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.)

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.