So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Jazz Journalists Association has named Gene Dobbs Bradford of Jazz St. Louis (pictured) as one of 27 local "Jazz Heroes" for 2020. The awards are given annually to "activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz" in different cities across the USA.

* Keyboardist Mo Egeston was the featured guest on last Friday's episode of "St. Louis In The Know" with Ray Hartmann on KTRS.

* St. Louis Public Radio reporter Chad Davis has the scoop on the Red and Black Brass Band, the impromptu ensemble who have been playing music during the shutdown while walking the streets of the Tower Grove neighborhood in south St. Louis. The band members also were interviewed by KMOX's Debbie Monterrey.  

* Also on St. Louis Public Radio, Christian Frommelt, dance teacher and co-organizer of the Nevermore Jazz Ball, was the subject of a feature story about how local swing dancers are still pursuing their hobby during the COVID-19 shutdown.

* As many cultural organizations dig into their vaults for video and audio material to share during the shutdown, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis has posted to YouTube a full concert performance "The Music of Miles Davis," recorded in November 2018 at the Rose Theater inside Lincoln Center in NYC.

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, LiveForLiveMusic.com has an article looking back at the night 50 years ago when Davis shared a bill with the Grateful Dead at the Fillmore West in San Francisco.

Jazz this week: Regina Carter & Xavier Davis, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Mwenso & the Shakes, Greg Ward & Rogue Parade, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music includes the biggest local event of the year for swing dancers, plus the return of an internationally acclaimed, poll-winning instrumentalist; a tribute to the Harlem Renaissance; a visit from a provocative Chicago saxophonist; and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 6
Violinist Regina Carter and pianist Xavier Davis (pictured, top left) will perform for the first of five nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Considered by many to be the top jazz violinist currently working, and the winner (again) on her instrument in this year's DownBeat Critic's Poll, Carter has performed here several times with different ensembles in recent years. This week, she'll be in a intimate duo setting with Davis, who's been the pianist in her working group for the last couple of years. For more about Carter and some recent video samples of her playing, take a look at this post from Saturday before last.

Also in Grand Center, the free, weekly "Wednesday Night Jazz Crawl" features multi-instrumentalist T.J. Muller at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Danny Campbell's Helios at the The Dark Room.

Thursday, November 7
The weekend-long swing dancing festival Nevermore Jazz Ball gets underway with a "Welcome Dance" featuring music by Miss Jubilee at 2720 Cherokee

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents a free concert from Vehachi, with guitarist Vincent Varvel, saxophonist Joel Vanderheyden and percussionist Joe Pastor; keyboardist Ryan Marquez brings his trio to Evangeline's, and singer Meghan Kirk performs her cabaret show "Speaking Of Dreams" at Blue Strawberry.

Friday, November 8
The Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with a dance featuring pianist Paul Asaro’s Chicago Rhythm at the Casa Loma Ballroom, plus an after-hours show by the Chicago Cellar Boys at the Link Auditorium.

Elsewhere around town, Mark Deutsch brings his invented instrument, the Bazantar, to The Judson House, and Annie and the Fur Trappers play traditional jazz and swing at the Frisco Barroom.

Saturday, November 9
The Nevermore Jazz Ball has a triple-header of events on Saturday, starting with the free Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, which offers live music from late morning to early evening at various venues along Cherokee Street (roughly, from the 2700 block west to the 3000 block).

Then, the Saturday evening dance will feature bassist Michael Gamble’s Rhythm Serenaders Orchestra at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by another after-hours event with Jonathan Stout’s Campus Six at the Link Auditorium.

Also on Saturday, Mwenso and the Shakes (pictured, center left) present their show "Harlem 100" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

The multi-media performance from the NYC-based ensemble celebrates the legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, evoking memories of icons including Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday. You can see some videos of Mwenso and the Shakes in this post from last Saturday, and they also were featured on this week's episode of NPR's World Cafe.

For those needing an additional incentive, The Sheldon and Metrotix are offering a $10 discount to online buyers on tickets for Mwenso and the Shakes. To get the discount, go here and when prompted, enter the code "10OFF" (without the quotation marks).

Sunday, 
November 10
Chicago saxophonist Greg Ward (pictured, bottom left) and Rogue Parade, which also includes bassist Matt Ulery, drummer Quinn Kirchner, and guitarists Matt Gold and Dave Miller, will perform at Gaslight Studios.

Their debut album Stomping Off From Greenwood, released in January of this year, was called "a blend of fearlessness, merriment, pathos, and perhaps a measure or two of irony" by Jazz Times.

Also on Sunday evening, the Nevermore Jazz Ball wraps up with one last event featuring Michael Gamble’s Rhythm Serenaders at 2720 Cherokee.

Monday, November 11
Dizzy Atmosphere plays for diners at The Shaved Duck, and Webster University's Student Jazz Combos will perform at Webster's Community Music School.

