More on Cookie's closing

This is the final weekend for Webster Groves music venue Cookie's Jazz and More, and I talked with owner Harold Whitfield about the club's closing for a story now posted on the Riverfront Times music blog A to Z. Learn more about why the club is closing and why it may not be the end of jazz in the space being vacated by reading the whole article here.

Jazz this week: Jacky Terrasson, Manhattan Transfer, the final week for Cookie's, and more

The week before Christmas is a busy one for many people, but if you've got the time, and are willing to brave the colder-than-usual weather, there's definitely some music worth hearing around St. Louis over the next few days, starting with the two well-known touring jazz headliners who will be in town this weekend.

First up, there's pianist Jacky Terrasson (pictured), who opens a four-night stand tonight at Jazz at the Bistro and continues through Saturday. You can find out more about Terrasson and see some video clips of him performing in this post from last Saturday.

Then on Friday, the singing group Manhattan Transfer once again brings their annual holiday show to the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Some jazz critics find the Transfer's slickness a bit off-putting, but I've always enjoyed them for what they are, and in an era when so many singers seem to traffic exclusively in melismatic over-emoting, their overall musicality and general good taste in songs, musicians and arrangements stands out even more.

This also marks the final week for the Webster Groves music venue Cookie's Jazz and More, which is closing after Saturday's show. (There is potential for the space to reopen under new ownership; more about that in an upcoming post.) The club's final three nights will feature a jam session with Sound Unlimited on Thursday; Trio Tres Bien with singer Danita Mumphard on Friday; and a no-cover-charge evening of smooth jazz with Three Central on Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, on Thursday singer Erin Bode returns to the Tenderloin Room (inside the Chase-Park Plaza Hotel). Somehow, Bode's delicate vocals seem like they'd be a mismatch for the Tenderloin's old-school steakhouse atmosphere, but this is, in fact, just the latest in a series of gigs for her there, so obviously it must be working out OK for both band and venue.

On Friday, Louisiana-based steel guitarist Dave Easley will be sitting in with the Dave Stone Trio during their regular Friday gig at Mangia Italiano. Easley's got some nice credits - he's performed and/or recorded with a wide variety of jam bands and jazz artists, including the Brian Blade Fellowship, Dave Liebman, Kenny Garrett, Howard Levy, Charlie Byrd, Seamus Blake, Dr. John, members of the String Cheese Incident, the Greyboy Allstars and Tiny Universe, and more. The slippery sound of steel guitar ought to provide an interesting complement to Stone's somewhat elliptical style on tenor sax, and given Easley's diverse experiences and Stone's willingness to go outside as well as inside, I'm thinking this gig very well could be the hidden gem of the week. In an email telling StLJN about Easley's sit-in, drummer Kyle Honeycutt also notes that Stone's trio plays until 2:30 a.m., which is good news for those in search of late-night sounds.

On Saturday afternoon, you can check out a couple of free in-store performances at Webster Records, which will host sets from singer and pianist Anita Rosamond at 1:00 p.m. and guitarist Art Ruprecht at 3:00 p.m.. On Sunday night, the St. Louis New Jazz Xtet continues their weekly gig at Riddle's, and on Monday, the Sessions Big Band is back at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

Due to the Christmas holiday, the next "Jazz this week" post likely will go up late next Monday or early Tuesday. In the meantime, you can find more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond by visiting 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 delete a sentence fragment.)

Jazz this week: Harry Connick Jr, Nnenna Freelon, Steve Schenkel & Ashley Mason, Kim Portnoy Trio, St. Louis Rivermen and more

It's a potentially busy week for fans of jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with two major touring headliners in town, a lot of activity from local musicians, and holiday-themed concerts a-plenty, too.

Let's go to the highlights, starting with singer Nnenna Freelon, (pictured) who's in town to perform at Jazz at the Bistro tonight through Saturday. For more about Freelon and some video clips of her in action, see this post from last Saturday.

The other major name in town this week is ever-popular singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr., who will brings his big band's holiday show to the Fox Theatre on Sunday. Connick Jr. has a new Christmas CD out this year, so look for Sunday's concert to draw heavily on that material as well as from his previous holiday albums.

On the local front, guitarist Steve Schenkel and singer Ashley Mason will perform material from their new Christmas CD A Midnight Clear in a free concert Thursday night for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. Also on Thursday, singer Jeanne Trevor and pianist Dave Venn headline a holiday-themed show at the Black Cat Theatre in Maplewood.

On Friday night, keyboardist Mo Egeston and trombonist Lamar Harris bring their new collaborative band The Urban Groov Project to Brandt's. And on Saturday, trumpeter Randy Holmes and his Quintet featuring singer and flute player Margaret Blanchetta will perform a tribute to the music of Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson at Cookie's Jazz and More.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents the traditional jazz sounds of the St. Louis Rivermen in a matinee concert at the Moolah Shrine Center, 12545 Fee Fee Rd. That evening, the Kim Portnoy Trio, featuring the leader on piano, Ric Vice on bass and Kevin Gianino on drums with Steve Schenkel as special guest guitarist, will perform a program of original compositions at Eliot Chapel, 216 E. Argonne in Kirkwood. (A portion of proceeds from the show will go to benefit the Eliot Music Fund.)

