So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* In conjunction with the release earlier this year of the Miles Davis set The Complete Birth Of The Cool, UDiscoverMusic.com gathered a panel in Los Angeles for a discussion of the album's impact, legacy and lasting influence; working with the master tapes to produce the new reissue; and Davis' fight for African-American rights. You can hear highlights from the discussion here.

* Drummer Dave Weckl (pictured), who was back home here last month to play at rthe Chesterfield Jazz & Wine Festival, has added a new 2.5 hour drum recording course to his online school at daveweckl.teachable.com.

* Radio station WSIE and its general manager Jason Church were the subjects of a feature story in the Alton-area news site Riverbender.com

* Saxophonist Carlos Brown Jr. was interviewed about his gig this weekend at Jazz St. Louis by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. (Link is paywalled.)

 * As reported by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn, multi-instrumentalist and singer Tonina Saputo is one of three local musicians featured in Nature of Sound, a new short film produced and directed by St. Louisan Jon Alexander.

* Nearly a decade after ending their first attempt at podcasting, Jazz St. Louis is trying again with a podcast called "Jazz Happens," with production outsourced to Konfluenz Studios, a St. Louis based company that produces several other podcasts, none music-related.

Unfortunately, while the format is on point - interviews with touring musicians who are in town to play gigs at the Bistro - and the production values are solid enough, the podcast's hosts* seem to know very little about jazz, or even the basics of how to conduct an interview. Even worse, they seem to have done very little to no research about their subjects.

The results, as sampled in brief snippets of various episodes by yr. humble editor, range from insipid to awkward to downright cringeworthy, as in the interview with Anat Cohen, which begins with one of hosts asking her if she still lives in Tel Aviv (her hometown).

Cohen, clearly not amused, replied that, no, she's lived in the USA for more than 20 years - a fact both essential to her current career, since it was her move here in 1996 to study at Berklee that set up her subsequent accomplishments, and easily gleaned from the bio on her website, most of the interviews and feature stories published about her, or her Wikipedia page.

To sum up, while StLJN's journalistic mission compels us to inform you of this podcast's existence, it is not recommended that you listen to it. If you must, the eight episodes produced to date are archived on the Jazz St. Louis website.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis will raise scholarship money for college-bound local music students with “Swing For The Scholars,” an event at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, May 5 at JSL's HQ, aka the Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz.

Musical entertainment for the evening will include the Adam Maness Trio, the Route 66 Alumni Band, Good 4 The Soul, singer Anita Jackson, and students from the organization's JazzU program.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLToday.com this week published their annual "Go List," and the staff picks in the "Music" section included a nod to singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo for "Best Shout-Out," referencing the inclusion of her song "Historia De Un Amor" on President Barack Obama's 2018 list of favorite songs.

In the reader's poll section of the "Go List," BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups won both "Favorite place to hear jazz" and "Favorite place to hear the blues."

* Drummer Dave Weckl is offering a free two-and-a-half-hour DVD, "Flies On The Studio Wall," to new subscribers to his Dave Weckl Online School who sign up before May 1.

* Prompted by the 60th anniversary of the original recording sessions for the album, writer Eric Schewe of JStor Daily looks at "Why Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” Is So Beloved."

* Pianist Peter Martin's "Ask Me Anything" session that was webcast last Friday via the Open Studios Facebook page has been posted to YouTube.

* Singer and East St. Louis native Phil Perry (pictured) will be inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday, June 23 in Detroit. Perry's fellow inductees this year will include Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ray Parker, Jr., Stephanie Mills, and more.

* And speaking of halls of fame, public voting for new members of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame is open until 11:59 p.m. this coming Monday, April 29. The 2019 nominees include Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill, Cecil Taylor, Frank Trumbauer, Dinah Washington, Chick Webb, and Teddy Wilson.

* General manager Jason Church's efforts to put radio station WSIE on firmer financial footing are the subject of a story in the SIU Edwardsville campus newspaper The Alestle.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Adam Maness' trio is profiled as another of the Riverfront Times' "STL 77" for 2018.

* WSIE 88.7 FM "The Sound" will have a new boss as of next Monday, May 21, as Jason Church is leaving his job as news director at talk radio station KFTK-FM to become the new general manager of WSIE, which is based on the campus of SIU Edwardsville.

Church has been involved in various jazz radio ventures in St. Louis for more than a decade, including doing on-air and program development work at smooth jazz station WSSM, internet radio station The Oasis, and Hip 96.3 HD-3; and hosting Radio Arts Foundation's "The Jazz Collective" on Saturday nights, a job he'll continue along with his new duties at WSIE.

* The Young Friends of Jazz St. Louis are accepting applications from individuals who would like to serve next season on their board of directors. Board members plan and lead the group's various activities and events to support the mission of Jazz St. Louis.

For more information, go to http://www.jazzstl.org/support/young-friends, or email youngfriends@jazzstl.org for an application.

* Pianist and St. Louis native Lawrence Fields (pictured) can be seen with the band Sound Prints, co-led by trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano, in a new video of Wayne Shorter's composition "Juju," recorded earlier this month at New Morning in Paris.

* Pianist Peter Martin has posted to Facebook a video of a full set from his shows with bassist Chris Thomas and drummer Brian Blade two weekends ago at Jazz St. Louis. (The music starts at approximately 17:40 into the video, which is an unedited recording of a live stream from that night.)

