So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Kendrick Smith was interviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, talking about this Saturday's jazz fundraiser show at the Grandel Theatre's "Open Air" tent. There's also a short video accompanying the article.

* Also from Kevin Johnson in the Post, pianist and singer John McDaniel talks up his return engagement tomorrow night at Blue Strawberry.

* Stories, the forthcoming album from bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured), is previewed in an article in Bass magazine. The album is set for release by Autumn Hill Records on Friday, May 21.

* The Sheldon Art Galleries will open a new exhibit of musical instruments created by local students on Friday, April 30 in the AT&T Children's Gallery.

* An interview with drummer Dave Weckl by Daniel Durchholz in the Post-Dispatch discusses Weckl's new live album, his recent move back to the St. Louis area, and more.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpet player Kasimu Taylor (pictured) was the subject of a feature story by the St. Louis American's Sylvester Brown.

* Writing in London Jazz News, journalist Jonathan Gee details the "10 Tracks By Miles Davis I Can't Do Without."

* Drummer Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, were the featured guests on this week's episode of the "All That's Jazz" podcast.

* Pianist, singer and St. Louis native John McDaniel celebrated his 60th birthday last week, and Playbill magazine commemorated the occasion with a retrospective of photos from his Broadway career.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor (pictured), have launched a campaign via IndieGoGo to crowd-fund the next album by their group The Baylor Project.

* Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX reviewed recent shows at Blue Strawberry by David Giuntoli and John McDaniel.

* In related stories, St. Louis Public Radio's Sarah Fenske interviewed cabaret artists Beverly Brennan, Robert Brieg and Dionna Raedeke about upcoming shows at Blue Strawberry; and the venue also was the subject of a brief feature story from St. Louis magazine's Melissa Meinzer.

* Another item at St. Louis Public Radio's website notes the retirement of "Jazz Unlimited" host Dennis Owsley, mostly reiterating information already made public, but also adding the intriguing tidbit that "jazz music will continue on 90.7 KWMU-1 on Sunday nights from 9 to midnight" without any specifics. So, stay tuned...

* The Northsider has posted to Facebook a photo album from the Funky Butt Brass Band's early Saturday matinee of last weekend's "Holiday Brasstravaganza."

* With the southside venue Foam closing permanently this week, the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson took a look back at a decade of shows there.

* The Bosman Twins were interviewed by ChicagoJazz.com in advance of their gig this week at Winters Jazz Club.

* Trumpeter George C. Davis, one of the founders of the Jazz Edge Orchestra, has died.

Jazz this week: Nate Smith + Kinfolk, John McDaniel, Funky Butt Brass Band, and more

The week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a top drummer's local debut as a bandleader, a holiday homecoming from a well-known St. Louis native, the season's last holiday-themed shows, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 18
Drummer Nate Smith (pictured, top left) and his band KINFOLK will perform for the first of five nights, continuing through Sunday at Jazz St. Louis.

Known for his work with bassist Dave Holland, saxophonist Chris Potter and more, Smith named his band after his debut album as a bandleader, which came out in 2017 and earned praise from critics - NPR Music lauded its "catchy, singable melodies and spring-loaded backbeats" - as well as a couple of Grammy nominations for Smith for "best instrumental composition" and "best arrangement." The five-piece ensemble's week-long run should give them plenty of time to expound on the material from that album, and more.

Also on Wednesday, singer Erin Bode will present a "Holiday Concert" at the Wildey Theatre. (At publication time, this show was nearly sold out; call ahead for ticket availability.)

Elsewhere in Grand Center, this week's "Wednesday Night Jazz Crawl" features traditional jazz band Annie and the Fur Trappers at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, December 19
The Dark Room has a double-header of live jazz, with guitarist Dave Black at the dinner hour and keyboardist Ryan Marquez and his trio taking over for the late-night sets.

