Ronnie Burrage to perform Thursday, July 22 & Friday, July 23 at BB's with guest Greg Osby

Drummer, composer, bandleader and U City native Ronnie Burrage is coming home this month for a series of events including a musical memorial for a family member, an open jam session, and two nights of performances at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

As his first order of business, Burrage is producing a musical memorial service on Tuesday, July 20 for his cousin Kendra Mahr, who passed away earlier this year. The service will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Gloria Rogers Pavilion in Tilles Park in Ladue.

Then on Wednesday, July 21, he'll join bassist Bob DeBoo as a host musician for the weekly jam session at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of the Grandel Theater.

Burrage (pictured) will wrap up his hometown visit with gigs at BB's on Thursday, July 22 and Friday, July 23 with a band that includes alto saxophonist and fellow St. Louis native Greg Osby as special guest. Showtime is at 7:00 p.m. both nights, and tickets, which start at $40 for a table for two on Thursday or $30 on Friday, can be reserved via BB's website.

A graduate of University City High School, Burrage emerged on the national jazz scene in the 1980s as a drumming phenom, touring with famed pianist McCoy Tyner before he was old enough to legally buy a post-gig beer. He has gone on to work with a long list of notable musicians, including Wayne Shorter, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Woody Shaw, Michael Brecker, David Murray, Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Dianne Reeves, Wallace Roney, Gary Bartz, Jamalaadeen Tacuma, Olu Onabulé, World Saxophone Quartet, and more.

Now living in Brooklyn, NY, Burrage teaches at CUNY Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and SUNY Old Westbury Long Island in addition to recording and performing live. He released Dance of the Great Spirit, his most recent recording and the first from his trio Holographic Principle, early in 2019, earning a nomination for a Grammy Award as "Best Jazz Instrumental Album."

He's been working on the follow-up, tentatively titled Moving on as One, with pianist Alex Collins and longtime bassist Nimrod Speaks, plus an array of guest musicians including keyboardists Michal Wierba, Geffrey Keezer and Marc Cary, saxophonists Antoine Roney and Kendrick Smith, trumpeter Antoine Drye, trombonist Corey Wallace, and Camille Thurman and Terrol Jones on vocals. Basic tracks have been recorded, but "I still have to add strings, choir and surprise rappers to a couple of my compositions also," Burrage said.

(You can see a complete Holographic Principle show, recorded in February of this year at Keystone Korner in Baltimore with Collins, Speaks, and Thurman, here.)

Other recent recording activity has included Been Down This Road Before, an album with trombonist Clifton Anderson, nephew of Sonny Rollins and a veteran of Rollins' band, that came out last December; and more recently, sessions for a forthcoming tribute to Tyner, led by bassist Avery Sharpe and featuring Helen Sung on piano, Joe Ford on saxophone, and Steve Turre on trombone.

This all comes after more than a year of uncertainty caused by the pandemic. "The summer of COVID's height last year I had tour dates lined up in Europe for my band Holographic Principle, it was the first time in about 16 years I would've taken my band out as a leader," Burrage said in an email to StLJN. "I was ecstatic, but then it all went away... At incredible losses (covid and other illnesses) as well from very close friends and mentors and colleagues, this has just been a traumatic season. The (loss of) of greats I've played with, like Henry Grimes, Wallace Roney, Stanley Cowell and so many others during this period, is heartbreaking."

There were some positives, though - Burrage said he was able to use the time off to obtain a small business loan and do repairs on his mother's home, enabling her to resettle in St. Louis, and the involuntary hiatus also allowed him to compose new music.

Although Brooklyn will remain his home base, Burrage is looking forward to spending more time in St. Louis in the near future and establishing a local branch of his not-for-profit organization World Rhythm Academy. "I love the city where I grew up," he said. "My family, children, grandchildren and great grandson are there, not to mention people and friends that really love me," he said. "I'm coming back home and will thrive."

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More streamed concerts from St. Louis musicians

When the pandemic began last year, many musicians, venues and presenters began to offer performances streaming online, from solo concerts in living rooms to full-blown productions. StLJN over the last year has had a number of Saturday video posts collecting live streams staged by local organizations such as Jazz St. Louis and New Music Circle, and so this week, we're looking at a variety of other performances streamed recently by musicians from St. Louis.

