Open Air series bringing live music back to Grand Center starting Friday, August 7

Jazz St. Louis and the Kranzberg Arts Foundation have announced a new concert series called Open Air, which will bring live music back to the Grand Center district on Friday and Saturday nights starting in August and continuing through October.

The series will take place in what's described as "a spacious, covered, outdoor area" next to the Grandel Theater building, with food and beverages available by advance orders from The Dark Room's menu.

The lineup for the first two weekends features some of the Kranzberg Foundation's music artists-in-residence, past and present, with Be.Be & The Neo-Souls inaugurating the series on Friday, August 7 and trumpeter Brady Lewis (pictured) and his quartet performing on Saturday, August 8.

Up next will be drummer Kaleb Kirby's quartet on Friday, August 14 and keyboardist Mark Harris II on Saturday, August 15, with additional bookings TBA.

There will be two seatings by reservation only per evening, at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at $10 per person, with an additional $30 food and beverage minimum per guest.

Guests can purchase tickets via Metrotix, and then will be sent an online form to pre-order food and drinks of their choice. Additional beverages will be available for purchase on the day of each event.

To ensure guest and staff safety and maintain appropriate physical distance, parties will be limited to six guests per table, and all guests will be required to follow the Kranzberg Foundation's COVID-19 mitigation policies, including wearing face masks at all times except when seated at their reserved tables.

Old Rock House adds shows from Dirty Dozen Brass Band, keyboardist Shaun Martin

Old Rock House today announced two summer shows of interest to StLJN readers.

Keyboardist Shaun Martin, known for his work with jazz-fusion band Snarky Puppy and gospel singer Kirk Franklin, is coming to St. Louis to perform at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10 at ORH.

Tickets for the all-ages show are $13 in advance, $15 day of show, and will go on sale at 5:00 p.m. this Thursday, May 3 via Metrotix.

Also, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (pictured), who in the 1980s helped re-invigorate the New Orleans brass band tradition and inspired a whole new generation of forward-thinking brass bands, will return here for the first time in nearly five years to perform at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 12 at Old Rock House.

Tickets for that all-ages show are $18 in advance, $20 day of show, and will go on sale at 5:00 p.m. this Friday, May 4.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Metrotix and the Grandel Theatre are offering a "buy one, get one free" discount on tickets to the concert by trumpeter Terence Blanchard (pictured) on Sunday, May 20 at the Grandel. To take advantage of the offer, go here and use the discount code TBLIVE.

* St. Louis County Library once again is inviting local musicians to participate in "Listen Up STL," which makes original recordings from St. Louis bands and solo performers available for streaming to library patrons. Submissions are being accepted from May 1 through May 31; for details on the program and how to submit, visit the library's website.

* Trumpeter Jim Manley was interviewed last week by KSDK's Art Holliday for a story about Record Store Day.

* On a semi-related note, you can hear tracks from the two new Grant Green recordings released on Record Store Day via last week's episode of WBGO's "The Checkout."

* Pianist and St. Louis native Lawrence Fields can be seen in a new music video for "Libra," a track from the new album by Sound Prints, the quintet co-led by trumpeter Dave Douglas and saxophonist Joe Lovano that also includes Linda May Han Oh on bass and Joey Baron on drums.

* Drummer Dave Weckl will lead a a group of Drum Fantasy Camp students on a tour of Cuba in January of next year. You can see a promotional video for the trip here.

* Singer Chuck Flowers was interviewed on the online radio program "Jazz in the AM."

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold will join pianist Abdullah Ibrahim and Ekaya for their tribute to Ibrahim's ground-breaking Jazz Epistles this Sunday, April 29 at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. Harrold will play the parts originally intended for the late Hugh Masekela, a role that has been filled on Ibrahim's other recent dates by trumpeters Terence Blanchard, Wadada Leo Smith, and, in their show last week here in St. Louis, Freddie Hendrix.

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering online discount on tickets for Jeremy Davenport

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering discounted tickets to online buyers for the concert by trumpeter, singer, and U City native Jeremy Davenport (pictured) at 2:00 p.m. this Sunday, June 5 at The Sheldon.

With the discount, remaining tickets for the show are just $25. (Regular prices for the concert were $40 for orchestra level and $35 for the balcony.)