Also on Thursday, singer David Giuntoli evokes the styles of Sinatra and Bennett in "A Swinging Holiday Soiree" at Blue Strawberry; and the Bruxism experimental music series returns to the Schlafly Tap Room with a triple bill including JoAnn McNeil, Wamhoda (aka Dan Wamhoff), and Grass Whistle, a collaboration between series organizer NNN Cook and multi-instrumentalist David Burnett.

Friday, 
December 20
The Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured, bottom left) gets their "Holiday Brasstravaganza" underway with a show at Delmar Hall, followed by two matinees and another evening show on Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, pianist, singer and Kirkwood native John McDaniel, known for his work on Broadway and as musical director for actor/comedian Rosie O'Donnell's TV show, is back home from NYC to present "A John McDaniel Christmas" at Blue Strawberry.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee returns to the Casa Loma Ballroom, and guitarist Joe Park's trio will play music associated with jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery at Focal Point.

Saturday, December 21
The Broadway Collective returns with guest vocalist Cara Dineen to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; bassist and singer Janet Evra performs at Evangeline's; and singer Ken Haller reprises his "Happy HallerDays!" cabaret show at Blue Strawberry.

Sunday, December 22
Singer and impressionist Dean Christopher will present his 'Rat Pack and More' Christmas show one more time this season at St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre.

Monday, December 23
Singer Robert Nelson will serve up some seasonal songs and more at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Singer and St. Louis native Alicia Olatuja (pictured) has signed a contract with Resilience Records, which will release her next album Intuition - Songs from the Minds of Women on February 1, 2019.

* Trumpeter Chris Botti, who performs with the St. Louis Symphony tonight at Powell Hall, was interviewed by Kevin Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

* "1968: Let The Sunshine In," the new cabaret show by St. Louis native John McDaniel and Barb Jungr, is the subject of a brief feature on BroadwayWorld.com. The show plays this Saturday (October 27) at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

* The concert by pianist and singer Jon Batiste last Saturday at The Sheldon was reviewed by Daniel Durchholz for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

* Also for the Post-Dispatch, Durchholz interviewed singer, songwriter and pianist Jimmy Webb, who's performing in sold-out shows on Sunday and Monday for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival.  

* The Baylor Project, led by drummer and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, was the subject of a brief feature in the Pittsburgh Current.

* Electronic musician Eric Hall has posted to Bandcamp an album of live recordings made during various tour dates this fall in Chicago, Louisville, Indianapolis, and elsewhere.

* Singer and pianist Billy Stritch will headline a fund-raising event for The Cabaret Project of St. Louis on Friday, December 7 at the St. Louis Club in Clayton.

* The results of this year's DownBeat Readers Poll are out, and there's a winner with a St. Louis connection, as Miles Davis & John Coltrane, The Final Tour: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 6 got the most votes in the "Historical Album" category.

* Saxquest will present their 2018 Woodwind Musical Instrument Expo from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 17 at the Donald D Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus of St. Charles Community College.

Participating manufacturers will include Buffet-Crampon, Selmer, Yamaha, Yanagisawa, Keilwerth, P. Mauriat, Eastman, Haynes, Powell, Muramatsu, Fox, Loree, BG, D'Addario and Vandoren, and attendees at the free event can pre-register to get access to a private sound room and more.

* The 2018 St. Louis International Film Festival, which will take place Thursday, November 1 through Sunday, November 11 at various venues around town, will include a couple of documentaries that may be of particular interest to StLJN readers.

The Jazz Ambassadors, which premiered earlier this year on PBS, will be shown at 4:00 p.m. Saturday, November 4 at Brown Hall on the Washington University campus. It tells the story of how American jazz musicians including Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie toured the world during the Cold War on behalf of the US Government, examining the contradictions they faced in promoting the ideal of equality abroad while enduring segregation at home.

Also of interest, Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes will be screened at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, November 11 at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus, followed immediately by a performance by pianist Adam Maness' trio. The film "explores the vision behind the iconic American jazz label...through current recording sessions, rare archival footage, and conversations with iconic Blue Note artists."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis is now accepting applications for 2018 Artist Support Grants.

