Jazz this week: Some picks for Independence Day weekend

To be candid, it's a relatively thin week for live jazz and creative music in St. Louis.

But even with no major touring artists visiting our town; venues including Jazz at the Bistro, The Sheldon, and Casa Loma Ballroom going dark for the holiday weekend; and the recent demises of a couple of smaller neighborhood spots (Tavern of Fine Arts and Thurman Grill) that regularly featured live jazz, there still are a few options for those who'd like celebrate Independence Day with one of the USA's great indigenous art forms.

Here's what's happening...

Friday, July 1
Singer Joe Mancuso brings a quartet to Nathalie's, bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn, and saxophonist Dave Stone will be in his customary Friday night spot at Mangia Italiano.

Also on Friday, the apparently-ironically-named Johnny Cilantro & The Well-Seasoned Sextet, a young band from Peoria, IL that, based on music samples they've put online, seems to have some promise, will be performing at Evangeline's.

Saturday, July 2
On Saturday afternoon, pianist David Parker will lead his group Spiritual Revolution Ensemble in a free, "child-friendly" performance of his original work “In the Beginning, God created Xochitl/ En el principio creó Diós Xochitl” at the Yeyo Arts Collective. With an ensemble including percussionists Charles "Bobo" Shaw and Glenn "Papa" Wright, guitarist Dave Black, poet Shirley LeFlore, and several other musicians, this show definitely ranks as the intriguing "sleeper" pick of the weekend.

On Saturday evening, the Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured) plays a free outdoor show at Lafayette Park, and guitarist Todd Mosby will bring his New Horizons Ensemble to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, with bassist Ben Wheeler's group Sketchbook opening.

Sunday, July 3
Multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman will join guitarist Dave Black to provide some music for the jazz brunch at Nathalie's.

Monday, July 4
If you're in St. Charles and are resolute enough to deal with the crowds and traffic, you can catch the Funky Butt Brass Band playing a free outdoor set as part of the St. Charles Riverfest 4th of July Celebration in Frontier Park.

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: All That Tap XXIV, "Swinging for the Fences," Good 4 The Soul, and more

It's another sultry mid-summer week in St. Louis, and though there are no major touring headliners in town this week, there's plenty of activity involving local jazz and creative musicians, offering sounds ranging from nostalgic to experimental. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 29
Tonight, the Spiritual Revolution Ensemble will make their official debut at the Tavern of Fine Arts. Formed after a jam session in May at ToFA, the group of free improvisors features a core band of saxophonists Jerome “J-Dubz” Williams, Aaron Parker, and Rahtu Johnson, pianist David Parker and percussionist Glenn "Papa" Wright, augmented for this performance by guests including guitarist Kendra Mahr, poets Pacia Anderson and Jana Thomas, and pianist Greg Mills.

Also tonight, Tommy Halloran's Guerrilla Swing will play a free outdoor concert for the Missouri Botanical Garden's Whitaker Music Festival; and guitarist Vincent Varvel leads a trio at Nathalie's.

Thursday, July 30
Jazz St. Louis continues their series of events looking at the relationship between jazz and baseball with "Jazz & the Negro Leagues", a free lecture by author and Washington University professor Gerald Early, followed by a reception at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also on Thursday, drummer Montez Coleman leads a quartet in a free concert wrapping up the summer edition of the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and the St. Louis Big Band and singer Joe Scalzitti will open the second weekend of performances of their tribute show "Sinatra at 100" at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Elsewhere around town, Miss Jubilee will make up for a rainout earlier this summer with a free concert at Ellisville's Bluebird Park, and singer Erin Bode returns to Nathalie's.

Friday, July 31
Good 4 The Soul (pictured, upper left) returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two evenings, with guitarist Shaun Robinson, bassist John King and drummer James Jackson joined for the weekend by keyboardist Pete Ruthenberg, subbing for Adaron "Pops" Jackson.

Also on Friday, singer Tony Viviano will serenade diners at Fortel's, guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith will take the stage at Thurman Grill; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be swinging at the Venice Cafe.

Saturday, August 1
The annual St. Louis Tap Festival culminates with All That Tap XXIV, an evening of tap dance performances and music at the Grand Center Arts Academy's Sun Theatre.

