Jazz this week: Bluiett's IYO debuts, jazz on New Year's Eve, and more

The week between Christmas and New Year's Day is usually a slow one for the local music scene. For example, both Jazz at the Bistro and Cookie's Jazz and More are closed this weekend, all the school- and university-based venues are shut down for the holiday break, and the stages of most local concert halls also will be dark.

However, if you're in the mood to hear some jazz on Friday, you can check out the Dave Stone Trio at Mangia Italiano, and on Saturday, there's Willie Akins' early evening show at Spruill's, both regular weekly gigs for the two talented tenor saxophonists. Beyond that, the picking are pretty slim, but there are at least three other noteworthy events worth your attention over the next several days.

On Sunday afternoon, baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett's Improvising Youth Orchestra (IYO) performs at Union Avenue Christian Church. This is the debut for this group of young musicians that Bluiett has taken under his wing, so it's hard to know exactly what to expect, but based on Bluiett's track record, it nevertheless would seem to be a project worth supporting.

For Monday's New Year's Eve celebration, Brandt's has a triple bill of headliners, with singers Mae Wheeler and Jeanne Trevor and singer/pianist/saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum performing seperately and perhaps together, all backed by guitarist Dave Black's trio. Also on New Year's Eve, Finale Music and Dining will bring down the curtain for the last time at its current location with a performance by Wild Cool and Swingin' (pictured). Since both rooms have very limited capacities, reservations definitely would be in order.

For a more extensive listing of local jazz-related events, both this weekend and in the new year, 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.)

Will New Year's Eve be the finale for Finale?

An article in today's Post-Dispatch by pop critic Kevin Johnson confirms that Finale Music and Dining in Clayton will close permanently following the New Year's Eve celebration featuring Wild, Cool and Swingin'.

While the closing had been rumored since September, when it was announced that the hotel building housing the club would be converted to condos for senior citizens, this is the first time anyone from Finale has spoken on the record to confirm the news. Owner Steve Schankman told Johnson that he's keeping all the fixtures and equipment from the club and is seeking another location in the mid-county area, with hopes of opening a new incarnation of Finale in the spring.

Here's hoping that Schankman is successful in his quest to find a new home for Finale, which over the past three years has featured a number of touring jazz acts as well as local jazz performers and a variety of other entertainment.

Jazz this week: Good 4 The Soul, a tribute to Chet Baker, Anita Rosamond's holiday show, and more

With Christmas fast approaching, there are no touring jazz groups in St. Louis this week. But if you've got time in your busy schedule over the next few days to go out and hear some music, there are some performances worth noting by some of our fine homegrown talent.

On Thursday, singer Mae Wheeler will perform at Brandt's. The club's Web site indicates a 5 p.m. start time, earlier than the usual for a weeknight, so if you're thinking of going it might be wise to call ahead for details.

On Friday and Saturday night, the jazz/funk/soul quartet Good 4 the Soul returns to Jazz at the Bistro. The band is made up of four veteran musicians from East St. Louis - Adaron "Pops" Jackson on keyboards, John King on bass, Shaun Robinson on guitar and drummer James Jackson - and you may have seen one or more them in various configurations backing other artists around town, including singers Brian Owens and Kim Massie and Jazz St. Louis' own tenor sax man/director of operations Bob Bennett. I still haven't had a chance to hear all four members of G4TS play as an ensemble yet, but the audio excerpts on their Web site sound promising, and I've been impressed with the musicianship of the individual members when I've heard them in other contexts.

UPDATE - 12/21/07, 11 p.m.: Terry Perkins did a feature story about Good 4 The Soul that appeared in yesterday's Post-Dispatch. The article is available online here.

