StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Catching up on the latest local livestreams

This week, let's take a look at some more performances recently livestreamed by St. Louis musicians, starting up above with a program called "Basses Loaded" that was recorded on May 7 at Jazz St. Louis and streamed this past Thursday.

As the title suggests, the set serves as a showcase for bassists Chano Cruz, Bernard Terry, and Ben Wheeler, who are supported by pianist Adaron “Pops” Jackson and drummer Demarius Hicks.

After the jump, you can see the Coleman-Hughes Project with singer Adrianne, performing a set of smooth jazz and R&B last Friday, May 21 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a recording of another program from Jazz St. Louis' "Jazz Speaks" series titled "Radiohead Runs the Voodoo Down," in which Dr. Pete Carney, director of jazz studies at the State College of Florida, makes the case that the British band's breakthrough album OK Computer actually was significant;y influenced by jazz.

Carney's talk is followed by a set of music in which an ensemble led by pianist Adam Maness interprets some Radiohead songs.

Next up, it's keyboardist Mark Harris II and his band, recorded live on Saturday, May 15 at the "Open Air" tent.

That's followed by a set from another up-and-coming pianist, Antonio Foster, who performed a streamed show for Jazz St. Louis on May 4 with an ensemble including Scooter Brown (alto sax), Bernard Terry (bass), Josiah Joyce (guitar), and Dorian Simms (drums).

In the final video, you can see pianist Peter Martin in a duo performance with the Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, his friend and collegaue in singer Dianne Reeves' backup band. The set was recorded in Martin's studio and first streamed live on Friday, May 14.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More local livestreams, plus the all-star International Jazz Day concert

This week's collection of videos features some of the latest livestreamed performances from St. Louis, plus a bonus video showcasing some of today's top jazz stars.

The first video up above is a program that was livestreamed this past Monday night as New Music Circle's 2020-21 season closer. It features a performance by the STL String Collective dedicated to the memory of Tracy Andreotti, the St. Louis cellist who passed away in December of last year. In addition to the concert by the Collective - violinst Alyssa Avery, cellist Ranya Iqbal, and violinist Sarah Vie - the video also includes an introduction from St. Louis musician Syrhea Conaway (aka SynaSoPro) and some archival footage of Andreotti.

After the jump, you can see the most recent livestream from Jazz St. Louis, featuring saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown in a set recorded back in April and streamed for the first time this past Thursday evening. Along with Brown, the musicians are Antonio Foster (keyboards), Jordan Brewer (bass), and Dorian Sims (drums).

Next up, it's pianist Peter Martin, who last Friday expanded on his ongoing series of online solo concerts with a trio session including drummer Montez Coleman and bassist Bob DeBoo.

That's followed by another set from drummer Demarius Hicks' quintet, this one from last Saturday night at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

Drummer Dave Weckl is another St. Louis musician who has been doing weekly webcasts during the pandemic, and the fifth video is Weckl's "Weekend Hang" from Sunday, May 9, with a mix of solo performance, Q&A session, and educational material.

Lastly, there's the aforementioned bonus video of the 2021 International Jazz Day "Virtual Global Concert," first webcast live on April 30 with performances by Herbie Hancock, Kris Bowers, Billy Childs, Antonio Sánchez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Linda May Han Oh, Lionel Loueke, and more.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More of the latest livestreams from St. Louis

This week, let's take a look at some more recent livestream performances from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with an Art Blakey tribute led by drummmer Montez Coleman. Coleman is joined by Ben Reece (tenor sax), Danny Campbell (trumpet), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (piano), and Bob DeBoo (bass) for the session recorded last November at Jazz St, Louis and streamed online this Thursday, May 7.

After the jump, you can see a set from violinist Tim Kampen's Jazz Expedition. Campen, a St. Louis native now living in Nashville, recorded the set at The Sheldon for streaming this past Tuesday, May 4.

Next up, it's keyboardist Pete Ruthenburg and his band in a show recorded on last Saturday, May 1 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a set from singer Joanna Serenko, recorded in April at Jazz St. Louis with accompaniment from guitarist Tyler Dale. keyboardist David Grelle, bassist Zeb Briskovich, and drummer Miles Vandiver.