The grants range in amount from $500 to $3000, and are available to individual artists of all disciplines for a variety of purposes, including equipment and materials, rental space, arts-related travel, conference fees, project completion, salaries, professional and artistic development, training, and other resources.

Applications are due by Thursday, March 15, and RAC will present the first of three free "how to apply" workshops this coming Monday, February 5 at their headquarters.

* Last Sunday's performance by trombonist Ryan Keberle and Catharsis at The Dark Room was reviewed for DownBeat magazine by Terry Perkins.

* Pianist Peter Martin talked with the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson about his benefit concert for Metro Theater Company this Saturday night and the troupe's upcoming production of the "concert play" Bud, Not Buddy.

* In a couple of related conversations, trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard talked about his original score for Bud, Not Buddy in interviews with St. Louis Public Radio's Alex Heuer and the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold's new album The Mugician was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Thomas Earl. 

* KTVI - FOX2 News is looking for "bands of all genres" to perform live on their 9:00 a.m. weekday newscast. According to a post on Facebook from the station's Kim Hudson, they "need to see videos with clean lyrics and content appropriate for morning television. It always helps if you brag on yourself, too. So, let us know what concerts you have coming up and what big things you have done in the past. Send those videos and all that info to kim.hudson@tvstl.com."

* The 60th anniversary of the release of the movie Elevator to the Gallows, directed by Louis Malle and featuring a soundtrack by Miles Davis (pictured, with the film's star Jeanne Moreau), was noted in articles on LittleWhiteLies.com, DVDTalk.com, and Film School Rejects. 

* And speaking of Miles Davis, a post this week on OpenCulture.com highlights a Spotify playlist featuring 65 hours of Davis' music in chronological order of release.

* Jazz St. Louis is looking to hire an executive assistant to work with the executive director/CEO and the director of development. You can find details on the job and how to apply here.

* The Baylor Project, fronted by drummer and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, were the subject of a brief feature by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson published before last Sunday's Grammy Awards ceremony.

The Baylors, who were nominated for Grammys in two different categories, unfortunately did not take home any trophies on Sunday night, but they will be coming to St. Louis to make their local debut at Jazz at the Bistro from Wednesday, March 28 through Saturday, March 31.

The Baylors on Thursday also shared via email a compilation of photos and social media posts documenting their "Grammy Week" experiences.

* Last Saturday's performance by singer Barb Jungr and pianist/singer John McDaniel at the Kranzberg Arts Center was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

* Family and friends of Nathan Jatcko are setting up a scholarship in the late pianist's name at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Donations may be made online at http://www.siue.edu/give or by mail to Kyle Moore, Director of Development, College of Arts & Sciences, SIUE Foundation, Box 5048, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL 62026. The memo line on a check should read "Nathan Jatcko." Anyone with questions about online giving can contact Moore via email at kymoore (at) siue.edu or by phone at 618-650‑5048.

A "celebration of the life and music of Nathan Jatcko" also is planned for next Friday, February 8 at Off Broadway.

Jazz this week: Maceo Parker, Barb Jungr & John McDaniel, Ryan Keberle, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features one of the godfathers of funk saxophone, cabaret interpretations of the music of the Beatles, the return of a popular free concert series, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 24
Saxophonist Maceo Parker opens a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Parker (pictured, top left) made his reputation in the 1970s and '80s as a member of James Brown's band, the JBs. He went on to play with George Clinton's P-Funk organization and numerous others, and over the last 20 years has developed a busy solo career extending and adding his own flavor to Brown's funk legacy.

Listeners at the Bistro can expect to hear interpretations of material like "Cold Sweat" and "Pass The Peas" from Brown's catalog as well as originals featuring Parker's tart, angular alto solos.

Also on Wednesday, the Ambassadors of Swing provide the music for "Shake And Shout Wednesdays," the first of what's projected as a monthly series of swing dance events at Tin Roof St. Louis; and Miss Jubilee and The Gaslight Squares perform on a double bill at The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy as part of the venue's week of shows with free admission.