On Friday, trumpeter Randy Holmes leads his Hard Bop Heritage group in a tribute to Chet Baker at Finale Music and Dining. Vocalist Dean Christopher, who's fronted his own Rat Pack-themed show at Finale a number of times, will be a special guest, singing some of the tunes Baker once interpreted. Also on Friday, singer, pianist and saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum performs at Brandt's, and Cookie's Jazz and More hosts a reunion for their Young Jazz All-Stars ensemble.

On Saturday, singer Anita Rosamond (pictured) brings her holiday show to Finale. Rosamond will draw on material from her 2006 holiday CD This is Christmas, backed by a band including Mark Christopher on saxophone, Philip Burton on bass, guitarist Grant Krener and drummer Josh Costello.

UPDATE - 12/21/07, 7 p.m.: Just got an email that Boston-based improvising saxophonist Bhob Rainey is making one of his periodic trips to St. Louis and will be performing at 8:30 p.m. Sunday night at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. Also on the bill are St. Louis musicians Jim Hegarty, Mark Sarich, Jeremy Kannapell and Andrew Heffner.

For more local jazz-related events this week and into the New Year, 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: Kurt Elling, Frankie Randall, Nnenna Freelon, Erin Bode, and more

The spotlight in St. Louis this week is on vocalists, with several very different singers presenting their talents and hoping to capture the time and attention of local jazz fans.

Perhaps the best known is Kurt Elling, who returns with his trio to Jazz at the Bistro for a four-night stand Wednesday through Saturday. One of the most talked-about male jazz singers on the scene today, Elling tends to inspire strong, love-him-or-hate-him reactions. I was a bit a of a skeptic before hearing him perform last year, first on the TV program Legends of Jazz and then at the Bistro, but came away from those expereinces with a new respect for Elling's skills and artistry. You can read my reconsideration and review of Elling here and here. Elling will also be doing a free master class at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon at Webster University's Community Music School building, located at 8282 Big Bend.

Also in St. Louis this week is Frank Sinatra's pal and protege Frankie Randall, who will be singing and playing piano at The Cabaret at Savor on Wednesday and Thursday night. Randall's show incorporates some of the songs Sinatra made famous, and is said to evoke a 1960s Rat Pack sort of vibe that's quite a contrast from Elling's more introspective presentation.

On Sunday, singer Nnenna Freelon (pictured) performs at the Sheldon Concert Hall to benefit Community Women Against Hardship. A mother of three, Freelon spent her young adulthood raising her kids and thus got a comparatively late start on a music career. However, since bursting on to the scene in the early 1990s, she's more than made up for lost time, performing around the world as a headliner and with the Count Basie Orchestra and many others, and earning five Grammy nominations in the jazz vocal category.

Other shows of note this week: Saxophonist Dave Stone will do a free concert at Washington University on Thursday night as part of the Jazz at Holmes series, while chanteuse Erin Bode and her band will perform at Finale Music and Dining on Friday and Saturday. Also on Saturday, pianist Ptah Williams returns with his trio to Cookie's Jazz and More.

To see a more extensive list of jazz-related events in the St. Louis area, 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: 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.)

Jazz this week: Stanley Jordan, Frank Vignola's Gypsy Grass, Airmen of Note, and more

It's a good weekend in St. Louis for fans of jazz guitar, as two very fine players are doing multi-night stands here in the Gateway City.

Stanley Jordan (pictured) will show off his distinctive two-handed tapping style at Finale Music and Dining on Thursday and Friday nights. This is the third time Jordan has played Finale in the last couple of years. From what I understand, he's been been a good draw for them, and so I'd expect a good turnout for these shows as well.

While Jordan is known for a very particular style of playing and specifically for his solo work, fellow plectrist Frank Vignola has toured and recorded in a variety of contexts, from straight-ahead concepts like his recent all-Gershwin CD for St. Louis-based Mel Bay Records to the Frank and Joe Show, which incorporated everything from Sinatra covers to TV cartoon theme songs into a more entertainment-oriented presentation. Vignola has also worked quite a bit with "dawg music" mandolinist David Grisman, and some of that same bluegrass-meets-hot-jazz sensibility is evident in Vignola's own group Gypsy Grass, which will perform at Jazz at the Bistro Wednesday through Saturday.