Monday finds the Sessions Big Band back at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups, and there are three noteworthy events on Tuesday, starting in the morning when Swing Set plays a 10:00 a.m. "Coffee Concert" at the Sheldon Concert Hall. (The same program will be repeated at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday.)

Tuesday evening, the Jazz St. Louis CD Listening Club has its monthly meeting, this time to discuss the Louis Armstrong CD from the series of albums issued in conjunction with Ken Burns' PBS series "Jazz." Radio and television personality/jazz advocate Don Wolff and jazz journalist Terry Perkins will host and moderate the event, which takes place at the Brentwood location of Borders, 1519 S. Brentwood Blvd. That same night, the Gerry Mulligan/Bob Brookmeyer-inspired band Utter Chaos returns to The Gramophone.

On Wednesday, Squid Choir Orkestra brings their mix of free jazz and "power electronics" back to the Way Out Club, 2525 S. Jefferson, as the middle act on a bill that includes electronic improv group Worm Hands and avant-rockers Skarekrau Radio.

You can find more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond by visiting 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: Peter White with Rick Braun and Mindy Abair, Jeremy Davenport, Denise Thimes, and more

The Thanksgiving holiday means a somewhat reduced level of activity on local concert stages (and a holiday posting schedule here at StLJN) but there are still some noteworthy jazz and creative music events happening in St. Louis this weekend:

Let's start with trumpeter, singer and St. Louis native Jeremy Davenport (pictured), who returns home from New Orleans to perform at Jazz at the Bistro on Friday and Saturday, plus a matinee on Sunday to benefit PAN CAN, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. For much more on Davenport, see thhis post.

Also on Friday, pianist Peter Henderson is performing John Cage's "Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano" in a free concert at the Grigg Gallery of the St. Louis Art Museum.

The on Saturday, Trio Tres Bien with singer Danita Mumphard are at Cookie's Jazz and More in Webster Groves, and Clave de Sol, featuring pianist Phil Gomez, plays Latin jazz at Brandt's in University City.

On Sunday afternoon, singer Denise Thimes will perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall in what as being billed as a "women only" benefit for the Mildred Thimes Foundation, which supports pancreatic cancer research and awareness. Thimes will sing during the first half of the show, with the second half given over to spoken word performer Sharon McGhee, who will do a piece called "The Pocketbook Monologues."

Then on Sunday night, guitarist Peter White brings the 2009 edition of his Christmas show to The Pageant. White has been doing a holiday show for several years now using different smooth jazz musicians as co-headliners, and this year's featured guest stars are trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonist Mindi Abair.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band is back at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups downtown, and Tuesday saxophonist Bennett Wood returns to The Gramophone.

You can find more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond by visiting 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: Notes from the dog days

It's still the dog days of August in St. Louis, and thus still one of the slower times of the year for jazz in our town, but if you're in the mood to hear some music over the next few days, here are a few possibilities you may want to consider:

On Friday, popular singer Erin Bode and her band return to The Gramophone, while Gaslight Square veterans Trio Tres Bien (pictured) with singer Danita Mumphard are at Cookie's Jazz and More, and the Second Generation Swing Band plays for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom. On Saturday, tenor saxophonist Willie Akins performs his weekly early evening gig at Spruill's, and on Sunday, the New St. Louis Jazz Xtet do their regular thing at Riddle's.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band is back at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups. On Tuesday, you can check out singer Jeanne Trevor at Brandt's, or head to The Gramophone for their free Tuesday night jazz series, which this week features a new band called Utter Chaos.

Utter Chaos are not, as the name might suggest, some sort of free-improv group, but rather are, according to The Gramophone's promotional email, "dedicated to recreating the unique sounds of the Gerry Mulligan/Bob Brookmeyer piano-less quartets of the mid 1950s. Baritone saxophonist Andy Ament is joined by Cody Henry on trombone, Chris Turnbaugh on bass and Jerry Mazzuca on drums. All members of the quartet are graduates of the SIUE jazz department."

To get your dose of free improv this week, you'll have to amble on down Wednesday to Apop Records, 2831 Cherokee St, , for the electric free jazz band Squid Choir Orkestra's concert in the store's Camp Concentration performance space. You can hear some samples of the SCO over on bandleader Jay Zelenka's Freedonia Music site.

For more St. Louis 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.

Jazz this week: Ptah Williams, Erin Bode, the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, and more

It's mid-August - usually one of the slowest times of the year for live jazz in St. Louis - and yr. humble editor has impending deadlines for paying work, plus a wicked head cold. However, there are still some events this week to tell you about, and so that's what we're going to do, albeit in a perhaps less-verbose-than-usual of way.

