Jazz this week: Robert Glasper, Geoffrey Keezer, Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas," and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features performances from two top-shelf piano players, plus a whole lineup of holiday performances and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 12
Pianist Robert Glasper will perform with his trio for the first of five nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Glasper (pictured, top left), has spent the past year working on a variety of projects, including dates with the electrified "supergroup" R+R=NOW, production work for several other artists, and a month-long residency in October at the Blue Note in NYC, so a week's worth of shows with his trio should be a prime opportunity for some back-to-basics music-making for the versatile pianist.

Also on Wednesday, the "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the Beto Jazz Trio at The Stage at KDHX, the weekly jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Thursday, December 13
Pianist Geoffrey Keezer (pictured, center left) leads a trio in a one-night-only concert at pianist Peter Martin's Open Studio, located inside the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive St. in the Grand Center district.

Starting as an 18-year-old phenom with Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, Keezer over the last three decades has compiled an impressive list of credits and recordings, working with current stars like Christian McBride and Chris Botti as well as elders like Blakey, bassist Ray Brown and Benny Golson. You can check out some samples of his playing on video in this post from two Saturdays ago.

Also on Thursday, singer Erin Bode returns to Edwardsville for her annual show at the Wildey Theatre, and saxophonist Ben Reece's trio Threebird is back at The Dark Room.

Friday, 
December 14
Saxophonist Kirk Whalum (pictured, bottom left) brings this year's edition of his "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" show, with guest stars including percussionist Sheila E, and singers Lynn Mabry, John Stoddart and  Kevin Whalum, to Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church.

This is the seventh annual outing for Whalum's holiday show, and you can find out more about it and see some video samples of the saxophonist in action in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, the Funky Butt Brass Band present the first of five "Holiday Brasstravaganza" shows this year at Off Broadway. Though the family-friendly matinees already are sold out, some tickets may remain for the evening shows; call ahead or check Off Broadway's website for availability.

Elsewhere around town, the Second Generation Swing Band plays for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom, and guitarists Farshid Soltanshahi and Dave Black and multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman team up for a show at The Focal Point.

Saturday, December 15
The Oikos Ensemble, featuring saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie, pianist Carolbeth True and more, will welcome vocal ensemble Java Jived as special guests for their annual "Jazz Noel" concert at Parkway United Church of Christ. (They'll present the same program again on Sunday afternoon at the First Congregational Church in Webster Groves.)

Also on Saturday, keyboardist Mo Egeston and friends will be serving up late night grooves at The Dark Room.

Sunday, December 16
Miss Jubilee performs for brunch at Evangeline's.

Monday, December 17
The 442s and various friends. including singers Erin Bode and Brian Owens, pianist Peter Martin, and more, present the first of two performances of their "Holiday Spectacular" at 560 Music Center, with a second show set for Tuesday night. Both performances were close to selling out at publication time, so if you don't already have tickets, be sure to call ahead regarding availability.

Tuesday, December 18
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band will perform Duke Ellington's arrangements of music from Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker", plus additional Ellingtonia, for the first of three nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Tuesday, trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Rick Haydon will play at 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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz"

This week, let's take a look at some videos featuring saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who's bringing the seventh annual edition of his "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" show to St. Louis next Friday, December 14 at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church.

The show, a spinoff from Whalum's series of "Gospel According to Jazz" albums that began back in 1998, each year features several guest stars, with the 2018 lineup including percussionist and vocalist Sheila E. plus singers Lynn Mabry, John Stoddart, Kevin Whalum (who is Kirk's younger brother), and St. Louis' own Brian Owens.

You can get a feel for the mood of the evening from the first video up above, which features Whalum and fellow saxophonist Gerald Albright on a medley of holiday tunes recorded in 2015 at Molloy College in New York.

After the jump, you can see singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler and Whalum, recorded last year here in St. Louis at the Friendly Temple by videographer James Ross, as Butler offers his interpretation of the seasonal staple "Sleigh Ride."

The remaining four videos offer a sampling of various recent Whalum performances, starting with "Groverworked and Underpaid" as recorded at the 2017 Java Jazz Festival in Jakarta, Indonesia.

That's followed by Whalum playing "Sunday's Best," originally released in 2015 on his fourth "Gospel According to Jazz" album; and
the saxophonist and his brother Kevin Whalum in 2013 performing "My One and Only Love," from their tribute to the historic album of standards recorded in the 1960s by John Coltrane and vocalist Johnny Hartman.

Last, but not least is a version of a song included on the third album in the "Gospel..." series, "God Has Smiled On Me," featuring on vocals Kirk Whalum's uncle Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, who's now retired but was a mainstay of the St. Louis jazz scene from the Gaslight Square era through the late 2000s.

For more about Kirk Whalum, read this review of last year's holiday show by AllAboutJazz.com's K Shackleford; this feature from April 2018 about a "Gospel According to Jazz" show at the Berks Jazz Festival in Reading, PA; and this brief feature from the July 2018 Atlantic magazine, in which Whalum talks about gospel's influence on popular music.