UPDATE - 3:15 p.m., 10/18/07: I see that the Bistro's Web site has deleted previous references to the Gypsy Grass band and is now billing this week's engagement as the Frank Vignola Quintet; ditto the the Bistro's weekly promotion email. I have no specific information about why this particular change was made, but usually, this sort of billing revision means there's been a last-minute change by the artist due to specific musicians not being available, illness, or other circumstances beyond their control.

The Bistro's parent organization Jazz St. Louis is actually competing with itself one night this week, since they also are presenting the Airmen of Note in a free concert at the Sheldon Concert Hall on Wednesday night. This show is part of JSL's effort to reach out to local band directors and their students, and from what education director Phil Dunlap tells me, plenty of both will be in the audience to see the group billed as the U.S. Air Force's premiere jazz big band. If you're interested in attending but don't already have tickets, I'd suggest calling ahead.

Other noteworthy gigs this weekend: On Saturday, pianist Ptah Williams will be leading his trio at Cookie's Jazz and More, while big band aficionados can check out the Tommy Money Orchestra at Finale. Sunday evening offers a couple of free concerts - BAG is presenting drummer Gary Sykes doing a tribute to fellow drummers Phillip Wilson, Joe Charles and Sonny Hamp at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe, and guitarists Steve Schenkel and Dan Rubright will duet on jazz versions of sacred songs at Emmanual Episcopal Church in Webster Groves.

Beyond the weekend, the annual TKT Memorial Scholarship Concert, which benefits music scholaships for students at Webster University, takes place Monday night at Webster's Winifred Moore Auditorium. This year's event features singers Debby Lennon and Sherry Drake performing "Music from the Movies" with the Webster Faculty Jazz Ensemble. Last but not least, on Tuesday Jazz St. Louis and the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra will team up to present another free show, a triple bill headlined by bassist and singer Esperanza Spalding at Lucas School House.

For a more extensive listing 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: Eric Person, Musica Slesa, Thomas Buckner and Dave Wessel, and more

There's a nice variety of jazz and creative music in St. Louis this weekend, in ranging in styles from traditional to modern, as performed by ensembles varying in size from a duo to a big band.

Perhaps the most highly anticipated performance of the weekend takes place on Saturday, when saxophonist and St. Louis native Eric Person and his band Meta-Four take the stage at Finale Music and Dining in Clayton. Person's got a fine new CD, Rhythm Edge, that's just come out, and he's in the midst of a four-week DIY tour to promote the new release. Look for a interview with Person here on StLJN later today or tomorrow.

Heading east to the Grand Center district, Jazz at the Bistro has the monthly performance by the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra tonight and the brand new St. Louis-based Latin jazz group Musica Slesa (pictured) on Friday and Saturday.

For those inclined toward more avant-garde sounds, on Sunday New Music Circle presents the improvising duo of vocalist Thomas Buckner and electronic musician Dave Wessel at Christ Church Cathedral downtown. Also on Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club is sponsoring a concert featuring the traditional jazz of Bud Shultz and the You Can't Beat Experience Jazz Band at the Moolah Shrine Center in West County.

Other noteworthy sounds this week: Guitarist Vince Varvel will do a free concert on Thursday at Washington University as part of the Jazz at Holmes series. On Friday, singer Erin Bode performs at Missouri Baptist University, and on Saturday, trumpeter Randy Holmes will head up a tribute to Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers at Cookie's Jazz and More.

If all that's still not enough for you, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar to see a more extensive list of local jazz-related events.

(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: Delfeayo Marsalis, Diane Schuur, John Pizzarelli, Frank Sinatra Jr., Marion Meadows, and more

With five very different touring headliners in town for performances between now and Sunday, the St. Louis jazz scene has shows to suit a variety of musical tastes this weekend.