Tuesday, November 12
Keyboardist and singer Jesse Gannon returns to BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

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

* The Arcadia Dance Orchestra is featured in a story by Paul Schankman for HEC-TV.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold (pictured) was interviewed by Jazz in Europe.

* Trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard will be in town this month for three days of events promoting Opera Theatre St. Louis' premiere in June of his new opera Fire Shut Up In My Bones.

Events will include "Music and Words: Composing Across Genres," a panel discussion on Sunday, March 17 at the Missouri History Museum; "Representation & Responsibility: Equity in the Music Industry," a "community conversation on Monday, March 18 at Jazz St. Louis; and a screening of Spike Lee's film BlacKkKlansman, which features an Oscar-nominated score by Blanchard, on Tuesday, March 19 at Maryville University.

* The relative influence of Chuck Berry and Miles Davis was the subject of a story by KSDK's Art Holliday, who asked veteran broadcaster Bernie Hayes and Vintage Vinyl's Tom Ray to weigh in on the subject.

* The updated edition of The Miles Davis Reader, a book compiling of DownBeat's coverage of the trumpeter over the years, was reviewed by Jazz Journal's Steve Voce.

* The Regional Arts Commission has two more free workshops coming up for local artists seeking one of their Individual Artist Support Grants. An online workshop will take place on Thursday, March 7, and an in-person session is set for Monday, March 11 at the offices of Northside Community Housing, 4067 Lincoln Ave.

* The Nevermore Jazz Ball has announced that this year's event will take place the weekend of November 7-10. Registration will open on July 8.

Jazz this week: Stefon Harris, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Quincy Troupe, Regina Carter, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features not one, but two DownBeat poll-winning musicians on their respective instruments - vibes and violin - plus the year's biggest local event for swing dancers, a spoken-word performance from a confidant of Miles Davis, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, October 31
Vibraphonist Stefon Harris and his band Blackout return for the first of five nights of performances at Jazz St. Louis.

Winner of this year's DownBeat Critic's Poll as "best vibraphonist," Harris (pictured, top left) is touring in support of his new album Sonic Creed, which his first release as a leader since 2009. For more about that, plus some videos of Harris performing, check out this post from last Saturday.

Thursday, November 1
The eighth annual Nevermore Jazz Ball, a weekend of swing dance events that attracts enthusiasts from all over the country, gets underway with a performance by the Arcadia Dance Orchestra at 2720 Cherokee. Though all-event passes for the weekend are sold out in advance, tickets for the individual events will be sold at the door pending availability.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Vincent Varvel, multi-instrumentalist William Lenihan, drummer Steve Davis and bassist Ric Vice will present a "Tribute to John Abercrombie" in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Elsewhere around town, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with singer Bob Gerchen's show "Joe Cocker: Never Forget" at the Gaslight Theater, and trumpeter Keith Moyer and his quartet return to The Dark Room.

Friday, November 2
The Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with Miss Jubilee performing at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by an after-hours event with music from Austin, TX-based clarinetist Jon Doyle's sextet at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Friday, poet, author and Miles Davis biographer Quincy Troupe (pictured, center left) will give a spoken-word performance with music from trumpeter George Sams' quartet at St. Louis University's Xavier Hall.

Elsewhere around town, singer and actress Carrie St. Louis performs for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival in the first of two nights at the Gaslight Theater; and keyboardist Jay Oliver's trio and Bach To The Future will share a double-bill at 50/Fifty Kitchen.

Saturday, November 3
Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with three events on Saturday, starting at noon with the "Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl," featuring free live music from more than a dozen bands and solo acts at various locations along Cherokee St. between Jefferson Ave and Nebraska Ave.

The NJB's Saturday evening dance then will feature music from Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by an after-hours event with the Emily Asher Band at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Saturday, jazz-fusion band Dreaming In Colour plays a late-afternoon show at BB's Jazz Blues & Soups

Sunday, 
November 4
The St. Louis Record Collector & CD Show presents their fall event at the American Czech Educational Center, while the Friends of Scott Joplin's monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" takes place at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Also on Sunday afternoon, violinist Regina Carter (pictured, bottom left), another DownBeat poll winner, headlines a benefit concert for Community Women Against Hardship at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Elsewhere around town, the Nevermore Jazz Ball wraps up for 2018 with one final performance from Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at the Boo Cat Club.

Monday, November 5
The Student Jazz Combos from Webster University perform at Webster's Community Music School.

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

* This weekend's Nevermore Jazz Ball, which features performances by several traditional jazz and swing bands including Asheville, NC's Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders (pictured), was previewed in an article in St. Louis magazine and on KSDK's Show Me St. Louis.

* New York theater impresario (and former St. Louisan) Scott Siegel, who created the “Broadway’s Greatest Hits of All Time!” musical revue that's playing tonight and tomorrow night at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, was interviewed by the St. Louis Jewish Light's Bill Motchan.

