So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony, the seven-CD set drawn from the archives of saxophonist and Black Artists Group co-founder Julius Hemphill and released earlier this year, is the subject of a short feature/review for Jazz Times by Ted Panken.

* Trumpeter and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn, now based in Atlanta, has released the second recording from his band The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. Titled The Sirius Mystery opus 4 no. 1, the album is out today via Ropeadope Records on all digital platforms, plus limited editions on CD and vinyl LP.

* Bassist Damon Smith, a recent transplant to St. Louis, also has a new recording, Houston 2012, out this week on digital and as a double CD. The album teams Smith with guitarists Keith Rowe and Sandy Ewen and the ensemble Gooseberry Marmalade.

* And speaking of new releases, a Miles Davis performance recorded in 1991 at La Villette in Paris, France will be released as The Lost Concert on digital services and as a two-CD set on Wednesday, September 29, the 30th anniversary of his death. The album (pictured) is the third in a series from Sleepy Night Records that started with Miles Davis: The Lost Quintet and continued with The Lost Septet, both released last year.

The Lost Concert is particularly noteworthy because Davis' then-current band was augmented for the date by numerous guest stars and former sidemen, including Chick Corea, Al Foster, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Darryl Jones, John McLaughlin, Jackie McLean, John Scofield, and Joe Zawinul.

* Gene Dobbs Bradford of Jazz St. Louis was interviewed about the organization's upcoming 2021-22 season by the St. Louis American's Danielle Brown.

* One of St. Louis' most acclaimed young talents is leaving town, as singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo this week announced in a Facebook post, "I have accepted a job as an audio engineer at a media group in Los Angeles. I’ll be driving from STL to LA this weekend." Saputo will play what she's calling her final show as a St. Louis resident tonight at Tower Grove Park (though she also is on the bill for the Music at the Intersection festival in September).

Jazz St. Louis announces 2021-22 schedule

Jazz St. Louis this week announced their season schedule for 2021-22, with normal operations set to resume this September after the long shutdown necessitated by the COVID pandemic.

Several of the artists who were canceled in the spring of 2020 when lockdowns began have been re-booked for the upcoming year. So St. Louis audiences finally will get the chance to see famed vocal group Manhattan Transfer in the intimate confines of JSL's Bistro, along with debut performances at the venue from singer and pianist Kandace Springs, pianist Connie Han, and singer Nicole Henry.

The schedule also includes two productions that originally were intended for what would have been the 2020-21 season - a celebration of the great trumpeter and St. Louis native Clark Terry, whose birth centennial was in December 2020; and "Jazz St. Louis @ 25," a birthday party for the entire organization, now scheduled to close out the 2021-22 season. Both will feature all-star ensembles put together especially for the occasion.

Other highlights will include the return (after more than a decade) of singer Sara Gazarek, who's coming off the most critically acclaimed album of her career; the local debut of the Eubanks Evans Experience, featuring guitarist Kevin Eubanks and pianist Orrin Evans; and a week of shows from trumpeter and St. Louis native Keyon Harrold, who was named "creative advisor" to Jazz St. Louis earlier this year.

JSL also once again will co-present a series of shows with the Cabaret Project of St. Louis, including appearances by cabaret grande dame Marilyn Maye and the Grammy-nominated singer Stacey Kent.

All of which still leaves room for many other familiar favorites, too. And so, trumpeter and singer Jeremy Davenport will be back from New Orleans for Thanksgiving weekend; trumpeter Jim Manley will present his annual holiday show in December; and The Bad Plus will return as the first touring act to play the club after New Year's Day, albeit in a still-unknown configuration after parting ways with Orrin Evans earlier this year.

Other returning acts that have played the Bistro multiple times before will include the fusion band Yellowjackets; Latin jazz percussionist Poncho Sanchez; pianist Kenny Barron, this time with his trio; vibraphonist Warren Wolf; and bassist Christian McBride, who will be revisiting his Ray Brown tribute band with pianist Benny Green and drummer Greg Hutchinson.