To get the ticket discount, go to the Metrotix site, and when prompted, enter the promo code TRUMPET16.

Discounted tickets for Cyrus Chestnut at The Sheldon available via Metrotix

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering discounted tickets to online buyers for the concert by pianist Cyrus Chestnut (pictured) at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday, May 7 at The Sheldon.

With the discount, remaining tickets for the show are just $25, a significant savings from the regular prices of $45 for orchestra level and $40 for the balcony.

To get the ticket discount, go to the Metrotix site, and when prompted, enter the promo code CYRUS25.

You can see some videos of recent performances by Cyrus Chestnut in this post from last Saturday.

The Sheldon offering discount tickets for Cabaret Festival performances

The Sheldon Concert Hall and the St. Louis Cabaret Festival are offering discounts on tickets to three festival performances next month.

With the discount, ticket buyers can get $10 off of the regular $45 orchestra level ticket price for the concerts at the Sheldon featuring Marilyn Maye on Wednesday, July 22; Jason Robert Brown on Thursday, July 23; and Christine Ebersole (pictured) on Friday, July 24. All three concerts start at 8:00 p.m.

To get the ticket discount, go to http://metrotix.com/, select the concert(s) of your choice, and when prompted, enter the promo code SHELDON.

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering discount on tickets for Cécile McLorin Salvant

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering a discount on tickets for the concert by Cécile McLorin Salvant this Saturday, May 2 at The Sheldon.

Salvant (pictured) is considered one of the fastest rising stars in jazz, already earning comparisons to classic singers like Sarah Vaughan, Betty Carter and Carmen McRae, and getting a Grammy nomination in 2014 for her debut album Womanchild.

With the discount, tickets for her show, regularly priced at $45 for orchestra seats or $35 for the balcony, can be purchased for just $25 each.

To take advantage of the offer, use the promotional code CECILE15 when ordering your tickets online at www.metrotix.com/promotions, by phone at 314-534-1111, or in person at any Metrotix outlet or at the Fox Theater box office, 531 N. Grand Blvd.

The Sheldon offering $25 tickets for Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering a substantial discount on tickets for the performance by the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Cuban Experience next Saturday, March 21 at The Sheldon.

Led by Gillespie's former bassist John Lee and featuring percussionist Machito, Jr., the namesake and son of Gillespie's famed collaborator, the six-piece group (pictured) performs a variety of material associated with the legendary trumpeter who helped invent bebop and pioneered the combination of jazz and Latin rhythms.

With the discount, tickets for the show, regularly priced at $45 for orchestra seats or $40 for the balcony, can be purchased for just $25 each.

To take advantage of the offer, use the promotional code DIZZY25 when ordering your tickets online at www.metrotix.com/promotions, by phone at 314-534-1111, or in person at any Metrotix outlet or at the Fox Theater box office, 531 N. Grand Blvd.

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering online presale of tickets for Kurt Elling concert

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering a special one-day-only online pre-sale of tickets for the performance by Kurt Elling on Friday, June 6 at the Sheldon.

Elling (pictured), acclaimed as one of the top male singers in jazz today, definitely has a strong St. Louis fan base, thanks to several previous performances at Jazz at the Bistro, but will be making his Sheldon debut with this show. The concert is the centerpiece of a benefit for the Sheldon Art Galleries, and patron tickets have been on sale for several weeks, so the supply of seats will be limited.

Single tickets for the Kurt Elling concert at The Sheldon go on sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. this Saturday, April 26, but online buyers can purchase tickets a day early, starting at 10:00 a.m. Friday, April 25 by going to the Metrotix site and using promo code KURT14.

(Edited after posting to fix a garbled sentence.)

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering discount on tickets for Catherine Russell concert

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering a discount on tickets for singer Catherine Russell's performance this Saturday, April 19 at the Sheldon.

Russell (pictured) will be making her St. Louis debut as a headliner. You can read more about her and check out some videos of her performing in this post from last Saturday.

Tickets for Saturday's concert originally priced at $40 and $35 now are available for just $25 by using the promotional code RUSSELL14. This discount code can be used for orders placed online at metrotix.com, by phone orders at 314-534-1111, or in person at the Fox Theatre box office, 527 N. Grand Blvd.

