So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was interviewed on St. Louis Public Radio's "St. Louis On The Air" about his new role as artistic advisor for Jazz St. Louis.

* The Post-Dispatch/STLToday has published an "iParty" gallery of photos from keyboardist Dave Grelle's show last Friday at City Foundry.

* A little-heard live audio recording of drummer Phillip Wilson (pictured) from March 1979 in Rome has surfaced on YouTube. The bootleg recording, nearly 2 1/2 hours long, features Wilson leading a trio with trumpeter Olu Dara and pianist/vocalist Donald Smith, joined on three tracks by trombonist Joseph Bowie, saxophonist Luther Thomas, and bassist Darrell Mixon.

* And speaking of archival material, a newly colorized version of footage of the Miles Davis Quintet performing at the Teatro dell'Arte in Milan, Italy in October 1964 has been uploaded to YouTube.

* Drummer Rob Silverman and keyboardist Ptah Williams were interviewed by St. Louis magazine's Amanda Woytus about Rhythm City, their recently released recording on Silverman's Autumn Hill label.

* Singer Anita Jackson was interviewed about upcoming gigs and the difficulties of the past year by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* St. Louis is one of the cities mentioned by Rolling Stone magazine in a newly published article about "7 Bucket List Destinations for Blues Lovers." The story namechecks BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, the National Blues Museum, and, in an indication that the piece may have been in the works for a while, Beale on Broadway, which closed more than two years ago in January 2019.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* A tribute to Ella Fitzgerald by singer Anita Jackson (pictured), set for Saturday, February 2 at The Sheldon, is previewed in a short article by St. Louis magazine's Amanda Woytus.

* Opera Theatre of St. Louis is sponsoring a series of events to promote Fire Shut Up In My Bones, the new opera by trumpeter Terence Blanchard that will premiere in June at OTSL.

You can read about the first event, a film screening and talk by the opera's librettist, writer/director and St. Louis native Kasi Lemmons, in this story by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

* Singer and actor Lea DeLaria was a guest Wednesday on KSDK's Show Me St. Louis program. DeLaria performs tonight and tomorrow night at Jazz St. Louis.

* Keyboardist and singer Jesse Gannon talked about his eponymous new album for a story by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* The Friends of Scott Joplin are conducting their annual membership drive; find out more on their web site.

* Benjamin Cawthra, the former St. Louisan who in 2001 curated the Missouri History Museum's exhibit "Miles: A Miles Davis Retrospective," writes in a recent blog post about consulting with director Stanley Nelson on Nelson's documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, which premieres this Sunday at the Sundance Film Festival.

* Two local music venues that are experiencing hard times financially are asking the public for help. Foam, the south side spot that serves up coffee, beer and performances ranging from alt-rock to free improv, has set up a GoFundMe page to help keep the doors open after revenue shortfalls in recent months.

Meanwhile, The Focal Point, which in recent years has featured vintage jazz and swing along with folk, bluegrass, singer-songwriters, and Americana, is "faced with the loss of a key subsistence grant and some unexpected expenses." As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, they're able to solicit and accept donations directly via their website.

* The UMSL Symphonic Band is looking for additional woodwind, brass, and percussion players. The band is open to all musicians with at least six years of experience on their instrument, and rehearses under the direction of professor Gary Brandes on Monday evenings starting January 28 at the Lee Theater in the Touhill Performing Arts Center. For information on auditions, contact Brandes by email at brandesg@umsl.edu.

Jazz this week: Support your local musicians

While there are no touring jazz or creative music performers visiting St. Louis in the next few days, you still can hear plenty of hometown musicians playing in a variety of styles at various spots around town. Here are a few suggestions...

Wednesday, January 9
This week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes bassist Glen Smith and friends at The Stage at KDHX, along with the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor (pictured, top left) and band at The Dark Room.

Also playing their regular Wednesday night gigs are Miss Jubilee at the Schlafly Bottleworks; guitarist Joe Park's trio at Yaquis on Cherokee, and trumpeter Jim Manley at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, January 10
Guitarist Dave Black and multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern; pianist Eddie Randle Jr leads a trio at The Dark Room; and singer Joe Mancuso will be doing his weekly gig at 50/Fifty Kitchen.

Friday, January 11
Pianist Ptah Williams plays solo for happy hour at The Dark Room, followed by singer Anita Jackson performing for the late show.

Also on Friday, Falling Fences (pictured, bottom left) plays for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis. Known locally both for two well-received albums of original Americana material and for a Sunday night residency at McGurk's playing mostly Irish music, they'll present an expanded version of their usual five-piece lineup at the Bistro, adding Funky Butt Brass Band trumpeter Adam Hucke, saxophonist Charlie Cerpa, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Niehaus IV.