The fifth video features another installment from pianist Peter Martin's ongoing series of solo online shows, first streamed on Friday, April 9.

And the final video features some vintage jazz and swing from Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys, recorded in March 2021 here in St. Louis for streaming by the San Diego Jazz Fest.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Even more livestreams from St. Louis

No real theme to this week's post, other than to gather some of the most recent livestream performances from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a set by soul/jazz band Hip Grease, recorded back at the beginning of March and released this past week by Jazz St. Louis. The musicians are Ben Reece (saxophones), Adam Hucke (trumpet, flugelhorn), Dave Grelle (keyboards), Andy Coco (bass), and Joe Meyer (drums).

After the jump, you can see a set by the latest project from guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran. Skamasala features Halloran, trombonist John Covelli and bassist Max Kelly playing a mix of "Jamaican ska with American jazz." This performance was recorded at Focal Point and released online this past week.

Next up, it's a performance from singer Joe Mancuso, recorded on Friday, March 19 as part of the "Open Air" series at The Grandel.

That's followed by some traditional jazz from The Gaslight Squares, recorded on March 2 at The Sheldon, and a set from smooth jazz/R&B saxophonist Rhoda G, also recorded at The Grandel back on March 14.

Last but not least is the latest streaming performance from pianist Peter Martin, in which after a year's worth of solo performances online, Martin is joined by a guest, bassist Bob DeBoo.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More recent livestreams from St. Louis

After an unplanned hiatus last week due to a hard drive crash here at STLJN HQ, this week let's jump right in with some of the latest livestreams from various St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a set from the Mosaic Jazz Sextet, led by trombonist Dave Dickey.

Dickey is joined bye trumpeter Danny Campbell, saxophonist Ben Reece, pianist Ken Kehner, bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montex COleman for the set, which was recorded last Friday, March 12 for the "Open Air" series on the grounds of The Grandel.

The hard bop feel continues after the jump with "Celebrating Cannonball Adderley," which was recorded in February and streamed this past Thursday by Jazz St. Louis. The tribute is led by drummer Montez Coleman and also features Kendrick Smith (alto sax), Brady Lewis (trumpet), Matt Villinger (piano), and Jahmal Nichols (bass).

Next up is pianist Peter Martin, who's been streaming weekly solo shows since the pandemic began last year. This video is the 52nd in that series, marking a full year of livestreams.

After that, it's Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys with a set of vintage jazz recorded back on February 28 for the "Open Air" series.

That's followed by the most recent livestream from New Music Circle, recorded on March 8 and featuring solo and collaborative performances by saxophonist Matt Nelson, violinist Alex Cunningham, and guitarist Mark Shippy.

For today's final video, we go back to Jazz St. Louis for a set recorded in late February by pianist Kara Baldus-Mehrmann, saxophonist Bennett Wood, bassist Ben Wheeler, and drummer Jerry Mazzuca.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More streamed concerts from St. Louis musicians

When the pandemic began last year, many musicians, venues and presenters began to offer performances streaming online, from solo concerts in living rooms to full-blown productions. StLJN over the last year has had a number of Saturday video posts collecting live streams staged by local organizations such as Jazz St. Louis and New Music Circle, and so this week, we're looking at a variety of other performances streamed recently by musicians from St. Louis.

Today's first video up above is the first of three featuring St. Louisans in New York, as saxophonist Eric Person leads a performance of a new work, "Blue Skys in the Distance," a five-part suite "inspired by sights and observations during the COVID Lockdown." It was recorded in December 2020 at Cassandra Recording Studio in Beacon, NY, with a band that also included Neil Alexander (keyboards), Adam Armstrong (bass), and Darrell Green (drums).

After the jump, you can see saxophonist Greg Osby with pianist John Chin and bassist Lonnie Plaxico in a concert recorded for the Woodwind Fest 2020 in December 2020 at Sear Sound in New York City.

Next up, it's Keyon Harrold with fellow trumpeters Marquis Hill, Theo Croker, and Giveton Gelin, pianist Mike King, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Kendrick Scott in a performance billed as "Signatures in Brass" that was recorded in December at Smalls jazz club in NYC.

Moving closer to home, that's followed by pianist Peter Martin in a performance recorded in January at his studio here in St. Louis. It's one of a series of "Shelter in Place" solo concerts he's been doing weekly since last year.

