Jazz this week: Tony Bennett, two Miles Davis tributes, U City Jazz Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a legendary vocalist; two different events paying tribute to this city's most influential jazz musician ever; several free outdoor events featuring live jazz, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 7
Singer Tony Bennett (pictured, top left), who remarkably is still touring regularly as a nonagenarian, returns to perform at the Fox Theatre. Some tickets are still available as of this writing; for details, visit the "rush" section of the Fox's website. To when your appetite with some live performance videos of Bennett, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly Grand Center Jazz Crawl continues with live music at four different venues in the district; and the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra performs at First Unity Church of St. Louis.

Thursday, June 8
Pianist Adam Maness returns with his trio to Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, June 9
Keyboardist Adaron Jackson, guitarist Eric Slaughter, saxophonist Ben Reece (pictured, center left) and drummer Montez Coleman, doing business as Jackson, Slaughter, Reece & Coleman, will revisit the sounds of some of the classic organ/tenor soul-jazz combos of 1950s and '60s for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also on Friday, trumpeter Randy Holmes leads his quintet in the first of two nights of the "St. Louis Miles Davis Festival," performing music associated with Davis at the Webster Groves Concert Hall (formerly the Ozark Theatre).

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; ; and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis and guitarist Dave Black, collaborators in several past bands, will debut a new group called Breathtet, also featuring bassist Mark Wallace and drummer Kevin Cheli, in a show at The Focal Point,

Saturday, June 10
It's a good day to hear some jazz at a free outdoor festival, with three different events happening in the afternoon and evening.

Starting in mid-afternoon, the U City Jazz Festival will feature music from drummer Demarius Hicks, pianist Ptah Williams (pictured, bottom left), guitarist Dave Black, Bach to the Future, and the St. Louis Jazz All-Stars, continuing through the evening at Heman Park,

A little later in the afternoon and just a few miles away, the City of Clayton Music + Wine Festival will include performances from The Gaslight Squares, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and Miss Jubilee as part of a free outdoor concert at Carondelet Plaza.

At the same time a little further to the east, the Central West End Cocktail Party will include a stage at Euclid and McPherson with live performances from bands including the Twin Cities' Gatsby Gang and St. Louis' own Funky Butt Brass Band.

Also on Saturday, the Alton Museum presents the 12th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival in the town where the iconic trumpeter was born, featuring music from blues singer Big George Brock Jr. and the NGK Band, piano/vocal duo Bob and Me, guitarist Tim Jarden, and saxophonist Fred Walker at the Jacoby Arts Center.

Sunday, June 11
The St. Louis Symphony presents a "Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and the Ladies of Swing" featuring singer Dee Daniels at Powell Symphony Hall; the St. Louis Jazz Club's monthly show will feature John Gillick and the Impacts with pianist Bob Row at the DoubleTree Hotel; and the Ambassadors of Swing return to Kirkwood Station Brewing Company.

Monday, June 12 
Trumpeter Jim Manley will play his weekly gig serenading diners and drinkers at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, June 13
Saxophonist Adam Larson will be in town to present a free masterclass and performance at Saxquest, backed by guitarist Matt Sewell, bassist Bob DeBoo, and drummer Matt Wilson.

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

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

Jazz this week: Stefon Harris, Miles Davis Jazz Festival, Jeremy Davenport, and more

The unofficial start of summer in St. Louis this week brings with it several jazz and creative music events that local audiences have come to expect around this time of year, including the annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival in Alton; the start of the Whitaker Music Festival; benefit performances raising money for the Sheldon Concert Hall and for music scholarships awarded by Jazz St. Louis; and a gathering of ragtime musicians from all around the country. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 1
Tonight, singer Feyza Eren will perform in a free concert kicking off the summer-long Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Thursday, June 2
Minnesota-based jump-blues and swing band Davina and the Vagabonds will play at the Broadway Oyster Bar

Friday, June 3
The fried-dough enthusiasts comprising the staff of Jazz St. Louis will celebrate "National Donut Day" on Friday morning with a free, public event at the Ferring Jazz Bistro, featuring free coffee, milk and donuts from 15 local shops and bakeries, plus live music from students in JSL's education programs, kids' activities, and more.

That evening, vibraphonist Stefon Harris (pictured, top left) will join students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program for their annual weekend of performances as Jazz at the Bistro, with two sets on both Friday and Saturday nights.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to Thurman Grill; the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and saxophonist Austin Cebulski leads a quartet at Cigar Inn.

Saturday, June 4
On Saturday afternoon, Stefon Harris will lead a free workshop for musicians at Jazz at the Bistro, talking about the "Harmony Cloud" ear training system he's created with trombonist and software developer Clif Swiggett.

Saturday evening, the 11th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival will take place at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton, featuring pianist Phil Dunlap leading a nonet playing music from Davis' Birth of the Cool, plus sets from saxophonist Fred Walker, the Dilbert Caldwell Band, and the duo Me and Bob.

Elsewhere around town, South Korean saxophonist Lukas Insung Lee will play at Evangeline's; guitarist Dave Black will present a concert of his original music at Focal Point; and trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr's All-Star Band returns to Nathalie's.