* Saxophonist Eric Person has posted to YouTube a video clip of "Juicy Lucy," recorded during his team-up with fellow saxophonist Houston Person in March 2017 at Dizzy's in NYC.

* Also just up on YouTube, the STL Free Jazz Collective's complete first set from last Saturday's performance at the 14th St. Artists Community.

* The latest dispatch from the St. Louis American's Delores Shante offers her impressions of a recent performance by singer Anita Jackson at The Dark Room.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday has put online a gallery of photos from singer Denise Thimes' Mothers' Day show at the Touhill. 

* Trumpeter Terence Blanchard talked about his new album Live and his gig this Sunday at the Grandel Theatre for a story by the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Multi-instrumentalist Dwayne Bosman of the Bosman Twins (pictured) is one of ten recipients of a Regional Arts Commission Artist Fellowship for 2015.

Each of the ten selected artists receives $20,000, which is intended to "allow for the advancement of the individual artist’s creative journey to include time and space to study, reflect, experiment, explore and create."

* The late Don Wolff was remembered and memorialized by local media outlets including St. Louis Public Radio, St. Louis magazine, KMOV-TV, and HEC-TV.

* Euclid Records was featured in a recent "In Your Neighborhood" segment on KTVI/Fox 2 News.

* Just in time for his annual Thanksgiving weekend gig at Jazz at the Bistro, here's a a fairly lengthy new interview with trumpeter and singer Jeremy Davenport, via HollywoodSoapbox.com.

* Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap was featured by the Post-Dispatch in an "#STLStreetStyle" video.

* Bassist Stanley Clarke's concert last Saturday at the Touhill Performing Arts Center was reviewed by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

* Singer/songwriter Susan Werner's show last weekend for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Groove Jazz, a new streaming jazz radio station based in St. Louis, is now online and available to hear for free at www.theroots.fm and via free apps available in the iTunes and Google Play stores.

Described in a news release as "primarily a Contemporary Jazz station, featuring artists like Boney James, Paul Hardcastle, Cindy Bradley, George Benson and David Benoit," the station's playlist also will feature "Straight-Ahead Jazz, World Music, Fusion, Funk and other styles." Weekday hosts are Jason Church, Kristi Carson, Eddie Becton, and Darrel Eason, while the weekend voices include Kris Kelly, Bill Poole, Robin Boyce and C.J. Ellis.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Mark Colenburg (pictured) has recorded a new promotional video for Zildjian's "Cover To Cover" series, playing a version of Radiohead's "Packed Like Sardines."

* Speaking of videos, the St. Louis Big Band has posted a new one on YouTube featuring excerpts from their shows "Sinatra at 100," which continues through next Sunday at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

* Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg of Dr. Lonnie Smith's band has posted to Facebook an album of photos from Smith's most recent St. Louis gig with Lionel Loueke in May at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Metro East audio equipment manufacturer Heil Sound is expanding, adding 3,200 square feet of space to their Fairview Heights warehouse.

* The Nevermore Jazz Ball announced this week that advance tickets for 2015's event are sold out. More information on a wait list, pass transfers, and the NJB's free public events will be forthcoming at a later date.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, “Somethin’ Else” host Calvin Wilson will dig into the catalog of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will play tracks from Four80East, Dave Koz, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, James Lloyd, Keyon Harrold, the JT Project, Gato Barbieri, Down To The Bone, Slash, Young-Holt Unlimited, Funky Butt Brass Band, Vincent Varvel, Feyza Eren and Dawn Weber.

Wilson's program begins at 8:00 p.m., followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., and can be heard over the air on 107.3 FM, on HD radio at 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 news items of local interest:

* Jazz St. Louis' observance of today's "National Donut Day" holiday was the subject of a feature story on Fox 2/KTVI's morning newscast.

* Multi-instrumentalist Adam Maness and guitarist Tim Fischer have formed the First Tuesday Composers Club "to give an outlet for professional and amateur musicians and composers to experiment and share new music".

The "informal, open" group will meet monthly at The Dark Room in Grand Center, with the first session scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

* The soundtrack from the Clark Terry documentary Keep On Keepin' On will be released as as a double vinyl album on June 23. Promo materials for the two-LP set call it "basically a Best Of collection from legendary trumpet player Clark Terry (that) features many of his most iconic recordings, including his performances with some of the all-time jazz greats: Duke Ellington, Oscar Peterson, Count Basie, and Quincy Jones."

* East St. Louis' own Terreon Gully (pictured) drums and gets a co-producer credit on vibraphonist Joe Locke's latest album Love Is A Pendulum, released last week by Motéma Music. The recording features all original compositions by Locke, performed with help from Gully, Robert Rodriguez (piano), and Ricky Rodriguez (bass), plus special guests Rosario Giuliani (alto/soprano sax), Donny McCaslin (tenor sax), Victor Provost (steel pan), Theo Bleckmann (voice), and Paul Bollenback (guitar).

* The recently formed STL Free Jazz Collective has set up a BandCamp page with a free-to-download live album recorded at Tavern of Fine Arts. The group also has posted on YouTube a short promotional video with some live footage from ToFA.

* In a new blog post, saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby shares some responses to a post from last fall about how jazz critics might benefit from a greater knowledge of the day-to-day life of working musicians.