Based on that configuration of the band's show last August at Delmar Hall, listeners can expect to hear those original Americana tunes, with the addition of some horn arrangements plus expanded segments for solos on some songs.

Saturday, January 12
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents a mid-day jam session hosted by keyboardist Bob Row and drummer John Gillick at J P's Corner. Then on Saturday night, keyboardist Mo Egeston plays late night at The Dark Room.

Sunday, January 13
Singer and bassist Janet Evra provides the music for brunch at The Dark Room, and the Arcadia Dance Orchestra will play vintage jazz for a matinee show at Focal Point.

Monday, January 14
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck.

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.)

Jazz this week: Harry Connick Jr, Take 6, "A Very Manley Christmas" and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features one last round of holiday music performances, including shows from two noteworthy touring headliners, plus some local favorites.

Let's go to the highlights...


Wednesday, December 19
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band will present the final two performances this year of Ellington's "Nutcracker" at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, Cabaret Project of St. Louis has their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge & Cocktail Club; and the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the Jazz Troubadors at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Thursday, December 20
Pianist and singer Harry Connick Jr. (pictured, top left) celebrates this holidays New Orleans style at the Stifel Theatre; vocal group Take 6 teams up with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for the standing-room-only "A Gospel Christmas" at Powell Hall; and singer and impressionist Dean Christopher presents a "Rat Pack Christmas" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Friday, 
December 21
Trumpeter Jim Manley (pictured, bottom left) and his Mad Brass and Rhythm band present "A Very Manley Christmas" for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday, singer Tony Viviano and band will perform seasonal favorites and more at  Table Three; keyboardist Owen Ragland's quintet plays at The Dark Room; and pianist Adam Maness' trio plus singer Malena Smith will be back at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

Saturday, December 22
Musicians including Webster Groves High School band director Kevin Cole, multi-instrumentalist Kevin Mitchell and friends will perform in a late-afternoon matinee benefit for the WGHS jazz band at Hwy 61 Roadhouse in Webster.

Saturday evening, piano and cello duo HämmerString plays at Evangeline's, and saxophonist Dave Stone and his trio will be at Thurman's in Shaw.

Sunday, December 23
Miss Jubilee performs for brunch at Evangeline's, while mandolinist Knez Jackovac and band are playing at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday evening, there's one last chance for the year to hear some holiday-themed jazz, from singer Anita Jackson at The Dark Room.

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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer and U City native Ronnie Burrage (pictured) was interviewed on the "Jazz on the Tube" podcast.

* Singer Anita Jackson was the subject of a feature story by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Saxophonist, clarinetist and St. Louis native Dan Block's album Block Party was reviewed by London Jazz News.

* A decades-old trumpet track from Miles Davis is incorporated into a new version of "Quiet Nights, Quiet Stars" just released by singer Alexandra Jackson on her new album Legacy and Alchemy.

* The Regional Arts Commission's new plan for the future of St. Louis' arts scene was examined in an article by the Riverfront Times' Paul Friswold.

* Message To Our Folks, the book about the Art Ensemble of Chicago by bassist and Wash U assistant professor Paul Steinbeck, is out now in a paperback edition, which is available from the publisher University of Chicago Press as well as bookstores and online retailers.

* Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway's performance of their show "Sibling Revelry" this week at Jazz St. Louis was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson was interviewed by DailyMailTV.

Jazz this week: Grand Marquis, Anita Jackson, a tribute to Louis Armstrong, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a tribute to Louis Armstrong, a couple of summer concert series coming to a close for the year, jump blues from Kansas City, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 25
Trumpeter and vocalist Dawn Weber and her Electro Funk Assembly play a free concert to wrap up this summer's Whitaker Music Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black perform at SqWires Restaurant & Annex; and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features Feyza Eren at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at the Dark Room.

Thursday, July 26
Kansas City jump-blues band Grand Marquis (pictured, top left) returns to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; and saxophonist Kendrick Smith leads a quartet in a free concert for Jazz at Holmes' summer series at Washington University, 63105

Also on Thursday, saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet performs at The Dark Room, and singer Erin Bode will be the special guest of the Alton Municipal Band for a free concert at Riverview Park. (The same program also will be presented Sunday at Alton's Haskell Park.)

Friday, July 27
Singer Anita Jackson (pictured, bottom left) performs for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis, and trumpeter Randy Holmes leads a sextet in the first of two nights of a "Louis Armstrong Festival" at the Ozark Theatre.

Saturday, July 28
Miss Jubilee presents a free outdoor concert at Eckert's in Belleville; the Dave Stone Trio is back at Thurman's in Shaw; and keyboardist Mo Egeston holds down the late night slot at The Dark Room.