Sunday, June 5
Sunday afternoon offers several noteworthy shows, starting with trumpeter, singer and U City native Jeremy Davenport (pictured, bottom left) who will be back home to headline the annual spring benefit for the Sheldon Concert Hall.

At about the same time, the Friends of Scott Joplin will present their "Ragtime Afterglow Party" at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, featuring informal performances from various musicians involved in this weekend's Scott Joplin Festival in Sedalia, MO.

Meanwhile, Jazz St. Louis will be presenting the third annual Richard McDonnell Scholarship Concert at Jazz at the Bistro. The event, which raises money for music scholarships awarded in the name of the late founder of MAXJAZZ Records, runs from mid-afternoon through the evening, with performers including Jazz St. Louis' student All-Stars, alumni of JSL's JazzU program, pianist Carolbeth True's trio, Funky Butt Brass Band, Good 4 the Soul with singer Anita Jackson, a closing set featuring trumpeter Sean Jones and pianist Peter Martin, and more.

Monday, June 6
Trombonists Wayne Coniglio and Scott Whitfield will team up to lead a quintet at the 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.)

11th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival set for Saturday, June 4 at Jacoby Arts Center

The 11th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival in Davis' birthplace of Alton, IL is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at the Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway in Alton.

A nonet led by pianist and Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap (pictured) will headline the event, playing arrangements from Miles Davis' landmark album Birth of the Cool as well as other music associated with the trumpeter.

Along with Dunlap on piano, the band will include Bob DeBoo (bass), Kaleb Kirby (drums), Danny Campbell (trumpet), Ben Reece (alto sax), Andy Ament (baritone sax), Eli Pandolfi (French horn), Jim Martin (tuba), and Jim Owens (trombone).

Also performing at the festival will be saxophonist Fred Walker, the Dilbert Caldwell Band, and the duo Me and Bob (aka singer Ellen Martinez and keyboardist Bob Werner).

General admission tickets to the Miles Davis Jazz Festival will be $20 per person at the door, with proceeds benefiting the Alton Museum Of History And Art. For more information, call 618-462-2763.

Miles on Monday: Miles Davis Memorial Project completes fundraising, and more

This week's news from the world of Miles Davis:

* Columbia/Legacy Recordings, the Miles Davis estate, and JazzTimes magazine are giving away a free copy of the forthcoming box set Miles Davis at Newport 1955-1975: The Bootleg Series Vol. 4. (To enter, you must have or create a JazzTimes account, which is free but requires registering with your email address.)

* The Miles Davis Jazz Festival held a week ago Saturday in Alton was the subject of a feature story by Joey Wagner of the Alton Telegraph.

* Also in Alton, the Miles Davis Memorial Project announced last week that they have successfully completed their fundraising efforts and now have in hand the money necessary to complete the installation of a statue of Davis on Third St. downtown. The site is currently under construction, with the unveiling ceremony set for Saturday, September 12.

* Nielsen Music's mid-year report tracking music sales show that vinyl records are still enjoying a comeback, with sales up 38% compared to a year ago, and the fifth best-selling album on the vinyl chart is Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, which has sold 23,200 copies so far in 2015. (KoB trails only recordings by pop/country singer Taylor Swift, and rock acts Sufjan Stevens, Arctic Monkeys, and Alabama Shakes.)

* During a recent interview with the website VladTV.com, hip-hop producer and emcee Easy Mo Bee (pictured) spoke about working with Miles Davis on the trumpeter's final album Doo-Bop, calling it "the greatest feat of my career." You can check out the whole interview here.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis has planted a Rose outside their box office, as a photo of the late Barbara Rose (pictured) has been hung there for all visitors to JSL's recently renovated headquarters to see.

Rose, who started the "Just Jazz" series at the Majestic Hotel that eventually became Jazz at the Bistro and subsequently led to the incorporation of Jazz St. Louis, was celebrated along with JSL's other founders at a luncheon held Tuesday at the Bistro. You can see more pictures from the "Founder's Day" event on Jazz St. Louis' Facebook page.

* Speaking of Jazz St. Louis, they're looking to hire additional employees, including a new box office manager, events manager, and marketing/public relations intern. To find out more about the available positions, visit the Jazz St. Louis website.

* And speaking of opportunities, the Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival once again this year will sponsor "Old Webster's Got Talent," a battle of the bands leading to a chance to perform at this year's OWJBF on Saturday, September 19.

In a change from past years, just four acts will be selected to take part in a winner-take-all contest, which will take place on Thursday, September 3 at the Ozark Theater in Webster Groves. To be considered, bands and musicians should send MP3 samples of their music to Terry Perkins at webstersgottalent@gmail.com. The deadline for submissions is Saturday, August 15. 

* Multi-instrumentalist and DJ Lamar Harris was interviewed by Katelyn Mae Petrin of KDHX.

* Saxophonist Eric Person has posted on Facebook a photo album from his performance at last Saturday's Chesterfield Jazz Festival

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has created another promotional video now posted on YouTube, offering "an up-close and personal look" at his visual artwork.

