So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keyboardist and Metro East native David Garfield is set to release Stretchin' Outside The Box, the sixth and final installment in his "Outside The Box" series of albums, on Monday, September 27.

As the title suggests, the two-CD, 24-song set (pictured) features Garfield doing some extended jamming with an impressive array of guest stars, including Gerald Albright, Eric Marienthal, Chuck Loeb, Marcus Miller, Kirk Whalum, Paul Jackson Jr., Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Nathan East, Steve Gadd, Greg Phillinganes, David Paich, and more.

* There's a new episode of David Sanborn's "Sanborn Sessions" posted online this week, with bassist and vocalist Sting as the special guest joining the saxophonist and friends in the studio. You can see this latest episode in the embedded video window at the bottom of this post, and check out previous installments via the series' YouTube channel.

* A story from St. Louis Public Radio's Evie Hemphill examines the potential effects of the opening of two new live music venues, The Factory and St. Louis Music Park, in west St. Louis County.

* Sunday, August 1 is the deadline to apply for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's 2021-22 artist-in-residence program. You can get details and submit an application at the foundation's website.

* Also from the Kranzberg foundation this week comes word that the "Open Air" concerts outside the Grandel Theatre will continue through August (though the band lineup for the month contains more blues than jazz).

* Trumpeter Andy Tichenor, who's played in the pit orchestras at The Muny and Fox Theatre and with various local big bands, has been hospitalized with "a serious infection," and friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his medical and living expenses.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Catching up on the latest local livestreams

This week, let's take a look at some more performances recently livestreamed by St. Louis musicians, starting up above with a program called "Basses Loaded" that was recorded on May 7 at Jazz St. Louis and streamed this past Thursday.

As the title suggests, the set serves as a showcase for bassists Chano Cruz, Bernard Terry, and Ben Wheeler, who are supported by pianist Adaron “Pops” Jackson and drummer Demarius Hicks.

After the jump, you can see the Coleman-Hughes Project with singer Adrianne, performing a set of smooth jazz and R&B last Friday, May 21 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a recording of another program from Jazz St. Louis' "Jazz Speaks" series titled "Radiohead Runs the Voodoo Down," in which Dr. Pete Carney, director of jazz studies at the State College of Florida, makes the case that the British band's breakthrough album OK Computer actually was significant;y influenced by jazz.

Carney's talk is followed by a set of music in which an ensemble led by pianist Adam Maness interprets some Radiohead songs.

Next up, it's keyboardist Mark Harris II and his band, recorded live on Saturday, May 15 at the "Open Air" tent.

That's followed by a set from another up-and-coming pianist, Antonio Foster, who performed a streamed show for Jazz St. Louis on May 4 with an ensemble including Scooter Brown (alto sax), Bernard Terry (bass), Josiah Joyce (guitar), and Dorian Simms (drums).

In the final video, you can see pianist Peter Martin in a duo performance with the Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, his friend and collegaue in singer Dianne Reeves' backup band. The set was recorded in Martin's studio and first streamed live on Friday, May 14.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More local livestreams, plus the all-star International Jazz Day concert

This week's collection of videos features some of the latest livestreamed performances from St. Louis, plus a bonus video showcasing some of today's top jazz stars.

The first video up above is a program that was livestreamed this past Monday night as New Music Circle's 2020-21 season closer. It features a performance by the STL String Collective dedicated to the memory of Tracy Andreotti, the St. Louis cellist who passed away in December of last year. In addition to the concert by the Collective - violinst Alyssa Avery, cellist Ranya Iqbal, and violinist Sarah Vie - the video also includes an introduction from St. Louis musician Syrhea Conaway (aka SynaSoPro) and some archival footage of Andreotti.

After the jump, you can see the most recent livestream from Jazz St. Louis, featuring saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown in a set recorded back in April and streamed for the first time this past Thursday evening. Along with Brown, the musicians are Antonio Foster (keyboards), Jordan Brewer (bass), and Dorian Sims (drums).

Next up, it's pianist Peter Martin, who last Friday expanded on his ongoing series of online solo concerts with a trio session including drummer Montez Coleman and bassist Bob DeBoo.

That's followed by another set from drummer Demarius Hicks' quintet, this one from last Saturday night at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

Drummer Dave Weckl is another St. Louis musician who has been doing weekly webcasts during the pandemic, and the fifth video is Weckl's "Weekend Hang" from Sunday, May 9, with a mix of solo performance, Q&A session, and educational material.