Tickets on sale Monday for new shows at Jazz at the Bistro

Although there's been no announcement yet from Jazz St. Louis, Metrotix today sent out an email including on-sale dates for a number of new shows in 2014 at Jazz at the Bistro.

According to said email, The Wee Trio, with St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, will be coming back to town in April to celebrate the release of their album recorded earlier this year at the Bistro, and trumpeter Terell Stafford (pictured) will close out the 2013-14 season in May by serving as special guest for a weekend of perofrmances with students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program.

As for local players, bassist Jahmal Nichols and singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran have been booked to make their Bistro debuts as bandleaders, and several other hometown favorites will make return appearances there during the winter and spring. Here's the schedule of additional concerts as currently listed by Metrotix.

Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18:  Jahmal Nichols CD Release
Saturday, March 1:  Willie Akins & Dave Venn
Friday, March 14 & Saturday, March 15:  Phil Dunlap Quintet plays the music of Miles Davis
Friday, March 28 & Saturday, March 29:  Jim Stevens & Good 4 the Soul play the music of David Sanborn
Friday, April 11 & Saturday, April 12:  The Wee Trio CD Release Event celebrating Live at the Bistro
Tuesday, April 22:  SIUE Concert Jazz Band/Alumni
Friday, April 25 & Saturday, April 26:  Tommy Halloran's Guerilla Swing
Friday, May 9 & Saturday, May 10:  "Great Guitars 2014" with Shaun Robinson & Eric Slaughter
Friday, May 23 & Saturday, May 24:  JazzU with Terrell Stafford

All the performers will play sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., except for the SIUE Concert Jazz Band, who will play one show at 7:30 p.m. 

Ticket prices are $5 for Terell Stafford and JazzU; $15 for the SIUE Concert Jazz Band; $25 for The Wee Trio, Akins & Venn, and Jim Stevens' Sanborn tribute; and $20 for all other performances. Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10:00 a.m. next Monday, December 2 via Metrotix.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering discount on tickets for Brubeck Brothers Quartet this Saturday, October 5

The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix are offering a discount to online buyers of tickets for the Brubeck Brothers Quartet performance at 8:00 p.m. this Saturday at The Sheldon.

The quartet (pictured), led by Dave Brubeck's sons Dan Brubeck (drums) and Chris Brubeck (bass and trombone), will perform a program of music featuring some of the elder Brubeck's best-known compositions, including "Take Five" and "Blue Rondo A La Turk."

Along with the Brubecks and guitarist Mike DeMicco, the quartet also includes the fine pianist Chuck Lamb, who St. Louisans of a certain age may remember as the keyboard player in the regionally popular 1970s fusion band Dry Jack. Their most recent album LifeTimes, released in July, features their versions of some of  Dave Brubeck's songs as well as their own original compositions.

With the online discount, tickets for the Brubeck Brothers Quartet that had been $45 and $40 now are available for $25 each. To access the offer, go to the Metrotix site and enter the promo code "TAKEFIVE." The discount offer ends at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 5.

Metrotix, Fox Theatre offering online pre-sale of tickets for Harry Connick, Jr.

Attention, fans of Harry Connick Jr.: From 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday August 22, Metrotix will be offering an online-only pre-sale of tickets for Connick Jr.'s concert on Sunday, October 27 at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

The New Orleans-born pianist and singer (pictured) will be touring this fall in support of Every Man Should Know, his latest album that was released in June by Columbia Records and features 12 of Connick's original songs.

Tickets for Harry Connick Jr. at the Fox Theatre go on sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. this Friday, August 23. To access the pre-sale, go to the Metrotix site and when prompted, enter the promo code EVERYMAN.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Two musical conventions are coming to St. Louis this month, starting with the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica (SPAH), which will hold its 50th anniversary confab from Tuesday, August 13 to Saturday, August 17 at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel.

There's an interesting article that touches on SPAH and the convention, but mostly focuses on how members modify stock harmonicas for their own purposes, in Collector's Weekly here.

* Later in the month, the International Steel Guitar Convention, held the weekend of August 29-31 at the Millennium Hotel, will give local listeners a free opportunity to hear jazz music played on steel guitar.

From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 31, the convention's "Maurice Anderson Jazz Room" will featuring seven steel players performing jazz and standards backed by a local rhythm section. The featured guitarists will include Mike Sweeney, Russ Wever, Doug Jernigan, Sid Hudson, Jim Cohen, and Dave Easley. Though there's a fee to attend most of the convention events, the jazz room is open to the public and is free of charge.

