So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* St. Louis music venues this week continued to adjust their admission policies to cope with the regional resurgence of COVID and proliferation of the Delta variant. As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, Blue Strawberry made the first move, announcing that it would require patrons to provice proof of vaccination. The Pageant, Delmar Hall, and Off Broadway quickly followed by announcing that they too will require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for entry.

* Nine PBS on Tuesday presented the broadcast premiere of Show Me the Music: A Celebration of the Missouri Bicentennial, a special program featuring Missouri musicians that was recorded in May at The Sheldon.

The lineup of performers includes pianist Peter Martin and his trio plus saxophonist Bobby Watson and trumpeter Keyon Harrold; singer Anita Jackson (pictured); pianist Royce Martin; bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent; a faculty ensemble from the University of Missouri playing a new piece composed specifically for the bicentennial; and more. The special will air multiple times on all four PBS affiliates in the state, and also can be seen on YouTube.

* Miles Davis was known as a sharp dresser, so perhaps it's fitting that the late trumpeter's estate recently added licensed neckties to his online store. You can see the three available designs, including "Bitches Brew," that are available for $59.99 each at https://www.milesdavisstore.com/store/.

* Drummer, educator and U City native Ronnie Burrage now is co-hosting a weekly podcast produced by City Jazz Sessions, for which he already has interviewed St. Louis expats including Russell Gunn, Kelvyn Bell, and Eric Person, as well as musicians working here locally. New episodes are webcast at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, and can been seen (along with all the previous episodes) on the City Jazz Sessions YouTube channel.

* Guitarist Charles "Chip" Katz, a four-decade veteran of the St. Louis music scene, passed away on Sunday, August 8. He was 63 years old; no cause of death has been disclosed.

Katz performed across the area as a solo act, with a trio, and as accompanist to singers Anita Rosamond, Alan Ox, and numerous others. He also taught guitar in private lessons and through local music stores including Fazio's Frets and Friends and McMurray Music. Katz is survived by two sisters, two nieces, and two nephews. Funeral services will be private, and the family has requested that any memorial contributions be made in Katz's name to the charity of the donor's choice.

Black Artists Group documentary to air Tuesday, February 2 on Nine Network

The documentary The Black Artists Group of St. Louis: Creation Equals Movement will be broadcast at 8:00 p.m. Central time this coming Tuesday, February 2 on Nine Network.

The film, which was written and directed by Bryan Dematteis, tells the story of the multi-disciplinary arts group that operated in St. Louis in the late 1960s and early 70s and helped launch the careers of musicians including Oliver Lake, Hamiet Bluiett, Charles "Bobo" Shaw, Baikida Carroll, Floyd LeFlore, and others.

It was first made available to local audiences in November 2020 as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival, but this will be the first, and so far only, scheduled airing on free TV. (Unlike many other Nine Network programs, it will not be available for later viewing on the station's app or website.)

Nine Network has produced a promotional trailer for the broadcast, which you can see in the embedded video window below.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

One day earlier than usual thanks to the holidays, here's StLJN's weekly wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* Trumpeter, singer and U. City native Jeremy Davenport (pictured) made news this week in his current hometown New Orleans with a cover version of "The Christmas Song" recorded with his 15-year-old daughter (and also including a piano track from St. Louisan Adam Maness).

* Although Jim Manley wasn't able to do his annual Christmas show this year at Jazz St. Louis, the trumpeter earlier this week live-streamed a holiday-themed performance from the Gaslight Theater, joined by Bob Row on keyboard, Joe Weber on drums, Larry Johnson on saxophone, and Jim Owens on trombone. If you missed the original live stream, you can catch it now on YouTube.

* Singer Debby Lennon's recent holiday show at Blue Strawberry was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

* Also debuting this week on video is A New Holiday, an original, locally produced Christmas musical written by singer Brian Owens and actor Sophia Stephens that features several jazz connections, starting with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, drummer Montez Coleman, bassist Jahmal Nichols, and pianist Peter Martin in the opening scene.

The production also includes appearances from saxophonist David Sanborn; singers Kennedy Holmes (seen recently on NBC’s The Voice), Anita Jackson, Bebe Winans, and Karen Clark-Sheard; dance students from Grand Center Arts Academy; and more, plus animation by St. Louis-based Lion Forge Animation. It was recorded in St. Louis at locations including Jazz St Louis, Powell Hall, and The Sheldon, and after two broadcast airings on Nine Network, now can be seen on YouTube.

* As reported by the St. Louis Labor Tribune's Sheri Gassaway, members of Musicians’ Association of St. Louis Local 2-197 this year during the pandemic have worked to raise funds for charity and put on numerous free outdoor performances in the community.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Red and Black Brass Band (pictured) was featured Wednesday night on a segment of the PBS NewsHour, produced by the local PBS affiliate Nine Network.

* Drummer Emmanuel Harrold was the guest on this past Tuesday's episode of the Mike Dolbear drum podcast.

* "The Enduring Cultural Legacy of Miles Davis" was the subject of an online discussion that took place this past Monday with participants including multi-instrumentalist and producer Marcus Miller, Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn Jr. and his son Erin Davis, and producers of the recent documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool. You can see the entire program archived on YouTube.

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, the trumpeter's historic performance at the 1970 Isle of Wight Music Festival is the subject of an article in the UK magazine Jazzwise.

* Drummer Dave Weckl will teach another master class online via Zoom on Saturday, September 12. Get more information and sign up to reserve one of the 15 spots in the class at http://thegroovemasters.com/.

* As music venues in St. Louis (and everywhere) try to figure out how and when to reopen, stories this past week from St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin and KMOV's Alexis Zotos examined some of the issues involved and potential solutions.

* Meanwhile, in a related story, a number of local venues on Tuesday night lit up their exteriors with red lights, hoping to draw attention to the Restart Act, a bill being considered by Congress that would provide financial help to the music and performing arts industries. The campaign to pass the bill has been branded on social media with the hashtag "#SaveOurStages," and you can read more about it and the Restart Act here.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Tom "Papa" Ray, proprietor of Vintage Vinyl and presenter of the "Soul Selector" program airing Monday afternoons on KDHX (88.1 FM), is hosting a new program on local PBS affiliate Nine Network.

According to a report from the Riverfront Times' Daniel Hill, Papa Ray's Vintage Vinyl Roadshow is "envisioned as a documentary focused on the independent record store as a cultural entity." The show's pilot episode will air on the Nine Network a total of three times starting Thursday, September 3, with the possibility of becoming an ongoing series "if all goes well with the premiere."

* David Sanborn has a new release of old music, a 3-CD set (pictured) titled Anything You Want – The Warner, Reprise, Elektra Years 1975-1999, that compiles favorite material from early in the saxophonist's career.

* From the latest issue of trumpeter Nate Wooley's Sound American magazine, writer Chris Pitsiokos offers "Four Thoughts About Miles Davis's On the Corner."

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, writer Richard Williams of The Blue Moment reviews The Gil Evans Project's recent rerecording of music that Evans arranged for Davis' Sketches of Spain.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLtoday.com last Friday published their annual "Go List" for 2020, and in the "Music & Clubs" section, the winner for "Favorite Place to Hear Jazz" is BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, followed by Jazz St. Louis and The Dark Room. The Dark Room also is the newspaper's staff pick this year for "Best Jazz Brunch."

In "The Arts" section, the 2020 winner for "Favorite St. Louis Cabaret Performer" is singer Erin Bode, with Ken Page finishing in second place and Ken Haller in third. The Gaslight Theater is designated "Favorite Place to See Cabaret," followed by the Boom Boom Room and Jazz St. Louis.

* A previously unheard live album by Miles Davis, The Lost Septet, is out now on CD and digital from Sleepy Night Records. Recorded for a radio broadcast in November 1971 at the Wiener Konzerthaus in Vienna, Austria, the double album features Davis on trumpet with Gary Bartz (soprano & alto sax), Keith Jarrett (electric piano, organ), Michael Henderson (electric bass), Ndugu Leon Chancler (drums), Don Alias (percussion), and James "Mtume" Foreman (percussion).

* Saxophonist Larry Johnson (pictured) was the guest on last week's episode of Shock City School of Music's "Coffee Conversations" podcast.

* The Red and Black Brass Band was the subject of a short feature story on the Nine Network program Living St. Louis.

* Singer and keyboardist Katarra Parson was featured on last week's episode of the KTRS radio program "In The Know with Ray Hartmann."

* The Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis has announced their St. Louis Arts Awards for 2021, and among the honorees will be “Such Sweet Thunder,” a joint presentation from Jazz St. Louis, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Nine Network, and the Big Muddy Dance Company that won the annual award for "Arts Collaboration." The awards will be presented at the council's annual event on January 25, 2021 at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel.

* The Kranzberg Arts Foundation once again is surveying potential audience members to find out what measures will make people comfortable returning to their venues, which include the Grandel Theater, The Dark Room, and more. You can complete the survey at https://www.kranzbergartsfoundation.org/covid-19/coronavirus-survey/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Nine Network has released a promotional video for "Such Sweet Thunder," the collaboration among Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Big Muddy Dance Company, and Jazz St. Louis that will be presented Thursday, October 3 through Saturday, October 5 outdoors at the Public Media Commons in Grand Center.

* Singer and impressionist Dean Christopher appeared Thursday on KMOV's Great Day St. Louis, promoting his performance on Saturday at the Belleville Oktoberfest. 

