Jazz this week: The Bad Plus, Ryan Hoffman Trio, Jim Manley's birthday bash, and more

The first part of January isn't a particularly active time for touring artists, so this week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis features just a couple of visiting acts - one quite well-known, the other seemingly new to these parts - plus the usual assortment of performances from our hometown players and singers. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 2
In what has become an annual tradition over the past decade-plus, The Bad Plus (pictured, top left) will be the first touring band of the the new year to play at Jazz St. Louis, with five nights of performances continuing through Sunday night.

It's been a year since pianist Orrin Evans officially joined the group, replacing founding member Ethan Iverson - in fact, Evans' first-ever gig with TBP was here in St. Louis. Since then, the consensus of critics and fans seems to be that, while their sound is unquestionably different, it's still The Bad Plus, which, in the words of Rolling Stone's Hank Shteamer, "has always been about putting distinctive, memorable songs first and letting them guide the band’s exploratory, idiosyncratic improvisations."

Also on Wednesday, the first "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" of the year features saxophonist Austin Cebulski and friends at The Stage at KDHX, plus the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Thursday, January 3
Saxophonist Vince Sala leads a trio at The Pat Connolly Tavern, and trumpeter Brady Lewis and band will perform at The Dark Room.

Friday, January 4
Seattle-based guitarist Ryan Hoffman (pictured, bottom left) will play vintage swing, Gypsy jazz and more with his trio at Evangeline's; Mike Dillon Band plays at Pop's Blue Moon; bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn, and pianist/singer Jesse Gannon returns to The Dark Room.

Saturday, January 5
Trumpeter Jim Manley and his band will celebrate Manley's birthday with a performance at Evangeline's.

Sunday, January 6
The St. Louis Record Show will present their first event of the new year in the usual location, the American Czech Center.

Also on Sunday, you can take in jazz brunch with singer Anita Jackson at The Dark Room or Miss Jubilee at Evangeline's; hear a matinee by the Genesis Jazz Project at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; or catch an early-evening performance by the Jazz Troubadours at Evangeline's.

Monday, January 7
Drummer Keith Bowman and his quartet resume their Monday night residency at The Dark Room.

Tuesday, January 8
Meanwhile, keyboardist Owen Ragland and his band have inherited the Tuesday night spot at The Dark Room, held for most of last year by multi-instrumentalist and singer Tonina Saputo.

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

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

Edited 1/3/19 to add info on Mike Dillon Band. 

Jazz this week: Joshua Redman and more

With the area still in a post-holiday deep freeze, the calendar of live jazz and creative music this week in St. Louis unsurprisingly features just one significant touring performer, but there also will be the usual contingent of local musicians and singers braving the arctic-like conditions for your listening enjoyment.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 3
Saxophonist Joshua Redman returns with his quartet to perform for the first of five nights continuing through Sunday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Redman (pictured) last performed here in 2016 with The Bad Plus, and previously played at the Bistro with his trio in 2014 and 2010, but this will be the first time he's brought his long-running quartet to St. Louis in more than a decade. For more details about what Redman has been up to lately, read the preview story written by Dan Durchholz for the Post-Dispatch.

Also on Wednesday, this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes bassist Glen Smith and guitarist Eric Slaughter at The Stage at KDHX as well as the weekly jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, January 4
Pianist Adam Maness' trio returns to Thurman's in Shaw, and SpaceShip plays jazz fusion at The Dark Room.

Friday, January 5
Trumpeter Jim Manley will celebrate his birthday with a full-band performance at Evangeline's; guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran continues his Friday residency at Das Bevo; saxophonist Tim Cunningham is back at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and pianist and singer Jesse Gannon plays the late show at The Dark Room.

Saturday, January 6
Pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson return to Parkside Grille.

Sunday, January 7
The St. Louis Record Collector & CD Show presents their first event of the year at the American Czech Educational Center, and pianist Dave Venn teams up with vocalist Jeanne Trevor for a rare appearance playing for brunch at The Dark Room.

Also on Sunday, the Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe; the Genesis Jazz Project plays a late-afternoon gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and The Jazz Troubadours return to Evangeline's.

