So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Regional Arts Commission, nearly 20 local performing arts organizations including Jazz St. Louis and The Sheldon, and HEC TV are teaming up for "Arts United STL," a virtual benefit to support the RAC Artist Relief Fund that will take place starting at 7:00 p.m. this coming Sunday, May 31.

The free online event aims to raise more than $250,000 through sponsorships and 1,000 individual donations to provide emergency aid to St. Louis working artists whose livelihoods have been critically interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. You can watch on HEC-TV (see your TV provider's channel guide for info) or online at https://www.opera-stl.org/explore-and-learn/for-everyone/arts-united-stl.

* Drummer and East St. Louis native Terreón "Tank" Gully is featured in the latest episode of the online video series "Just Jazz Cafe."

* The latest episode of saxophonist David Sanborn's web series "Sanborn Sessions," featuring vocalist Cyrille Aimée, is online and available for viewing now.

* Trumpeter Jim Manley was the featured guest on last week's episode of the Shock City School of Music podcast "Coffee Conversations."

* The early Sixties transitional period between trumpeter Miles Davis' two "great quintets" was the topic of "Miles Between: Miles Davis 1961-1963," this week's episode of Indiana public radio station WFIU's "Night Lights" program.

* In honor of the 94th anniversary of Davis' birth, SiriusXM's "Real Jazz" channel last week aired "A Miles Davis Birthday Celebration" featuring three hours of the trumpeter's music.

Edited after posting to fix a typo.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Citing losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwardsville-based radio station WSIE (88.7 FM) has launched a campaign raising money to stay on the air.

With no financial support from the state of Illinois since 2018, the not-for-profit station needs to raise approximately $100,000 before June 30 to cover losses from this fiscal year. To find out more or make a donation, go to https://www.siue.edu/wsie/support/.

* A recent performance by the Red and Black Brass Band on the streets of the Central West End was documented on video by STLtoday.com.

* Pianist and St. Louis native Tom McDermott has recorded another video for actor and author Harry Shearer's "Piano New Orleans" web series.

* St. Louis' Euclid Records is the latest music retailer to be featured in the "Record Store Spotlight" on the website of blues label Fat Possum.

* HEC-TV has posted online a feature about saxophonist's Tim Warfield run earlier this year at Jazz St. Louis, titled "A Night In The Life Of A Jazz Artist."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart (pictured) has been chosen as one of 25 semi-finalists this year for the national Music Educator Award given annually by the Recording Academy and Grammy Awards.

As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Sarah Bryan Miller, Lockhart was recognized for his work as band director for Riverview Gardens High School - he subsequently joined the faculty at Cardinal Ritter this summer - and for his not-for-profit organization HEAL Center for the Arts. Ten finalists for the award will be named in December, with one winner selected to attend the Grammy Awards ceremony next year.

* Open Studio has posted to YouTube a video of last Saturday's concert by pianist Geoffrey Keezer.

* Musical instrument retailer and service center Saxquest will present their 2019 Woodwind Instrument Expo on Saturday, November 16 at St. Charles Community College. The event will offer musicians the opportunity to try instruments and accessories from a variety of manufacturers. Admission is free, but attendees who would like access to private rooms are encouraged to register in advance.

* An article by Charles Waring at UDiscoverMusic.com offers a reappraisal of guitarist Grant Green's Blue Note album Born to Be Blue, which recently was re-released as part of the label's "Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl" reissue series.

* The Sheldon has posted to Facebook an album of photos from saxophonist David Sanborn's concert last Friday night.

* And speaking of The Sheldon, HEC-TV has produced a feature story about the hall's new outdoor plaza.

* The impending opening next week of the new Central West End cabaret venue Blue Strawberry was the subject of a short feature story from Riverfront Times writer Ella Faust.

* Also in the RFT, the building that currently houses Vintage Vinyl is the subject of a "Then and Now" feature by Jaime Lees.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Marcus Baylor (pictured) and The Baylor Project are featured on the latest episode of the web video series "Black Friday Live - Celebrity Edition."

* Multi-instrumentalist, DJ and composer Lamar Harris will team up with Grammy Award winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard and Opera Theatre of St. Louis to present "The Lab," a workshop for "high school musicians, producers, deejays and spoken word artists to develop and collaborate with other composers." Applications are due by February 15 for the six-session program, which will run from Sunday, March 17 through Sunday, May 19.

* The traveling exhibition “Guitar: The Instrument That Rocked the World”, now on display at the St. Louis Science Center through April 14, is the subject of a Post-Dispatch story by Dan Durchholz.

* The fate of the remains of the Goldenrod Showboat, once the site of jazz and ragtime performances on the St. Louis riverfront, is the subject of a story by Paul Schankman for HEC-TV.

* Via Marc Myers' Jazzwax blog, video has surfaced on YouTube of a recently rediscovered interview with Miles Davis from 1984 that finds the trumpeter being quizzed by a couple of local talk-show hosts in Baltimore who apparently had no idea who he was, with results that are both cringe-worthy and kind of funny (as long as you weren't one of the participants). See part one here, and part two here.

* The Sundance Film Festival's screenings of the new documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool starting on Sunday, January 27 are previewed by the website what (not) to doc.

* Saxophonist Tim Cunningham was a guest Wednesday morning on KTVI-Fox 2's morning newscast, promoting his show last night at The Laugh Lounge STL and other upcoming performances.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Kevin Bowers' band Nova's performance tonight at Winter Jazzfest in New York City was previewed in articles by Kevin Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Cara Wegener of Alive magazine.