Sunday, July 29
Guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Kim Fuller perform for brunch at The Dark Room; saxophonist Tim Cunningham plays on the patio at Mount Pleasant Estates in Augusta; and the Folk School of KDHX presents their monthly traditional jazz jam session.

Monday, July 30
Singers Chuck Flowers and Tambra Cross lead a tribute to 1970s funk in a free concert at Heman Park in U City.

Tuesday, July 31
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups

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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Adam Maness' trio is profiled as another of the Riverfront Times' "STL 77" for 2018.

* WSIE 88.7 FM "The Sound" will have a new boss as of next Monday, May 21, as Jason Church is leaving his job as news director at talk radio station KFTK-FM to become the new general manager of WSIE, which is based on the campus of SIU Edwardsville.

Church has been involved in various jazz radio ventures in St. Louis for more than a decade, including doing on-air and program development work at smooth jazz station WSSM, internet radio station The Oasis, and Hip 96.3 HD-3; and hosting Radio Arts Foundation's "The Jazz Collective" on Saturday nights, a job he'll continue along with his new duties at WSIE.

* The Young Friends of Jazz St. Louis are accepting applications from individuals who would like to serve next season on their board of directors. Board members plan and lead the group's various activities and events to support the mission of Jazz St. Louis.

For more information, go to http://www.jazzstl.org/support/young-friends, or email youngfriends@jazzstl.org for an application.

* Pianist and St. Louis native Lawrence Fields (pictured) can be seen with the band Sound Prints, co-led by trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano, in a new video of Wayne Shorter's composition "Juju," recorded earlier this month at New Morning in Paris.

* Pianist Peter Martin has posted to Facebook a video of a full set from his shows with bassist Chris Thomas and drummer Brian Blade two weekends ago at Jazz St. Louis. (The music starts at approximately 17:40 into the video, which is an unedited recording of a live stream from that night.)

* Saxophonist Eric Person has posted to YouTube a video clip of "Juicy Lucy," recorded during his team-up with fellow saxophonist Houston Person in March 2017 at Dizzy's in NYC.

* Also just up on YouTube, the STL Free Jazz Collective's complete first set from last Saturday's performance at the 14th St. Artists Community.

* The latest dispatch from the St. Louis American's Delores Shante offers her impressions of a recent performance by singer Anita Jackson at The Dark Room.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday has put online a gallery of photos from singer Denise Thimes' Mothers' Day show at the Touhill. 

* Trumpeter Terence Blanchard talked about his new album Live and his gig this Sunday at the Grandel Theatre for a story by the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson.

Kranzberg Arts Foundation begins "Music Artist in Residence" program

The Kranzberg Arts Foundation (KAF) has announced a new "Music Artist in Residence" program intended to identify "band leaders with original projects and provide them with the performance, rehearsal and recording opportunities that assist them with advancing and building their careers."

The first group of residents consists of nine performers who already are involved with the foundation through performances at the Kranzberg Arts Center and/or The Dark Room, including bassist Bob DeBoo, keyboardists Mo Egeston, Jesse Gannon, Owen Ragland and Ptah Williams, singer Anita Jackson, saxophonist Ben Reece, bassist and singer Tonina Saputo, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor (pictured).

As artists in residence, they'll continue regular performances at those venues and in conjunction with other programs within the Grand Center Arts District. What makes the residency program new are the additional forms of support being deployed on their behalf, including marketing help, free rehearsal and office space, and more.

Residents will have access to cooperative office space and conference rooms at .ZACK, with rehearsal spaces provided at Kranzberg Arts Center and other KAF venues, said Chris Hansen, executive director of the foundation, in an email to StLJN. The foundation also will provide funding for "paid radio and print, social media, digital activation, as well as helping them (with) graphic design, photography and other essential tools," he said.

In addition to the in-house support from the foundation, Clayton Studios will donate studio time towards production of a compilation album featuring the artists in residence. The album, release date TBD, will be available through digital outlets, along with a "small number" of CDs, Hansen said.

Also, Listen Live Entertainment, producers of the annual LouFest Music Festival, will "provide the artists with main stage opportunities at the festival and other satellite events, plus other exciting opportunities to be announced later."

In total, Hansen said the foundation will spend more than $100,000 annually on the residency program. That's over and above the fees paid to the musicians for performances, and encompasses all the marketing and support services, as well as recent upgrades to The Dark Room including a new piano, sound system, and an in-house sound technician.

While this first group of residents was selected from among performers who had existing relationships with the foundation, that could change in the future. "We will be creating a formal submission process for the next round of residents," said Hansen. "Currently we have not set a definitive time on the residencies. It has been an organic process and we want to serve the current residents until we feel like their and our goals are met."