Musicians making their second appearances as headliners at the Bistro - this time with five-night runs - will include pianists Harold Lopez Nussa and Matthew Whitaker and steel guitarist Roosevelt Collier, who'll be joined by the Funky Butt Brass Band's horn section.

Here's the entire schedule in chronological order:

Friday, September 17 & Saturday, September 18: Scooter Brown
Friday, September 24 & Saturday, September 25: Adam Maness Sextet plays Coltrane

Friday, October 1: Kara Baldus Mehrmann Quartet
Wednesday, October 6 - Sunday, October 10: Yellowjackets
Wednesday, October 13 & Thursday, October 14: Paulo Szot
Friday, October 15 & Saturday, October 16: BeBe & the Neosouls
Wednesday, October 20 - Sunday, October 24: Harold López-Nussa
Wednesday, October 27: Antonio Foster & Friends
Thursday, October 28: Sample Kulture
Friday, October 29 & Saturday, October 30: Good 4 The Soul

Wednesday, November 3 - Sunday, November 7: Kandace Springs
Wednesday, November 10 & Thursday, November 11: Marilyn Maye - "Here’s to Life"
Friday, November 12 & Saturday, November 13: Kendrick Smith & Fusebox
Wednesday, November 17 - Sunday, November 21: Matthew Whitaker
Friday, November 26 & Saturday, November 27: Jeremy Davenport

Wednesday, December 1 - Sunday, December 5: Keyon Harrold
Wednesday, December 8 & Thursday, December 9: Storm Large
Friday, December 10 & Saturday, December 11: "A Very Manley Christmas" w/Jim Manley's Mad Brass & Rhythm
Wednesday, December 15 - Sunday, December 19: "Clark Terry Centennial Celebration" with John Clayton, Sylvia Cuenca, Aaron Diehl, Jimmy Greene, and Sean Jones

2022

Wednesday, January 5 - Sunday, January 9: The Bad Plus
Friday, January 14 & Saturday, January 15: Jazz at Lincoln Center Group with Jerome Jennings, Helen Sung, Tatum Greenblatt, Alexa Tarantino
Wednesday, January 19 - Sunday, January 23: Roosevelt Collier with the Funky Butt Brass Band Horns

Wednesday, February 2 - Sunday, February 6: Warren Wolf & Reincarnation
Wednesday, February 9 & Thursday, February 10: Anita Jackson sings Nina Simone: Legacy
Wednesday, February 16 - Sunday, February 20: "Ray Brown Tribute Band" with Christian McBride, Benny Green, & Gregory Hutchinson

Wednesday, March 2 - Sunday, March 6: Connie Han
Wednesday, March 9 & Thursday, March 10: Stacey Kent
Wednesday, March 16 - Sunday, March 20: Sara Gazarek
Wednesday, March 30 - Sunday, April 3: Melissa Aldana

Friday, April 8 & Saturday, April 9: Spring Educational Residency Concert featuring Roxy Coss, Erica von Kleist, Riley Mulherkar, and Bryan Carter
Wednesday, April 13 - Sunday, April 17: Kenny Barron Trio
Wednesday, April 27 - Sunday, May 1: Poncho Sanchez & His Latin Jazz Band

Wednesday, May 11 - Sunday, May 15: Nicole Henry
Wednesday, May 18 & Thursday, May 19: Jason Danieley - "Homecoming"
Friday, May 20 & Saturday, May 21: Eubanks Evans Experience with Kevin Eubanks and Orrin Evans
Wednesday, May 25 - Sunday, May 29: Manhattan Transfer

Wednesday, June 8 - Sunday, June 12: "Jazz St. Louis @ 25" with Cyrus Chestnut, Grace Kelly, Allison Miller, Nathan Pence, and Terell Stafford

Season tickets will be available to the public starting June 30, with single tickets on sale in early September. Subscriptions and single tickets can be purchased online at jazzstl.org; via phone during box office hours at 314-571-6000, or in person at Jazz St. Louis HQ, 3536 Washington Ave.

