Jazz this week: Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway, Alex Mercado Trio, Dave Venn & Jeanne Trevor, Moon Hooch, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features two sisters singing in an intimate cabaret show; two noteworthy pianists; an improvising trio with a danceable sound bridging multiple genres; and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, September 26
Singer and longtime St. Louis favorite Ann Hampton Callaway returns with her sister, singer Liz Callaway, to perform their cabaret show "Sibling Revelry" for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis. 

The Callaways (pictured, top left) will do one set each on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a "coffee concert" on Thursday morning.

Also on Wednesday, the "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features singer Wendy Gordon and friends at The Stage at KDHX, a jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, September 27
Saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room; singer Joe Mancuso and friends will perform at 50/Fifty Kitchen; and students from Washington University's Jazz Performance Program will present a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, 
September 28
Two veterans of the storied Gaslight Square era will be back in the spotlight as pianist Dave Venn trio and singer Jeanne Trevor will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday night, pianist Alex Mercado, one of the top jazz musicians in Mexico, makes his St. Louis debut in a late-night concert at the  Kranzberg Arts Center.

Here at the end of a brief Midwest tour, Mercado (pictured, center left) will be backed by Rodrigo Villanueva on drums and St. Louis' own Bob DeBoo on bass. You can find out more about Mercado and see some examples of his playing on video in this post from last Saturday.

Elswhere around town, singer Erin Bode performs at the Jacoby Arts Center; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson will play at the Ozark Theatre; and drummer Montez Coleman's band takes the stage for the late show at The Dark Room.

Saturday, September 29
Urban Chestnut Brewing's Oktoberfest St. Louis will feature free live music throughout the afternoon and evening from bands including Tonina Saputo, The People's Key, St. Boogie Brass Band, Jesse Gannon, Lamar Harris and more.

Also on Saturday, bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Troy's Jazz Gallery, and saxophonist Dave Stone's trio returns to Thurman's in Shaw.

Sunday, 
September 30
Pianists Dave Becherer and Ryan Marquez will team up in a dual-keyboard performance for brunch at The Dark Room, and percussionist Herman Semidey and Orquestra Son Montuno will play a matinee at the Ozark Theatre.

Then on Sunday night, the funky, genre-busting saxophones-and-drums trio Moon Hooch (pictured, bottom left) returns for a show at the Old Rock House. Currently in the middle of a tour that runs through mid-November, they've also released an EP, Light It Up, since their last appearance here a year ago.

Tuesday, October 2
A new version of 1990s swing revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers, led by founding member Jimbo Mathus, will perform at Delmar Hall.

Also on Tuesday, the Tick Tock Jazz Band will play traditional jazz for their monthly gig at the Tick Tock Tavern.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Marilyn Maye, Jeanne Trevor & Dave Black, Funky Butt Brass Band, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes return gigs for an acclaimed veteran of cabaret singing and a favorite local act at the city's premier jazz club; a rare performance by one of St. Louis' own jazz divas; and more.

Let's go to the highlights...


Wednesday, March 7
Marilyn Maye (pictured, top left), who's sometimes called "the grand dame of cabaret," returns for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Not unlike Tony Bennett, Maye, who's set to turn 90 next month, draws on a deep knowledge of the Great American Songbook and seven decades of show business experience to deliver still-relevant performances seemingly in defiance of the passage of time. If you have any serious interest in cabaret singing and are not already a fan, catch her while you can, but know that Maye has a substantial local fan base, thanks to multiple appearances here in recent years, so advance reservations definitely are suggested.

Maye's opening night performance will be video-simulcast to the first-floor lounge adjacent to the Bistro as part of this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl," which also features guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith at The Stage at KDHX; the jam session led by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, March 8
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present a free concert titled "Women's Voices in Music" featuring Wash U students Helen Kaul, Hannah Gilberstadt, Nadia Irvin, Ella-Marie West, and Eden Diamond, accompanied by clarinetist Linda Gurney, pianist Kara Baldus, bassist Jeff Anderson, and drummer Eddie Campbell.

Also on Thursday, singer Jeanne Trevor will make a rare appearance in a duet with guitarist Dave Black at The Pat Connolly Tavern, and the fusion/funk band SpaceShip returns to The Dark Room.

Friday, March 9
The Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured, bottom left) will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, with various friends sitting in to augment the ensemble, including singers Roland Johnson and Anita Jackson, guitarist Jimmy Griffin, keyboardist Dave Grelle, and more.

Also on Friday, the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, March 10
Troy's Jazz Gallery celebrates five years in business with music from the Coleman Hughes Project; saxophonist and singer Cary Colman and her trio return to Evangeline's; and saxophonist Dave Stone and his trio continue their Saturday night residency at Thurman's in Shaw.

Sunday, March 11
Singer Chuck Flowers and pianist Dave Becherer will play for brunch at The Dark Room, and then that evening, the Dave Dickey Big Band returns to the adjacent Grandel Theatre, this month featuring guest vocals from singer Anita Jackson and an intermission performance by the Parkway Central High Schooll Jazz Band.