Let's go in chronological order, starting with Delfeayo Marsalis, who's performing at Jazz at the Bistro from Wednesday through Saturday. Delfeayo is the third-youngest Marsalis brother, and is known for his work as a producer of other artists as well as a musician in his own right. What little I've heard of his own stuff seems mostly inclined toward well-executed hard bop and post-1960s modernism, with occasional New Orleans-style trimmings, and, as one might expect from a Marsalis, he's definitely got skills on his chosen instrument. For more about his live show, check out this review of a January 2007 performance at NYC's Blue Note.

Next up is singer and pianist Diane Schuur, who returns to Finale Music and Dining to perform on Thursday and Friday. Schuur's brassy style has always seemed a bit overbearing to me, but there's no questioning her chops. If you're a fan, this seems like a great chance to see her in a very intimate setting.

On Saturday, singer and guiitarist John Pizzarelli (pictured) kicks off the Sheldon Concert Hall's jazz series for 2007-08. By now, Pizzarelli's a familiar figure around these parts, and seems to have built a substantial fan base here thanks to past performances at the Bistro, the Sheldon and elsewhere. He's an able entertainer as well as a fine guitar player, and I'd expect him to draw a big crowd at the Sheldon.

Speaking of entertainers, on Sunday afternoon Frank Sinatra Jr. will play the Touhill Performing Arts Center. His current show pays explicit tribute to his famous father, and, according to his publicity materials, features a 38-piece orchestra to recreate the arrangements used on some of Old Blue Eyes' most famous recordings.

To close out the weekend, on Sunday night the Roberts Orpheum will host a smooth jazz show headlined by saxophonist Marion Meadows and also featuring keyboard players Alex Bugnon and Bob Baldwin.

Other noteworthy jazz performances this weekend include trombonist Brett Stamps, who plays a free concert at Washington University on Thursday night as part of the Jazz at Holmes series, and smooth jazz/R&B saxophonist Rod Tate, who will be at Finale on Saturday.

Looking beyond the weekend, the Sessions Big Band is at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups on Monday night; singer Anita Rosamond will do a couple of 10 a.m. "Coffee Concerts" at the Sheldon on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings; and singer Brian Owens performs in a "Notes From Home" concert at the Sheldon on Tuesday night.

For more St. Louis jazz-related events, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendat

(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.)

Real estate deal threatens Finale

I'm a little late on this one, but Post-Dispatch business columnist Joe Whittington had an item last week about a pending real estate deal that poses a threat to Finale Music and Dining in Clayton:

NO FINALE YET: Steve Schankman says it's too early to count out his music and dining club Finale, located at Clayton on the Park, 8025 Bonhomme Avenue.

The building's owners are teaming with Sunrise Senior Living to convert residences to senior living.

One office wag has suggested it could come to booking a version of Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians for a tea room in the space.

"I'm always looking," said Schankman. "First, their deal has to close, second, we have to work out a deal to vacate, and then we have to find a new place. We're booked until the end of the year."

Bob Saur's Conrad Properties, which is redeveloping Clayton on the Park, has proposed the new arrangement.

"Until it's finalized, I'm always looking for opportunities," said Schankman. "And as far as senior audiences are concerned, our Sinatra show is a hit, and we do have some shows that attract senior audiences."

While Finale's current space admittedly is less than ideal, due to the huge structural columns that block the view of the stage from some parts of the audience, the club's closing would be an unfortunate blow to the local jazz scene. Here's hoping that Schankman and partners will either work out a deal to stay if the building is converted, or find a new location with better sightlines.

(StLJN hat tip to Terry Perkins for calling this to my attention.)

Person, Jordan added to Finale fall schedule

Finale Music and Dining has announced its schedule for most of the remaining dates in 2007, and there are a number of shows of interest to jazz fans.