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: Rebirth Brass Band, Shotgun Jazz Band with Charlie Halloran, and more

With the start of the fall presenting season still a couple of weeks away, the schedule of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis is a bit light this weekend, but it does feature two bands bringing a bit of New Orleans to our town, plus some other noteworthy shows.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, August 30
Pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson will perform at Evangeline's, and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe, a jam session with bassist Bob Deboo and friends at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, August 31
Up for the weekend from New Orleans, the Shotgun Jazz Band - with St. Louis native Charlie Halloran on trombone - will play the first show of their visit at Joe's Cafe & Gallery.

Also on Thursday, Animal Children will perform at The Dark Room, and pianist and singer Jesse Gannon plays solo at The Monocle.

Friday, September 1
Also visiting this weekend from New Orleans, the Rebirth Brass Band (pictured, top left) returns to headline an outdoor show at the Atomic Cowboy Pavilion,  with support from fellow New Orleans denizens Dumpstaphunk. You can get a taste of Rebirth's contemporary spin on the traditional brass band sound via video in this post from a couple of weeks ago.

Elsewhere around town, singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran's Guerrilla Swing will play a free show at Eckert's Country Store & Farms in Belleville; singer Meghan Kirk performs her cabaret show "Out of My Head" at The Stage at KDHX; and Cafe Danza, featuring guitarist Farshid Etniko and multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman. will promote their new recording with a concert at Focal Point.

And although it's not a jazz event per se, StLJN readers also may be interested in the Big Muddy Blues Festival, which gets underway on Friday and will feature performances from dozens of local acts throughout the weekend.

Saturday, September 2
Shotgun Jazz Band plays their second show of the weekend, this time at Focal Point; and keyboardist Mo Egeston and friends will keep up the late night grooves at The Dark Room.

Sunday, September 3
The Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" matinee at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe; Wright's Project play jazz-fusion and funk at Patois Eatery & Social Lounge (in the space formerly occupied by the Rustic Goat at 2617 Washington Ave downtown), and the Genesis Jazz Project with guest vocalist Joe Mancuso will play straight-ahead and modern jazz at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Singer Tony Viviano visited the podcast A Concert Pitch to talk about his show celebrating the 100th birthday of Frank Sinatra next Friday, December 11 at Patrick's Westport Grill.

* Miss Jubilee's show tonight at the Wildey Theatre was previewed by EdGlen.com.

* A featured by Tim Bryant in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch looks at what the National Blues Museum will offer to visitors when it opens downtown in April.

* Saxophonist Jim Stevens (pictured) will be playing with some big names this Sunday in southern California, as keyboardist and Metro East native David Garfield has invited him to take part in the 18th annual memorial concert for drummer Carlos Vega at Alvas Showroom in San Pedro, CA. The lineup for the show features a number of nationally and internationally known musicians, including bassist Will Lee, drummer Steve Ferrone, ex-Steely Dan guitarist Denny Dias, singer Alex Ligertwood, and more.

* In a story that broke last week just after this column went online, the city of St. Louis has canceled its contract with Los Angeles-based production company International Creative Management granting exclusive rights for up to ten years to oversee a series of outdoor rock, pop, and country concerts in downtown St. Louis. The city now is seeking potential local producers for new events in 2016 and beyond.

* Genesis Jazz Project reports that their performance last week benefiting the local food bank Circle of Concern raised more than $350 in cash and collected nearly 400 food items for the charity.

* The Baylor Project, featuring drummer and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, will make their Boston debut next Thursday, December 10 at Sculler's Jazz Club. The band also features pianist Sullivan Fortner, bassist Eric Wheeler, and saxophonist Keith Loftis.

* Former bandleader and broadcaster Carlos "Buddy" Moreno has died. He was 103 years old, and lived at Delmar Gardens North assisted living facility. A native of Los Angeles, Moreno began his career during the Great Depression, working with bands led by Griff Williams, Dick Jurgens (with whom he recorded "one Dozen Roses," a number one hit in 1942) and Harry James before forming his own big band in 1944.

Moreno moved to St. Louis in the 1950s to lead the house band at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, and also directed orchestras at the Fox Theatre and the Muny. He subsequently got into broadcasting, hosting The Buddy Moreno Show on local CBS affiliate KMOX-TV (now KMOV) and appearing on radio stations WIL-FM, WEW, and WSIE, where he hosted a weekly program playing big band music until 2005.