* Saxquest will present their 2017 Woodwind Musical Instrument Expo next Saturday, November 11 at the Sheraton Westport. The free, all-day event will feature representatives showing off the latest from major manufacturers of saxophones, flutes, clarinet and double-reed instruments, with private test rooms available by appointment.

They'll also be offering door prizes, discounts and free set-ups with instrument purchases, and more. You can register in advance online, by calling Saxquest at 314-664-1234, or by sending an email to info@saxquest.com.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold continues to get publicity surrounding the release last month of his latest album The Mugician, most recently on the latest episode of Jazziz magazine's podcast.

* "SongDay Afternoon," a web video series of solo performances produced by KDHX host Wil Wander and musician Tommy Halloran, is the subject of a St. Louis magazine feature story written by Thomas Crone.

* The Sheldon has shared on their Facebook page some photos from last Saturday's performance by guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli.

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts is sponsoring two "Every Artist Insured" informational sessions offering one-on-one, in-person guidance to artists (including musicians!) on how to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchange. Trained counselors will be available to guide you through the enrollment process, help you find out if you qualify for subsidies, and compare plan prices and coverage details.

The sessions are scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Thursday, November 16 and 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 9 at Regional Arts Commission, 6238 Delmar. The sessions are free, but you must reserve a spot in advance by sending an email (including a phone number) to vlaa@stlrac.org.

* Keyboardist Jim Hegarty has put online another "Secret Sessions" recording available for free download or streaming on BandCamp, featuring improvisations from a group including Hegarty, clarinetist Eric Paul Mandat, keyboardist Greg Mills, flute player Fred Tompkins, and guitarist Steven Thomas. 

* And speaking of Fred Tompkins, he's added more free audio to his personal BandCamp page, most recently a piece called "Timeline."

Edited 11/8/17 to fix typos.

Jazz this week: Houston Person, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Eric Marienthal, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes one of the most popular swing dance festivals in the Midwest, a couple of stellar saxophonists, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 1
Veteran tenor saxophonist Houston Person (pictured, top left) returns to lead a quartet for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Person, who will turn 83 in November, remains a canny master of bop, blues and ballads, and still works as a single in the old-school style, using local rhythm sections in each city he visits. He'll be accompanied for his four nights here in St. Louis by pianist Adaron "Pops" Jackson, bassist Bob DeBoo, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the Jazz Troubadours at KDHX's Magnolia Café; a jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center (minus its usual host Bob DeBoo, since he's playing bass with Houston Person at the Bistro); and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, November 2
Singer Denise Thimes will headline her annual show benefiting pancreatic cancer research in the name of her late mother, Mildred Thimes, at the Sheldon Concert Hall. 

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present "Voices of Freedom, Songs of Social Justice," a free concert featuring singer/guitarist Rick Schuler, multi-instrumentalists R. Scott Bryan and William Lenihan and pianist Jay Oliver performing music by Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Nina Simone, John Coltrane, and more.

Elsewhere around town, the annual Nevermore Jazz Ball - four days and nights of swing dancing and live music at various venues around town - gets underway with two performances by New Orleans' Shake Em Up Jazz Band (pictured, center left) featuring clarinetist and former St. Louisan Chloe Feoranzo.

They'll play a dinner-hour show at the Blues City Deli that's not officially part of the NJB schedule, followed by a ticketed dance at Treffpunkt, a recently opened event space at 3453 S Jefferson Ave on the south side. (While this post notes some of the highlights, you'll need to see the NJB website. linked above, for a complete schedule of the weekend's events.)

Friday, November 3
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents singers Farah Alvin and William Michals performing "Broadway's Greatest Hits of All Time" for the first of two nights at the Gaslight Theater.

Also on Friday, guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran begins a Friday residency that will continue through February at Das Bevo Underground, a new live music space that, as the name implies, is located in the basement of the venerable Bevo Mill, now re-opened under new management.

Elsewhere around town, the Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with a dance featuring Miss Jubilee at the Casa Loma Ballroom,  percussionist Herman Semidey and Son Montuno play salsa and Latin jazz at the Webster Groves Concert Hall; and The People's Key will offer their soul-jazz take on the music of Jimi Hendrix at The Stage at KDHX

Saturday, November 4
The Nevermore Jazz Ball has a full day and night of events, including the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, an afternoon of live music, from a half-dozen different local bands free and open to the public at various venues along Cherokee St.  and Jefferson Ave, and an evening dance with music by Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders at the Casa Loma. 

Also on Saturday, saxophonist Eric Marienthal (pictured, bottom left), who made his reputation in the 1990s as part of Chick Corea's Elektric Band and has gone on to a busy solo career, will team up with St. Louis' own Bach to the Future to perform in a benefit for the Dillon International adoption agency at Mandarin House Banquet Hall.

Sunday, November 5
The St. Louis Record and CD Collector's Show presents their last event of 2017 at the American Czech Educational Center, and the Friends of Scott Joplin will host their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe.