* Trumpeter Miles Davis is the subject of a new children's book, Birth of the Cool: How Jazz Great Miles Davis Found His Sound by Kathleen Cornell Berman. Aimed at readers ages 8 to 12, the book (pictured) is scheduled for release on Tuesday, April 16.

* Jazz St. Louis is conducting an online survey of audience members, asking about their experiences of the venue, preferences for show times, and more. Anyone completing the questionnaire will be entered in a drawing for four free tickets to an upcoming performance, with two ticket packages to be awarded. If you'd like to take the survey, go here before end of business next Friday, January 18.

* Though The Dark Room has live music seven nights a week, the blog on their website has been devoted almost exclusively to describing the kitchen's daily/weekly specials - until now. Production manager Kevin Koehler announced this week that he'll be blogging about the various bands and musicians playing the room, starting with a look back at a Mo Egeston performance last September, which you can see here.

* HEC-TV has released online Gateway Sound, a new documentary about changing technology in the music industry that was directed by Justin Fisher, head audio engineer at SmithLee Productions.

* Webster University professor and department of music chair Jeffrey Carter is the new music director for Circus Harmony, the not-for-profit organization based at the City Museum that teaches circus skills to children and teens.

* St. Louisans may be mildly surprised to learn that a recent study named our town "the best city for nightlife in America." As reported by the Riverfront Times' Daniel Hill, the study by the magazine Apartment Guide based its rankings on "how many nightlife options were available per resident while excluding cities with a population of less than 100,000. Using those metrics, St. Louis' abundance of bars, breweries, clubs and music venues, coupled with our smaller population, sees us leading the pack with one nightlife-related business for every 1,143 people."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* HEC-TV has posted online a "lost episode" of the program I Love Jazz, featuring an interview with and performances by guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and his son, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli.

The episode was filmed in 2014, before the death of host Don Wolff in November 2015, but just now has been released for the first time.

* The Sheldon Art Galleries will present a free gallery talk by Dr. Aurelia Hartenberger on the history of stringed instruments at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 12.

The talk is presented in conjunction with the exhibit "The World of Spectacular Strings," which features more than 100 unique stringed instruments from around the world and continues until April 21, 2017. Admission is free, but you must reserve a seat in advance by calling Paula Lincoln at 314-533-9900 x 37 or emailing plincoln@TheSheldon.org.

* Speaking of The Sheldon, they've posted on Facebook an album of photos from last Saturday's concert by Cécile McLorin Salvant.

* Singer Chuck Flowers (pictured) appeared on KTVI-FOX 2's Wednesday morning newscast to promote his appearance tonight at The Dark Room.

* The online radio station Radio63119 has posted an interview featuring poet and percussionist David A.N. Jackson talking with bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes about their careers in music and more.

* Another new episode of E.B. Stephenson's podcast "The Jazz Mixer" is online, featuring recordings from St. Louis musicians including the Sessions Big Band, Brett Stamps, Farshid Etniko, and more.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* HEC-TV has released the final episode of I Love Jazz, the program created and hosted by the late Don Wolff (pictured).

Hosted by Cordell Whitlock, the last episode pays tribute to Wolff, who died last November, and also includes stories on the jazz program at Washington University and the dedication last September of the statue honoring Miles Davis in Alton, IL. You can see the episode online here.

* Tomorrow is the annual celebration of independent music retailers known as Record Store Day, and St. Louis stores taking part in the event with special pricing and promotions, live music, and more will include Euclid Records, Music Record Shop, Planet Score Records, Record Exchange, and Vintage Vinyl. There's also a new store on Cherokee Street, Endless Planets, that will be holding its grand opening celebration that day..

As mentioned last week in this space, yr. humble StLJN editor once again will be among the local music writers doing hour-long "guest DJ" sets at Vintage Vinyl, spinning tunes on the in-house sound system from 2:30 p.m. from 3:30 p.m.

You can find guides to all the local Record Store Day activities in both the Riverfront Times and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And if you're looking for a list of the various record labels' special jazz releases for RSD 2016, DownBeat has all that info for you here.

* The 442s appear on the latest episode of the TV program STL Up Late, which can be seen online here.

* Wack-A-Doo has posted photos from their recent "Coffee Concert" performances at The Sheldon to Flickr and Facebook.

* St. Louis Legacy Ensemble has posted to YouTube a video of "Lafayette," a new original song by percussionist and bandleader Joe Pastor.

* Guitarist Todd Mosby has posted video of a new original song, "Ode to Joe," on Facebook. Mosby will perform it and other songs from his new album in a CD release event on April 30 at Focal Point

* Trombonist Dave Dickey's performance at tomorrow's North County Jazz Festival in Park Hills, MO is previewed in an article in the Park Hills Daily Journal.

* The Belleville News Democrat reports that student jazz bands from Belleville made a good showing in the annual Illinois State Jazz Invitational last weekend, as Central Junior High took first place in the statewide competition's junior high division and the District 118 Jazz Combo won first place in the high school division.

* According to a Riverfront Times article by Thomas Crone, the proprietors of 2720 Cherokee are reorganizing both their live music offerings and their physical space, including opening a new, smaller-scale lounge called Barcade within the 2720 building.

* Saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and trumpeter/pianist Tim Osiek have published Hymns of the Spirit: Pentecost and Beyond, the fourth volume of arrangements in their Worship Jazz series. The downloadable book features hymns "arranged in a variety of jazz genres: straight ahead, Latin, Dixieland, funk and more," with all 12 selections transposed for C, Bb, Eb and bass clef instrumentation.

