Jazz this week: Big Sam's Funky Nation, Louis Armstrong Festival, and more

This weekend's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis has a bit of a New Orleans flavor, with two of that city's favorite working bands playing gigs here, plus two nights of a locally produced tribute to one of the essential New Orleans musicians, Louis Armstrong.

Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, August 11
Big Sam's Funky Nation (pictured) returns to St. Louis to perform at the Broadway Oyster Bar. Led by trombonist and singer "Big Sam" Williams, they recently were named “Best Band In New Orleans” by the local magazine Where Y’At in the publication's 19th annual writer’s poll. You can check out some of their insistent grooves on video in this post from a couple of Saturday ago.

Also on Thursday, drummer Kevin Bowers and friends will present a show celebrating the release of his new album Nova at Off Broadway; Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at Missouri Botanical Garden; and the Liberation Organ Trio performs at Evangeline's.

Friday, August 12
The Louis Armstrong Festival at the Ozark Theatre in Webster Groves will feature two nights of music associated with the legendary trumpeter and singer, performed by a band led by trumpet player Randy Holmes and including trombonist Brett Stamps, clarinetist Scott Alberici, and various special guests.

In case you need a reminder of his greatness, you can see some videos of Armstrong, including recently discovered footage that's the only filmed record of one of his recording sessions, in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, New Orleans' John "Papa" Gros, former frontman of the band Papa Grows Funk, will be in town to play at the Broadway Oyster Bar; and the Funky Butt Brass Band, with help from the St. Louis Burlesque All-Stars, will present a show they're calling "Shake Your Tailfeather: Babes and Brass Salute the Blues Brothers" will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. (Update, 10:00 p.m. 8/11/16: It has been brought to StLJN's attention that the Blues Brothers and burlesque angles apparently were ditched sometime between the original announcement of JSL's summer season and now, and this weekend's performances now are being billed as "Backyard BBQ with Funky Butt & Friends".)

Elsewhere around town, singer Tony Viviano will serenade diners at Fortel's in Creve Coeur, and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, August 13
Guitarist Todd Mosby plays acoustic at The Dark Room; trumpeter Danny Campbell and his Jazz Collective perform at  Troy's Jazz Gallery; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe; and singer David Giuntoli will perform his cabaret show "Sinatra...The Man and His Music" at The Emerald Room at The Monocle.

Sunday, August 14
Singer Joe Mancuso will lead a quartet in a matinee performance at Peno in Clayton, and guitarists Tommy Halloran and Joe Park will duet at Tamm Avenue Grill.

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: Happy birthday, Louis Armstrong!

Today, let's take a look at some vintage videos featuring trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong, who's back in the StLJN spotlight this week for two reasons.

First, as you may already know, this past Thursday, August 4 was the 115th anniversary of Armstrong's birth. It's true that during his lifetime, he claimed to have been born on July 4, 1900, but years after after his death, researchers uncovered information showing that Armstrong's true date of birth was in fact August 4, 1901. As a result, fans now celebrate on both days.

Second, and of more local relevance, there's an Armstrong-related event coming up soon right here in town, as a band led by trumpeter Randy Holmes will be presenting "The Louis Armstrong Festival of St. Louis" next Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13 at the Ozark Theatre. Holmes will be joined by Brett Stamps (trombone), Scott Alberici (clarinet), Mary Ann Schulte (piano), Kevin Gianino (drums) and Bob Lowe (bass) plus special guests for two nights performing music associated with Armstrong.

Since various Armstrong videos already have been spotlighted in this space a couple of times before, in 2012 and 2014, and as the custom here at StLJN is is to try not to recycle the same clips, today's post is focused on material featuring the trumpeter that's come online in just the last couple of years.

The most newsworthy example of that would be the only known film of Armstrong in a recording studio, a clip from 1959 that was re-discovered and made available this spring by the Louis Armstrong House Museum, the official repository of the trumpeter's archives and keepers of his legacy.

Shot while Armstrong was recording the album Satchmo Plays King Oliver, the video shows him and the band recording the master take of "I Ain't Got Nobody," plus silent footage of them listening to the playback. You can see that clip up in the embedded player up above.

After the jump, there are a couple of complete Armstrong performances recorded in 1962. The first was made as an episode of "Goodyear Jazz Concert," a series of short films for television produced by the Goodyear tire company. Originally shot on 35mm film and recorded in stereo, it offers a more high fidelity look and sound than a lot of the available video of Armstrong.