In addition to the previously announced return of singer and pianist Diane Schuur, the biggest news is that saxophonist and St. Louis native Eric Person and guitarist Stanley Jordan (pictured) both will be performing return engagements at the Clayton club this fall. Person and his band Meta-Four will play Finale on Saturday, October 13, with Jordan coming in the next week for a two-night stand on Thursday, October 18 and Friday, October 19.

Finale will also continue its practice of booking themed evenings of entertainment, with new entries including holiday shows featuring Debby Lennon (Saturday, December 15) and Anita Rosamond (Saturday, December 22) and a tribute to Chet Baker from the band Hard Bop Heritage (Thursday, December 27).

The club also announced return engagements for a number of other local and regional artists, including Rod Tate (Saturday, October 6); Tim Cunningham (Friday, October 12; Saturday, November 10; and Friday, December 7); the Tommy Money Orchestra (Saturday, October 20); Kim Massie (Saturday, October 27; Friday, November 30 and Saturday, December 29); Dean Christopher's Rat Pack and More (Thursday, November 1 and Friday, December 14); Erin Bode (Friday, November 16 and Saturday, November 17); and the Sinatra Songbook (Friday, November 23).

Jazz This Week: Mary Stallings, the St. Louis Jazz Club picnic, free music at the Art Fair, and more

Apologies to all for for the relative lateness of this post; several unpleasant and/or inconvenient events have conspired to delay the usual heads-up on this week's jazz highlights, one of which would have been the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra's return to Jazz at the Bistro on Thursday night. That ship has sailed, so speak, but not to worry, as the ensemble led by Jim Widner will be making monthly appearances at the Bistro at least through the end of the year, and presumably longer.

So, for the rest of this missive, let's concentrate on the music that hasn't actually happened yet - like singer Mary Stallings (pictured), who will be at the Bistro tonight and tomorrow night. Stallings recorded a CD not too long ago for the local MAXJAZZ label, but she's been around since the early 1960s, when a record she made with vibist Cal Tjader helped establish her on the scene. She later performed with Count Basie for several years. After taking some time off to raise her daughter, Stallings returned to the stage work and continues to work and to be held in high esteem in her hometown of San Francisco. You can read an interview with her here and a brief biography here.

Another noteworthy event this weekend is the St. Louis Jazz Club's annual picnic, which runs from noon to 6 p.m. at the Concord Farmers Club, 10140 Concord School Rd. The event is open to the public, including non-members of the StLJC, and will feature music from the St. Louis Stompers, the St. Louis Banjo Band and the St. Louis Ragtimers.

If traditional jazz isn't your thing, maybe you'd rather take in some of the free music at the St. Louis Art Fair, which runs Friday through Sunday and is put on by the same organization that presents tthe St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival. There are at least a half-dozen acts appearing over the three days that are of potential interest to jazz fans, including Latin jazz group Clave Sol, Carbondale combo The New Arts Jazztet and pianist Carolbeth True and her trio with special guest Larry Johnson on saxophone. See the event's Web site for all the details.

Also especially worth noting are two more gigs on Friday night, when smooth jazz saxophonist Tim Cunningham returns to Finale Music and Dining, and singer/flute player Margaret Bianchetta brings a trio to Brandt's.

For more local jazz-related events, please see the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, (which has received several updates over the last week but still has more to go).

(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 slightly after posting.)

Jazz this week: Diana Krall & Chris Botti, tributes to Charlie Parker and Tony Bennett, and more

As summer winds down, there's lots to do in St. Louis, and though the fall season won't really get going full steam for another couple of weeks, there are some noteworthy jazz events competing for your time, attention and entertainment dollars this weekend.

Most prominently, singer/pianist Diana Krall (pictured) and trumpeter Chris Botti bring their joint tour to St. Louis this evening for a performance at the Fox Theatre. As of this writing, Metrotix is not showing the concert as a sellout, which means there indeed still may be some tickets available; I'd suggest calling ahead, though, rather than just showing up at the box office.