Also on Sunday, the Coleman Hughes Project plays an early evening show at Troy's Jazz Gallery;
and the St. Louis International Film Festival presents a screening of the documentary "Mr. Handy's Blues," at The Stage at KDHX, followed immediately by a live performance by singer Valerie "Miss Jubilee" Kirchoff, pianist Ethan Leinwand and cornetist TJ Muller.

Monday, November 6
Traditional jazz band Annie and the Fur Trappers will play at Das Bevo Underground.

Tuesday, November 7
Bassist Igor Saavedra, who's known for his prowess on extended-range bass guitar, will play a solo show at  Stringbean Coffee in Brentwood.

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

* The Musicians Association of St Louis will be collecting signatures supporting a referendum on Missouri's new "Right to Work" law from 10:00 a.m. to noon this Saturday, July 8 at the union hall at 2103 59th Street.

Union officials will be outside on the hall's back lot so that Local 2-197 members can drive up and sign the petitions, which seek to allow Missouri voters to approve or reject the state's recently enacted "Right to Work" law during the next statewide election in November, 2018.

* St. Louis County Library is seeking recorded original music from St. Louis bands and musicians for "Listen Up STL," described as "a pilot project that will give local musicians the opportunity to make their music available to a wider audience of SLCL cardholders" via a free streaming service. SLCL is accepting submissions until July 31; for more details on how to submit, go here.

* The Nevermore Jazz Ball, presented here each fall by Lindy Hop St. Louis, has become a sell-out event attracting swing dancers from all over the country. So this year the organizers are giving St. Louisans a chance to purchase tickets first in person via their "2017 Local Love Pre-Sale," which will be held this Sunday, July 9 during the "River City Mess Around" event at 2720 Cherokee. See the link for details on ticket costs and pre-sale procedures.

* Cabaret Project St. Louis still has a few tickets left for their annual fundraising gala scheduled for Friday, July 21 at the Fox Theatre. The event will feature performances from Tony Award winner Faith Prince, 89-year-old cabaret grande dame Marilyn Maye (pictured), and more.

* The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition is looking for solo female or male vocalists of all nationalities who are not signed to a major record label. The sixth annual competition, sponsored by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and Indaba Music, is the first time that male singers have been allowed to participate, and will culminate in a live competition on Sunday, November 12 at NJPAC. For details and information on how to enter, go here.

* Saxophonist Charlie Cerpa was profiled by St. Louis magazine's Thomas Crone.

* A closing reception for the exhibit "The Music Seen: Beyond the Stage" will take place from 5:30 p.m. to  8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 13 at Bullivant Gallery, giving photography aficionados one last chance to view (and perhaps purchase) music-related photos by Michael Eastman, David Godlis, Jason Lee, Charles Peterson, David Rocco, Ernest Withers, and Baron Wolman.

* Saxquest will hold an official "grand opening" event for their Saxquest West store on Saturday, August 12. The store, which shares space with Top Notch Violins, is located in an industrial park at 2614 Metro Blvd in Maryland Heights.

Jazz this week: Jimmy Greene, The Wee Trio, Nevermore Jazz Ball, and more

This weekend will see swing dancers from all over the country converging on St. Louis for the annual Nevermore Jazz Ball, plus the local debut of a Grammy nominated saxophonist, a homecoming gig for a St. Louis expat with a new recording to promote, and much more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 2
Saxophonist Jimmy Greene (pictured, top left) makes his St. Louis debut as a bandleader with the first of four nights of performances at Jazz at the Bistro.

The 41-year-old Connecticut native has appeared on more than 75 recordings with well-known artists such as Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver, Harry Connick, Jr., and Jackie McLean. He has also recorded eight albums as a leader, including his latest Beautiful Life, released in 2015 and nominated for two Grammy Awards this year.

Inspired by his six-year-old daughter Ana, who was killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the album incorporates the influence of traditional spirituals and contemporary Christian music into Greene's jazz sound.

Also on Wednesday, the Sidney Street Shakers will celebrate the release of their debut CD Laugh My Weary Blues Away with a performance at The Stage at KDHX.

Thursday, November 3
The Wee Trio plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, The Wee Trio (pictured, center left) currently are touring in support of their recently released album Wee + 3. For more about that, and some video previews of some of the material on the album, see this video post from last Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, the aforementioned Nevermore Jazz Ball gets underway with music from New Orleans-based singer Meschiya Lake and The Little Big Horns at 2720 Cherokee. Though festival passes for the Nevermore Jazz Ball have been sold out for some time, tickets are available for most of this year's individual events; see their website for details.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Dave Black will feature singers Feyza Eren and Joe Mancuso in his final Thursday night gig at Nathalie's, which is closing permanently after service on Saturday.

Friday, November 4
Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with Miss Jubilee playing for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by an early morning show by the Sidney Street Shakers at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Friday, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with actor and singer Karen Irwin performing the first of two nights of "A Janis Joplin Tribute" at the Gaslight Theater.