Today's first video up above is the first of three featuring St. Louisans in New York, as saxophonist Eric Person leads a performance of a new work, "Blue Skys in the Distance," a five-part suite "inspired by sights and observations during the COVID Lockdown." It was recorded in December 2020 at Cassandra Recording Studio in Beacon, NY, with a band that also included Neil Alexander (keyboards), Adam Armstrong (bass), and Darrell Green (drums).

After the jump, you can see saxophonist Greg Osby with pianist John Chin and bassist Lonnie Plaxico in a concert recorded for the Woodwind Fest 2020 in December 2020 at Sear Sound in New York City.

Next up, it's Keyon Harrold with fellow trumpeters Marquis Hill, Theo Croker, and Giveton Gelin, pianist Mike King, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Kendrick Scott in a performance billed as "Signatures in Brass" that was recorded in December at Smalls jazz club in NYC.

Moving closer to home, that's followed by pianist Peter Martin in a performance recorded in January at his studio here in St. Louis. It's one of a series of "Shelter in Place" solo concerts he's been doing weekly since last year.

The eclectic instrumental ensemble The 442s are next, in a performance recorded last October at The Sheldon.

The final video features the Red and Black Brass Band in a concert for KDHX's "Listen Live & Local" series that was recorded this past Tuesday, February 2.

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:

* The Sheldon this week announced that their annual fund-raising gala will take place online on Saturday, April 10. The event will be hosted by Chris Thile, the singer, mandolinist and former presenter of public radio's "Live From Here," and will include performances from Wynton Marsalis, John Pizzarelli, Dianne Reeves and Peter Martin, and more. For more information or to register, visit The Sheldon's website.

* Woodwind players and St. Louis natives J.D. Parran (pictured) and Marty Ehrlich are among the musicians featured in composer Joseph Daley's new commissioned work “Colorations-Explorations,” which debuted this week on video with Parran directing an ensemble featuring 18 clarinets of various ranges (including Ehrlich), percussionist Warren Smith, and a rhythm section.

* The Cabaret Project of St. Louis has posted a trailer for their upcoming online show featuring pianist and singer Billy Stritch performing music associated with Mel Torme. The concert will stream on Saturday, January 23 and Saturday, January 30, with advance reservations now available online.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby recently released an album called Reflections of the Eternal Line as part of an unusual trio with Swiss drummer ⁦Florian Arbenz⁩ and painter Stephan Spicher, and you can read the story behind the recording as recounted by Arbenz in a post on the website JazzItOut.com.

* St. Louis Public Radio's "St. Louis On The Air" on Thursday broadcast the story of “I’m Dreaming of No One But You,” written in 1942 by Leona Augustine of Washington MO and re-discovered by her grandson Jacob Luecke, who's releasing a brand new big-band recording of the song.

* In the latest developments in the recent story about trumpeter Keyon Harrold and his teenage son, Miya Ponsetto, the woman now facing assault charges after falsely accusing Harrold Jr. of theft, took part in a contentious and controversial interview with TV presenter Gayle King of CBS This Morhing, while the elder Harrold has called for a boycott of Arlo Hotels, which operates the NYC hotel where the incident took place.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* St. Louis-based luthier Chris Kroenlein and his K-Line Guitars were the subjects of a feature story in Guitar magazine.

* As part of the recent series of shows by Pink Floyd tribute act El Monstero, The Pageant, St. Louis-based sound and lighting contractor Logic Systems, and other vendors tested out new procedures and techniques for putting on shows with reduced COVID risk, and writer Kevin Mitchell reported on their efforts for the trade magazine Production Lighting and Sound News.

* Electronic musician and DIY promoter Josh Levi was the featured guest on the first episode of the new podcast "Dynanics Of."

* Saxophonist Greg Osby (pictured) in October did a live-streamed performance with pianist John Chin and bassist Lonnie Plaxico for the online Woodwind Fest 2020, which now has been archived on YouTube.

* Ending a year that already has seen more than the usual share of death and tragedy, St. Louis lost two more veterans of the local music scene in the latter half of December.

On Tuesday, December 15, cellist Tracy Andreotti died at age 55. She was the principal cellist for Union Avenue Opera and a founding member of the Vernacular String Trio, the Perihelion Trio, and the Trinity Piano Trio. Andreotti also performed with the St. Louis Philharmonic, the New City Chamber Orchestra, the Gateway Festival Orchestra, and various string quartets and chamber music groups, including a seven-year stint with the contemporary music ensemble Synchronia. In addition to playing notated music, she also was an improvisor, frequently performing in various events presented by New Music Circle and the Nu-Art Series, and collaborating with visual artists, dancers, poets, and many other musicians. No cause of death was disclosed; arrangements were handled privately by Hutchens Funeral Homes.

