, Two Front Doors" in October 2012 concert at the Logan Arts Center on the UC campus.

Below, Bowden can be seen conducting another of his large ensemble works, "A Well Woven Web," which was commissioned for and recorded at the 2013 Made In Chicago Festival in Poznan, Poland.

The fourth and fifth videos are excerpts from an 8 Bold Souls performance, coincidentally also in Poznan, but recorded in 2009. In the first, you can hear how saxophonist, bandleader and composer Ed Wilkinson uses Bowden's baritone sax to buttress the ensemble, while in the second, Bowden gets a tasty clarinet solo starting at about the 4:40 mark.

In the final clip, you can see Bowden sitting in with the punk-jazz group Slammin' Blue Watusis, adding an extra measure of skronk to "Mchaka Uba."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson is keeping busy with her duties with the house band for NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers, even participating in some on-camera comedy bits, like the one pictured here with Michelle Wolf and Alison Agosti of the Late Night writing staff. However, Thompson did manage to find time this week to post on SoundCloud an excerpt from her band's performance last month at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

* Jazz students from Webster Groves High School are in New York City this week, and band director Kevin Cole has a full schedule planned for his young charges. The trip will include visits to NYC venues to hear Ambrose Akinmusire, Maria Schneider, Ulysses Owens, Charles Turner, Walter Smith III, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; and a clinic at Queens College with Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart, Paul Bollenbeck, and Luis Bonilla.

In addition, the WGHS Jazz 1 group will perform Sunday at St. Peters Jazz Vespers with pianist Kenny Werner, and then serve as the opening act that evening at Birdland for Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

* Also on the education front, Jazz St. Louis has announced a $35,000 gift from the Arthur & Helen Baer Foundation in support of the 2014-15 season of their JazzU program. Applications to audition for next year's JazzU are due by Friday, May 2, with auditions beginning on Monday, June 2. For more details, see the Jazz St. Louis website.

* Writing for the website NextStL, Kevin Belford has an update on recent wind damage to the historic Palladium Building in Grand Center and the possible effects on efforts to save the structure.

* Via Miles Davis Online, here's a video interview from IRockJazz with Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr., who helps administer his uncle's estate, in which Wilburn discusses the forthcoming movie about the trumpeter and various other Miles-related topics. MDO blogmaster Jeffrey Hyatt also has created a new site, Kill The Trumpet Player, to track news of the Davis film.

* Singer Connie Fairchild's show last Saturday for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed for KDHX by Chuck Lavazzi.

* The late ragtime pianist and historian Trebor Tichenor was the subject of a tribute episode of KWMU's "CityScape" program.

* Galactic's performance last week at The Pageant was reviewed by KDHX's Amy Burger.

* A set from the Funky Butt Brass Band's gig last month at The Gramophone has been posted to archive.org.

* And speaking of The Gramophone, they're celebrating the venue's sixth anniversary this week with the announcement that their Sandwich and Bottle Shop will be open for regular daytime business offering food, drink and free wi-fi to the growing Grove neighborhood starting April 1.

* Also on the culinary tip, the Post-Dispatch's Ian Froeb is the latest to review the Louisiana-style menu at the new Central West End spot Evangeline's.

* HEC-TV last night debuted a new episode of I Love Jazz, featuring previously unseen archived performances by singer Marlena Shaw, trumpeter Dawn Weber, singer Marilyn Maye and pianist Billy Stritch, saxophonist Willie Akins and drummer Montez Coleman, and jazz faculty and students from Webster University. Check your TV provider's program guide for channels, dates and times, or watch online at http://www.hectv.org.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson spotlights New Orleans trumpeters including Louis Armstrong, Derrick Shezbie, Joe Newman, Terence Blanchard and Wynton Marsalis. You can listen at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

(Edited after posting to add the KWMU "CityScape" link.)

Jazz this week: Kevin Eubanks; Garfield, Ligertwood & Stevens; Emily Bergl; a tribute to Miles Davis; and more

While some revelers this weekend no doubt will be wearing green in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day, your StLJN staff would like to remind you that one doesn't have be Irish, or indeed of any particular national origin or ethnicity, to enjoy jazz, either.

You just have to know where to go and when, and to help you with that, we've compiled these highlights of upcoming jazz and creative music performances in the St. Louis area...

Tonight, bassist Christian McBride, who was just here last month with his trio at Jazz at the Bistro, drops into the area again for a day to do a master class and concert with pianist Peter Martin down I-55 at Jefferson College in Hillsboro.Tickets for the evening concert are only $5 for the general public, so even figuring in that it's a bit of drive from many parts of the area, that's still a bargain.