* Lindy Hop St. Louis, organizers of the annual Nevermore Jazz Ball weekend held in the fall, have announced the dates for the 2016 River City Mess Around. The fourth annual edition of the summer swing dance weekend will be held July 1 through July 4, with venues and exact schedule of events TBA.

Don Wolff 1935 - 2015

Don Wolff, longtime local broadcaster, jazz advocate, and attorney, has died. He was 80 years old and had been undergoing treatment for both leukemia and cancer for several years.

Instantly identifiable thanks to his signature on-air introduction, "I'm Don Wolff, and I love jazz," Wolff (pictured) was best known for his radio broadcasts, which began in 1987 on KXOK and continued in various forms on WSIE, KMOX and KFUO until 2010.

After KFUO was sold, he kept his radio program going on the internet, and also served as the host of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz since its inception. In addition, Wolff was known nationally as an expert on jazz in film; hosted jazz cruises; and served as MC for many live jazz events and festivals, both in St. Louis and nationally on the traditional jazz festival circuit.

Though Wolff's interest in jazz dated back to his childhood in University City, his "day job" was as a lawyer. After graduating from the University of Missouri, attending law school at Mizzou and serving in the US Army as a defense lawyer, prosecutor, and assistant judge advocate, Wolff began his civilian career in the 1960s as an assistant prosecutor for St. Louis County and then went into private practice as a criminal defense and civil rights attorney.

He was an adjunct professor for St. Louis University School of Law, and received numerous awards for his legal work, including the St. Louis County Bar Association Distinguished Service Award and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Award. Wolff also was recognized by the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri and was listed in Best Lawyers in America. He combined his legal knowledge with the skills honed during his jazz broadcasts to serve as a commentator and analyst for local media, hosting radio shows on legal topics for KXOK and KMOX, and a TV series, Legally Speaking with Don Wolff, for HEC.

Wolff served as a board member for a number of not-for-profit organizations in St. Louis, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Laumeier Sculpture Park, United Hebrew Congregation, Cystic Fibrosis, Boys Town of Missouri, Legal Advocates for Abused Women, and Harris-Stowe State University. Harris Stowe also houses the Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute, a repository for thousands of recordings from Wolff's personal collection as well as his accumulated films, videos, photos, books, magazines, and ephemera.

He supported Backstoppers and taught at the St. Louis Police Academy, and also was known as an advocate for civil rights, providing legal assistance pro bono to Harris-Stowe, the Urban League, and various other local African-American institutions and activists.

Earlier this year, the Jazz Journalists Association named Wolff as one of 23 local "Jazz Heroes" from throughout the USA for his work promoting jazz, and in October, he was inducted into Harris-Stowe's St. Louis Jazz Hall of Fame. He also was a member of the University City High School Hall of Fame.

Wolff's tastes in music tended toward mainstream, swing, and the Great American Songbook, and his favorite musicians, as cited on the air and in interviews, included Duke Ellington, Clark Terry, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Benny Goodman, and Count Basie. Yet he also was always on the lookout for young musicians playing in his preferred styles - for example, championing the career of stride pianist and St. Louis native Stephanie Trick when she was still just a teenager.

Wolff is survived by his wife Heide; sons Michael (Sarah) and Nelson (Susan), both of St. Louis; daughter Kristina (Patrick) Hourihane of Glenview, IL; and grandchildren Pierce, Jessica, Hugo, Harbor, Julia, Hobie, and Evalina.

The family requests that any donations in his memory be made to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, the Urban League of Metropolitan St Louis, or the DLW Scholarship Fund at the University of Missouri School of Law.

Funeral arrangements are by Berger Memorial, with a visitation to be held at 2:00 p.m. and a "New Orleans jazz style" celebration scheduled for 3:00 p.m. this coming Monday, November 23 at United Hebrew Congregation, 13788 Conway Road, St. Louis, MO 63141.

Update - 11:30 p.m., 11/21/15: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's obituary for Wolff is online here. 

Edited after posting to fix formatting issues, correct types, and add links.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The latest episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz with Don Wolff premieres this Sunday, February 8, and features the jazz studies program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The show also looks in on the recording of pianist Phil Dunlap's debut CD, and includes vintage video spotlighting the late alto saxophonist and clarinetist LeRoy Harris.

I Love Jazz can be seen on Charter channel 989 and AT&T U-verse 99 at noon on Wednesdays; 8:00 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; and 4:00 p.m. Fridays. (For other TV providers, check your program guide.) You also can watch episodes, including the latest one, online at the HEC-TV website, or download them for free from the "Beyond University" section of iTunes U.

* Pianist Peter Martin's performance with guitarist Romero Lubambo last week at South on Main in Little Rock was reviewed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and also documented in a photo set posted to Facebook.

* Martin also will provide the music for the "Eleventh Annual Evening of Hope," a benefit for the Hope Center for Neurological Disorders at Washington University School of Medicine to be held on Thursday, April 30 at the Sheldon. The evening includes cocktails, dinner, and the musical performance by Martin's trio and guest singer Brian Owens. For tickets or sponsorship information, call Hope Happens at 314-725-3888 or email them at info at hopehappens dot org.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake's latest album, a duet performance with bassist William Parker called To Roy, is out now on the Intakt label. The title is a dedication to the late trumpeter Roy Campbell, who died last January at age 61.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Andre "Dre Energy" Boyd has blogged about his experiences playing with Cirque du Soleil for Modern Drummer magazine.

* Videographer Chad Eivins of Chizmo.tv has posted online a video documenting last February's New Music Circle-sponsored concert by Joshua Abrams and; Natural Information Society at Joe's Cafe Gallery.