Then on Friday, December 25, pianist Charles Creath died at age 68 after what his St. Louis Post-Dispatch obituary called "a short illness." The grandson of famed 1920s and 30s multi-instrumentalist Charlie Creath, Creath played all sorts of music in his long career, but was best known for his work as musical director for the St. Louis Black Rep and as pianist and artistic director of touring group The Gospel People. Creath's passing also was noted by an obituary in the St. Louis American. Funeral arrangements are pending at this time.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo (pictured) gave St. Louis Post-Dispatch readers a look into her living space in a recent feature in the paper's "At Home" series

* Saxophonist Greg Osby was interviewed by JazzFuel.com.

* Drummer Rob Silverman was one of the guests on last week's Modern Drummer Magazine video podcast.

* Radio station WSIE, headquartered on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, recently reached the milestone of 50 years on the air, and trumpeter Jim Manley has written and recorded a new tune, "Blasting the Airwaves (50 Years of WSIE)," to commemorate the occasion.

* Singer Erika Johnson is hosting a new podcast, "My Black Auntie (MBA)," presenting what she calls "an educated Black woman's perspective with sass and class."

* The Black Artists’ Group of St. Louis: Creation Equals Movement, the new documentary that will get its local premiere next month at the St. Louis International Film Festival, was the subject of a feature story by the St. Louis American's Chris King.

* Pianist, singer and St. Louis native John McDaniel was home this past Sunday to do a performance and webcast from Blue Strawberry, and KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi reviewed the show.

* Miles Davis may have been known for "cooking" on the bandstand, but the trumpeter was no stranger to the kitchen either, according to the latest episode of Jazziz magazine's "Miles Monday" podcast, which features Davis' nephew, drummer and producer Vince Wilburn Jr. and "rising-star jazz musicians and culinary media personalities" Adeev and Ezra Potash.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Bassist Jahmal Nichols (pictured) was interviewed by NoTreble.com.

* Drummer Dave Weckl and his wife, vocalist Clivia Tanisi, were featured on the latest episode of Jazziz magazine's "Last Call" web series.

* Guitarist Brian Vaccaro was the guest on the most recent episode of Shock City School of Music's "Coffee Conversations" podcast.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby shared his perspective on critics and readers polls and the ranking of  musicians in a recent blog post.

* Saxophonist David Sanborn has released the sixth and final season one episode of his web series "Sanborn Sessions," with pianist Bob James as the featured guest star.

* Bassist and singer Janet Evra was interviewed on the latest episode of St. Louis magazine's "SLM Live" webcast.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* A new blog post from saxophonist Greg Osby, "Who's In The Band?", skeptically examines how a group's lineup of musicians can affect the way presenters view and market them.

* Sibling Revelry, the cabaret show featuring sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway that played last week at Jazz St. Louis, was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

* "The Moon Is Ours Tonight," a new song written and recorded on commission by singer Erin Bode with multi-instrumentalist Viktor Krauss, was the subject of a feature on KSDK's Show Me St. Louis.

* Saxophonist, music educator and St. Louis native Keith Fiddmont (pictured) will conduct the Santa Monica College Jazz Band in a concert "dedicated to the music contributed to the jazz lexicon by musicians from St. Louis, Missouri" on Sunday, October 21 at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, CA. The band will perform compositions by Clark Terry, Ernie Wilkins, Oliver Nelson and Miles Davis.

* The Baylor Project, led by drummer Marcus Baylor and singer Jean Baylor, is featured in the first episode of "Live From The Lobby," a new video series from JustJazzTV

* As recounted in a story from Washington University's news service, Holmes Lounge, which is the venue for the university's Jazz at Holmes series of free concerts, recently was refurbished with new furniture and carpeting.

* Nottelmann Music has started a blog and a podcast with content aimed at music educators in the St. Louis area, with both audio and text pieces compiled on a single page for easy access.

* Get It How You Live, the recent album release from trumpeter Russell Gunn's Royal Krunk Jazz Orchestra, was reviewed by JazzWeekly.com.

* Audri Bartholomew, a former student in Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program who's now attending Milliken University, is a contestant on this season of the NBC TV series The Voice.

