So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Michael Lazaroff, the CEO of St. Louis based Jazz Cruises LLC, was interviewed by Jazz Times magazine

* Blues pianist Ethan Leinwand (pictured) and his St. Louis Piano Festival, which will include stride and ragtime pianists as well as blues, are the subjects of a feature story from the Riverfront Times' Christian Schaeffer.

* The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson talked to some members of the local music community to get their reactions to the death of BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups co-owner Mark O'Shaughnessy.

* The photography exhibit "The Music Seen: Beyond the Stage,” which opens next week at Bullivant Gallery in Grand Center, was previewed by the Ladue News' Bryan A. Hollerbach.

Post-Dispatch reports plans for David Sanborn Jazz Festival in St. Louis

This just in: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson has reported that plans are underway for a new jazz festival in St. Louis. The event would bear the name of, and be headlined by, saxophonist and St. Louis native David Sanborn (pictured) and would take place in September 2013 in the Grand Center neighborhood.

The story reports that the proposed David Sanborn Jazz Festival could run from one to three days, including both free outdoor shows and ticketed indoor concerts. The Bistro at Grand Center, home of Jazz St. Louis' Jazz at the Bistro series, likely would be one venue, with others in the Grand Center area including Powell Symphony Hall also under consideration. Along with Sanborn, the festival's bookings would emphasize musicians with a St. Louis connection.

Johnson's report is based on "a private meeting Thursday attended by organizers and potential investors of the festival." One of the reported investors is Entertainment Cruise Productions, formerly Jazz Cruises LLC, the company sponsoring Sanborn's concert with Brian Culbertson here next month at The Pageant.

StLJN will have more on this story as further details are revealed.

David Sanborn, George Duke and Marcus Miller to play Sunday, August 7 at the Touhill

This just in: Saxophonist and former St. Louisan David Sanborn (pictured) will team up this summer with keyboardist George Duke and bassist Marcus Miller for 22 tour dates, including a concert on Sunday, August 7 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

The group will be billed as DMS (incorporating the first letter of the three principle members' last names) and also will include drummer Louis Cato and keyboardist Federico Gonzalez Pena.

The tour is sponsored by St. Louis-based Jazz Cruises LLC, and just was announced today, so there are no ticketing details yet. Once that information is made public, we'll have it for you right here.

Jazz Cruises LLC announces lineup for Smooth Jazz Cruise 2012

St. Louis-based Jazz Cruises LLC has announced the lineup for its Smooth Jazz Cruise 2012, which will offer two separate sailings January 15-22 and January 22-29, 2012.

Singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson will make his Smooth Jazz Cruise debut on the 2012 voyages, with saxophonist and former St. Louisan David Sanborn (pictured) and multi-instrumentalist and producer Marcus Miller serving as cruise hosts, and singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler and saxophonist Gerald Albright as special event hosts.

Other performers aboard the Holland America M/S Westerdam to Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Barths and Half Moon Clay will include Boney James, Rick Braun, Candy Dulfer, Eric Darius, Jeff Golub, Rahsaan Patterson, Patrice Rushen, Joe Sample, Brian Simpson and Peter White. For more information, availabilities and rates, visit thesmoothjazzcruise.com.

Anita Rosamond performing on Dave Koz Smooth Jazz Cruise

Singer and pianist Anita Rosamond (pictured) is escaping the St. Louis winter cold this week, heading down to the Caribbean where she's been added to the roster of performers for the 2010 Dave Koz Smooth Jazz Cruise.

The sold-out cruise, which starts Saturday and continues through January 24, is produced by St. Louis-based Jazz Cruises LLC. It will feature nearly 40 musicians and singers, including Rosamond and two East St. Louis natives - vocalist Phil Perry and saxophonist Andre Delano - as well as Marcus Miller, Stanley Jordan, Rick Braun, Richard Elliot, Euge Groove, and other smooth jazz stars.

Rosamond performed on the company's Jazz Cruise in November of last year, and also is booked to appear on the Jazz Cruise scheduled for January 2011.

(Edited 1/20/10 to fix a bad link.)