Jazz this week: Omaha Diner, Eliane Elias, Stanley Clarke, Susan Werner, and more

It's shaping up to be another busy week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with a handful of visiting headliners in town at various venues, a couple of homecoming shows featuring former St. Louisans, and a full schedule of performances from local players as well. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 18
The quartet Omaha Diner (pictured, top left), featuring guitarist Charlie Hunter, saxophonist Skerik, drummer Bobby Previte, and trumpeter Eric Bloom, makes their St. Louis debut in the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

As an ensemble, they're both high concept - performing nothing but songs that have reached number one on the Billboard pop charts - and loose-limbed, taking considerable liberties with the material while still maintaining the sort of funky grooves associated with Hunter, who, in his customary fashion, simultaneously provides both bass lines and chords. To get a better idea of what this actually sounds like, you can see and hear Omaha Diner in action in this video post from last Saturday.

Thursday, November 19
Guitarist Vincent Varvel plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, November 20
Singer/songwriter Susan Werner closes out the fall series of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival with the first of two performances at the Gaslight Theater; Dreaming in Colour will play jazz-fusion at the Ozark Theatre; and the contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound returns to the Sheldon Concert Hall with a program of music from St. Louis composers including pianist Peter Martin, Wash U music professor Christopher Stark, and multimedia artist and activist Damon Davis.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be swinging at Backstreet Jazz & Blues in Westport; the Sentimental Journey Dance Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and the Funky Butt Brass Band will be back for their regular monthly gig at Broadway Oyster Bar.

Saturday, November 21
Pianist and singer Eliane Elias returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2010 for a performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

The Brazilian-born Elias (pictured, center left) first gained wide recognition outside her home country in the 1980s as a member of the fusion band Steps Ahead. She subsequently teamed up with her ex-husband, trumpet player Randy Brecker, for a number of albums mixing straight-ahead, contemporary and Brazilian jazz before going solo with a varied menu of projects that have ranged from a big-band album arranged by Bob Brookmeyer to a tribute to pianist Bill Evans.

Elias has spend a good portion of this year touring in support of her most recent album Made In Brazil, which came out last spring and marked the first time she had gone back to her home country to record since moving to the United States in 1981. You can read more about that in the interview Elias did in August with Keyboard magazine.

Also on Saturday night, bassist Stanley Clarke will be playing at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Clarke, who was here last year at The Pageant, just wrapped up a two-week run at the Blue Note in NYC that included guest appearances from drummer Lenny White and pianists McCoy Tyner and George Cables.

He also has a new album out this month, a trio recording with violinist Jean-Luc Ponty and guitarist Biréli Lagrène called D-Stringz. For the show at the Touhill, though, Clarke (pictured, lower left) will perform with the current version of his electric band, which includes pianist Beka Gochiashvili, keyboardist Cameron Graves, and drummer Michael Mitchell.

Elsewhere on Saturday night, guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson take the stage at Thurman Grill; singer, actor and St. Louis native Craig Pomranz is back home from NYC to perform his cabaret show "Love Takes Time" at Cyrano's; and singer Danita Mumphard will be interpreting the music of Whitney Houston at the Ozark Theatre.

Sunday November 22
Trumpeter Ally Hany returns home from NYC to celebrate the release of her first album Journeys Ahead with a performance at Ferring Jazz Bistro, and Jay Hutson and Da Wolvez will play at Nathalie's.

Monday November 23
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Gypsy jazz and swing at The Shaved Duck, and trumpeter Keith Moyer and band will perform at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

Tuesday November 24
Genesis Jazz Project will play a benefit concert for the Circle of Concern Food Pantry at the Midwest Music Conservatory in Ballwin; and student jazz ensembles from Webster Groves High School will perform in a fundraiser for the school's music programs at Highway 61 Roadhouse.

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.)

Updated after posting to correct info on this week's Jazz at Holmes show. 

Jazz this week: Regina Carter, a trio of big bands, a benefit for Tony Simmons, and more

This week's notable jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis include the return of the premier violinist in jazz; concerts by three different local big bands; and more. Let's go to the highlights...

The violinist in question is, as you might suspect,  Regina Carter, who opens a four-night engagement this evening continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Carter (pictured) was here last in 2010, touring with a band that included accordion and kora players in support of her album Reverse Thread, which featured compositions by musicians from Kenya, Mali, and Senegal. This time, she'll be accompanied by a more conventionally configured trio, including Xavier Davis on piano, Gayelynn McKinney on drums, and Jesse Murphy on bass, and presumably will be drawing on her repertoire of straight-ahead, swing and funk tunes as well. For more about Carter plus a video sample of her current band and some retrospective clips, please see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

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

Tomorrow night, pianist Carolbeth True and her trio will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and pianist/singer Jesse Gannon performs in a showcase at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

On Friday, pianist and Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap finally gets to bring his new quintet to the Saint Louis Art Museum, playing a free concert for their "Art After 5" series to make up for an outdoor show back in June that was canceled due to bad weather. In addition to Dunlap, the group features Danny Campbell (trumpet), Ben Reece (tenor sax), Jahmal Nichols (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

Also on Friday, singer and actress Liz Murphy will present the first of two performances of her cabaret show "The Best Is Yet To Come" at the Kranzberg Arts Center; Miss Jubilee performs at The Wine Press; bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn; and drummer Chuck Kennedy will debut a new ensemble featuring saxophonist Jerry Greene, pianist Arthur Toney and bassist Marc Torlina, plus some special guest performers, at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Saturday, trumpeter Randy Holmes brings his quintet to Robbie's, while a couple of blocks away, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play at C.J. Muggs. Also on Saturday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will duet at Candicci’s Italian Restaurant in Ballwin, and singer Ann Dueren's trio performs at Il Bel Lago.

Then on Sunday afternoon, a number of local musicians and singers will team up to present a benefit performance for keyboardist Tony Simmons at Union Memorial United Methodist Church, 1141 Belt Ave. The show will raise money toward Simmons' medical expenses, incurred earlier this year when his legs had to be amputated due to complications from diabetes. Scheduled performers announced so far include Denise Thimes, Joe Mancuso, Anita Jackson, Tim Cunningham, Jeremiah Allen, Cheryl Brown and Joy Bryant.

On Sunday evening, the Dave Dickey Big Band plays their monthly gig at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, with an intermission performance by the Lindbergh High School jazz band; and pianist Tony Suggs and drummer Montez Coleman will co-lead a quartet for two sets at the Bistro at Grand Center, the first of which already is sold out.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Dizzy Atmosphere will play at The Shaved Duck, and saxophonist "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Tuesday, there's a double dose of big band action, as the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, directed by Jim Widner, performs as part of the "Notes From Home" series at the  Sheldon Concert Hall, while the Genesis Jazz Project, under the baton of Bob Waggoner, will play a concert at Midwest Music in Ballwin. 

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: Joey DeFrancesco, Dan Thomas, Harry Miller, Montez Coleman, Genesis Jazz Project, and more

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis is headed by organist Joey DeFrancesco (pictured), who this evening will open a four-night gig continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. DeFrancesco, considered by many to be the reigning champ of the blues-drenched jazz organ style pioneered by the late Jimmy Smith, has played in St. Louis numerous times in recent years, and thus likely needs no further introduction to most local jazz fans.

That said, if you're interested in finding out more about Joey D., and seeing some recent video samples demonstrating his always-impressive skills on the B-3, check out this video showcase post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Tomorrow night, Washington University's Jazz at Holmes series had been scheduled to present a program called "Freedom Jazz Dance" with dancer and choreographer Ashley Tate and the St. Louis Creative Artists Jazz Ensemble. According to an email sent out on Tuesday, that event has been canceled, but there will be a free concert at the usual time featuring a "surprise" artist TBA.