* AllAboutJazz.com is polling readers on the "Top 100 Jazz Venues" for 2018, and you can cast a ballot here.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold appears on the cover of the latest issue of Jazziz magazine (pictured), and was interviewed by journalist Ted Pankin for the magazine's cover story.

* Trombonist Joe Bowie's band Defunkt has released a new album, The Cleansing, recorded live last year in Europe.

The recording features Bowie, guitarist and fellow St. Louis native Kelvyn Bell, bassist Kim Clarke, and trumpeter John Mulkerin from the band's classic lineup, plus drummer Gary "GMan" Sullivan, and can be downloaded from the Defunkt Bandcamp page.

* Message to Our Folks, bassist Paul Steinbeck's history of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, was named a "Notable Book of 2017" by the Seminary Co-op bookstore in Chicago.

* A brief article in the latest Alive magazine looks at "A Night Out at Jazz St. Louis."

* As recounted in an article in Jazz Times, the compositions of the late saxophonist and St. Louis native Oliver Nelson are featured in a new album by trumpeter and arranger John Vanore.

* In a new post on his blog, saxophonist Greg Osby responds to a story published in November by the Boston Globe alleging misconduct by former faculty members at the Berklee College of Music.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Guitarist and St. Louis native Kelvyn Bell has a new recording, Cubed Root Cure, set for release in January, and you can hear a sample now on SoundCloud.

The EP (pictured) will be available from CD Baby and all the major digital music services.

* The Gateway Jazz Festival, a day-long "smooth jazz" event that made its St. Louis debut last summer at the Chesterfield Amphitheater, has a date for 2018 - Saturday, July 21 - and a headliner, saxophonist Boney James.

Last year's event featured a half-dozen acts, including saxophonist Najee, singer Maysa, and Pieces of A Dream; the rest of the 2018 bill currently is TBA.

* "The World of Spectacular Strings" exhibit on view through Saturday, April 21 at the Sheldon Art Galleries was reviewed by Ladue News' Bryan A. Hollerbach.

* The Funky Butt Brass Band has posted to Facebook a photo album of last weekend's  "Holiday  Brasstravaganza" shows. Friday's performance also was reviewed for KDHX.org. by Mike Vachow.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby will join forces with the experimental multimedia duo Mn'JAM for a performance in January at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and singer Jean Baylor, the husband-and-wife duo behind The Baylor Project, were interviewed Tuesday on the nationally syndicated radio program "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" about their two nominations in this year's Grammy Awards, their careers, and more.

* The Bosman Twins were interviewed for the most recent episode of KDHX's "Collateral Damage" podcast by guest host Hank Thompson.

* And speaking of podcasts, former WSIE DJ E.B. Stevenson has released a Christmas episode of his "The Jazz Mixer" podcast.

* Max and Louie Productions' current staging of Souvenir, the musical comedy starring singer and Webster U faculty member Debby Lennon as tone-deaf diva Florence Foster Jenkins, was reviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Judith Newmark and OnStL.com's Chuck Lavazzi.

* Also in the Post-Dispatch, singer Dom Thomas' show this Saturday at The Stage at KDHX is previewed in a short feature from the paper's Kevin Johnson.

* Voting is now open in Jazz Times magazine's annual readers poll.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Tonight's 7:30 p.m. set by Sammy Miller and the Congregation at Jazz at the Bistro will be streamed live online by Jazz St. Louis. You can see it on JSL's website, their Facebook page, or on UStream.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was named one of "10 New Artists You Need To Know" in the October issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

Harrold (pictured) also was featured on a recent episode of B-Side, a web series produced and curated by the BRIC arts and media nonprofit in Brooklyn, NYC.

* A recent show by saxophonist Dave Sanborn, and his kindness to a young fan, are the subjects of a feature story on AllAboutJazz.com.

* New Music Circle will present a free program of short films by composer and electronic musician John Wiese at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, November 9 at the Moolah Theatre & Lounge. Wiese will be in town for a concert presented by NMC on Saturday, November 11 at St. Louis University's Xavier Hall.

* In conjunction with a talk this week at Washington University, bassist, author and educator Paul Steinbeck was interviewed about Message to Our Folks, his book about the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby was interviewed on a recent episode of the Neon Jazz podcast.

* The Sheldon has posted to Facebook a set of photos from the Hudson concert earlier this month.

* Euclid Records has released a free smartphone app, with a barcode scanner that provides access to sound samples, plus info on new releases and store events, and more. The app is available for both Android and iPhone via Google Play and the iTunes app store.