* The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra has posted on Facebook a photo album from their performance Wednesday night at Jazz at the Bistro. Also on Facebook, photo albums from the North County Big Band on Sunday at the Sheldon Concert Hall, and a recent Sound Unlimited show at Candicci's

* First Capitol News offered some impressions of singer Tony Viviano's recent Bobby Darin tribute show at Patrick's in Westport.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's program “Somethin’ Else” will celebrate 80 years since the birth of soulful guitarist and St. Louis native Grant Green by showcasing some of Green's finest recordings, including tracks from his quartet with pianist Sonny Clark.

After that, "The Jazz Collective" and host Jason Church return with a new program featuring tunes from Craig Sharmat, Freddie Hubbard, Donald Fagen, Joshua Redman, Bob James, Maxwell, Down To The Bone, Big Brother Thunder & The MasterBlasters, The Brian Vaccaro Trio, Dawn Weber and Feyza Eren.

"Somethin' Else" airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by "The Jazz Collective" at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then on Sunday, Dennis Owsley's "Jazz Unlimited" program on St. Louis Public Radio will present “West Coast Jazz-Part 1,” with music from Dave Brubeck, Wardell Gray, Hampton Hawes, Stan Kenton Orchestra, Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, Shelly Manne, Shorty Rogers, Bud Shank, Laurindo Almeida, Russ Freeman, Milt Bernhart, Jack Montrose, Clifford Brown & Max Roach, Teddy Edwards, Carl Perkins, Russ Freeman, Jack Sheldon, Bob Cooper, Claude Williamson, Dexter Gordon, John Graas, Bill Perkins, Marty Paich, Andre Previn, Art Pepper, and more.

You can listen in from 9:00 pm to midnight Sundays on KWMU (90.7 FM) and online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The deadline for student musicians to apply to Jazz St. Louis’ JazzU program for the 2015-16 school year is coming up next week on Friday, May 1.

Auditions for JazzU, which offers weekly jazz instruction to middle school and high school students in a small-combo setting, will take place Monday, June 1 through Thursday, June 4. For more information or to submit an application, call 314-881-3093 or visit the website.

* Coincidentally, JazzU and its current crop of student players also are featured in an article in the May issue of DownBeat, penned by St. Louis freelance writer Terry Perkins. The issue (pictured) also contains a nice tribute to the late Clark Terry, written by longtime DB contributor John McDonough.

* Speaking of Clark Terry, now that Keep On Keepin' On has been released on Netflix, the documentary film about the St. Louis-born trumpeter got a recommendation from London Jazz News.

* Pianist Herbie Hancock and filmmaker Ken Burns, whose PBS series Jazz is still the most extensive history of the music to air on TV in the US, are two of the five people receiving honorary degrees from Washington University this year. The commencement ceremony will be held at 8:30 a.m., Friday May 15 in Brookings Quadrangle on the main Wash U campus.

* Drummer and St. Charles native Dave Weckl's Acoustic Band begins a European tour this week, with dates scheduled in Norway, Greece, the UK, Italy, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, the Netherlands, France and Sweden.

* Last Saturday's Record Store Day celebration was the subject of a feature story from St. Louis Public Radio's Willis Ryder Arnold. (And if you'd like to hear the tunes that yr. humble StLJN editor laid on the shoppers at Vintage Vinyl during my RSD DJ set there, you can listen to the whole set online here.)

* Guitarist Eric Slaughter is profiled by drummer (and now, writer) Joe Pastor in the latest issue of the St. Louis Blues Society's Bluesletter (PDF).

* The Funky Butt Brass Band are the Reader's Pick in the "Best Local Band" category of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's 2015 GO! List Awards.

* In his latest CD reviews in the Post-Dispatch, Calvin Wilson opines on the new releases from bassist Kyle Eastwood and tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby’s band Tubacello.

* Jazz radio update:  Meanwhile, on Saturday's edition of his Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis program  “Somethin’ Else,” Wilson will compare and contrast music from recent recordings by pianists Vijay Iyer and Myra Melford.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will be playing some tracks from the new album by The Bosman Twins, as well as music from Wes Montgomery, Chuck Mangione, Miles Davis, 3rd Force, Dizzy Gillespie, Spyro Gyra, David Sanborn, and more

"Somethin' Else" can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by "The Jazz Collective" 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 news items of local interest:

* The Miles Davis Memorial Project has extended the deadline to Thursday, March 19 to purchase commemorative brick and blocks for paving the plaza around the statue of the trumpeter going up later this year in downtown Alton, IL.

Etched memorial bricks are available for $75, and there also are 23 remaining 12" x 12" granite blocks at $400 each. To order a brick or block, call Pride, Incorporated at 618-467-2375 or visit their website. Orders must be received no later than March 19 so that etching can be completed in time for site construction.

* The Miles Electric Band, assembled by Miles Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn, remembered the iconic trumpeter with a performance last week at Poland's Lotos Jazz Festival.