* You can get a close-up look at some of the unusual musical instruments from the Hartenberger World Music Collection recently donated to the Sheldon Art Galleries via a video posted online this week by the Riverfront Times. An exhibit featuring instruments from the collection opens tonight in conjunction with Grand Center's "First Friday" series of free gallery openings and events in the district.

* The Saxophone Museum at Saxquest has just acquired the original sample model bell for the Buescher 400 tenor saxophone, and Saxquest owner Mark Overton explains why it's "the coolest find of the year" in an article published on the shop's associated site Saxophone.org.

* Singer, actress, dancer and St. Louis native Josephine Baker (pictured) is just one of the black adventurers featured in a series of Black History Month illustrations recently created by comic artist Chris Schweizer. Baker, who spied for the resistance against the Germans in occupied France during World War II, is shown with her pet Chiquita the Cheetah.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's edition of Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will highlight music from composer Kurt Weill as performed by Michael Brecker, Nina Simone, Roy Hargrove, and more. The program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then on Sunday morning, WSIE's "Jazz Talk" will feature hosts Dick Ulett, Michael Silverman, and Rob Silverman chatting with drummer Ron Carr. The program airs from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on 88.7 FM, and also can be streamed online from the station's website.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Reggie Thomas, who left St. Louis a couple of years ago to teach at Michigan State University, has a new job a bit closer to home this fall. Thomas (pictured) is the new head of the jazz studies program at Northern Illinois University, taking over after the retirement of the program's former director, saxophonist Ronald Carter (who also was Thomas' former high school band director in East St. Louis).

* The September edition of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz, hosted by Don Wolff, is available now for viewing on the cable network and online. The episode includes video of Miss Jubilee performing at Casa Loma Ballroom, a "day in the life" feature about trumpeter Sean Jones, and more. Check your TV provider's listing for days, times and channel, or watch online here.

* The Tuesday jazz jam sessions formerly held at Robbie's House of Jazz, which ended earlier this year when the club closed, have returned to Webster Groves at the Ozark Theatre, where former Robbie's GM Dorothy Edwards now is presenting jazz performances on the weekends. The newly revived jam sessions will begin at 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday, with no admission or cover charge.

* Six St. Louis area classical music organizations are teaming up to offer a program for students called the Concert Pass Collaborative (CPC). For a $15 annual fee, students with a valid ID can purchase the pass, which is good for admission to any event produced by the six participating organizations (as long as there's a seat available). Groups taking part include the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, The Sheldon's classical series, St. Louis Classical Guitar Society, Chamber Project St. Louis, St. Louis Women’s Hope Chorale, Saint Louis Chamber Chorus, and you can get more information on the offer here.

* The Kranzberg Arts Center will present a screening of the new film Finding Fela, a documentary about Afrobeat musician and bandleader Fela Kuti, next Friday, October 3.

* In conjunction with the label's 65th anniversary, Prestige Records is giving away a set of 20 CDs reissue of albums remastered by famed engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Get details and enter to win here.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will feature the music of saxophonist, composer and former St. Louisan Julius Hemphill via Hemphill's recordings asa  leader and as a member of the World Saxophone Quartet, plus interpretations of his work by others including saxophonist Tim Berne. The program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The free concert featuring pianist Ptah Williams (pictured) this Sunday at Ivory Perry Park was previewed by Kenya Vaughn of the St. Louis American.

* Next week's St. Louis Cabaret Festival was previewed in an article on the website of St. Louis Public Radio, which also will cover the festival during the broadcast of the "Cityscape" program at noon today. You can hear it online at http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php.

* Speaking of the Cabaret Festival, the event's organizers and Metrotix are offering a $10 discount online for tickets to the festival's opening show next Wednesday, which will feature Broadway star Faith Prince performing in the Sheldon Concert Hall's upstairs ballroom. To take advantage of the discount, use this link to access the Metrotix site, and when prompted enter the promo code THEATER.

* A new episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz, hosted by Don Wolff, has been posted online. It includes performances and interviews from the concert paying tribute to Richard McDonnell, the late founder of the MAXJAZZ record label, that was presented in May at Jazz at the Bistro, as well as coverage of the Bistro's renovation and expansion plans. You can watch online here, or consult your TV provider's program guide for air times.

* Regarding the Bistro renovations, Ruth Ezell of KETC's Living St. Louis did a story on Monday's program on how the construction is progressing; and a seating chart posted online by Jazz St. Louis shows what the layout for the room will look like post-expansion.

* And speaking of Richard McDonnell, jazz-related artwork remaining from his personal collection after a sale last month can still be seen and purchased by appointment, according to Jeff Appel, the photography dealer who's managing the sale of collection for the McDonnell family. "We have found some great St. Louis collectors for probably around 1/4 of the collection, but hundreds of great pieces remain, from signed festival posters to a variety of framed photographs and etchings," he said. To arrange a viewing at the MAXJAZZ offices in Webster Groves, email Appel at photoaddictappel at gmail dot com, or call or text him at 314-520-1572.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson took a bit of time from her duties with the house band on NBC's Late Night With Seth Meyers to visit the makers of Gretsch drums and record a short promotional video.

* In this week's Miles Davis news, IndieWire has photos from the set of Miles Ahead, Don Cheadle's film about Davis that's now shooting in Cincinnati.

* On a related note, a post this week on the website Open Culture looked back at the night in 1970 when Davis opened a show for the Grateful Dead at the Fillmore in San Francisco.

* And for those who'd like to delve even further into the trumpeter's history, a new website, Scaled In Miles, offers a unique interactive timeline view of Davis' recording career.

* Pianist Stephanie Trick, who's been performing this summer in England and Europe, recently met British royalty when Prince Charles and Lady Camilla attended a concert of hers in Scotland.

