New Orleans Suspects to perform Thursday, May 24 at the Old Rock House

The New Orleans Suspects, a new group that includes two members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, an ex-Radiator, and the Neville Brothers' longtime drummer, are coming to St. Louis to perform at 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 24 at the Old Rock House.

The Suspects (pictured) are comprised of DDBB saxophonist Kevin Harris, a founding member of that group, and its current guitarist Jake Eckert; bassist Reggie Scanlan, formerly with the long-running rock/funk band, the Radiators; drummer Willie Green, who's been touring and recording with the Neville Brothers since the mid-1980s; and keyboard player and vocalist CR Gruver, who has worked with several New Orleans roots music acts.

The Suspects started playing together informally in 2009, and officially became a band last year after the Radiators retired and the Neville Brothers reduced their touring schedule. In a blog post last April, Scanlan described their sound like this: "…like most bands from New Orleans, we cover a lot of ground…Traffic, Taj Mahal, Ry Cooder, Little Feat, Wet Willie, The Band, Robert Palmer, Bob Dylan, and Little Milton…and, of course, we do a ton of N.O. music…Professor Longhair, James Booker, The Meters, Lee Dorsey, and Allen Toussaint…we also include music from our alma maters, The Neville Brothers, The Radiators, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band." The Suspects also have completed recording their first album, though no release date has been announced yet.

Tickets for the New Orleans Suspects at the Old Rock House are $12 in advance, $15 day of show, and go on sale at 5:00 p.m. this Friday, March 16.

Jazz this week: Dr. John and the Neville Brothers, Freddy Cole, Galactic and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, and more

Fat Tuesday has come and gone, but the musical spirit of Mardi Gras is lingering just a bit in St. Louis, as we've got three significant New Orleans acts performing in town over the weekend, plus several other events of interest to jazz fans.

Let's go to the highlights, starting tonight when singer and pianist Freddy Cole returns to St. Louis to open a four night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro. The brother of legendary singer-pianist Nat "King" Cole, Freddy Cole is an accomplished performer in his own right and has proved to be a popular favorite here in St. Louis, so if you're thinking about attending, call ahead for a reservation. For more about Cole, see this video post from last Saturday, and this audio interview from the Jazz St. Louis podcast series.

On Thursday, it's a double-dose of jam-band funk as the New Orleans quintet Galactic and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe play at The Pageant. For some video of both bands in action, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago. Also on Thursday, singer Erin Bode returns to Brandt's, and pianist and singer Curt Landes leads his quartet in a free concert for Washington University's Jazz at Holmes series.

On Friday, you can check out even more of the New Orleans sound as the Touhill Performing Arts Center presents "Mardi Gras Mambo" with singer/pianist Dr. John (pictured) and his band, the Lower 911, plus the Neville Brothers. You can read a brief preview of the concert here. Also on Friday, pianist Carolbeth True plays at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Saturday afternoon, the Nu-Art Series continues its current slate of shows at the Metropolitan Gallery featuring St. Louis musicians paying tribute to great jazz composers. This week's performance will feature pianist Ptah Williams' trio doing the music of bop pianist Bud Powell.

Also on Saturday afternoon, there's a jam session at the Grand Slam Sports Bar and Grill in Fenton to benefit singer Mae Wheeler, who has been battling cancer. Performers will include Ralph Butler, John King, Eddie Randle, Tony Viviano, Jerome "Scrooge" Harris, Pauline Starks, Tony Simmons, Carole Eder, Tom "Papa" Ray, Jeanne Trevor, Silvercloud, Rob Dryden and more.

On Sunday, there will be a brunch and concert at the Bistro at Grand Center to benefit Community Women Against Hardship, featuring music from Jerome "Scrooge" Harris, Luqman Hamza, Anita Jackson, and Jeff Anderson. Also on Sunday, singer Deborah Sharn and saxophonist Ray Vollmer will perform a free concert at Second Baptist Church in Clayton as part of the St. Louis Jazz and Blues Vespers Series.

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 by becoming a "fan" of 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.)

Dr. John/Neville Brothers concert previewed in Alton Telegraph

Extending that Mardi Gras vibe for just a few more days, the New Orleans singer and pianist Dr. John and the Crescent City's premier funk band the Neville Brothers will be in St. Louis this Friday, Feburary 19 to play at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Vicki Pennington of the Alton Telegraph has written a preview of the "Mardi Gras Mambo" show, including some quotes from saxophonist Charles Neville, and you can read it online here.

Touhill Performing Arts Center announces 2009-10 season

The Touhill Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis has announced its schedule of performances for the 2009-10 season, and while only a handful of the coming attractions are of interest to jazz fans, the TouPAC has succeeded in securing some well-known musicians to fill the slots allotted to jazz..

In addition to the previously announced concert by Sonny Rollins on Saturday, September 19, which is being presented by Jazz St. Louis as a rental at the TouPAC, the venue will host saxophonist Branford Marsalis (pictured) on Friday, February 12; a double-bill of the Neville Brothers and Dr. John on Friday, February 19; and a solo guitar performance by Pat Metheny on Saturday, May 8.