Meanwhile back in downtown St. Louis, keyboardist and St. Louis expat David Garfield, former musical director for George Benson, and singer Alex Ligertwood, who's toured and recorded with Santana, Average White Band and Brian Auger, will join forces with saxophonist Jim Stevens and his rhythm section for two sets of funk, soul and jazz at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups.

Also tonight, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with singer and actress Emily Bergl, who's best known for her work in musical theater and a recurring role on ABC's Desperate Housewives, presenting the first of three performances of her show "Until the Real Thing Comes Along" at the Gaslight Theater.

On Friday, pianist and Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap brings his new quintet to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two evenings featuring the music of Miles Davis. Along with Dunlap, the group includes trumpeter Danny Campbell, saxophonist Ben Reece, bassist Nathan Pence, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes play at the Atomic Cowboy; singer Wendy Gordon and pianist Arthur Toney perform at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and guitarist Dave Black, violinist Asako Kuboki and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis will team up for a trio show at the house concert venue KindaBlue, 6101 1/2 Idaho in south St. Louis.

On Saturday afternoon, the revived Nu-Art Series will present drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw, pianist David Parker and trumpeter George Sams at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Then on Saturday evening, guitarist Kevin Eubanks (pictured) will play two shows at Lumiere Place Casino's Lumiere Theatre. Eubanks just got back from a series of dates in Europe and Russia with bassist Dave Holland, performing in both a trio format and with the quartet Prism. The former bandleader for Jay Leno's Tonight Show also made news recently when he dropped by Arsenio Hall's syndicated late night program for a chat and a bit of jamming.

Elsewhere around town on Saturday evening, the Pennsylvania-based contemporary chamber music group NakedEye Ensemble will make their St. Louis debut at The Chapel; trombonist Doug Burns returns to Robbie's House of Jazz; Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and The People's Key and Elastik Soul will present "Bold as Jimi: Love as Jazz," a jazz/funk tribute to Jimi Hendrix, at the Schlafly St. Louis Brewery and Tap Room.

On Sunday, multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman and pianist Carolbeth True will be the featured performers at this month's free "Inner Jazz" concert at Kirkwood United Church of Christ; and Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center continues their “Quiet Concert” series with a performance headlined by Kansas City-based electronic musician and composer Jason Zeh.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the jazz faculty at Webster University will present their annual concert in Winifred Moore Auditorium to raise funds for the school's Shepard/Davis scholarships.

On Tuesday, the Sheldon Concert Hall is busy day and night, starting with a morning "Coffee Concert" (also repeated on Wednesday) featuring Red Lehr and the St. Louis Rivermen, and continuing with an evening performance by trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber as part of the hall's "Notes From Home" series. Also on Tuesday, the Twin Cities jump-blues and swing band Davina and The Vagabonds will be back in town for a show at The Gramophone.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Rudresh Mahanthappa's Gamak

This week, let's look at some videos of alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, who will be making his St. Louis debut with his group Gamak starting Wednesday, March 19 through Saturday, March 22 at Jazz at the Bistro.

The son of Indian emigrants to the United States, the 42-year-old Mahanthappa is known particularly for combining jazz with elements of South Indian classical music. He grew up in Boulder, Colorado; graduated from Berklee College of Music; and earned an MFA in jazz composition from DePaul University in Chicago.

Moving to NYC in 1998, Mahanthappa soon teamed up and released an album with pianist Vijay Iyer, and they've continued to collaborate on many projects. To date, Mahanthappa has released 13 albums as a leader or co-leader, featuring various ensembles including an eponymous quartet and Raw Materials, both including Iyer; as well as the Indo-Pak Coalition, MSG, the Dakshina Ensemble, Dual Identity, and Samdhi.

The 2013 debut album by Gamak featured bassist François Moutin and drummer Dan Weiss, both of whom who have worked with Mahanthappa in other bands, as well as guitarist David "Fuse" Fiuczynski, whose penchant for microtonality complements Mahanthappa's own. Fiuczynski's metal-edged, take-no-prisoners approach became something of a cult favorite among guitarists via his own group, the Screaming Headless Torsos, and he's since gone on to play as a sideman with drummers Jack De Johnette and Stewart Copeland, trumpeter Cuong Vu, pianist Hiromi Uehara, and others.