Photo: Clockwise from top, Manhattan Transfer, Keyon Harrold, Orrin Evans and Kevin Eubanks; Sara Gazarek

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local, News & Notes

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

* Saxophonist David Sanborn (pictured) has released a new episode of his "Sanborn Sessions" online video series with bassist Marcus Miller as his featured guest, plus drummer Billy Kilson and pianist Geoffrey Keezer.

* Jazz St. Louis is one of 16 independent music venues across the country that this week received a grant from the Live Music Society. The grants, which range from $10,000 to $50,000, are intended to help smaller venues stay financially viable as the music industry attempts a post-pandemic restart.

* STLtoday has posted an album of photos from the Galactic shows last weekend at The Big Top.

* St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin has written a story reporting on the reopening plans of local concert venues including The Sheldon, The Pageant, The Big Top, and others.

* Mikie Sellers, the impresario behind the new "Jazz and Cars" outdoor concert series on the grounds of Gateway Classic Cars in O'Fallon, IL, was interviewed on FOX 2's morning newscast.

* An article by Mark Beckford on TheGrio.com looks at the ultimately unsuccessful effort to preserve St. Louis native Josephine Baker's famed cabaret in Paris.

* DePaul William "Willy" Smith, who played saxophone with the Original Knights of Swing, the Meramec Jazz Lab Band, and other groups around town, has died at age 90.

* JAZZIZ magazine's "The Week in Jazz" column for this week has a couple of St. Louis mentions, noting the announcement of the "Music at the Intersection" festival and previewing a track from keyboardist Michael Silverman's forthcoming album.

* Radio station Classic 107.3 will raise funds next month with "Classical Cocktails," an online event to be held on Sunday, June 13. The festivities will include dinner and cocktails from Salt + Smoke, plus music from pianists Orli Shaham and Dominic Cheli, the Pro Arte Quartet, the Arianna String Quartet, and violinist David Perry. For more info or to make a reservation, visit https://classic1073.org/classical-cocktails/.

* As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Steph Kukuljan, a company called Gateway Studios LLC has announced plans to acquire 32 acres of land just north of the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield to build an $88 million facilty for music, video and film production. Gateway Studios, which currently operates in Pennsylvania, will seek both tax incentives and publically financed bonds to help pay for the project.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Music at the Intersection" festival announces lineup of performers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis on Wednesday announced the appointment of trumpeter Keyon Harrold to the newly established position of Creative Advisor. During his three-year appointment, Harrold (pictured) will perform annually at Jazz St. Louis, starting with a five-night run coming up in December of this year.

He also will be involved with the organization's "Jazz Speaks" and residency programs; will create "a major commissioned work reflecting on the St. Louis community" to close JSL's 2023-24 season; and take part in "other appearances, performances, and events."

* A previously unreleased recording of Miles Davis performing at the Vienne Jazz Festival in one of his final concerts will be issued as Merci, Miles by Rhino Records on Friday, June 25. The recording will be available on all major digital music services as well as both a two-CD set and a double LP, and can be pre-ordered here.

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, here's a feature story about Mikel Elam, a visual artist from Philadelphia who served as Davis' personal assistant from October 1987 until the trumpeter's death in September 1991.

* Drummer Demarius Hicks was interviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson about his Chick Corea tribute show playing Saturday night at The Grandel's "Open Air" tent.

* Also from the Post-Dispatch, an "iParty" gallery of photos from singer Denise Thimes' shows last weekend at Blue Strawberry.

* Shake The Rum, the newest album from trombonist Charlie Halloran, a St. Louis native now living in New Orleans, and his band, the Tropicales, was reviewed in Offbeat magazine.

* Multi-instrumentalist and singer Tonina is one of six up-and-coming artists from St. Louis and Detroit profiled in "The Flavor of Two Cities," a new ad campaign for distilled spirits maker Jack Daniel's. You can see a promotional video featuring her and Detroit's Leonard Ware (aka Drummer B) here.