Lastly, there's the aforementioned bonus video of the 2021 International Jazz Day "Virtual Global Concert," first webcast live on April 30 with performances by Herbie Hancock, Kris Bowers, Billy Childs, Antonio Sánchez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Linda May Han Oh, Lionel Loueke, and more.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

"Music at the Intersection" festival announces lineup of performers

The "Music at the Intersection" festival first announced last year by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and other Grand Center organizations has released the list of bands and musicians who will perform at the event, now scheduled for the weekend of Friday, September 10 through Sunday, September 12.

The roster includes 60 different acts, encompassing a variety of genres from jazz, blues, and old-school soul to Americana, hip-hop, and neo-soul.

Among the headliners who may be of particular interest to StLJN readers are vibraphonist Roy Ayers (pictured); singers Gregory Porter, Lalah Hathaway, and Bettye Lavette; New Orleans brass band the Soul Rebels with Wu-Tang Clan's GZA as special guest; keyboardists Booker T. Jones and Jon Cleary, and two jazz acts with a local connection, trumpeter Keyon Harrold and the Baylor Project, featuring St. Louis native Marcus Baylor on drums.

In addition to the national acts, the festival will program approximately four dozen local/regional bands and musicians, including something called the "Clark Terry Centennial Project," as well as Tonina, Funky Butt Brass Band, Denise Thimes, Anita Jackson, and just about all the performers currently designated at "music artists-in-residence" by the Kranzberg foundation. You can see the complete list of performers on the festival's website.

Participating venues will include the Fox Theatre, The Big Top, The Sheldon, Jazz St. Louis, the Grandel Theatre, and the Grandel's "Open Air" tent, but individual show lineups and venues still are TBA.

Tickets start at $63.50 for Friday and $80.50 for Saturday and Sunday, or a full weekend pass for $179, and will go on sale via Metrotix at 10:00 a.m. next Tuesday, May 18. VIP packages, including premium seating at the Fox, parking, and VIP bar service, also will be available for an additional charge.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More of the latest livestreams from St. Louis

This week, let's take a look at some more recent livestream performances from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with an Art Blakey tribute led by drummmer Montez Coleman. Coleman is joined by Ben Reece (tenor sax), Danny Campbell (trumpet), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (piano), and Bob DeBoo (bass) for the session recorded last November at Jazz St, Louis and streamed online this Thursday, May 7.

After the jump, you can see a set from violinist Tim Kampen's Jazz Expedition. Campen, a St. Louis native now living in Nashville, recorded the set at The Sheldon for streaming this past Tuesday, May 4.

Next up, it's keyboardist Pete Ruthenburg and his band in a show recorded on last Saturday, May 1 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a set from singer Joanna Serenko, recorded in April at Jazz St. Louis with accompaniment from guitarist Tyler Dale. keyboardist David Grelle, bassist Zeb Briskovich, and drummer Miles Vandiver.

The fifth video features another installment from pianist Peter Martin's ongoing series of solo online shows, first streamed on Friday, April 9.

And the final video features some vintage jazz and swing from Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys, recorded in March 2021 here in St. Louis for streaming by the San Diego Jazz Fest.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The latest livestreams from St. Louis

This week, let's take a look at some more recent livestreams from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a program from Jazz St. Louis paying tribute to Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

The set was recorded April 2 at Jazz St. Louis HQ in Grand Center, with Erika Johnson singing Holiday's songs and Anita Jackson handling the Fitzgerald material, supported by Adaron "Pops" Jackson (piano), Ben Reece (saxophone), Bob DeBoo (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

After the jump, it's another "Whitaker Jazz Speaks" program from Jazz St. Louis. "1959: The Year That Changed Jazz" also was recorded on April 2, and features music from four historic recordings released in the titular year: Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, and Charles Mingus’ Mingus Ah Um.

Bassist Bob DeBoo served as music director, with Kendrick Smith on saxophones, Ben Paille on trumpet, Alan Ferber on trombone, Adam Maness on piano, and Montez Coleman on drums,

Next up, it's saxophonist Stan Coleman's quintet, recorded on April 24 at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of The Grandel, followed by a set from guitarist Joe Park's trio with singer Janet Evra, recorded on April 15 at Focal Point St. Louis.

The penultimate video is another from Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream" series, and features funk/jazz quartet The Service in a set recorded on March 11. The band includes Pete Lombardo (guitar), Nathan Hershey (organ), Andy Coco (bass), and Nick Savage (drums), with special guest Matt McKeever on saxophones.

The final video, also recorded on April 15 at Focal Point, is a duo show featuring guitarists Dave Black and Farshid Etniko. (The performance originally was presented as a benefit for the Alzheimer's Association, so there's some material about that at the beginning of the video.)