However, according to the promotional material being disseminated by Jazz St. Louis, Fiuczynski won't be playing with Gamak at the Bistro. Instead, the gigs will feature Moutin, Weiss and guitarist Rez Abbasi, who's worked with Mahanthappa in several bands, including the aforementioned Indo-Pak Coalition.

Though that may be something of a disappointment to anyone who was looking forward to hearing "Fuse" push the decibel levels at the Bistro, Abbasi is a capable player who has a demonstrated rapport with Mahanthappa. Still, it's got to be a different group without Fiuczynski, and thus we now must offer news of the change as a caveat, since he's featured in pretty much all the video of Gamak available online.

Up top, there's a promotional clip for Gamak's first album, in which Mahanthappa discusses the recording and you can hear some brief musical excerpts. Down below, you can see several live performance videos, starting with an excerpt from a show recorded during the 2013 NYC Winter Jazzfest at Le Poisson Rouge with all four musicians who recorded the album.

Below that, there are two videos from a concert in May 2013 in Croatia, featuring Mahanthappa, Fiuczynski, Rich Brown on bass, and St. Louis-born Gene Lake, son of saxophonist Oliver Lake, on drums. The first includes the compositions "Stay I," "Slendro" and "Wrathful Wisdom," while the second is an extended version of "Abhogi."

In the fifth spot, there's a clip from August 2013 at the Novosadski Jazz Festival in Serbia with Mahanthappa, Fiuczynski, Brown on bass and Jordan Perlson on drums. The sixth and final video is a short interview with Mahanthappa from 2011, in which he discusses some of his teachers and musical influences.

For more about Rudresh Mahanthappa and Gamak, you can listen to this episode of NPR's "Piano Jazz" from May 2013, or check out this interview the saxophonist did last year with pianist George Colligan for Colligan's blog JazzTruth.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* With the wrecking ball poised to swing at the historic Castle Ballroom, site of performances by many important jazz musicians, Nicholas J. C. Pistor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that much of the recent deterioration of the building came while it was owned by groups that included some St. Louis city officials.

* Also on the historic preservation front, Steve Smith, owner of the south side tavern The Royale, has recorded a video in support of the effort to save the Palladium, aka Club Plantation, another building in the Grand Center district with a musically significant history that also is threatened with demolition. The effort to raise awareness and save the building is being led by artist and author Kevin Belford, who created the collage of musicians who played at Club Plantation used to illustrate this post.

* In this week's Miles Davis-related news, Peter Bacon of the UK blog The Jazz Breakfast wonders if the number of Davis CD box sets has reached the saturation point.

* Meanwhile, an article in Audiophile Review critiques the quality of various reissues of Davis' landmark album Kind of Blue.

* The Presenters Dolan have posted to their Facebook page an album of pictures from last weekend's Gaslight Cabaret Festival performances by singer Marissa Mulder.

* Singer Connie Fairchild, whose Gaslight Cabaret Festival performance on Saturday night is sold out, was interviewed by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Public Radio website.

* Guitarist Pat Metheny was interviewed by Calvin Wilson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for a preview story about Metheny's Unity Group concert this Sunday at The Pageant. 

* Trumpeter Roger Ingram has posted to his Facebook page a photo album from his workshops and performances at last week's Mineral Area College Jazz Festival

* The St. Louis Big Band's Ryan Sheehan was profiled by the Webster University Journal.

* Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran was interviewed by Liz Schranck of KDHX.

* The New Orleans-style cuisine at Evangeline's, the new Central West End spot that features live music several nights a week, was reviewed by the Riverfront Times' Cheryl Baeh.

* St. Louis writers K. Curtis Lyle and Quincy Troupe spoke on the program New Day Jazz about the late author, poet and critic Amiri Baraka.

* Jazz St. Louis reports via this week's email newsletter that their 2014 fundraising gala held last Friday at the Ritz-Carlton raised more than $260,000 for the organization's education programs, making it the second most successful gala in JSL's history. You can see photos from the gala, which featured music from saxophonist Maceo Parker, on Jazz St. Louis' Facebook page.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday night on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will feature jazz interpretations of the music of composer Stephen Sondheim by clarinetist Don Byron, saxophonist Grover Washington Jr., singer Sarah Vaughan, and others. Listen in at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then, this Sunday evening on KWMU's "Jazz Unlimited," host Dennis Owsley continues his exploration of music recorded live in New York, ranging from vintage tracks featuring Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan with Lester Young, Dizzy Gillespie, Don Byas with Thelonious Monk, and many others to more recent recordings by Chucho Valdes, the Gil Evans Orchestra, the Dave Holland Quintet, the World Saxophone Quartet, Medeski, Martin & Wood, the Anthony Braxton Quartet with Marty Ehrlich, and Hamiet Bluiett.

