Jazz St. Louis announces 2016-17 season schedule for Jazz at the Bistro

Jazz St. Louis today announced the 2016-17 season schedule for Jazz at the Bistro, and it's another year full of familiar favorites interspersed with a handful of new acts.

The most notable "get" is singer Al Jarreau (pictured, top left), who normally headlines theaters and concert halls but will make his Bistro debut performing in a duo with a pianist TBA on Friday, September 30 and Saturday, October 1. Jarreau last appeared in St. Louis in 2011 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Making their St. Louis debuts as bandleaders at the Bistro will be drummer Jamison Ross; saxophonist Donny McCaslin (pictured, center left), whose band backed the late David Bowie on his final album Blackstar; saxophonist Jimmy Greene; and harmonica player Gregoire Maret with singer Alicia Olatuja.

Also making Bistro debuts will be singer Catherine Russell, who headlined a concert at The Sheldon a couple of seasons ago; trumpeter Ingrid Jensen and saxophonist Sharyl Cassity, who will be part of the group assembled by Jazz St. Louis for an educational residency in October, and Cuban-born pianist Alfredo Rodriguez, performing in a duo with percussionist Pedrito Martinez, who played a one-nighter at the club last year.

The season's other educational residency in the spring will feature three St. Louis natives - trumpeter Keyon Harrold (pictured, lower left), drummer Kimberly Thompson, and pianist Lawrence Fields - along with saxophonist Adam Larson. Thompson also will appear with guitarist Mike Stern's trio for a week of shows in February.

Returning acts will include organist Dr. Lonnie Smith, this time with his band Evolution instead of a trio; the SFJAZZ Collective, which next season will be performing the music of Miles Davis; singer and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, organist Joey DeFrancesco; and bassist Christian McBride's latest band, the New Jawn Quartet.

Seasonally speaking, almost the entire month of December will be devoted to holiday-themed shows, starting with singer Dianne Reeves in a Jazz St. Louis-presented concert at the Touhill, and continuing with return appearances from drummer Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O and trumpeter Jim Manley, and wrapping up with an all-star band nominally led by saxophonist Tim Warfield that will include several of the musicians who played in last fall's "Jazz St. Louis at 20" shows.

In addition, trumpeter Jeremy Davenport, The Bad Plus, and singer Erin Bode all will return to their familiar spots on the schedule for, respectively, Thanksgiving, the first week of the New Year, and Valentine's Day.

There is one new scheduling wrinkle this year as, in emulation of The Sheldon's popular "Coffee Concerts," Jazz St. Louis will offer performances at 11:00 a.m. Thursday mornings from selected touring acts.

Here's the complete schedule in chronological order:

Wednesday, September 21 - Saturday, September 24: Dr. Lonnie Smith’s Evolution
Wednesday, September 28 & Thursday, September 29: Bill Charlap Trio
Friday, September 30 & Saturday, October 1: Al Jarreau Duo

Wednesday, October 5 - Saturday, October 8: Jamison Ross
Wednesday, October 12 & Thursday, October 13: The People’s Key
Friday, October 14 & Saturday, October 15: Adaron “Pops” Jackson & Phil Dunlap
Wednesday, October 19 - Saturday, October 22: Donny McCaslin Group
Wednesday, October 26 & Thursday, October 27: The 442s
Friday, October 28 & Saturday, October 29: Sharel Cassity, Ingrid Jensen & Ben Wolfe

Wednesday, November 2 - Saturday, November 5: Jimmy Greene Quartet
Tuesday, November 8: SIUE Concert & Alumni Jazz Bands
Wednesday, November 9 & Thursday, November 10: Adaron “Pops” Jackson & Eric Slaughter
Friday, November 11 & Saturday, November 12: Dawn Weber
Wednesday, November 16 - Saturday, November 19: Catherine Russell
Friday, November 25 & Saturday, November 26: Jeremy Davenport

Friday, December 2: Dianne Reeves (at the Touhill Performing Arts Center)
Wednesday, December 7 & Thursday, December 8: Matt Wilson’s Christmas Tree-O
Friday, December 9 & Saturday, December 10: Jim Manley’s Mad Brass & Rhythm
Wednesday, December 14 - Saturday, December 17: Tim Warfield with Terell Stafford, Stefon Harris, Cyrus Chestnut, Rodney Whitaker, Clarence Penn & Joanna Pascale
Monday, December 19 - Wednesday, December 21: Jazz St. Louis Big Band plays Ellington’s “Nutcracker”
Thursday, December 29 & Friday, December 30: Good 4 the Soul

2017

Wednesday, January 4 - Saturday, January 7: The Bad Plus
Wednesday, January 18 - Saturday, January 21: Regina Carter

Wednesday, February 1 - Saturday, February 4: Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez
Wednesday, February 8 & Thursday, February 9: Bruce Barth Trio
Friday, February 10, Saturday, February 11 & Tuesday, February 14:: Erin Bode
Wednesday, February 15 - Saturday, February 18: Mike Stern, Kimberly Thompson & Teymur Phell

Wednesday, March 1 - Saturday, March 4: Clayton Brothers Quintet
Wednesday, March 15 - Saturday, March 18: Ann Hampton Callaway
Wednesday, March 29 - Saturday, April 1: Kneebody

Wednesday, April 5 & Thursday, April 6: Laurence Hobgood Trio
Friday, April 7 & Saturday, April 8: Keyon Harrold, Lawrence Fields, Adam Larson & Kimberly Thompson
Wednesday, April 12 - Saturday, April 15: Gregoire Maret with Alicia Olatuja
Wednesday, April 26 - Saturday, April 29 SFJAZZ Collective plays the music of Miles Davis

Wednesday, May 10 - Saturday, May 13: Joey DeFrancesco Trio
Wednesday, May 24 - Saturday, May 27: Christian McBride’s New Jawn Quartet

(The new Thursday morning series will include concerts by Charlap, Greene, Russell, Barth, the Clayton Brothers, Callaway,  Hobgood, and DeFrancesco.)

Various season subscription packages can be purchased now via the Jazz St. Louis website or by calling 314-571-6000, with single tickets scheduled to go on sale on Wednesday, August 10.