* The reaction of local music venues and theaters to the easing of some coronavirus restrictions in Missouri is the subject of a feature story from St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No real theme to this week's post, other than to gather some of the most recent livestream performances from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a set by soul/jazz band Hip Grease, recorded back at the beginning of March and released this past week by Jazz St. Louis. The musicians are Ben Reece (saxophones), Adam Hucke (trumpet, flugelhorn), Dave Grelle (keyboards), Andy Coco (bass), and Joe Meyer (drums).

After the jump, you can see a set by the latest project from guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran. Skamasala features Halloran, trombonist John Covelli and bassist Max Kelly playing a mix of "Jamaican ska with American jazz." This performance was recorded at Focal Point and released online this past week.

Next up, it's a performance from singer Joe Mancuso, recorded on Friday, March 19 as part of the "Open Air" series at The Grandel.

That's followed by some traditional jazz from The Gaslight Squares, recorded on March 2 at The Sheldon, and a set from smooth jazz/R&B saxophonist Rhoda G, also recorded at The Grandel back on March 14.

Last but not least is the latest streaming performance from pianist Peter Martin, in which after a year's worth of solo performances online, Martin is joined by a guest, bassist Bob DeBoo.

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keyboardist David Garfield (pictured) next month is releasing a new single, "Hunting Heads," that pays tribute to Herbie Hancock.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch went into their archives to republish vintage photos and a story about St. louis' 1960s entertainment district Gaslight Square.

* Singer Erika Johnson was interviewed for a profile on the site of women's shoemaket Walking Cradles.

* A travel article in USA Today touting Midwest sites of interest for music fans mentions notable St. Louis locations including BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, Broadway Oyster Bar, National Blues Museum, and Vintage Vinyl.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold and the mother of his son Keyon Jr. have filed a racial profiling lawsuit against the Arlo Hotels chain and Miya Ponsetto, the woman who in a widely reported incident last year accosted Harrold and his son at the hotel's NYC location and accused the younger Harrold of stealing her iPhone.

* Jazz St. Louis will share in the prize for "Arts Collaboration" when the Arts and Education COuncil of Greater St. Louis presents the 2021 St. Louis Arts Awards in an event on Monday, May 24 at the Big Top in Grand Center. The award will be shared with St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Nine Network of Public Media, and The Big Muddy Dance Company for the joint presentation of "Such Sweet Thunder" staged in October 2019 at the Nine Network's Public Media Commons.

* Multi-instrumentalist and singer Tonina Saputo is featured on the latest episode of "Classical:BTS", a web video series produced by Illinois Public Media.

* The Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute and the National Black Radio Hall of Fame at Harris-Stowe State University will present the induction of four musicians into the Wolff Institute's St. Louis Jazz Hall of Fame in a online ceremony at 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, March 27.

Trumpeter Clark Terry; pianist, singer and saxophonist Hugh 'Peanuts ' Whalum; and singer Kim Massie are the St. Louis performers scheduled to be honored, along with, for reasons that presently are obscure, saxophonist Kirk Whalum, a Memphis native and nephew of "Peanuts" Whalum. (No knock against Kirk Whalum, a fine player who has had a nice career, but apart from his uncle, he doesn't really have much to do with St. Louis.)

The event will be webcast from the National Blues Museum downtown, and can be viewed on the Facebook pages for the NBM or Harris-Stowe.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Jazz St. Louis continues "Season of Stream"

With most live music events still shut down due to the COVID pandemic in the new year, Jazz St. Louis has continued their "Season of Stream," presenting free online concerts featuring various local musicians most Thursday nights.

This week, let's take a look at some of the most recent of those shows, starting up above with a set from a group led by drummer Demarius Hicks that was recorded on January 27 and streamed for the first time this past Thursday. Along with the leader, the group includes his brother David Hicks on keyboards, Jason Swagler on alto sax, and Eric Slaughter on guitar

After the jump, you can see a set by Two Times True, recorded on February 4. Led by pianist Carolbeth True, the band also includes her son David True on drums, Glen Smith on bass, and Larry Johnson on saxophones.