In addition to Wilburn on drums, the all-star ensemble (pictured) includes Davis alumnus Badal Roy on tabla, John Beasley and Robert Irving III on keyboards, guitarist Blackbyrd McKnight, percussionists Munyungo Jackson and Mino Cinelu, saxophonist Antoine Roney, bassist Richard Patterson, turntablist DJ Logic, trumpeter Christian Scott, and programmer/re-mixer Jeremy Ellis of The Roots. You can see photos from the gig here, along a synopsis of a review from the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita, which found in its entirety (in Polish) here.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake's new duet album with bassist William Parker, To Roy, was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Glenn Astarita. To Roy, which pays tribute to the late trumpeter Roy Campbell, and Lake's recent organ quartet release What I Heard also were reviewed by Russ Musto in this month's New York City Jazz Record.

* The Nine Network will present City of Music, a two-hour special broadcast exploring St. Louis' musical history and contributions to American music heritage, in two parts at 7:00 p.m on Monday, March 16 and Tuesday, March 17.  The program features performances by Peter Martin, Denise Thimes, Carolbeth True, Kim Massie, Billy Peek, and the St. Louis Ragtimers, as well as new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound playing three new works commissioned for the occasion by the Sinquefield Charitable Foundation, all recorded live last October at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

* The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) will present a five-hour retrospective of the music of John Zorn on Saturday, May 2. The program features ten different ensembles performing works composed by Zorn (who attended Webster University here in the mid-1970s).

* Jazz radio update:  This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, Calvin Wilson will devote the episode of his program “Somethin’ Else” to the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, as interpreted by Miles Davis, Cassandra Wilson, Paul Motian, and others.

Then on "The Jazz Collective,"  Jason Church will spin tracks from Nathan East, Cindy Bradley, Lack of Afro, Brother Strut, Eddie Henderson, Bobby Caldwell, Bill Evans, Hugh Masekela, Traffic, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, Jesse Gannon, Jim Manley and Vincent Varvel.

"Somethin' Else" can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by "The Jazz Collective" 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 news items of local interest:

* Wanda Kennedy Kuntz, author of Kennedy Music, will read from her book and sign copies at an event from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, February 21 at City Music, 9299 Watson Rd. in Crestwood.

Kennedy Kuntz, a pianist and music teacher, is the sister of jazz bassist Tom Kennedy and pianist Ray Kennedy. Her book (pictured), described as "an historical novel based on the Kennedy family," tells a fictionalized version of how her mother and father met and started the family's music store and school in Maplewood.

UPDATE - 4:25 p.m. Friday, 2/20: Just received an email from City Music saying that Wanda Kennedy Kuntz's book signing event has been postponed until Saturday, March 14.

* Euclid Records' head honcho Joe Schwab was featured on this week's episode of the A&E network's program Shipping Wars.

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby sat down with trumpeter Jason Palmer for a "bootleg blindfold test," listening to and commenting on unreleased recordings (hence the "bootleg" part), and Palmer blogged about it here.

* Saxophonist (and former Webster University student) John Zorn's recent run of shows at NYC's Village Vanguard was reviewed by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times.

* The National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University in Dallas has ranked St. Louis as #17 among cities evaluated for their first-ever "Arts Vibrancy Index."

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's program “Somethin’ Else” will feature the music of songwriter Jule Styne as interpreted by Joshua Redman, Abbey Lincoln, Wallace Roney, and others.

Then on The Jazz Collective, host Jason Church's playlist will include music from Down To The Bone, U-Nam, Nathan East, Melissa Manchester, Lack of Afro, Wes Montgomery, Grover Washington, Jr., Young-Holt Unlimited, Bobby Womack, Tim Cunningham, Funky Butt Brass Band, and more.

Wilson's program can be heard 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 news items of local interest:

* In case you missed it, St. Louisans who were part of Sunday night's Grammy Awards included drummer Mark Colenburg (pictured), who played on pianist Robert Glasper's Grammy winning Black Radio 2; Peter Martin, pianist and bandleader for Dianne Reeves, who won "Best Jazz Vocal Album" for Beautiful Life; and the St. Louis Symphony, who won the Grammy for Best Orchestral Recording for their album featuring composer John Adams' City Noir.

You can see a list of all the jazz Grammy winners here, and read more about the Symphony's win in this article from Sarah Bryan Miller of the Post-Dispatch.

* The Dave Dickey Big Band has posted to Facebook an album of photos from their gig this past Sunday at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Local luthier Tritone Guitars is organizing a "Gear Expo" of St. Louis guitar makers to be held from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Saturday, March 21 in the common room of the Metropolitan Art Lofts, across Grand Ave from The Fox Theater. Participants will include K-Line Guitars, Landry Amps, ESB Guitars, Stage Craft Cabs, Rein Guitars, Hollow Tree Guitars, Don Lennon St. Louis Slides, Firebrand Studios, Certain Bass, Locomotive Audio, Bearfoot FX, WoC Guitars, Rock Road Custom Guitars, and Vintage Amp Restoration, plus artwork from local artists, beer from 4Hands Brewery, and more. The event is free and open to the public.

* Lindy Hop St. Louis is encouraging local swing dancers to sign up for a local screening of the new film Ctrl+Alt+Dance, billed as "a cinematic celebration of swing dancing." However, the event only will happen if enough people reserve tickets by February 15, which can be done online here.

* Jazz radio update: The jazz programming this weekend on Radio Arts Foundation is all about the love, as on Saturday's edition of “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will present his second annual Valentine's Day-themed show, featuring recordings by musicians including including Keith Jarrett, Norah Jones, Joe Lovano, and more.