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

Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz" featuring Sheila E, Lynn Mabry set for Friday, December 14 at Friendly Temple

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum will bring this year's edition of his "A Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" concert to St. Louis for a performance at 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 14 at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church.

Guest stars for this seventh annual presentation of the show will include percussionist Sheila E. and singers Lynn Mabry (who's been part of E's band in recent years), John Stoddart, and Kevin Whalum, plus St. Louis' own Brian Owens.

Kirk Whalum (pictured) released his first "Gospel According to Jazz" album in 1998, with three more recordings since added to the series,  and began touring the Christmas show in 2012.

Tickets for the concert are priced at $20 balcony, $35 floor, and $50 for VIP seating, and will go on sale next Sunday, November 4 at the Friendly Temple office and bookstore and online.

Jazz this week: Freddy Cole & Harry Allen, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Kirk Whalum, Chris Corsano & Darin Gray, and more

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis features lots more holiday-themed programming, with Christmas shows from two touring headliners and several local performers, plus at least a few shows that may not contain any seasonal music. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 6
Singer and pianist Freddy Cole and his frequent collaborator/guest star, tenor saxophonist Harry Allen, (pictured, top left) make their return for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

The brother of the late Nat "King" Cole, Freddy Cole shares his famous sibling's suave demeanor, relaxed vocal delivery, and appreciation for the Great American Songbook, yet has managed to carve out his own niche as an entertainer and interpreter of classic material. With Allen alongside in recent years, Cole has developed a good following here in multiple appearances over time - most recently in May 2016 at the Bistro - so advance reservations are strongly suggested.

Elsewhere around town, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra will present what they're calling "1/2 a Holiday Concert" at the Webster Groves Concert Hall, and singer Erin Bode returns to Cyrano's.

Also on Wednesday, the students in the Washington University Jazz Band will play a free concert at 560 Music Center; and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features multi-instrumentalist T.J Müller at Squatters Cafe, the jam session with bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, December 7
Speaking of Nat "King" Cole, the musical theater production "An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas," starring Chicago-based actor and singer Evan Tyrone Martin as Cole, opens a ten-day run at the Playhouse at Westport Plaza.

Also on Thursday, the Funky Butt Brass Band plays an early evening show at Blues City Deli; the Jazz at Holmes series presents a holiday concert featuring performances from Wash U students and faculty; and the Liberation Organ Trio plays at The Dark Room

Friday, December 8
NYC's Spanish Harlem Orchestra (pictured, center left) makes their St. Louis debut with their holiday show “Salsa Navidad” at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Formed 17 years ago and led by pianist Oscar Hernández, the SOH has taken the sound of New York salsa and Latin jazz to audiences all around the world, earning acclaim as accomplished, energetic and authentic representatives of those genres. You can find out more and see some video samples of them performing in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, singer Anita Jackson will perform for the late-night set at The Dark Room.

Saturday, December 9
Keyboardist, educator and East St. Louis native Reggie Thomas will be back in town to direct a "Reunion Concert" of the SIU-Edwardsville Vocal Jazz Ensemble, presented as a matinee in Monsanto Hall of the Missouri Botanical Garden's Ridgeway Visitor Center.

Then on Saturday night, The Wire Pilots with multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman and singer Lydia Ruffin will perform at The Chapel.

Sunday, 
December 10
Saxophonist Kirk Whalum (pictured, bottom left) brings this year's edition of "A Gospel According to Jazz Christmas," with special guests Jonathan Butler, Sheléa, John Stoddart, and Kevin Whalum, to the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church.

And for those in the mood for something completely different, improvising percussionist Chris Corsano and bassist Darin Gray will be teaming up to headline a show of improvised and/or experimental music at El Leñador Bar & Grill with Larva & Ghost Ice and Complainer opening.

Monday, December 11
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz for diners at The Shaved Duck, and the Webster University Jazz Singers present their "Holiday Concert" at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

Tuesday, December 12
Guitarist Vincent Varvel leads a trio at 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.)

Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz" set for Sunday, December 10 at Friendly Temple

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum is bringing his "A Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" concert back to St. Louis for a performance at 7:00 p.m. Sunday,  December 10 at the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church

Whalum (pictured) released his first "Gospel According to Jazz" recording back in 1998, with three more albums added to the series over the years, and began touring the Christmas show in 2012. This year's edition also will feature singer and guitarist Jonathan Butler, singers Sheléa, John Stoddart and Kevin Whalum (who is Kirk's brother), and special guests.

Tickets for the concert are priced at $20 balcony, $35 floor, and $50 for VIP seating, and are on sale now via the Friendly Temple office and bookstore and online.