* Saxophonist Jeff Coffin, currently with the Dave Matthews Band and formerly of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, lives in Nashville, but he's such a fan of St. Louis' Saxquest that he recently brought several fellow saxophonists from his hometown all the way up here to check it out.

* Down Beat magazine's 78th annual Readers Poll continues, and if you haven't voted yet, you can cast your ballot for your favorite musicians, bands and recordings here. The poll ends next Friday, August 16.

* Best wishes to bassist Bob DeBoo, who's on the mend from hand surgery after being injured in an accident while on vacation last week in Pennsylvania. According to a post on his Facebook page, DeBoo was sitting on a tree swing with his wife and daughter when a limb gave way, and his right hand was injured in the fall. Fortunately, doctors were able to repair the damage upon his return to St. Louis, and DeBoo says he expects a complete recovery.

* Jazz St. Louis is looking for a "teaching artist" to join the faculty of their JazzU program. It's an independent contractor job that involves weekly sessions teaching improvisation to middle and high school students in a small group setting. For more information on the job requirements and how to apply, see http://www.jazzstl.org/uncategorized/open-position-teaching-artist/

* In other Jazz St. Louis news, the organization's board of directors elected a new president at their final meeting of fiscal 2013: Marian Nunn, chief financial and operating officer of THF Realty. A graduate of St. Louis University, where she also is an adjunct professor in the entrepreneurship program, Nunn also has been on the boards of several other local not-for-profits, including a stint as president of Cultural Festivals, producers of the St. Louis Art Fair (and the defunct St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival.) She succeeds philanthropist Pam Trapp, who served as JSL board president for the past four years.

* To raise money for their upcoming season and beyond, New Music Circle is sponsoring a Trivia Night on Saturday, August 24 at the Kerr Foundation on Laclede's Landing.

* Single tickets on sale go at 10:00 a.m. this Saturday, August 10 for shows in the Sheldon Concert Hall's 2013-14 season, and at 10:00 a.m. next Tuesday, August 13 for Jazz St. Louis' upcoming season of performances at Jazz at the Bistro. The ticket agency for both presenters is Metrotix.

* Applications are now being accepted for the first round of the Regional Arts Commission's new Artists Fellowships, through which RAC will award a total of ten $20,000 grants to St. Louis artists from various disciplines. Applications are due by Tuesday, August 27; for details on how to apply, and an online form, go to http://www.artistscount.com/.

There's also a "How to Apply" workshop at 5:30 p.m. this coming Monday, August 12 at the RAC offices, 6128 Delmar. If you want to attend, RSVP by email to roseann @ stlrac dot org or call 314-863-5811 ext 48.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday's episode of Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" looks at one of jazz's most revered and royal figures, spotlighting the compositions of Duke Ellington (pictured) through recordings by pianist Allen Toussaint, singer Rebecca Martin, and Ellington himself. The program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2 and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then on Sunday, the next edition of Dennis Owsley's "Jazz Unlimited" features great jazz soloists from throughout the music's history, from “King” Oliver, Fats Waller and Bix Beiderbecke to David Murray, Ornette Coleman and Wayne Shorter. You can listen in from 9:00 p.m. to midnight every Sunday on KWMU (90.7 FM) or online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/.

Marilyn Maye to perform on Thursday, August 1 at The Sheldon

Famed cabaret singer Marilyn Maye has joined the faculty of this year's St. Louis Cabaret Conference, and will perform for the accompanying St. Louis Cabaret Festival at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 1 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Maye (pictured), replaces Faith Prince, who originally was scheduled to come to St. Louis for the conference but has been cast in a Broadway revival of Annie. Jason Graae, another of the conference's faculty, will join Maye on the bill at the Sheldon.

The Maye/Graae show will be book-ended by performances by their fellow faculty members Billy Stritch, singing songs associated with Mel Torme at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 31 at the Bistro at Grand Center; and pianist and singer John Bucchino, at 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 2 at the Bistro.

The public portion of the conference wraps up with a "Final Showcase" featuring all of the conference's participants at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, August 4 at the Bistro.