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Livestreams from the "All-Star Jazz Fundraiser Festival"

Today, let's go back in time one week to share some videos from last Saturday's "All-Star Jazz Fundraiser Festival" held at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of The Grandel in the Grand Center district.

Organized by saxophonist Kendrick Smith, the event featured a couple dozen St. Louis musicians sorted into five ad hoc groups, each playing a single set of music, with proceeds from ticket sales going to a fund to help local musicians, small jazz venues, and radio station WSIE.

(Pkease note that yr. humble editor searched for a link for making donations after the event, but could not find one. If anyone has such a link or even a mailing address, please email me at stljazznotes at yahoo dot com, and I'll add it to the post.)

Fortunately for those who couldn't attend in person, the event was captured on video, and you can see almost all of it starting up above with the day's first set, featuring drummer Demarius Hicks, trumpeter Kasimu Taylor, singer Janet Evra, bassist Bernard Terry, and guitarist Will Buchanan.

After the jump, you can see a performance from Anita Jackson (vocals), Jahmal Nichols (bass), Jason Swagler (alto sax), Mark Harris II (keyboards), and Dhoruba Hill (drums).

That's followed by music from keyboardist Adam Maness, trumpeter Brady Lewis, drummer Joseph Hibbs, bassist Ben Wheeler, and saxophonist Carlos Brown Jr.

Next up, it's Darrell Mixon (bass), Dawn Weber (trumpet, vocals), Josiah Joyce (guitar), Ryan Marquez (keyboards), and Gary Sykes (drums).

Finally, the last two videos document the set presented by pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Bob Deboo, drummer Marty Morrison, and saxophonist Kendrick Smith.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Still more livestreams from St. Louis...

This week, we're back to bringing you a selection of recent livestreams presented by St. Louis musicians and venues, starting up above with a set from guitarist Eric Slaughter, recorded on March 23 at Jazz St. Louis and released online this past week. Slaughter is joined by a band including Jason Swagler (alto sax, flute), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (keyboards), Jahmal Nichols (bass) and Montez Coleman (drums).

After the jump, you can see a set from singer Emily Wallace with pianist Adam Maness' trio, recorded March 31 at Jazz St. Louis. Along with Wallace and Maness, the musicians are Adam Hucke (vocals, trumpet), Bob DeBoo (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

That's followed by a set from singer Cheri Evans and band, recorded on April 10 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

Next up, it's The 442s, in a set recorded on April 7 at The Sheldon. The group featues Adam Maness on keyboards and various other instruments, along with Shawn Weil (violin), Michael Casimir (viola), Bjorn Ranheim (cello), and Bob DeBoo (bass), along with guest musicians Peter Henderson (piano) and Brendan Fitzgerald (bass).

The fifth video is from the most recent installment of Jazz St. Louis' "Whitaker Jazz Speaks" series, and focuses on the impact of music from the year 1959 in shaping jazz for the next couple of decades. The program features a talk from author Ashley Kahn, followed by a set from a live band led by Bob DeBoo performing music from the four albums from 1959 given special attention in the program: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Charles Mingus’ Mingus Ah Um, and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come.

The final video documents a show from this past week by a student combo drawn from the North County Big Band, a group of high school students sponsored by The Sheldon and HEAL Center for the Arts. Directed by saxophonist and HEAL Center founder Harvey Lockhart, the young players performing the music of Duke Ellington are Tayari Chambers (alto sax), Walter Turner (tenor sax), Asia Brantley (trumpet), Laylah Williams (bass), and Jalen Jackson (drums).

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Kendrick Smith was interviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, talking about this Saturday's jazz fundraiser show at the Grandel Theatre's "Open Air" tent. There's also a short video accompanying the article.

* Also from Kevin Johnson in the Post, pianist and singer John McDaniel talks up his return engagement tomorrow night at Blue Strawberry.

* Stories, the forthcoming album from bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured), is previewed in an article in Bass magazine. The album is set for release by Autumn Hill Records on Friday, May 21.

* The Sheldon Art Galleries will open a new exhibit of musical instruments created by local students on Friday, April 30 in the AT&T Children's Gallery.

* An interview with drummer Dave Weckl by Daniel Durchholz in the Post-Dispatch discusses Weckl's new live album, his recent move back to the St. Louis area, and more.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Livestreams from near and far...

This week, we're rounding up some more recent livestream performances from St. Louis presenters and musicians, including a couple of expats now living and working in NYC.

First up is a set from singer Erika Johnson, recorded last Friday, March 26 at the "Open Air" tent at the Grandel Theatre.