Jazz this week: Holiday shows from Kirk Whalum, Jim Manley, and more

This week's schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis is highlighted by a lot of holiday-themed performances and several tributes marking Frank Sinatra's centenary, but there's also traditional jazz and swing, an evening of solo free improvisations, and much more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 9
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra plays a Christmas concert at the Ozark Theatre, and funk quartet The Service will take the stage for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also tonight, singer Eve Seltzer and Franglais will play Gypsy jazz and swing at Nathalie's , and pianist Brock Walker performs at Evangeline's.

Thursday, December 10
As the name implies, "Soliloquy III" at the Tavern of Fine Arts will feature a set of solo improvisations from players including pianists Greg Mills and James Hegarty, percussionist Henry Claude, cellist Tracy Andreotti, flute players Colleen O’Shea Jones and Fred Tompkins, poets Michael Castro and Ruth Garnett, and more. In the second set, the participants will combine into duos and trios for more freely improvised sounds.

Also on Thursday, singer Feyza Eren will be celebrating "A Bossa Nova Christmas" at The Emerald Room at The Monocle (a new cabaret venue at 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood); and students from Washington University's jazz performance program will show off what they've learned this term in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Wash U.

Friday, December 11
Trumpeter Jim Manley (pictured, top left) and a full band will revisit his holiday show "A Very Manley Christmas" for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, while singer Tony Viviano offers a "Happy 100th Birthday Tribute to Frank Sinatra" at Patrick's in Westport Plaza.

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi and his band return to Evangeline's; and guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson will perform at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, December 12
In two more tributes to the "Chairman of the Board," singer and impressionist Dean Christopher will present a "Holiday Rat Pack & Frank Sinatra Birthday Celebration" as a matinee at the Wildey Theatre, while the St. Louis Big Band and singer Joe Scalzitti reprise their show "Sinatra at 100" at the Maryland Heights Community Center.

Sunday, 
December 13
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents Red Lehr and the St. Louis Rivermen playing traditional jazz, swing, and probably a holiday song or two in a matinee performance at the DoubleTree Hotel at Westport.

That evening, saxophonist Kirk Whalum (pictured, lower left) brings his "Gospel According To Jazz Christmas" to the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, with a cast including his brother, singer Kevin Whalum, along with saxophonist Gerald Albright, guitarist Norman Brown, singer Shelea, and keyboardist and singer John Stoddart, plus Tiffany Mosley, Leslie Johnson, Darius Bradford, the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir, and the R.F. Specials Choirs.

Also on Sunday, jazz/fusion band Common Time teams up with singers Joe Mancuso, Debby Lennon, and Arvell Keithly Jr for a Christmas show at Blueberry Hill, with proceeds going to benefit a family from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's "100 Neediest Cases" list.

Monday, December 14
Dizzy Atmosphere will play for diners at The Shaved Duck, and trumpeter Keith Moyer and his band return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, December 15
The Chicago-based new music group Ursa Ensemble performs at Tavern of Fine Arts.

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.)

Music Education Monday: Two Q&As with saxophonist Kirk Whalum

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum will be in St. Louis this Sunday to present his "Gospel According to Jazz" Christmas show at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, so today's Music Education Monday post seems like a good opportunity to share an educational video featuring the Memphis native, who's also a nephew of St. Louis pianist and saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum.

In the first video, which Whalum (pictured) recorded in 2012 at Loyola University in Chicago under the auspices of Artists House Music, he gives a solo performance and answers questions about a variety of topics ranging from saxophone techniques to the music business.

Below that, as a bonus you can check out another Q&A that Whalum did in 2012 for Jazz Times magazine's "In Person with JazzTimes" series, in which he talks about his early musical development and education, first musical instrument, and first paying gig.

You can see both videos after the jump...

Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz" set for Sunday, December 13 at Friendly Temple

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum is bringing the Christmas edition of his "Gospel According to Jazz" show to St. Louis for a performance at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, December 13 at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 5515 Dr Martin Luther King Dr.

Joining Whalum (pictured) will be his brother, singer Kevin Whalum, along with saxophonist Gerald Albright, guitarist Norman Brown, singer Shelea, and keyboardist and singer John Stoddart, plus Tiffany Mosley, Leslie Johnson, Darius Bradford, the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church Mass Choir, and the R.F. Specials Choirs.

The Memphis-based saxophonist, who's the nephew of St. Louis pianist, saxophonist and singer Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, brought the "Gospel According to Jazz" to St. Louis previously in December, 2012, also at Friendly Temple. His most recent album, the fourth volume in the "Gospel According to Jazz" series, came out in 2014. Whalum and Albright's "Sax for Stax" tour also stopped at The Pageant back in the summer of 2009.

Tickets for the 2015 "Gospel According to Jazz" Christmas show are $20 for balcony seats, $30 for floor seats, and $55 for VIP seating, and are on sale now via the Friendly Temple website and by phone at 314-367-9700.

Jazz this week: John Pizzarelli, Kirk Whalum, Marcus Roberts, Four In One, and more

It's a busy weekend for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, and time is short, so let's skip the introduction and go straight to the highlights...