After that on The Jazz Collective, host Jason Church continues the Valentine's Day theme with tracks from David Benoit, Herbie Hancock, Acoustic Alchemy, Paul Hardcastle, Tommy Halloran, Swing Out Sister, Michael Franks, Fourplay, Candy Dulfer, Al Jarreau, Chris Botti, Diana Krall, and more.

Wilson's program can be heard 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.

(Edited after posting.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keep On Keepin' On, the recent documentary about trumpeter and St. Louis native Clark Terry, is one of the films eligible for the Cinema Eye Honors 2015 Audience Choice prize. You can cast your vote online here.

The movie also was mentioned favorably in a year-end article by the New York Times' Nate Chinen, who called it "a stirring portrait of perseverance, positivity and service."

* Saxophonist Greg Osby's recent trip to Mexico was documented in photos by saxophone makers P. Mauriat Music.

* Now that the holidays are over, touring musicians are hitting the road again, including drummer and St. Charles native Dave Weckl, who's headed out on tour starting January 13 with Chris Minh Doky & The Nomads featuring guitarist Dean Brown and keyboardist George Whitty. They'll play the Catalina Jazz Club in LA on January 20, 21, and 22.

* Meanwhile, drummer Marcus Baylor (pictured) and the Baylor Project will be part of NYC's Winter Jazz Fest, performing next Friday, January 9 at the Bitter End.

* The recently issued Miles Davis box set All of You: The Last Tour 1960 was reviewed by C. Michael Bailey of AllAboutJazz.com.

* New Music Circle has posted on Facebook a photo album from last month's concert by Roscoe Mitchell and Craig Taborn.

* Though The Gramophone has closed now for a month-plus to remodel from a concert club to a neighborhood bar and eatery, the venue's sound system will get a new life just down the street on Manchester when it's installed in a new venue, The Bootleg, in the space once occupied by Atomic Cowboy. The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson has details in this story.

* And just in case to happen to be looking for some general jazz-related reading material over a long weekend, Down Beat magazine apparently has opened to the public their digital archives going back to 2008. (Thanks to StLJN reader and local Renaissance man Tony Renner for the heads-up.)

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's “Somethin’ Else,” program will feature the music of saxophonist and composer Wayne Shorter, followed by "The Jazz Collective" with Jason Church counting down the top 22 tracks from 2014. Wilson can be heard at 8:00 p.m., 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 news items of local interest:

* Clark Terry just got a birthday-week visit from the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, who detoured between scheduled stops on their current trek through the southern USA to perform for the legendary trumpeter at his bedside in a Little Rock hospital.

You can read JaLCO leader Wynton Marsalis' account of the visit here, and see more photos here. (In case you didn't know, Terry turns 94 on Sunday; StLJN will be paying tribute in this week's Saturday Video Showcase.)

* Speaking of photo albums, we've got links to several more today, starting with some shots from last week's New Music Circle concert featuring saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell and pianist Craig Taborn.

* Also from last week, the Dave Dickey Big Band has posted some pics to Facebook of their most recent gig at Jazz At the Bistro.

* Lastly, the Kevin Mitchell 4 is one of several local groups and musicians tapped during the holiday season to serenade Metrolink riders from inside their train car, and they've posted the photographic evidence on Facebook here.

* The Lindbergh High School jazz ensemble was featured on Fox 2's Thursday morning newscast. The band heads to Chicago next week to perform at the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference, but first, they'll play for the hometown crowd in a free preview concert at 7;00 p.m. this coming Monday, December 15 at Lindbergh HS, 5000 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

* The recently rediscovered recording of singer and East St. Louisan Leon Thomas performing with the British jazz-fusion group Nucleus at the 1970 Montreux Jazz Festival has been reviewed again for AllAboutJazz.com, this time by AAJ's Bruce Lindsay.

* And speaking of "recently rediscovered," a 43-minute video of St. Louis-born guitarist Grant Green playing live in 1969 in Paris has been made available online as a paid download. (A copy of the show briefly posted to YouTube was removed after a take-down notice from Green's son.)

Given that up until now, any video of Green (pictured) has been scarcer than the proverbial hen's teeth, it's certainly a welcome find, though $19.99 for a download - no packaging, no extra materials, just a video file - seems a bit steep, even for something of this relative rarity.

* John Fornaszewski, longtime owner of Fornaszewski Music in Granite City, drummer, and father of drummer and bandleader Stan Fornaszewski, died this past Saturday at age 74 after suffering a heart attack. Our condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues...

* Jazz radio update: WSIE (88.7 FM) aka "The Jazz Station" is conducting another fund-raising drive today, tomorrow and Sunday. You can tune in to the broadcast or check out the live online stream for details on pledge premiums, and to listen throughout the weekend for special guests, interviews and more.

Meanwhile, this Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's “Somethin’ Else” program will feature the songs of Harold Arlen (composer of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow," "Blues In The Night," and many more jazz and pop standards) as interpreted by Nicholas Payton, Max Roach, Dominique Eade, and others.