As for the rest of the Labor Day weekend, on Thursday you can catch trumpeter Randy Holmes and Hard Bop Heritage doing a tribute to Charlie Parker at Finale Music and Dining, or the Denver-based Mike Beck Trio, in town to play a one-nighter at Cookie's Jazz and More.

On Friday, Finale present singer Anita Jackson fronting a band led by drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris; Brandt's has singer/pianist/tenor saxophonist/raconteur Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum; and trumpeter Jim Manley brings his band Wild, Cool and Swingin' to Cookie's.

Saturday night is a bit skimpier, but if you don't feel like seeing singer Al Oxenhandler and the Carolbeth True Trio doing their "salute to Tony Bennett" at Finale, there's always Willie Akins' weekly gig at Spruill's.

More local jazz-related events can be found by consulting the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, with the caveat that said calendar will be in a state of more or less continuous update for the next several days as September schedules straggle into the StLJN mailbox from area clubs and musicians.

(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: Support your local jazz musicians

With a record-setting heat wave in St. Louis this week, just about anyone who can is hunkering down somewhere air-conditioned and/or moving about as little as humanly possible.

And though these dog days of mid-August find our town once again devoid of touring jazz musicians for the weekend, our stalwart locals will be performing as always for your edification and entertainment. Should you dare to brave the infernoesque temperatures and soupy humidity long enough to transport yourself to a local nightspot, there's a good chance you'll enjoy one or more of the following:

Tonight, Jeff Anderson's Positive Energy Quartet is playing at Brandt's.

On Friday, trombonist (and bassist) Wayne Coniglio teams up with multi-woodwind player and singer Elsie Parker (pictured), best known for her work with the French-accented musical group The Poor People of Paris, to perform at Cookie's Jazz and More.

Then on Saturday, the very fine pianist Ptah Williams brings his trio to Cookie's, while singer Anita Rosamond returns to Finale Music and Dining, this time with a show focused on 1960s and 1970s pop and soul.

And last, but certainly not least, singer Mae "Lady Jazz" Wheeler will be at Brandt's on Sunday for another of her late afternoon/early evening performances.

These are your jazzmen and jazzwomen, St. Louis (and you can find a few more local jazz-related events any time you like simply by visiting the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar).

These hard-working men and women are out there doing their best, even in this undeniably blistering weather, to bring some cool music to our collective ears - so get on out this weekend and show some support, OK? (Reliable sources tell me that not only are the aforementioned nightspots air-conditioned, they also serve cold beverages along with the music. So seriously, the heat is no excuse not to go. )

(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: Acoustic Alchemy, Jazz at Holmes summer series, Tommy Money Orchestra, and more

Compared to some past years, it's been a relatively busy summer so far for jazz in St. Louis, but the activity level will be dropping a bit in the month of August, as it's the height of vacation season, and most of the not-for-profit presenters, concert series, university affiliated programs, and so on won't resume until the beginning of September.

Still, the cupboard is not entirely bare this weekend - for starters, the British smooth jazz group Acoustic Alchemy (pictured) will be in town tonight to do two sets at Finale Music and Dining, providing fans with the opportunity to see them up close in an intimate club setting.

Also tonight, Washington University's Jazz at Holmes summer series of free concerts continues with pianist Ptah Williams and singer Tony Viviano teaming up for a program focused on the music of Tony Bennett. At first consideration, this seems like an odd pairing - Williams is a hard-driving pianist with a distinctly modern, post-bop style, while Viviano is a genial crooner specializing in classic pop and tunes from the Great American Songbook. Then again, sometimes musicians with contrasting styles can draw each other into new places, and I certainly wouldn't put it past these two to find an interesting middle ground.

On Saturday, trumpeter Tommy Money will squeeze his big band onto the stage at Cookie's Jazz and More, which is reopening this weekend after a brief mid-summer vacation.