The eclectic instrumental ensemble The 442s are next, in a performance recorded last October at The Sheldon.

The final video features the Red and Black Brass Band in a concert for KDHX's "Listen Live & Local" series that was recorded this past Tuesday, February 2.

You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Keyboardist Michael Silverman has been nominated for the Smooth Jazz Network's "Best Breakout Artist" award for 2020. Silverman (pictured) is one of 12 musicians contending for the prize. Listener/reader voting for the award continues through Monday, November 30.

* The documentary The Black Artists’ Group: Creation Equals Movement was touted as one of five "must see" films at this year's St. Louis International Film Festival in an article by the Riverfront Times' Evan Suit. SLIFF and the online screenings of the film continue through this Sunday, November 22.

* The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson reports that the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and Jazz St. Louis will extend their "Open Air" concert series into 2021. The Grand Center presenters are expected to announce 40 additional weeks of programming for the series, with January and February's shows to be revealed early next month.

* Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio, which produces jazz instructional videos and educational materials, recently reached 50,000 subscribers to their YouTube channel, and to commemorate the occasion, they've compiled a video featuring the "Top 7 Highlights from 2020 with Peter Martin and Adam Maness."

* Also from the Post's Kevin Johnson, the Old Rock House, which had reopened on a limited basis this summer, will close temporarily again until some time in 2021, due to the recent resurgence in COVID-19 cases in the metropolitan area and the state.

* Singer Steve Brammeier's recent performance at Blue Strawberry was reviewed by KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi.

Jazz St. Louis sets 25th anniversary celebration for Friday, October 2

Jazz St. Louis will celebrate their 25th anniversary with a free online event on Friday, October 2.

From its origins as the "Just Jazz" concert series presented by the late Barbara Rose at the Majestic Hotel downtown, Jazz St. Louis has grown into a top presenter of touring and local jazz performers with its own venue in the Grand Center district, renovated in 2014 and now officially known as the Ferring Jazz Bistro.

In addition to presenting live performances, the organization also offers various educational programs for local students from ranging from pre-school to high school age.

The 25th anniversary celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a "pre-event concert" featuring students in the organization's JazzU program.

Then starting at 7:00 p.m., Jazz St. Louis CEO Gene Dobbs Bradford and pianist Peter Martin will serve as hosts for the main event, which will include performances by violinist Regina Carter (pictured), The Bad Plus, singer and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, and more.

To wrap up the evening, singer Denise Thimes will perform an "after-party" set at 8:00 p.m.

Jazz St. Louis' 25th anniversary celebration will be available for viewing for free via their Facebook page. You can find out more details about the celebration here, and RSVP to receive a reminder email about the event here.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis has extended the application period for their 2020-21 JazzU program, and the new deadline for middle school and high school students to apply is Friday, May 29. Auditions that had been scheduled for early June now will be held July 20-23. For more information, visit the Jazz St. Louis website.

* The Sheldon this week debuted a new look for their website, and to commemorate the occasion, they got pianist Peter Martin (pictured) to do a special solo performance on video.

* Jazz St. Louis and The Sheldon are among the local arts institutions taking part in "Arts United STL" a virtual benefit for local working artists that will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 31.

* Music venue The Ready Room has permanently closed their space in the Grove neighborhood, but according to the report from the Riverfront Times' Daniel Hill, the club's owners are seeking a new location to reopen once live shows can resume.

* Singer and pianist Kandace Springs was the featured guest last week on an episode of the KTRS program "In the Know with Ray Hartmann."

* The Kranzberg Arts Foundation, which operates The Dark Room, Kranzberg Arts Center, Grandel Theater and other local venues, has surveyed the public asking what respondents would need to feel safe returning to the Foundation's spaces following the COVID-19 pandemic. Top replies include "A vaccine," "Limited venue capacity," "being able to avoid lines," "outdoor performance opportunities" and "availability of hand sanitizer."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist David Sanborn has released the fourth episode of his web series "Sanborn Sessions," with saxophonist and keyboard player Terrace Martin as the featured guest.

You can see Sanborn and Martin (pictured) in this latest episode via the embed at the bottom of this post, or visit the "Sanborn Sessions" YouTube page to catch the entire series to date.