Right after that, Jason Church's The Jazz Collective will be in a holiday mood with season sounds from Harry Connick, Jr., Lynne Fiddmont, Candy Dulfer, Dave Koz, Vibraphonic, Manhattan Transfer, Mindi Abair, Al Hammerman, Dawn Weber, Funky Butt Brass Band, Jim Manley, and more.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m., 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 news items of local interest:

* Singer-guitarist John Pizzarelli, in town to perform 
through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro, was a guest yesterday on John Carney's program on KTRS.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has a new album, What I Heard, out on his Passin' Thru label. Available any day now via the usual outlets, it's the third release from his organ quartet with trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, drummer Chris Beck, and organist Jared Gold, and features all original compositions by Lake.

* Keep On Keepin' On, the new documentary featuring trumpeter Clark Terry and his student Justin Kauflin, got a favorable review in this video from New York Times film critic A. O. Scott.

* Saxophonist Eric Person has put on YouTube a new video of his big band playing the original composition "And Then There Was Light."

* Actor/director Don Cheadle talked with Variety about completing and searching for a distributor for his Miles Davis movie, Miles Ahead.

* Speaking of Davis, NPR's new program "Jazz Night in America" debuted last week with trumpeter Wallace Roney's set from the Detroit Jazz Festival in which he performed a series of recently "rediscovered" works written for Davis and orchestra by saxophonist Wayne Shorter. 

* Meanwhile, the controversy over Mostly Other People Do The Killing's note-for-note remake of Davis' Kind of Blue continues, with another review of the album, by AllAboutJazz.com's Bruce Lindsay, while over at his blog Do The Math, pianist Ethan Iverson of The Bad Plus weighs in with some interesting thoughts about the project as a work of conceptual art.

* Ladue News has party pics from the recent opening of Jazz St. Louis' new HQ.

* And in a related development, JSL's executive director Gene Dobbs Bradford has been named the St. Louis American's Nonprofit Executive of the Year. Bradford will be honored at the American's annual awards luncheon on Friday, November 14 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis.

* Following a recent series of thefts of equipment and valuables from touring bands that had their vehicles broken into, St. Louis police were scheduled to meet yesterday with owners and managers of several rock music venues in the city to come up with plan to catch the thieves.

* There's bad news this week for the Palladium, as artist, author and preservationist Kevin Belford reported on Twitter that the historic building in Grand Center, once the site of shows by numerous touring jazz and blues performers, has been tagged with a Notice of Condemnation. No word yet as to if this is truly the end of efforts to save the structure; please stay tuned...

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts continues their efforts to get "Every Artist Covered" by health insurance with two workshops, about the Small Business Health Options Program for not-for-profit organizations and "Navigating Health Care Reform" for individuals, on Tuesday, November 11 at the Regional Arts Commission. VLAA also will offer individualized, in-person help with health insurance enrollment during four sessions in November and December. For more details, visit the VLAA website.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” DJ Calvin Wilson pays tribute to the late pianist Mulgrew Miller. Right after that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will remember singer Tim Hauser of Manhattan Transfer, who passed away this week, and spin tracks from Johnny Britt, Jonathan Butler, Dan Siegel, Rick Braun, Herb Alpert, Larry Carlton, Donald Byrd, Erin Bode, The Funky Butt Brass Band, Chris Hazelton's Boogaloo 7, and Tim Cunningham.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m., 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:

* Today, we salute the memory of guitar great Grant Green (pictured), who was born in St. Louis on this day in 1935.

For more about Green, and a previously unreleased album of his recorded here in his home town back in 1959, check out this article from NPR's Kevin Whitehead. You can see the only known video footage of Green, playing "Blue Mist" with fellow plectrists Kenny Burrell and Barney Kessell, here.

* Drummer Dave Weckl is headed next month to Europe, where he'll spend July teaching large group clinics and one-day intensive workshops with just 12 to a class. Weckl will be in Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; Oslo, Norway; Naples, Italy; Winterswijk, Norway; Treppendorf, Germany; Reykjavik, Iceland; and more.

For more about what Weckl's been up to lately, check out this new interview with the drum website The Black Page.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson is featured in a new magazine ad for Gretsch drums.

* Saxophonist Eric Person has posted on Facebook an album of photos from his big band's gig last week at Dizzy's in NYC.

* Speaking of photo sets on Facebook, the Jazz Edge Big Band has posted an album of pictures from their show last Friday at the Touhill.

* And while he was in town last week to perform with Jazz Edge, trumpeter Keyon Harrold was the subject of a feature story on local NBC affiliate KSDK.

* Actor/director Don Cheadle this week talked with USA Today about Miles Ahead, his film about trumpeter Miles Davis that will shoot this summer in Cincinnati.

* In related news, Cheadle turned to crowdfunding via IndieGoGo to raise an additional $325,000 in funds for the film between now and July 6. As of Thursday night, the campaign had garnered $78,370 toward the total. For more, see the embedded video update from Cheadle below, or visit the campaign page on IndieGoGo.



* Jazz radio update: WSIE's spring fundraising drive begins today at 4:00 p.m. and continues, with some breaks, through 4:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. As part of a procession of supporting appearances from people involved with the local jazz scene, yr. humble StLJN editor will be on the air to help stump for pledges for a few minutes around 1:30 p.m. tomorrow.

Meanwhile on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, this Saturday's episode of Calvin Wilson's “Somethin’ Else” will highlight musicians who have performed at NYC's forward-looking Vision Festival, including pianists Myra Melford and Matthew Shipp and saxophonist Roscoe Mitchell.