* Actor and singer Alice Ripley's show last weekend for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

* The remains of the hull of the Goldenrod Showboat - which for decades on the St. Louis riverfront served as the site for performances of traditional jazz and ragtime - were destroyed in a fire last week in Calhoun County, IL.

* The Regional Arts Commission is surveying the St. Louis arts and culture community in conjunction with EVOKE, a new initiative described as "a cultural planning process that seeks to elicit, inspire and explore how the arts can become more relevant in addressing St. Louis’s cultural challenges...The outcome of the conversations, studies, data gathered and ideas shared will be a regional cultural plan designed to guide RAC’s work and evolve our vision for a more vibrant and equitable future for St. Louis." You can weigh in by taking the survey online here.

* Chasing Trane, the documentary about saxophonist John Coltrane that briefly played in movie theaters earlier this year, will be broadcast as part of the PBS series Independent Lens and will air in St. Louis at 10:00 p.m. Monday, November 6 on Nine PBS (aka KETC).

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Italian guitarist and composer Filippo Cosentino will present a free, public lecture and discussion at 4:30 p.m. next Wednesday, October 18 in the Grand Room at the Washington University Alumni House (located behind the music department on Forsyth). Cosentino (pictured) will perform the following night (Thursday, October 19) for the Jazz at Holmes series at Wash U.

* Having wrapped up his duties as artistic director of the 2017 Sopot Jazz Festival in Poland, saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby will be back in the USA for a Thanksgiving week tribute to the electric music of Miles Davis at the NYC club Iridium. Other members of the tribute ensemble include trumpeter Randy Brecker, drummer Steve Smith (of Journey and Vital Information), and bassist Lonnie Plaxico.

* If you've ever wondered whether the arts are a moneymaker for the local economy, a study released this month by Americans for the Arts shows that in 2015, the not-for-profit arts and culture industry in the St. Louis area generated $591 million in annual economic activity, supporting 19,129 full-time equivalent jobs and yielding $57.7 million in local and state government revenue.

(Note that this figure doesn't include for-profit ventures in theater, visual arts, or the music industry - ranging from big arena shows and concert clubs, to one-person gigs at neighborhood venues, to support services like music stores and recording studios - so if anything, it probably understates the total economic impact of arts-related businesses.)

* St. Louis-based publishers Worship Jazz have released two new "jazz nativity" scripts for the holiday season, "What Child is This?" and "Angels from the Realms." Both include full staging instructions and music suggestions from the company's book Jazz Christmas Carols, Volume 2. For details, samples from the scripts, and pricing information, see the Worship Jazz website.

* Missouri student composers in grades K-12 can win awards and cash prizes for their original music in a variety of genres, via the University of Missouri School of Music's Creating Original Music Project (COMP). Entries for the 2018 competition are being accepted now; for more information, visit the COMP website.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Six St. Louis saxophonists you should know

When talk turns to saxophonists from St. Louis, many knowledgeable music fans will associate our city with David Sanborn and World Saxophone Quartet founding members Hamiet Bluiett, Oliver Lake and Julius Hemphill.

Sanborn, Bluiett, and Lake all grew up in this area, and Hemphill, though not a native, made an important contribution to the Black Artists Group here, and first gained national recognition for his album Dogon A.D., recorded at Oliver Sain's Archway Studios on Natural Bridge Rd. in north St. Louis.

Going beyond those well-known names, though, there definitely are more saxophonists with roots in the St. Louis area who are enjoying noteworthy careers in jazz and creative music, and today StLJN is featuring videos from six of them that every local jazz fan should know. After you've sampled their sounds here, check out their respective websites for more info.

Leading off is Greg Osby, who can be seen in the first video up above doing a spontaneous duet with bassist Christian McBride on the standard "The Song Is You," recorded in July 2014 at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

After the jump, it's Marty Ehrlich, playing a duet with pianist Myra Melford on her composition "Be Melting Snow," recorded in 2015 at The Stone in NYC.

That's followed by Eric Person doing a full set with his band Meta-Four, recorded in November 2016 at the Blue Note in NYC. Along with Person, the group includes guitarist Freddie Bryant, keyboardist Adam Klipple, bassist Adam Armstrong, and drummer Shinnosuke "Shin" Takahashi.

Next up is East St. Louis' own Andre Delano, seen here working the crowd on a version of Prince's "Adore," recorded in 2016 at The Tavern at Fire Station 1 in Silver Spring, MD.