Monday, March 12
Trumpeter Jim Manley continues his regular Monday night gig at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, March 13
Miss Jubilee plays for the weekly "NOLA Swing" event at HandleBar.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Joshua Redman and more

With the area still in a post-holiday deep freeze, the calendar of live jazz and creative music this week in St. Louis unsurprisingly features just one significant touring performer, but there also will be the usual contingent of local musicians and singers braving the arctic-like conditions for your listening enjoyment.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 3
Saxophonist Joshua Redman returns with his quartet to perform for the first of five nights continuing through Sunday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Redman (pictured) last performed here in 2016 with The Bad Plus, and previously played at the Bistro with his trio in 2014 and 2010, but this will be the first time he's brought his long-running quartet to St. Louis in more than a decade. For more details about what Redman has been up to lately, read the preview story written by Dan Durchholz for the Post-Dispatch.

Also on Wednesday, this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes bassist Glen Smith and guitarist Eric Slaughter at The Stage at KDHX as well as the weekly jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, January 4
Pianist Adam Maness' trio returns to Thurman's in Shaw, and SpaceShip plays jazz fusion at The Dark Room.

Friday, January 5
Trumpeter Jim Manley will celebrate his birthday with a full-band performance at Evangeline's; guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran continues his Friday residency at Das Bevo; saxophonist Tim Cunningham is back at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and pianist and singer Jesse Gannon plays the late show at The Dark Room.

Saturday, January 6
Pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson return to Parkside Grille.

Sunday, January 7
The St. Louis Record Collector & CD Show presents their first event of the year at the American Czech Educational Center, and pianist Dave Venn teams up with vocalist Jeanne Trevor for a rare appearance playing for brunch at The Dark Room.

Also on Sunday, the Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe; the Genesis Jazz Project plays a late-afternoon gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and The Jazz Troubadours return to Evangeline's.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jeter Thompson 1930 - 2017

Pianist Jeter Thompson, whose leadership of the groups Quartette Trés Bien and Trio Trés Bien made him a significant figure on the St. Louis jazz scene from the Gaslight Square era into the 21st century, died on Friday, December 1. He was 87 years old.

Born in St. Louis on March 16, 1930, Thompson (pictured, top left) started playing piano at five years old, and made his first professional appearance at age 16 in 1946, performing with saxophonist Emmett Carter at a downtown club called the Coconut Grove.

He went to Sumner High School, where in 1948 he was senior class president, and subsequently attended Stowe College for two years, earning an associates degree. He then joined the U. S. Air Force, serving in Korea.

Returning home in 1954, Thompson played various local gigs until the formation in 1959 of Quartette Trés Bien, which in its best-known lineup included bassist Richard Simmons, drummer Albert St. James, and percussionist Percy James.

The group (pictured, center left) became a popular attraction in the then-booming Gaslight Square entertainment district, serving as the house band at The Dark Side, where in 1962 they were filmed as part of an episode of the CBS drama Route 66.

In 1963, Thompson and his bandmates became partners in the Trés Bien Club, located on the south side of Olive St. near the Gaslight Club. Around that same time, they were approached by Norman Wienstroer to record for his St. Louis-based label Norman Records.

The group made two albums for Norman, Boss Trés Bien and Kilimanjaro, and in 1965 also backed singer Jeanne Trevor on her debut recording for the label. Wienstroer subsequently helped the Quartette gain the attention of Decca Records, which re-issued their first two albums and would release eight more recordings of them over the next few years.

With an assist from fellow St. Louisan Dick Gregory, whose standup comedy career was peaking at the same time, Quartette Trés Bien also became a touring band. They appeared with Gregory at the Apollo in Harlem; on a bill with Thelonious Monk at the It Club in Los Angeles (where Monk would make a famous live recording for Columbia Records); and as headliners at storied jazz spots of the 1960s including the Plugged Nickel in Chicago, Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit, Crawford's Grill in Pittsburgh, The Lighthouse in Hermosa Beach, CA, and many others.

Back home in St. Louis, they performed with singer Sarah Vaughan at Powell Hall, and appeared on bills with singer Nancy Wilson and the Count Basie Orchestra.

In 1973, with Gaslight Square a distant memory and jazz clubs closing around the nation, Quartette Tres Bien dissolved. Thompson worked as a cartographer for the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency and as a real estate agent, and went on to form Trio Tres Bien with his brothers, bassist Harold Thompson and drummer Howard Thompson.

Trio Trés Bien (pictured, bottom left) found ample work locally playing clubs, concerts and private events, and in 2004 issued a self-released album, Coming Together. They continued to perform into the 2010s, sometimes with Harold's daughter, vocalist Danita Mumphard.

In 2014, Trio Trés Bien was inducted into the St. Louis Jazz Hall of Fame at Harris-Stowe State University's Wolfe Jazz Institute.

In addition to his brothers and niece, Jeter Thompson is survived by his wife, Louisa; his daughters Donna Patton and Pamela Cobb; his sister, Patricia Whitelocke; and, to quote his obituary in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, "a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren."

Arrangements were by Austin Layne Normandy Chapel, and a funeral was held on Friday, December 8 at St. Louis Bible Way Baptist Church.

Information for this story came from City of Gabriels: The History of Jazz in St. Louis 1895-1973 by Dennis Owsley; That St. Louis Thing, Part 2 by Bruce R. Olson; and http://www.tresbienmusic.com/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Singer Jeanne Trevor (pictured) and pianist Dave Venn's gig Saturday night at Jazz at the Bistro was touted by St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday.com columnist Joe Holleman.