The program can be heard at 9:00 p.m. Sundays over the air on KWMU (90.7 FM) or online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org. (This is a "pledge week" for KWMU, so if you're so inclined, you can show your support for "Jazz Unlimited" by calling in during the program with a membership contribution.)

Also on Sunday nights: While Josh Weinstein presents avant-jazz, improvised music and more each week on "All Soul, No Borders", airing at 10:30 p.m. KDHX (88.1 FM), he rarely tips his playlists in advance. However, we have been remiss in not noting in this space that once the show has aired, you can see the ASNB playlists, and more importantly, access an audio stream of the previous two weeks' shows, via the KDHX website.

(Edited after posting to add the link to the Pat Metheny interview.)

Jazz this week: Sean Jones, Galactic, Pat Metheny Unity Group, Andre Delano, a tribute to Eddie Lang, and more

As the city wakes up the morning after Fat Tuesday, there's no post-Mardi Gras slump in the schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis. This week includes shows from several noteworthy touring musicians, plus a homecoming performance from a well-known expat, and much more. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, Sean Jones returns to Jazz at the Bistro to open a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday. The former lead trumpeter with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Jones (pictured) has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis on his own in recent years, most recently performing at the Bistro in 2013 with both the "Triumph of Trumpets" show and as guest soloist with the student JazzU ensembles. For this visit, he'll be accompanied by a top-notch group including pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Luques Curtis and drummer Obed Calvaire.

Tomorrow night, another group of frequent visitors returns, as New Orleans' funk/jazz/hip-hop band Galactic checks in for their annual appearance at The Pageant, this time with singer Maggie Koerner as special guest and the Mike Dillon Band as opening act. For more about Galactic, plus some recent performances of theirs on video, check out this post from a couple of Saturday ago.

Elsewhere around town on Thursday, saxophonist/clarinetist Elsie Parker's group featuring pianist Ken Kehner will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; singer Feyza Eren and pianist Scott Shepard will star in "Colored Sky: An Evening of St. Louis Jazz," a benefit for the Diversity Awareness Partnership presented at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues with a performance of Ken Haller's "The TV Show" at the Gaslight Theater.

On Friday, the husband-and-wife team of pianist Joe Dreyer and singer Rosemary Watts continue the Gaslight Cabaret Festival with their show "Swing Into Spring"; singer Wendy L. Gordon returns to DeLeo's Cafe & Deli; vibraphonist Tom Rickard leads a trio at Cigar Inn; and the Ambassadors of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom

Then on Saturday, Connie Fairchild, the soulful singer best known for the long-running local rock band bearing her last name, will make her debut as a cabaret performer with a show called "Down By The River" at the Gaslight Theater.

Also on Saturday, Wack-A-Doo will be at the Tavern of Fine Arts; saxophonist Jay Hutson and Da Wolvez play R&B-inflected tunes at Robbie's House of Jazz; jazz-fusion band The Freedom make their debut at Thurman Grill; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe.

On Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents a tribute to guitarist Eddie Lang at the Sheraton Westport, featuring guitarist Rick Haydon, trombonist Brett Stamps, clarinetist Scott Alberici, drummer Miles Vandiver, and bassist Zeb Briskovich.

Sunday evening offers dueling headliners, as saxophonist and East St. Louis native Andre Delano will be back home to play two shows at the Bistro at Grand Center, while guitarist Pat Metheny brings his Unity Group to town for a highly anticipated performance at The Pageant. For more about the Pat Metheny Unity Group and their brand new album Kin, see this post from last Saturday.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday percussionist Joe Pastor and his group are back at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Tuesday, the jazz-fusion group Common Time (formerly known as Steizuello) will be joined by a string quartet for a "Notes From Home" performance at the Sheldon; and Boisyiac, a new quartet including guitarist Mason Baran, bassist Nathan Pence, drummer Joe Winstein-Hibbs, and keyboardist Matt Villinger, will play at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

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 3/6/13 to add some links and clean up typos.) 

Russell Gunn to headline Miles Davis Jazz Festival on Saturday, May 17

Trumpeter Russell Gunn will be coming back home to headline the 2014 Miles Davis Jazz Festival, which will take place starting at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 17 at the Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway in Alton.

The opening acts will be saxophonist Fred Walker, a veteran of several past MDJFs, and Riverbend-area prog/alt-rock band Locrian Manor.