* The Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival once again will pick the opening act for this year's fest via a "Webster’s Got Talent" competition. The entry deadline is August 17, and applications are available for download at the festival's website.

Entrants will compete in public performances on Tuesday, August 26 and Thursday, August 28 at a location TBA, with the two winning bands from the semi-finals playing a final showdown on Thursday, September 4. The winner gets the first slot onstage at this year's OWJBF on Saturday, September 20. For more information, email webstersgottalent@gmail.com.

* Jazz radio update: On this week's edition of Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will pay tribute to the late bassist Charlie Haden, with recordings of Haden's work as a bandleader, his collaborations with Ornette Coleman and Keith Jarrett, and more. "Somethin' Else" can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

So What: Local News, Notes and Links

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

* Trumpeter Jim Manley's recently released album Chilled Brass was reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello of AllAboutJazz.com.

* Meanwhile, Fast Friends, the new recording from trombonists Wayne Coniglio and Scott Whitfield, got a review from AAJ's Jack Bowers.

* Marty Ehrlich's most recent album Trumpet In The Morning, for which the multi-instrumentalist put down his various horns to conduct his original compositions arranged for big band, was reviewed by Troy Dostert of The Free Jazz Collective blog.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson (pictured) of The Late Show with Seth Meyers has posted a new recording, A Child's Eyes, on iTunes. It features 14 of Thompson's original compositions performed by a quartet that also includes Eden Ladin (piano), Aaron Burnett (tenor sax), and Nick Jozwiak (bass).

* The June episode of HEC-TV's State of the Arts, which offers a look at the current local popularity of swing dancing and vintage jazz bands, is available for viewing online.

* A story by Allison Babka of the Riverfront Times this week revealed that the main location of the St. Louis Public Library downtown has a basic but functional recording studio available for library patrons to use for free.

* In this week's update from actor/director Don Cheadle on his forthcoming Miles Davis film, which is scheduled to begin shooting this month in Cincinnati, here's the latest as told by Cheadle to Down Beat magazine, the Times of India, and on a recent episode of The Queen Latifah Show. The IndieGoGo campaign to raise an additional $325,000 for the film ends on July 10.

* Hip 96.3 HD-3 has posted on Facebook a photo album from last Saturday's Chesterfield Jazz Festival.

* Speaking of photo sets, here's one from St. Louisan and Cirque du Soleil drummer Andre Boyd's recent drum clinic at Sound Attak in London.

* Also on the promotional tip, Bob Walther of Strictly Audio STL was quoted extensively in a news release from Soundcraft about his use of the company's Si Expression mixing console.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted their 2014-15 season brochure online.

* Jazz radio update: On this week's episode “Somethin’ Else” on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, host Calvin Wilson pays a virtual visit to the Village Vanguard with live recordings made at the famed NYC club by musicians including pianist Geri Allen, trumpeter Woody Shaw, guitarist Marc Ribot, and more. "Somethin' Else" can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Elsewhere on the radio dial, Dennis Owsley's "Jazz Unlimited" program will begin re-broadcasting Owsley's ten-part audio documentary on "The Jazz History of St. Louis"  starting this Sunday. "Jazz Unlimited" airs from 9:00 p.m. to midnight Sundays on KWMU/St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 FM), and also can be heard online at http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Best wishes and healing thoughts to trumpeter Adam Hucke, who's back home and recovering today after being hit in the arm by a stray bullet early this morning at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

According to a report on KMOV, two cars were involved in a gun battle on Broadway near Gratiot around 2:00 a.m. when Hucke, who was working with blues guitarist and singer Mike Aguirre, was hit.

No other details about the incident are available, but Hucke, best known as a member of the Funky Butt Brass Band, was treated and released by a local hospital and expects to be OK.

* Miles Davis' Take Off: The Complete Blue Note Albums, the recent reissue of the trumpeter's early 1950s sessions for the label (pictured), was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Marc Davis.

* Meanwhile, in the latest news from Miles Ahead, actor Don Cheadle's forthcoming film about Davis, it seems that actress Zoe Saldana has dropped out of the project, but shooting still is scheduled to begin next month in Cincinnati.

* The Miles Davis Jazz Festival has posted on Facebook an album of photos from this year's fest.

* HEC-TV has posted online Don Wolff's video tribute to the late Mat Domber, founder of the jazz indie label Arbors Records.

* In related news, the audio version of Wolff's "I Love Jazz" program now can be heard on TuneIn.com.

* Bassist Jim Widner's big band camp for high school students was the subject of a feature story in the UMSL Current.

* The downtown bar and restaurant Lola, which occasionally presented jazz along with R&B, neo-soul and hop-hop, is closing. The story from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson cites increased competition from other venues, as well as differences among the partners.

* The Big Little Band has posted on Facebook an album of photos from their performance last week at The Abbey in Belleville.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else”, host Calvin Wilson will spotlight the music of Duke Ellington's collaborator Billy Strayhorn as interpreted by musicians including saxophonists Joe Henderson and Branford Marsalis and pianist Matthew Shipp.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will be spinning tunes by Brian Culbertson, Omar Hakim, Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, Nathan East, The New Mastersounds, Chuck Mangione, Acoustic Alchemy, Wes Montgomery, Gato Barbieri, Jimmy Smith, Dave Panico, Jim Manley, and more.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saturday's Miles Davis Jazz Festival in Alton is the subject of a preview article by the Alton Telegraph's Jill Moon. Trumpeter Russell Gunn headlines, with saxophonist Fred Walker (pictured) and prog-rock band Locrian Manor as opening acts.

* Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock was interviewed about her current tour by Cleveland Scene. She and her husband, drummer Tom Rainey, will be in St. Louis on Monday and Tuesday to perform in two events presented by New Music Circle.

* A new episode of I Love Jazz, hosted by Don Wolff and featuring footage of Jeremy Davenport from the Sheldon Concert Hall, debuted last night on HEC-TV. Check your TV provider's program guide for times and dates, or watch it on HEC's website.

* Speaking of The Sheldon, they've compiled on Soundcloud an audio sampler of tracks from musicians featured in their various 2014-15 season series.

* The New Orleans-style cuisine of the Broadway Oyster Bar was sampled and enjoyed by the Associated Press' Alan Scherzagier.

* Actor/director Don Cheadle's long-anticipated movie about Miles Davis, which apparently now has had its title changed from Kill The Trumpet Player to Miles Ahead, will film this summer in Cincinnati.

* Bill Brownlee of Plastic Sax grades the recently announced 2014-15 jazz series at Kansas City's Folly Theater. Highlights will include concerts by pianists Fred Hersch and Danilo Perez and guitarist Earl Klugh.

* The Gramophone is partnering with the conservation organization Magnificent Missouri to create Magnificent Missouri Music, "a compilation of original songs about all the amazing things we can do out of doors in our great state." The album will be released on CD and vinyl, and there will be a "usage stipend" paid for any songs selected, which can be brand new or already released. Submissions are open until June 30; for more information, email magmo (at) thegramophonelive.com.

* The trial opened this week for two men accused of killing Patrice Thimes, sister of singer Denise Thimes, during an exchange of gunfire on St. Patrick's Day of 2011. Patrice Thimes was passing by the scene of the gunfight in her car and was hit by a stray bullet; her accused killers face charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, and a third suspect will be tried at a later date.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" presents compositions from the songbook of Irving Berlin as performed by musicians including Branford Marsalis, Diana Krall, and Chick Corea.

Next up, Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will have tunes from Jonathan Butler, Nathan East, Citrus Sun, Nina Simone, Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader, Donald Byrd, and Bob James, as well as locals such as Tom Byrne, Elliott Ranney, Dreaming In Colour, and Jesse Gannon.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night's edition of KWMU's "Jazz Unlimited", host Dennis Owsley will feature music from the Pacific Jazz record label, with tracks from Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Joe Pass, Chico Hamilton, Bud Shank & Laurindo Almeida, Jimmy Rowles, John Lewis, Bill Perkins, the Jazz Crusaders, Gerry Mulligan, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and many more. The program airs from 9:00 p.m. to midnight; you can listen to the broadcast at 90.7 FM or hear it online at http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php.

Edited after posting to add info on this week's "Jazz Unlimited" program.

15th annual Glendale Jazz Festival set for Friday, May 23

The city of Glendale and the Glendale Women’s Club will present the 15th annual Glendale Jazz Festival from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday, May 23 on the lower parking lot of the Glendale City Hall complex, 424 N. Sappington Rd.

Performers at this year's event will include the Bosman Twins (pictured), Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and rockabilly/swing trio Hudson and the Hoodoo Cats, with Don Wolff of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz serving as MC. The festival is free and open to the public.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson is keeping busy with her duties with the house band for NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers, even participating in some on-camera comedy bits, like the one pictured here with Michelle Wolf and Alison Agosti of the Late Night writing staff. However, Thompson did manage to find time this week to post on SoundCloud an excerpt from her band's performance last month at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.

* Jazz students from Webster Groves High School are in New York City this week, and band director Kevin Cole has a full schedule planned for his young charges. The trip will include visits to NYC venues to hear Ambrose Akinmusire, Maria Schneider, Ulysses Owens, Charles Turner, Walter Smith III, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra; and a clinic at Queens College with Michael Philip Mossman, Antonio Hart, Paul Bollenbeck, and Luis Bonilla.

In addition, the WGHS Jazz 1 group will perform Sunday at St. Peters Jazz Vespers with pianist Kenny Werner, and then serve as the opening act that evening at Birdland for Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

* Also on the education front, Jazz St. Louis has announced a $35,000 gift from the Arthur & Helen Baer Foundation in support of the 2014-15 season of their JazzU program. Applications to audition for next year's JazzU are due by Friday, May 2, with auditions beginning on Monday, June 2. For more details, see the Jazz St. Louis website.

* Writing for the website NextStL, Kevin Belford has an update on recent wind damage to the historic Palladium Building in Grand Center and the possible effects on efforts to save the structure.

* Via Miles Davis Online, here's a video interview from IRockJazz with Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr., who helps administer his uncle's estate, in which Wilburn discusses the forthcoming movie about the trumpeter and various other Miles-related topics. MDO blogmaster Jeffrey Hyatt also has created a new site, Kill The Trumpet Player, to track news of the Davis film.

* Singer Connie Fairchild's show last Saturday for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed for KDHX by Chuck Lavazzi.

* The late ragtime pianist and historian Trebor Tichenor was the subject of a tribute episode of KWMU's "CityScape" program.

* Galactic's performance last week at The Pageant was reviewed by KDHX's Amy Burger.

* A set from the Funky Butt Brass Band's gig last month at The Gramophone has been posted to archive.org.

* And speaking of The Gramophone, they're celebrating the venue's sixth anniversary this week with the announcement that their Sandwich and Bottle Shop will be open for regular daytime business offering food, drink and free wi-fi to the growing Grove neighborhood starting April 1.

* Also on the culinary tip, the Post-Dispatch's Ian Froeb is the latest to review the Louisiana-style menu at the new Central West End spot Evangeline's.