Jazz this week: Anita Jackson sings King, Mitchell & Nicks, Miss Jubilee, Funky Butt Brass Band, and more

With the Independence Day holiday coming up, there's not much going on over the next few days in terms of touring jazz and creative music performers visiting St. Louis.

Yet while much of the city will be occupied with fireworks, backyard barbecues, and, perhaps, Fair St. Louis, our intrepid local musicians and singers still will be plying their trade on local stages. Let's see what's coming up...

Wednesday, June 28
The weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" proceeds as usual with live music and no cover charge at four different venues in the district. Also on Wednesday, trumpeter Jim Manley will be playing his weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, June 29
Percussionist Joe Pastor brings his trio to The Dark Room's new Thursday night series; guitarist and singer Victor Andrada plays at Evangeline's; and pianist Adam Maness and his trio will be back at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, June 30
Singer Anita Jackson (pictured, top left) will return to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights interpreting music from singer-songwriters Carole King, Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Nicks. She'll be backed by Dave Black on guitar, Phillip Graves on keyboards, Theodore Brookins on bass, and Demarius Hicks on drums.

Also on Friday, the Original Knights of Swing will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and the Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured, bottom left) will be back for their monthly gig at the Broadway Oyster Bar,

Saturday, July 1
Miss Jubilee plays swing and jump blues at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, July 2
The Friends of Scott Joplin will present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

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.)

Jazz this week: Ben Reece Unity Quartet, California Guitar Trio, Kevin Bowers' NOVA, "Sculptures in Sound," and more

With performances inspired by pre-historic cave paintings, the upcoming solar eclipse, Bach, Tennessee Williams, French silent film, and more, this week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis draws from a vast variety of influences.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 3
Saxophonist Ben Reece’s Unity Quartet will make their debut in the first of the two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

The band features Reece (pictured, top left) and fellow saxophonist Austin Cebulskii (who replaced him in the Funky Butt Brass Band) plus drummer Marty Morrison and bassist Bob DeBoo, playing Reece's original music and arrangements of standards.

Also tonight in Grand Center, Bertha in Paradise, a play-with-music featuring singer Anita Jackson and pianist Charles Creath that's part of the Tennessee Williams Festival, opens a run continuing through Sunday, May 14 at the Curtain Call Lounge, while the rest of the Grand Center Jazz Crawl proceeds as usual.

Elsewhere around town, there are just two days left to catch a local screening of I Called Him Morgan, the new documentary about trumpeter Lee Morgan, at the Tivoli Theatre.

Thursday, May 4
The California Guitar Trio (pictured, center left) performs at the Old Rock House. Although none of them are actually from  California, acoustic guitarists Bert Lams (who's from Belgium), Hideyo Moriya (a native of Japan), and Paul Richards (who grew up in Utah) offer a crowd-pleasing variety of instrumental styles, from jazz to classical to surf music, delivered with technical polish.

Friday, May 5
Drummer Kevin Bowers' NOVA will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Named after Bowers' recent album - described as an imaginary "soundtrack to a movie starring Fred Astaire and Lena Horne, directed by Federico Fellini" - the ensemble will play Bowers' original music incorporating influences from Africa, Brazilian samba, and psychedelic rock; solo drum pieces; and more.

Also on Friday, the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles will hold a fundraiser with music from the Sentimental Journey Dance Band; and the Mizzou New Music Ensemble will be in from Columbia to perform "Eclipse Symphony," a new multi-part work by student composers, in a free concert at the McDonnell Planetarium in Forest Park.

Saturday, May 6
On Saturday morning, the St. Louis Art Museum presents a screening of the 1930 French silent film Au Bonheur Des Dames (Ladies' Paradise) with a live musical score by Elsie Parker and The Poor People of Paris.

Saturday night, the St. Louis Artists' Guild will wrap up their "Sculptures in Sound" series this spring with a performance from saxophonist Christopher Braig's Aboriginal Quartet, featuring trumpeter and Indiana University faculty member Patrick Harbison (pictured, bottom left), bassist Ben Wheeler and drummer Steve Davis.

The event will present a long-form work by Braig, inspired by 30,000-year-old cave paintings discovered in southern France in 1994, that will combine "multiple musical styles, movement, live painting, storytelling, lighting and the natural resonances of the St. Louis Artists’ Guild gallery into a multisensory experience."

Sunday, May 7
Pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with singer Kim Fuller will perform in a special service at Second Presbyterian Church in the Central West End, and the Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Monday, May 8
Saxophonist Jamison Williams and bassist Thomas Milovac, two free improvising players from Florida, will perform at the Grand Center art gallery Duet, with the Vernacular String Trio opening.