* St. Louis magazine's annual "A-List Awards" issue came out this week, and among the awards for arts and entertainment, the renovated and renamed Ferring Jazz Bistro won for "New Music Venue," and Alarm Will Sound won in the "Concert" category for their premiere performance of John Luther Adams' Ten Thousand Birds last October at the Public Media Commons.

The award for "Music Accolade" went to the St. Louis Symphony for winning a Grammy for their album City Noir, while the actual "Album" award went to faux-rustic revivalist Pokey Lafarge for Something in the Water.

* St. Louis based sound and lighting contractor Logic Systems has acquired the road-case manufacturers Barry Products, Inc, Barry Cases, and affordable-cases.com. The Barry and Affordable Case lines of instrument and equipment cases will be added to subsidiary company St. Louis Case's existing lines of custom ATA cases and racks.

* Jazz radio update: WSIE (88.1 FM) has launched an IndieGoGo campaign to raise funds for a new transmitter. The station currently is broadcasting from a transmitter that's more than 30 years old and showing signs of wear.

In an email announcing the campaign, station manager Greg Conroy noted that even obtaining replacement parts is getting more difficult and expensive, adding urgency to a fundraising effort which has been ongoing for some time now. (A previous crowd-funding campaign was pulled due to a conflict with Southern Illinois University regulations, but apparently that's been sorted out.)

Listeners who would like to contribute to keep WSIE on the air can find out more about the campaign and donate online here.

Elsewhere on the radio dial, this Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's program “Somethin’ Else” will be an encore presentation of a 2013 episode paying tribute to Duke Ellington.
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.

Jazz this week: Ronnie Burrage, a trio of local festivals, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and more

It's another busy weekend for live jazz and creative music in and around the St. Louis area, with homecoming visits from a couple of distinguished expats, local festivals taking place in three different parts of the metro area, a performance from a notable participant in Chicago's thriving improvised music scene, and more.  Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, June 25 
The Gateway City Big Band plays a free outdoor concert at Chesterfield Amphitheater, and the Tavern of Fine Arts presents their monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night," this month featuring live improvised music performed with video art.

Also on Thursday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Tom Byrne perform at Thurman Grill; and yr. humble StLJN editor also has been meaning to mention that there's now an open jam session every other Thursday at The Night Owl, the bar upstairs above the vegetarian restaurant Tree House, 3177 S Grand Blvd.

Friday, June 26
Drummer and U. City native Ronnie Burrage, who's currently living in Pennsylvania, will be back home for a weekend of performances at Voce, 212 S. Tucker. Burrage (pictured, top left) will lead a small group with guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Nathan Pence and singer Kendra Mahr, plus trumpeter Danny Campbell on Friday, and Jeff Anderson on tenor sax on Saturday. For more about Burrage and some video samples of him performing, see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, the annual Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival, held in the public square in downtown Belleville, kicks off its first night with sets from trumpeter Jim Manley, the Usual Suspects, and singer Anita Rosamond. Saturday's lineup will feature saxophonist Jim Stevens, trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber (pictured, center left), the Christian blues band Kingdom Brothers, and Soul Cafe.

Elsewhere around town, Tavern of Fine Arts will host "Soliloquy II," a program of solo and duo improvised performances featuring cellist Tracy Andreotti, percussionist Henry Claude, violinist Alex Cunningham, pianist Greg Mills, saxophonist Dave Stone, and flute player Fred Tompkins. 

A bit further south, pianist and singer Carol Schmidt, multi-instrumentalist and singer Michele Isam, and singers Debbie Schuster and Katie McGrath team up to perform as "Women Under the Influence" at Soulard Preservation Hall, 1921 South Ninth St.

And back in midtown at Grand Center, Jazz at the Bistro is trying something a bit different this weekend, on Friday pairing a group of local burlesque dancers billed as the Randy Dandies with live music from the Funky Butt Brass Band for "Babes in Brassland." A similarly themed program titled "Tassles 'n Tunes," with music from Tommy Halloran’s Guerrilla Swing, is set for Saturday night.

Saturday, June 27
The Miles Davis Jazz Festival celebrates its tenth year with performances from drummer Montez Coleman's trio, trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet, and saxophonist Fred Walker at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.

Also on Saturday, Chicago-based cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm will be in town to headline a show at the Schlafly Tap Room. Lonberg-Holm, who's collaborated with well-regarded improvisors such as Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee, and Peter Brötzmann, will perform in a duo with percussionist Ståle Liavik Solberg. The Vernacular String Trio and DJ Ghost Ice also are on the bill.

Saturday also is the day for this year's edition of the Chesterfield Jazz Festival, a free event at the Chesterfield Amphitheater that will feature a headlining performance from saxophonist and St. Louis native Eric Person, backed by pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes, plus sets from Bach to the Future, singer Feyza Eren, bassist Bob DeBoo, and singer Tony Viviano.

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to the Venice Cafe; Miss Jubilee performs for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and singer Eve Seltzer and band will host a late-night jam session at Evangeline's.

Sunday, June 28
The summer edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show will take place at the American Czech Hall, 4690 Lansdowne (at Kingshighway).