Tonight, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli opens a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro. A longtime local favorite thanks to numerous previous appearances in St. Louis, Pizzarelli currently is on tour promoting both a book (the "musical memoir" World On A String) and a new album, Double Exposure.

The album features Pizzarelli doing what essentially are live mash-ups - pop songs from writers such as Lennon and McCartney, Neil Young, James Taylor, Leiber and Stoller, Tom Waits and Joni Mitchell, re-conceived using grooves, harmonies and arrangement ideas borrowed from Wes Montgomery, Billy Strayhorn, Thad Jones, John Coltrane and others. For more about Double Exposure, and some video samples of recent Pizzarelli performances, see this post from a couple of weeks ago. 

Also tonight, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris is playing a free show at the Missouri History Museum, featuring music from hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest reworked in what's being described as an experimental jazz style.

Tomorrow night, singer Kim Fuller will be be the featured performer in "Songs of Love and Other Difficulties: Work and Protest Songs," a free concert presented by the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. Also on Thursday, eclectic singer Jessica Fichot, whose work ranges from computer music to children's songs, does an early-evening show at Rue Lafayette; and guitarists Tom Byrne and Eric Slaughter will play at the new Central West End venue Troy's Jazz Gallery. UPDATE - 10:00 p.m., 11/28/12: The Byrne/Slaughter gig has been "postponed" for one week to next Thursday, December 6.

On Friday, Rue Lafayette has another early evening show featuring Victor & Penny, a Kansas City duo playing music inspired by pre-WWII pop and jazz. Later that evening, trumpeter Randy Holmes and singer Tom Heitman will play the music of Frank Sinatra at Robbie's House of Jazz; saxophonist Kendrick Smith leads a quartet at the Cigar Inn in Belleville; and the Funky Butt Brass Band takes the stage at Broadway Oyster Bar.

Saturday offers several interesting choices, too, starting with pianist Marcus Roberts and his trio performing  at the Sheldon Concert Hall. A longtime associate of trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, Roberts impresses both with his technical skills and his ability to incorporate ideas derived from classic pianists like Fats Waller and James P. Johnson into a modern context. For more about Roberts and some video samples of him in action, see this post. Also, The Sheldon is offering a "buy one, get one free" discount on tickets for the show; for details on that, go here.

Also on Saturday, saxophonist Kirk Whalum brings his "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" show to the Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church. The concert also will feature pianist Keiko Matsui and singer Amber Bullock, the St. Louisan who recently won BET's Sunday Best Gospel reality show competition, as well as singers John Stoddart and Kevin Whalum and the FTMBC's own choir.

And as if that weren't enough for one evening, Saturday also marks the debut of the new band Four In One (pictured) at Robbie's House of Jazz. The group features four well-known musicians, all associated with Webster University - guitarist Steve Schenkel, bassist Ric Vice, drummer Alan Schilling, and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis - offering new interpretations of the music of Thelonious Monk using electric instruments.

On Sunday, the University of Missouri-St. Louis music department presents their annual "UMSL's Jazz for the Holidays" show at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The free concert will include music from the UMSL Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Point and University Orchestra. Also on Sunday, singer Erin Bode and her group will perform in a "Christmas dessert" concert at Third Baptist Church, 620 N. Grand Blvd (across the street from Jazz at the Bistro).

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.)

Kirk Whalum performing "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" on Saturday, December 1 at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum (pictured) will perform a "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, December 1 at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church, 5515 Doctor Martin Luther King Dr.

Whalum, a popular smooth jazz and R&B performer and the nephew of St. Louis pianist, saxophonist and singer Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, first launched the "Gospel According to Jazz" concept in 2002 with an album of the same name. His 2010 release The Gospel According to Jazz Chapter III included the Grammy Award winning song "It's What I Do," written with pianist Jerry Peters and sung on the album by Lalah Hathaway (daughter of pianist, singer and former St. Louisan Donny Hathaway). 

For the "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" concert, Whalum will be joined here by pianist Keiko Matsui and singer Amber Bullock, the St. Louisan who recently won BET's Sunday Best Gospel reality show competition, as well as singers John Stoddart and Kevin Whalum and the FTMBC's own choir.

The show's St. Louis date is part of a weekend mini-tour that includes a performance in Whalum's hometown of Memphis on Friday, and one in Nashville on Sunday. General admission tickets for Kirk Whalum's "Gospel According to Jazz Christmas" concert are $22 and are on sale now at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church; by phone at 314-267-9700; or online at http://www.kirkwhalum.com/.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Fall 2012 jazz preview, part 1

For today's video showcase, let's take a look at a selection of clips featuring some of the touring jazz and creative music acts who will be visiting St. Louis this fall. Of course, StLJN will have more coverage of many of these musicians as the season goes on, so think of this as an opportunity to get a quick overview of what's coming.