* Elsewhere in the P-D, theater critic Judith Newmark reviewed Max and Louie Productions' staging of Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, which continues through Saturday, March 4 at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

* DK Annex, the business incubator and event space recently opened by drummer James Jackson and his wife Kristy, was spotlighted this week in the St. Louis American.

* The latest episode of pianist Peter Martin's podcast "The Process" features a chat with saxophonist Branford Marsalis and singer Kurt Elling.

* Also on the podcast front, drummer Dave Weckl is interviewed on a recent episode of DrumTalk.

* Electronic musician Eric Hall has released a new recording featuring guest musicians from the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound, with proceeds benefiting the American Civil Liberties Union.

Jazz this week: Julian Lage & Chris Eldridge, Jay Oliver, Jazz St. Louis gala, and more

With a forecast for spring-like weather in the offing, it should be a good weekend to get out and hear some live music in St. Louis.

However, if you're headed down to the annual Mardi Gras parade on Saturday, don't expect to find much jazz or blues among the musical options.

With the notable exception of the Funky Butt Brass Band, who will make appearances at the Mayor's Ball on Friday night, at the parade tent in Soulard on Saturday afternoon, and at the Old Rock House on Saturday, the corporate-dominated event unfortunately continues to rely mostly on DJs and rock cover bands, ignoring the genres most associated with Mardi Gras in the popular imagination.

That said, if you want to find some live jazz around St. Louis this week, you're in the right place. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, February 22
Guitarists Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge (pictured, top left) will play a duo show at Off Broadway (relocated from the originally announced venue, the Old Rock House).

Known individually for their work in jazz (Lage) and bluegrass (Eldridge), the two joined forces a few years back for an album, and have continued the project with intermittent touring between their commitments to other bands.

Now, with a new record, Mount Royal, set for release on Friday, they're doing a series of live dates in support of the release. For more about that, and some video samples of them in action, see this post from last Saturday. 

Also on Wednesday, trumpeter Rob Endicott leads a quintet in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Thursday, 
February 23
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents a performance by keyboardist and St. Louis native Jay Oliver (pictured, center left), accompanied by bassist/guitarist William Lenihan and drummer Steve Davis.

A childhood friend of Dave Weckl, Oliver was a member of Weckl's band in the 1990s, recording four albums with the drummer, but he's had his greatest commercial successes as a producer, programmer and songwriter for rock acts including Sheryl Crow, Jimmy Buffett and the Eagles.

More recently, Oliver's "world music" project Aomusic has released four albums of original compositions and also created theme music for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Given all the time he spends in the recording studio, this show should give Oliver a good opportunity to cut loose in a live situation, and given his hometown connection, there should be a good turnout. (Note that while most Jazz at Holmes shows are free, this show will have a $10 admission charge at the door.)

Also on Thursday, the Funky Butt Brass Band kicks off Mardi Gras weekend with an early evening show at Blues City Deli; saxophonist Jason Swagler will be giving his faculty recital at Dunham Hall on the SIUE campus in Edwardsville, and saxophonist Dave Stone's trio will play at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, February 24
Jazz St. Louis holds their annual fundraising gala at the Sheldon Concert Hall, featuring a cocktail hour, dinner and auction; a concert from teenage piano phenom Joey Alexander's trio; and an after-party with music from singer Denise Thimes. Some tickets for Alexander's concert may still be available via Metrotix; for ticket availability for the gala, check with the Jazz St. Louis box office.

Also on Friday, percussionist Henry Claude will perform at the 560 Music Center, joined by the Vernacular String Trio, Perihelion Quartet, and trumpeter George Sams; singer Feyza Eren's quartet will play a free show at the St. Louis Art Museum; and vibraphonist Tom Rickard's trio returns to the Cigar Inn.

Saturday, February 25
Two veteran local musicians whose careers stretch back to the Gaslight Square era, pianist Dave Venn and singer Jeanne Trevor, will take the stage for one night only at Jazz at the Bistro; pianist Greg Mills will present new compositions for solo piano at  Jackson Pianos; and Miss Jubilee will perform at Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.

Sunday, February 26
The Folk School of KDHX presents a traditional jazz jam session; and the Ambassadors of Swing return for an early evening performance at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company.

Monday, February 27
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Pat Martino, Snarky Puppy, a tribute to Mae Wheeler, and more

This week's notable jazz and creative music shows in St. Louis include return appearances from a top guitarist and one of the hottest young bands in jazz, plus a rare visit from some prog-rock veterans and a tribute to a fondly remembered local vocalist and mentor. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 11
Guitarist Pat Martino (pictured, top left) returns to St. Louis for the first of four nights continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Martino's guitar/organ/drums trio continues to capture the classic sound and feel associated with that instrumentation, but the leader's harmonically adventurous playing also adds another dimension beyond the blues-based fare that's often a staple of the format. For some recent samples on video of Martino in action, see this post from last Saturday.

Also tonight, the band Stick Men, featuring former King Crimson members Tony Levin on Chapman Stick and Pat Mastelotto on drums, plus Stick player and guitarist Markus Reuter, performs at the Old Rock House; and pianist Pat Joyce plays at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, May 12
Trumpeter Jim Manley continues his regular Thursday night gig at Momo's Greek Restaurant, and the quartet Danbury Street plays at Nathalie's.