Thursday, January 25
Saxophonist Richard Deja leads a quartet in the first free concert of the semester from the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and singer Feyza Eren returns to Evangeline's.

Friday, January 26
Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart and The Collective play a late show at The Dark Room.

Saturday. January 27
Singer Barb Jungr and singer, pianist and Kirkwood native John McDaniel will present two performances of their cabaret show based on the music of The Beatles at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Sunday, January 28
Trombonist Ryan Keberle and his band Catharsis will perform at The Dark Room.

The NYC-based Keberle and band (pictured, bottom left) are in the Midwest for a week of one-nighters in support of their fourth album Find the Common, Shine the Light, which the Los Angeles Times called “a potent blend of cinematic sweep and lush, ear-grabbing melodies.”

Monday, January 29
Members of Webster University's jazz faculty will present a program called "As If It Were the Seasons" at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus. Singer Debby Lennon, saxophonist Paul DeMarinis, pianist Nick Schlueter, bassist Ben Wheeler and drummer Nick Savage will perform a "repertoire that reflects on the distinct character of each of the four seasons," drawing on songs including "You Must Believe in Spring," "Summer in Central Park," "Autumn Nocturne" and more.

Tuesday, January 30
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective play their monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, part 2

This week, it's part two of StLJN's winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, featuring videos of the jazz and creative music performers who will be visiting St. Louis in the first few months of the new year. (You can see part one here.)

Picking up in mid-January where last week's installment ended, the first video up above features singer Storm Large, who will be returning to perform on Wednesday, January 17 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Large has presented her cabaret show here a couple of times before, but this concert will feature her band Le Bonheur, who back her up in this 2014 performance of "I've Got You Under My Skin."

That same week, The Bad Plus will return to St. Louis to present their first-ever live shows featuring their new pianist Orrin Evans, starting Wednesday, January 17 and continuing through Saturday, January 20 at Jazz at the Bistro.

With founding pianist Ethan Iverson' departure from the trio being a long-planned event, Evans already has recorded an album, Never Stop 2, with TBP, but will be making his live-performance debut with group during their St. Louis run.

Given those circumstances, there's really no way to "preview" their shows here, but after the jump, you can see a performance by the original TBP lineup from this year's Moers Festival in Germany, followed by a clip of Evans, rethinking the standard "Autumn Leaves" with bassist Vicente Archer and drummer Obed Calvaire, in 2012 at NYC's Jazz Standard.

The same night TBP concludes their run, Grand Center also will be the site of a "Winter Jazz Fest" at the Grandel Theatre, featuring a headlining performance by Yellowjackets, plus saxophonist Eric Marienthal performing with St. Louis' own Bach to the Future, and more.

The next clip, shot by the prolific St. Louis videographer James Ross, shows Yellowjackets performing "Civil War" during their last visit here in September of this year at Jazz at the Bistro.

After that, there's a video of Marienthal playing Eddie Harris' "Cold Duck Time" at Vandojam 2017, an event presented by the reed and mouthpiece manufacturer Vandoren at the 2017 NAMM show in Los Angeles.

Next up is saxophonist Maceo Parker, who's playing Wednesday, January 24 through Saturday, January 27 at the Bistro, making his long-awaited debut at that venue. Parker can be seen in today's sixth clip performing "Pass the Peas" in August 2017 at the Music Box in San Diego, CA.

While Parker is funking up the Bistro on Saturday night, a couple of blocks away the Kranzberg Arts Center will present "Come Together - Barb Jungr & John McDaniel Perform The Beatles" on Saturday, January 27.

This is the St. Louis debut of a show that Jungr, a British-born cabaret singer, and McDaniel, the pianist, singer and Kirkwood native who gained national celebrity as musical director for Rosie O'Donnell's talk show, have been doing for a couple of years now. In the penultimate video, a promotional clip featuring excerpts from several songs, you can get an idea as to how they go about reinterpreting the Fab Four's catalog.