Below that, you can see Armstrong's complete set from a show in May, 1962 in Stockholm, Sweden. Both of these performances feature the same band, and the Goodyear show offers what's basically a subset of the songs from the Stockholm performance, which makes for some compare-and-contrast opportunities. For the record, the group includes Armstrong, trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Joe Darensbourg, pianist Billy Kyle, bassist Bill Cronk, drummer Danny Barcelona, and singer Jewel Brown, with Swedish vocalist Monica Zetterlund making a guest appearance during the Stockholm performance.

Finally, there are three songs taken from Armstrong's performance at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival, which prominently featured a tribute to him in honor of (what then was thought to be) his 70th birthday. First is "Pennies From Heaven," followed by Armstrong's take on Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill," and a version of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" featuring a guest appearance by the legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

For more about Louis Armstrong, check out the Louis Armstrong House Museum official site, Armstrong's page at RedHotJazz.com and the tribute site Satchmo.net. For an historic appreciation of his musical and cultural significance, there's also "The Artistry of 'Pops': Louis Armstrong at 100", a presentation put together back in 200 by the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University that features trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and critic Stanley Crouch.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Chesterfield Jazz Festival, now renamed the Chesterfield Wine and Jazz Festival and changed from a ticketed event to a free one, will take place this year from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at Chesterfield Amphitheater.

The lineup of bands will include a headlining set by Yellowjackets (pictured), plus Bach to the Future, led by the event's organizers Michael Silverman and Robert Silverman, and additional acts TBA.

* Saxophonist and Webster University alum Chris Cheek has teamed with fellow saxophonist Seamus Blake for a new album, Reeds Ramble. They'll promote the release with gigs on March 13, 14 & 15 at Small's in NYC. 

* Drummer and St. Louis native Emanuel Harrold, who this past week became a Grammy winner by virtue of his work on singer Gregory Porter's Liquid Spirit, is featured in a new promotional video from drumstick and accessories maker Vic Firth.

* The Wee Trio's live version of David Bowie's "Queen Bitch," recorded here in St. Louis for their album Live at the Bistro, was a "Download of the Day" at AllAboutJazz.com. The group, which includes St. Louis expat Dan Loomis on bass, will return in April to Jazz at the Bistro.

* St. Louis' Cornet Chop Suey and pianist Stephanie Trick are among the performers at the 39th Central Illinois Jazz Festival being held this weekend in Decatur.

* Trombonist Dave Stamps, a graduate of SIUE and Northern Illinois University and son of SIUE's former director of jazz studies Brett Stamps, has been named director of the jazz program at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted online a photo album of the Matt Wilson Quartet and John Medeski last week visiting Beasley Elementary School in the Mehlville School District and performing at Jazz at the Bistro.

* And speaking of photo albums, Miss Jubilee has posted one on Facebook documenting their weekly Thursday night gig at Thaxton Speakeasy.

* The website New York Jazz Workshop offers an entry-level introduction to Miles Davis in three parts.

* The band program at Riverview Gardens High School, directed by saxophonist Harvey Lockhart, is keepin' on keepin' on despite losing a number of students this year to inter-district transfers. Most recently, the RGHS drumline won the second annual Show-Me Showdown held last month at Normandy HS. You can see their first-place performance on video here.

* Regional Arts Commission is accepting applications for another round of Artist Support Grants, which are awarded to individual artists and range in amount from $500 to $3,000. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 5.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else,"  Calvin Wilson will spin interpretations of the music of Charlie Parker by the likes of trumpeter Roy Hargrove, saxophonist Anthony Braxton, and Junk Genius.

After that, "The Jazz Collective" host Jason Church will offer a guitar-centric program featuring sounds from Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Ottmar Liebert, Chris Standring, George Benson and Lee Ritenour, as well as St. Louis' own Elliott Ranney, Tom Byrne, Farshid Etniko, and Brian Vaccaro.

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpeter Clark Terry continues to convalesce at home after recent surgery, and remains in good spirits, according to the most recent blog post from his wife Gwen. In related news, a benefit concert featuring more than 50 jazz performers will be held this coming Monday, April 23 in NYC to raise money for Terry's medical expenses. You can read more about it (and find out where to send a contribution, if you're so inclined) here.

* Tomorrow is Record Store Day 2012, and the Riverfront Times' Josh Levi has the rundown on the various performances, activities and specials offered by local music retailers here. Yr. humble StLJN editor will be joining in the festivities by serving as guest DJ at Vintage Vinyl from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; if you're in the neighborhood, stop by and say "Hi".

* Trombonist Brett Stamps, who just retired from teaching after 33 years heading the jazz program at SIUE, is the subject of a profile from the Suburban Journals' Ramona C. Sanders.