Other noteworthy gigs over the next several days include a troika of singers: Jeanne Trevor at Brandt's on Thursday; Debby Lennon doing a Cole Porter tribute at Finale on Saturday; and Mae "Lady Jazz" Wheeler in an early evening show at Brandt's on Sunday.

Also on Sunday, radio host, jazz historian, author and occasional StLJN co-conspirator Dennis Owsley continues his "Jazz Decades" series of broadcasts with a program featuring three house of music recorded in the years 1965-1969 by artists such as Albert Ayler, Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, Ornette Coleman, the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, John Handy, Charles Lloyd and Anthony Braxton. To hear it, tune in to KWMU 90.7 FM from 9 p.m. to midnight, or catch the online stream at KWMU's Web site.

For a more extensive listing of local jazz performances, 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.)

Finale to present shows by Acoustic Alchemy, Diane Schuur

It's been a while since we've checked out the coming attractions at Finale Music and Dining, and since one of the club's notable shows with a touring headliner is happening next week, now seems like an opportune time to mention that Finale will present smooth jazz/world music group Acoustic Alchemy next Thursday, August 2. Also, although it's not yet on Finale's Web site, thanks to Pollstar, it has been revealed that the club also has booked a return appearance for singer and pianist Diane Schuur on Thursday, October 4 and Friday, October 5.

In between, Finale has scheduled appearances by a number of local and regional musicians of interest to jazz listeners, including return gigs by singer Debby Lennon (doing a Cole Porter tribute show on Saturday, August 4); saxophonist Tim Cunningham (Friday, August 10 and Friday, September 7); singer/impressionist Dean Christopher (Saturday, August 11); singer Anita Rosamond (Saturday, August 18); and Wild, Cool and Swingin' (Friday, September 21).

Also coming up at Finale: a tribute to Charlie Parker by trumpeter Randy Holmes and Hard Bop Heritage (Thursday, August 30); drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris with singer Anita Jackson (Friday, August 31); singer/pianist Al Oxenhandler (Saturday, September 1); Downtown Trio's "Bach To The Future" show (Friday, September 14); and a "tenor battle" from saxophonist David Fatek and his organ quartet (Thursday, September 20). And let's not forget the John Coltrane tribute from Holmes and Hard Bop Heritage (Saturday, September 22) and a two-night stand for the "Sinatra Songbook" show (Thursday, September 27 and Friday, September 28).

Finally, to add a little visual interest to this post, there's a bit of YouTubery above and below the text. The video up top shows Acoustic Alchemy performing "Playing for Time", while the one below features Schuur and her quartet doing "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)". Schuur's band in this clip include Rod Fleeman, an excellent guitarist with Kansas City roots who some may also recall as a member of the 1970s fusion group Dry Jack.

Joe Bozzi featured in Press-Journal

Trumpet player and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi (pictured) is the subject of a feature story in the West County Press Journal, prompted by his upcoming gig later this month at Finale Music and Dining.

You can read the article online here.

Jazz this week: The Cunninghams, BAG II, Red Holloway, Erin Bode, and more

There's lots of good music on tap this weekend in the Gateway City, so let's go right to the highlights:

Tonight, The Cunninghams perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The jazz vocal duo - St. Louis native Don Cunningham and his wife Alicia - will be joined by a number of guest stars including the Carolbeth True Trio, pianist Marion Miller, and saxophonist Chuck Tillman, and you can read more about them here and here.

Also tonight, singer Erin Bode gives a free concert at St. Louis Place Park, with Bob Bennett's Swing 'n Soul as opening act.

On Friday, BAG II presents a free concert paying tribute to the late St. Louis saxophonist Maurice Malik King at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. See this post for more details.

On Friday and Saturday, tenor saxophonist Red Holloway (pictured) performs at Jazz at the Bistro. Holloway's specialty is old-school bop & blues, and he's also got a nice touch with ballads, a satisfyingly greasy tone and a real sense of showmanship.