Last but not least, today's final video features pianist Cyrus Chestnut, who will be back with his trio to perform starting Wednesday, January 31 through Saturday, February 3 at the Bistro.

Chestnut, a familiar visitor to St. Louis who last played here in May, 2016 at The Sheldon, can be seen in fine form with bassist Michael Hawkins and drummer Neal Smith, playing a whole set recorded in August 2017 at the Montclair Jazz Festival in New Jersey.

Look for part three of StLJN's winter/spring 2018 jazz preview next week in this space. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Jazz this week: Tim Warfield's Jazzy All-Star Christmas, Goran Ivanovic Trio, and more

This looks like the week when the St. Louis jazz and creative music calendar hits "peak holiday music," with seasonally themed shows taking place every night and/or day for the next seven days. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 14
"Tim Warfield's All-Star Jazzy Christmas," will open a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro.

A touring holiday-themed production led by the saxophonist and Philadelphia native (pictured), the Philly-centric ensemble includes trumpeter Terell Stafford, vibraphonist Stefon Harris, pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Rodney Whitaker, drummer Clarence Penn, and singer Joanna Pascale, who spoke briefly with St. Louis magazine about the gig in an interview here.

For more about how the presentation first came together a few years back, check out a brief video interview with Warfield here.

Thursday, December 15
Singer Erin Bode will present a concert of original music and holiday favorites at the Wildey Theatre, while new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound explores the history of composer John Adams' Chamber Symphony in a program called "Splitting Adams" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Friday,
December 16
Native St. Louisans turned Broadway and cabaret stars John McDaniel and Lennie Watts return to team up for the first of two nights of a show titled "Celebrate Me Home" at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Also on Friday, Chicago-based guitarist Goran Ivanovic (pictured, bottom left) returns to play a trio gig at Pop's Blue Moon; and the Funky Butt Brass Band presents the first of two nights of their annual "Holiday Brasstravaganza" - this year also featuring a "kid-friendly" matinee on Saturday afternoon - at Off Broadway.

Elsewhere around town, Second Generation Swing plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe.

Saturday, December 17
Pianist Carolbeth True will be part of two different holiday shows, performing with her group Two Times True and the Webster Groves Christian Church Chancel Choir for a free matinee of "A Jazz and Choral Christmas" at the Webster Groves Christian Church, then teaming with singer Debbie Lennon for a holiday performance that evening at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Saturday, singer Joe Mancuso returns with his organ trio to Bartolino's South, and Danbury Street performs at Evangeline's.

Sunday, December 18
The Oîkos Ensemble will present a matinee performance of "Jazz Noel - A Christmas Celebration" at the First Congregational Church in Webster Groves.

Monday, December 19
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band plays Ellington’s “Nutcracker” for the first of three nights continuing through Wednesday at Jazz at the Bistro. 

Tuesday, December 20
The 442s will present a "Holiday Spectacular" featuring material from their new album Home For Christmas plus guest stars including singer Erin Bode and pianist Peter Martin at 560 Music Center; and jazz-fusion band Wright's Project returns to the Signature Room.

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: Bucky Pizzarelli & John Pizzarelli, Tatsuya Nakatani, Bhob Rainey, Dave Dickey Big Band, and more

This weekend's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a few final chances to hear some holiday jazz, as well as music from a famed father-and-son team of guitarists and two evenings featuring touring free improvisors. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, guitarists Bucky Pizzarelli and John Pizzarelli open a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro, continuing through Saturday.  While John Pizzarelli is a St. Louis favorite who has appeared here many times at the Bistro and elsewhere, this will be the first time in recent years that he's played here with his dad. (For more about the Pizzarellis, and some video clips of them playing together, please check out this post from a couple of weeks ago.)

As you might expect, demand for tickets has been brisk, and as of this writing, Jazz St. Louis reports that the early shows for all four nights are essentially sold out, with just a few tickets remaining for the late shows.