Friday, May 13
Pianist Carolbeth True's trio will team up with singer Kim Fuller to interpret material associated with Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson, and more in "Songs from the Ladies," the first of two shows featuring True this weekend at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Friday, singer Joe Mancuso and Dave Black play at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel's newly renamed Sidecar Lounge (formerly Chaser's Lounge); The Sidemen return to Evangeline's; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, May 14
Carolbeth True and Two Times True will be joined by singer Debby Lennon for "Mercer, Mancini and Mandel" at the Ozark Theatre, while singer Erin Bode will provide the music for "A Night In The Stacks at SIUE,", a fundraiser held at the Lovejoy Library on the SIUE campus.

Sunday, May 15
The Oikos Ensemble will present "Earth Walk: A Concert for Mother Earth" at the First Congregational Church of Webster Groves.

Monday, May 16
The jazz/funk/world music ensemble Snarky Puppy returns to St. Louis to perform at The Ready Room,
with guitarist Charlie Hunter as opening act.

Now touring in support of the albums Family Dinner, Vol. II, which was released in February, and Culcha Vulcha, which came out a couple of weeks ago, Snarky Puppy (pictured, bottom left) has been moving up to larger venues in many cities they've played before, so this chance to see them here in a relatively small space may be the last for a while if their star continues to rise. In any event, even though the show is on a Monday, advance purchase of tickets is highly recommended.

Also on Monday, saxophonist Jerry Greene's Greene Jazz Project will play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, May 17 
Singer Wendy Gordon has recruited an eclectic lineup of St. Louis vocalists including longtime local favorite Jeanne Trevor for "A Tribute to Mae Wheeler" at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Also joining Gordon and Trevor for the "Unforgettable Legends" show will be singers Linda Kennedy, Diane Vaughan, Mary Dyson, Marty Adbullah, Jeff Hardin, and more.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Chris Botti, JazzU with Stefon Harris, Don Cunningham, U City Jazz Festival, Daniel Bennett, and more

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis encompasses musicians with a vast range of experience, from young teenage players getting their first chances onstage at a showcase club to an elder statesman who got his start more than a half-century ago in the fabled Gaslight Square entertainment district. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 3
Billed as the "New York Jazz Ensemble," bassist Tom Kennedy, saxophonists George Garzone and Steve Wirts, guitarist Joe Cohn and drummer Miles Vandiver will play an early evening show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Also on Wednesday, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra will make their debut at Jazz at the Bistro.

Thursday, June 4
Singer Feyza Eren teams with guitarist Brian Vaccaro's trio to re-imagine songs from a variety of genres at the Tavern of Fine Arts; guitarist Dave Black and friends, featuring singer Joe Mancuso, return to Nathalie's; and saxophonist Jim Stevens and band will perform at Hammerstone's.

Friday, June 5
If there's a sentimental favorite among this week's jazz and creative music attractions, it would have to be singer, multi-instrumentalist and St. Louis native Don Cunningham.

Cunningham (pictured, top left), a veteran of the Gaslight Square era who now lives in Las Vegas, is returning to his hometown this weekend for his first performances since his wife and musical partner, singer and pianist Alicia Cunningham, passed away back in December.

He'll be joined by singer Jeanne Trevor and a local rhythm section for shows paying tribute to his wife and the late St. Louis singer Gene Lynn on Friday and Saturday nights, plus a Sunday matinee, at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Friday, trumpeter Chris Botti (pictured, center left) returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2012 for a performance with the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall; and the students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU and Jazz St. Louis All-Stars programs will begin their annual weekend showcase at Jazz at the Bistro, with a little help from special guest vibraphonist Stefon Harris (pictured, lower left).

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform at Evangeline's; the Funky Butt Brass Band check in for their monthly gig at Broadway Oyster Bar; and the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom.


Saturday, June 6
Starting mid-afternoon and continuing through the evening, the annual U City Jazz Festival in Heman Park will present free performances by drummer Demarius Hicks' quartet, the Silverman Brothers Band, trumpeter Anthony Wiggins with drummer Maurice Carnes, pianist Philip Gomez' trio, and the student band Nexus.

Also on Saturday, pianist Greg Mills and the Perihelion Ensemble return to the Tavern of Fine Arts; and The People's Key offer instrumental interpretations of the music of Michael Jackson at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Sunday, June 7
The Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" matinee at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, this month welcoming performs who will have just played the annual Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia; and Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday June 9
Saxophonist Daniel Bennett, touring in support of his new album The Mystery at Clown Castle, will play a free concert with his trio in the auditorium at the downtown branch of the St. Louis Public Library.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

"Jazz Heaven" cast grows for new production on Sunday, October 20 at Ethical Society

For singer Wendy Gordon, jazz heaven keeps getting bigger all the time.

What began for Gordon (pictured) as a way to fulfill assignments for a couple of college classes has turned into a full-fledged musical revue now in its fourth edition, "A Jazz Heaven: Entertaining Around Heaven All Day," which will be performed at 4:00 p.m. next Sunday, October 20 at the Ethical Society.