* The Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson has two interviews online about this weekend's Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival - one with GSLJF head Jim Widner, the other with bassist Christian McBride, whose big band is headlining tomorrow night's closing concert.

* Also from the Post, pop music critic Kevin Johnson reports that the Sheldon Concert Hall will close temporarily during August for some refurbishments including new paint and carpeting.

* Trumpeter, singer and St. Louis native Jeremy Davenport got a bit more face time in a national magazine this week, as he and his home base at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans are featured in an article in Forbes magazine about jazz clubs at luxury hotels.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trombonist Brett Stamps (pictured) will make his final appearance as director of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Concert Jazz Band in a concert at 8:00 p.m. this coming Tuesday, April 17 at the Wildey Theatre. Stamps is retiring as director of jazz studies at SIUE after 33 years on the job.

The concert will include music from Doc Severinsen and Woody Herman as well as charts by Stamps and SIUE graduate Mike Dee, plus a grand finale featuring graduates of the SIUE jazz program from the last 30 years. Tickets are $10, $7 for seniors and under age 18, free to SIUE students with ID, and will be available at the door.

* Meanwhile, pianist Reggie Thomas, who formerly taught at SIUE, is featured on The Teacher, the debut CD release by the MSU Professors of Jazz. The group is made up of faculty members from Thomas' new professional home at Michigan State University. They'll debut the CD, which includes three of Thomas' compositions and a guest appearance from spouse/singer Mardra Thomas, in a concert this Saturday at the Creole Gallery in Lansing, MI.

* The Regional Arts Commission is conducting a survey of St. Louis area artists, musicians and other creative types. To complete the "Artists Count" questionnaire and enter a drawing to win a free iPad, go here.

* Singer Erin Bode reported this week on Twitter that her song "The Little Garden" will be used in the episode of the CW Network program Hart of Dixie airing on Monday, May 7. The comedy/drama series stars Rachel Bilson as a big-city doctor transplanted to a small town in the South, and airs locally on KPLR (Channel 11).

* John King, bassist for Good 4 The Soul, saxophonist Jim Stevens, and several other local bands, has released a single, "Introducing The Pharaoh," on iTunes.

* Guitarist Russell Malone, in town this week to play at Jazz at the Bistro, appeared on the 4:00 p.m. newscast at local NBC affiliate KSDK for a brief interview and performance. Malone and pianist Cyrus Chestnut's trio continue at the Bistro through Saturday.

* The Webster Journal has a profile of Dr. Aurelia Hartenberger, whose collection of unusual musical instruments currently is featured in an exhibit at the Sheldon Art Galleries.

* The Jazz Journalists Association has announced the nominations for their 2012 JJA Jazz Awards, and the "Best Historical or Boxed Set" category includes two albums with a St. Louis connection: Miles Davis' Bootleg Sessions, Vol 1, Quintet Live in Europe 1967 (Columbia Legacy) and the long-awaited reissue of Julius Hemphill's Dogon A.D. by the International Phonograph label. You can see the complete list of 2012 JJA Awards nominees here.

Jazz this week: Dave Brubeck, Jason Moran, Brett Stamps, Logan Richardson, SIUE Friends of Music benefit, and more

It looks to be a nice, crisp fall weekend here in St. Louis, perfect weather for getting out of the house and hearing some live music. Here's a look at some of the noteworthy jazz and creative music performances coming up over the next few days.

Due to the Vice-Presidential debate being held on campus, there's no Jazz at Holmes concert tonight at Washington University. However, if multi-media performance of a different sort piques your interest, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is presenting a show this evening featuring Italian composer and sound artist Alessandro Bossetti and Brooklyn, New York’s Byron Westbrook. They'll be performing "Corridors," which is described as "a multi-channel audio/video environment that uses video projections, amplifiers and speakers strategically placed within a performance space. The project emphasizes how redistributed energy of sound and light in space can alter perception." Also on the bill are the 7th epicycle, performing a new version of Mark Sarich’s improv/electronics piece “[you]like(it)” and Eric Hall doing solo electronics.

On Friday, trombonist Brett Stamps and his quartet begin a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro. Stamps has a wide range as a player, from traditional New Orleans-style jazz to big band swing to bop, hard bop and modern styles. His recent CD release Bad to the Bone teamed him with fellow trombonist Jim Owens for a set recalling the J.J. Johnson/Kai Winding collaborations of the 1950s. Expect at least a taste of several of the aforementioned genres and who knows, perhaps Owens will stop by and sit in for a number or two.