Also tonight, singer Feyza Eren performs at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra performs big band versions of some holiday favorites at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company; and Cabaret Project St. Louis will hold their monthly open mic at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Tomorrow night, downtown will reverberate with danceable swing and jump blues as played by Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups and/or Miss Jubilee at Thaxton Speakeasy.

On Friday, fans of adventurous improv will want to check out percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani (pictured) and his Gong Orchestra at Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center; while those still seeking additional Christmas spirit will find it in plentiful supply at the first of two nights of the Funky Butt Brass Band's annual Holiday Brasstravaganza at Off Broadway.

That same evening, pianist and St. Louis native John McDaniel has sold out two performances of his show "Home For The Holidays" at Kranzberg Arts Center, so if you don't have tickets, your only option at this point is to hope for a last-minute cancellation.

Elsewhere around town on Friday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black are back at Chaser's Lounge in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; singer Ann Dueren and her trio will be at Il Bel Lago; and guitarist
Tom Byrne leads a trio at Thurman Grill.  Also on Friday, singer Nicholas Brooks, who's originally from East St. Louis and has played Vegas and toured nationally as Sammy Davis Jr. in a "Rat Pack" themed show, will present the first of two Christmas-themed performances this weekend Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Saturday, crooner Gene Lynn will help inaugurate the upstairs performance space at Nathalie's, a new restaurant occupying the space at 4356 Lindell in the Central West End that formerly was home to Salt and before that, Savor and the Cabaret at Savor. Also on Saturday, keyboardist Jesse Prather and his band Jus4U with singer Adrianne Felton will present a "Smooth Jazz Christmas Concert" at Jazz on Broadway.

On Sunday, you've got a couple of final chances to get a holiday music fix, as percussionist Joe Pastor plays what's being billed as a "Christmas Jazz Show" at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and the Dave Dickey Big Band promises some seasonal sounds during their last monthly gig of the year at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company. As a bonus, the Webster Groves High School jazz ensemble will perform Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite" during the Dickey band's intermission.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Dizzy Atmosphere will play at The Shaved Duck, and the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center will present another concert in their new "Quiet Music" Series, incorporating the annual Christmas week visit from improvising saxophonist Bhob Rainey into a show that also will feature music from Greg Farough and Mark Sarich.

Due to the holidays, the next "jazz this week" post her won't appear until Thursday, December 26. Until then, 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.)

A guide to this year's holiday jazz in St. Louis

The holiday season always brings with it plenty of thematic music, and those who like to mix some jazz with their jingle bells will have plenty of opportunities this month in St. Louis. Here's a quick look at some noteworthy holiday shows planned by local jazz musicians:

Brian Owens - "Soul of the Season"
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 4
Centene Center for Arts & Education, 3547 Olive
Though Owens at one point a couple of years ago explicitly denied being a jazz singer, he's included here due to the presence of his special guests, pianist Peter Martin and The 442s, who seem likely to infuse at least a bit of improvisational sensibility into the proceedings. $20 & $30.

Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at the Anheuser Busch Holiday Lights Walking Tour
6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, December 6
Anheuser Busch, 1200 Lynch St.
Tours of the annual light display at the St. Louis HQ of A-B are something of a local holiday tradition, and this year's lineup of musical accompaniment includes the swing and jump blues of singer Sarah Ulrich and her band. They'll perform again at the same time on December 21 and 28. Free and open to the public.

Sarah Jane & Friends - "All Holiday Revue"
8:00 p.m. Saturday, December 7
Robbie's House of Jazz
Continuing in the holiday spirit, Ulrich also has assembled a cast of Blue Notes and special guests for a holiday themed show at the Webster Groves jazz club. $10, $5 for students with ID.

"Follow That Star: A Jazz Nativity" featuring Oikos Ensemble
7:00 p.m. Saturday, December 7
First Congregational United Church of Christ, 10 W. Lockwood Ave., 63119
Now that saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie is based here in St. Louis, his group Oikos Ensemble is performing regularly as part of a monthly series at Kirkwood United Church of Christ, and this year they'll also be bringing their Christmas concert to several churches in the area. In addition to the Rev. Aerie on sax and his daughter, singer Arianna Aerie, the group includes singer Kim Fuller, pianist Carolbeth True, trumpeter Danny Campbell, bassist Dave Troncoso, and drummer Kevin Gianino.