Gunn, who grew up in East St. Louis and now lives in Atlanta, will be accompanied by bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montez Coleman, who, like Gunn, is an alumnus of ESL Lincoln High School's award-winning jazz band, directed by Ronald Carter.

The trumpeter (pictured) also has an affinity for Davis' music that goes beyond their shared hometown, as in 2007 he recorded an entire album of Davis' music, Russell Gunn Plays Miles. His most recent appearance in the St. Louis area was just this past Sunday with singer Dionne Ferris at the Casino Queen's Club Sevens.

Tickets for the 2014 Miles Davis Jazz Festival featuring Russell Gunn are $25 each, and will be on sale starting Sunday, March 23 at the Alton Museum of History and Art and Jacoby Arts Center. Proceeds from the event will benefit the not-for-profit Alton Museum.

Tickets on sale Friday for Harry Connick Jr. performance at Variety benefit gala

Singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. will return to St. Louis to serve as the headliner for Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis' annual "Dinner with the Stars" at 8:30 p.m., Saturday, May 3 at the Peabody Opera House.

Connick Jr. (pictured) was here most recently in October 2013 at the Fox Theatre, touring in support of his album Every Man Should Know. Since then, he's earned accolades for bringing some actual musical knowledge to the table as a no-nonsense judge for this season of TV's American Idol.

Variety last year raised $4.7 million to help St. Louis children with physical and developmental disabilities. Their annual fundraising week for 2014 begins April 26 with a fashion show at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, and continues with various events before culminating with Connick Jr's, show at the Peabody. Variety officials say the entire cost of the concert and dinner will be underwritten by World Wide Technology and the Steward Family Foundation, so that all the money raised will go to the charity's young beneficiaries.

Tickets for Harry Connick Jr. at Variety's "Dinner With The Stars" are $95 each for seats on the mezzanine level, and will go on sale at noon this Friday, March 7 via Ticketmaster.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Metheny expands Unity Group for new album and tour

It's been nearly four years since guitarist Pat Metheny was last here in St. Louis, performing in May 2010 at the Touhill all alone on a stage full of instruments as part of his Orchestrion project.

Since then, the peripatetic plectrist has toured with several different configurations of musicians, the most recent of which, the Pat Metheny Unity Group, will perform at The Pageant on Sunday, March 9.

Formed in 2012 to facilitate Metheny's collaboration with saxophonist Chris Potter - the first time he's worked with a saxophonist since the 80/81 project more than 30 years ago - the group put out their first record that year and wound up winning the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.

Now, with Potter, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Antonio Sanchez still on board, and the addition of multi-instrumentalist Giulio Carmassi, Metheny has released a follow-up album, Kin, and is touring in support of it.

The first video up above is a short promotional clip for Kin, which Metheny sees as a significant step forward for the group, saying in several interviews that "if the Unity Band album was like a black and white documentary, Kin was the Imax version of the Metheny experience."

Since the album just came out at the beginning of February and the group is just now taking the music from it out on the road, there seems to be no video of the tour online yet. However, there are numerous clips of their previous tours online, and you can see four of those down below, starting with an updated version of Metheny's "Are You Going With Me?," from his 1982 album Offramp, that was recorded in 2012 at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica in Rome.

Below that, it's "Breakdealer," from a 2013 show in Brasil; a reworking of the title track from Orchestrion, also from the 2012 Rome concert; and a segment from a 2012 concert in Marseille, France.

But what about the new guy? Well, Carmassi's story is sort of a jazz-fusion version of the plot of the 2001 movie Rock Star, as the multi-instrumentlist has called Metheny and Lyle Mays, keyboardist for the original PMG, "most likely my biggest musical influence growing up."

Before connecting with Metheny, Carmassi had become Internet-famous for a series of YouTube videos showing him playing and singing all the parts on cover versions of a number of well-known songs. Not long after that, Metheny told the Vancouver Sun that as he was preparing to record a second album with the Unity Group (then still called the Unity Band), he wanted to avoid repeating himself.

"I realized that to do that, I would have to add another musician, maybe even two," he said. "And right around that time I heard about this guy and one of his main goals in life was to work on one of my projects, and that’s Giulio. He seemed to be exactly what I was looking for — I didn’t need another major player, another soloist. He was a solid musician who could do a bunch of different things.” While Carmassi's contribution to the group's live sound has yet to be documented, you can see him doing "a bunch of different things" in the sixth clip, his one-man band version of Metheny and Mays' "First Circle."