On Friday, saxophonist Dan Thomas, who co-leads the jazz program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, will present a free concert and clinic at Saxquest. Also on Friday, guitarist Tom Byrne will lead a trio with bassist Chris Watrous and drummer Fred Spencer at Cigar Inn; and singer Brad Carlson will front a quartet at Robbie's House of Jazz

On Saturday evening, pianist Harry Miller, who grew up in University City but now lives in New York, will be returning home for his first-ever headlining gig here at Robbie's. Among his many other credits, Miller spent a couple of years on the road with Maynard Ferguson as keyboardist for the trumpeter's band Big Bop Nouveau. For this date, he'll be backed by the highly capable local rhythm team of bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes.

Also Saturday, guitarist Dave Black will play an early evening solo set at the Schlafly St. Louis Brewery and Tap Room downtown. Later that night, a new cabaret performance called "Women Under the Influence," produced by singer Robert Breig’s Mariposa Artists, will be presented in the showroom at Joe Buck’s Restaurant, 10th and Clark downtown. The ensemble show offers a cabaret-style take on songs from the girl-group era of the 1960s up to the present day, and reunites pianist and singer Carol Schmidt and singer/multi-instrumentalist Michele Isam - who had a long, successful run working together in the pop/folk/jazz duo Jasmine - along with singers Katie McGrath and Debbie Schuster.

On Sunday, drummer Montez Coleman's group will play a free concert for the St. Louis Jazz and Blues Vespers series at Second Baptist Church. Also on Sunday, singer Erika Johnson has taken on an organizing role in the weekly jam session at Blank Space, the new name for the performance space/gallery that to be known as Cranky Yellow, at 2847 Cherokee. Johnson is touting the event as a combination of "Hit Session-Cutting Contest-Networking," and cautions that it's NOT a jam for those seeking "to get your feet wet."

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday drummer Joe Pastor's trio will play at BB's Jazz Blues & Soups. Then on Tuesday, the Genesis Jazz Project will perform at Midwest Music Conservatory, 15977 Clayton Rd in Ballwin. Admission to the concert is free when you bring one canned good for Circle of Concern.

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: Peter Brötzmann and Hamid Drake, Daryl Sherman, Erin Bode and more

After a jam-packed calendar of offerings last week, this weekend offers a bit more breathing room for St. Louis fans of jazz and creative music. Still, there are several events worth noting, so let's go right to the highlights:

For starters, it's the final weekend for the Black Rep's production of the Louis Jordan musical Five Guys Named Moe, which is playing through Sunday at the Grandel Theatre. The production was directed by Black Rep founder Ron Himes and stars Drummond Crenshaw, Sean Walton, Gary Vincent, Herman Gordon, Horace E. Smith and Anthony Tarvin, Jr, with Charles Creath as musical director.

If you like Jordan's music, or have any interest in the musical period when swing was morphing into jump blues and rock 'n roll, Five Guys... is good fun and, as usual with the Black Rep's musical productions, there are some killer singers in the cast.

On Thursday, singer and pianist Daryl Sherman plays at the Kranzberg Arts Center under the auspices of the Presenters Dolan. Sherman is well-known in NYC's cabaret venues, particularly for her 15-year gig at the Waldorf Hotel, where she played a piano once owned by Cole Porter.

Her show "Lounging At The Waldorf" spotlights material written by Johnny Mercer, along with a few of Porter's songs. Bassist Dave Troncoso will back Sherman, with Don Wolff as MC. The Presenters Dolan also have two cabaret shows this weekend at the Kranzberg featuring St. Louis singers, with Alice Kinsella performing on Friday night and Robert Breig on Saturday.

On Friday and Saturday, singer Erin Bode returns to Jazz at the Bistro. Bode, who's rumored to have a new CD recorded and ready for release sometime soon, is always a good draw at the Bistro, so advance reservations are suggested.

On Sunday, saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and drummer Hamid Drake (pictured) will perform at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. Brötzmann, who's originally from Germany, has been a significant figure on the European and North American free improv scenes for nearly 40 years now; Drake first gained prominence with Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians, but now also plays around the world with a variety of free improv and jazz performers.

Their current duo tour is said to be the first such series of shows in a decade. Their concert at the LNAC would seem to be a must-hear for fans of free jazz, improv, noise, avant garde and experimental music, but, given Brötzmann's uncompromising approach and often-harsh sonorities, it's definitely not for the faint of heart.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday the Genesis Jazz Project plays a free show at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

For more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, 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.)