Let's start with a couple of multi-day events happening this weekend. The St. Louis Cabaret Conference, a four-day event founded and run by St. Louis singer Tim Schall, takes place Thursday through Sunday, and will feature four nights of public performances at the Bistro at Grand Center as well as educational and networking events for the singers attending the conference.

The public performances will include an Alumni Showcase at 8:30 p.m. tonight; a feature performance by Schall at 8:30 p.m. on Friday; a double bill of singers Lina Koutrakos and Jason Graae at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday; and a Participant Showcase at 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are available at the door and, for Friday and Saturday's shows, via Metrotix.

Also happening this weekend is the Greater St. Louis Art Association's semi-annual "Cool Art Hot Jazz" event, which takes place Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday at Queeny Park, 550 Weidman Road. The fair is designed to show off the work of dozens of artists working in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, oil, photography, wood and other media. The GSLAA's announcement also says there will be live music, but I couldn't find a schedule or a list of musical performers anywhere on their Web site or, well, anywhere at all online, nor did anyone from the organization respond to my phone calls or emails attempting to elicit more information.

Wish I could tell you more, but if you're interested in who's performing and when at this event, give the GSLAA a call at 314-889-0433 and perhaps you'll have better luck than I did getting details on the apparently top-secret music schedule.

Other performances of note this week include a free concert tonight by pianist Ptah Williams, who's playing a show for the Jazz at Holmes series outdoors at Washington University's Brookings Quadrangle. Tonight also brings a rare gig by singer Erin Bode (pictured) and her band at a real old-school St. Louis restaurant, the Tenderloin Room at the Chase-Park Plaza, as well as a performance by Farshid Etniko at Brandt's.

On Friday, singer Kim Massie is at Cookie's, and the Ambassadors of Swing will do their big-band thing at the Casa Loma Ballroom. On Saturday, Mo & Dawn bring their acid-jazz/funk/remix show to Brandt's.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band is at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups, and on Tuesday, Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum performs at Brandt's while bassist Zimbabwe Nkenya leads his young proteges from BAG's recent series of music workshops in a free show at The Gramophone.

For more St. Louis 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.

Jazz this week: Rick Braun and Richard Elliot, All That Tap XVII, Good 4 The Soul, and more

Though things are starting to slow a bit as July winds down and we head toward the dog days of August, there are still a few noteworthy shows of interest to jazz fans in St. Louis this week. Let's go to the highlights:

Tonight, the Poor People of Paris, led by saxophonist/vocalist Elsie Parker, bring their blend of French cabaret, pop and jazz to Missouri Botanical Garden for a free concert as part of the Whitaker Music Festival

On Thursday, the very busy drummer:Miles Vandiver gets a chance to lead his own group in a free concert as part of Washington University's Jazz at Holmes series. Vandiver will be joined by Nick Jost on bass, Peter Schlamb on vibes and Jason Schwagler on saxophones. Also on Thursday, Jazz St. Louis' Bob Bennett, who plays tenor sax in addition to serving as JSL's operations director, will team up with Good 4 The Soul for a free concert at St. Louis Place Park as part of the Whiatker Urban Evenings series.

On Friday, Rick Sanborn's Smooth Summer Party series at The Pageant continues with a show by R 'n R, featuring trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonist Richard Elliot (pictured). (You can read more about Braun and Elliot in a preview story on the show written by Terry Perkings for the Post-Dispatch, available online here.)

Also on Friday, Wild, Cool and Swingin' performs at Cookie's Jazz and More, and Good 4 The Soul starts a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro to wrap up that venue's summer season. The Bistro will go dark until Friday, September 5, when the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project kicks off the club's 2008-09 season.

On Saturday, the 2008 St. Louis Tap Festival concludes with the concert presentation All That Tap XVII at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The event will feature more than a dozen pro tap dancers with experience in TV, movies and/or Broadway performing with musical accompaniment by the Carolbeth True Trio. The Post's Calvin Wilson interviewed festival director Robert L. Reed for a feature story that you can read right here.

Also on Saturday, singer Anita Rosamond is performing a concert at the Black Cat Theatre in Maplewood to celebrate the release of her latest CD. She talked with the Post's Kevin Johnson about the CD and the show for an article that's available online here.

For more St. Louis 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.)

(Updated 7/23/08 to add two more events and links to three Post-Dispatch stories.)

Jazz this week: JALC Band Director Academy Faculty, free summer concerts, and more

Some non-StLJN deadlines are pressing yr.humble editor this week, so this post will have to be a relatively brief look at what's going on with jazz in St. Louis over the next few days. Let's go to the highlights, presented in chronological order:

There are two free shows of possible interest to jazz fans tonight, as singer Kim Massie performs at the Missouri Botanical Garden as part of the Whitaker Music Festival, and the Sentimental Journey Dance Band plays at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey as part of that city's series of summer concerts

On Thursday, there's another free concert, as guitarist Vince Varvel performs for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. The Jazz at Holmes email list message for this week says Varvel will be joined by Paul DeMarinis on saxophones, Eric Stiller on bass and Miles Vandiver on drums.

