Friday, April 15, 2016

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* HEC-TV has released the final episode of I Love Jazz, the program created and hosted by the late Don Wolff (pictured).

Hosted by Cordell Whitlock, the last episode pays tribute to Wolff, who died last November, and also includes stories on the jazz program at Washington University and the dedication last September of the statue honoring Miles Davis in Alton, IL. You can see the episode online here.

* Tomorrow is the annual celebration of independent music retailers known as Record Store Day, and St. Louis stores taking part in the event with special pricing and promotions, live music, and more will include Euclid Records, Music Record Shop, Planet Score Records, Record Exchange, and Vintage Vinyl. There's also a new store on Cherokee Street, Endless Planets, that will be holding its grand opening celebration that day..

As mentioned last week in this space, yr. humble StLJN editor once again will be among the local music writers doing hour-long "guest DJ" sets at Vintage Vinyl, spinning tunes on the in-house sound system from 2:30 p.m. from 3:30 p.m.

You can find guides to all the local Record Store Day activities in both the Riverfront Times and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And if you're looking for a list of the various record labels' special jazz releases for RSD 2016, DownBeat has all that info for you here.

* The 442s appear on the latest episode of the TV program STL Up Late, which can be seen online here.

* Wack-A-Doo has posted photos from their recent "Coffee Concert" performances at The Sheldon to Flickr and Facebook.

* St. Louis Legacy Ensemble has posted to YouTube a video of "Lafayette," a new original song by percussionist and bandleader Joe Pastor.

* Guitarist Todd Mosby has posted video of a new original song, "Ode to Joe," on Facebook. Mosby will perform it and other songs from his new album in a CD release event on April 30 at Focal Point

* Trombonist Dave Dickey's performance at tomorrow's North County Jazz Festival in Park Hills, MO is previewed in an article in the Park Hills Daily Journal.

* The Belleville News Democrat reports that student jazz bands from Belleville made a good showing in the annual Illinois State Jazz Invitational last weekend, as Central Junior High took first place in the statewide competition's junior high division and the District 118 Jazz Combo won first place in the high school division.

* According to a Riverfront Times article by Thomas Crone, the proprietors of 2720 Cherokee are reorganizing both their live music offerings and their physical space, including opening a new, smaller-scale lounge called Barcade within the 2720 building.

* Saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and trumpeter/pianist Tim Osiek have published Hymns of the Spirit: Pentecost and Beyond, the fourth volume of arrangements in their Worship Jazz series. The downloadable book features hymns "arranged in a variety of jazz genres: straight ahead, Latin, Dixieland, funk and more," with all 12 selections transposed for C, Bb, Eb and bass clef instrumentation.

* Lindy Hop St. Louis, organizers of the annual Nevermore Jazz Ball weekend held in the fall, have announced the dates for the 2016 River City Mess Around. The fourth annual edition of the summer swing dance weekend will be held July 1 through July 4, with venues and exact schedule of events TBA.

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