Tuesday, May 9
The St. Louis Bach Festival, a month-long celebration of the composer's music, will present "Jazz & Bach" at Jazz at the Bistro. The program features guitarist Steve Schenkel, pianist Kim Portnoy, and singer David Gordon using Bach's music as a springboard for improvisation.

Also on Tuesday, guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson perform at Evangeline's, and the new weekly jam session hosted by drummer Montez Coleman will be happening at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* I Called Him Morgan, the new documentary film about the life and death of trumpeter Lee Morgan (pictured), opens its St. Louis run today at the Tivoli Theatre in University City. You can see a list of show times here.

* The website St. Louis Musicians Unite has a new post this week about St. Louis jazz, combining a mention of Jazz Appreciation Month, a (much-appreciated!) acknowledgement of StLJN's recent 12th anniversary, and a video annotation of our current "Jazz this week" post.

Edited by Christopher Davis, STLMU has content covering a variety of musical genres and interests, and also has a very active Twitter account, with daily updates on live music shows happening around town.

* Guitarist Bill Frisell is the subject of a feature story by the Riverfront Times' Roy Kasten. Frisell performs with his trio tonight at The Ready Room.

* Saxophonist and former St. Louisan Oliver Lake has a new release on his Passin' Thru label. Offered on CD and as a digital download,  Right Up On features Lake collaborating on a program of original compositions with the Flux Quartet, a string quartet specializing in contemporary music.

* @Nesbys, the Sunset Hills restaurant and bar with a musical menu including occasional live jazz on weekends and a weekly jam session on Wednesday nights, will close after service this Saturday, April 29.

In a message on Facebook, the proprietors said, "The Econolodge stigma, and what will happen to the hotel in the future, as well as its patrons, was impacting our business. We are looking for another place where we can be successful for years to come!" According to the message, the owners will continue their catering business while looking for a new restaurant location, a process they hope to facilitate with help from a GoFundMe campaign.

* Two students in Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program have been selected for the 2017 edition of the Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. Trombonist Wyatt Forhan, a student at St. Dominic High School in O'Fallon, MO, and drummer Christian McGhee, who attends Westminster Christian Academy in Town and Country, will tour with the band this summer.

* The upcoming Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis will include a production of Bertha in Paradise running from Wednesday, May 3 through Sunday, May 14 at the Curtain Call Lounge.

Imagining an alternate fate for the title character from Williams' play Hello from Bertha, the musical features singer Anita Jackson and pianist Charles Creath delivering "a saucy stew of bawdy songs" including "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "If It Don't Fit Don't Force It," and "I've Got You Under My Skin."

Jazz this week: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, tributes to Oliver Nelson and Ella Fitzgerald, a new weekly jam session, and more

As Jazz Appreciation Month 2017 moves past the halfway point, the calendar of live jazz and creative music performances here in St. Louis takes a turn toward the historic, with events scheduled to pay tribute to St. Louis' own Oliver Nelson, as well as to Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, and Dizzy Gillespie, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, April 19
The Saxquest Jazz Orchestra will play the music of saxophonist, composer and St. Louis native Oliver Nelson for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

The nine-piece band (three reeds, three brass, three rhythm) will perform material from throughout Nelson's career, with an emphasis on works addressing topics of civil rights and social justice, including "I Hope In Time A Change Will Come," "Emancipation Blues" and "The Kennedy Dream Suite," as well as songs from Nelson's most famous album Blues and the Abstract Truth.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly jam session hosted by pianist Curt Landes, bassist Glen Smith, and drummer Chuck Kennedy continues at @Nesby's in South County.

Thursday, April 20
Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly open mic night, now re-named "Broadway Open Mic," at its new home, the Curtain Call Lounge; and trumpeter Jim Manley and keyboardist Chris Swan play at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, April 21
The first of two nights of the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival's public performances at the Touhill Performing Arts Center will feature a tribute to Louis Armstrong, starring trumpeter Terrell Stafford, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon, saxophonist Chris Vadala, and the UMSL Big Band directed by Jim Widner.

For more about the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, plus some videos of Stafford, Gordon, Vadala, and Saturday night's headliner, trumpeter Jon Faddis, (pictured, top left) see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, Jazz St. Louis will celebrate the centennial of the birth of Ella Fitzgerald at Jazz at the Bistro with the first of two evenings of music associated with Fitzgerald as sung by Anita Jackson (pictured, bottom left), with help from drummer Montez Coleman, pianist Adaron “Pops” Jackson, bassist Bob DeBoo, and saxophonist Ben Reece.

Elsewhere around town, drummer Steve Davis, singer Feyza Eren, and band will perform at the Ozark Theatre; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, April 22
The Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival concludes with a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dizzy Gillespie, featuring Gillespie's protege Jon Faddis and Friends, at the Touhill.