On Friday, singer Jeanne Trevor brings her song stylings to Brandt's, while Two Times True with Larry Johnson are at Cookie's Jazz and More, the Second Generation Swing Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and the funk/hip-hop/jazz group Fresh Heir takes the stage at The Gramophone.

On Saturday, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Band Director Academy Faculty will perform at Jazz at the Bistro. This is a one-time-only gig from an all-star ensemble of musicians and educators featuring Alvin Atkinson (drums), Ronald Carter (saxophone, pictured), Rick Haydon (guitar), Steve Sveum (saxophone and clarinet), Reggie Thomas (keyboards) and Rodney Whitaker (bass). Also on Saturday, Wild Cool and Swingin' will present their brassy, old school Vegas-style blend of jazz and pop in a free concert at Lafayette Park

Looking beyond the weekend, trumpeter Keith Moyer brings his group to BB's Jazz Blues and Soups on Monday night, and on Tuesday, keyboardist Ryan Marquez' trio will perform at The Gramophone as part of the free Tuesday night jazz series that the club is co-sponsoring with Jazz St. Louis..

For more St. Louis 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.)

Jazz this week: Guitars and Saxes, Hamiet Bluiett, the music of the Crusaders, "Sworn To The Drum," and more

The major touring jazz attraction in St. Louis this week is the 2008 edition of Guitars and Saxes, which will be here on Sunday to play The Pageant as part of Rick Sanborn's "Smooth Summer Party" series. The featured performers for this year's version of Guitars and Saxes are guitarists Peter White and Jeff Golub, saxophonist Gerald Albright and keyboard player Jeff Lorber (pictured) .

Though the Guitars and Saxes headliners may have the marquee names, there's also plenty of good music this week from St. Louis' hometown talent, including several free concerts. The freebies start this evening, when Le Jazz Hot, featuring pianist Ptah Williams, saxophonist Chad Evans, drummer Bensid Thigpen and bassist Darrell Mixon, performs a free concert as part of the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden

On Thursday, there are two more free shows, as pianist Curt Landes plays for the summer Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and the Whitaker Urban Evenings series at St. Louis Place Park (located at Rauschenbach Ave and St. Louis Ave) kicks off with a concert by singer Kim Massie. Working his second job as a blues harmonica player, Jazz St. Louis executive director Gene Dobbs Bradford and the Blues Inquisition will open the show for Massie.

On Friday and Saturday, you can get in a jazz-funk groove with Adaron "Pops' Jackson, keyboard player for the group Good 4 The Soul, as he performs the music of the Crusaders during a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, or soak up a retro-Vegas vibe from singer Dean Christopher, who brings his Rat Pack-themed show featuring the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and more.for two nights at the Cabaret at Savor. Also this weekend, Cookie's Jazz and More will present two longtime St. Louis favorites, with Trio Tres Bien and singer Danita Mumphard taking the stage on Friday and singer/pianist Sherry Drake doing "A Tribute To Ella" on Saturday.

Sunday offers two more free performances, with the internationally known baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett and his Improvising Youth Orchestra playing outdoors at Ivory Perry Park, while Black Artists Group presents "Sworn To The Drum" featuring "Baba" Mike Nelson and friends indoors at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. Also on Sunday, there's a blues benefit show for former Ike and Tina Turner saxophonist Jim Koerber at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. Though you probably won't hear any jazz at this last performance, there will be a nice selection of St. Louis blues talent, including the Soulard Blues Band and the Mighty Big Band, performing for a good cause.

For more St. Louis 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 6/18/08 to correct the location of St. Louis Place Park.)

Jazz this week: St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival; a tribute to Miles Davis; Lamar Harris CD release party; and more

This weekend's major jazz event is the St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival, which will take place from 12:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Clayton's Shaw Park. Singer Cassandra Wilson headlines, and the other mainstage performers are ex-Crusaders keyboardist Joe Sample (pictured) with singer Randy Crawford; Latin percussionist Tito Puente Jr.; and smooth jazz/fusion keyboardist Lao Tizer with guitarist Chieli Minucci and violinist Karen Briggs.

Local groups and musicians appearing on the festival's second stage will include pianist Ptah Williams, performing a tribute to Stevie Wonder; jam band singer-guitarist Teddy Presberg; the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, directed by bassist Jim Widner; singer Brian Owens; and Two Times True featuring pianist Carolbeth True and her son, drummer David True.

UPDATE, 5/29/08, 1:30 a.m.: The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson has an interview with Cassandra Wilson in today's paper, available online here.

Elsewhere around town, on Friday trombonist Lamar Harris will have a release party for his latest CD at The Gramophone, and trumpeter Randy Holmes and his Quintet will present a tribute to Miles Davis at Cookie's Jazz and More. Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday singer Jeanne Trevor will perform a free concert at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park as part of the "Twilight Tuesdays" series

For more St. Louis 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.)

