So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist David Sanborn (pictured) has released the third episode of his new online video series "Sanborn Sessions." It features Sanborn with singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke and guitarist Charlie Hunter, accompanied by drummer Billy Kilson and bassist Ben Williams, and can be seen in the embed window at the bottom of this post.

* The Sheldon has posted to Facebook an album of photos from last Saturday's concert by pianist Christian Sands.

* Wednesday night's "Bitches Brew at 50" program at Jazz St. Louis was the subject of a feature story from St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin.

* Also from St. Louis Public Radio, singer and keyboardist Katarra Parson was profiled by reporter Chad Davis. Parson also can be heard on Thursday's episode of the station's "The Gateway" podcast.

* The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and guest saxophone soloist Timothy McAllister next month will present the U.S. premiere of "A Kind of Trane," a new concerto by French composer Guillaume Connesson that was inspired by John Coltrane.

* Speaking of premieres, the biographical documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool is set to be broadcast for the first time on Tuesday, February 25 as part of the PBS series American Masters.

* The Circus Harmony band, which accompanies performances by circus pros and students at the City Museum and is directed by Webster University professor Jeffrey Carter, was the subject of a feature story in Webster's campus paper The Journal.

Jazz this week: Charlie Hunter Trio with Lucy Woodward, Good 4 The Soul, and more

With the summer weather in St. Louis forecast to be somewhat less sweltering than usual for a few days, it should be a good time to get out and hear some music. Here's what's happening with live jazz and creative music around town this week:

Wednesday, July 24
Singer Jenna Bauer and guitarist Dave Black will duet at Evangeline's; Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks; and guitarist Joe Park's trio plays at Yaquis on Cherokee.

Thursday, July 25
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University wraps up their "Jazz in July" schedule of free concerts with a performance by drummer Maurice Carnes and his band.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Brian Vaccaro leads a trio at The Pat Connolly Tavern, trumpeter Brady Lewis and his BLStet perform at The Dark Room, and singer Robert Nelson and the Eddie Randle Jr. Trio are at the Angad Arts Hotel.

Friday, July 26
Funk/jazz quartet Good 4 The Soul (pictured, bottom left) returns for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday, the Funky Butt Brass Band plays at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

Saturday, July 27
Singer Jan Shapiro and pianist Dave Venn's trio return to the Ozark Theatre; trumpeter Jim Manley and band play at Evangeline's; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True will perform at Parkside Grille; and The Gaslight Squares will bring their vintage jazz and swing to the Frisco Barroom.

Sunday, July 28
Guitarist Charlie Hunter brings his latest trio, featuring singer Lucy Woodward (pictured, top left with Hunter) and drummer Keita Ogawa to Off Broadway. Though Hunter has had a number of trios in the past, adding a singer definitely has brought new dimensions to his sound. You can see and hear for yourself by checking out the videos in this post from a week ago Saturday.

Elsewhere around town. the Folk School of KDHX presents their monthly Traditional Jazz Jam Session on Sunday afternoon, and singer and bassist Janet Evra performs in a free, outdoor concert Sunday evening at Oak Knoll Park in Clayton.

Monday, July 29
Pianist and singer Jesse Gannon returns to 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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Charlie Hunter Trio with Lucy Woodward

This week, let's take a look at some videos featuring guitarist Charlie Hunter's latest trio with singer Lucy Woodward and drummer Keita Ogawa, who are coming to St. Louis to perform on Sunday, July 28 at Off Broadway.

Hunter, whose distinctive technique on the seven-string guitar lets him play leads, bass lines and accompaniment more or less simultaneously, has played St. Louis a number of times in recent years with various configurations of musicians. And while he's frequently used the trio format, most often it's been with a saxophonist out front, so bringing in a vocalist instead definitely puts a different spin on his sound.

Hunter and Woodward first connected more than a year ago, when she stepped up to perform on a tour Hunter originally had booked with Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada, whose visa application was denied at the last minute by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

They've followed up that first tour with more live dates and, in April of this year, an album, Music!Music!Music!, which includes their interpretations of songs from a variety of sources, from Blind Willie Johnson and Bessie Smith to Nina Simone and Terence Trent D’Arby.

Today's videos show them performing most of the material from that album and more, starting in the first video up above with "Spoonful," the Willie Dixon tune made famous by Howlin' Wolf.

That performance was recorded in 2018 at Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, as was “Can’t Let Go," the first video after the jump.

Next is the Hunter/Woodward version of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell on You," recorded in February 2018 at the GroundUp Music Festival in Florida.

If you're up for more after that, the last three videos all show full sets of music - the first recorded in April 2019 at Ambrose West in Asheville, NC, the second in February, 2018 at The Acoustic in Bridgeport, CT, and the last one at the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta, also in February 2018.