Unquestionably the biggest musical name in town this week is pianist Dave Brubeck (pictured), who returns to St. Louis on Saturday night to play at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The term "legendary" gets thrown around rather promiscuously in today's overheated media environment, but the adjective truly applies to Brubeck, a musician and composer whose work has evoked continued interest for more than 50 years now. Along with his classic quartet, he helped popularize the use of odd-meter time signatures in jazz, opening a lot of ears among both musicians and listeners along the way. It's a marvel that he's still out on the road performing at age 83, and the Sheldon is, as always, a fine venue for acoustic jazz.

There's lots going on this Sunday, starting in late morning with the brunch and concert paying tribute to Don and Heide Wolff at Harris Stowe State University, described in detail in this post. Featured performers at the concert at 1:00 p.m. will include Mae Wheeler, Gene Lynn, Bill Tucker, Willie Akins, Anita Jackson and Anita Rosamond. The information sent out by Harris-Stowe indicated that reservations for the brunch closed yesterday, but if you're interested in attending, call 314-340-3386 for the latest. The auditorium at Harris-Stowe is a good-sized room, and even if the brunch is sold out, they may very well still be able to accommodate additional concert-goers.

Later that afternoon, there's a benefit dinner and dance/concert for the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Friends of Music's scholarship fund, featuring performances by singer Mardra Thomas and the SIUE Concert Jazz Band conducted by saxophonist Jason Swagler. The "Hollywood Jazz" event gets underway at 5:00 p.m. in SIUE's Meridian Ballroom with a cocktail hour and performance by Thomas, followed by dinner and dancing.

Then on Sunday evening, the acclaimed pianist Jason Moran will perform a solo concert at the Missouri History Museum, with St. Louis' Hugh "Peanuts' Whalum as opening act. You can see some videos of Moran in this previous StLJN post. And as if all that weren't enough for one day, BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups also a has double bill on Sunday evening with Good 4 The Soul and singer Anita Rosamond and her group.

Looking beyond the weekend, the Sessions Big Band is at BB's on Monday, and on Tuesday, saxophonist Logan Richardson performs at The Gramophone. Richardson is a Kansas City native now based in New York City. He studied saxophone with St. Louis native Greg Osby and has a CD on the Fresh Sound New Talent label. In addition to leading his own groups, Richardson has performed and recorded with Joe Chambers, Stefon Harris, Greg Tardy, Nashiet Waits, and many others. St. Louis saxophonist Bennett Wood will open the show.

As always, these are just some of the highlights of what's happening around town, so to see listings of more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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: "Peanuts" Whalum's 80th birthday party, Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project, St. Louis Art Fair, St. Louis Jazz Club picnic, and more

Now that the fall presenting season is officially getting underway, there's more and more jazz and creative music to be heard on St. Louis' concert and club stages. This week's highlights start with singer/pianist/saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum's 80th birthday party, which begins at 7:00 p.m. Sunday at Brandt's Cafe and Red Carpet Lounge. Of course, Whalum (pictured), a much-loved and respected part of the St. Louis music scene for more than 50 years, will perform, backed by his trio featuring Jeff Anderson on bass, Eric Slaughter on guitar and Marty Morrison on drums.

Edie Bee of LouRadio will serve as MC, and, yes, there will be birthday cake, served at 9:00 p.m.. Special guests expected to appear include "Peanuts" Whalum's nephew, smooth jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, as well as many of his St. Louis musical colleagues including singers Jeanne Trevor and Gene Lynn, guitarist Dave Black, and more. Given "Peanuts" Whalum's long history in the community and the fact that he's as fine a gentleman as he is a musician - which is very fine indeed - there's likely to be a packed house of friends, fans and well-wishers, so get there early.

Also on Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club kicks off their fall 2008 schedule with their annual picnic, which runs from noon to 6:00 p.m. at Concord Farmer's Hall, 10140 Concord School Rd. In keeping with the Club's emphasis on pre-WWII styles from ragtime to swing, the music will be provided by the St. Louis Banjo Club, Norm Menne and his Dixie Dudes, and Michael Lacey and his New Orleans Swing.

Of course, there's music to be heard all weekend, as the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project opens the fall 2008 season at Jazz at the Bistro with performances on Friday and Saturday night. A drummer and percussionist, Russo is a transplant to central Illinois from Syracuse, NY who has made multiple trips to Cuba and other spots in the Caribbean to study percussion. He formed the band eight years ago, and although central Illinois may not intuitively seem like a hotbed of Latin jazz, the presence of the music school at the University of Illinois - Champaign/Urbana brings some significant talent to the area. Two members of the U of I faculty in Russo's band, saxophonist Chip McNeill and pianist Chip Stevens, have particular credibility in Latin jazz thanks to their experience performing and recording with Cuban ex-pat trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. Rounding out the ensemble are trumpeter Jeff Helgesen, once part of Ray Charles' road band, bassist Josh Walden and drummer/percussionist Jeff Magby.