After the jump, you can see the latest online concert from New Music Circle, streamed this past Monday. It features a solo set from electronic musician Parisian (aka Ian Jones) and a collaborative effort between electronic musician Oxherding (Fitz Hartwig) and video artist Aaron Owens.

Next, it's percussionist Matt Henry's Agbara Quintet, recorded by Jazz St. Louis on Friday, March 19 and posted on Thursday of this week. Along with Henry, the band includes Adam Hucke (trumpet, flugelhorn), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (keyboards), Zeb Briskovich (bass) and Montez Coleman (drums).

That's followed by a solo set from pianist Ethan Leinwand, who works around town with Miss Jubilee, The Bottlesnakes, and several other groups. His performance of "barrelhouse, boogie-woogie, low down blues & more" was streamed back in mid-January.

The last two videos feature St. Louis musicians now living and working in New York. First, there's a performance from saxophonist Eric Person's Triokinesis, streamed on Friday, March 26 as part of Person's online "Night Flight Music Live" series of webcasts.

FInally, there's a set from bassist and U. City native Neil Caine and his quartet, streamed back in January from the NYC club Smalls. In addition to Caine, the band includes saxophonist Jerry Weldon, pianist Anthony Wonsey, and drummer Kyle Poole

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More recent livestreams from St. Louis

After an unplanned hiatus last week due to a hard drive crash here at STLJN HQ, this week let's jump right in with some of the latest livestreams from various St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a set from the Mosaic Jazz Sextet, led by trombonist Dave Dickey.

Dickey is joined bye trumpeter Danny Campbell, saxophonist Ben Reece, pianist Ken Kehner, bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montex COleman for the set, which was recorded last Friday, March 12 for the "Open Air" series on the grounds of The Grandel.

The hard bop feel continues after the jump with "Celebrating Cannonball Adderley," which was recorded in February and streamed this past Thursday by Jazz St. Louis. The tribute is led by drummer Montez Coleman and also features Kendrick Smith (alto sax), Brady Lewis (trumpet), Matt Villinger (piano), and Jahmal Nichols (bass).

Next up is pianist Peter Martin, who's been streaming weekly solo shows since the pandemic began last year. This video is the 52nd in that series, marking a full year of livestreams.

After that, it's Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys with a set of vintage jazz recorded back on February 28 for the "Open Air" series.

That's followed by the most recent livestream from New Music Circle, recorded on March 8 and featuring solo and collaborative performances by saxophonist Matt Nelson, violinist Alex Cunningham, and guitarist Mark Shippy.

For today's final video, we go back to Jazz St. Louis for a set recorded in late February by pianist Kara Baldus-Mehrmann, saxophonist Bennett Wood, bassist Ben Wheeler, and drummer Jerry Mazzuca.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: "Open Air" streaming shows from The Grandel

Continuing with our ongoing look at streaming performances from various St. Louis musicians and venues during the pandemic, this week let's check out some videos from The Dark Room's "Open Air" series, which since last year has been playing to both in-person and streaming audiences from a heated tent outside the Grandel Theatre.

Although the exceptionally cold weather forced the postponement of shows scheduled for this weekend, the "Open Air" series has been running on Friday and Saturday nights and for Sunday brunch, featuring local musicians from a number of different genres including jazz, blues,, Americana, folk, and more.

This week's post compiles a half-dozen shows from the series so far, starting up above with keyboardist Mo Egeston and his All-Stars in a performance recorded on August 22 of last year.

After the jump, you can see a set from singer and bassist Janet Evra (with a guest appearance by pianist Ptah Williams) that was recorded on September 4.

Williams also appears in the third video, which features him, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sikes backing singer Debby Lennon in a show on October 16.

Next up is singer Denise Thimes, recorded on October 24, followed by singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran and his band Guerrilla Swing in a show from November 13.

The final video spotlights singer Robert Nelson and was recorded on January 9.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Jazz this week: "Celebrating George Benson," Willie Akins Scholarship Concert, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a tribute to one of the most popular guitarists and singers in jazz; a concert raising money for scholarships in the name of a longtime local favorite saxophonist; a gathering of cabaret singers from around the nation, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 17
Pianist and St. Louis native Matt Villinger will be back in town for a visit from his current home in Kansas City to promote the release of his new album All Day with a performance at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, the Cabaret Project of St. Louis, which this week is hosting attendees for around the country at its annual Cabaret Conference, presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" night at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

Thursday, July 18
Author, radio host, and photographer Dennis Owsley will promote his new book St. Louis Jazz: A History via "A Conversation and Book Signing with Dennis Owsley" at UMSL at Grand Center. The event, which is free and open to the public with registration, will include brief performances by singer Jeanne Trevor and singer/percussionist Don Cunningham, both veterans of the Gaslight Square era.