* There's more news this week about the newly released "lost" Miles Davis album Rubberband, including feature stories from DownBeat and Jazz Times, and a review from Jazz Journal.

* Meanwhile, Rhino Records, which released Rubberband, has posted online a "mini-documentary" video about the album.

* Elsewhere on the Miles Davis beat, Craft Recordings is releasing a deluxe 6-LP box set edition of Davis' The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions, which goes on sale on Friday, November 8.

* Last but not least, reviews of the new documentary film Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool are still appearing, including one from AllAboutJazz.com's Victor L. Schermer and one from the alt-weekly Georgia Straight.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* If you feel like catching a buzz - musically and metaphorically speaking, that is - at lunchtime, Yellowjackets will be presenting a brief performance and Q&A session that's free and open to the public at noon today (Friday, October 9) at Jazz at the Bistro.

As with previous "brown bag" events hosted by Jazz St. Louis, there will be no food or beverage service available, but audience members are welcome to bring their own food and drink. You can RSVP or direct any questions to Jazz St. Louis' Andy Ament via an email to andy(at)jazzstl.org.

* The death of saxophonist Willie Akins was noted by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis American.

* On a related note, saxophonist Greg Osby posted to Instagram a collage of photos of him and Akins together over the years.

* All Night, the just-issued solo debut album of keyboardist Matt Villinger, was reviewed by Bill Brownlee of the Kansas City jazz blog Plastic Sax. Villinger recently moved from St. Louis to KC.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has posted to Facebook some photos from last week's Trio 3 gig featuring guest pianist Vijay Iyer at Blue Note in NYC

* Also on Facebook, Saxquest has posted photos from last Saturday's performance and workshop by Jeffrey Collins.

* The Nine Network's "City of Music" has won this year's Mid-America Emmy award for "Arts/Entertainment – Program/Special." Based on recordings made at a concert last October at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries (pictured), the program pays tribute to 250 years of St. Louis music history with performances from local musicians and singers including Peter Martin, Denise Thimes, Billy Peek, the St. Louis Ragtimers, and many more. You can watch both parts of the two-hour special online here.

* The music streaming service Pandora has opened an ad sales office in St. Louis.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* St. Louis native Lawrence Fields (pictured) can be heard playing piano on the upcoming release Live at Monterey Jazz Festival by SoundPrints, the Wayne Shorter-inspired band led by saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas. The album goes on sale everywhere Tuesday, April 7.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted on Facebook a photo album from Kneebody's opening night this week at Jazz at the Bistro. The group performs there through Saturday, with two sets per night plus a FREE lunchtime set open to the general public at 12:00 p.m. today (Friday, March 21).

* Did the late pianist Johnnie Johnson get a fair shake from the courts fifteen years ago when he sued rock 'n roll legend Chuck Berry claiming joint authorship of some of Berry's most famous songs? In an article published this week in St. Louis magazine, Byron Kerman talked to attorney Tim McFarlin, who after all these years has a new take on the case's implications.

* In a related development, McFarlin will give a "Business Edge" presentation for St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts on Monday, March 30 titled "The Case of Johnnie Johnson v. Chuck Berry and What Artists Should Do Before They Collaborate."

* Now that City of Music, Nine Network's special about the history of St. Louis music, has had its broadcast premiere, you can watch both parts of the program online at Nine's website. The special, which was filmed last October at the Sheldon and features performances from Alarm Will Sound, Denise Thimes, Peter Martin, Billy Peek, Illphonics, Carolbeth True and more, also will get a repeat broadcast airing at 7:00 p.m. this coming Tuesday, March 25.

* The 2015 St. Louis Cabaret Conference has added two-time Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown as a guest faculty member and festival performer. Deadline for performers wishing to attend this year's conference to submit their audition materials is Monday, April 13.

* Last week's funeral services for singer and nightclub owner Gene Lynn were covered by local Fox affiliate KTVI (Channel 2)

* A post this week on the Riverfront Times' music blog spotlights New Music Circle's sliding scale ticket prices for "struggling artists."

* Drummer and St. Charles native Dave Weckl will be one of the instructors at a "Drum Fantasy Camp" to be held this summer from August 7 - 11 in Chicago at Vic's Drum Shop/Music Garage.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake will reunite with bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Andrew Cyrille as Trio 3 for a week-long gig starting this coming Tuesday, March 24 at NYC's Village Vanguard.

* The latest remastered vinyl reissue of Miles Davis' Kind of Blue gets an "extended analysis" from AllAboutJazz.com's Nenad Georgievski.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will be spinning contemporary pop tunes given jazz interpretations by musicians including Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, and Jason Moran. "Somethin' Else" 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.