Jazz this week: The Yellowjackets, Glendale Jazz Festival, Cara Dineen and the Todd Mosby Group, and more

It looks like we've finally got some nice weather here in St. Louis just in time for the Memorial Day weekend, and though lots of folks will be enjoying barbecues, pool openings and other outdoor activities, there also will be plenty of music to check out over the next few days.

The big names in town this week are the Yellowjackets (pictured), who are performing at Jazz at the Bistro tonight through Saturday. These shows actually will feature a variant lineup of the 'Jackets, with saxophonist Eric Marienthal sitting in for Bob Mintzer alongside regular band members Marcus Baylor (drums), Russell Ferrante (keyboards) and Jimmy Haslip (bass).

As my esteemed colleague Terry Perkins noted in a Post-Dispatch blurb on the band last week, many listeners may associate Marienthal with smooth jazz. However, based on what I heard from him at a mid-1990s appearance at Mississippi Nights with the Weckl/Pattitucci/Gambale edition of the Chick Corea Elektrik Band, he certainly seems capable of holding his own, and then some, in a harder-edged musical situation. Marienthal also has subbed for Mintzer on previous Yellowjackets gigs, so the combination isn't as incongruous as it might appear at first. At any rate, the Yellowjackets are always a draw at the Bistro, and with Baylor, a St. Louis native, behind the drum kit, I'd expect another good turnout, even without Mintzer.

Tonight also is the opening night for The Cotton Club Revue, a musical production from Unity Theatre Ensemble that includes singer Denise Thimes in the cast. The show only runs at the Ivory Theatre in south St. Louis through Sunday, so if you're interested in attending, I'd suggest that you get your tickets right away.

On Thursday, singer Cara Dineen and guitarist Todd Mosby's group will play at Lucas School House. Dineen is currently a student at Berklee College of Music in Boston, studying jazz vocals with former St. Louisan Jan Shapiro, while Mosby, who has a new CD coming out soon, continues to blend jazz, folk, Latin and Indian influences in a distinctive and ear-pleasing way.

On Friday, it's the Glendale Jazz Festival, featuring traditional jazz from the St. Louis Stompers, New Orleans-style funk from Gumbohead and Terry Thompson's Swing Alive band with singer Dean Christopher. The event, which is held at Glendale City Hall, 424 N. Sappington Rd., will be emceed by Don Wolff and is free and open to the public. Also on Friday, violinist Nikki Glenn and keyboardist Eddie Randle will be appearing at Cookie's Jazz and More.

On Saturday afternoon, singer Erin Bode and band will be performing a free concert as part of the Affton Festival of Arts at Affton High School, and then that evening will play at The Gramophone. And looking beyond the weekend, on Monday evening the free improvising saxophonist Jack Wright and his son, bassist Ben Wright, will perform at Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. Also on the bill are Mark Sarich, Jack Callahan, Andrew Heffner and Dave Stone, though from the notice I got, it wasn't exactly clear if they'd be opening for the Wrights, or performing with them. That said, given Jack Wright's penchant for improvising with just about anyone who'd like to play with him, both options seem possible.

For more St. Louis 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 5/22/08 to add the Erin Bode performance at the Gramophone.)

Linda Presgrave returning to play at Cookie's on Saturday, June 7

Pianist Linda Presgrave, a St. Louis expatriate now living in NYC, will return to her hometown on Saturday, June 7 to perform at Cookie's Jazz and More. Presgrave will be joined on the gig by her husband Stan Chovnick on soprano sax, plus a St. Louis rhythm section comprised of Dave Troncoso on bass and Jim Guglielmo on drums.

Although she moved to New York in 1998, Presgrave has made regular return visits to St. Louis, including several previous appearances at Cookie's. Presgrave has a special interest in performing and promulgating the work of female composers, and she and her band recently were one of two American groups featured in an Italian concert series dedicated to women in jazz. Presgrave will have a new CD titled Inspiration on the Metropolitan Records label later this year.

Jazz this week: Paula West, a celebration of Miles Davis, Kim Massie, BAG II, and more

Although some of St. Louis' not-for-profit jazz presenters, such as the universities, the Sheldon Concert Hall and the Touhill Performing Arts Center, have wrapped up their seasons, this next week still offers a decently varied menu of music of interest to jazz listeners. Let's go to the highlights:

Tonight, singer Paula West (pictured) opens a four-night run at the Cabaret at Savor. West will be one of the featured performers in the Sheldon's jazz series next fall, but if you don't feel like waiting until then to check her out, the intimate 65-seat space at Savor will provide an opportunity to see and hear her close up.

Also tonight, the James Davis Quintet from Chicago stops in St. Louis to perform at the Underground @ Red Sea. Though I haven't heard them live, I enjoyed their CD Angles of Refraction very much; see last week's post for details.