* HEC-TV last night debuted a new episode of I Love Jazz, featuring previously unseen archived performances by singer Marlena Shaw, trumpeter Dawn Weber, singer Marilyn Maye and pianist Billy Stritch, saxophonist Willie Akins and drummer Montez Coleman, and jazz faculty and students from Webster University. Check your TV provider's program guide for channels, dates and times, or watch online at http://www.hectv.org.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson spotlights New Orleans trumpeters including Louis Armstrong, Derrick Shezbie, Joe Newman, Terence Blanchard and Wynton Marsalis. You can listen at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

(Edited after posting to add the KWMU "CityScape" link.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Next month's New Music Circle concert featuring bassist Josh Abrams' Natural Information Society is previewed by Stefene Russell of St. Louis magazine.

* Lamar Harris discusses his instrumental tribute to the music of Jay-Z, coming up tomorrow night at the Kranzberg Arts Center, for an article by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Drummer Matt Wilson talks about his new album Gathering Call with the website Search and Restore and with Aarik Danielsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune. Wilson's quartet and special guest John Medeski will play tonight and tomorrow at Jazz at the Bistro, head to Columbia on Sunday, and then return to St. Louis to perform again on Monday to make up for Wednesday's postponed sets.

* Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is looking for volunteers for its street team, which helps distribute posters and handbills around town. If you'd like to get involved, get in touch via LNAC's Facebook page or by sending an email to contact@lemp-arts.org.

* St. Louis native Dan Loomis, bassist for The Wee Trio, talks at length about the group's album Live at the Bistro album with AllAboutJazz.com's Fiona Ord-Shrimpton.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Mark Colenburg (pictured) performed with pianist Robert Glasper last week on NPR's "Tiny Desk Concert."

* Meanwhile, Kim Thompson, fellow drummer and St. Louis expat, has a new album, Live at Marian's, available on iTunes.

* The latest episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz is now available on the channel's website, spotlighting the jazz program at Webster University and performances from last fall's TKT scholarship concert, "Jazz Interpretations of the Music of Irving Berlin".

* Miles Davis' 1970 shows at NYC's Fillmore East will be reissued next month in an expanded box set. You can hear a sample track, "Spanish Key," here.

* The iconic trumpeter's sense of style also got him included in a list of eight jazz icons featured on the website of men's clothing retailer Mr. Porter.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson continues the previous episode's focus on Davis, showcasing music from the trumpeter's famed 1960s quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams.

Then "The Jazz Collective" host Jason Church will feature tracks from Davis, Grant Green, The Rippingtons, Dudley Moore, Jeff Lorber Fusion, Joel Del Rosario & SureWill, Bob James &  David Sanborn, Jim Stevens, Brian Vaccaro, and Christopher Braig.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.   

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Harry Connick Jr's concert on Sunday night at the Fox Theatre was reviewed by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

* The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra (pictured) has put on YouTube two videos of their recent performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted on Facebook a photo set from saxophonist Donald Harrison's visit last week to Central Elementary School in St. Charles.

* The November episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz features trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber and will debut on the cable network at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, November 14. To find HEC on your system and see the times for subsequent showings, consult your TV provider's program guide. Episodes also are posted on the HEC website after their first airing.

* The Friends of Scott Joplin are moving their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" to a new location. Starting in November, the open-piano event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the first Sunday of each month at the New Rosebud Cafe at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar Blvd. The Rosebud Cafe has two pianos for performers, and "accessibility will not be a problem for those who find stairs difficult." Snacks and soft drinks will be sold, and guests also can bring in their own food and drink.

* The 442s have launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds to record and manufacture their debut album.

* A new post on Kevin Belford's Devil at the Confluence blog looks at the career and influence of St. Louis trumpeter Charles Creath. 

* DownBeat this week announced the results of their 2013 Readers Poll. While no living St. Louis musicians will take home trophies this year, the Miles Davis Quintet's Live In Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. 2 was the winner in the Historical Album category.

* In more Davis-related news, Miles Davis: Legendary Concerts, recorded by the trumpeter at the 1985 North Sea Jazz Festival, was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Chris May.

* There's also news this week about the proposed feature film biography of Davis that actor Don Cheadle has been developing for several years, as actors Ewan McGregor and Zoe Saldana are said to be in talks for undisclosed roles. Cheadle still plans to direct and star as Davis, and Herbie Hancock has agreed to write the score for the film, which now is titled Kill The Trumpet Player.

* Saxquest has announced that they are now an official authorized dealer for Yamaha, with the first shipment of instruments arriving this week. The store will offer a selection of Yamaha saxophones and clarinets, with full professional set-ups on all new instruments.

* Jazz radio update: On this week's edition of "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson makes the case for an underrated decade of jazz, spotlighting some favorite recordings from the 1990s including tracks from saxophonist Branford Marsalis, pianist Geri Allen, guitarist Pat Metheny, and more. The program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://rafstl.org/listen/.

Then on Sunday, Dennis Owsley's "Jazz Unlimited" program will survey the six-decade career of trombonist, pianist and composer/arranger Bob Brookmeyer, along with featured tracks from pianists Roger Kellaway and Hank Jones; saxophonists Coleman Hawkins, Al Cohn, Richie Kamuca, Bill Perkins and Jerome Richardson; clarinetist Pee Wee Russell; bassist Milt Hinton; and drummers Jo Jones and Mel Lewis. You can listen in starting at 9:00 p.m. on KWMU (90.7 FM) or online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org.