Since we had extensive coverage of Jazz St. Louis' season opener Marcus Miller here last week, we start out up above with a video of saxophonist Bob Sheppard, playing Monk's "Straight, No Chaser" in 2010 at an LA club called the Blue Whale. Sheppard will be in St. Louis on Sunday, September 9 - the same day Miller opens at Jazz at the Bistro - for a free afternoon performance at Saxquest.

Down below, it's New Orleans' Bonerama performing their version of rocker Edgar Winter's signature instrumental "Frankenstein," with a little help from two additional guest trombonists, St. Louis' Dave Dickey and KC's Paul Scofield. This was shot during a show last December at the Old Rock House right here in St. Louis; the band's next local appearance will be on Friday, September 14 at The Gramophone.

Next, it's saxophonist Kirk Whalum, who's played here several times in recent years. In this clip, Whalum interprets "Love, Love, Love," a song written by a former St. Louisan, the late Donny Hathaway. Whalum will be back here in the Gateway City to play on Sunday, September 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall as part of a fundraiser for the Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Today's fourth clip features the band SPOKE, playing the composition "Pisces," which was written by their bassist, St. Louis native Dan Loomis. This clip was recorded when they performed here last year at the Missouri Botanical Garden's Ridgeway Auditorium. This time around, they'll be playing a playing a free show on Sunday, September 16 at Parkway United Church of Christ.

The fifth clip features trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his quintet, playing the title piece from his 2009 album "Choices" live at WNYC radio's The Greene Space. Blanchard will be here to perform Wednesday, September 19 through Saturday, September 22 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Video number six shows the Texas-based band Snarky Puppy performing "Quarter Master," taken from their DVD groundUP that was recorded live last December at NYC's Shapeshifter Lab. They'll be here to perform on Thursday, September 20 at The Gramophone, though it seems likely that the touring edition of the band will include fewer musicians than seen in this particular clip.

Today's final clip features pianist Marco Benevento's trio playing his composition "Greenpoint" during a show recorded last September in Greenfield, MA. Benevento will be in St. Louis on Wednesday, September 26 at the Old Rock House.

Look for part two of the Fall 2012 jazz preview next week...

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* This past Tuesday's first day of issue of stamps honoring Miles Davis and Edith Piaf by the postal services in the United States and France was covered locally by the Post-Dispatch and the Associated Press.

* As mentioned here earlier, the Sheldon Art Galleries' exhibit on the jazz photography of Ralston Crawford is about to go on display at the New Orleans Museum of Art. You can see the exhibit being installed in a photo set here, and read curator Olivia Lahs-Gonzales' essay about it here. (.pdf file)

* Speaking of photo albums, Saxquest has posted on their Facebook page two sets of pictures documenting saxophonist Kirk Whalum's demonstration and performance at the store last Sunday.

* Here's another review of Stages St. Louis' production of Ain't Misbehavin', from KMOX radio's Harry Hamm. The show runs through July 1.

* Pianist Peter Martin was featured last week in Town & Style magazine

* Drummer Andre Boyd, a St. Louis native who performs with the company of Cirque du Soleil's Quidam that's coming next week to the Chaifetz Arena, spoke briefly about the show with the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson.

* Another native St. Louisan, saxophonist Greg Osby (pictured), has teamed up with keyboardist Shimrit Shoshan for a new project, and they talked about it to The Revivalist in a two-part video interview.

* Commenting on the recent pledge drive held by radio station WSIE (88.7 FM), general manager Greg Conroy told StLJN, "With the $4,000 our listeners sent in December and then this current amount we received earlier this month during our second phone-a-thon, we're very gratified with the generosity of our loyal listeners. They understand the investment it takes to keep modern American Jazz playing on the airwaves and on-line. Like I always say....we're fans too, and we love to play this music as much as the listeners love to hear it. Thanks to everyone who contributed." The station has added nearly 1,500 new music selections to its servers this year, Conroy said.

Jazz this week: Byron Stripling's tribute to Louis Armstrong; Kirk Whalum plays Keilwerth; free outdoor jazz concerts; and more

Though the official start of summer still is a couple of weeks off, the summer season of free outdoor concerts around St. Louis already is well underway. This time of year also usually brings some visitors to StLJN who find the site by searching for "free jazz concerts in the park" or something similar, as well as a few emails from people asking where those free outdoor jazz concerts can be found.

Well, the short answer to that question is, all over the place. While there's no free outdoor summer concert series in the St. Louis area devoted specifically to jazz, local jazz musicians definitely will be turning up in various locations around town as part of different concert series over the next three months. All of those listings that I've been able to locate have been added to the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, and during the summer months, I'll also make an effort to spotlight at least of few of those free concerts every week in this space.

For example, tonight saxophonist Tim Cunningham is playing a free outdoor concert at Bluebird Park in Ellisville. Also on Thursday evening, pianist and electronic musician Jim Hegarty and bassist Willem von Hombracht will be improvising freely at the Tavern of Fine Arts; Good 4 The Soul will do an early evening set at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; and Robbie's House of Jazz will present the Sidemen, featuring clarinetist and saxophonist Eric Sager, guitarist Jon Ferber, pianist Carl Pandolfi, bassist Richard Tralles and drummer John Marshall.