On Friday and Saturday, singer Kim Massie returns to Jazz at the Bistro, backed by a band including Lew Winer III on saxophones, Gus Thornton on bass, Gerald Warren on drums and yr. humble editor on piano. Without revealing any highly classified information, I can tell you that Kim has planned an eclectic program of blues, soul and jazz, featuring some fan favorites and a few less-familiar tunes as well, and I anticipate that it will an entertaining show.

Friday also brings the opening reception for the new jazz photo exhibit at the Sheldon Art Galleries, Herb Snitzer: Photographs from the Last Days of Metronome, as well as trombonist Lamar Harris performing at Erato Wine Bar, and singer/songwriter Alyse Black, winner in the jazz category of the 2007 Billboard Song Contest, opening up a multi-artist bill at The Gramophone.

On Saturday, the Carolbeth True Trio will be at Cookie's Jazz and More, while the Sidney Street Trio, featuring James Warfield Jr. on alto sax, Daryl Mixon on bass and Joe Pastor on percussion, plays at Brandt's.

On Sunday, it's the Miles Davis Jazz Celebration with saxophonist Willie Akins and drummer Arlin Strader at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL. See this previous post for more details. Also on Sunday, BAG II presents a free event at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe featuring poet K. Curtis Lyle, performance artist and percussionist David A.N. Jackson, and bassist/mbira player Zimbabwe Nkenya. Looking beyond the weekend, singer Jeanne Trevor will be at Brandt's on Tuesday night.

For more St. Louis 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.)

Jazz this week: Sara Gazarek; a tribute to Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson; Steve Schenkel and Sandy Weltman; and more

While this week isn't quite as jam-packed with music as some others we've experienced recently, there's enough going on that the dedicated jazz listener can find something worth hearing just about every night.

For starters, there's singer Sara Gazarek (pictured), who's performing at Jazz at the Bistro through Saturday. I wrote about her in last Saturday's video post, and so rather than repeat myself here, I'll just add that Ms. Gazarek's music would seem to be an appropriate choice for those of you who might be looking for a Valentine's Day-weekend outing with your spouse or sweetheart. Music students also may be interested to know that in addition to doing two sets each night at the Bistro, Gazarek also is leading a master class that's free and open to the public at 10 a.m. Friday at the Webster University Community Music School, 8282 Big Bend Blvd.

Speaking of free, this week's free Thursday night concert in the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University features Danny Sher. I don't know much about Sher, but from what I understand, he's a young drummer who will be leading a four-piece group called Idiosyncracies. Said group may or may not also include tenor saxophonist Dave Stone and/or bassist Ben Wheeler - that's where my sources get a bit fuzzy - but all seem to agree that the band should be worth a listen.

Elsewhere this weekend, Cookie's Jazz and More has a tribute to Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson featuring trumpeter Randy Holmes and singer and flute player Margaret Bianchetta on Friday and Trio Tres Bien with singer Danita Mumphard doing a Valentine's Day-themed program on Saturday.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday guitarist Steve Schenkel and genius multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman team up for a concert at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium, and the Sessions Big Band returns to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

And on Tuesday, trumpeter Terell Stafford will take part in one of Jazz St. Louis' "Jazz Perspectives" discussions at 6 p.m. at the Centene Center for Arts and Education, 3547 Olive Street. Stafford will be in town next week doing an educational residency, giving school concerts and working with Jazz St. Louis' various student programs during the week and then performing at the Bistro on Friday and Saturday.

As always, these highlights represent just a few of the musical options that are out there; for more St. Louis jazz 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.)

Jazz this week: Javon Jackson, Chris Botti, Pablo Ziegler & Claudia Acuna, BAG honors MLK, and more

After a couple of relatively slow weeks to start the new year, this week's musical offerings include several touring jazz performers playing on St. Louis stages. Let's go to the highlights:

Saxophonist Javon Jackson's Superband, featuring former Miles Davis sideman Jimmy Cobb on drums and Ronnie Matthews on piano, performs at Jazz at the Bistro starting tonight and continuing through Saturday. Jackson's recent recordings have been compared by some critics to the 1970s CTI releases from players such as Stanley Turrentine and Grover Washington Jr., and while Jackson (pictured) definitely can bring the funk when the situation calls for it, he also can play modern, hard bop and straight-ahead swinging jazz very well. This week's engagement likely will include some of all those styles, perhaps with a bit more straight-ahead playing than on some gigs due to the most welcome presence of Cobb, who was the drummer on Miles Davis' landmark Kind of Blue.

On Friday and Saturday, trumpeter Chris Botti plays the Touhill Performing Arts Center. I wrote a Critic's Pick about Botti for this week's Riverfront Times, and you can read it online here.

Also on Friday, the Pablo Ziegler Quintet for New Tango with special guest singer Claudia Acuna performs at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. It's not clear from the publicity just how large a role Acuna has in this production, but from what I can tell, Ziegler, who worked with tango legend Astor Piazzolla, certainly seems worth hearing in his own right.