They'll perform "Follow That Star" again at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 8 at Parkway United Church of Christ, 2841 N. Ballas Rd.,  and at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, December 14 at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 20 E. Fifth St. in Washington. Performances are free and open to the public, but donations will be accepted.

UMSL's Jazz for the Holidays
3:00 p.m. Sunday, December 8
Touhill Performing Arts Center
UMSL's annual presentation "showcases upbeat holiday classics with a jazzy flair," performed by UMSL's Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Jim Widner; choral ensemble Vocal Point, conducted by Jim Henry; and the University Orchestra, conducted by Robert Charles Howard. Free and open to the public.

Jazz St. Louis Big Band plays Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker Suite"
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 11
Jazz at the Bistro
The newly formed Jazz St. Louis Big Band, featuring numerous alumni of the jazz program at SIUE, will perform Ellington’s re-imagining of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker as well as other Ducal classics including “Take the A-Train,” “Cottontail,” “Koko,” “The Mooche,” and more, all played from the original charts.

"Feliz Navidad" with Musica Slesa
7:30 p.m. & 9::30 p.m., Friday, December 13 and Saturday, December 14
Jazz at the Bistro
The Latin-jazz band made up of area music educators offers their take on some seasonal favorites. $25, $10 for students with ID.

John McDaniel - "Home For The Holidays"
7:00 p.m. & 9:00 p.m., Friday, December 20
Kranzberg Arts Center
The Kirkwood native, who's known for his successes in cabaret and on Broadway as well as his six-year, Emmy Award-winning stint as pianist and musical director for Rosie O'Donnell's TV show, returns home with a show featuring guest singers Mary Beth Black and Cindy Degnan. $25.

Funky Butt Brass Band Holiday Brasstravaganza
9:00 p.m., Friday, December 20 & Saturday, December 21
Off Broadway
St. Louis' own New Orleans-style brass band stages the fifth annual edition of their holiday show, now expanded to two nights and no doubt featuring additional seasonal shenanigans and related tomfoolery. Advance tickets are $12 for 21+, $15 for under 21; day of show prices are $15 and $18.

Joe Pastor Christmas Jazz Show
8:00 p.m. Sunday, December 22
BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups
The percussionist, his trio, and perhaps some special guests will offer their take on songs of the season, all for the cost of BB's usual cover of $5 - $10. 

Do you know of any holiday jazz shows in St. Louis that we missed? If so, please share the relevant info in the comments.

Edited after posting to add the "Nutcracker Suite" info.

Cabaret St. Louis announces benefit gala, more shows for 2010

Cabaret St. Louis has announced its schedule for the first part of 2010, and will kick off the year with a benefit gala at the Sheldon Concert Hall featuring actress and singer Sutton Foster.

Foster (pictured), who has starred on Broadway in Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Little Women, Young Frankenstein and Shrek the Musical, will perform at the Sheldon on Thursday, February 4. VIP tickets are $200 each, and include priority seating, free parking and a post-concert champagne reception with Foster. Regular seats are priced at $50 and $45, and tickets at all price levels are now on sale via Metrotix.

Meanwhile, Cabaret St. Louis' winter/spring 2010 schedule announced this week would seem to downplay jazz influences while emphasizing the theatrical and pop aspects of the form.

The schedule will include performances at the Kranzberg Arts Center by Broadway and television actress Tyne Daly, with St. Louis native John McDaniel on piano (February 10-13); Lennie Watts, another St. Louis native, with a tribute to Barry Manilow (March 3–6); Eric Michael Gillett, doing songs from and about the movies (April 7-10); and Karen Akers in "Anything Goes," a collection of Cole Porter songs (April 28-May 1).

Tickets for all of these shows go on sale next Monday, December 14 via Metrotix.