That's followed by a set from keyboardist and vocalist Ryan Marquez, who's joined by David Gomez (tenor sax), Josiah Joyce (guitar), Jahmal Nichols (bass), and Tim Moore (drums). This show was recorded on January 25, 2021.

Nichols is back in the next video, this time fronting his own group Black Frequencies in a set recorded on January 8. Along with the leader on bass, the band includes Scooter Brown (alto sax), Antonio Foster (piano, electric piano), and Montez Coleman (drums).

The fifth video depicts a set by singer Erika Johnson, recorded on January 13. Demarius Hicks and Jahmal Nichols supplied the drums and bass, with Pete Ruthenburg on keyboards and Eric Slaughter on guitar.

Finally, the sixth clip features a set from Dhoruba Collective, led by drummer Jeffery Dhoruba Hill and also including David Gomez on sax, guitarist Josiah Joyce, and bassist Teddy Brookins. It was recorded on January 5.

Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream" continues next week with a performance on Thursday, February 25 by the electro-jazz trio Vehachi. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Revisiting Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream"

This week, let's take a look at some recent performances from Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream," a series of online concerts that the organization started earlier this year after live shows were shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic. (If you're interested in a deeper dive, StLJN has had five posts so far compiling videos of previous shows in the series: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5.)

The first video up top is also the most recent in the "Season of Stream" series, recorded on December 2 and released this week in tribute to the upcoming centennial of the birth of the great trumpeter and St. Louis native Clark Terry this coming Monday, December 14.

The group performing songs associated with and/or composed by Terry includes trumpeters Danny Campbell and Brady Lewis, saxophonists Kendrick Smith and Scooter Brown, pianist Adaron “Pops” Jackson, bassist Jahmal Nichols, and drummer Montez Coleman.

After the jump, you can see a tribute to another famous jazzman born 100 years ago, Dave Brubeck, as performed by pianist Matt Villinger, saxophonist Jason Swagler, bassist Bob DeBoo, and drummer Marty Morrison.

Next up, we go back in time a few weeks for a set recorded by singer and bassist Janet Evra on October 7. Along with Evra, the performers include her husband Will Buchanan on guitar, Ryan Marquez on piano, and Demarius Hicks on drums.

That's followed by a set from guitarist Matt Sewell, recorded on October 22 with a band including Lenard Simpson (saxophone), Adam Maness (piano), Jahmal Nichols (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

Coleman and Sewell are back in the next video, a tribute to the music of saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. that was recorded on October 27. Jason Swagler once again is on saxophones, with Pete Ruthenburg on keyboards and Jahmal Nichols on bass completing the ensemble.

The final video features saxophonist Kendrick Smith in a set recorded on November 3, in which he's fronting a double rhythm section with bassists Bernard Terry and Bob DeBoo and drummers Ben Dicke and Montez Coleman.

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keyboardist Michael Silverman has been nominated for the Smooth Jazz Network's "Best Breakout Artist" award for 2020. Silverman (pictured) is one of 12 musicians contending for the prize. Listener/reader voting for the award continues through Monday, November 30.

* The documentary The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement was touted as one of five "must see" films at this year's St. Louis International Film Festival in an article by the Riverfront Times' Evan Suit. SLIFF and the online screenings of the film continue through this Sunday, November 22.

* The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson reports that the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and Jazz St. Louis will extend their "Open Air" concert series into 2021. The Grand Center presenters are expected to announce 40 additional weeks of programming for the series, with January and February's shows to be revealed early next month.

* Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio, which produces jazz instructional videos and educational materials, recently reached 50,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, and to commemorate the occasion, they've compiled a video featuring the "Top 7 Highlights from 2020 with Peter Martin and Adam Maness."

* Also from the Post's Kevin Johnson, the Old Rock House, which had reopened on a limited basis this summer, will close temporarily again until some time in 2021, due to the recent resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the metropolitan area and the state.