Thursday's concert had been scheduled for the Bistro as well, but Maye's addition to the festivities prompted the move to the Sheldon, a testament to her renewed popularity in recent years following a well-received appearance at the 2006 New York Cabaret Convention.

The Kansas City native "has appeared on The Tonight Show a record 76 times, has a recording in the Smithsonian, was one of Ella Fitzgerald's favorite singers and is currently performing all over the country with multiple engagements in New York," including Feinstein's, 54 Below, Birdland and Carnegie Hall. Her last performance in St. Louis was in 2008 at the Sheldon.

Maye, the other performers mentioned above, musical director John Randall, and singer-director and conference organizer Tim Schall will lead a group of 30 singers through five days of intensive workshops and master classes, culminating in the Sunday night performance. Admittance to the workshops is by audition only; for details, email Schall at info @ stlouiscabaretconference.com.

Tickets for the public performances are $40 and $45 for Maye and Graae; $35 for the other performances; and are available now via Metrotix.

The Sheldon, Metrotix offering "buy one, get one free" discount on tickets for Marcus Roberts concert this Saturday

If you've been holding off on getting tickets to see pianist Marcus Roberts and his trio (pictured) this Saturday at the Sheldon Concert Hall for budgetary reasons, you may be in luck (even if you don't win Wednesday's big Powerball drawing).

That's because The Sheldon and Metrotix today announced a "buy one, get one free" offer on tickets to see Roberts, who's making his first St. Louis appearance in many years. (For more about Marcus Roberts, see this post from a couple of weeks ago.)

Tickets are priced regularly at $40 orchestra, $35 balcony, but with the promotional offer, you'll get two for the price of one. (Student tickets, which are priced at $15, are not included in the promotion.) To access the offer, go online to Metrotix.com and enter the promo code "MARCUS12" (without the quote marks) in the designated field. The offer also is available by phone at 314-534-1111 or 800-293-5949 and in person at the Fox Theatre box office.

(Edited 11/28/12 to correct info about student tickets.)

Metrotix, Sheldon offering discount on tickets for Della Reese

Metrotix and the Sheldon Concert Hall are offering a 25% discount on tickets for this Friday's performance at the Sheldon by singer and actress Della Reese (pictured).

Reese's show "My Life In Song" draws on her six decades of experience singing jazz, blues, R&B, pop, and gospel music as she recounts her life in show business. The event is presented by the Eugene Field House Foundation.

Regular ticket prices are $60 and $40, but with the discount offer, you can purchase tickets for $45 and $30. To get the discount, go to the Metrotix website and use promo code DELLA. The offer also is available by phone through MetroTix, in person at the Fox Theatre box office, or at the door on the night of the show, but is not valid on previously purchased tickets.

Jazz St. Louis announces 2012-13 season schedule

Jazz St. Louis today announced the schedule of performers they've booked for the 2012-13 presenting season at Jazz at the Bistro and the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

The "Legends of Jazz" concerts at the Touhill will feature the biggest names, with saxophonist Sonny Rollins (pictured) returning to perform on Friday, October 12. JSL presented Rollins in 2009 at the Touhill, ending a drought of many years without a St. Louis gig for the legendary tenor man.

Also at the Touhill, pianist Chick Corea and banjo player Béla Fleck will play a duo concert on Saturday, March 23; and JSL will continue as co-presenter of the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival in 2013 by bringing in the "Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration" on Friday, April 19.

That concert will feature a band led by bassist Christian McBride that includes singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, saxophonist Chris Potter, pianist Benny Green, and drummer Lewis Nash. (Trumpeter and former Tonight Show bandleader Doc Severinsen's big band will play for the GSLJF on Saturday, April 20; that concert is presented officially by the Touhill and UMSL.)

As for the Bistro, the performers making their St. Louis debuts as leaders there this season will include trumpeter Christian Scott, singers Sachal Vasandani and Gregory Porter, and guitarist Lionel Loueke.

Bassist Marcus Miller will be the first touring act to play the Bistro this fall, though his gigs on Sunday, September 9 and Monday, September 10 are technically "special events" that are not included in the Bistro's subscription season.

Also returning to the Bistro next season are Chris Potter, who will play in a trio format; and his sometimes employer, bassist Dave Holland, who's bringing in his quintet. Other veterans coming back for encore performances include pianists Joe Sample and Billy Childs; singers Kurt Elling and Marlena Shaw; organist Joey DeFrancesco; trumpeters Terell Stafford and Terence Blanchard, and guitarist John Scofield, whose weekend in September with bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Stewart also is billed as a "special event."

