So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* New Music Circle will raise money for their upcoming 59th season with "an evening of drinks and DJs" from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday, August 22 at Tick Tock Tavern, 3459 Magnolia Ave in the Tower Grove East neighborhood.

The free event will include raffles for prizes including CDs, LPs, and tickets to upcoming NMC concerts; and a preview of the upcoming season schedule.  Proceeds from drinks purchased during the event will go to support NMC.

* Speaking of season previews, Jazz St. Louis will (re)introduce their upcoming season with a free "preview party" event at 6:00 p.m. next Tuesday, August 8 at Jazz at the Bistro.

JSL's Gene Dobbs Bradford and Bob Bennett will offer their insights into the artist selection and planning process for the year, and complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. Space is limited, so they're asking those who want to attend to RSVP by emailing boxoffice@jazzstl.org or calling 314-571-6000 by tomorrow (Friday, August 4).

* Also from Jazz St. Louis, their monthly book club will resume for the 2017-18 season on Tuesday, September 12 with a discussion of Dorothy Baker's novel Young Man with a Horn.

The group, which is facilitated by Washington University professor Gerald Early, meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the first floor lounge at Jazz St. Louis headquarters, 3536 Washington Ave. There's no charge for membership, and meetings are free to attend. For more details, including the list of books that will be discussed this season, go here.

* In advance of his concert next Thursday, August 10 at Powell Hall, keyboardist Herbie Hancock (pictured) answered some questions from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Keyboardist/bandleader and writer Kevin Mitchell was profiled by the St. Louis County Arts blog

* Also new from the St. Louis County Arts blog: a brief feature story on the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra.

* Music Record Shop in Grand Center was the subject of a feature story on KSDK-TV's local newscast.

* There's still time to vote in DownBeat magazine's 82nd annual readers poll by casting your online ballot here.  Results of the poll will be published in the mag's December issue.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Riverfront Times is rethinking its annual Music Showcase this year. The paper has changed the name of the event to ShowcaseSTL, discontinued the accompanying annual music poll, and is asking readers for their suggestions as to who should perform. ShowcaseSTL will take place Saturday, June 17 at various locations in The Grove.

* On Fillmore, bassist Darin Gray's duo project with Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, is preparing to release a new album, Happiness of Living.

* Saxophonist Roland Clark, a busy performer on the St. Louis scene from the 1970s into the 90s with his band Sound Exchange, passed away on February 23 at his home in Highland, IL. He was 82.

* Music Record Shop's new location in Grand Center is the subject of a short feature from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Organizers of the weekly jazz jam at @Nesby's have posted on Facebook a photo album from this week's session. 

* Keyboardist Jim Hegarty (pictured) has a new solo piano release, One Question, available as a pay-what-you-will download from Bandcamp.

* The late jazz critic, author, and essayist Nat Hentoff, who died in January at age 91, is being honored here in St. Louis tonight with an event raising funds for his daughter Jessica's not-for-profit organization Circus Harmony, which teaches circus skills to St. Louis students of all ages.

* The Piano Technicians Guild will hold their 2017 Annual Convention & Technical Institute in St. Louis from July 12 through July 15 at St Louis Union Station Hotel.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* According to posts on social media, Music Record Shop has relocated from the Grove neighborhood to Grand Center.

The retailer will take up residence in temporary space at 3526 Washington (right next door to KDHX) until January, when they'll move into a permanent home in the district's new "arts incubator" .ZACK - and yes, it's pronounced "dot zack" - in the former Cadillac Building at 3224 Locust St (pictured).

* The website ThisIsHermann.com has published online a photo set from last Saturday's Hermann Wine & Jazz Festival.

* Dan Connor, drummer and bandleader for Miss Jubilee, was profiled in the Belleville News-Democrat.

* The MAXJAZZ catalog of jazz recordings has been acquired by the Detroit-based Mack Avenue label. The St. Louis based independent label had been essentially dormant since the death of founder Richard McDonnell in February, 2014.