Elsewhere in town, Brandt's has singer Jeanne Trevor on Friday night, and flute player and singer Margaret Bianchetta with the Dave Black Trio on Saturday. Also on Saturday, the Chicago Afrobeat Project brings their mix of funk, world music and jazz to Lucas School House.

The annual St. Louis Art Fair also is happening this weekend, and in keeping with tradition, the staff of Cultural Festivals - which also produces the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival - has once again booked some musicians of interest to jazz listeners, including the Jazz St. Louis All Stars student ensemble, singers Anita Rosamond and Kim Massie, world/jazz/folk chamber group Autumns Child, and Afro-Cuban/jazz group Rolando Matias & Intrin-x-ico on Saturday, plus vibist Jonathan Whiting and his trio and the eclectic guitarist Stuart Johnson on Sunday. See the Art Fair's Web site for details on who's playing when on which stage at the free event.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday trombonists Brett Stamps and Jim Owens will have a CD release party for their new album Bad to the Bone at the Sheldon Concert Hall, while "Peanuts" Whalum is back at Brandt's. And on Wednesday, get your skronk on with Squid Choir Orkestra, saxophonist Jay Zelenka's free jazz/electronics group, when they open for experimental rock band Skarekrau Radio at the Way Out Club, 2525 S. Jefferson, or if you're in the mood for something more mainstream, saxophonist Ed Doney once again is visiting from Lake of the Ozarks to sit in with Park Avenue Jazz for their weekly Wednesday night session at Hammerstone's.

Alas, there's still much updating to do to the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, as yr. humble editor's non-jazz-blogging work schedule and an unfortunate series of computer freezes and crashes have delayed the the update process. Fear not, though, as the work of updating said calendar will continue at the best possible speed until completed, so feel free to look there for a rapidly expanding list of more St. Louis jazz-related events this weekend and beyond.

(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.

Stamps, Owens to celebrate CD release with concert on September 9 at The Sheldon

Trombonists Brett Stamps and Jim Owens will celebrate the release of their new Victoria Records CD Bad To The Bone with a performance at 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday, September 9 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Stamps and Owens will be joined for the concert by all the musicians who played on the CD, including guitarist Rick Haydon, pianist Reggie Thomas, drummer Miles Vandiver, bassist Zeb Briskovich and fellow trombonists Jim Martin and Cody Henry. Tickets will be available at the door, and are $5 for students with ID, $10 for general admission, or $20 for a general admission ticket plus a copy of Bad To The Bone.

Brett Stamps featured in Alton Telegraph

Trombonist and jazz educator Brett Stamps is the subject of a feature story this week in the Alton Telegraph. The article focuses on Stamps' work as professor of jazz studies for Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and on Bad to the Bone, his new CD with fellow trombonist Jim Owens. Read the whole thing here.

Jazz this week: Brad Mehldau, "Cabaret In Blue" kicks off with Anita Rosamond, and more

While this week's menu of jazz and creative music offerings isn't quite as extensive as last week's, there's still some good stuff to be heard out there on St. Louis stages.

The biggest name in town this weekend is pianist Brad Mehldau (pictured) who brings his trio to Jazz at the Bistro for performances beginning tonight and running through Saturday. Mehldau is one of the most talked-about and written-about pianists of his generation, earning favorable comparisons from jazz critics to greats like Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett as well as attracting attention from pop and rock fans for his interpretations of music from artists like Radiohead and the Beatles.

Elsewhere in town, singer Anita Rosamond will perform at the Cabaret at Savor on Friday and Saturday night, inaugurating the venue's new "Cabaret In Blue" series. "Cabaret in Blue" will showcase several St. Louis singers in the intimate 65-seat room, performing a set of music that's intended to reflect the influence of the blues on their own personal styles. For this weekend's shows, Rosamond will sing and play piano and will be accompanied by the fine guitarist Shaun Robinson of Good 4 the Soul and the always-impressive Sandy Weltman on harmonica. (Full disclosure: Yr. humble editor will be taking part in a couple of these presentations next month, playing piano behind singers Renee Smith and Uvee Hayes during their respective performances.)

On Sunday, conductor and former Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra musical director Leonard Slatkin returns to St. Louis to host a benefit for classical radio station KFUO (99.1 FM) at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The concert will feature performances from well-known musicians in a variety of genres, including Latin-jazz pianist Michel Camilo and versatile bassist Edgar Meyer, who's worked in jazz, classical and bluegrass.