Following that on "The Jazz Collective,"  host Jason Church will spin music from Mindi Abair, Harvey Mason, The Ault Sisters, The Rippingtons, Cookin' on 3 Burners, Oscar Peterson, Bob James, John Klemmer, Ramsey Lewis, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Clave Sol, The LP Outsiders, Jim Manley and Erin Bode.

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:

* Multi-instrumentalist and composer Marty Ehrlich was on NPR's "Fresh Air" this week to talk about Trumpet In The Morning, his new album of orchestral music (pictured).

* Drummer Dave Weckl will take off in May to the Great White North, where he'll do a series of daylong drum clinics in Halifax, Nova Scotia; Laval, Quebec; Toronto, Ontario; Edmonton, Alberta; and Vancouver, British Columbia.

* Two local music festivals announced their schedules this week, each with what can only be described as a token presence for jazz. Pianist Peter Martin will kick off the 2014 Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden with a free concert on Wednesday, June 4. However, the rest of the schedule for the series that began years ago as "Jazz in June" is sadly bereft of the genre, unless you count Irish singer-guitarist Nigel Mooney, whose website seems to suggest that he's a blues performer with jazz influences. (With regard to the notion of bringing an Irishman to St. Louis to play the blues, you can insert your own "coals to Newcastle" reference as you see fit.)

* Meanwhile, the Bluesweek festival, subject of much recent controversy stemming from organizers' decision to leave the streets of downtown for the Chesterfield Amphitheater, will take place Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 with Otis Clay and Ronnie Baker Brooks as headliners, plus a number of ad hoc combinations of St. Louis blues players and singers as support acts. The jazz content for 2014 will be supplied by funk/jazz quartet Good 4 The Soul, who will perform on Saturday afternoon with singer Denise Thimes and saxophonist Jim Stevens as special guests.

* The list of special releases for Record Store Day 2014 is out, and while rock continues to predominate, there will be new and reissued records this year in a variety of genres including jazz, as well as one item of particular local interest: Donny Hathaway Live At The Bitter End 1971, a live show by the singer, songwriter, keyboardist and former St. Louisan that has never been issued before on vinyl.

* Speaking of records, the Miles Davis news this week is all about the promotional push for the release of the trumpeter's latest posthumous box set, Miles Davis at the Fillmore 1970: The Bootleg Series Vol. 3. Fans can listen to an online stream of three of the Fillmore CDs via an app on on Davis' Facebook page, and iTunes has launched a curated Miles Davis artist page, including albums mastered specially for iTunes plus videos, books and more. New articles about Davis in Esquire and SPIN also feature online streams of sample cuts from the box set.

* And speaking of Davis, the latest blog entry from The Bad Plus' Ethan Iverson gets historical to take issue with a biographer who suggests that Miles had a strained relationship with Louis Armstrong.

*Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will spin jazz interpretations of the songs of Jimmy Van Heusen by artists including singer-trumpeter Chet Baker, saxophonist Lee Konitz, singer Rickie Lee Jones, and more.

After that, there's a new episode of The Jazz Collective, in which host Jason Church will spin music from Boney James, Nick Colionne, U-Nam, Oscar Peterson, Ramsey Lewis, John Klemmer, Bob James, Tim Cunningham, Jesse Gannon, Tommy Halloran and Dawn Weber.

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.

Last but not least, though we don't have a playlist for the whole show, singer Joe Mancuso tells StLJN that music from his debut release Cut to the Chase will air on an upcoming episode of "Jazz Unlimited," which can be heard at 9:00 p.m. Sundays on KWMU (90.7 FM) and 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:

* Saxophonist David Sanborn is performing through Sunday at the SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco with an all-star band including vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, organist Joey DeFrancesco, and drummer Billy Hart.

Of particular interest for those of us who can't make it to the West Coast: "We just completed an album together that was produced by Don Was," wrote Sanborn on his Facebook page. "The album will be released on Blue Note Records later this year."

* The IndieGoGo campaign to crowd-fund the debut recording by drummer Marcus Baylor's Baylor Project ends at midnight tonight.

* Drummer Dave Weckl (pictured) is the featured guest on the latest episode of the online video program DrumsmackTV.

* Drummer Andre "Dre" Boyd, currently playing in London with one of the touring companies of Cirque du Soleil, explains and demonstrates his kit in a video for UK music retailer Soundattak.

* Someone at New Music Circle unearthed and linked to an audio recording of a 2012 gig in Los Angeles by Joshua Abrams' Natural Information Society. Abrams and NIS will play here in St. Louis tomorrow night in a concert presented by NMC at Joe's Cafe.

* The Touhill Performing Arts Center is ranked as #10 on BestCollegeReviews' list of "The 25 Most Amazing College Campus Theaters."

* According to a story this week in the Post-Dispatch, the local building that once housed the Castle Ballroom (and hosted performances by Miles Davis, Count Basie and many other jazz greats) has suffered serious damage from weather and neglect, and may have to be demolished soon.

* And speaking of weather damage to local music venues, last night's high winds tore the sign and part of the facade right off the Kranzberg Arts Center on Grand Blvd, as documented by a witness in this YouTube video. Fortunately, there are no reports of injuries or damages inside, and performances at the venue this weekend should be able to go ahead as scheduled.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday night on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will spin tracks featuring legendary bandleader and composer Duke Ellington in his role as small-group pianist with saxophonists Johnny Hodges and Coleman Hawkins and others.