On a related note, Owsley was interviewed this week on KWMU-2's Arch City Radio Hour about St. Louis jazz history and his work as a broadcaster, photographer and author. The episode also includes a segment previewing next week's Nevermore Jazz Ball.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Bassist Darin Gray answers five questions from the Riverfront Times' Mabel Suen, and has a few words with the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson. Gray, saxophonist Mars Williams and drummer Tyler Damon will play a free concert sponsored by New Music Circle tonight outside the St. Louis Art Museum.

* The St. Louis electronic and experimental music scene is the subject of a "Global Ear" feature in the latest issue of the UK magazine The Wire. Although the article isn't available online to non-subscribers, you can see most of it in the photo at left ("sampled" from the Facebook page of Apop Records; click to embiggen) and listen to the accompanying selection of audio tracks here.

* The September episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz will feature an interview with singer Marilyn Maye and music from her performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall during the 2013 St. Louis Cabaret Festival. The episode premieres at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, September 12; consult your TV provider's program guide for channel information and a schedule of repeat showings. Once new episodes have premiered, they also can be seen on the HEC-TV website.

* The anniversary of the release of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue was the subject of an essay by Dave Bidini for the National Post (Toronto, CN).

* Meanwhile, the Miles Davis Memorial Project has posted on Facebook an album of photos shot last week at their booth at the Alton Block Party. Joshua Young is the actor playing Davis, greeting passers-by and raising awareness and funds for the effort to place a statue of Davis in downtown Alton.

* If you've ever wondered just what Jazz St. Louis does in the way of education programs for local students, all is revealed in their education brochure, which now has been posted online for your reading enjoyment.

* Best wishes to singer Kim Massie for a speedy recovery from her recent surgery. Massie had a thyroidectomy last week, and according to a Facebook post from her son, is doing well so far. However, since she'll be forced to curtail her busy performing schedule for a while, a number of her fellow St. Louis musicians are staging a benefit concert at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 22 at The Sheldon.

Proceeds will go toward Massie's medical and living expenses during her recovery. Performers at the fundraiser will include Denise Thimes, Eric "Guitar" Davis, Anita Jackson, Roland Johnson, Cheryl Brown, and Adrienne Felton. Tickets are $14 and are on sale now via MetroTix.

(Full disclosure: Yr. humble StLJN editor was employed by Massie as her piano player on a number of gigs from 2005 to 2007, and can be heard playing on her CD Attitude.)

* Jazz radio update: The Saturday's edition of Calvin's Wilson's “Somethin’ Else” will feature current tenor saxophonists including Branford Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane and Joe Lovano. After that, Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will present new music from Harry Connick Jr., Pieces Of A Dream, Jeff Lorber Fusion and Joe Lindsay; vintage sounds from George Benson, Horace Silver, Joe Sample and Bob James; and an interview with publicist Dawn DeBlaze.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. and Church's at 9:00 Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2 and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen. 

On Sunday, Dennis Owsley's "Jazz Unlimited" will feature vintage blues and boogie woogie from Kansas City pianists Count Basie, Mary Lou Williams, Jay McShann, Pete Johnson, Julia Lee, and Sammy Price, plus recent recordings from Leo’s Five, Ambrose Akinmusire, Jay Clayton, Tootie Heath, The Clayton Brothers, Ptah Williams, Rich Thompson, Kris Davis, The Bad Plus, Jan Garbarek, and Wayne Shorter. Listen in from 9:00 p.m. to midnight Sundays on KWMU (90.7 FM) or online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The June episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz premiered last night on the St. Louis based cable network, featuring an interview with and performance by singer Marlena Shaw (pictured). The program airs at 8:00 p.m. Thursday and Sunday nights - see your TV provider's guide for channel information - and also can be seen online.

* Live at the Sunset, saxophonist Oliver Lake's new album with Trio 3, was reviewed by Jazz Times magazine's David Whiteis.

* In an interview with DownBeat magazine, Sony engineer Mark Wilder explained the process of remastering classic Miles Davis LPs for reissue.

* And on a related note, Davis' album Milestones was discussed by bassist Marcus Miller for a brief "One LP" feature at AllAboutJazz.com.

* Here are two different photo sets from the Funky Butt Brass Band's show on Wednesday at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

* Champion, the new work by trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard that premieres next week at Opera Theatre St. Louis, is previewed briefly by CultureKiosque.

* The late pianist Mulgrew Miller's St. Louis connections were the subject of a brief article by the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson. Also, NPR this week compiled a tribute to Miller, which can be heard online here. Funeral services for Miller, who died a week ago after suffering a stroke, will be held today near his home in Easton, PA.

* Speaking of Wilson, his radio program "Somethin' Else'" at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis will preview Sonny Rollins' concert on June 22 at the Touhill. (UPDATE: Jazz St. Louis this morning announced that Rollins' show was being cancelled due to the saxophonist's health issues. See this post for details.)

Right after that at 9:00 p.m., Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will feature tracks from the musicians playing at next weekend's Chesterfield Jazz Festvial, as well as music from Fourplay, Arturo Sandoval, Chieli Minucci, Nat King Cole, John Klemmer and Lou Donaldson. Both programs can be heard over the air at 107.3 FM, on HD radio at 96.3 HD2 and online at http://rafstl.org/listen/.

* Then on Sunday, just a short distance up the radio dial, the "Jazz Unlimited" program on KWMU (90.7 FM) will feature the 10th part of Dennis Owsley's audio documentary history of St. Louis jazz. This final segment covers the late 2000s to the present day, and will feature tracks from more than 30 current local St. Louis musicians and bands, plus interviews with Carolbeth True and Jim Widner.