The fifth video features Chris Cheek with his quintet performing his composition "Pelican Blues" in a show last month at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Along with Cheek, that's James Fernando on piano, Francois Chanvallon on guitar, Max Gerl on bass, and Tyson Jackson on drums.

In the final clip, Butch Thomas plays "La Belle Dame Sans Regrets," written by his former employer Sting, at a gig 2011 in Tampa FL, backed by Frank "Third" Richardson (drums), Tim George (bass), Ron Reinhardt (keyboards), and Peter Mongaya Hogsholm (guitar).

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* St. Louis magazine's annual "A-List" issue is out, and among the honorees for "Culture and Amusements" are the STL Free Jazz Collective (pictured) and Yaquis on Cherokee, which features live traditional jazz and blues on weekends.

* Also in St. Louis magazine, pianist Adam Maness' regular Thursday night gig at Thurman's in Shaw is the subject of a brief feature story by Thomas Crone.

* Mr. Handy's Blues, a new documentary about the life and legacy of "St. Louis Blues" composer W.C. Handy, will get its first showing this Sunday at a private event at the MX theater on Washington Avenue.

* St. Louis native Greg Osby will join fellow saxophonists Joe Lovano and Dave Liebman as the newest member of "Saxophone Summit" for a five-night run next week at Birdland in NYC. The group, which in this iteration also includes bassist Cecil McBee, drummer Billy Hart, and pianist Phil Markowitz, will play the club starting Tuesday, June 27 through Saturday, July 1.

* A video with highlights from pianist Ethan Leinwand's St. Louis Piano Festival, which showcased an assortment of ragtime, blues, and stride pianists earlier this month at BB's Jazz Blues & Soups, has been posted to Vimeo.

* Pianist Peter Martin's Open Studio Network is rolling out a new video course, "Elements of Jazz Piano," featuring Martin and Adam Maness. You can find out more and see a preview here.  

* Jazz St. Louis is looking to hire a part-time box office associate. For details on the job and how to apply, visit their website.

* Guitarist Todd Mosby has posted on YouTube a new live performance video of his composition "Moon Song."

* Multi-instrumental Lamar Harris' Isley Brothers tribute show "Ballad of Atlantis," which is being presented this weekend at Jazz at the Bistro, was previewed on KTVI's morning newscast and in a Post-Dispatch feature story by Kevin Johnson.

* Drummer Maurice Carnes has posted to YouYube a video of his band Avant Gardians playing the music of Ornette Coleman earlier this month at the U City Jazz Festival.

* Trumpeter Russell Gunn, originally from East St. Louis and now residing in Georgia, is one of alt-weekly Creative Loafing's "6 rising Atlanta music MVPs for 2017". As mentioned last week in this space, Gunn recently launched a crowd-funding campaign to finance his next recording.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Fans of adventurous music and/or craft beer can support New Music Circle at a fundraiser scheduled from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. next Tuesday, June 13 at Urban Chestnut brewery's Midtown location, 3229 Washington Ave. A portion of beverage purchases made during those hours will be donated to NMC.

* The Boston Creme donut from Old Town Donuts in Florissant is the winner of Jazz St. Louis' "Best Donut" award for 2017, as determined last Friday during JSL's annual "National Donut Day" celebration. You can see photos from the event in a Facebook album here.

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby, who's been spending a lot of time in Europe recently, last month conducted two workshops for young musicians in Spain, working under the auspices of the US Embassy with students at the Teresa Berganza music conservatory in Madrid and the Padre Antonio Soler music school in San Lorenzo de El Escorial.

* Singer-songwriter Norah Jones' performance on Tuesday at the Scottrade Ceneter was reviewed for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch by Dan Durchholz.

* Singer Dee Daniels (pictured), who will perform this Sunday with the St. Louis Symphony as part of their "Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and the Ladies of Swing," was interviewed by St. Louis magazine.

* The newly renamed Webster Groves Concert Hall, formerly the Ozark Theatre, is the subject of a St. Louis County Arts blog feature by Valerie Tichacek.

* As one of 77 local bands that will perform in the Riverfront Times' upcoming ShowcaseSTL, the  Funky Butt Brass Band were profiled this week by the RFT's Roy Kasten.

* Singer Tony Bennett's show Wednesday night at the Fox Theatre was reviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, and the Post also published an "IParty" album of photos from the evening.

* This weekend's U City Jazz Festival and Fair U City are previewed in the Post's "Hot List" section.