Also on Sunday, Ronnie Burrage leads his RoBu Big Band in a matinee performance at Voce. The ensemble will feature Danny Campbell and Jeff Anderson from the drummer's small-group shows, along with saxophonists Chad Evans, Jerome "JDubz" Williams, Stanley Coleman, and Willie Akins; pianist Ptah Williams; bassist Darrell Mixon; percussionist Henry Claude; singer Charisse Swan, and other special guests.

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.)

Miles on Monday: Miles Davis Jazz Festival set for Saturday, reissue news, and more

This week in Miles Davis-related news....

* The tenth annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival will take place this Saturday, June 27 at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton, IL.

The event begins at 6:00 p.m. and will feature performances from drummer Montez Coleman's trio, a quartet led by trumpeter Danny Campbell, and saxophonist Fred Walker.

Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Alton Museum, the Greater Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau, or at the door.

* On July 24, the Japanese label HiHat Records will release a vinyl version of Miles Davis Fillmore West 15/10/70, a 2-LP set (pictured) of the KPFA radio broadcast of Davis' performance at the Fillmore West on October 15, 1970.

First issued on CD in March of this year, it's a different session from Black Beauty, which was recorded at the Fillmore West in April of 1970, and also not to be confused with Miles Davis At Fillmore, a 2-LP set recorded that same year, but at the Fillmore East in NYC.

The album features Davis, saxophonist Gary Bartz, bassist Michael Henderson, keyboardist Keith Jarrett, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and percussionists Airto Moreira and Juma Santos performing "Honky Tonk," "What I Say," "Sanctuary," "Yesternow," "Bitches Brew," and "Funky Tonk/The Theme."

* Guitar Player magazine columnist Jesse Gress considers what contemporary guitarists might learn from Miles Davis' phrasing and approach to music in an article titled "Under Investigation: Miles Davis for Guitar."

* It was 48 years ago this week that Davis and his quintet took part in the second of three sessions for the album Nefertiti, the trumpeter's last recording made using only acoustic instruments. Recorded on June 7, June 22–23 and July 19, 1967 at Columbia Records' 30th Street Studio, the album would be released in March of the following year, going as high as number eight on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart.

You can listen to Nefertiti in its entirety, including some alternate takes that originally went unreleased, via the YouTube embed after the jump...

Miles on Monday: Newport box set, 2015 Miles Davis Jazz Festival previewed, and more

This week for "Miles on Monday," here's the latest in Miles Davis-related news:

* To promote the forthcoming box set of Davis' performances at the Newport Jazz Festival, Legacy Records put out a previously unreleased version of "Stella by Starlight" recorded by the trumpeter's quintet at the 1966 Newport fest. You can hear the track in the YouTube audio embed below.

* In a related development, the release of that 1966 track prompted the ReviveMusic website to compile some other classic Davis performances of “Stella By Starlight.”

* Closer to home, Ken Whiteside, who's involved with both the Miles Davis Jazz Festival and the Miles Davis Memorial Project in Alton, discussed recent developments and previewed this year's festival on an episode of WBGZ's "Let's Talk" program.

* The transitional state of Davis' music at the beginning of the 1960s was examined in the most recent episode of Indiana Public Media's "Night Lights" program, "Miles Between: Miles Davis 1961-1963."

* The effect of racism on Davis' romance with French actress Juliette Greco (pictured, with Davis) was the subject of a story on a recent episode of "Rhythm Planet" from Santa Monica BPR affiliate KCRW.

* In an interview with Los Angeles public TV station KCET, Herbie Hancock spoke briefly about his involvement in Miles Ahead, the upcoming feature film about Davis directed by and starring Don Cheadle.

After the jump, you can hear the Miles Davis Quintet performing "Stella By Starlight" at the 1966 Newport Jazz Festival...

Miles on Monday: Miles Davis Jazz Festival scheduled for Saturday, June 27, and more

This week for "Miles on Monday," some recent news items related to the legendary trumpeter:

* The tenth annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival will be held on Saturday, June 27 at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton, IL.

This year's lineup will be headed by drummer Montez Coleman's trio featuring pianist Adam Maness, with support acts including saxophonist Fred Walker and a quartet led by trumpeter Danny Campbell with bassist Jeff Anderson, drummer Marty Morrison, and pianist Matt Villinger.

Tickets for the Miles Davis Jazz Festival are $25 each, and can be purchased in advance at the Alton Museum of History & Art, which is producing the event, or at the door.

* Miles & Coltrane: Blue, a play recently produced at the International Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro, NC, was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's K. Shackelford. The production starred Sultan Omar El-Amin as Davis and Quentin Talley as Coltrane (pictured).

* In Davis' autobiography, published in 1990, the trumpeter identified three artists as the possible "future of music." Now, a new article just out on Mic.com looks at Davis' prognostication and how those musicians' careers have turned out.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Best wishes and healing thoughts to trumpeter Adam Hucke, who's back home and recovering today after being hit in the arm by a stray bullet early this morning at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

According to a report on KMOV, two cars were involved in a gun battle on Broadway near Gratiot around 2:00 a.m. when Hucke, who was working with blues guitarist and singer Mike Aguirre, was hit.

No other details about the incident are available, but Hucke, best known as a member of the Funky Butt Brass Band, was treated and released by a local hospital and expects to be OK.