Saturday, November 5
The Nevermore Jazz Ball presents the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, featuring free performances starting at noon and continuing into early evening, featuring more than a dozen local acts at various venues along Cherokee Street.

The festival continues Saturday evening with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders (pictured, bottom left), a swing band from Asheville, NC, at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by late night/early morning sounds from Los Angeles-based guitarist Jonathan Stout's Midnighters at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Saturday, trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr will lead their All-Star Band for one last performance at Nathalie's; the Liberation Organ Trio plays at The Dark Room; and The WirePilots will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman to play some original jazz-fusion at 1900 Park.

Sunday, November 6
The St. Louis Record & CD Collector Show presents their last event of 2016 at the American Czech Hall; the Friends of Scott Joplin will host the duo Ivory and Gold at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site; and the Jim Widner Big Band will be joined by singer Brian Owens for "A Tribute to Ray Charles" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

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

* Saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby recently took part in a "Before and After" listening session for Jazz Times magazine, published in their June issue and now available online. Osby last week also sat in with the Dave Matthews Band as they began their summer tour with a show in Camden, NJ.

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold co-wrote, produced, and is featured along with hip-hop emcee Common and singers Gregory Porter and Andrea Pizziconi on "Running (Refugee Song)," a new single aimed at raising funds and awareness of the plight of more than 60 million displaced persons around the world.

* Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart has been named "Arts Educator of the Year" as part of the annual St. Louis Arts Awards presented by the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis. Lockhart is being lauded for his work as director of bands and performing arts with the Riverview Gardens school district, and for forming and directing the North County Big Band, a jazz group based at the Sheldon Concert Hall that includes students from several area high schools.

* A photo set from last Saturday's Chesterfield Jazz Festival has been posted to Facebook.

* Also now online: a Flickr gallery of pics from last Thursday's edition of the Bruxism experimental music series at the Schlafly Tap Room.

* Guitarist Horace Bray, a St. Louis native and alumni of Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program who recently released his debut album, was profiled by Aarik Daneilsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune.

* The Grand Center district, home to jazz venues including Jazz at the Bistro, the Sheldon Concert Hall, The Dark Room, and the Kranzberg Arts Center, was featured in a special edition of KETC's program Living St. Louis.

* Local NBC affiliate KSDK reported this week that the late blues pianist Johnnie Johnson (pictured), whose work with Chuck Berry helped define the sound of early rock & roll, will receive a posthumous Congressional Gold Medal for his service in World War II with the Montford Point Marines, an all-African-American unit that integrated the Marine Corps.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Phil Dunlap of Jazz St. Louis will provide the music for "Birth of the Cool: Jazz and Midcentury Modern Design" next Friday, November 20 at the St. Louis Art Museum.

Part of the museum's "Cocktails and Conversation" series, the event aims to "explore the connections between jazz and midcentury modern design."

* Bassist Tom Kennedy was interviewed by the website For Bass Players Only.

* Drummer Marcus Baylor (pictured) and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, are featured in a new ad for Future Sonics Spectrum Series G10 in-ear monitors.

* Singer Storm Large's show last weekend for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Producers of last weekend's Nevermore Jazz Ball have posted several videos from the festivities on their new YouTube channel.

* Speaking of the Nevermore Jazz Ball, KDHX has posted online a set of photos from the event's Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl.

* More photo sets of interest online recently include pix from:
Saxophonist Eric Person's recent gig at the Blue Note in NYC;
Drummer Dave Weckl's current clinic tour of Asia;
Pianist Ramsey Lewis last Saturday night at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and
The STL Free Jazz Collective's show on Tuesday at the Sheldon.

* Voting in Jazz Times magazine's annual Readers Poll ends Monday, November 23.

Jazz this week: Poncho Sanchez, Charlemagne Palestine, Ramsey Lewis, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Storm Large, and more

It's an extremely busy week for jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis, with major touring musicians in town offering Latin jazz, cabaret, soul jazz, and experimental music, plus a big event drawing swing dancers from around the country, and a varied assortment of shows from local musicians.

Here's a brief look at some of the most notable performances coming up:

Wednesday, November 4
Percussionist Poncho Sanchez and his Latin jazz band return to open a four-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro.

The popular conguero and his cohorts are one the busiest and best groups in the genre, performing here most recently in April of last year at the Bistro. You can see some video samples of Sanchez (pictured, top left) and the band in concert in this post published before that 2014 appearance.

As part of Jazz St. Louis' education and community outreach efforts, Sanchez also will present a free percussion workshop at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon at the Bistro. There's no advance reservation required, and it's open to the general public. 

Thursday, November 5
The biggest swing dance event of the year in St. Louis, the weekend-long Nevermore Jazz Ball, gets underway with a "welcome party" featuring music from the the Sidney Street Shakers at the Mahler Ballroom.

