Jazz this week: Gregory Porter, Wack-A-Doo, a jazz/funk tribute to the Beatles, and more

Call it a post-holiday hangover, a winter break, or whatever you like, but with one major exception, it's a pretty slow week for touring jazz and creative musicians visiting St. Louis. Fortunately, there are plenty of local musicians who aren't vacationing and/or hibernating, and thus are prepared to take up some of the slack.

The big attraction of the week is singer Gregory Porter (pictured), who's making his much-anticipated St. Louis debut with a four-night engagement starting tonight and continuing through Sunday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Porter, a big-voiced baritone who mixes soul and gospel influences with jazz, has received a ton of positive press over the past couple of years, and deservedly so, as his sound certainly is distinctive and, on record so far, he seems to have the talent to justify the hype (to the extent that anyone could). Video evidence indicates that Porter is a galvanizing live performer, too; you can see that for yourself, read more about him, and check out some interviews with Porter via last Saturday's video showcase post.

Elsewhere around town, on Friday retro swing band Wack-A-Doo plays for Lindy Hop St. Louis' monthly first Friday dance at the Mahler Ballroom in the Central West End; drummer Paul Shaw leads a trio with bassist Bob DeBoo and vibraphonist Tom Rickard at Cigar Inn; and trombonist/vocalist Doug Burns fronts a quartet at Robbie's House of Jazz.

Then on Saturday evening, guitarist Brian Vaccaro's organ trio will bring their Beatles tribute show to the Wolf Public House in west county; Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers will play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom; and singer Joe Mancuso will perform at the KindaBlue house concert venue on the south side.

On Sunday, it's the winter edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show at the American Czech Center, and then that evening, Dizzy Atmosphere will perform gypsy jazz and string-band swing at the Schlafly St. Louis Brewery and Tap Room.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday night guitarist Tom Byrne and his trio will take the stage at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. Then on Tuesday, guitarist Dave Black brings his group to BB's, while pianist and singer Curt Landes will be just down the block at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

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

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Swingin' St. Louis

Last week in this space, we served up a six-pack of videos from St. Louis-based musicians working in the experimental and free improv genres. This week, we journey to the polar opposite end of the musical spectrum with a sampler of six local groups working in early, pre-WWII swing and jazz styles.

Up top, you can hear Cornet Chop Suey playing an arrangement combining "When My Dreamboat Comes Home" and "Westmoreland Weave" in March, 2010 for the Great River Jazz Society in Hannibal, MO. The group includes Brian Casserly (trumpet), Tommy Tucker (trumpet), Jerry Epperson (reeds), Brett Stamps (trombone), Steve Hoover (piano), Al Sherman (bass), and John Gillick (drums).

Down below, it's Sarah Jane & The Blue Notes, caught live in May of this year at Jumpin' Jupiter playing "Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby?". Sarah Jane is on vocals, with a band including Jerry Greene (soprano sax), Doug Burns (trombone), Ben Osborne (guitar), Gian Vianello (banjo & harmonica), and Mike Major (drums).

That's followed by Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers doing "Minnie the Moocher," recorded last October at Rue Lafayette. That's Lew Winer III on soprano sax and Dan Conner on drums backing Miss Jubilee on vocals; the rest of the musicians are uncredited, but if you know who's who, please chime in via the comments.

In the fourth spot, you'll find the St. Louis Ragtimers performing "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" in a concert last July for Saint Louis Jazz Club. Al Stricker is the banjo player and vocalist, joined by Trebor Tichenor (piano), Bill Mason (cornet), Eric Sager (clarinet), Don Franz (bass saxophone), Steve Hoog (tuba), and Joe Thompson (trombone).

Sager pops up again in the next clip, this time as part of the Sidemen, a group that also features Carl Pandolfi (piano), Rich Tralles (bass), and John Marshall (drums). They're shown here playing "China Boy" at Rue Lafayette during a gig in May of this year.

Last but not least, it's Swing Deville, offering a take on the string-driven "hot club" sound with their version of "Limehouse Blues." The band members include Justin Branum (violin), Clint Hasse (guitar), Gary Hunt (guitar) and Glenn Meyers (bass), and the undated clip was recorded at the Schlafly Bottleworks.











(Edited after posting to correct the name of Cornet Chop Suey's piano player and the name of the tune they're playing in the clip.)