Other noteworthy shows this weekend include singer and pianist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum at Brandt's on Friday night, and a morning concert by trombonist Brett Stamps and his band at the Sheldon Concert Hall on Saturday.

For more local jazz-related events this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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 after posting to add more tags.)

Michel Camilo, Denise Thimes, SIU-E Big Band added to Sheldon schedule

A couple of quick notes about three more jazz-related events at the Sheldon:

The classically trained Latin-jazz pianist Michel Camilo (pictured) has been added to the "Leonard Slatkin & Friends" concert scheduled for Sunday, April 13 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Camilo's known for having some seriously world-class piano chops, and has played with a very long list of greats in both jazz and Latin music. You can check him out doing a solo piano version of his composition "Suntan" in the video window embedded below.

Other participants in the genre-bending "Slatkin & Friends" event, which benefits radio station KFUO Classic 99, will include the teenage classical piano prodigy Peng-Peng Gong; singer Sylvia McNair; violinist and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra concertmaster David Halen; and bassist Edgar Meyer, who's known for playing classical, jazz and bluegrass. Patron-level tickets available now by calling KFUO at (314) 725-0099.

The Sheldon has also added dates in its Notes From Home series for the SIU-E Big Band directed by Brett Stamps on Tuesday, February 24, and for singer Denise Thimes on Tuesday, March 11. Thimes' concert is a benefit for the St. Louis chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (NCADA).

Jazz at Holmes announces Fall 2007 concert schedule

Washington University's Jazz at Holmes series, which puts on free jazz concerts most Thursday nights during the school year, has announced the rest of their schedule for for the Fall 2007 semester.

Although, as usual, most of the lineup consists of St. Louis-based musicians, the series will also present a couple of touring acts, namely Austrian pianist Wolfgang Seligo and the Los Angeles-based group Power Trio, which features Yosef Dosik on alto sax, bassist Nick Rosen, and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson on viola. Here's the schedule:

September 27: Paul DeMarinis
October 4: Brett Stamps
October 11: Vince Varvel
October 25: Reggie Thomas
November 1: Steve Schenkel & Open Strings
November 8: Wolfgang Seligo
November 15: Dave Stone
November 29: Power Trio
December 6: Kim Portnoy
December 13: Tom Byrne

All concerts take place from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Holmes Lounge, located in Ridgely Hall on the Washington University campus, and are free and open to the public.

Jazz this week: George Benson, Ramsey Lewis & Poncho Sanchez at the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival, Dave Brubeck at the Sheldon, BAG II and more

Although this year's edition of the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival has been cut back to a single day, it's still one of the major jazz events of the year. And there's still enough other music happening in town to provide a full and varied weekend of jazz if that's your pleasure.

You can get started on Thursday night, when trombonist Brett Stamps and his quartet take the stage for two sets at Finale Music and Dining. Then on Friday night, the Black Arts Guild aka BAG II concludes its spring season at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site with a free concert highlighting original music from the organization's "house band," The Group, which features bassist Zimbabwe Nkenya, percussionist Glenn "Papa" Wright and saxophonist Jerome "Jay-Dubz" Williams.

On Saturday, the headliners for the 2007 Jazz and Heritage Festival will be guitarist/vocalist George Benson (pictured), pianist Ramsey Lewis and percussionist Poncho Sanchez; local acts will include Latin jazz band SL Son, vocalists Kim Massie and Jeanne Trevor, trombonist Lamar Harris, and the SIU-Edwardsville Big Band.

The grounds in Clayton's Shaw Park will open at 11:30 a.m., and the music gets underway at noon. For those who are primarily interested in the national acts, you're in luck - this year they're scheduled sequentially on the same stage, with Sanchez will take the main stage at 4:30 p.m., followed by Benson at 6:30 p.m. and Lewis at 8:30 p.m.. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Borders locations in the St. Louis area, all MetroTix outlets, or at the festival gate on the day of the event.

(Since this year's festival is just one day, StLJN's coverage won't be quite as extensive as it has been the last two years. However, I'll have some video previews of some of the musicians in an upcoming post and, barring inclement weather, plan to take in and review as much of the event as I can.)

Benson and Lewis would be the biggest jazz names in town most weeks of the year - but not this particular week, because on Sunday night, legendary pianist and composer Dave Brubeck will appear at the Sheldon Concert Hall in a benefit performance for the Friends of the Sheldon.

Brubeck's current quartet includes Randy Jones on drums, Michael Moore on bass and Bobby Militello on saxophone and flute, and it's safe to assume that they'll be offering up such favorites as "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo A La Turk" as part of a musical menu that might also include a rendition of "St. Louis Blues," a longtime Brubeck favorite. This review of a Brubeck show last month in San Francisco may provide more of an idea of what to expect.

Though the patron seats are all sold, Metrotix still has regular tickets on sale at $45 for orchestra seats (the floor) and $40 for balcony seats. If you have any interest in seeing Brubeck, who's 87, in concert, you're probably not going to get a better chance than this.

If that's not enough music for you, on Monday evening the SIU-E jazz faculty will be giving a free concert at Durham Hall on campus, and the Sessions Big Band returns to the recently expanded stage at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups downtown.

As always, these highlights represent just a portion of the what's going on in St. Louis this weekend. For a more complete listing of local jazz events, please check the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

UPDATE - 10:20 p.m., 5/31/07: I've got a Critic's Pick on the Dave Brubeck show in this week's Riverfront Times, now online here, while my RFT colleague Christian Schaefer has written one on George Benson, available here. Also, Terry Perkins did a story for the Post-Dispatch/STLtoday that previews the Jazz and Heritage Festival and examines the reasons why this year's event is one day instead of two. Read it online here.
(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. No attachments, please.)

Jazz this week: Dianne Reeves, Greyboy Allstars, the Bistro's open house, Beegie Adair, Brett Stamps, Mae Wheeler's birthday and more

There's plenty of jazz-related activity going on this weekend in St. Louis, and time is short, so let's go right to the highlights:

Tonight, the recently reunited jam-funk purveyors Greyboy Allstars come to town to perform at the VooDoo Cafe and Lounge in Harrah's St. Louis casino. You can read my Critic's Pick on the show for this week's Riverfront Times here.

Also tonight, trombonist Brett Stamps will showcase material from his new CD in two sets at Jazz at the Bistro. And just a couple of blocks away, fans of several musicial genres will presumably be flocking to "Live From Grand Center," KETC's live broadcast of a concert from the Sheldon Concert Hall featuring a lineup of St. Louis musicians and singers including Denise Thimes, Kim Massie, Trebor Tichenor and the St. Louis Ragtimers, and more. (The program can be seen on Channel 9 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

Friday is the first of two nights of Jazz at the Bistro's annual Open House, a free event featuring music from Jazz St. Louis operations director Bob Bennett's combo Swing & Soul as well as the first public announcement of the Bistro's 2007-08 season schedule. Also on Friday, Nashville-based pianist Beegie Adair and her trio return to Finale Music and Dining for a two-night engagement. I haven't had a chance to hear her live yet, but Adair must be making some fans in St. Louis; this is her third or fourth gig at Finale in the last year or so.

Saturday brings the once-postponed and much-anticipated appearance of Grammy winning singer Dianne Reeves (pictured) at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. The Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson previews Reeves' show (and next week's appearance at the Bistro by violinist Regina Carter) in an article here.

On Sunday, veteran vocalist Mae "Lady Jazz" Wheeler celebrates her birthday at Brandt's, and the St. Louis Jazz Club presents a show by Kansas City's New Red Onion Jazz Babies at the Moolah Shrine Center.

To see a more extensive listing of jazz events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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. No attachments, please.)

SIUE faculty, students have three jazz events coming up

From the StLJN mailbox: Brett Stamps, local trombonist of note and Director of Jazz Activities at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville, sends word of some upcoming events involving the University's jazz program.

First up is an evening promoting the recent release of Stamps' own debut CD In Your Own Sweet Way, which came out in February on the St. Louis-based Victoria Records label. Stamps premiered material from the CD that month at the Sheldon, and on Thursday, May 17 he'll do more of it during two sets at Jazz at the Bistro, accompanied by Rick Haydon on guitar, Zeb Briskovich on bass and Miles Vandiver on drums.

Then, as previously mentioned here, on Saturday, June 2 the SIUE Concert Jazz Band (which features primarily students along with some guest musicians drawn from the faculty) will perform from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the main stage at the Saint Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival in Clayton's Shaw Park.

Finally, on Monday June 4, members of the SIUE Jazz Faculty will give a free concert on their campus as part of the university's Summer Arts series. The event is open to the public, and begins at 7:00 pm in room 1109 of SIUE's Dunham Hall. Featured performers will include Stamps, Haydon and Vandiver along with Jason Swagler (alto saxophone), Reggie Thomas (piano) and Tom Kennedy (bass).

Sheldon Concert Hall announces 2007-08 season

The Sheldon Concert Hall has announced its 2007-08 season, and the hall's jazz series for next year includes a number of familiar names.

Three of the announced shows confirm information previously revealed by Pollstar (and StLJN): guitarist/singer John Pizzarelli (Saturday, October 6), Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers (Saturday, November 10) and pianist Ahmad Jamal (Friday, January 26, 2008).

In addition, the Sheldon also will present pianist Michael Wolff (pictured), best known as the former bandleader for talk show host Arsenio Hall, on Friday, February 23, 2008, and singer Carla Cook, who's recorded for the local MAXJAZZ label, on Friday, April 26, 2008. Subscriptions for the 2007-08 jazz series are $175-$195.

The Sheldon's Coffee Concerts, Saturday Matinee and Special Concerts series will also feature some musicians of interest to jazz listeners. The Coffee Concerts will include appearances from Anita Rosamond (October 9 & 10), the St. Louis Stompers (November 12 & 13), Sherry Drake and Carolbeth True (December 4 & 5), and the St. Louis Ragtimers (March 4 and 5, 2008). In addition, Jean Kittrell and the St. Louis Rivermen will do a special concert on Sunday, September 23 and trombonist Brett Stamps will do a Saturday matinee on April 12, 2008.

To yr. humble editor, this lineup of touring performers, while comparatively safe from a box-office standpoint, seems rather uninspired. Pizzarelli, Cook and Jamal are all well-known to local audiences, with each having several recent St. Louis gigs to their credit; their appearances here once again serve as yet another example of recycling by a local presenter, a practice I've criticized on numerous prior occasions. Meanwhile, Smith and Wolff, while no doubt competent and entertaining, are musicians of minor importance at best. And while the lineup of local bands and musicians consists of proven performers, it appears to offer no particular surprises, either.

Although there's always the possibility that an interesting show or two may be added to the schedule somewhere down the line, as happened this year with the Pat Metheny/Brad Mehldau concert, overall it feels like the Sheldon is just treading water here. Given the vast universe of exciting artistic possibilities available for a jazz series at a high-quality concert venue, it's hard not to see this mostly recycled lineup of musical moderates as something of a disappointment, a case of pandering to audience tastes rather than expanding or challenging them.

You can find out more about the rest of the Sheldon's 2007-08 series in this article, written by Post-Dispatch pop critic Kevin Johnson and published in today's paper.

Finale sets dates for Smith/Turrentine tribute, guitarist Steve Oliver, and more

Finale Music and Dining has announced a number of additional shows of interest to jazz listeners.

The biggest name is guitarist/vocalist Steve Oliver (pictured), who will play the club on Saturday, June 23. Oliver's music gets categorized as smooth jazz, and he's had radio airplay and sales success in that genre, but he also claims influences from rock to world music. You can hear some sound clips from his CD "Radiant" and an interview with Oliver on a podcast available free from iTunes here. You cal also see Oliver's promotional video in the window embedded at the bottom of this post.

Also, fans of jazz organ may want to check out "Back At The Chicken Shack: A Tribute to Jimmy Smith and Stanley Turrentine," with the David Fatek Quartet on Thursday, June 14. Fatek is a saxophonist who teaches music at McKendree College in Lebanon, IL, and has performed with Grover Washington, Jr, Maynard Ferguson, Roger Humphries, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, and the USAF Band of Mid-America's Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble.

More to the point of this particular tribute concept, Fatek earned his music degrees in Philadelphia, where they traditionally know their soul-jazz almost as well as their cheese steaks. And, at the risk of perpetuating another positive stereotype - in this case, that of persons of Italian-American ancestry being good at jazz organ - it should be noted that Fatek's organ player is Tony DiPasquale, band director for the Belleville School District who's also played with Reeves and the Vandellas and Shades of Blue, as well as the Shirelles, Marvin Stamm, Jamey Abersold, the Ink Spots and the Four Aces.

Other St. Louis area musicians newly added to Finale's spring/summer schedule include trombonist Brett Stamps (Thursday, May 31); singer Jeanne Trevor (Saturday, June 16); retro big band Tommy Money Orchestra (Thursday, June 21); the Vegas-style jazz of Wild Cool & Swingin' (Friday, June 22); and singers Erin Bode (Fridau, July 6 and Saturday, July 7) and Anita Rosamond (Saturday, July 14).

Brett Stamps featured in News-Democrat

Over the weekend, the Belleville News-Democrat ran a feature by staff writer Teri Maddox about trombonist Brett Stamps, who heads the jazz program at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville and recently released his first solo CD. Check out the article here.