Sunday, April 23
Singer Chuck Flowers will perform in a late-afternoon matinee at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Monday, April 24
Dizzy Atmosphere will play swing and Gypsy jazz for diners at The Shaved Duck, and the Webster University Jazz Singers will present their final performance of the semester at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus. 

Tuesday, April 25 
Troy's Jazz Gallery begins a new, weekly Tuesday night jam session hosted by drummer Montez Coleman.

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.)

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut, Tortoise, Denise Thimes' Mothers Day show, and more

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis features sounds ranging from straight-ahead jazz to "post-rock," with plenty of other styles in the mix, too. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 4
Drummer Montez Coleman plays the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, with a bit of help from pianist Adam Maness, bassist Bob DeBoo and singer Anita Jackson.

Elsewhere in Grand Center, saxophonist Dave Stone takes over Bob DeBoo's hosting duties for the weekly jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center; cornetist TJ Muller of the Gaslight Squares will play at The Stage at KDHX, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor will do his weekly set at The Dark Room.

Thursday, May 5
Latin/jazz band Clave Sol will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo starting in the afternoon and continuing through evening at Rosalita's Cantina downtown; Miss Jubilee plays an early evening show at Blues City Deli; and singer Ralph Williams returns to Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Friday, May 6
Singer Brian Owens performs for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro; the Midwest Jazz-tette brings the sound of West Coast cool jazz to Evangeline's; and Tom Byrne switches to bass for a night, ceding the guitar duties to Eric Slaughter for a show by what Byrne's calling the Bassic Instinct Trio at Cigar Inn.

Also on Friday, singer/actor Ben Nordstrom performs for the first of two nights in the cabaret room at The Monocle; and singer Joe Mancuso and bassist Willem von Hombracht will duet at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Saturday, May 7
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut returns with his trio to offer some "African Reflections" at Sheldon Concert Hall. You can read more about Chestnut (pictured, top left) and see some videos of him performing in this post from last Saturday. Note also that The Sheldon is offering a discount on remaining tickets to online buyers, cutting the price to $25.

Also on Saturday, trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr lead their All-Star Band at Nathalie's.

Sunday, May 8
Singer Denise Thimes will present her annual Mothers Day extravaganza this year at a new venue, the Touhill Performing Arts Center, with help from guest stars including pianist Tamir Hendelman, saxophonist Tom Braxton, and comedian Monique Marvez.

Monday, May 9
The "post-rock" band Tortoise, who mix up a half-dozen genres or more in their mostly instrumental music, will play at the The Ready Room. The Chicago-based group (pictured, bottom left) is touring in support of their first new album in seven years, The Catastrophist, that was released in January.

Also on Monday, saxophonist Doug Webb, a veteran of many movie and TV soundtrack sessions in Los Angeles studios who's also enjoyed a long association with trumpeter Doc Severinsen, will present a free performance and workshop at Saxquest.

Tuesday, May 10
Doug Webb will perform again with Saxquest's Little Big Band at the Tavern of Fine Arts, and pianist "Ragtime" Jack Radcliffe, a Massachusetts-based performer specializing in stride, pre-WWII blues, and yes, ragtime, will play at a one-nighter at Evangeline'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.)

Jazz this week: Kat Edmondson, Houston Person, Dave Dickey Big Band, and more

While goblins, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and zombies may rule the upcoming Halloween weekend, there's also plenty of live jazz and creative music to be found in and around St. Louis over the next few days.

Here's a brief look at some of the most noteworthy shows...

Wednesday, October 28
Multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris and singer Anita Jackson will team up for the first of two nights of what's billed as a tribute to Nina Simone at Jazz at the Bistro.

Thursday, October 29
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with singer Kat Edmonson performing music from her new album The Big Picture for the first of two nights at the Gaslight Theater. (While Friday's show is sold out, as of this writing some tickets remain for Thursday.) For more about Edmondson (pictured, top left), check out this interview she did to promote her new release last month with NPR.

Also on Thursday, Stephen Koch, a writer and musician from Little Rock, Ar who penned a biography of saxophonist Louis Jordan, will present "Roll, Jordan, Roll: The Legacy of Louis Jordan, Father of R&B" at The Stage at KDHX;  and the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents "Bernstein and Sondheim: Musical Theatre and the Jazz Vernacular," a free concert featuring vocalist Katie Greenberg, pianist Kara Baldus, guitarist William Lenihan, drummer Steve Davis, and a string section.

Friday, October 30
Saxophonist Houston Person (pictured, bottom left) returns for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. The veteran tenor man, who excels equally at blues, bop and ballads, will be backed by a rhythm section of St. Louis musicians including pianist Adaron "Pops" Jackson, bassist Jahmal Nichols and drummer Montez Coleman.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee will play a Halloween-themed swing dance at the Casa Loma Ballroom; saxophonist Tim Cunningham is back at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and singer Erika Johnson and guitarist Tom Byrne will perform at Montrey's Cigar Lounge.