* Miles Davis' Take Off: The Complete Blue Note Albums, the recent reissue of the trumpeter's early 1950s sessions for the label (pictured), was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Marc Davis.

* Meanwhile, in the latest news from Miles Ahead, actor Don Cheadle's forthcoming film about Davis, it seems that actress Zoe Saldana has dropped out of the project, but shooting still is scheduled to begin next month in Cincinnati.

* The Miles Davis Jazz Festival has posted on Facebook an album of photos from this year's fest.

* HEC-TV has posted online Don Wolff's video tribute to the late Mat Domber, founder of the jazz indie label Arbors Records.

* In related news, the audio version of Wolff's "I Love Jazz" program now can be heard on TuneIn.com.

* Bassist Jim Widner's big band camp for high school students was the subject of a feature story in the UMSL Current.

* The downtown bar and restaurant Lola, which occasionally presented jazz along with R&B, neo-soul and hop-hop, is closing. The story from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson cites increased competition from other venues, as well as differences among the partners.

* The Big Little Band has posted on Facebook an album of photos from their performance last week at The Abbey in Belleville.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else”, host Calvin Wilson will spotlight the music of Duke Ellington's collaborator Billy Strayhorn as interpreted by musicians including saxophonists Joe Henderson and Branford Marsalis and pianist Matthew Shipp.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will be spinning tunes by Brian Culbertson, Omar Hakim, Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra, Nathan East, The New Mastersounds, Chuck Mangione, Acoustic Alchemy, Wes Montgomery, Gato Barbieri, Jimmy Smith, Dave Panico, Jim Manley, and more.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saturday's Miles Davis Jazz Festival in Alton is the subject of a preview article by the Alton Telegraph's Jill Moon. Trumpeter Russell Gunn headlines, with saxophonist Fred Walker (pictured) and prog-rock band Locrian Manor as opening acts.

* Saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock was interviewed about her current tour by Cleveland Scene. She and her husband, drummer Tom Rainey, will be in St. Louis on Monday and Tuesday to perform in two events presented by New Music Circle.

* A new episode of I Love Jazz, hosted by Don Wolff and featuring footage of Jeremy Davenport from the Sheldon Concert Hall, debuted last night on HEC-TV. Check your TV provider's program guide for times and dates, or watch it on HEC's website.

* Speaking of The Sheldon, they've compiled on Soundcloud an audio sampler of tracks from musicians featured in their various 2014-15 season series.

* The New Orleans-style cuisine of the Broadway Oyster Bar was sampled and enjoyed by the Associated Press' Alan Scherzagier.

* Actor/director Don Cheadle's long-anticipated movie about Miles Davis, which apparently now has had its title changed from Kill The Trumpet Player to Miles Ahead, will film this summer in Cincinnati.

* Bill Brownlee of Plastic Sax grades the recently announced 2014-15 jazz series at Kansas City's Folly Theater. Highlights will include concerts by pianists Fred Hersch and Danilo Perez and guitarist Earl Klugh.

* The Gramophone is partnering with the conservation organization Magnificent Missouri to create Magnificent Missouri Music, "a compilation of original songs about all the amazing things we can do out of doors in our great state." The album will be released on CD and vinyl, and there will be a "usage stipend" paid for any songs selected, which can be brand new or already released. Submissions are open until June 30; for more information, email magmo (at) thegramophonelive.com.

* The trial opened this week for two men accused of killing Patrice Thimes, sister of singer Denise Thimes, during an exchange of gunfire on St. Patrick's Day of 2011. Patrice Thimes was passing by the scene of the gunfight in her car and was hit by a stray bullet; her accused killers face charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action, and a third suspect will be tried at a later date.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" presents compositions from the songbook of Irving Berlin as performed by musicians including Branford Marsalis, Diana Krall, and Chick Corea.

Next up, Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will have tunes from Jonathan Butler, Nathan East, Citrus Sun, Nina Simone, Willie Bobo, Cal Tjader, Donald Byrd, and Bob James, as well as locals such as Tom Byrne, Elliott Ranney, Dreaming In Colour, and Jesse Gannon.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Meanwhile, on Sunday night's edition of KWMU's "Jazz Unlimited", host Dennis Owsley will feature music from the Pacific Jazz record label, with tracks from Art Pepper, Shorty Rogers, Joe Pass, Chico Hamilton, Bud Shank & Laurindo Almeida, Jimmy Rowles, John Lewis, Bill Perkins, the Jazz Crusaders, Gerry Mulligan, Richard "Groove" Holmes, and many more. The program airs from 9:00 p.m. to midnight; you can listen to the broadcast at 90.7 FM or hear it online at http://www.stlpublicradio.org/listen.php.

Edited after posting to add info on this week's "Jazz Unlimited" program.

Jazz this week: Jane Monheit, Miles Davis Jazz Festival with Russell Gunn, New Music Circle Showcase, Tammy McCann, and more

This week's menu of jazz and creative music offerings in St. Louis includes a number of special events, most notably the annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival in Alton, plus the long-awaited return of one of the more popular female vocalists in jazz.