* Mozingo Music is presenting a free workshop on audio recording at 7:00 p.m. Monday, June 26 at their store at 4689 Hwy. K in O'Fallon, MO. The 90-minute workshop will feature manufacturer's rep Michael Canning demonstrating the use of PreSonus software and hardware and Audio Technica microphones in a live recording session. Admission is free, but since space is limited, advance reservations are required.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist, composer, independent record label owner, and St. Louis native Greg Osby (pictured) was featured on a recent episode of trumpeter Dave Douglas' podcast A Noise from the Deep.

* Jazz St. Louis' Ferring Jazz Bistro is the winner of the Commercial Restaurant Space category in the the St. Louis Architect and Designer Awards 2017. The space, which opened in October 2014 as part of Jazz St. Louis' renovated HQ in Grand Center, was designed by Jamieson Design.

* Also from Jazz St. Louis, education director Phil Dunlap's music business class at the University of Missouri-St. Louis was featured in a story on the university's website about entrepreneurial courses.

* The application period is open for the Regional Arts Commission's 2017 Artist Support Grants, which provide up to $3000 per grant to St. Louis artists in all disciplines for special creative projects, professional opportunities, or equipment needs. Two application workshops will be held in March, and are free and open to the public. To find out more, go to http://racstl.org/grant/artists-support-grants/.

* New music ensemble Alarm Will Sound's performances this weekend of Steve Reich's "The Cave" are previewed in stories by Sarah Bryan Miller in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Chris King in St. Louis magazine, and St. Louis Public Radio's Kelley Moffitt.

* A recent article on Mapquest.com about "20 St. Louis stops every music fan should have on their tour schedule" recommends several local destinations of particular interest to jazz enthusiasts, including Saxquest's Saxophone Museum, the Miles Davis statue in downtown Alton, Jazz at the Bistro, the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, and BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Webster University will host the Audio Engineering Society's 11th Annual Central Regional Student Summit from Friday, March 24 through Sunday, March 26 on the main Webster campus.

The event will include presentations from audio experts on recording techniques and related topics such as technical ear training, sound system design, and psychoacoustics, plus a mix competition for students and a recording critiques panel. For more information, go to http://www.websteraes.org/.

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Eric Person (pictured) will join forces with fellow saxophonist (and unrelated namesake) Houston Person for two nights of "Person2Person" next Wednesday, March 8 and Thursday, March 9 at Dizzy's Club in NYC's Jazz at Lincoln Center.

* Guitarist Todd Mosby has posted online a new video of his song "Western Sky."

* Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio Network is looking for looking for interns to help with video editing, social media, and curating and annotating musical content. Get the details via OSN's website.

* The video of Martin's version of "Another Day of Sun" from the soundtrack of Oscar-nominated film La La Land was featured on the website ClassicFM.com as part of a compilation of the best cover versions of music from the film.

* The online station UMSL Radio aka "The U" is now airing "Jazz on the U" from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. every Monday through Saturday. Check out the live stream, programmed by Steve Engelmeyer, at http://umslradio.com/.

* For his work as artistic director of the Sopot Jazz Festival in Sopot, Poland, saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby has been named the city's "Cultural Personality of 2016."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby recently took part in a "Before and After" listening session for Jazz Times magazine, published in their June issue and now available online. Osby last week also sat in with the Dave Matthews Band as they began their summer tour with a show in Camden, NJ.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold co-wrote, produced, and is featured along with hip-hop emcee Common and singers Gregory Porter and Andrea Pizziconi on "Running (Refugee Song)," a new single aimed at raising funds and awareness of the plight of more than 60 million displaced persons around the world.

* Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart has been named "Arts Educator of the Year" as part of the annual St. Louis Arts Awards presented by the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. Lockhart is being lauded for his work as director of bands and performing arts with the Riverview Gardens school district, and for forming and directing the North County Big Band, a jazz group based at the Sheldon Concert Hall that includes students from several area high schools.

* A photo set from last Saturday's Chesterfield Jazz Festival has been posted to Facebook.

* Also now online: a Flickr gallery of pics from last Thursday's edition of the Bruxism experimental music series at the Schlafly Tap Room.

* Guitarist Horace Bray, a St. Louis native and alumni of Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program who recently released his debut album, was profiled by Aarik Daneilsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune.

* The Grand Center district, home to jazz venues including Jazz at the Bistro, the Sheldon Concert Hall, The Dark Room, and the Kranzberg Arts Center, was featured in a special edition of KETC's program Living St. Louis.