Like previous versions of the show, "Entertaining Around Heaven..." features songs originally made famous by a roster of iconic performers, backed by a live band and held together by a storyline and Gordon's original poetry. First presented in August 2009, the "Jazz Heaven" series was conceived when Gordon retired from the postal service and began taking some college classes.

After writing about about Billie Holiday for a poetry class and then performing the biographical work for her acting class, Gordon realized she might done have something more than just completed her class projects. "From there, I thought 'This would be a good little play,'" she recalled. She expanded the poem into a script that also included material about Ella Fitzgerald, and the staged the first version of the show, "When Billie Met Ella," with a three-piece band at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Since then, the concept has continued to grow as Gordon has added new material and cast members for each subsequent staging. This time, she'll sing songs associated with Holiday and Nina Simone, with longtime St. Louis favorite Jeanne Trevor once again playing the role of Ella Fitzgerald.

They'll be joined by singers including Joe Mancuso (Frank Sinatra), Kecia Davis (Phyllis Hyman), Jeff Hardin (Marvin Gaye), and Eugene Johnson (Bobby "Blue" Bland/Albert King), with Sheila Reed as the narrator. The band will feature Arthur Toney (keyboards), Al Barnes (drums), Willem von Hombracht (bass), Adrian Bowers (trumpet), and saxophonist Kendrick Smith, who also has a speaking role as Charlie Parker.

While the "Jazz Heaven" series has provided Gordon with her first experiences as a head writer and impresario, she did get some useful preparation working with the late Mae Wheeler, aka "Lady Jazz," who devoted much time and energy in the latter part of her career to organizing showcases for an eclectic range of local talent.

"I was on six of Mae Wheeler's 'Diva' shows, and from that I learned a lot about how she was trying to promote local artists in St. Louis. It's so hard to get recognition, and this is something to showcase our talent in St. Louis," said Gordon, who helped Wheeler behind the scenes with ticketing and promotion as well as performing on stage.

Gordon said she also admired Wheeler's devotion to young talent, and now is consciously following her example by adding a bit of youth to the "Jazz Heaven" roster of veteran performers. "Kendrick Smith is the first of the young artists we are presenting, and I plan to have at least one in every future production," she said.

Tickets for "A Jazz Heaven: Entertaining Around Heaven All Day" are $27.50 in advance, $30 at the door, and are on sale via Metrotix and Afroworld. For special rates for groups of 10 or more, call 314-838-9198.

Photo of Wendy Gordon as Billie Holiday from the "Jazz Heaven" Facebook page.

Local jazz featured at upcoming charitable benefits

Two upcoming charitable benefits will feature music from St. Louis jazz performers:

* Guitarist Chris Burchett (pictured) is presenting "Stop The Violence, Make Some Music," at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, July 21 at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Rd.

The concert is a fundraiser to enable Burchett's foundation to offer free music lessons to underprivileged youth, and will feature performances by singers Jeanne Trevor, Wendy Gordon and Joe Mancuso, with broadcaster and author Bernie Hayes as MC.

Tickets are $35 and are on sale now via Metrotix or the Chris Burchett Foundation.

UPDATE: 1:00 p.m., 7/13/13: Last night, STLJN got an email from the Chris Burchett Foundation stating that they were "postponing" the concert on July 21. The message from executive director Trinity Birge said, "Everyone that has purchased tickets for our "Stop The Violence - Make Some Music" benefit concert featuring Wendy L. Gordon and friends will be reimbursed in full."

* Meanwhile, the Bosman Twins have been tapped to provide the sounds for the 2013 edition of "Chocolate, Wine and All That Jazz," to be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, September 7 at the Yacht Club of St. Louis, 105 Lake Village Drive in St. Charles.

The event is the kickoff for the annual fundraising campaign of the Tri-County Division of United Way of Greater St. Louis, and will include "wine, food, chocolate and live jazz," with all proceeds benefiting the United Way.

Tickets are $60 each until August 15, when the price goes up to $70, and are available via the United Way's website.

Edited 7/4/13 to correct the address for the Ethical Society.

Jazz this week: Terence Blanchard, Willie Akins & Montez Coleman, Chesterfield Jazz Festival, Voicehandler, and more

Though it's not officially summer for another week or so, the steamy weather associated with that season in St. Louis is already here. Fortunately, there's a variety of jazz and creative music events on tap over the next few days, both indoors and out, to help you cool out and beat the heat.

Tonight, trumpeter, composer and New Orleans native Terence Blanchard continues his time in the local spotlight, as he and his quintet will play their second free outdoor concert of the week, taking the stage at St. Louis Place Park as part of the Whitaker Urban Evenings series. (Blanchard's opera Champion gets its world premiere this week at Opera Theatre St. Louis - more about that below - and you can see some videos of him and the quintet in action in this post.)

Also tonight, Good 4 The Soul plays at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and singer Joe Mancuso's quartet will be at Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

On Friday, the Willie Akins/Montez Coleman Group will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, where the veteran saxophonist (pictured) and his percussionist partner likely will be drawing on at least some of the hard-bop-influenced material from their recent CD St. Louis Connection.

Also on Friday, Herman Semidey and his Orquestra Son Montuno bring their Latin sound to Robbie's House of Jazz; trumpeter Delano Redmond leads a quartet at Cigar Inn; and saxophonist Paul Taylor will be taking part in a workshop and meet-and greet at Mozingo Music.