The festival continues through Sunday night, and though all-event passes have been sold out for a number of weeks, there may be tickets available for some of the shows. Those will include dances featuring Miss Jubilee on Friday night and bassist Michael Gamble’s Rhythm Serenaders, from Asheville, NC, on Saturday and Sunday nights, plus after-parties on Friday and Saturday. For the latest on ticket availability, check the event website and/or Facebook page.

Also, Saturday's Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl has been expanded this year, and remains free and open to the public. The event starts at lunchtime and continues through the afternoon with 10 different acts performing at various venues and businesses starting in the 1900 block of Cherokee and going west to the 2700 block. For a complete list of performers and venues, check the link above.

Elsewhere on Thursday, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival's fall series resumes with a performance from indie rock duo Sleepy Kitty, aka singers and multi-instrumentalists Paige Brubeck and Evan Sult, at the Gaslight Theater. Brubeck and Sult also will repeat the show a week from Thursday at the same venue.

Friday, November 6
During the day on Friday, musician, composer and sound artist Charlemagne Palestine (pictured, center left), here under the auspices of New Music Circle for performances on Saturday and Sunday nights, will preface those shows with free, public artist's talks at Webster University and Washington University.

Elsewhere around town, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues with singer Storm Large in the first of two performances at the Gaslight Theater. Large played St. Louis most recently last September for the 2014 edition of the festival; for more about what she's been up to since then, check out check out this brief interview she did with Alive magazine.

Also on Friday, the experimental/noise duo Ahleuchatistas are back to headline a three-act bill at Foam; and the Genesis Jazz Project will be at St. Louis Union Station for "Fall In Love at Grand Hall - An Evening of Jazz, Comedy & Dancing" featuring a number of guest singers and performers including Dawn Weber and Anita Jackson.

Saturday, November 7
The veteran pianist Ramsey Lewis, celebrating 50 years since "The In Crowd" made his reputation as a popular crossover artist, returns to perform for the annual ArtSounds! benefit at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Lewis (pictured, lower left) has made a couple of St. Louis appearances in recent years, but his last stop in 2014 included just one public show at the Bistro, so look for his fans to turn out in force for this one. As of this writing, some concert-only tickets remain, but you should contact the Sheldon box office for the latest on what's available. For more about Lewis, see this video showcase post from Saturday before last, and this week's Music Education Monday post featuring a master class with him.

Meanwhile, just down the street in Grand Center, Charlemagne Palestine will perform on piano at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation. You can see performances from Palestine on both piano and organ and learn more about him in this video showcase post from last Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, The Wire Pilots will play original fusion music at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Sunday, November 8
The fall edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show begins bright and early in the morning at the American Czech Hall, and later that afternoon, pianist Carol Schmidt and friends from the Webster University faculty will present a concert with the theme of "Music and Humor" at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

Sunday evening, singers Joe Mancuso and Charles Glenn will headline "Voices for the MS Cure," a benefit raising money for the fight against multiple sclerosis, at the Ferring Jazz Bistro; and Charlemagne Palestine will perform on the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Soulard.

Monday, November 9
"A Celebration of Gene Lynn," organized by the late singer's longtime companion Maria Vera, will begin mid-afternoon and continue through the evening at Bar Italia.

The event will feature performances from a long list of St. Louis singers and "more than 20" musicians who played with Lynn over the years, with proceeds benefiting a fund to be managed by the National Blues Museum "ensuring that students from public schools in underserved communities across the St Louis region continue to learn about Gene Lynn's life and songs."

Also on Monday, Webster University's Student Jazz Combos will perform at Webster's Community Music School.

Tuesday, November 10
The STL Free Jazz Collective will perform for the "Notes From Home" series at the Sheldon, while a couple of blocks away, the SIUE Concert & Alumni Jazz Bands will return to Jazz at the Bistro.

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 news items of local interest:

* Drummer Mark Colenburg (pictured) has recorded a new promotional video for Zildjian's "Cover To Cover" series, playing a version of Radiohead's "Packed Like Sardines."

* Speaking of videos, the St. Louis Big Band has posted a new one on YouTube featuring excerpts from their shows "Sinatra at 100," which continues through next Sunday at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

* Guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg of Dr. Lonnie Smith's band has posted to Facebook an album of photos from Smith's most recent St. Louis gig with Lionel Loueke in May at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Metro East audio equipment manufacturer Heil Sound is expanding, adding 3,200 square feet of space to their Fairview Heights warehouse.

* The Nevermore Jazz Ball announced this week that advance tickets for 2015's event are sold out. More information on a wait list, pass transfers, and the NJB's free public events will be forthcoming at a later date.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis, “Somethin’ Else” host Calvin Wilson will dig into the catalog of tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will play tracks from Four80East, Dave Koz, The Sure Fire Soul Ensemble, James Lloyd, Keyon Harrold, the JT Project, Gato Barbieri, Down To The Bone, Slash, Young-Holt Unlimited, Funky Butt Brass Band, Vincent Varvel, Feyza Eren and Dawn Weber.