On Friday, singer Erin Bode and her group will return to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights. Given Bode's popularity, there's usually a good turnout for her shows at the Bistro, so advance reservations are recommended.

Also on Friday, Cornet Chop Suey will play a free outdoor concert at Schroeder Park, 359 Old Meramec Station Rd. in Manchester; and singer Joe Mancuso and his quartet, with guest saxophonist Jerry Greene, are performing at the Italia-America Bocce Club, 2210 Marconi Ave. on the Hill.

On Saturday, singer Feyza Eren's trio will perform at mid-day at Rue Lafayette, 2026 Lafayette Ave., which now is featuring live music, mostly jazz, regularly during brunch/lunch on Saturdays and Sundays.

On Saturday evening, trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling (pictured) will be back in town to team up with with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall for "Sounds of New Orleans: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong." For more about Stripling, who also played here earlier this year at Jazz at the Bistro after doing a week-long educational residency for Jazz St. Louis, see this post from back in February. And for some video samples of the tribute's subject, Louis Armstrong, in action, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Saturday night, the Gateway City Big Bend will play at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, 808 N. Mason Rd in Creve Coeur; and percussionist Henry Claude and cellist Tracy Andreotti, using the nom de guerre "The Steve and Jennifer Project," will perform "spontaneous acoustic and electro-acoustic music" at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

On Sunday afternoon, saxophonist Kirk Whalum will be at Saxquest for a free performance and promotional event called "A Taste of Keilwerth," demonstrating the manufacturer's latest models of saxophones.

Also on Sunday, the St. Charles Community Big Band plays a free outdoor concert at Frontier Park on the riverfront; guitarist Tom Byrne plays at the Schlafly St. Louis Brewery & Tap Room; and funky organ trio Downstereo will hold forth at the Delmar Lounge.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the University City High School Jazz Band will play a free outdoor concert at Heman Park in U. City, and the Sessions Big Band returns to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups for their monthly gig.

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Big Band with vocalist Dave Gill Joe Mancuso will present a show called "The Soul of Sinatra" at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and Swing Deville will play a free outdoor concert at Fanetti Park, which is located at the intersection of Michigan and Schirmer on the south side.

Las tbut not least, on Wednesday, the Meramec Jazz Band will be back for an encore performance at the Black Cat Theatre 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.)

(Edited after posting. Edited again to update the name of the singer for the St. Louis Big Band show on Tuesday.)

Kirk Whalum to demonstrate at Saxquest, perform at the Sheldon

Saxophonist Kirk Whalum (pictured) is coming to St. Louis later this month to demonstrate a new line of saxophones, and again in September to perform in a fundraising concert.

On Sunday, June 10, Whalum will appear at Saxquest, 2114 Cherokee St, for "A Taste of Keilwerth," demonstrating and performing on the manufacturer's latest models of saxophones. The free event will take place from 2:00 pm to 6:00 p.m., with Whalum playing with a full rhythm section every hour on the hour for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Whalum then will take questions, and audience members will have a chance to try the Keilwerth instruments. Saxophonists who wish to take part can bring their own mouthpieces; for those needing to borrow mouthpieces for instrument types they don't own, Saxquest will have sterilized mouthpieces that can be borrowed, as well as free reed samples. The store also will offer door prizes and special gifts for those who complete "Keilwerth Tasting" comment cards. The event will end with an open jam session.

The Memphis-based saxophonist - who's the nephew of our town's Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum - then will return to St. Louis for a performance at 4:00 p.m. Sunday, September 16 at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The concert will raise money for the scholarship fund of the Gamma Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Orchestra and balcony tickets are $50, and are on sale now via Metrotix. VIP tickets, which include a pre-concert reception with hors d'oeuvres and cash bar, a meet-and-greet with Whalum, and special seating, also are available by calling the Gamma Omega chapter at 314-771-4321 or 314-721-0425.

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Gaslight Square Remembered

More often than not, this weekly feature is dedicated to previewing upcoming concerts of jazz and creative music in St. Louis. However, talking this past week with people about the late Mae Wheeler and her long career got me thinking about both the history of jazz in St. Louis and the need to occasionally to remember and celebrate the musicians and singers who made it happen.

With that in mind, this week we're taking a look at St. Louis' Gaslight Square district and some of the people who played and sang there, where Wheeler launched her music career. Lets start at the beginning, as many younger readers and those not from St. Louis may have heard the name Gaslight Square, but may not know much about it.

Briefly, Gaslight Square was a small entertainment district, just a few blocks long really, that flourished in the city of St. Louis during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The area began to decline in the mid-1960s, as crime rose, the city's population dropped, and shady operators tried to cash in on its previous popularity. By the end of the 1960s, it was pretty much all over. Gaslight Square became a collection of mostly vacant buildings, and the area remained in ruins for more than 30 years.