UPDATE - 11:55 p.m., 1/16/08 - Terry Perkins interviewed Ziegler for an article in Thursday's Post-Dispatch, elucidating the pianist's connection with Piazzolla and answering my question about Acuna: she'll sing seven songs with Ziegler's group. Read the whole article here.

On Sunday, BAG returns to the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site to pay tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a program called "One for King," featuring performances from the BAG Trio, poet Michael Castro, and more. Admission is free, and the concert is billed as being "family friendly."

Some other local gigs of note: Brandt's has the Richard Fuller Quartet on Thursday, Trio Tres Bien on Friday and Mo & Dawn on Saturday, while Cookie's Jazz and More will present Kim Massie on Friday and the Carolbeth True Trio on Saturday. Looking beyond the weekend, the Sessions Big Band performs at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups on Monday night.

For more local jazz-related events, please see 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: Hard Bop Heritage, Erin Bode and more

The first part of January is typically a slow time for touring acts, so it's no big surprise that there are no national or international jazz musicians performing in St. Louis this week. Still, there are a number of locally based musicians deserving of your attention playing over the next few days, so let's take a quick look at a few of the highlights:

Jazz at the Bistro has the always listenable Hard Bop Heritage on Friday and Saturday nights, while singer Erin Bode (pictured) will perform at the Cabaret at Savor on Saturday.

Brandt's will present perennial favorite Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum on Friday, and the Sidney Street Trio, a new group featuring James Warfield Jr. on saxophone, Darryl Mixon on bass and Joe Pastor on percussion, on Saturday. Cookie's Jazz and More has the TMM Trio on Friday and violinist Nikki Glenn with Eddie Randall and Friends on Saturday.

Looking beyond the weekend, guitarist Todd Mosby will perform at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups on Monday night.

Last but not least, our esteemed colleague Dennis Owsley has something special planned for this week's edition of his Jazz Unlimited radio program. Owsley's devoting this installment to jazz vocals, showcasing tracks from the 30 greatest jazz vocal albums of all time as selected by a panel of 72 singers for a 2004 article in Down Beat magazine. He'll play a track from each album during the first and third hours of the program, with the second hour devoted to an extended interview with singer Kurt Elling. You can hear it all by tuning into KWMU (90.7 FM) from 9 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, and also discuss the topic with Owsley over on KWMU's online forum.

For more St. Louis jazz-related events this weekend and beyond, please consult 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 tags.)

Jazz this week: The Kennedy Brothers, Manhattan Transfer, a tribute to Clark Terry, and more

With Christmas just a couple of weeks away, there are several seasonally themed jazz shows happening this week, as well as a pre-holiday homecoming for a couple of St. Louis' favorite sons.

On Wednesday night, the Manhattan Transfer brings their holiday show to the Touhill Performing Arts Center. This will be the popular vocal group's third appearance at the TouPAC since the hall opened in 2003, and their repertoire for this tour includes material from their two Christmas albums as well as a few familiar fan favorites drawn from the rest of their extensive catalog.

Also on Wednesday, the Kennedy Brothers open a four-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, performing two sets a night through Saturday. Pianist Ray Kennedy probably is best known to jazz fans for his long tenure backing singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli, while bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured) has played with a number of well-known musicians, most notably serving as the regular bassist for fellow St. Louisan Dave Weckl's acclaimed electric jazz ensemble. This week, the brothers, who grew up in Maplewood, will be in the spotlight doing their own music as they get a relatively rare chance to perform together as headliners for their many friends and fans here in their hometown.

Other noteworthy shows this weekend: Singer Jeanne Trevor performs at Brandt's on Thursday night, and trumpeter Randy Holmes will lead Hard Bop Heritage in a tribute to St. Louis trumpet great Clark Terry on Friday night at Cookie's Jazz and More. Meanwhile, Finale Music and Dining will feature two local singers offering jazz-flavored holiday shows this weekend, as Dean Christopher presents "A Swingin' Holiday" on Friday night, and Debby Lennon goes "Home for the Holidays" on Saturday. And on Sunday afternoon, traditional jazz and swing band Cornet Chop Suey will perform in a concert sponsored by the St. Louis Jazz Club at the Moolah Shrine Center, 12545 Fee Fee Rd.

To see a more extensive list of local jazz-related events, 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: Jeremy Davenport, Sinatra Songbook, Genesis Jazz Project, St. Louis Blues and Soul Revue, and more

It's Thanksgiving week, and though that means a temporary slowdown in terms of touring musicians visiting St. Louis, it also presents an opportunity to be grateful for the many fine jazz musicians our town has produced over the years.

One of those musicians, trumpeter and vocalist Jeremy Davenport (pictured), is returning home to St. Louis from New Orleans to perform at Jazz at the Bistro on Friday and Saturday. Davenport grew up in University City, but moved to the Crescent City in the 1990s to establish his music career there. After the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina and the subsquent flooding of the city, Davenport came back to St. Louis temporarily, spending most of 2006 here performing as the house act at Busch's Grove. When the Ritz Carlton hotel in New Orleans reopened in January of this year, Davenport moved back to resume his house gig there.