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University continues their "Jazz in July" schedule with a free concert featuring guitarist Vincent Varvel's trio; and Cabaret Project of St. Louis will present their "2019 Cabaret Gala" fundraiser at Jazz St. Louis, with music from Marilyn Maye, Faith Prince, Jeff Harnar, Peisha McPhee, Jim Caruso and Christine Pedi.

Friday, July 19
With George Benson having recently released an album that includes five songs by St. Louis' own Chuck Berry, it seems fitting somehow that Jazz St. Louis is "Celebrating George Benson" for two nights this weekend.

Guitarists Eric Slaughter (pictured) and Matt Sewell and singer Brian Owens are fronting the ensemble, with support from Adam Maness and Adaron “Pops” Jackson on keyboards, Bob DeBoo on bass, and Montez Coleman on drums.

(No word as to whether or not they'll be including any Berry-via-Benson arrangements in their sets, but they should be well-equipped otherwise to handle Benson's extensive catalog of popular favorites.)

Saturday, July 20
The "Willie Akins Scholarship Benefit Concert" will feature music from the groups of saxophonists Harvey Lockhart, Matt McKeever, and Kendrick Smith (pictured), plus guest appearances by singers Joe Mancuso and Erika Johnson, Akins' widow Sandra, and more at the Grandel Theatre.

Also on Saturday, the Cabaret Conference will present their "Professional Track Showcase" at The Stage at KDHX.

Sunday, July 21
If you'd like some music with your Sunday brunch, the options this week include The Gaslight Squares at the Angad Arts Hotel; pianist Adam Maness at Thurman's in Shaw; Miss Jubilee at Evangeline's; and guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday evening, the Cabaret Conference wraps up with a "Closing Night Showcase and Celebration," also at The Stage at KDHX.

Tuesday, July 23
Singer Arvell Keithley reunites with trumpeter Jim Manley and the Wild Cool & Swingin' Horns for a concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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: Mardra & Reggie Thomas, "Jazz Triple Play," Moon Hooch, and more

As often happens around major holidays, the calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis this week is light on visiting acts, but there still are some noteworthy shows happening, including a homecoming show for a couple of favorite former St. Louisans; a tour stop from from one of the more distinctive all-instrumental bands touring today; a concert featuring three hometown groups on one bill, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 3
Back in St. Louis for a visit, singer Mardra Thomas and keyboardist Reggie Thomas will present a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will duet at Scarlett's Wine Bar; and Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks.

Thursday, July 4
While some local venues will be closed for the Independence Day holiday (for example, Jazz St. Louis will be dark the entire weekend),  if you're in the mood for some live music after or instead of fireworks, singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul will be performing at the Chase Club.

Friday, July 5
Funky Butt Brass Band plays at the Broadway Oyster Bar: pianist and singer Jesse Gannon returns to The Dark Room; bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn; and drummer Dhoruba Shakur continues his twice-monthly Friday residency at Sophie's Artist Lounge and Cocktail Club.

Saturday, July 6
The Bosman Twins, the Coleman Hughes Project (pictured, bottom left) and keyboardist Mark Harris II will join forces for a "Jazz Triple Play" at the Grandel Theatre.

Also on Saturday, the Triplets of Grubville play vintage swing and Gypsy jazz at Evangeline's; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham performs (in a non-smoking show) at Gauge Cigar Club (fka Troy's Jazz Gallery and The Gallery by Troy).

Sunday, July 7
Dizzy Atmosphere plays for brunch at The Dark Room, while pianist Adam Maness is at Thurman's in Shaw. Then on Sunday evening, the Jazz Troubadours will play their monthly gig at Evangeline's

Monday, July 8
The Gaslight Squares play a free concert at the historic Hawken House in Webster Groves.

Tuesday, July 9
Saxophones-and-drums trio Moon Hooch (pictured, top left) returns to Old Rock House. Offering danceable grooves with instrumentation that could just as easily be found on an avant-jazz session, they've been touring as relentlessly as ever since their last appearance here in 2018. For a look at some recent shows on video, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Tuesday, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris performs in concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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: Kurt Elling, Nicole Mitchell, Lubambo, Alves & Ribeiro, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis brings sounds from all over, including two prominent performers who each got their start in Chicago, one who made his name on Broadway, and three coming from Brazil via NYC. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, March 13
Singer Kurt Elling - one of the aforementioned Chicagoans, though he now lives in New York - performs for the first of five nights, continuing through Sunday at Jazz St. Louis.