This year's event serves as a tribute to Tap Festival founder Robert L. Reed, who died earlier this month in Oklahoma City, and will feature Reed's daughter Robin Reed (pictured, lower left) performing in his stead.

Pianist Carolbeth True's trio once again will provide the music for a lineup of featured dancers including Charon Aldredge, Christopher Broughton, Omar Edwards, Anthony LoCascio, Avi Miller & Ofer Ben, Jason Samuels Smith, and Dorneshia Sumbry-Edwards. You can read a brief preview of the performance from St. Louis magazine here.

Also on Saturday, percussionist Joe Pastor and the St. Louis Legacy Ensemble will play a free outdoor concert at Lafayette Park

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

Also on Sunday, Jazz St. Louis wraps up their "Swinging for the Fences" series with a "Town Picnic" at Lafayette Park. The free event is open to the public and will feature a "vintage" baseball game played with period uniforms and rules, followed by Lindy Hop dance lessons and a concert of traditional jazz and swing by the Spats 'n' Flapper Speakeasy Orchestra, who are from Clear Lake, IA.  

Monday, August 3
Singer Erika Johnson and guitarist Tom Byrne will return to 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: Dawn Weber, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes CD release, and more

Longtime observers of St. Louis' live music scene know there sometimes can be a slight lull in activity between New Year's Day and the run-up to Mardi Gras.

But while there may not be any significant touring jazz or creative music acts passing through St. Louis this week, it's a big weekend for two local ensembles fronted by females, with one performing for the first time at the newly remodeled Jazz at the Bistro and the other releasing a new album. For more on these shows and other noteworthy upcoming gigs, let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, January 29
Pianist Ptah Williams plays solo in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, January 30
Trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber opens a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, accompanied by a band including saxophonist Jason Swagler, bassist Bob DeBoo, keyboardist Nathan Jatcko, drummer Jerry Mazucca, and guitarist Phil Ring.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes (pictured, top left) will celebrate the release of their second CD Sarahnade En Bleu with a performance at Venice Cafe.

Elsewhere around town, Lindy Hop St. Louis' monthly "West End Stomp" at the Mahler Ballroom will feature music from Miss Jubilee; the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr will take the stage at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, January 31
Singer Feyza Eren (pictured, below left) and guitarist Tom Byrne will duet at Thurman Grill.

Sunday, February 1
In a late-afternoon session before the big football game kicks off, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will be recording a music video at Nathalie's.

Monday, February 2
Webster University celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Billie Holiday with a concert from singer Kim Fuller and members of the Webster jazz faculty at Winifred Moore Auditorium on campus.

Tuesday, February 3
Pianists David Parker and Greg Mills present another performance under the auspices of their Society for Creative Survival, teaming up for "The Rites of Musick/ Tribute to John Cage" at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

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: Jeff Coffin & the Mu'tet, Peter Martin, Funky Butt Brass Band CD release, Thollem McDonas, and more

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis includes the Jazz at the Bistro debut of a touring saxophonist who's already built up a nice local following; the release of a new album by some local favorites; shows from several fine piano players; and, as the saying goes, much more. Let's go to the highlights....

Tonight, saxophonist Jeff Coffin and his eclectic jazz-fusion group the Mu’tet will make their debut at Jazz at the Bistro in the first evening of a four-night run continuing through Saturday. They're touring in support of a new album, and for more about that, plus some video samples of the Mu'tet in action, see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Wednesday, two weekly gigs nearby in Grand Center continue, starting early with bassist Bob DeBoo hosting a jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center, followed by trumpeter Kasimu Taylor leading a trio (with guests) just down the block at The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, guitarist Dave Black, singer Feyza Eren and friends will perform at Nathalie's, and the Sidney Street Shakers will play their monthly "Cherokee Shake" swing dance event at 2720 Cherokee.

Tomorrow night, multi-instrumentalist Jeff Anderson will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues with actor, singer and director Christopher Limber reprising his show "Riffs in a Set of 10," originally performed at this past summer's St. Louis Fringe Festival, at the Gaslight Theater.