* Singer Steve Brammeier's recent performance at Blue Strawberry was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More from Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream"

This week, let's go back into the video vault of the presenting organization Jazz St. Louis for a look at some of the most recent episodes of their "Season of Stream" series of online concerts, started earlier this year after live performances were shut down due to the pandemic. (There are four previous posts in the series: part 1, part 2, part 3 and part 4.)

First up, though, is a video that technically is not part of that series, a replay of JSL's "25th Anniversary (Virtual) Celebration" that took place online back on Friday, October 2. As the name suggests, it commemorates 25 years of existence for the organization, and features memories, tributes and pre-recorded performances from St. Louis musicians such as Peter Martin and Denise Thimes, plus some of the touring artists who have played the Bistro over the years, including Regina Carter, The Bad Plus, and Ann Hampton Callaway.

After the jump, you can see the most recent "Season of Stream" performance, featuring pianist Adam Maness' trio with bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montez Coleman. The video of their set was recorded on October 8 at the Bistro, and released this past Thursday.

Next up, it's saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet, recorded on September 29 and featuring Reece on tenor sax and flute, Rob Nugent on alto sax, Cody Henry on sousaphone, and Ron Sikes on drums.

That's followed by a set from bassist Bernard Terry. who made his debut as a leader at the Bistro when this video was recorded on September 22. Terry is joined by saxophonist Kendrick Smith, pianist Royce Martin, and drummer DeMarius Hicks.

The penultimate video features Be.Be & the Neosouls, led by vocalist Brianna Elise Brown, who's one of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's "Music Artists in Residence" this year. Brown was joined for the set, recorded on September 14, by guitarist Connor Low, drummer Desiree Jones, bassist Joshua Huggins and pianist Luke Sailor.

Finally, today's sixth video spotlights saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown, who recorded his set on September 11 with a band including trumpeter Brady Lewis, pianist Antonio Foster, bassist Bernard Terry, and drummer Everette Benton.

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis is one of 13 local organizations that will share a total of $115,000 in funding from the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis as part of a new program called the Arts and Healing Initiative.

JSL will use their portion of the money for Beat NF, described as "a jazz music motor therapy program for toddlers with special needs," which was developed in conjunction with the Washington University Neurofibromatosis (NF) Center and will be implemented by Jazz St. Louis educational staff and St. Louis Children’s Hospital Therapy Services practitioners.

* Jazz/fusion band Bach to the Future will provide part of the musical entertainment for "Wine and Jazz Under the Stars," a "virtual happy hour" being presented online for the benefit of radio station Classic 107.3 on Saturday, October 24.

The cost is $220 per household, which includes delivery of three bottles of wine from A. Bommarito Wines and appetizers provided by WhiteBox Catering, plus live-streamed entertainment, which also will include music from violinist Anne Akiko Myers, Americana band The Brothers Lazaroff, and more. Proceeds from the event will go to Classic 107.3 (fka Radio Arts Foundation) and its mission to support classical music programming and the arts in the St. Louis region.

* Miles Davis (pictured) is the number one jazz musician of all time, according to the "Jazz 100" poll recently conducted by ABC Jazz radio in Australia.

* If you didn't get the opportunity to see trumpeter Terence Blanchard's opera Champion when it was premiered by Opera Theater of St. Louis back in 2013, now you've got another chance. Presenting organization SFJAZZ will be streaming a video of their 2016 co-production of the work with San Francisco's Opera Parallèle for three days later this month, from Wednesday, October 21 to Saturday, October 24. You can get details and sign up at https://sfjazz.org/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keyboardist and Metro East native David Garfield (pictured) was the featured guest on a recent episode of Jazziz magazine's "Jazziz Live" podcast.

* The Red and Black Brass Band were the subjects of a story on last week's episode of Nine Network's Living St Louis program.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was interviewed on last night's episode of the "Speakin' My Piece!" podcast from Jazz Times magazine.

* Chris Hansen of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation was interviewed about the foundation's response to COVID-19 for a story on HEC-TV.

* Jazz St. Louis' 25th anniversary celebration was the subject of a feature story from Kevin Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.