Elling (pictured, top left) returns here for the first time since the release in 2018 of his most recent album The Questions, so it seems likely that a good portion of material from that recording will be part of his sets here. You can see videos of live performances of several of those tunes, and find out more about what Elling has been up to more recently, in this post from last Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, clarinetist and former St. Louisan Chloe Feoranzo, now residing in New Orleans, will be back in town for a concert with her quartet at Focal Point, and guitarist Brian Vaccaro leads a trio at Evangeline's.

Thursday, March 14
Pianist Jim Hegarty returns with his quintet to the The Dark Room; guitarist Dave Black and singer Erika Johnson perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern; and pianist Adam Maness' trio is back at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, March 15
Pianist, singer and Tony Award-winning musical theater composer Jason Robert Brown performs in concert at the Grandel Theatre; and the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, March 16
Flute player and composer Nicole Mitchell’s Liberation Narratives, featuring poet Haki Madhubuti, performs in a concert presented by New Music Circle at Xavier Hall on the St. Louis University campus.

A composer and conceptualist with wide-ranging interests, Mitchell (pictured, bottom left) is a past president of Chicago's Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and recently was appointed head of the jazz program at the University of Pittsburgh, succeeding the late Geri Allen.

Mitchell has been involved in a constantly evolving variety of musical projects over the years, with her latest collaboration with poet Haki Madhubuti offering "an unabashed take on the state of the nation" via her compositions and the poet's spoken word performances.  For a bit more about that, plus some videos of Mitchell performing in various contexts, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Elsewhere around town, pianist Peter Martin's Open Studio will present a concert of Brazilian jazz featuring guitarist Romero Lubambo, pianist Helio Alves, and drummer Edu Ribeiro, along with St. Louis' own Bob DeBoo on bass.

Also on Saturday, the Coleman Hughes Project celebrates six years as a band with a gig at Lowes Entertainment; and trumpeter Jim Manley and keyboardist Chris Swan will play at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, March 17
Friends have organized a benefit for saxophonist Fred Walker, who no longer can perform due to recent health issues, for late Sunday afternoon at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, with announced performers including Walker's former band Mystic Voyage, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, blues singers Kim Massie, Eugene Johnson, and Lady J Huston, and more.

Monday, March 18
Pianist Carol Schmidt and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis will team up for a concert of duets at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

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

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

Jazz this week: Donny McCaslin; Lea Bertucci & Sarah Davachi; Brian Blade & John Patitucci in "Winter Jazz Festival"; and more

Though the weather forecast for this weekend is looking a bit dicey, the calendar of upcoming live jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis provides a number of good reasons to get out of the house, including the return engagement of a top tenor saxophonist; a double-bill of experimental composer-performers making their local debuts; and a benefit event featuring a stellar lineup of touring and local musicians.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 16
Saxophonist Donny McCaslin returns for the first of five nights of performances continuing through Sunday at Jazz St. Louis.

McCaslin (pictured, top left) in October released his latest album Blow, which features the same band he led  accompanying David Bowie on Bowie's final album Blackstar, plus guest vocalists.

The recording has earned generally positive reviews, with Rolling Stone's Hank Steamer praising the band's choice to "step boldly into hybrid, tough-to-classify musical terrain, grafting their trademark sleek, emotive electrojazz onto lush, proggy art rock."

Though McCaslin will have a different lineup of musicians in St. Louis,  it seems likely that he'll include at least some of the material from Blow in his sets here, which should provide some interesting opportunities for contrast with the recorded versions of those tunes.

Also on Wednesday, pianist Jim Hegarty leads a trio at Evangeline's, and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features multi-instrumentalist TJ Muller and friends at The Stage at KDHX, the weekly jam session led by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and his band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, January 17
Saxophonist Tim Cunningham brings his smooth jazz and R&B sounds to The Laugh Lounge STL, and guitarist Vincent Varvel leads a trio at The Dark Room.

Friday, January 18
Singer Erin Bode performs for the first of two nights at the Emerald Room at The Monocle; trumpeter Keith Moyer leads a quartet at Evangeline's; and the Second Generation Swing Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, 
January 19
New Music Circle presents electronic musician and composer Sarah Davachi and saxophonist and composer Lea Bertucci (pictured, bottom left) performing in separate sets at Link Auction Galleries in the Central West End.

Also on Saturday, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade headline the "Winter Jazz Festival" at the Grandel Theatre. The event also will feature performances by Bach to the Future, violinist Tracy Silverman, guitarist Dave Black, keyboardists Jay Oliver, Mo Egeston, and Ptah Williams,  drummer Lucrezio de Seta, and multi-instrumentalist William Lenihan, with proceeds benefiting the Dillon International adoption agency.