Wilson's program begins at 8:00 p.m., followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., and can be heard over the air on 107.3 FM, on HD radio at 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Nevermore Jazz Ball 2015 lineup announced

Organizers of the Nevermore Jazz Ball have announced their lineup of bands and instructors for 2015. 

The annual weekend of swing music and dance is scheduled this year for Thursday, November 5 through Sunday, November 8 at various local venues.

Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders (pictured), who are based in Asheville, NC, will perform at the NJB's main parties on Saturday and Sunday at locations TBA, while St. Louis' own Miss Jubilee will play for the main event on Friday at the Franklin Room. 

The Ball also will include a kickoff party on Thursday night, with music TBA; and the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, a free Saturday afternoon event that will feature six to 10 local bands performing at a number of venues and businesses along Cherokee.

Dance instructors presenting classes during the weekend will include Sylvia Sykes and Nick Williams, Mia Halloran and Andy Reid, Michael Faltesek, and John Bedrosian.

Full weekend passes for the 2015 Nevermore Jazz Ball are limited to 200, and start at $120 for the first 50 registrants, $140 for the next 75, and $160 for the final 75. "Dance-only" passes, which include the parties but no classes, are $85 and $95. For more details or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.nevermorejazzball.com/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes (pictured) performed this past Tuesday on the morning newscast on KTVI (Fox/Channel 2).

* Students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program can be heard playing on the soundtrack for Stairs to the Roof, a nearly forgotten Tennessee Williams play currently getting its second professional production ever at the restored theater and event space, the Boo Cat Club, 812 Union Blvd.

Working under the supervision of Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap, a group of students including Wyatt Forhan (trombone), Nathan Pence (bass), Brandon Vestal (clarinet), and Ben Steger (trumpet) recorded the original score by the show's music director, pianist Henry Palkes. The production continues through Sunday, November 23.

* Singer, actor and St. Louis native Craig Pomranz now is an author as well, with his children' book Made by Raffi published in five languages and distributed in eight countries by UK publishers Frances Lincoln. Pomranz also will be releasing a song, "Different," inspired by the book's story and co-written by Amanda McBroom (who wrote “The Rose” for Bette Midler) and Michele Brourman.

* What I Heard, the new album from saxophonist Oliver Lake's Organ Quartet,. was reviewed for Something Else by S. Victor Aaron.

* Saxophonist Greg Osby's most recent release (pictured), which teams him with Dutch saxophonist Tineke Postma, was reviewed by the website Jazz in Europe. Also, LA's Jazz Bakery has posted on Facebook a photo set of Osby's recent performance there with his quartet.

* Speaking of photo sets, the Riverfront Times has a slideshow of last weekend's Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl.

* Also, Lindy Hop St. Louis has posted on Facebook an album of photos from the Crawl and the entire Nevermore Jazz Ball weekend.

* And also on Facebook, saxophonist Eric Person has posted a photo album from his big band's recent performance at the Blue Note in NYC.

* Here's an update on efforts to stop the recent string of thefts targeting the tour vans of bands visiting St. Louis, via the Riverfront Times Brian Heffernan.

* Voting in Jazz Times magazine's annual readers poll is open through 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 24.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, “Somethin’ Else” host Calvin Wilson will feature the songs of Jimmy McHugh (writer of "On The Sunny Side of the Street," "Let's Get Lost" and more than 500 other credited compositions) as performed by Joe Lovano, Terence Blanchard, Karrin Allyson, and more.

After that on "The Jazz Collective," host Jason Church will play tracks from Count Basic, Herb Alpert, Keiko Matsui, The Peet Project, David P Stevens, Funky Butt Brass Band, Jim Stevens, Farshid Etniko, Groove Thang, Boz Scaggs, Bob James, Nina Simone, and more. Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m., followed by Church at 9:00 p.m. on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Jazz this week: Joshua Redman Trio, Nevermore Jazz Ball, Eli Keszler & Rashad Becker, Marco Benevento, and more

There's a jam-packed schedule of jazz and creative music over the next few days in St. Louis, with a variety of musical styles and sensibilities on offer. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, saxophonist Joshua Redman and his long-running trio will open a four-night stand continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Redman last played the Bistro with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Greg Hutchinson back in 2010, and for a look at some of what they've been up to since then, check out this video post from last Saturday.

Also tonight, the eclectic instrumental quartet The 442s will play at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Tomorrow night, Lindy Hop St. Louis' weekend-long event the Nevermore Jazz Ball gets underway with an opening dance at The Gramophone featuring music provided by the Mound City Mamas, a new St. Louis group led by banjo player Kellie Everett.