Taylor will be in town to perform as one of the headliners at the Chesterfield Jazz Festival on Saturday. The day-long event takes place at Chesterfield Amphitheatre, just off Highway 40 near Chesterfield Mall, and also will include music from keyboardist David Benoit; singer Jeanne Trevor; saxophonist Freddie Washington, leading a tribute to John Coltrane; and Bach to the Future, the band fronted by keyboardist and festival organizer Mike Silverman.

Also on Saturday afternoon, Tim Zavadil, clarinetist and bass clarinetist with the Minnesota Orchestra, will present a free clinic and master class at Saxquest.

Then on Saturday evening, Blanchard's Champion, described as "an opera in jazz," will get the first of its six performances this month at Opera Theatre St. Louis. The work, created especially for OTSL with Jazz St. Louis as co-producers, has been the subject of extensive media coverage both in and outside St. Louis, much of which which you can see by reading this post and following the links therein. Most OTSL performances sell out, but you can find out the latest on ticket availability by calling their box office.

Also on Saturday evening, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will be at Venice Cafe, singer Feyza Eren performs at the south side house concert venue KindaBlue; Silk Pajamas play at The Wine Press, and singer Tony Viviano will entertain diners and drinkers at Talayna's.

Then on Sunday, Dizzy Atmosphere plays gypsy jazz and swing at the Schlafly St. Louis Brewery and Tap Room.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday trumpeter Keith Moyer brings his band to BB's. Then on Tuesday, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center will present a concert of free improv music headlined by Voicehandler, which features musicians Jacob Felix Heule and Danishta Rivero performing on voice, percussion, electronics, and the Hydrophonium (an electroacoustic percussion instrument created by Rivero).

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: The Sheldon turns 100, Dave Black & Paul DeMarinis, Josh Quinlan, "A Jazz Heaven: Under The Rainbow" and more

The jazz and creative music calendar this weekend is front-loaded with an all-star ensemble convening Thursday at the Sheldon Concert Hall for a big birthday party. But while that concert may have the marquee names, there are plenty of other noteworthy shows happening around town over the next few days, too. Let's go to the highlights....

As mentioned above, the big-ticket event of the weekend happens tonight, as the Sheldon Concert Hall will commemorate its 100th anniversary celebration with a gala concert featuring the world premiere of pianist Peter Martin's new work "This Present Past," commissioned specifically to celebrate the hall's centennial.

Martin (pictured) will be joined by saxophonist Branford Marsalis, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Ulysses Owens Jr, soprano Christine Brewer, violinist David Halen and other members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Halen and his SLSO colleagues also will perform the world premiere of another commissioned piece, a string quartet composed by Stefan Freund, who teaches music at the University of Missouri and is cellist with the contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound, who will perform next Thursday at The Sheldon.

Although the Sheldon concert is reported to be close to a sell-out, there may be a few tickets remaining at the door, but I'd suggest calling ahead before making the trip down there.

Elsewhere around town tonight, trumpeter Bob Ceccarini will play "Tin Pan Alley and the Music of Jerome Kern" in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. And although the Thursday night jam sessions hosted for several months by guitarist Tom Byrne at Highway 61 Roadhouse have ended, two new weekly events have begun downtown on Thursdays that may help fill the gap: Clave Sol, led by pianist Phil Gomez, now are hosting a Latin jazz jam session downtown at Lola, while retro-style singer Miss Jubliee will be performing swing, jazz and blues at Thaxton Speakeasy, 1009 Olive.

Tomorrow night, guitarist Dave Black and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis will play for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Though the two veterans of the Webster University jazz faculty are capable of tackling a variety of musical styles, the promo material from Jazz St. Louis for the show says they'll be doing "straight ahead jazz," though likely with at least few twists along the way.

Also on Friday, Colorado-based saxophonist Josh Quinlan will be in town for a gig with his Funky Fresh Trio at Robbie's House of Jazz; and the new music ensemble eighth blackbird - the Chicagoans prefer the lower case - will perform at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Over on the east side, pianist Tim Garcia leads a trio at Cigar Inn in Belleville, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham is back at Jazz on Broadway in Alton.

On Saturday afternoon, saxophonist Wilie Akins will perform at the Metropolitan Gallery as part of the Nu-Art Series' "Tenor Madness Project." Also on Saturday afternoon, the touring musical revue In The Mood, featuring music from Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and other Swing Era idols, plays the first of two shows at the Touhill, with a second performance in the evening. Then on Saturday night, trumpeter Randy Holmes will lead a sextet in a tribute to Art Blakey at Robbie's.

On Sunday afternoon, singer Wendy Gordon will present "Under the Rainbow," another performance in her "A Jazz Heaven" series, at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. Jeanne Trevor, who starred alongside Gordon in earlier editions of the production, is back to sing music associated with Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan, along with a cast featuring singers Joe Mancuso, Chuck Flowers and Barbara Helmer, poet Clayton McCants, narrator Sheila Reed, and a band including Adrian Bowers (trumpet), Chad Evans (saxophones), Arthur Toney (piano), Jeff Anderson (bass), and Gary Sykes (drums).