Sunday, January 20
Singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran plays for brunch at The Dark Room, and the St. Louis Jazz Club presents Annie and the Fur Trappers in a matinee performance at the Moolah Shrine Center.

Monday, January 21
Guitarist Tom Byrne leads a quartet in a concert at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium.

Tuesday, January 22
Singer and bassist Janet Evra will play a "Notes From Home" concert at The Sheldon.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Winter/spring 2019 jazz preview, part one

This week, it's time for the first installment of StLJN's winter/spring 2019 preview, presenting videos of the most noteworthy jazz and creative music performers who will be visiting St. Louis in the next few months.

First up are The Bad Plus who, in what has become an annual tradition, will start the new year with a week of performances beginning Wednesday, January 2 and continuing through Sunday, January 6 at Jazz St. Louis.

You can see them in the embedded video up above, which was recorded April 28, 2018 at the Tbilisi Jazz Festival in Georgia (the country, not the US state) and includes performances of "Seams," "Commitment," and "Anthem For The Earnest."

After the jump, the first clip features percussionist Mike Dillon, who will be here with his band for a show on Friday, January 4 in the cozy confines of Pop's Blue Moon. The video show Dillon and company performing "Robo Tripping Vikings" as recorded for the web series "Jam in the Van" in 2017 in Los Angeles.

Next, it's saxophonist Donny McCaslin, who will return with his quartet to play Wednesday, January 16 through Sunday, January 20 at Jazz St. Louis. The video shows the McCaslin group's entire set from the 2018 JazzBaltica festival in Germany.

That same week, New Music Circle will begin the second half of their 60th season with a concert featuring electronic musician and composer Sarah Davachi and saxophonist and composer Lea Bertucci each playing a solo set on Saturday, January 19 at a new venue for the organization, Link Auction Galleries in the Central West End.

Davachi can be seen in the third clip after the jump, which documents a solo performance in February 2018 at The Echo in Los Angeles, California, while Bertucci is featured in the fourth clip, in which she plays "Patterns for Alto" in the studio for Blue Room, a video series from Brooklyn-based production company ThrdCoast.

Also that same week, brothers Michael Silverman and Rob Silverman of Silverman Productions will present their second "Winter Jazz Festival" on Saturday, January 19 at the Grandel Theatre. The concert will feature bassist John Patitucci and drummers Brian Blade and Lucrezio de Seta, along with the Silvermans' group Back to the Future, keyboardists Jay Oliver, Mo Egeston, and Ptah Williams, and more.

The next video features Patitucci, along with guitarists Steve Cardenas and Adam Rogers and drummer Nate Smith, in a full set recorded in January 2018 at the "Bass Bash" staged as part of the annual NAMM trade show in Anaheim, CA. 

After that, you can see Patitucci, Blade and pianist Danilo Perez, who released a trio album last year called Children of The Light, playing a full set last July at the Jazz à Junas festival in France.

The final clip shows de Seta and his trio playing the John Coltrane composition "Lonnie's Lament" during a gig in January, 2018 at Casa del Jazz in Rome.

Look for part two of StLJN's winter/spring 2019 preview next week in this space. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Jazz this week: Sy Smith, Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band, "Labor of Love," and more

For Labor Day weekend, the calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features plenty of traditional and vintage jazz, a showcase of a local foundation's artists-in-residence, the region's largest festival of homegrown blues talent, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, August 29
Singer Sy Smith, whose vocal and piano work runs along the borderline between neo-soul and jazz, will perform with keyboardist Mo Egeston and friends at the .ZACK building in Grand Center.

A couple of blocks away, the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" will guitarist Tom Byrne and saxophonist Austin Cebulski at The Stage at KDHX; the weekly jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center; and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, August 30
The New Orleans-based Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band (pictured, top left), including former St. Louis resident Chloe Feoranzo on clarinet, will play at the Blues City Deli in the first of three shows at different local venues this weekend.

Also on Thursday, saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room, and guitarist Carol Eder plays at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, August 31
The Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band plays at The Stage at KDHX; trumpeter Jim Manley returns to Evangeline's; Miss Jubilee performs at Focal Point; and funk/jazz band The Service takes the stage for the late show at The Dark Room.

Though it's not jazz, it's worth noting that Friday also is the kickoff of the annual Big Muddy Blues Festival, which will feature dozens of St. Louis blues acts on outdoor stages and at indoor venues on Laclede's Landing, and continues through Sunday.