The 2005 documentary Gaslight Square: The Legend Lives On, which you can watch in the embedded video window up above, tells the whole story, at a length of more than 2 hours. The film has lots of archival footage, still photos, and interviews, and remains the most extensive audio/visual presentation of Gaslight Square's history. The producers also created an accompanying website that has still photos and some other material.

At the time The Legend Lives On documentary was made, redevelopment plans for Gaslight Square were stalled for the umpteenth time and the area was still blighted. Since then, some small progress has been made, with a few new homes built and some older buildings rehabbed. That brings us to the video down below, which was produced in 2008 by the staff of KETC's Living St. Louis. Over 25 minutes, producer/host Margie Newman recounts the history of Gaslight Square and looks at the still-ongoing efforts to renew the neighborhood for the 21st century.

Of course, the buildings weren't really what made Gaslight Square memorable - it was the people. One performer from the era who remains active is singer Jeanne Trevor, who no longer gigs every week but still plays out with some regularity. In the second window below, you can see Trevor with pianist Curt Landes singing "God Bless The Child" during a show last year at the alternative performance space Joe's Cafe.

Another Gaslight Square veteran still working is pianist Jeter Thompson, who played back in the day with Quartette Tres Bien and now performs with his brothers Harold, a bassist, and Howard, a drummer, as Trio Tres Bien. They can be seen in the third window below backing Harold's daughter, singer Danita Mumphard, in a version of the Burt Bacharach song "A House Is Not A Home." (Jeter Thompson's piano solo starts about at 3 minutes, 50 seconds into the tune.)

In the window below that, you can hear Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, yet another mainstay of the Gaslight Square district, playing "I Close My Eyes" at a 2006 gig in Santa Monica, CA. The band includes St. Louisan Jeff Anderson on bass and former St. Louis resident Rob Block on guitar, and that's Peanuts' nephew, the well-known contemporary jazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum, sporting the fedora. Now 82 years old, Peanuts Whalum has not been seen playing out in a while, and, sadly, I've heard talk that he's had health problems, but no specific information has been made public.

For today's final video, there a Mae Wheeler clip that went unposted the other day, a feature story about a tribute to her filmed back in 2007 for KETC's Living St. Louis.

If you'd like to learn more about the history of Gaslight Square, there have been two books written on the subject in recent years. The first, Gaslight Square: An Oral History by Thomas Crone, came out in 2004 and chronicles "the rise and fall of Gaslight Square" in the words of people who worked, played and/or lived there.

The second, Gaslight Square Illuminated: The Rise & Fall of St. Louis' Premier 'Hot Spot'" by Richard Fuegner and David Roth, was released earlier this year and purports to offer a more comprehensive historical look at the district. (Note that if you use the links above to buy a copy of either book from Amazon.com, a few pennies in commission will eventually find their way back to StLJN, thereby supporting the continued operation of this website.)

Last but not least, for those who want to wear their nostalgia and/or local pride on their chests, stlstyle.com offers for sale a Gaslight Square t-shirt. (No commission for StLJN on this, just thought maybe you'd dig the shirt.)

The Pageant announces three summer smooth jazz concerts

The Pageant today announced a series of three smooth jazz shows this summer, including the Guitars and Saxes show first mentioned here on StLJN last month and now officially scheduled for Friday, August 13.

The 2010 Guitars and Saxes tour features Kirk Whalum, Gerald Albright, Peter White and Jeff Golub. The Pageant's summer smooth jazz series also will present trumpeter Rick Braun and saxophonist Richard Elliot reprising their "R&R" collaboration on Friday, July 30; and a double bill of saxophonists Euge Groove and former East St. Louisan Andre Delano (pictured) on Friday, August 20. All three concerts will be hosted by radio personality Rick Sanborn.

Ticket prices are $35 - $50 for each show, with three- and two-show packages available. Tickets will go on sale at 5:00 p.m. this Friday, May 14 via Ticketmaster and the Pageant box office.

Guitars and Saxes returning to The Pageant on Friday, August 13

According to an article published today on smoothjazznetwork.com, the long-running Guitars and Saxes package tour is taking to the road again in the summer of 2010, and the itinerary includes a stop on Friday, August 13 at The Pageant in St. Louis.

The 16th annual Guitars and Saxes tour will feature guitarists Peter White and Jeff Golub and saxophonists Kirk Whalum (pictured) and Gerald Albright, all of whom are veterans of previous editions of the tour. The 2010 tour begins May 15 in Sacramento, CA and continues through September.

There's been no official announcement of the show yet from The Pageant, but when there's news of ticket prices and the on-sale date, we'll have it for you here.

Jazz this week: Sax for Stax with Gerald Albright & Kirk Whalum, All That Tap XVIII, Dr. John, and more

As we head toward August and what's usually the slow time of the year for live jazz in St. Louis, there are still some noteworthy performances happening, including a couple of touring acts that are passing through town in the next few days.