Other noteworthy shows this weekend: On Friday, Dizzy Atmosphere plays a free outdoor concert as part of the Webster Groves Gazebo Series, and bassist Tom Kennedy brings his trio to Brandt's. And on Saturday, singer Anita Rosamond returns to Finale Music and Dining, while Jeff Anderson and Positive Energy appear at Cookie's Jazz and More.

For a more extensive list of 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: Greg Osby, a tribute to John Norment, Erin Bode and more

There's only time for a short post this week, but there are a few performances definitely worth noting, starting with saxophonist Greg Osby (pictured), a St. Louis native who returns home this weekend to play Friday and Saturday night at Jazz at the Bistro. A prolific composer and bandleader, Osby is always challenging himself and his audience with new material and different ensemble configurations. The quartet is one of his more frequent performing formats, but according to this interview Osby did with the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson, he'll have a new piano player and some new compositions to show off this weekend.

Osby is also a Net-savvy individual who's been known to engage fans at length on various message boards and whose Web site contains lots of free music for download in MP3 format. If you're not already familiar with this fine musician, go here to sample some of his work, and then get down to the Bistro to check him out in person.

Also worth noting this weekend is the appearance of singer Erin Bode at Finale Music and Dining for a comparatively rare two-night engagement on Friday and Saturday. No doubt Bode's considerable local fan base will want to avail themselves of the chance to hear her in a showcase club setting, so if you're interested in going, advance reservations are definitely in order.

On Sunday afternoon, the Bistro will host a jazz brunch featuring the Jerome "Scrooge" Harris Quartet in a tribute to the late St. Louis saxophonist John Norment. Proceeds from the event go to benefit Harris' not-for-profit educational institute for young musicians, and they'll also be selling a new CD featuring Harris' renditions of some of Norment's music. For more details, see this post.

Other noteworthy gigs this weekend include perennial local favorite Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum at Brandt's this evening; the Vegas-style jazz of Wild Cool & Swingin' at Cookie's Jazz and More on Saturday; and singer Mae Wheeler at Brandt's for a late afternoon/early evening gig on Sunday.

That's about it for this week, but remember, you always can find a more extensive listing of local jazz-related events 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: Trio Tres Bien at the Garden, a Jimmy Smith tribute, Scott Alberici with Herb Drury, "Neo-Jazz" and more

Alas, Blogger is being extremely uncooperative today, so before my computer is reduced to a smoking ruin, or something even worse happens, let's get right to this week's jazz highlights in St. Louis:

Tonight, longtime St. Louis favorites Trio Trés Bien (pictured) will perform in a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. No official word if frequent guest vocalist Danita Mumphard, who's the daughter of TTB bassist Harold Thompson, also will be performing, but if so, it's the icing on the cake.

On Thursday, saxophonist David Fatek brings his quartet to Finale Music and Dining for "Back At The Chicken Shack: A Tribute to Jimmy Smith and Stanley Turrentine," which will also feature organist Tony DiPasquale. Though I'm not familiar with Fatek's work, I like the concept and I'm glad Finale booked this show, because St. Louis doesn't have much in the way of indigenous jazz organ groups these days.

On Friday, the Mildred E. Bastian Performing Arts Center at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park will host the "Budweiser Neo-Jazz Fest," a smooth jazz package show featuring vocalists Eric Roberson and Maysa, keyboard player Bob Baldwin and saxophonist Marion Meadows. Tickets are available via Metrotix.

On Friday and Saturday, Jazz at the Bistro continues its summer season with a two-night stand by the Scott Alberici Quartet. The clarinetist's group for this gig will include veteran pianist Herb Drury, a onetime mainstay of the local scene who doesn't perform in public much anymore, so that alone makes it something of a special occasion.

There's more, but I think we've tempted fate and Blogger enough for one day, so please go to the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar for a more extensive listing of local jazz-related events.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. No attachments, please.)