Then on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will play music from Ahmad Jamal, Nathan East, Paolo Rustichelli, Bob James and David Sanborn, U-Nam, Herbie Hancock, Chuck Mangione, Joe Sample, Herb Alpert, Funky Butt Brass Band, Michael and Robert Silverman, Al Hammerman, Miss Jubilee, and more

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:

* 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:

* The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra has openings for a guitarist, lead tenor saxophonist, and trombonist. Rehearsals begin on January 15 and are held Wednesday evenings in South County. To schedule an audition, contact the band via their website.

* The blog Killed in Cars has available for free download a remix/sampler of live bootlegs of Miles Davis performances from October and November 1971 in Milan, Brussels, Belgrade, Oslo, and Turin.

* Meanwhile, guitarist Henry Kaiser talked with Guitar Player magazine about Yo, Miles!, the band he co-led with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith that drew inspiration from Davis' electric music of the same period.

* Drummer and University City native Ronnie Burrage will celebrate the release of Heal, the latest album by his Band Burrage (also featuring St. Louis guitarist Eric Slaughter) with a late-night show on January 18 at NYC's Blue Note.

* Meanwhile, another former U. Citian, multireedist Marty Ehrlich, will team with alto saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby for the tribute concert "Compulsion: The Music of Andrew Hill" this coming Tuesday, January 14 at NYC's Jazz Standard. Osby and Ehrlich, who both are former Hill collaborators, will be joined by saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Jaleel Shaw; trumpeter Jeremy Pelt; bassist Ben Allison; and drummers Matt Wilson and Billy Drummond.

* Out on the West Coast, drummer Dave Weckl (pictured), who just celebrated a birthday on Wednesday, will perform with his new Acoustic Band on January 20 and 21 at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. The lineup for the group features a couple of familiar collaborators - bassist and fellow St. Louis native Tom Kennedy and saxophonist Gary Meek - along with pianist Makoto Ozone.

* Pianist Peter Martin has revamped the look and added new material to the video lessons section of his website.

* KDHX will present a free workshop on "How To Get Your Music On The Radio" at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow at the station's new HQ at 3524 Washington Ave.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will feature recordings from top jazz drummers such as Art Blakey, Bobby Previte and Jeff “Tain” Watts.

Then on "The Jazz Collective," Jason Church will have an all-St. Louis program, with music from Erin Bode, Farshid Etniko, Jim Manley, Funky Butt Brass Band, Jesse Gannon, Tommy Halloran, Dawn Weber, Tom Byrne, Tim Cunningham, Jim Stevens, Vince Varvel, Jeanne Trevor, Kim Massie, Robert Silverman, "Peanuts" Whalum, Clave Sol, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, Brian Vaccaro, Rod Tate and Gregg Haynes, Soul Cafe, Carolbeth True, Elliott Ranney, and Jason Swagler.

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:

* Pianist Peter Martin was interviewed by KSDK and Ladue News about this Sunday's 9/11 memorial concert at The Sheldon.

* And speaking of The Sheldon, the entry period in their "STL250 Songwriting Contest" closes on Tuesday, October 1. As part of the celebration next year of the City of St. Louis' 250th anniversary, they're looking for an original song that represents St. Louis history and culture, with special consideration given to works written in styles that reflect the city's music heritage. Prizes include cash awards from $100 to $500, plus free recording studio time. For more information or to enter, visit The Sheldon's website.

* Singer Ron Wilkinson recently led a group of vocalists in a rendition of the national anthem before a Cardinals game, as chronicled by the St. Louis American's Peter Baugh

* The recent renewed interest in recorded music on vinyl has been well documented in the media, but now it seems another another form of audio nostalgia may be afoot: monaural sound. Specifically, nine of Miles Davis’ earliest albums on Columbia Records will be issued together on CD for the first time as Miles Davis: The Original Mono Recordings. The set will include music that Davis recorded for the label in mono from 1956 to 1961 (originally released from 1957 to 1964).

* Drummer Ronnie Burrage (pictured) has launched a Kickstarter campaign raising money to finish production and manufacturing of the next album by his group Band Burrage. The goal is to raise $2,500 by Monday, September 23. Burrage and band will be in St. Louis to perform September 26 - 28, as he returns home to be inducted into the University City High School Hall of Fame.

* Speaking of St. Louis expats, saxophonist Oliver Lake's recent performance at NYC's Jazz Standard with the band Tarbaby (pianist Orrin Evans, drummer Nasheet Watts and bassist Eric Revis) was reviewed by the New York Times' Nate Chinen.

* Bassist Tom Kennedy's new album Just Play was reviewed for AllAboutJazz.com by Dan Bilawsky

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday's edition of Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis will feature jazz inspired by Broadway musicals, as recorded by Nellie McKay, Brad Mehldau, Paul Motian with Rebecca Martin, and others.

After that, Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will present music from Spyro Gyra, Scott Allman, George Benson, Andy Snitzer, Thelonious Monk, Ramsey Lewis, Maynard Ferguson, Wes Montgomery, Robert Silverman, Dawn Weber, Elliott Ranney, and Jesse James Gannon.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church's 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:

* 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/.