On Thursday, saxophonists Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum (pictured) bring their "Sax for Stax" tour to the Ameristar Casino St Charles' Bottleneck Blues Bar. Named after Albright's recent CD that paid tribute to the hitmaking Memphis R&B label of the 1960s and 1970s, the tour also features some material from each man's back catalog, setting up the potential for some friendly jousting between the two old friends.

As an aside, it's my understanding that a number of the tour dates have also featured Kirk Whalum's sax-playing nephew, Kenneth Whalum. If Kirk's uncle - our town's Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum, a fine pianist, singer and saxophonist - should happen make it out to St. Charles that night to sit in, there could be three generations of musical Whalums on one stage, which would be pretty cool. (Not to mention the possibly of a four-way tenor "battle"...) You can see some video excerpts from an earlier show in the Sax for Stax tour in this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Then on Saturday night, the 18th annual All That Tap concert will take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, culminating the week-long St. Louis Tap Festival that began on Monday. The concert will feature the festival's founder and director, tap guru Robert L. Reed, and a stellar roster of dancers with credits from film, TV and Broadway performing with live musical accompaniment from pianist Carolbeth True and her trio. (For a bit of history and insight about the connection between tap dance and jazz music, go here and here.)

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday the New Orleans pianist and singer Dr. John and his band, the Lower 911, will perform at The Pageant. In keeping with our town's general affinity for the sounds of the Crescent City, Dr. John is always a popular attraction in St. Louis, but good tickets still may be available since this show was a relatively late addition to the calendar.

For more listings of jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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: "Sax for Stax" with Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum

This week, let's take a look at some video clips of performance excepts from the "Sax For Stax" tour featuring saxophonists Gerald Albright and Kirk Whalum. The tour, named after Albright's recent CD of songs made famous by the legendary Memphis R&B label, comes to the St. Louis area for a show on Thursday, July 30 at the Ameristar Casino St. Charles' Bottleneck Blues Bar.

Both men have been frequent visitors to St. Louis in recent years as part of smooth jazz package shows such as Jazz Attack and Guitars & Saxes, and Whalum also has been known to sit in on local gigs featuring his uncle, St. Louis-based singer, pianist and saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum. These four clips were recorded early in the tour, on March 27 at the Nokia Theater in NYC.

Jazz this week: "Jazz Cavalcade" with Kirk Whalum, Chicago Afrobeat Project, Javier Mendoza, Cornet Chop Suey, and more

From African and Latin rhythms to traditional jazz and swing to a free concert featuring a well-known smooth jazz saxophonist, here's a look at what's going on over the next few days with jazz and creative music in St. Louis.

The polyrhythmic portion of the weekend gets underway on Friday night, when the Chicago Afrobeat Project performs at The Gramophone. The CAB can include from seven to 14 musicians, and draws on influences such as juju, highlife, American funk, and afro-Cuban music as well as the experimental jazz and rock of the Chicago music scene.

Also on Friday, Latin/pop/rock singer-songwriter Javier Mendoza will start a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, trying his hand at some Latin jazz with an assist from special guest guitarist Dave Black (pictured). Since this is something of a first-time experiment, I don't think anyone quite knows what to expect, but given Mendoza's apparently substantial fan base, it could be a good draw for the Bistro - and if not, well, at least they're trying something a little different, something yr. humble editor generally encourages.

Also on Saturday, there's a benefit at the White Flag Projects art gallery for electronic musician Joe Raglani, who recently had a van-full of equipment stolen while on tour. See this post for details.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents a concert of traditional jazz and swing from Cornet Chop Suey at Bel-Air Bowl in Belleville. And elsewhere around town, Brandt's has singer Kim Massie on Friday, and the St. Louis Jazz Cafe will feature the Neal Connors Quartet on Thursday, singer Diane Vaughn on Friday, and saxophonist Rod Tate and guitarist Gregg Haynes, aka 2Smooth, on Saturday.

Looking beyond the weekend, the next event in the Twilight Tuesdays series of free concerts at the Missouri History Museum will be "Jazz Cavalcade" featuring saxophonist Kirk Whalum. The Twilight Tuesdays shows generally feature local acts, so the presence of an internationally known, Grammy nominated headliner like Whalum is especially noteworthy.

Of course, the fact that the Memphis native is the nephew of our town's Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum likely played a role in getting him here, and the show will still have a strong local flavor, as he'll be accompanied by what should be a first-rate band of St. Louis musicians, including his uncle "Peanuts" plus Jeff Anderson, Reggie Thomas, Marty Morrison, Eric Slaughter and Danny Campbell. The Twilight Tuesdays shows usually draw a crowd, and as long as the weather is agreeable, look for a big turnout for the Whalums and company.

Also on Tuesday, after things wind down at the History Museum, you've still got time to get over to The Gramophone to hear the band Utter Chaos in another of the club's no-cover-charge shows co-sponsored with Jazz St. Louis.

For more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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.)