Some other familiar faces will return in new musical configurations. Saxophonist James Carter and organist Dr. Lonnie Smith will team up for a week of gigs at the Bistro, as will bassist John Clayton and his son, pianist Gerald Clayton, who played the club a couple of years ago with the Clayton Brothers Quintet. Singer and pianist Freddy Cole also will return, this time joined by tenor saxophonist Harry Allen; and trumpeters Jon Faddis, Terell Stafford, and Sean Jones, who all previously have led their own bands at the Bistro, will share the stage for a show billed as “Triumph of Trumpets.”

As for musicians with ties to St. Louis, in what's become an annual tradition, trumpeter, singer and University City native Jeremy Davenport will return from New Orleans to play on Thanksgiving weekend. Also, pianist Reggie Thomas, a longtime mainstay of the St. Louis scene who moved to Michigan last year for a teaching job at Michigan State University, will be back to do a week-long educational residency and play the Bistro along with bassist and fellow MSU faculty member Rodney Whitaker.

On the local front, funk bands Hip Grease and the Dogtown All-Stars both will make their Bistro debuts in December, the latter with the Funky Butt Brass Band's horn section along for the ride. Local acts returning to the Bistro in the fall include trumpeter Jim Manley, guitarist Dave Black, Good 4 The Soul, and the Legacy Jazz Quintet. The local and regional musicians performing at the Bistro during the winter and spring of 2013 will be announced at a later date.

Here's the schedule for 2012-13 in chronological order:

Sunday, September 9 & Monday, September 10: Marcus Miller
Wednesday, September 19 - Saturday, September 22: Terence Blanchard
Friday, September 28 & Saturday, September 29: John Scofield Trio

Wednesday, October 3 - Saturday, October 6: Billy Childs Quartet
Friday, October 12: Sonny Rollins (at the Touhill Performing Arts Center)
Saturday, October 13: Dave Black
Wednesday, October 17 - Saturday, October 20: Christian Scott
Friday, October 26 & Saturday, October 27: Legacy Jazz Quintet
Wednesday, October 31 - Saturday, November 3: Terell Stafford

Friday, November 9 & Saturday, November 10: Jim Manley
Wednesday, November 14 - Saturday, November 17: Joey DeFrancesco
Friday, November 23 & Saturday, November 24: Jeremy Davenport
Wednesday, November 28 - Saturday, December 1: John Pizzarelli

Friday, December 7 & Saturday, December 8: Hip Grease
Wednesday, December 12 - Saturday, December 15: Chris Potter Trio
Friday, December 21 & Saturday, December 22: Dogtown All-Stars with the Funky Butt Horns
Friday, December 28 & Saturday, December 29: Good 4 The Soul

2013

Wednesday, January 2 - Saturday, January 5: Gregory Porter
Wednesday, January 16 - Saturday, January 19: The Bad Plus

Wednesday, January 30 - Saturday, February 2: Dave Holland
Wednesday, February 13 - Saturday, February 16: Sachal Vasandani
Wednesday, February 27 - Saturday, March 2: Kurt Elling

Friday, March 8 & Saturday, March 9: Reggie Thomas & Rodney Whitaker
Wednesday, March 13 - Saturday, March 16: John Clayton & Gerald Clayton
Saturday, March 23: Chick Corea and Béla Fleck (at the Touhill Performing Arts Center)
Wednesday, March 27 - Saturday, March 30: Joe Sample Trio

Friday, April 5 & Saturday, April 6: Jon Faddis' “Triumph of Trumpets” with Terell Stafford & Sean Jones
Wednesday, April 10 - Saturday, April 13: Marlena Shaw
Thursday, April 18: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival at the Bistro - Musicians TBA
Friday, April 19: "Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration" (GSLJF at the Touhill)
Saturday, April 20: Doc Severinsen Big Band (GSLJF at the Touhill)
Wednesday, April 24 - Saturday, April 27: James Carter & Dr. Lonnie Smith

Wednesday, May 8 - Saturday, May 11: Lionel Loueke
Wednesday, May 22 - Saturday, May 25: Freddy Cole with Harry Allen

Overall, while there aren't too many big surprises, it looks like another season of thoughtful bookings within Jazz St. Louis' now well-established parameters. The shows at the Touhill, particularly the return of Sonny Rollins, definitely are good "gets," and no doubt local jazz fans will relish the chance to go to the Bistro for an up-close look at Miller, Holland, and Sample, all of whom have played here most recently in much larger venues.