On Friday, pianist Peter Martin resumes his eponymous series at the Sheldon Concert Hall, though without his originally announced special guest, clarinetist Anat Cohen, who had to cancel due to a family emergency. Standing in for Cohen will be singers Erin Bode and Brian Owens.

There are two other noteworthy pianists in action on Friday, too, as free improvisor Thollem McDonas will be in town for a performance at Tavern of Fine Arts, while Carolbeth True and Two Times True will be playing straight-ahead jazz and more at the Ozark Theatre

On Saturday afternoon, as he has on several previous visits, Jeff Coffin will present a free workshop and performance at Saxquest.

Then on Saturday night, the Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured) will celebrate the release of their new album Sugar Sugar Whomp Whomp with a performance at the Broadway Oyster Bar. (You can hear a preview of the album here.)

Also on Saturday, singer, actor and Webster University faculty member Lara Teeter wraps up the Gaslight Cabret Festival's fall schedule with his show "Lucky To Be Me" at Gaslight Theater; and the Joe Bozzi Band will play at Evangeline's.

On Sunday afternoon, those who enjoy supporting local student musicians can do so by checking out the Riverview Gardens High School Big Band and "Point of View" jazz combo, along with band director and saxophonist Harvey Lockhart's quintet, at the Sheldon.

Also on Sunday, catch some swing and jump blues from Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; or revisit "The Music of Phyllis Hyman" courtesy of singer Courtney Loveless and First Call, which features Jeff Anderson, Eric Slaughter, Phillip Graves, Everett Moore, Chad Evans, Craig Williams, and Jason Swagler, at the Clubhouse of the Probstein Golf Course in Forest Park.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective will check in for their monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Tuesday, Genesis Jazz Project will perform at the Midwest Music Conservatory in Ballwin; and the Tavern of Fine Arts will host a triple bill presented by the Society for Creative Survival, a joint project of pianists David Parker and Greg Mills.

The free show will feature the Vernacular String Trio (Tracy Andreotti, cello; Josh Weinstein, bass; and Alexander Cunningham, violin) with Nexus (Mills, piano; Dave Stone, saxophones; Jeremy Melsha, trombone; and Ajay Khanna, electronics) and Creative Delusions (Mills, Andreotti, Parker, and Henry Claude, percussion).

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.)

Greg Mills' Esfoma to perform Wednesday, October 22 at Tavern of Fine Arts

From the late 1970s through the 1990s, pianist Greg Mills was a frequent public participant in the St. Louis creative music scene, performing and recording as a solo artist and as part of the duo Exiles with multi-instrumentalist Jay Zelenka.

More recently, Mills has been much less visible, but now he's scheduled a return to the stage as a leader with a gig at 7:30 p.m. next Wednesday, October 22 at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Performing under the name Esfoma (after his 1984 solo release of the same name), Mills will be joined by saxophonist Dave Stone, cellist Tracy Andreotti, percussionist Henry Claude, poet Michael Castro, and fellow pianist David Parker.

You can hear samples from the album Esfoma and from Mills' other recordings, both solo and with Exiles, via the website of Zelenka's label Freedonia Music.

Admission to the performance on October 22 at Tavern of Fine Arts is free.

Tribute to Floyd LeFlore set for Monday, October 6 at Tavern of Fine Arts

Musical colleagues and friends of Floyd LeFlore will pay tribute to the late trumpeter with a performance at 7:00 p.m. next Monday, October 6 at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

LeFlore, a co-founder of St. Louis' Black Artists Group and a former board member of New Music Circle, died on September 6 at age 74.

The tribute will feature the improvising ensemble Numbers, whose pianist David Parker and drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw both performed and recorded with LeFlore - Parker during the 1980s and 1990s, and Shaw at various times going all the way back to the founding of BAG in the 1960s. Numbers trumpeter George Sams also has history with LeFlore, from occasional gigs to presenting him in concert as part of the Nu-Art Series to serving together on the New Music Circle board.

Also performing will be poet Shirley Bradley LeFlore, percussionist Henry Claude, cellist Tracy Andreotti, and pianist Greg Mills.

Admission to the Floyd LeFlore tribute is free, but donations will be accepted for the performers (who also get a portion of the Tavern's food & drink sales during the show.)