For more about Charlie Hunter, Lucy Woodward and Music!Music!Music!, read the review of the album from AllAboutJazz.com's Doug Collette; the review of their show in April of this year at Indianapolis' Jazz Kitchen by AAJ's Patrick Burnette; and Woodward and Hunter's joint interview published in April in the Greenville (SC) Journal.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Charlie Hunter Trio with Lucy Woodward to perform Sunday, July 28 at Off Broadway

Guitarist Charlie Hunter and his trio, featuring vocalist Lucy Woodward and drummer Keita Ogawa, are returning to St. Louis to perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28 at Off Broadway.

Hunter, who's known for using his seven-string guitar to play bass lines, accompaniment, and leads more or less simultaneously, first connected with Woodward last year, when she joined him for a tour originally booked with Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada, whose visa application was denied at the last minute by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Woodward has released four albums as a solo artist, has sung live with with Pink Martini and the WDR Big Band, and done background vocals for pop singers including Rod Stewart, Celine Dion, and Barbra Streisand.

In April, Hunter and Woodward (pictured) released their first collaborative album Music!Music!Music!, which includes their interpretations of songs from a variety of artists, ranging from Blind Willie Johnson and Bessie Smith to Nina Simone and Terence Trent D’Arby.

Tickets for the Charlie Hunter Trio at Off Broadway are $20 in advance, $25 day of show and are on sale now.

Jazz this week: The Thing, Denise Thimes, Charlie Hunter, Victor Wooten Trio, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features several stellar singers; the local debut of an esteemed free jazz trio; some straight-up bebop; funky sounds from New Orleans, California, and beyond; and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, March 21
Singer Brian Owens performs for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, revisiting some of the jazz material he did earlier in his career, with backing from pianist Adam Maness' trio.

(Thursday's show will features Owens' current working band, the Deacons of Soul, with an emphasis on songs recorded for his most recent album The Soul of Cash, an R&B-flavored re-imagining of songs associated with country music legend Johnny Cash.)

Also on Wednesday, the Ambassadors of Swing return to Tin Roof St. Louis downtown; and singer Joe Mancuso is back at Taha'a Twisted Tiki in The Grove.

Thursday, March 22
New Music Circle presents the Scandinavian free-jazz trio The Thing (pictured, top left) at Off Broadway. Saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten, and drummer Paal Nilssen-Love have been working together since the turn of the century, touring and recording frequently as a trio and also playing with musicians such as Peter Brötzmann, Ken Vandermark, Thurston Moore, Joe McPhee, James "Blood" Ulmer, and singer Nenah Cherry.

This is their St. Louis debut, and there seems to be a good deal of interest in the show, so if you're planning on going, don't be late. For more about The Thing and some videos of their live performances, see this post from Saturday before last.

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present a free concert featuring trumpeter Randy Holmes' quintet playing 1940s and '50s bop in the style of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker, and guitarist/violinist Christopher Voelker of Dizzy Atmosphere leads a trio at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, March 23
Singer Denise Thimes (pictured, center left) who recently moved from St. Louis to Chicago and got a rave review from the Chicago Tribune for her first shows there, will be back home to present a tribute to Nina Simone in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

A few blocks away, Jeanne Trevor - another longtime favorite St. Louis female vocalist who, unfortunately, gigs infrequently these days - will perform with guitarist Dave Black and bassist Willem von Hombracht at The Judson House.

Also on Friday, pianist Ptah Williams will be in his usual spot at The Dark Room; the Gateway City Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran does the penultimate gig in his winter residency at Das Bevo Underground.

Saturday, March 24
Guitarist Charlie Hunter (pictured, bottom left) returns to lead a trio with singer Dara Tucker and drummer Damon Grant at Off Broadway; the New Orleans Suspects are back for another performance at the Broadway Oyster Bar; and trumpeter Jim Manley is playing at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, March 25
Miss Jubilee performs for brunch at Evangeline's; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with singer Kim Fuller and saxophonist Larry Johnson play a late-afternoon concert at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, and singer Mary Dyson is back with an early evening show at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Monday, March 26
Webster University's Student Jazz Combos will show off what they've learned this semester with a concert at the Community Music School.

Tuesday, March 27
Bassist Victor Wooten and his trio with drummer Dennis Chambers and saxophonist Bob Franceschini will perform at the Old Rock House.  Wooten, who played the Chesterfield Jazz Festival here last summer with his family band, the Wooten Brothers, currently is touring in support of his most recent album Trypnotyx, which was released last fall and features Chambers and Franceschini.  For more about that, and some videos of recent live performances of material from the album, see this post from last Saturday.

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.)

Charlie Hunter Trio to perform Saturday, March 24 at Off Broadway

Guitarist Charlie Hunter is returning to St. Louis for a performance with his trio at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, March 24 at Off Broadway.

Hunter (pictured) is known for his distinctive technique on seven-string guitar that enables him to play melodies, chords, and bass lines simultaneously.

His most recent recording is 2016's Everybody Has a Plan Until They Get Punched in the Mouth, and he last performed in St. Louis in November 2015 with the group Omaha Diner at Jazz at the Bistro.

Hunter's trio tour this spring will feature Nashville-based jazz vocalist Dara Tucker and percussionist Damon Grant, who's worked with performers ranging from bluesman Joe Louis Walker to funk trombonist Fred Wesley to pop diva Madonna.

Tickets for the Charlie Hunter Trio at Off Broadway are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and are on sale now via Off Broadway's website

Jazz this week: Pat Martino, Snarky Puppy, a tribute to Mae Wheeler, and more

This week's notable jazz and creative music shows in St. Louis include return appearances from a top guitarist and one of the hottest young bands in jazz, plus a rare visit from some prog-rock veterans and a tribute to a fondly remembered local vocalist and mentor. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 11
Guitarist Pat Martino (pictured, top left) returns to St. Louis for the first of four nights continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Martino's guitar/organ/drums trio continues to capture the classic sound and feel associated with that instrumentation, but the leader's harmonically adventurous playing also adds another dimension beyond the blues-based fare that's often a staple of the format. For some recent samples on video of Martino in action, see this post from last Saturday.

Also tonight, the band Stick Men, featuring former King Crimson members Tony Levin on Chapman Stick and Pat Mastelotto on drums, plus Stick player and guitarist Markus Reuter, performs at the Old Rock House; and pianist Pat Joyce plays at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, May 12
Trumpeter Jim Manley continues his regular Thursday night gig at Momo's Greek Restaurant, and the quartet Danbury Street plays at Nathalie's.

Friday, May 13
Pianist Carolbeth True's trio will team up with singer Kim Fuller to interpret material associated with Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, and more in "Songs from the Ladies," the first of two shows featuring True this weekend at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Friday, singer Joe Mancuso and Dave Black play at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel's newly renamed Sidecar Lounge (formerly Chaser's Lounge); The Sidemen return to Evangeline's; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, May 14
Carolbeth True and Two Times True will be joined by singer Debby Lennon for "Mercer, Mancini and Mandel" at the Ozark Theatre, while singer Erin Bode will provide the music for "A Night In The Stacks at SIUE,", a fundraiser held at the Lovejoy Library on the SIUE campus.

Sunday, May 15
The Oikos Ensemble will present "Earth Walk: A Concert for Mother Earth" at the First Congregational Church of Webster Groves.

Monday, May 16
The jazz/funk/world music ensemble Snarky Puppy returns to St. Louis to perform at The Ready Room,
with guitarist Charlie Hunter as opening act.

Now touring in support of the albums Family Dinner, Vol. II, which was released in February, and Culcha Vulcha, which came out a couple of weeks ago, Snarky Puppy (pictured, bottom left) has been moving up to larger venues in many cities they've played before, so this chance to see them here in a relatively small space may be the last for a while if their star continues to rise. In any event, even though the show is on a Monday, advance purchase of tickets is highly recommended.

Also on Monday, saxophonist Jerry Greene's Greene Jazz Project will play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, May 17 
Singer Wendy Gordon has recruited an eclectic lineup of St. Louis vocalists including longtime local favorite Jeanne Trevor for "A Tribute to Mae Wheeler" at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Also joining Gordon and Trevor for the "Unforgettable Legends" show will be singers Linda Kennedy, Diane Vaughan, Mary Dyson, Marty Adbullah, Jeff Hardin, and more.

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: Omaha Diner offers menu of reimagined hits

"You've got to have a gimmick" may be a hoary old show-business cliche, but there's still some truth to the idea. Building an act around a distinctive, easily understood concept can help a performer stand out, and as "gimmicks" go, the band Omaha Diner has a pretty good one.

The quartet - seven-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, single-named saxophonist Skerik, drummer Bobby Previte, and trumpeter Eric Bloom, in for original member Steven Bernstein - plays only songs that have hit number one on the Billboard pop charts, albeit in rearrangements that often bear only a passing resemblance to the originals.

St. Louis audiences will get their first chance to hear those remodeled hits in person next week when Omaha Diner plays next Wednesday, November 18 through Saturday, November 21 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Hunter certainly is no stranger to the Bistro, having played there several times in recent years. Skerik also has performed in St. Louis recently with The Dead Kenny Gs and Garage A Trois; and Bloom was here just a few weeks ago with the funk band Lettuce at the Pageant.

Next week's gigs, however, are the official St. Louis debut for Omaha Diner as a band, and so today we offer a video sampler of some of their decades-spanning songlist, starting up above with a cover of the Beatles' 1964 smash "I Feel Fine," recorded November 9, 2013 at the Aladdin Theater in Portland, OR.

After the jump, they're reaching back to 1972 with a version of the O'Jays' "Love Train," from a show in July, 2013 in Philadelphia.

Below that, there are re-imaginings of two hits from 1987: Terence Trent D'Arby's "Wishing Well," recorded on July 4 of this year at the High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, CA; and "Sweet Child O' Mine," made famous originally by Guns N' Roses and captured in a performance in November 2014 at the studios of KPLU in Seattle.

The same session at KPLU also yielded the last two videos, as Omaha Diner offers their takes on "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)," a hit for Beyoncé in 2008, and "Thrift Shop," a hip-hop-turned-pop smash for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis in 2012.

For more about Omaha Diner, read this review of a 2013 show in NYC, and this feature published last year in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Pollstar: Omaha Diner to perform November 18 - 21 at Jazz at the Bistro

The online touring information service Pollstar has just added a listing showing the group Omaha Diner performing Wednesday, November 18 through Saturday, November 21 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Formed in 2013, Omaha Diner (pictured) includes guitarist Charlie Hunter, who's played the Bistro before with several different configurations of musicians, along with drummer Bobby Previte, trumpeter Steven Bernstein, and the single-named saxophonist Skerik (who's played in St. Louis at a couple of different venues as part of the trio Garage A Trois, of which Hunter was a founding member).

As you'd expect from the backgrounds of the various members, Omaha Diner's music incorporates a variety of influences, from funk and fusion to punk rock and experimental jazz. However, their stated musical purpose (or gimmick, or unique selling proposition, depending on how you look at it) is to deconstruct pop music, playing only songs that have reached #1 on the Billboard charts.

You can get a idea of what that sounds like in the promotional video embedded below, or check out the versions of Macklemore's "Thrift Shop," Guns N' Roses "Sweet Child O' Mine" and Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" that they performed during a visit last November to radio station KPLU in Seattle.

As always with listings posted on Pollstar, dates should not be considered confirmed until officially announced by the venue or presenter. That said, the service has proved to be very accurate over the years, and given that Jazz St. Louis has said they plan to announce their 2015-16 season schedule next week, local listeners won't have to wait long for confirmation on this one, anyway.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Next Saturday, April 19 is the annual National Record Store Day, and as always, St. Louis' local music retailers will be celebrating in style. For the fourth consecutive year, yr. humble StLJN editor will be spinning tunes at Vintage Vinyl for an hour, starting at 4:00 p.m.. See the poster for the event (pictured) for the store's complete schedule of DJs and live bands.

* Want some free tickets to hear guitarist Charlie Hunter and drummer Scott Amendola this Sunday at the Old Rock House? The show's promoters are giving away three pairs in an online promotion; RSVP to the show's Facebook event for a chance to win.

* Modern dance company MADCO's production "Liquid Roads," which debuts this weekend at the Touhill and features trumpeter Brian Casserly leading an onstage band playing jazz and blues, was previewed by Calvin Wilson of the Post-Dispatch and Chris Gibson of Broadway World. 

* Trumpeter Carl Fischer, in town tonight to back singer/pianist Billy Joel at the Scottrade Center, was profiled by St. Louis magazine's Kim Aubuchon.

* Here's another review of Reeds Ramble, saxophonist and Webster U alum Chris Cheek's new disc with fellow saxophonist Seamus Blake, written for AllAboutJazz.com by Bruce Lindsay.

* Check out two recent interviews with trumpeter Russell Gunn, from the websites Capital Bop and iRockJazz.

* KWMU/St. Louis Public Radio is looking for St. Louisans who have memories of or stories about our town's yesteryear entertainment district Gaslight Square.

* KDHX's new headquarters in Grand Center was the subject of a feature story by Ruth Ezell on KETC's Living St. Louis.

* A brief reminder that Music for Lifelong Achievement is conducting a musical instrument drive this month to collect instruments for deserving but disadvantaged local music students. You can drop off a used or new musical instrument (or cash donation) at any performance this month at the Sheldon Concert Hall, or bring it to the hall during normal business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

* As Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis marks a full year on the air, the Post-Dispatch's Sarah Bryan Miller assesses the station's progress.

* Jazz radio update: And speaking of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, Calvin Wilson will celebrate the 50th installment of his program "Somethin' Else" this Saturday with encore spins of favorite tracks from Robert Glasper, Diana Krall, Joshua Redman, and more.

Right after than on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will have music from Down To The Bone, Pieces of a Dream, Nathan East, John Coltrane, Excursion, Jack Furlong, Jim Manley, The Silverman Brothers, Common Time and Joe Mancuso.

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

Jazz this week: The Wee Trio, Take 6, J.D. Parran & George Sams, Scott Kirby, Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola, and more

With spring appearing finally to have sprung here in St. Louis, it should be a fine weekend to get out and hear some live jazz and creative music, and fortunately, our local stages will be filled with intriguing possibilities. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly gig at  BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; Washington University's jazz studies students will perform a free concert to wrap up this semester's Jazz at Holmes series; the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center has a four-band bill topped by the Brazilian "punk rock with a bit of jazzy influence" band Lisabi; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues with actress/singer Taylor Pietz performing her show "If I Only Had a Brain" at the Gaslight Theater.

Tomorrow night, The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights officially celebrating the live album the group recorded there last year. For more about that, check this interview with Loomis from earlier this year on AllAboutJazz.com, and for some video samples of the Wee Trio in action, see this post from before their visit here last January.

Elsewhere around town, if you were hoping to see singer Storm Large's performance this weekend for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival but don't yet have tickets, you're out of luck, as both nights are sold out. Meanwhile, some spots may remain for the performance by vocal group Take 6 at Washington University Black Alumni Council's 30th anniversary dinner and concert in the Khorassan Ballroom of the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; click the "30th anniversary" link above for details.

There also should be some tickets remaining for MADCO's presentation of "Liquid Roads" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The modern dance company's latest and largest-ever production will be accompanied by a four-piece live band led by trumpeter Brian Casserly of Cornet Chop Suey, performing original songs and a variety of jazz, blues and gospel favorites. You can see a brief video about the show here, and read a preview story written by Terry Perkins for St. Louis Public Radio here.

And if all that's not enough for one night, there's also singer Joe Mancuso leading a trio at EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery; the St. Louis Big Band at the Casa Loma Ballroom; pianist Carolbeth True and  Two Times True at Robbie's House of Jazz; and the Charlie B Jazz'd Trio at Thurman Grill.

On Saturday, the sounds at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site will range from free improv to ragtime, as the venue hosts two concerts in one day. First up, multi-instrumentalist J.D. Parran returns home to team up with trumpeter George Sams for a matinee that serves as the spring finale for the Nu-Art Series, and then pianist Scott Kirby will take over for an early evening concert presented by the Friends of Scott Joplin.

Also on Saturday, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center continues their "Quiet Concert Series" with more new compositions from Mark Sarich and Greg Farough, as Farough continues his focus on "pure waveforms which interact with the natural resonance of rooms to form and slowly transform complex sonic relationships," while Sarich will present a new work utilizing the Schumann Resonance and text of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Elsewhere on Saturday, pianist Pauline Stark, saxophonist Willie Akins and singer Cici Ranek will perform in the old "Just Jazz" space at the Omni Majestic Hotel; guitarist Dave Black and singer Feyza Eren will play at Pomme Café & Wine Bar; the Jim Widner Trio with Jim Manley and Randy Bahr holds forth at the Fox & Hounds Tavern at the Cheshire Inn; and singer Sarah Jane of the Blue Notes, pianist Tim Garcia and saxophonist Jerry Greene are at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Sunday, Miss Jubilee begins what's projected to be a weekly jazz brunch at Evangeline's; and the "Inner Jazz" series at Kirkwood United Church of Christ continues with a free concert from guitarist Rick Haydon's quartet. StLJN also recently has learned that Freddie Washington is now leading a quartet in a weekly Sunday late afternoon session at Toast Time, 12781 New Halls Ferry Rd in Florissant, and no doubt the veteran saxophonist's many fans will welcome the opportunity to hear him regularly for as long as the gig continue. 

But the biggest names on Sunday arrive that evening, as guitarist Charlie Hunter and drummer Scott Amendola will be in town to perform a duo show at the Old Rock House. The two last fall released their second album together, Pucker, which focuses mostly on Amendola's compositions. But given Hunter's near-one-man-band capabilities and the inherent flexibility of the duo format, they certainly won't be limited to material from the recording. You can read a review of Pucker and hear a sample track here, and read an interview with Amendola from Modern Drummer magazine, in which he discusses his partnership with Hunter, here.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups. Then on Tuesday, Lindy Hop St. Louis's weekly swing dance at the Grandel Theatre will feature live music from Philadelphia's' Perseverance Jazz Band; and Common Time and Jesse Gannon & Truth will perform on a double-bill at Plush.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)


(Edited after posting to add the venue name for the "Quiet Concert" series.)

Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola to play Sunday, April 13 at Old Rock House

Guitarist Charlie Hunter and drummer Scott Amendola (pictured) are coming to St. Louis to perform a duo show at 8:30 p.m., Sunday, April 13 at the Old Rock House.

The two have been playing together since the 1990s, when they were two-thirds of Hunter's trio, and will be touring in support of their new album Pucker, which came out in November of last year.

It's their second release together, following up on 2012's Not Getting Behind Is The New Getting Ahead, but this time, they're featuring Amendola's compositions instead of Hunter's. The duo last appeared in St. Louis in July 2012 at Jazz at the Bistro; for more about that, check out this video showcase post about Hunter that ran here on StLJN before the gig.

Tickets for Charlie Hunter and Scott Amendola at the Old Rock House are $25 reserved, $17 general admission, and will go on sale at 5:00 p.m. this Thursday, February 6.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* As part of the campaign to save the historic Palladium Building (aka Club Plantation) in midtown, artist and author Kevin Belford has created some new images with a vintage look that liken the significance of the Palladium to that of New Orleans' Preservation Hall (pictured), Chicago's Green Mill, and Harlem's Cotton Club. Those who support preserving the building, which is scheduled to be razed for a parking lot, are being asked to email the Landmarks Association of St. Louis' Andrew B. Weil at aweil@stlouis.missouri.org.

* Rhino Records has announced plans to issue a newly compiled 2-CD "best of" anthology from saxophonist and St. Louis native David Sanborn on Tuesday, July 31.

* One of guitarist Charlie Hunter's sets last Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro was reviewed by KDHX's Wil Wander.

* The Meramec Jazz Band has posted a photo album on their Facebook page of their recent concert at Old Orchard Gazebo Park.

* Pianist and composer Jim Hegarty has posted a new entry in his "Creativity Is..." video interview series. This installment features a chat with John Tamm-Buckle, electronic musician and founder of Kvist Records. You can see a one-minute excerpt here, and the whole interview, which runs just over 15 minutes, here.

* The Regional Arts Commission (RAC) this week announced the results of a study showing that not-for-profit arts and culture organizations generated $582.3 million in total economic activity in St. Louis city and county in fiscal 2010, up 4 percent from fiscal 2005. That amount includes $313.3 million in spending by nonprofit arts and cultural organizations and $269.1 million in event-related spending by their audiences. You can see a .pdf of the study results here.

* And speaking of RAC, they're still looking for artists, musicians and other creative people living in the St. Louis region to take their "Artists Count" survey. Those who complete the online questionnaire by Monday, July 9 will be entered in a drawing to win a $200 iTunes gift card.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Guitarist Charlie Hunter was interviewed by Calvin Wilson of the Post-Dispatch. Hunter plays tonight and tomorrow night at Jazz at the Bistro, and also is doing a master class Saturday afternoon at City Music.

* Keyboardist Michael Silverman (pictured) of Bach to the Future was featured in an article by the Post-Dispatch's Joe Holleman. The article focused on Silverman's role as a adoptive parent, and a song he wrote to promote international adoptions.

* StLJN is sorry to report that pianist and teacher Henry Burns, who mentored many East St. Louis musicians during his 27 years as band director at George Rogers Clark Junior High School, died on June 11 in Granite City. He was 72. You can read Burns' obit, including comments from former students like pianist Reggie Thomas, here.

* The KDHX website has just profiled All Soul, No Borders host Josh Weinstein.

* Dennis Owsley's latest blog entry for St. Louis magazine focuses on the consequences of the declining number of jazz DJs on broadcast radio.

* The Funky Butt Brass Band has posted online an album of photos from their concert last week at Carondelet Park.

* A track from pianist Jim Hegarty, bassist Willem von Hombracht and drummer Shane Robles was featured on Taran Singh's Free Jazz Hour podcast.

* Looks like the proposed Miles Davis feature film starring Don Cheadle finally has a director. It's Antoine Fuqua, whose previous films include the Denzel Washington vehicle Training Day and Brooklyn's Finest.

* And speaking of Davis, here's a report from the scene of last week's first day issue ceremony for the new stamp featuring the trumpeter, as well as local reaction stories from Fox 2 News and the Belleville News-Democrat.

* Finally, in one more bit of Davis-related news, Pride Incorporated - the Alton-based civic improvement group involved in trying to bring a statue of Davis to the town where he was born - has begun talking with artists about a potential design.

(Edited after posting to add the Dennis Owsley link and some tags. Edited again 9/9/12 to fix a broken link and a typo.)

Jazz this week: Charlie Hunter, Hamiet Bluiett, "Cool Like That: A Tribute to Miles Davis," and more

It's the first official week of summer, and there are plenty of jazz-related events coming up in and around St. Louis over the next seven days. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, the inaugural St Lou Fringe Festival opens with an evening of performances that will include the first of four stagings of Cool Like That: A Tribute to Miles Davis, an event that incorporates spoken word, music, and dance to pay tribute to the legendary trumpeter.

Also tonight, there's another jazz-meets-theater experience in the offing as Stages St. Louis' production of the Fats Waller musical Ain't Misbehavin' continues through the weekend (and on until the end of the month). Other gigs tonight include saxophonist Jim Stevens playing an early set at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; and singer Tony Viviano performing at Fortel's, 15483 Clayton Rd. in Ballwin.

On Friday, guitarist Charlie Hunter returns to St. Louis to open a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro. Known for his distinctive technique that lets him play melody, chords and basslines all at once, Hunter will be performing in a duo with drummer Scott Amendola. For more about Hunter, and lots of video footage of him in action, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, singer Erin Bode plays a free outdoor concert sponsored by Ferguson CityWalk at the Plaza at 501, 501 S. Florissant Rd; trumpeter Jim Manley brings a quartet to Robbie's House of Jazz; guitarist Dave Black will lead a trio at Cigar Inn; and singer Anita Jackson will perform at Jazz on Broadway.

On Saturday afternoon, Hunter will present a master class at City Music; see the link for enrollment details.

Then on Saturday night, there are a couple more free outdoor events on tap, as the Gateway City Big Band plays a free concert at Kirkwood Amphitheater; and the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis will present a free screening of the 1967 Jacques Tati film Play Time with live musical accompaniment from guitarist Curt Brewer, bassist Ben Wheeler, and drummer Marty Morrison.

Also on Saturday, Robbie's will feature a tribute to Billie Holiday from singer Sarah Jane Ulrich and saxophonist Jerry Greene.

On Sunday, the Saint Louis Jazz Club presents the Funky Butt Brass Band in a matinee concert at the Doubletree Hotel at Westport. When that winds down, you should have enough time to get over to the Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, where the Dave Dickey Big Band will be playing their monthly show, joined this time by special guest trumpeter Roger Ingram.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday drummer Rob Silverman (of Bach to the Future) and his band will play a free concert at Heman Park in University City, and on Tuesday (see update below), the Tavern of Fine Arts presents their monthly "Avant Garde Arts Night" featuring improvised live music. UPDATE, 11:30 p.m., 6/25/12: The Tavern of Fine Arts' "Avant Garde Arts Night" now has been moved from the fourth Tuesday to the the fourth Thursday of every month, starting this week.

Last, but by no means least, next Wednesday night the great baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett (pictured) will perform a free outdoor concert as part of the Whitaker Music Festival series at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Bluiett's local gigs are rare enough that any one of them can be considered an occasion, but this one should be particularly special, as he'll be leading an all-star band that is scheduled to include pianist D.D. Jackson, bassist William Parker and drummer Hamid Drake.

Bluiett remains one of the most influential and important modern players on his chosen instrument, and with three such distinguished and experienced collaborators, the sparks really ought to be flying on Wednesday night. If you've heard Bluiett play before, you're likely already making plans to be there. If you haven't heard him, this is your chance to check out a truly world-class musician and St. Louis legend for free, and you definitely should take advantage of the opportunity.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

(Edited after posting.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The return of Charlie Hunter

After a couple of Saturdays presenting historic videos, this week we're back on the straight-up "coming attractions" tip, and the featured artist is guitarist Charlie Hunter, who's returning to St. Louis next week to perform Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Hunter's been a relatively frequent visitor here in recent years, appearing at the Bistro in January, 2009 and again in January, 2011. (You can see more video of Hunter in a couple of Saturday posts that preceded those gigs, here and here. Also, for a bit more of his back story, check out this piece about Hunter that I wrote last year for the Riverfront Times.)

This time around Hunter will be performing in a duo format, just him and a drummer. That's the configuration we're spotlighting today, starting up above with a tune called "Rendezvous Avec la Vérité" that appears to have been recorded a few years back, not long after Hunter's 1999 collaboration with drummer Leon Parker. Down below, you can see Hunter and drummer Adam Cruz playing the guitarist's “Ode To My Honda Odyssey" at the 2011 Long Beach New York Jazz Festival.

Following that, it's Hunter and Derrek Phillips performing “Tamp ‘Em Up Solid," from Hunter's Public Domain project, last June at a venue called Molly Malone's in Covington, KY. In the fourth spot, Hunter and drummer Geoff Clapp tackle “Swamba Redux,” a tune by Hunter and saxophonist John Ellie, in a clip recorded in April of this year.

We close out with a couple of solo pieces featuring Hunter, a version of the Stylistics' "People Make The World Go Round," taped this past February in Brooklyn, NY, followed by an undated performance of "Someday We'll All Be Free," which was composed by St. Louis native Donny Hathaway.

Charlie Hunter to present master class on Saturday, June 23 at City Music

Guitarist Charlie Hunter, who's known for his ability to play leads, chords and basslines simultaneously on a custom-built seven-string guitar, will present a master class at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, June 23 at City Music and Education Center, 9299 Watson Rd. Hunter (pictured) will be in St. Louis that weekend to perform Friday and Saturday nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

The master class is open to vocalists and instrumentalists of all types, not just guitar players. Attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments, and Hunter will "address topics important to all musicians, including understanding and articulating rhythm and groove, use of counterpoint, and much more."

The cost of the Charlie Hunter master class is $25 per person. To register for the event, please call City Music director of education Brian Vaccaro at 314-961-8700 or email him at brian @ citymusicstl.com.

(Edited 6/6/12 to correct the address of City Music.)

Jazz St. Louis announces summer schedule for Jazz at the Bistro

Jazz St. Louis has just released information on the summer 2012 schedule for Jazz at the Bistro. The lineup feature mostly local acts, with two touring musicians and the return of a couple of favorite expats thrown in for good measure.

One of the touring musicians is saxophonist Tim Warfield, who will be a guest performer with the student musicians from JSL's JazzU program when they open the summer season on Friday, June 1 and Saturday June 2.

Also of note, guitarist Charlie Hunter (pictured) will be making a return visit to the Bistro this summer, performing on Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23. And former St. Louisans Reggie and Mardra Thomas, the husband-and-wife piano/vocal team who moved last summer to Michigan, will return home to play the Bistro on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7.

Here's the complete summer schedule:

Friday, June 1 & Saturday, June 2: JazzU with special guest Tim Warfield
Friday, June 8 & Saturday, June 9: Erin Bode
Friday, June 15 & Saturday, June 16: Tim Cunningham
Friday, June 22 & Saturday, June 23: Charlie Hunter Duo
Friday, June 29 & Saturday, June 30: Denise Thimes
Friday, July 6 & Saturday, July 7: Reggie & Mardra Thomas
Friday, July 13 & Saturday, July 14: Good 4 The Soul
Friday, July 20 & Saturday, July 21: Willie Akins/Montez Coleman Group
Friday, July 27 & Saturday, July 28: Musica Slesa

Depending on the show, ticket prices for Jazz at the Bistro's summer schedule range from $20 to $30 for adults and $10 to $15 for students. Tickets will go on sale at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, May 8 via Metrotix.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Veteran freelance scribe Terry Perkins talked with singer/songwriter/guitarist Javier Mendoza for a St. Louis Beacon story previewing Mendoza's shows this weekend at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Meanwhile, St. Louis American editor Chris King interviewed bassist Stanley Clarke about his gig next weekend at the Bistro.

* Radio host, author and photographer Dennis Owsley has a new post this week on St. Louis magazine's Look/Listen blog looking at big bands in the St. Louis area.

* Gutiarist Charlie Hunter, who was in town last week to play the Bistro, also stopped by the studios of KPLR (Channel 11) for a brief interview and performance segment, which has been archived online here.

* Washington University's Gerald Early will serve as moderator and host for a discussion with Ellis Marsalis (pictured) when the veteran New Orleans pianist (and father of Wynton, Branford, Jason and Delfeayo Marsalis) appears next month in Columbia, MO to perform for the We Always Swing concert series.

The discussion, with Q&A session and reception afterward, will take place at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, February 12 in the Monsanto Auditorium of the Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center on the Mizzou campus. The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited; call 573-449-3001 to reserve a spot. Marsalis and his trio, including son Jason on drums, will perform at 8:00 p.m. the next evening, Sunday, February 13, at the Windsor Ballroom of the Holiday Inn Select in Columbia. Tickets are $20-$35, and can be bought through Ticketmaster or by calling the We Always Swing offices.

* The jazz bands from Webster Groves Middle and High Schools have rescheduled their "Cool Nights, Hot Jazz" concert at The Pageant for Thursday, February 3. The performance, which is a fundraiser for the jazz program in Webster Groves schools, originally was scheduled for last week but was postponed due to snow.

Charlie Hunter interview now online

Guitarist Charlie Hunter (pictured) is back in St. Louis this week to play at Jazz at the Bistro, and in anticipation of his appearance, last week I was able to talk with him about his current trio for a brief feature/interview published today on the Riverfront Times' A to Z music blog.

You can read that article here.