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band will be back for their monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. And on Tuesday, the funky organ trio Downstereo, who formerly played Sunday nights at now-shuttered Delmar Lounge, have set up a weekly gig at The Crow's Nest in Maplewood.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Wendy Gordon, Jeanne Trevor and friends going "Under The Rainbow" on Sunday, October 14 at Florissant Civic Center Theatre

Wendy Gordon is staging another production in her "A Jazz Heaven" series that promises to be the most ambitious yet in the singer's budding career as a concert presenter. Set for 5:30 p.m. Sunday, October 14 at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre, "Under The Rainbow" will feature a dozen St. Louis singers and musicians in a tribute to some of the most-loved performers in jazz history.

In addition to Gordon,  who will sing songs associated with Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, Jeanne Trevor (pictured) will return to the "Jazz Heaven" cast to reprise her interpretations of the music of Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Other featured performers will include Joe Mancuso as Frank Sinatra; Chuck Flowers as Joe Williams; Barbara Helmer as Rosemary Clooney; Clayton McCants as Langston Hughes; and Sheila Reed as the narrator.

Band members Adrian Bowers (trumpet) and Chad Evans (saxophones) will do double duty, also portraying the characters of Miles Davis and Charlie Parker, respectively, with pianist Arthur Toney, bassist Jeff Anderson and drummer Gary Sykes holding it all together as the show's rhythm section.

Tickets for "A Jazz Heaven: Under The Rainbow" are $25 for reserved seats, $23 for groups of 10 or more, and can be purchased by calling 314-921-5678 or online from the Florissant Civic Center Theatre site.

Jazz this week: Bobby Broom & Deep Blue Organ Trio, Bonerama, Kirk Whalum, SPOKE, Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival, St. Louis Jazz Club picnic & more

It's shaping up to be a busy weekend for live jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with several touring musicians and bands in town, plus some noteworthy free events that should appeal to those looking for some budget-friendly entertainment. Let's go to the highlights...

On Thursday night, Chicago guitarist Bobby Broom, best known as a longtime sideman to saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and his Deep Blue Organ Trio will be in town for a one-nighter at Robbie's House of Jazz.

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University opens its season with a free concert from saxophonist Freddie Washington; and the Bosman Twins, guitarist Daryl Darden and poet Cheryl D.S. Walker will perform a free concert at Schlafly Branch Library in the Central West End.

On Friday, the New Orleans-based band Bonerama will be back in town, this time at The Gramophone. Also on Friday, singer Jeanne Trevor will do a free outdoor concert sponsored by Ferguson CityWalk at the Plaza at 501 in Ferguson; saxophonist Jerry Greene and singer Sarah Jane Ulrich team up for an evening of double-entendre songs at Robbie's; and guitarist Mason Baran leads a quartet with vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, bassist Ben Wheeler and drummer Joe Winstein-Hibbs at the Cigar Inn.

Then on Saturday, it's the annual Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival, a free, all-day outdoor event in the old business district of Webster Groves that features two stages and ten bands, including the St. Louis Ragtimers, Dave Black, Jim Stevens, and the Webster University jazz faculty.

Also on Saturday, the Broadway Oyster Bar presents the seventh annual edition of Funkfest, an all-day event featuring eight bands including the Funky Butt Brass Band, Lamar Harris, Teddy Presberg, and others.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club will host their annual picnic at the Concord Farmers Club. The event is free and open to the public and will feature live music from Utter Chaos and Banjos & Brass.

Also on Sunday, saxophonist Kirk Whalum will be playing at the Sheldon Concert Hall as part of a fundraiser for the Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and that evening, bassist and St. Louis native Dan Loomis brings his post-bop quartet SPOKE (pictured) back home for a free concert at Parkway United Church of Christ.

Looking beyond the week, on Monday drummer Joe Pastor's trio returns to BB's Jazz Blues and Soups, and on Tuesday, fusion group Steizuello plays a "Notes From Home" concert at the Sheldon.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Victor Wooten, Reggie and Mardra Thomas, and more

Though many StLJN readers may be getting time off for Independence Day, and some even enjoying a bit of additional vacation this week, the business of live jazz and creative music goes on. Here are few of the highlights happening in and around St. Louis for the next few days:

With regard to tonight, while there are a number of regular weekly gigs that usually happen around town on Wednesdays, remember that holiday schedules can be unpredictable in the bar/restaurant business. So while StLJN hasn't received any cancellation notices, we suggest that if you're setting out for a particular destination it would be a very good idea to call ahead first to make sure they're open (and that live music is going on as scheduled).

Tomorrow night, bassist Victor Wooten will be back in town to perform at the Old Rock House. Wooten (pictured) was here earlier this year with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, but this time around, he'll be promoting the upcoming release of his latest solo project, set for release in September. For more about that and Wooten, and to see some video clips of him in action, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Thursday, singer Jeanne Trevor, saxophonist Willie Akins, pianist and singer Curt Landes, and bassist Willem von Hombracht will team up for a show at Joe's Cafe, the house concert space and gallery operated by artist Bill Christman at 6014 Kingsbury Ave. in the Central West End.

On Friday and Saturday, pianist Reggie Thomas and singer Mardra Thomas will be at Jazz at the Bistro, returning to St. Louis for their first performances here since moving to Michigan last year so that Reggie could teach at Michigan State University. Look for the Thomases to be accompanied on the gig by some of Reggie's former musical colleagues from the SIUE jazz faculty, and for a good turnout at the Bistro to welcome the couple back home.

Also on Friday, saxophonist Tim Cunningham will be back at Jazz on Broadway; retro swing band Wack-A-Doo will perform at the Map Room; and pianist James Matthews will lead a trio at the Wine Press.

On Saturday, swing and jump blues band Miss Jubilee at the Humdingers will play in a free outdoor concert at Benton Park, which is at the intersection of Jefferson and Arsenal on the south side. They're second on the bill, following the Johnny Cash tribute act One More Round.

Then on Sunday, there are a couple more free outdoor shows, as the St. Louis Ragtimers perform in a concert at Carondelet Park, and the St. Charles Community Big Band will play at Frontier Park on the river in old St. Charles.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: New Year's Eve and more

The week between Christmas and New Year's usually is fairly quiet for live jazz in St. Louis, and New Year's Eve, contrary to what you might think, hasn't been an especially busy night either in recent years. Nevertheless, there are a few noteworthy shows coming up, and a handful of NYE jazz performances as well. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, Robbie's House of Jazz continues its policy of periodically presenting little-known young musicians with the debut of the Andrew Williams/Tim Aubuchon Quartet, featuring up-and-coming saxophonists Williams and Aubuchon with Chris Turnbaugh on bass and Brian Steever on drums.

On Friday, Wack-A-Doo plays at the Map Room in Soulard; drummer Paul Shaw's trio with Daryl Mixon (bass) and Ptah Williams (piano) will be at Cigar Inn; and Robbie's will feature guitarist Stan Stapleton and his band in a tribute to Santana. Also on Friday, singer Dean Christopher, pianist Carolbeth True and bassist Dave Troncoso will perform at the Frontenac Grill.

New Year's Eve offerings on Saturday night include singer Erin Bode (pictured) and her band at Cyrano's; saxophonist Tim Cunningham , singer Anita Jackson and keyboard player/singer Jeremiah Allen at Jazz on Broadway; and guitarist Eric Slaughter's trio with singer Erika Johnson at Robbie's.

Meanwhile, Jazz at the Bistro once again will be dark on New Year's Eve this year, as the club's location in the Grand Center neighborhood puts it near the center of the annual First Night celebration, which runs from 6 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. The alcohol-free event features a variety of live entertainment and "family friendly" activities, and includes a number of performers who may be of interest to jazz fans, including singers Wendy Gordon and Jeanne Trevor and the husband-and-wife piano/vocal duo Joe Dryer and Rosemary Watts at the Kranzberg Arts Center; Le Jazz Hot at St. Francis Xavier College Church; Samba Bom and Kim Massie at the Sheldon; and Funky Butt Brass Band at the Third Baptist Church.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

(Edited 12/29/11 to fix a typo and add the Dean Christopher/Carolbeth True gig.)

Jazz this week: Take 6, David Torkanowsky & Peter Martin, U City Jazz Festival, and more

As fall officially begins, it's another fairly busy week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, so let's go straight to the highlights:

Tonight, the vocal group Take 6 will make their debut at Jazz at the Bistro, continuing with two sets a night through Saturday. Though primarily known as gospel and pop performers, Take 6 do have some jazz cred as well, both for the lush harmonies they've deployed skillfully throughout their career, and more specifically for their 2008 CD The Standard, which featured interpretations of jazz-associated songs ranging from "Sweet Georgia Brown" to "Seven Steps To Heaven." Presumably, they'll be leaning on that material a good bit this week, and perhaps doing some tunes from the more R&B-oriented album Beautiful World (2002) as well.

On Thursday, bassist Tom Kennedy is back in town to lead a trio with guitarist Bill Lenihan and drummer Miles Vandiver in a free concert for for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Then on Friday evening, Peter Martin continues his ongoing concert series at the Sheldon, this time teaming up with New Orleans pianist David Torkanowsky (pictured) for a duo piano concert. Torkanowsky perhaps is best known for his work with the band Astral Project, but he has collaborated with many New Orleans musicians, including the Meters and various members of the Neville family.

Also on Friday, bassist Willem von Hombracht will lead a group featuring saxophonist Eric Schugren (from NYC) and drummer Cornell Fauler (from LA) at Robbie's House of Jazz; and guitarist Daryl Darden will bring a trio to the Cigar Inn in Belleville.

Saturday brings the first-ever U City Jazz Festival, a free, all-day outdoor event held in Heman Park on Olive Blvd. Performers will include singer Jeanne Trevor, Latin jazz band Clave Sol, the Classical Jazz Quartet, a student group billed as the U City Young Lions, and a band led by drummer Maurice Carnes that will do a tribute to John Coltrane. The event also will include a workshop for student musicians led by Carnes, guitarist Bill Lenihan and pianist Kara Baldus Vandiver. Also on Saturday, saxophonist Greg Lewis and Press Play will perform at Robbie's.

On Sunday, the eclectic string ensemble Bridge, with guitarist Dave Black, will play a concert at the Wildey Theatre in Edwardsville.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday pianist Kim Portnoy will lead a group in performance of some of his original compositions at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium, and on Tuesday, the Bosman Twins are featured in a free outdoor concert at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park as part of the museum's Twilight Tuesdays series.

For more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)