The "freshman class" of players making their Bistro debuts are all, to one degree or another, currently considered buzzworthy in the jazz press, though how that translates into ticket sales remains to be seen. Still, trumpet fans should jump at the opportunity to hear the highly-touted Christian Scott; Gregory Porter and Sachal Vasandani probably are the two most significant male jazz singers to emerge in recent years; and Loueke, who's played here a couple of times with Herbie Hancock, is an engaging performer who's already developing a significant fan base of his own.

The more familiar players in the Bistro lineup, such as Blanchard, Elling and DeFrancesco, are all pretty much proven to deliver both musical quality on the bandstand and a decent result at the box office, and their fans already have a pretty good idea of what to expect. Meanwhile, the pairing of James Carter and Dr. Lonnie Smith and the three-trumpet show with Faddis, Stafford and Jones do both potentially offer some interesting musical twists.

Ticket prices for performances at the Bistro range from $27 to $42 for touring acts, and $20 for local musicians, with student tickets available from $10 to $25. Ticket buyers who purchase a "Choose Your Own" package of at least four shows can get $2 off the price of each individual ticket in the package, and packages of more than four shows may qualify for a greater discount. For more details on how all that works, see here (.pdf file).

Season subscriptions and "Choose Your Own" packages can be purchased now by calling Jazz St. Louis at 314-289-4030. Single tickets for Jazz at the Bistro performances will go on sale at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 14 via Metrotix and the Jazz St. Louis box office.

Tickets for the shows at the Touhill will be sold through their box office and website and by phone at 314-516-4949. The tickets for Sonny Rollins and the Corea/Fleck concert are priced at $125 for the "VIP" package, $50 and $30 for regular seating, and $20 for students. Pricing information for the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival concerts is TBA, as are the on-sale dates for the shows at the Touhill.

(Edited after posting.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The old Saum Hotel building in the Shaw neighborhood - once the site of performances by swing era bandleader Eddie Randle and the Blue Devils, who provided early professional experience for Miles Davis - is the subject of a post by the history blog Sherlock Homes STL.

* Baritone saxophonist Roger Lewis of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band (pictured) was interviewed by the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson. The DDBB will perform tonight at the Old Rock House.

* The Sheldon Concert Hall and Metrotix over the holiday weekend are offering 50% off tickets to see "Miller Magic: The Music of Glenn Miller" featuring Bob Coleman's Legacy Big Band on Sunday, June 3 at the Sheldon. Regular prices are $35 and $30, but with the discount, purchasers only have to pay $17.50 and $15. To access the offer, go to this page on Metrotix.com before 11:59 p.m. on Monday, May 28. No promo code is needed.

* One of Wednesday night's sets by bassist Stanley Clarke's trio at Jazz at the Bistro was reviewed by KDHX's Wil Wander. Clarke continues at the Bistro through tomorrow night.

* Speaking of Clarke, NPR's program Jazz Set has reposted online a recording of a live performance from the 2009 Monterey Jazz Festival featuring the bassist's trio with pianist Chick Corea and drummer Lenny White.

* Electronic musician Eric Hall has just put online a full-length audio recording from his performance on Wednesday night at Laumeier Sculpture Park with pianist Thollem McDonas and multi-instrumentalist Arrington de Dionyso. Download it for free from Hall's Bandcamp page here. You also can see video of the concert, divided into five segments, here.

* City Music & Education Center this summer will present a jazz ensemble camp for students in grades 7 through 12 from Monday, August 6 through Friday, August 10.. The instructor is keyboardist Pete Ruthenburg. Get details on this and the store's other summer camps - for songwriting, pop vocals, "Caribbean Kids," and one aimed at devotees of the music of Jimmy Buffett, aka "Parrotheads"- on their website.

* The St. Louis American's Chris King interviewed Oliver L Jackson, one of the visual artists who back in the day belonged to the Black Artists Group. Jackson has a solo show at the "project room" at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Ave., continuing through June 10.