Saturday, September 1
Trombonist Charlie Halloran, back home from New Orleans for the weekend, will play two shows on Saturday, a matinee at the Blues City Deli and an evening concert at Focal Point.

Also on Saturday, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation presents its first-ever resident showcase "Labor of Love,"  with music from Anita Jackson (pictured, bottom left), Mo Egeston, Tonina, Owen Ragland and more, at the Grandel Theatre.

Also that same night, guitarists Paquito and Sandro Lorier, a father-and-son duo of swing and Gypsy jazz guitarists from Alsace, France will perform at the house-concert venue Judson House.

Sunday, September 2
The Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, and the Shake 'Em Up Jazz Band plays their final show of the weekend at Focal Point.

Tuesday, September 4
The Tick Tock Jazz Band plays vintage jazz and swing at the Tick Tock Tavern.

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 8/29/18 to correct info for Grand Center Jazz Crawl.

Herb Alpert and Lani Hall to perform Sunday, August 19 at Grandel Theatre

Trumpeter Herb Alpert and his wife, singer Lani Hall (pictured), are coming to St. Louis to perform at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 19 at the Grandel Theatre.

Alpert has been a significant force in the music business for more than 50 years, leading the 1960s pop instrumental group Tijuana Brass, founding A&M Records, and enjoying a long career as a solo artist and producer. Hall first come to public attention as the lead singer for Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, and has enjoyed success as soloist and with her husband.

Their current live show includes "an eclectic mix of American standards, Brazilian jazz, some Beatles, some classic Tijuana Brass & Brazil '66 songs and a number of other surprises." A selection of Alpert’s sculptures & paintings, curated by Chip Tom of the Heather James Gallery, will be on display before and after the concert in the Grandel's Grand Hall.

Tickets for the concert are priced from $28 to $35 and are on sale now via Metrotix.

Jazz this week: Poncho Sanchez; Cooper-Moore, Abrams & Drake; Glendale Jazz Festival; Willie Akins Jazz Festival; and more

The busy Memorial Day weekend schedule of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a leading light of Latin jazz; an all-star assembly of creative improvisors; a benefit raising funds for scholarships in the name of the late St. Louis saxophonist Willie Akins, and more.

Let's go the highlights....

Wednesday, May 23
Percussionist Poncho Sanchez (pictured, top left) and his band, who are pretty much the gold standard these days for small combo Latin jazz, perform for the first of four nights at Jazz St. Louis. 

For some samples of what you might expect to hear, check out Sanchez and company in action via video in this post from 2014.

Also on Wednesday, this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the St. Louis Steady Grinders at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, the Ambassadors of Swing return for another "Shake and Shout Wednesday" at Tin Roof St. Louis; and The 442s and Erin Bode will perform for the monthly concert series at the World Chess Hall of Fame.

Thursday, May 24
Percussionist Joe Pastor's trio returns to The Dark Room; pianist Adam Maness' trio is back at Thurman's in Shaw; and bassist Willem von Hombracht duets with violinist Abbie Steiling at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, May 25
The Glendale Jazzfest, now in its 19th year, has moved from City Hall to Glendale Lutheran Church, but still is free and open to the public. This year's fest will feature trumpeter Randy Holmes and his Hard Bop 7 playing music by Horace Silver, plus Chicago saxophonist Shawn Maxwell and singers Anita Rosamond and Coco Soul.

Elsewhere around town, the Funky Butt Brass Band performs for the the St. Louis Zoo's free "Jungle Boogie" event; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, May 26
New Music Circle closes out their 2017-18 presenting season with a show featuring a collaboration among multi-instrumentalists Cooper-Moore, Joshua Abrams, and Hamid Drake (pictured, bottom left) at Off Broadway.

All three are veterans of the international creative music scene, performing together for the first time here in St. Louis. You can find out more about them and see videos of all three in action (albeit individually) in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Saturday, singers Jeanne Trevor and Joe Mancuso will be backed by guitarist Dave Black and bassist Willem von Hombracht for a show at Focal Point; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe; and singer Tony Viviano performs at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, May 27
The second annual Willie Akins Jazz Festival will take place at the Grandel Theatre, with a post-concert jam session at The Dark Room. 

The event, which is raising money for scholarships in Akins' name at Webster University, will feature music from Ben Reece's Unity Quartet; trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet; a specially assembled band fronted by saxophonists Freddie Washington, Paul DeMarinis, and Kendrick Smith; singers Erika Johnson and Joe Mancuso; and more.

Monday, May 28
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck, and singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran is back at Yaquis on Cherokee.

Tuesday, May 29
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and pianist Pat Joyce will play at 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.)