* Local NBC affiliate KSDK reported this week that the late blues pianist Johnnie Johnson (pictured), whose work with Chuck Berry helped define the sound of early rock & roll, will receive a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for his service in World War II with the Montford Point Marines, an all-African-American unit that integrated the Marine Corps.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The June issue of the NYC Jazz Record (note: PDF) includes a cover story on trumpeter and St. Louis native Lester Bowie.

* The ongoing financial woes of radio station WSIE are the subject of a feature story by Sandra Jordan of the St. Louis American.

* Bimhuis Radio has posted to Mixcloud some audio from a recent concert featuring saxophonist Greg Osby in Amsterdam with his protege and fellow saxophonist Tineka Postma.

* The Riverfront Times this week published profiles of the nominees in the jazz category of this year's RFT Music Awards.

* The St. Louis Gypsy Jazz Festival, organized by members of the band Franglais, announced that the 2016 edition of their event will be held October 21 through October 23 at Evangeline's, with further details TBA.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Kimberly Thompson was interviewed for a recent feature on the website of drum manufacturer Gretsch. Thompson's latest album (pictured) is called Treasures Abound, and is on sale now via CD Baby,  iTunes, Google Play and Amazon.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake is gigging this weekend with drummer Billy Hart's "Enhance" ensemble at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival in California. In addition to Lake and Hart, the all-star band includes trumpeter Eddie Henderson, saxophonist Joshua Redman, pianist Craig Taborn, and bassist Dave Holland.

* Meanwhile, trumpeter and St. Louis native Keyon Harrold is in Chicago this weekend, headlining the Four Star Music Festival at the Goose Island Barrel Warehouse.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Bobby Watson, who's visiting St. Louis to play tonight with the Jazz Edge Orchestra at the Touhill, was interviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson.

Watson also was interviewed Thursday about the show by KMOX's Charlie Brennan.

* Jazz St. Louis has announced a celebration of National Donut Day at their Grand Center HQ, with tastings of donuts from 15 local bakeries, plus a photo booth, kids' activities, and live music. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, June 3.

* Saxophonist David Sanborn announced that he'll be touring North America this summer jointly with saxophonist Dave Koz (pictured, with Sanborn). The tour starts July 30 at Thornton Winery in Temecula, CA and continues through the end of August. No St. Louis show this time around, but you can see the full list of dates at Sanborn's website.

* "Da-Dum-Dun," an event presented tonight by the Eugene B. Redmond Writers Club in celebration of the lives of East St. Louisans Miles Davis, Henry Dumas and Katherine Dunham, was previewed by Kenya Vaughn of the St. Louis American.

* Singer Erin Bode's performance last week at a charity concert for St. Louis Children’s Hospital patients was the subject of a news story on KTVI/Fox 2.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby was the subject of an extended feature story by AllAboutJazz.com's Victor Schermer.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Emanuel Harrold performed with singer Gregory Porter last week on PBS's The Tavis Smiley Show, and the performance and interview with Porter now have been posted online.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Greg Osby was interviewed for a feature story on the website Jazz in Europe.

* Singer Denise Thimes' Mothers Day show last Sunday at the Touhill is the subject of a photo gallery on STLtoday.com.

* A new article by professor Gerald Early in Washington University's Common Reader looks at "Horns On Film - Five notable dramatic films about jazz trumpeters, with 15 grace notes."

* DownBeat magazine reviewed the CD reissue of Esoteric, an album (pictured) by the late drummer and St. Louis native Phillip Wilson with trumpeter Olu Dara that originally was released in 1979 on the hatHut label.

* Also in DownBeat, a review of Revive Music's recent 10th anniversary celebration in NYC, which included a performance by trumpeter Keyon Harrold.

* KDHX has posted to Flickr an album of photos from Tortoise's show Monday night at the Ready Room.

* The St. Louis Stompers are headed to Fox Lake, WI this weekend to play in the 44th annual Bunny Berigan Jazz Jubilee.

* Musical instrument distributor St. Louis Music set a quarterly record for sales in the first three months of 2016. The company distributes more than 10,000 music-related products, and owns instrument brands including Alvarez, Austin and Sigma guitars, Knilling stringed instruments, E.K. Blessing brass, and Zonda reeds and woodwinds.

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accounts for the Arts will present their Accidental Arts Administrator and Strategic Planning Fundamentals workshops next Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 17 at the offices of the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar.