Jazz this week: Samora Pinderhughes, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the local debut of a much-talked-about young pianist and composer, the return of one of the jam-band circuit's funk-jazz favorites, and more.

Let's go to the highlights....

Wednesday, July 19
Drummer Kevin Bowers will reconvene the large cast of his Brazilian-influenced, imaginary-movie-soundtrack project NOVA in a free concert for the Missouri Botanical Garden's Whitaker Music Festival. 

Elsewhere around town, though the Curtain Call Lounge has withdrawn from the "Grand Center Jazz Crawl," - apparently permanently, according to StLJN's source - the event goes on as usual, with live jazz and no cover charge at three locations in the district. 

This week, you can hear guitarist Tom Byrne and keyboardist Nathan Jatcko this week at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe; the jam session with bassist Bob DeBoo and friends at Kranzberg Arts Center; and two separate shows at The Dark Room at the Grandel Theatre, with saxophonist Lew Winer playing from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor from 9:00 p.m. to midnight.

Thursday July 20
Pianist and composer Samora Pinderhughes (pictured, top left) with special guest trumpeter Christian Scott will perform at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation.

NPR devoted an episode of "Jazz Night in America" earlier this year to Pinderhughes' debut recording The Transformations Suite, and this will be his first St. Louis gig as a bandleader, playing music "inspired by" the soundtrack he wrote for the documentary film Whose Streets?. For more about Pinderhughes, and his socially-conscious brand of jazz, plus the complete Transformations Suite and some other performances on video, see this post from last Saturday. 

Also in the Grand Center district, Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Broadway Open Mic," temporarily relocated to The Stage at KDHX; and saxophonist Ben Reece’s Unity Quartet will perform at The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, the Funky Butt Brass Band will play a free show outside the St. Louis Public Library downtown, and drummer Maurice Carnes leads a group featuring Dallas pianist Myles Tate in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, July 21
Saxophonist Karl Denson's Tiny Universe returns for an early-evening outdoor show at the Atomic Cowboy Pavilion. Though the heat is expected to be stifling, expect a big audience of young fans ready to party with Denson's crowd-friendly grooves.

For a look at what Denson and Tiny Universe (pictured, bottom left) have been up to since they were in St. Louis a year ago, check out this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also on Friday, drummer Montez Coleman celebrates his birthday with the first of two nights of shows at Jazz at the Bistro. He'll be joined by a band including Adaron Pops Jackson (organ), Adam Maness (piano), Eric Slaughter (guitar), Jason Swagler (alto sax), and Ben Wheeler (bass), with Anita Jackson singing on Friday night and Brian Owens on Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran will play a free show at Ritz Park on South Grand; singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black return to The Wolf in Ballwin; and Wack-A-Doo will play swing, vintage jazz and Americana at Evangeline's.

Saturday, July 22
Dizzy Atmosphere returns to Missouri Botanical Garden for another "Garden of Glass" event; The WirePilots will have multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman as their special guest for a performance at the Webster Groves Concert Hall; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe.

Sunday, July 23
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents the St. Louis Stompers in a matinee performance at the Moolah Shrine Center, and Community Women Against Hardship's summer benefit at Ferring Jazz Bistro will feature Detroit-based saxophonist Yancyy with an ensemble including singer Anita Jackson, pianist Tony Suggs, bassist Jeff Anderson, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Monday, July 24
Trumpeter Jim Manley will play for diners and drinkers at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, July 25
Pianist Pat Joyce returns to Evangeline's, and saxophonist "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective will be back for their monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

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

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

Jazz this week: A benefit starring Johnny O'Neal, free outdoor concerts, and more

It's mid-summer in St. Louis, and though as usual for this time year, it's mostly another slow week with regard to touring musicians visiting St. Louis, the fine pianist and singer Johnny O'Neal (pictured) will be in town for a benefit show on Sunday.

And of course, St. Louis' hometown musicians keep on keepin' on no matter what, with a variety of jazz and creative music performances happening around town over the next few days.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 27
The Grand Center "jazz crawl" starts this week with singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe, and continues as usual with bassist Bob DeBoo and friends at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's trio at The Dark Room.

Thursday, July 28
Singer Erin Bode will perform in a free outdoor concert at Kirkwood Station Plaza in downtown Kirkwood, and bassist Glen Smith will lead a trio in a concert at Tisch Commons in the Danforth University Center at Washington University, wrapping up this year's free "Jazz in July" concerts from Wash U's Jazz at Holmes series.

Also on Thursday, singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran and his Guerrilla Strings will be recording in public view at the Gaslight Lounge; and this month's edition of the Bruxism experimental music series, with Blank Thomas, Alberto Patino, Schievvf, will be presented at the Schlafly Tap Room.

Friday, July 29
Soul-jazz/funk quartet The Service returns for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro; and guitarists Farshid Soltanshahi and Dave Black will team up with multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman for a concert at Focal Point.

Elsewhere around town, the Midwest Jazz-tette performs West Coast-style cool jazz at Evangeline's; Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and trumpeter Jim Manley will be back at One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Also on Friday, singer Ken Haller presents his cabaret performance "The TV Show" at The Emerald Room at The Monocle. Haller will return to the same venue on Saturday night to perform his show "Song by Song by Sondheim".

Saturday, July 30
Take your pick of R&B-influenced saxophonists doing free outdoor concerts, as Tim Cunningham performs at Carondelet Park while Jim Stevens plays at Lafayette Park.

Also on Saturday, the Funky Butt Brass Band will play their monthly gig at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

Sunday, July 31
The Community Women Against Hardship will present their annual jazz benefit concert at the Ferring Jazz Bistro, this year featuring pianist and singer Johnny O'Neal.

The Detroit native, now based in NYC after many years living in Alabama, has been compared to Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum. Now 59 years old, O'Neal worked early in his career with Clark Terry and Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, but geography, bad health, and bad luck mostly kept him from gaining wider recognition until this decade, when he re-established his presence on the NYC scene with weekly gigs in Manhattan.

For this show, O'Neal will be accompanied by a contingent of St. Louisans including singer Anita Jackson, guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Jeff Anderson, and drummer Jerome “Scrooge” Harris.

Monday, August 1
Singer and impresisonist Dean Christopher will present his "Rat Pack & More" show at One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Tuesday, August 2
The Jazz Troubadours, featuring vibraphonist Tom Rickard, bassist Guy Cantonwine, and drummer Steve Helfand, have begun a weekly Tuesday late-night gig and jam session at Evangeline's, continuing until further notice.

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

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

Jazz this week: Marcus Roberts, Bethany Pickens, a tribute to Lee Morgan, and more

This week's schedule of jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis features performances from two talented touring pianists, as well as an eclectic assortment of shows featuring local bands and musicians. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, February 17
Pianist Marcus Roberts and his trio (pictured, top left) will play the first of four nights continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

After first gaining wide attention in the 1980s as a member of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis' band, Roberts has evolved into something of a keeper of the jazz piano tradition, incorporating re-imaginations of the works of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Jelly Roll Morton, Fats Waller, and many other historically important pianists into his sets alongside his original material.

His last gigs in St. Louis were in 2012 and 2014 at The Sheldon, and compared to the relatively concise format required in a concert hall performance, playing eight sets this week at the Bistro should give Roberts ample opportunity to delve into that extensive catalog of tunes.

The pianist's conception of his trio also includes giving ample solo space to his bandmates, longtime drummer Jason Marsalis and bassist Rodney Jordan. For more about that, and what else to expect from him this week, read Roberts' comments in the preview story written by Calvin Wilson for the Post-Dispatch.

Also tonight, Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Open Mic Night" at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, February 18
Singer Eve Seltzer (pictured, center left) will make her cabaret debut at The Monocle with an evening of songs tracing St. Louis jazz history that she's calling "Going Back to Gaslight Square"; and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis and his band will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, February 19
Trumpeter Kasimu Taylor will pay tribute to an influential trumpeter of the hard bop era with "Here's Lee Morgan - The Music of A Jazz Legend" at the Kranzberg Arts Center. The songlist will include Morgan's signature 1960s hit “The Sidewinder” plus other tunes such as “Ceora” and “Since I Fell for You” that are associated with him, as interpreted by Taylor, tenor saxophonist Kwanae Johnson, pianist Adam Maness, bassist Ben Wheeler, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee will perform in concert at Alton's Jacoby Arts Center; and Second Generation Swing plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, February 20
Kansas City's Shades of Jade, an up-and-coming act led by trumpeter and former St. Louisan Joshua Williams that mixes jazz with hip-hop and neo-soul, will return to St. Louis for a concert presented by Robbie's House of Jazz at Kranzberg Arts Center.

Also on Saturday, twenty-four St. Louis drummers and percussionists will pair up for a dozen duo performances in "Drummers Only Deux", a benefit show raising money for the International Institute St. Louis and the Organization for Black Struggle at The Luminary; guitarist Vincent Varvel leads a trio at the house concert venue KindaBlue Club, and percussionist Herman Semidey's Orquesta Son Montuno will play salsa and Latin jazz at Club Viva.

Sunday, February 21
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents pianist Bob Row and friends playing traditional jazz and swing in a matinee concert at the DoubleTree Hotel at Westport, and pianist Bethany Pickens (pictured, bottom left), daughter of the fine Chicago pianist Willie Pickens, will be the featured performer at a benefit for Community Women Against Hardship at the Ferring Jazz Bistro.

Monday, February 22
The Webster University Jazz Collective, featuring members of the university's jazz faculty, will perform music by Bob Mintzer, Thad Jones, Don Sebesky and more at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jazz this week: Mary Stallings, Erin Bode, Dalton Ridenhour, and more

With Valentine's Day and the annual Mardi Gras parade falling on the same Saturday this year, there's a bountiful selection of jazz and creative music performances on tap this weekend in St. Louis. Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, February 12
Guitarist Tim Fischer will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and bassist Willem von Hombracht and saxophonist Eric Schugren will duet at Thurman Grill.

Friday, February 13
Singer Erin Bode (pictured, top left) returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights of performances, backed by an ensemble including her husband, bassist Syd Rodway, plus pianist Kara Baldus, guitarist Dave Black and drummer Mark Colenburg.

Notably absent will be multi-instrumentalist Adam Maness, a mainstay of Bode's group for a decade who in recent months has gotten increasingly busy with The 442s and other personal projects. In addition to it being Valentine's Day weekend, longtime fans of Bode no doubt will interested to hear what effects the changes to her long-running backing band will have on her sound, so reservations would seem to be a must for this one.

Elsewhere around town, Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; saxophonist Tim Cunningham will take the stage for the first of two nights at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and percussionist Herman Semidey's Orquesta Son Montuno will bring their Latin sound to Club Viva.

Saturday, February 14
This year, although the Mardi Gras parade celebration once again will feature mostly DJs and rock cover bands, organizers have thrown a bone to the musical-authenticity contingent by booking the Funky Butt Brass Band for an early afternoon outdoor set at 9th and Geyer in Soulard. Later in the day, the FBBB will head to the Old Rock House for a split-bill show with R&B group Al Holliday and the East Side Rhythm Band.

Also on Saturday, the Friends of Scott Joplin will present pianist Dalton Ridenhour (pictured, center left), fresh from this week's ragtime festival activities in Sedalia, in a performance at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Elsewhere around town that evening, singers Liz Callaway (sister of St. Louis fave Ann Hampton Callaway) and Jason Graae will present their cabaret show "Happily Ever Laughter: A Valentine's Party" at the 560 Music Center; and singer Danita Mumphard will offer her own Valentine's Day show, "Love's Taking Over," at Orlando Gardens in Maryland Heights.

Also, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes are playing for a "St. Valentine's/Mardi Gras Speakeasy Party" at singer Sarah Ulrich's South Broadway HQ, the Deco Fortress; and the Schlafly Tap Room will present a triple-bill of eclectic sounds featuring the Gypsy jazz of Dizzy Atmosphere, contemporary composition and improv from the Vernacular String Trio, and "folk opera" from May Day Orchestra. 

Sunday, February 15
St. Louis Jazz Club presents a matinee performance featuring pianist Bob Row and friends at the Sheraton Westport Hotel.

Later that afternoon, Community Women Against Hardship's annual benefit concert will feature a performance from singer Mary Stallings at Jazz at the Bistro. Stallings (pictured, lower left) made several St. Louis appearances in the early 2000s while signed to the locally based MAXJAZZ label, but hasn't performed here since 2007. For this gig, the San Francisco native will be backed by pianist David Udolf plus a local rhythm section including Jeff Anderson on bass, Jerome "Scrooge" Harris on drums, and Eric Slaughter on guitar.

Also on Sunday, BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups will feature a matinee from percussionist Joe Pastor's group, plus an early evening show in which Good 4 The Soul and saxophonist Jim Stevens will offer an encore of their tribute to the music of David Sanborn.

Monday, February 16
Trumpeter Jim Manley has added another recurring weekly gig to his schedule, playing each Monday at  Momo's Greek Restaurant in University City, while the Sessions Big Band will return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, February 17
Saxophonist Christopher Braig, bassist Willem von Hombracht, guitarist Dave Black and singer Joe Mancuso will offer a "Tribute to John Coltrane" at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and the Fat Tuesday parade celebration wraps up with the Funky Butt Brass Band and zydeco ensemble The Boudin Brothers at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

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

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

Jazz this week: Erik Jekabsen, Shana Tucker, Kimmie Horne, and more

Although it's summer vacation season, and jazz gigs in and around St. Louis are somewhat fewer than usual as a result, there still are plenty of shows worth hearing - if, as we're fond of saying around these parts,  you know where to find them.

Here, then, are a few suggestions for the next several days...

Tonight, trumpeter Erik Jekabson's quintet will play a free concert on the Washington University campus for the Jazz at Holmes series. Because of construction, this summer's "Jazz in July" concerts are being presented in Tisch Commons of the Danforth University Center, 6475 Forsyth Blvd.

Also tonight, Irish blues/jazz guitarist and singer Nigel Mooney, fresh off a performance Wednesday night at Missouri Botanical Garden, will team up with St. Louis guitarist Vince Martin for a gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and guitarist Dave Black and band are playing at Nathalie’s.

On Friday, the Funky Butt Brass Band will play an outdoor concert at Jefferson Barracks Park amphitheater, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the St. Louis Backstoppers.

Also on Friday, singer Wendy Gordon and pianist Arthur Toney will duet at the Tavern of Fine Arts; the Original Knights of Swing will play at Casa Loma Ballroom; and trumpeter Jim Manley and pianist Kara Baldus are at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

On Saturday, singer and multi-instrumentalist Shana Tucker (pictured) will make her St. Louis debut at the Kranzberg Arts Center. Tucker, who alternates between personal projects and work-for-hire playing cello and singing for Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas, really is more of a jazz-influenced singer-songwriter than a straight-up jazz musician, but she's a talent to watch. Find our more about her and see some performance videos in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Saturday, saxophonist Jim Stevens and band will play a free outdoor concert at Lafayette Park; Wack-A-Doo will perform at Urban Chestnut Brewing Company downtown; and Miss Jubilee will be swinging for the dancers down at Casa Loma Ballroom.

On Sunday, Community Women Against Hardship (CWAH) will hold their annual jazz brunch fundraiser, with this year's event moved to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups due to the ongoing construction at Jazz at the Bistro.

The benefit will feature music from singer Kimmie Horne, grand-niece of the legendary Lena Horne, backed by a band led by drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris and including Jeff Anderson (tenor sax), Matt Villinger (piano), and Ben Wheeler (bass). (Advance reservations can be made via the CWAH website, and are strongly recommended.)

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday, singer Dean Christopher brings his "Rat Pack and More" show back to One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar; and on Tuesday, pianist and singer Jesse Gannon is now doing a regular weekly gig with his band Truth at The Engine 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.)

Willie Pickens to play jazz brunch benefit for CWAH on Sunday, February 9

Willie Pickens, the veteran pianist and mainstay of the Chicago jazz scene, is coming to St. Louis as the featured performer for a jazz brunch benefiting the not-for-profit organization Community Women Against Hardship.

Perhaps best known outside Chicago for his work with the legendary drummer Elvin Jones, Pickens (pictured) will join a group of St. Louis musicians led by drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris for CWAH's annual Black History Month event, which will be held at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, February 9 at the Bistro at Grand Center, 3536 Washington Blvd.

In addition to Pickens and Harris, the ensemble will include saxophonist Freddie Washington, singer Anita Jackson and bassist Bob DeBoo. Students from Harris' Institute for the Advancement of Jazz Study & Performance also will perform as part of the event.

Tickets are $60 for reserved seating, which includes a free CD, or $40 for general admission. All tickets include brunch, which will be served at 1:30 p.m., followed by the performance at 2:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, call 314-289-7523 or visit CWAH's website.