Also, although the lineup of guest musicians won't be revealed for some months, it was announced that the TouPAC once again will host the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, which is set for Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18.

(Regular StLJN readers may recall that Branford Marsalis' date, February 12, is the same day for which the online touring information Pollstar had, as reported here, added a listing showing drummer Brian Blade playing at the TouPAC.

Occam's Razor, coupled with the knowledge that the two have worked together in the past, would suggest that this means Blade will be backing Marsalis, but yr. humble editor has yet to confirm that particular detail. The news also suggests that Marsalis might be bringing an ensemble other than his primary quartet, which has featured Jeff "Tain" Watts behind the drum kit for ten years. More on this as we get it...)

The Touhill Performing Arts Center's season also includes pop, country and classical music, plus comedy, theater, dance and more; you can see the complete schedule on their Web site. Season tickets for 2009-10 are on sale starting today, with single tickets available beginning August 3. For subscription information and single ticket prices, visit the Web site or call 314-516-4949 or 866-516-4949.

Neville Brothers, Dr. John reviewed in Post-Dispatch

Last night's benefit performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall featuring the Neville Brothers and Dr. John was reviewed by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. You can read Perkins' review online here.

The Sheldon offering online pre-sale of tickets for Neville Brothers, Dr. John

The Sheldon Concert Hall is offering online ticket buyers a 24-hour head start on purchasing seats for its "Mardi Gras Mambo" benefit concert, which is scheduled for Sunday , February 8 and will feature the Neville Brothers and Dr. John and the Lower 911.

The online pre-sale begins at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, January 9. To purchase tickets, log on to metrotix.com/promotions and enter the promotion code MAMBO09. Single tickets are $75 for orchestra seats, $65 for balcony seats and $55 for the rear balcony. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 10.

Patron tickets are available now by calling The Sheldon at 314-533-9900, extension 14. These cost $250 and $150, and include preferred seating, complimentary parking, a post-concert reception with hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and a tax deduction.

Single tickets for Dr. John, Neville Brothers to go on sale Saturday, January 10

The Sheldon Concert Hall has announced that single tickets for the February 8 concert at the hall by Dr. John and the Neville Brothers will go on sale at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, January 10.

The event is a benefit for the Friends of the Sheldon educational programs, and patron tickets are already on sale for $150 and $250, which includes preferred seating, valet parking, a post-concert reception, and a tax deduction. To purchase patron tickets, call 314-533-9900.

Single tickets will be priced from $55 to $75 and will be available at all MetroTix outlets, through metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111.

The Sheldon also has announced that the 2009 Sheldon Gala will feature actress and singer Bebe Neuwirth’s cabaret-style show “Stories with Piano” at 7:30 p.m. March 28 at the Sheldon. Tickets for the gala start at $500 and includes pre-concert cocktails, a post-concert dinner, preferred seating, and valet parking, and a tax deduction. To order tickets, call the Sheldon at 314-533-9900. Single tickets will be priced at $45 and $55 and will go on sale at 10 a.m. Februcary 21 via MetroTix.

Dr. John, Neville Brothers to perform at The Sheldon on Sunday, February 8

You read it here first, way back in June, and now it can be confirmed: New Orleans singer/pianist Dr. John and the Crescent City's "first family of funk" the Neville Brothers (pictured) will be returning to St. Louis to perform at The Sheldon on Sunday, February 8, 2009.

As speculated in that post in June, the event will indeed be a Friends of the Sheldon fundraiser for the organization's educational programs. However, note that the actual, confirmed date is four days earlier than what had been posted to Pollstar and cited here. Chris Peimann, director of publicity and marketing for The Sheldon, says details on ticket availability and prices will be released in a couple of weeks.

Pollstar: Dr. John, Neville Brothers to perform at the Sheldon in February

The online tour information service Pollstar has added a listing indicating that pianist and singer Dr. John (pictured) and his fellow New Orleans natives and "first family of funk" the Neville Brothers will be performing at the Sheldon Concert Hall on February 12, 2009.

Since February is when the Sheldon usually has one of their major benefit concerts for the year - the 2008 event featured Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra - it seems possible, perhaps even likely, that the good Doctor and the Nevilles may be coming to St. Louis for the 2009 edition of the fund-raising event. Also, given the popularity of New Orleans music in St. Louis, this double bill would certainly be a good draw for a major event such as a benefit gala. Dr. John last appeared here at the 2006 St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival, while the Nevilles have been relatively frequent visitors to the Gateway City for more that 20 years, most recently as the headliners for Jazz St. Louis' 2007 fundraiser.

Of course, plans can change, and, as always, any information disseminated by Pollstar should not be considered official until confirmed by the venue. If and when such confirmation comes from the Sheldon, we'll have the news for you right here.