This is first time in St. Louis since then, and in addition to the shows on Friday and Saturday, Davenport also is doing a Sunday matinee performance as a benefit for PanCAN, a not-for-profit organization that raises money and awareness for the fight against pancreatic cancer.

Besides Davenport, there's plenty of other noteworthy homegrown talent on St. Louis stages this weekend. On Friday, the Sinatra Songbook, featuring vocalist Tom Heitman fronting the Steve Schankman Orchestra, plays at Finale Music and Dining, and Wild Cool & Swingin' returns to Cookie's Jazz and More.

On Saturday, flute player and vocalist Margaret Bianchetta brings her group into Brandt's, and Trio Tres Bien, ably abetted by Danita Mumphard on vocals, will perform at Cookie's. Looking ahead to the Monday after the holiday weekend, the Genesis Jazz Project big band will do a free concert that evening at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

I'd also like to call your attention to one more event this weekend that isn't jazz, but should provide a good time for fans of roots music. On Friday night, the Soulard Blues Band and some special guests will be presenting a show they're calling the St. Louis Blues and Soul Revue upstairs at the Sheldon.

It's styled as an old-school R&B review featuring vocalists Marty Abdullah, Renee Smith, Stacy Johnson and Margaret Bianchetta. All four singers will be backed by the SBB, augmented for the occasion by keyboardist Matt Murdick and a three-piece horn section, and they'll be doing a non-stop playlist of soul and blues classics, including some special material they've worked up just for this gig. (Disclaimer: I know most of the folks involved with this show, and have worked quuite a bit with Renee Smith and SBB guitarist Tom Maloney.)

These are just a few highlights of the holiday weekend, but you can see a more extensive list of jazz-related events in the St. Louis area by visiting 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: Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, Linda Presgrave, Wolfgang Seligo, Paul DeMarinis Group, and more

There's quite a variety of jazz and improvised music on tap in St. Louis this weekend, so let's go right to the highlights, presented in chronological order:

Thursday night offers at least three gigs of note, starting with Austrian pianist Wolfgang Seligo, who's doing a free concert at Washington University as part of the Jazz at Holmes series.

That same evening, pianist Carolbeth True and her son David True, a drummer, are performing at Finale Music and Dining to celebrate the release of their new collaborative CD, Two Times True. Haven't heard the record yet, but Carolbeth True is one of St. Louis' most reliable jazz pianists, and so I'd certainly expect something good from what must have been a labor of love for all concerned.

(As a parenthetical note, while there are plenty of familial collaborations in jazz, the mother-son variety seems relatively rare. I know Alice Coltrane and her son Ravi Coltrane worked together on occasion, but I'm hard pressed to think of any other examples; if you, dear reader, can think of any, please share your information in the comments.)

Thursday is also the night for big band fans to get their fix at the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra's monthly show at Jazz at the Bistro. Here's hoping the SLJO will continue to draw a crowd sufficient to warrant extending their run into 2008.

On Friday and Saturday, the Bistro will host saxophonist Paul DeMarinis' group, who reportedly will be doing a bunch of new music written by DeMarinis. The band includes Debby Lennon on vocals, Dave Black on guitar, Nick Schlueter on piano, bassist Ben Wheeler and Kyle Honeycutt on drums, and though I haven't heard this particular configuration yet, a trusted source tells me they're sounding very good.

Saturday night also brings a couple of touring acts to St. Louis. Singer Lavay Smith (pictured) and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers will perform traditional jazz and swing in a concert at the Sheldon, and pianist Linda Presgrave, a former St. Louisan now based in NYC, returns home for a quartet gig at Cookie's Jazz and More.

Also on Saturday evening, New Music Circle and the St. Louis International Film Festival are presenting a screening of the classic Japanese silent film Jujiro with a live improvised musical soundtrack at the St. Louis Art Mueseum Auditorium.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents pianist Jean Kittrell and the St. Louis Rivermen in a concert of traditional jazz at the Moolah Shrine Center in Maryland Heights.

Those are just some of the highlights of a very busy weekend; to see more local jazz-related events, 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.)

Linda Presgrave returning to Cookie's on November 10

Also from today's mailbag, pianist/composer and former St. Louisan Linda Presgrave droppped a note to say she'll be returning to St. Louis to perform at Cookie's Jazz and More on Saturday, Novmber 10. Presgrave, who left St. Louis in 1998 to move to NYC, will be previewing material that she'll perform on an upcoming Italian tour in conjunction with the "Donne in Jazz" ("Women in jazz") concert series in the cities of Frascati and Rome.

For her St. Louis gig, Presgrave will be joined by her husband Stan Chovnick on soprano sax, Dave Troncoso on bass and drummer Jim Guglielmo, drawing on her own compositions as well as the music of Joanne Brackeen, Bertha Hope, Billie Holiday, Melba Liston and Allison Miller.