That would be singer Jane Monheit, who's back in St. Louis to perform in a four-night engagement beginning this evening and continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

It's Monheit's first visit here since 2010 and this time, her show has a theme, "Celebrating the Jazz of Judy Garland." Though Garland wasn't known specifically as a jazz performer, the catalog of songs she recorded, ranging from uptempo numbers like "Get Happy" to ballads like "The Man That Got Away," certainly offers ample opportunities for Monheit and her trio to stretch out and explore emotional and musical nuances.

For more about what else Monheit has been up to since her last visit here, and some video samples from recent performances, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Tomorrow, KDHX will present their annual "Midwest Mayhem" event at the City Museum, with music from the Funky Butt Brass Band, Wack-A-Doo, The People's Key, and 16 more bands and DJs representing a variety of musical genres. 

Also on Thursday, guitarist Dave Black, singer Joe Mancuso and band will perform at Nathalie’s; and the World Chess Hall of Fame in the Central West End will celebrate their current exhibit about composer John Cage with a free performance of Cage’s "Reunion" featuring Lemp Neighborhood Art Center's Mark Sarich, Nathan Cook, Greg Farough and, somewhat surprisingly, Good 4 The Soul keyboardist Adaron "Pops" Jackson.

On Friday, Chicago's Tammy McCann, an alumna of Ray Charles' Raelettes who's also been working recently with Kurt Elling's former pianist Laurence Hobgood, will perform at Robbie's House of Jazz. Hobgood won't be on this gig, though, as McCann will be backed by a quartet including Tom Vaitsas (piano), John Sutton (bass), Sam Jewel (drums), and St. Louis' own Eric Slaughter on guitar.

Also on Friday, the Ambassadors of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; singer Feyza Eren and pianist Nathan Jatcko will duet at The Wine Press; and guitarist Vincent Varvel leads a trio at Tavern of Fine Arts.

On Saturday, the 2014 edition of the annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival takes place at the Jacoby Arts Center in Davis' birthplace of Alton, Illinois. This year's headliner is trumpeter Russell Gunn (pictured), the former East St. Louisan whose variegated catalog of recordings includes one explicitly paying tribute to Davis, as well as several albums of electric music that reflect some of the spirit of Davis' later years. Saxophonist Fred Walker and prog-rock band Locrian Manor are the supporting acts.

Also on Saturday, pianist Peter Martin performs in a benefit event for New City School; the WirePilots, featuring guitarist Dan Rubright, bassist Ric Vice, and percussionist Ted Rubright, play at the Kranzberg Arts Center; and smooth jazz/fusion ensemble The Freedom will take the stage at Thurman Grill.

On Sunday, Russell Gunn will cross the Mississippi, serving as the "special guest" for a gig nominally headed by drummer Montez Coleman at the Bistro at Grand Center; while down on Cherokee St., the Sidney Street Shakers will be playing pre-WWII style hot jazz for the monthly "South City Shuffle" event at Van Ella Studios.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday New Music Circle will present a free improv session at Blank Space with saxophonist Ingrid Laubrock, drummer Tom Rainey, and an assortment of St. Louis musicians.

Then on Tuesday, Laubrock, Rainey and drummer Tyler Damon will be the visiting performers taking part in NMC's final concert of the season, aka the "New Music Circle Showcase," at the William A Kerr Foundation, 21 O'Fallon St on Laclede's Landing. Also joining in will be St. Louis guitarist Chris Trull and electronic musicians Kevin Harris and NNN Cook. For a look at and listen to the visitors improvising in various situations, check out this video post from last Saturday.

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Euclid Records is pitching in this weekend to the campaign to help pianist and St. Louis native Ray Kennedy (pictured), who's been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, can no longer play and requires full-time care.

Fans and friends have put up a page on the site You Caring to raise funds for Kennedy's medical expenses and for his family, which includes two daughters. To support the effort, Euclid owner Joe Schwab is offering to donate to the Kennedy fund an amount equivalent to 10% of all purchases made in the store this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

* A block party will be held in NYC on Monday, May 26 to celebrate the renaming of West 77th Street between Riverside Drive and West End Ave as “Miles Davis Way.”  Davis' daughter Cheryl Davis, his son Erin Davis, and nephew Vince Wilburn, Jr. will be on hand to represent Miles Davis Properties, LLC.

* In related news, Rock Paper Photo and the Davis estate on May 20 will release an exclusive line of artwork featuring Davis, including rare limited-edition photos, fine art reproductions of the trumpeter's own paintings and drawings, and graphic designs inspired by the artwork on his albums.

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby continues his skein of shows in Australia, where he was interviewed by the The West Australian newspaper in Perth and reviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald.

* Doug Ramsey of Rifftides blogged this week about the musical importance of St. Louis native Clark Terry and the 93-year-old trumpeter's continuing health challenges.

* Trumpeter/singer and St. Louis expat Jeremy Davenport was interviewed this week on WGNO radio in his adopted hometown of New Orleans.

* Speaking of heading south, the Funky Butt Brass Band announced this week that they'll make the trip down to Helena, AR this fall for the 29th annual King Biscuit Blues Festival, where they'll appear on Friday, October 8.