Thimes, Rosamond and Kennedy on board for fall jazz cruise

Singers Denise Thimes and Anita Rosamond and bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured) are among the musicians who will be on board for the fall 2009 edition of "The Jazz Cruise" produced by the St. Louis-based company Jazz Cruises LLC. The cruise is scheduled for November 8 - 15 on the Holland America ship Westerdam, and will traverse the Caribbean visiting ports of call such as St. Thomas, St. Barth's and Half Moon Cay.

The three St. Louisans on "The Jazz Cruise" will be part of a large roster of players known primarily for mainstream jazz and swing, including several who have appeared in recent years in St. Louis, such as singer Karrin Allyson, pianist Shelly Berg, singer/pianist Freddie Cole and saxophonists Houston Person and Tom Scott. For complete details, see "The Jazz Cruise" Web site.

Photos from "Peanuts" Whalum's 80th birthday party now online

Jay Brandt of Brandt's informs StLJN that photos and video from Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum's recent 80th birthday party are now available online. The much-loved singer, pianist and saxophonist celebrated his natal day at the club on Sunday, September 7 with a lively crowd that included many friends, fans and St. Louis musicians as well as his nephew, the well-known smooth jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who's hosting the photos and video on his Web site here.

Brandt says the event also raised $2,000 for a music scholarship fund named after "Peanuts" Whalum, and notes that both Whalums will be among the performers on this fall's Smooth Jazz Cruise produced by St. Louis- based Jazz Cruises LLC.

Jazz Cruises LLC sets 2008-09 schedule

St. Louis-based Jazz Cruises LLC has announced their schedule of events for the fall of 2008 and winter of 2009.

They'll offer four different cruises during the season, starting with Dave Koz & Friends at Sea from November 2 through November 9. Koz' seagoing amigos will include musicians such as Rick Braun, Jonathan Butler, Candy Dulfer, Eric Benet, George Duke, Najee and more, plus a special appearance by funk and soul legends Tower of Power.

Next up is the event known simply as The Jazz Cruise, which will take place November 9 through November 16, 2008 with featured performers including the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Heath Brothers, Andy Bey, Tom Scott, Regina Carter, Benny Green, Trio da Paz, Ben Riley’s Monk Legacy Septet, St. Louis' own Denise Thimes, and more.

The new year will kick off with The Smooth Jazz Cruise, hosted by Wayman Tisdale, from January 18 through January 25. The NBA star turned electric bassist will be joined by musicians such as Gerad Albright, Kirk Whalum, Jeff Lorber, Peter White, Jeff Golub and more.

Last but not least is the first-ever Playboy Jazz Cruise, which sails from January 25 through February 1 and will feature host Marcus Miller, special guest Herbie Hancock (pictured), Dianne Reeves, James Moody, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, Eldar, the New Birth Brass Band and more. For more information, check out the links to the individual cruises or visit Jazz Cruises LLC's Web site.

(Edited 5/23/08 to fix a typo.)

Jazz Times article spotlights Jazz Cruises LLC

And while we're on the subject of press coverage, the St. Louis-based company Jazz Cruises LLC is featured prominently in "Swing @ Sea," an article in the June 2007 issue of Jazz Times magazine. The piece does mention some other competing cruise producers, but Jazz Cruises LLC gets the lion's share of the attention, and there's even a photo of company head Anita Berry alongside Clark Terry. While it's something of a puff piece, it does give the reader some idea of what to expect from a jazz cruise, and there are a few interesting remarks from musicians about what it's like to play on one.

Alas, Jazz Times only offers article excerpts on their Web site, and the June issue isn't even online yet. When it is, presumably in the next few days, you may be able to read some of the piece here. Otherwise, interested readers can pick up the dead-tree version of the magazine at better bookstores and newsstands; it's the one with Joshua Redman on the cover, and the jazz cruise article starts on page 74.

Perkins' Post article recounts jazz cruise

Jazz writer and Post-Dispatch freelancer Terry Perkins had an article in this weekend's paper describing his experiences on a recent jazz cruise presented by the St. Louis-based firm Jazz Cruises LLC. You can read the story online here.