Also tomorrow, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with St. Louisans Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts presenting their show "Mixing It Up" at the Gaslight Theater; and the Mike Buerck Orchestra, featuring a number of musicians who have worked in the pit bands at the Muny and/or Fox Theatre, will play a free concert of big band swing for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

On Friday, pianist/singer Jesse Gannon will perform at the Ozark Theatre, while Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe.

That same evening, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival will feature two Chicago performers, pianist and singer Beckie Menzie and singer Tom Michael, presenting "That '60s Show" at the Gaslight Theater.

Meanwhile, the Nevermore Jazz Ball will continue with a sextet led by guitarist/banjoist Jake Sanders providing the music for dancers at the Franklin Room, a venue at 816 Allen Ave in Soulard that's usually used for wedding receptions and private parties.

On Saturday afternoon, the NJB will present the annual Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, a free, public event that will feature Tommy Halloran, Miss Jubilee, Wack-A-Doo, Swing Deville, The Sidemen, the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars student ensemble and more performing at various venues and businesses located along a stretch of Cherokee St. from the 2100 to the 2800 blocks. The Ball continues Saturday evening with Sanders’ Arcadian Serenaders, an expanded version of his band from Friday night, playing for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Also on Saturday night, percussionist and installation artist Eli Keszler (pictured) and electronic musician Rashad Becker will perform separate sets in a concert presented by New Music Circle at the new location of The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St. For more about both men, plus some performance videos, see this post from a couple of weeks ago.

Elsewhere around town, Chicago's Joan Curto will keep the Gaslight Cabaret Festival going with a performance of Cole Porter songs at the Gaslight Theater; singer Feyza Eren will bring her quartet to house-concert venue the KindaBlue Club; and singers Mary Dyson and Diane Vaughn will team up for a return appearance at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

On Sunday, keyboardist (and now singer!) Marco Benevento will be in town to play at 2720 Cherokee, likely showcasing much of the material from his most recent album Swift, for which he vocalized on record for the very first time.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday more of Webster University's student jazz combos will be performing at the Community Music School on the Webster campus; and percussionist Joe Pastor's group returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

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:

* Tomorrow's Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl was previewed in a segment on Fox 2's Thursday morning newscast that included a performance from singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran.

* There's a new interview with saxophonist Oliver Lake featured on Do The Math, the blog of The Bad Plus' pianist Ethan Iverson.

* Trumpeter and former East St. Louisan Russell Gunn (pictured) is the subject of an interview with the online program When We Speak TV.

* Miles Davis Online has news about the plot of Don Cheadle's proposed Miles Davis movie, which now seems to be more of a mystery/thriller than a straight-up musical biography.

* The Riverfront Times offers an overview of St. Louis' best noise and experimental bands.

* Jazz St. Louis and Webster Groves High School are teaming up with Jazz at Lincoln Center to host a regional Essentially Ellington high school jazz band festival on Thursday, January 30 at WGHS, 100 Selma Ave. The free, all-day festival will feature 10 local high school groups performing and getting critiques from visiting clinicians.  JSL education director Phil Dunlap is looking for participating bands now; for more details, go here. The deadline to register is Friday, January 3.

* Multi-instrumentalist and former St. Louisan Marty Ehrlich's newest album A Trumpet in the Morning, set for release next Tuesday, was reviewed by jazz radio host and blogger Richard Kamins. Erhlich will celebrate the release with a week-long residency at The Stone in NYC.

* In conjunction with its current exhibit of works by artist Rashid Johnson, the Kemper Art Museum at Washington University will present a lecture on Monday, November 18 examining the influence of legendary jazz bandleader and pianist Sun Ra on Johnson and other visual artists. The free event, featuring Huey Copeland, associate professor of art history at Northwestern University, begins with a reception at 6:00 p.m. in the museum and continue with the lecture at 6:30 in the museum's Steinberg Auditorium.

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts continues their series of Business Edge workshops with "Your Art, Your Brand: An Artist's Guide to Being Noticeable and Getting Noticed" at 7:00 p.m. next Monday, November 11 at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. The cost to attend is $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday's episode of Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis will feature the music of George and Ira Gershwin, as recorded by Sarah Vaughan, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman and others.

Immediately after that on The Jazz Collective, host Jason Church will have new music from B.D. Lenz, Juris featuring Marcus Johnson, U-Nam featuring Nivo Deux, David Jones, The Brand New Heavies, and Herb Alpert; vintage tracks from Grover Washington Jr., Michael Franks, The Ramsey Lewis Trio, Chick Corea and Miles Davis; and local music from Dawn Weber, Jesse Gannon, Jim Manley and Elliott Ranney.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m., followed by Church's show at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2 and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Then Sunday night on KWMU (90.7 FM), "Jazz Unlimited" host Dennis Owsley will present "Live Jazz From Carnegie Hall-Part 1," featuring performances from a variety of jazz greats that were recorded at the famed NYC venue. The program airs from 9:00 p.m. to midnight and also can be heard online at http://www.news.stlpublicradio.org/.