* Ken Whiteside of the Miles Davis Jazz Festival organizing committee was interviewed about the upcoming 2014 festival this past Wednesday on Alton's WBGZ (1570 AM). You can listen to an audio stream of the conversation here (scroll down to "Let's Talk-5-7-Ken Whiteside-Miles Davis Jazz Festival") or download an .mp3 of it here.

* Lindy Hop St. Louis co-founders Christian Frommelt and Jenny Shirar spoke to KWMU's Camille Phillips about Prohibition-era dance styles for a story about “American Spirits: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition,” an exhibit that opened last month at the Missouri History Museum.

* Sound Unlimited has posted to their Facebook page an album of photos from recent gigs at Vito's In The Valley.

* Jazz St. Louis will be the beneficiary of St. Louis magazine's "Food Wine Design" event on Wednesday, June 4 at the Lumen Private Event Space, 2201 Locust. Tickets are $85 per person or $800 per table of 10, and include a four-course meal prepared by Vince Bommarito Jr. of Tony’s and Adam Gnau of Acero; wine and beer pairings; cocktails; music from the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars; valet parking; and a souvenir wine glass and gift bag.

* Jazz radio update: WSIE general manager Greg Conroy tells StLJN that the station will conduct a fundraising drive the first weekend of June; watch this space for more details.

Meanwhile, this Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else"  program features music from jazz trios that don't employ the usual piano-bass-drums formulation, including groups led by Stanley Clarke, Dave Douglas and Charlie Hunter.

After that, Jason Church's "The Jazz Collective" will include tracks from Dan Kusz, Cindy Bradley, Jamie Liddell, Pieces of a Dream, The Manhattan Transfer, Jamie Cullum, Miles Davis, Ben Webster with Maynard Ferguson, and Chick Corea, as well as locals Carolbeth True, Tommy Halloran, Joe Mancuso and Anthony Hines.

Wilson's program airs at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.  

Russell Gunn to headline Miles Davis Jazz Festival on Saturday, May 17

Trumpeter Russell Gunn will be coming back home to headline the 2014 Miles Davis Jazz Festival, which will take place starting at 5:00 p.m. Saturday, May 17 at the Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway in Alton.

The opening acts will be saxophonist Fred Walker, a veteran of several past MDJFs, and Riverbend-area prog/alt-rock band Locrian Manor.

Gunn, who grew up in East St. Louis and now lives in Atlanta, will be accompanied by bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montez Coleman, who, like Gunn, is an alumnus of ESL Lincoln High School's award-winning jazz band, directed by Ronald Carter.

The trumpeter (pictured) also has an affinity for Davis' music that goes beyond their shared hometown, as in 2007 he recorded an entire album of Davis' music, Russell Gunn Plays Miles. His most recent appearance in the St. Louis area was just this past Sunday with singer Dionne Ferris at the Casino Queen's Club Sevens.

Tickets for the 2014 Miles Davis Jazz Festival featuring Russell Gunn are $25 each, and will be on sale starting Sunday, March 23 at the Alton Museum of History and Art and Jacoby Arts Center. Proceeds from the event will benefit the not-for-profit Alton Museum.

Jazz this week: Jazz St. Louis All-Stars & Sean Jones, Dan Thomas & Voyage, Miles Davis Jazz Festival, and more

While not every week here in St. Louis can be as packed with touring jazz and creative music talent as was the end of Jazz Appreciation Month last week, our local and regional musicians nevertheless are serving up plenty of noteworthy performances over the next few days. So, let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, the funky organ trio Downstereo will be doing their regular weekly performance at Atomic Cowboy; Miss Jubilee will sing at Thaxton Speakeasy, and saxophonist Jim Stevens is playing a solo-with-tracks gig at Stanley's Cigar Lounge, 1000 Washington Ave. downtown.

On Friday, saxophonist Dan Thomas (pictured), who comes originally from Canada by way of Kansas City, brings his quartet Voyage to St. Louis for the first of two evenings at Robbie's House of Jazz. Thomas co-chairs the jazz program at UMKC alongside former Jazz Messenger Bobby Watson, and released his first CD with Voyage last fall. It's an enjoyable, crisply executed collection of modern jazz grooves that range from straight-ahead swing to Latin, and you can access audio samples from it and Thomas' other recordings via his website.

That same evening, Jazz St. Louis will present the first of two evenings at Jazz at the Bistro featuring student musicians from the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars and JazzU programs, with trumpeter Sean Jones sitting in as a special guest star. The weekend giving the top high-school-age players from Jazz St. Louis' education programs the chance to show off what they've learned has become a spring tradition at the Bistro, enlivened in recent years by the presence of guest musicians such as Jones.

Also on Friday, trumpeter Delano Redmond leads a quartet with drummer Marty Morrison, pianist Matt Villinger and bassist LaRon Stover at Cigar Inn; and guitarist-singer Tommy Halloran and violinist Alyssa Avery play for diners at Big Sky Cafe.

On Saturday, trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi will do a lunchtime matinee at Frontenac Grill, and later that day, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform for a Kentucky Derby Day themed event at Thurman Grill and Provisions.