Saturday, October 31
Dizzy Atmosphere will play Gypsy jazz as part of SIUE's "International Night" at the Meridian Ballroom in Morris University Center on the SIUE campus; and Elsie Parker & the Poor People of Paris will perform at Nathalie's.

Sunday, November 1
The Dave Dickey Big Band will play their monthly gig at Jazz at the Bistro, with an intermission performance from the Lindbergh HS Jazz Ensemble directed by David Wyss; and drummer Montez Coleman will lead his trio plus guest vocalist Brian Owens in a concert at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Monday, November 2
Pianist Greg Mills and friends will play improvised music at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and some of Webster University's student jazz combos will show off what they've learned so far this semester in a performance at Webster's Community Music School.

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.)

Jazz this week: A tribute to Ray Kennedy, "Music at the Intersection," Marquis Hill, Mike Dillon Band, and more

If you're trying to shake the mid-summer doldrums after some punishing heat and humidity over the past few days in St. Louis, getting out to hear some live jazz and creative music could be just the thing.

This weekend's musical menu features a benefit for the family of a well-known local musician, a visit from a fast-rising trumpet talent, a free evening of music at multiple venues in Grand Center, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 15
Warming up for next week's St. Louis Cabaret Conference, Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Open Mic Night" at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, July 16
Drummer Maurice Carnes leads a quintet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; guitarist Dave Black and friends, with singer Feyza Eren, perform at Nathalie’s, and singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Nick Schlueter will boldly go where no jazz musician has gone before with a happy-hour show at the dueling-piano bar Jive and Wail in Westport Plaza.

Friday, July 17
"A Celebration of the Life & Music of Ray Kennedy," featuring singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli's trio along with his dad, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, at the Sheldon Concert Hall will pay tribute to the late St. Louis pianist (pictured, top left, with the Pizzarellis) and raise money for his widow and two young daughters.

Also on Friday, Grand Center presents the first evening of its new "Music at The Intersection" series, this month featuring free sets by local jazz and blues acts at eight different venues throughout the district. 

That same evening, the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and the trio of pianist Jim Hegarty, bassist Paul Steinbeck, and drummer Gary Sykes will play the music of Miles Davis, Oliver Nelson, and more at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.

Saturday, July 18
St. Louis Community College-Meramec and Saxquest present a day-long "Saxfest" on the Meramec campus with workshops and performances from saxophonists Paul DeMarinis, Christopher Braig, Jason Swagler, Arthur White, Jeffrey Collins, and more. Following the events at Meramac, Braig also will lead a quartet for an evening after-party at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Also on Saturday evening, singer Anita Jackson will perform at Jazz at the Bistro; Gypsy jazz quartet Franglais plays at Evangeline's; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True return to the Ozark Theatre; and pianist Matt Villinger, who's moving to Kansas City shortly, will present a "going-away" show at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Sunday, July 19
Chicago-based trumpeter Marquis Hill (pictured, lower left), winner of the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Trumpet Competition, will be in town to raise funds for Community Women Against Hardship with a performance at the Ferring Jazz Bistro.

Billed as "A Tribute to Freddie Hubbard," the benefit will feature Hill fronting a group of St. Louisans including Villinger, Jerome "Scrooge" Harris (drums), Jeff Anderson (bass), and Chad Evans (alto sax).

Also on Sunday, percussionist Mike Dillon and band will headline an all-ages matinee also featuring The Feed and Richie Kihlken Band at 2720 Cherokee.

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.)

Bistro's summer season adds Russell Gunn, tribute to Count Basie, and more

Jazz St. Louis has announced additional bookings for this summer at Jazz at the Bistro, with a schedule that for the first time runs continuously through August, thereby eliminating the several-week-long hiatuses of years past.

In addition to return engagements for familiar local favorites such as Denise Thimes and Good 4 the Soul, the slate of newly announced shows also includes a visit home from trumpeter and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn (pictured), who will perform on July 24 and 25 with a band co-led by drummer and fellow East St. Louisan Montez Coleman.

There also will be a two-night birthday tribute to Count Basie from Jazz St. Louis' own nascent big band; a weekend of adults-only performances pairing jazz acts with a local comedy and burlesque troupe; Bistro debuts for the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra and a trio featuring Coleman, saxophonist Dave Stone and bassist Bob DeBoo, and more.