Also getting started in the late afternoon Saturday is the Alton Museum of History and Art's annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival, held this year at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton. The lineup of performers includes saxophonist Fred Walker, the Marty Morrison Quartet, and guitarist Henry Taylor's revue featuring vocalist Saman Swanson.

Also on Saturday evening, the University of Missouri's Mizzou New Music Ensemble will be in town to perform a free concert at the World Chess Hall of Fame in the Central West End; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham and singer Angela Sutherlin will play for a spring fund-raiser at Harris Stowe State University. For more about that, see this story from KPLR's Christine Buck.

On Sunday, the spring edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show will take place at the American Czech Center on S. Kingshighway, with a roomful of dealers selling music in a variety of physical formats, plus related ephemera and collectables.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday guitarist Tom Byrne's trio will play at BB's Jazz Blues & Soups. Then on Tuesday morning, Cornet Chop Suey will play traditional jazz and swing for the first of two Coffee Concerts at the Sheldon Concert Hall, with the same program repeating on Wednesday morning. On Tuesday night, guitarist Dave Black brings his group to BB's for an early evening set.

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.)

Miles Davis Jazz Festival set for Saturday, May 21

The Alton Museum of History and Art will present the 2011 Miles Davis Jazz Festival from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. this Saturday, May 21 at Trimpe Hall on the campus of Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL.

Performers will include the Alton Landing Jazz Quintet, Jim Stevens Band, saxophonist Henry Miles' quintet from Springfield, IL, and Mondinband with special guest Big George Brock, Jr. (pictured).

Tickets are $25 each, or $180 for tables of eight, with all proceed benefiting the Museum. A cash bar and hors d'ouevres will be available. To purchase tickets, call 618-462-2763, send an email to altonmuseum@gmail.com, or stop by the Museum at 2809 College in Alton between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m Wednesday through Saturday.

(Edited 5/19/11 to correct the special guest for Mondinband.)

Jazz this week: David Sanborn Trio, Guitars and Saxes, Miles Davis Jazz Festival, and more

The weather in St. Louis is brutally hot this week, but if you can brave the scorching conditions enough to leave the house, there are several shows of interest to jazz fans happening during the next few days.

Most notably, saxophonist and former St. Louisan David Sanborn (pictured) and his current trio featuring organist Joey DeFrancesco will be in town on Monday and Tuesday to play at Jazz at the Bistro.

The gigs are benefit performances intended to raise money for Jazz St. Louis education programs. Regular tickets are priced at $50 and are being sold through Metrotix, and there also also are some VIP packages; call Jazz St. Louis at 314-289-4030 for information on those. To see some video clips of Sanborn and DeFrancesco in action earlier this year, check out this post.

On Friday, the 2010 edition of the smooth jazz package tour Guitars and Saxes comes to the The Pageant. This year's tour features saxophonists Kirk Whalum and Gerald Albright and guitarists Jeff Golub and Peter White. For some video clips of Golub and White, see this post, and you also can see Whalum and Albight in some excerpts from their 2009 "Sax for Stax" tour here.

On Saturday, the fifth annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival takes place at the Commons at Lewis & Clark Community College, 5800 Godfrey Road in Godfrey, IL. This year's featured performers are saxophonist Michael Anthony Fitzgerald, guitarist Brian White, the Howard Neal Band, Chicago-based saxophonist Michael Salter's 5-piece band Freakjar and Kansas City saxophonist Dave Panico, with KMOV's Vickie Newton serving as MC. Advance tickets can be purchased at the Alton Museum of History & Art and at Bossa Nova Lounge in Alton, or by calling 618-462-2763.

Elsewhere around town, Robbie's House of Jazz tonight will feature the Mark Pedigo Trio, with Pedigo on piano, bassist Nick Shea and drummer Matt Milunski. On Friday, the club has drummer Joe Winstein-Hibbs and the Webster Jazz Collective Quartet, and on Saturday, it's trumpeter Anthony Wiggins' quartet.

And it's also the weekend for the annual St. Louis Cabaret Conference, a summer conclave of performers, directors and teachers that also features several live public performances. Tonight, singers Liz Callaway and Jason Graae will perform at the Sheldon Concert Hall; on Friday, Rick Jensen performs at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and on Saturday, Tim Schall takes the stage at Kranzberg. The weekend wraps up with a showcase for conference participants on Sunday night at the Bistro at Grand Center.

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

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

Miles Davis Jazz Festival adds to 2010 lineup

Organizers of the Miles Davis Jazz Festival, which is scheduled for Saturday, August 14 at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, have informed StLJN of a couple of additions to this year's musical lineup.

Along with the previously announced acts - saxophonist Michael Anthony Fitzgerald, guitarist Brian White, and the Howard Neal Band - the 2010 MDJF also will feature sets from Chicago-based saxophonist Michael Salter's 5-piece band Freakjar and Kansas City saxophonist Dave Panico.

Salter (pictured) is a former St. Louisan and graduate of the jazz program at Northern Illinois University. Panico, who bills himself as "The Soaring Saxman," is active in both secular and contemporary Christian music.

The Miles Davis Festival is sponsored by the Madison County Arts Council, Illinois Arts Council and the Alton Foundation. General admission tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.