Here's the summer schedule in its entirety, including previously announced shows from JazzU/Jazz St. Louis All-Stars, Terence Blanchard and Marcus Miller:

Wednesday, June 3: Route 66 Jazz Orchestra
Thursday, June 4: Andy Waggoner - "Pianoman: The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John"
Friday, June 5 & Saturday, June 6: JazzU & the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars w/ Stefon Harris
Wednesday, June 10 - Saturday, June 13: Terence Blanchard E-Collective
Tuesday, June 16 - Thursday, June 18: Marcus Miller
Friday, June 19 & Thursday, June 20: Bob DeBoo, Dave Stone, & Montez Coleman
Friday, June 26: "Babes in Brassland" w/ Randy Dandies & Funky Butt Brass Band (18+ show)
Saturday, June 27: "Tassels ‘n Tunes" w/ Randy Dandies & Tommy Halloran’s Guerrilla Swing (18+ show)

Friday, July 10 & Saturday, July 11: Denise Thimes
Saturday, July 18: Anita Jackson
Friday, July 24 & Saturday, July 25: Montez Coleman Group w/ Russell Gunn
Friday, July 31 & Saturday, August 1: Good 4 the Soul

Friday, August 7 & Saturday, August 8: "Saturday Night Fish Fry" featuring Big Mike Aguirre, Funky Butt Horns & Friends
Friday, August 21 & Saturday, August 22: "Basie’s Birthday Bash" w/ Jazz St. Louis Big Band
Friday, August 28 & Saturday, August 29: Javier Mendoza’s Estereotipo

Tickets for the newly announced shows will go on sale to current Jazz at the Bistro subscribers at 10:00 a.m. this Wednesday, April 29, and to the general public at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 6. Tickets can be purchased online at jazzstl.org or by calling the Jazz St. Louis box office at 314-571-6000. Box office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Jazz this week: Anita Jackson, Feyza Eren & Steve Davis, Erin Bode, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and more

Once again this week, the schedule of touring jazz musicians visiting St. Louis is light to non-existent. And once again, local musicians are more than filling the gap with a variety of events, including some free outdoor shows plus gigs showcasing several of our town's fine female vocalists. Here's what's going on over the next few days...

Tonight, the multi-instrumentalist Bosman Twins kick off a four-week series of free outdoor concerts at O'Fallon Park, located on the north side at W. Florissant & Adelaide. 

Also tonight, bassist Willem von Hombrecht and his New St. Louis Jazz X-Tet play at Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

Tomorrow night, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents the first of three free concerts they're doing this summer, featuring a group co-led by singer Feyza Eren and drummer Steve Davis.

Also on Thursday, the Funky Butt Brass Band will play a free concert at Bluebird Park in Ellisville. 

On Friday, singer Anita Jackson takes the stage for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. For more about Jackson, read this profile written by Terry Perkins and published Monday by the St. Louis Beacon.

Also Friday, the Old Orchard Gazebo Music and Movie Series in Webster Groves wraps up its schedule of free concerts for the year with a set by singer Erin Bode, followed by a screening of the 2011 high-school-football documentary Undefeated.

That same evening, guitarist Brian Vaccaro bring his organ-trio-plays-The-Beatles show to Pop's Blue Moon; singer Charlie B. and trumpeter Jim Manley play at Thurman Grill; and alto saxophonist Carlos Brown, Jr. will lead a trio with pianist Corey Fuller and drummer Montez Coleman at Cigar Inn.

On Saturday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes (pictured) will host an evening of music on the rooftop of the Deco Fortress, a restored vintage building that doubles as singer Sarah Ulrich's not-so-secret HQ. (See also: the Fantastic Four and the Baxter Building, the Avengers and Avengers Mansion, etc. The event also apparently will serve as a release party for the group's new CD, though we can't tell you any more than that, because our request for more details yielded no response.)

Update, 2:25 p.m. 7/10/13: Seemingly within seconds after pushing the "publish" button on this post, yr. humble editor received a missive from the aforementioned Ms. Ulrich. The CD is titled simply Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and includes seven tracks featuring their interpretations of vintage tunes including "Them There Eyes," "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen." The album was recorded by Ulrich and a six-piece band, then mixed and mastered, all in the home studio of Sam Olhausen.

Also on Saturday, the jazz/electronic/new music ensemble Koplant No will deploy their various devices at Tavern of Fine Arts; and singer Ann Dueren's trio is at Il Bel Lago.

On Sunday, Miss Jubilee will perform for a jazz brunch at the Rustic Goat, even as guitarist Tom Byrne and saxophonist/clarinetist Sam Hargadine are playing for the brunch crowd at Bar Italia.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show's summer event also takes place on Sunday in the usual location - the American Czech Hall at 4690 Lansdowne on the south side - and the St. Louis Jazz Club will present the cryptically named Time and Place in a matinee performance at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. 

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday trumpeter Keith Moyer brings his group back to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

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.)