* Pianist Peter Martin and multi-instrumentalist and singer Tonina Saputo were among the performers interviewed for a St. Louis Public Radio story about how local musicians are coping with the COVID-19 shutdown.

* And speaking of Peter Martin, the pianist took questions from fans, friends, music students, and miscellaneous onlookers in a Reddit-style "Ask Me Anything" video recorded this past Tuesday.

* Drummer Dave Weckl now is offering private drum lessons for a limited number of students online via Zoom.

Jazz this week: "Such Sweet Thunder," Ben Lamar Gay, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes visits from a Grammy Award winning singer and an intriguing, genre-busting musician making his debut here, plus a multi-media event bringing together the words of Shakespeare and the music of Duke Ellington, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...


Wednesday, October 2
Pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin will team up for the first of two evenings of duets (plus a Thursday matinee) at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra returns for a "Notes From Home" performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Thursday, October 3
"Such Sweet Thunder," a collaboration among Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Big Muddy Dance Company, and Jazz St. Louis, will be presented for the first of three nights at the Public Media Commons in Grand Center.

The event, which is free and open to the public but requires a ticket, will feature the Jazz St. Louis Big Band playing Duke Ellington's score along with the actors, dancers, and big-screen video supplied by Nine Network.

Also on Thursday, singer and bassist Janet Evra and her quartet play at Joe's Cafe; singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul return to the Chase Club; and Kansas City jump blues band Grand Marquis will take the stage at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Friday, October 4
Jazz St. Louis will present the first of two nights of "Abbey Road at 50," with the Beatles' penultimate release re-imagined as jazz by keyboardist Ryan Marquez, The People's Key, and guest vocalist Lola.

Also on Friday, vibraphonist Tom Rickard leads a trio at Cigar Inn, and multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris will be in his not-so-secret identity as DJ Nune for late night sets at The Dark Room.

Saturday, October 5
Multi-instrumentalist Ben Lamar Gay (pictured, top left) and his quartet will make their St. Louis debut in a performance presented by New Music Circle at Off Broadway.

The Chicago native's sound is a bit hard to pin down, involving disparate elements including free jazz, Brazilian music, electronics, and more, but you can get some idea of his musical range by perusing the videos collected in this post from Saturday before last.

Also on Saturday, three-time Grammy Award winning vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant (pictured, bottom left) returns with pianist Aaron Diehl's trio for a performance at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

For a look at what Salvant has been up to since her last appearance here in 2017 (besides snagging that third Grammy for her most recent album The Window), check out this post from last Saturday featuring video from several recent performances.

Sunday, October 6
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz for brunch at The Dark Room, and the Jazz Troubadours play their monthly first-Sunday gig at Evangeline's.

Monday, October 7
Pianist Carol Schmidt and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis will play a concert of duets at the Thompson Music Building Recital Hall on the Webster University campus.

Tuesday, October 8
Former St. Louisan Mark Deutsch, who's been living in California for much of the last two decades, returns home to perform on his self-invented instrument, the Bazantar, at the Sheldon Concert Hall;  and the Glen Smith/Eric Slaughter Quartet will play a concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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.)

Jazz this week: Cyrille Aimée, Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the return of a rising star vocalist, a free, day-long festival, and more. Let's go to this highlights...

Wednesday, 
September 18
Singer Cyrille Aimée (pictured, top left) returns to perform for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis as part of the series they're co-presenting with Cabaret Project of St. Louis.

Aimée, who first performed in St. Louis in 2016 at the Bistro, released her ninth album Move On: A Sondheim Adventure in February of this year. (For more about her, check out this video showcase post from her previous appearance here.)

Also on Wednesday, NYC-based singer Miss Maybell and pianist Charlie Judkins continue their mini-tour of local nightspots with a show at Evangeline's; and this week's "Wednesday Night Jazz Crawl" in Grand Center features pianist Ethan Leinwand at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, September 19
Pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and keyboardist Ryan Marquez and his trio will return to The Dark Room.

Friday, September 20
Elsie Parker and the Poor People of Paris will provide the music for "Wine & Jazz Under the Stars," a benefit for radio station Classic 107.3 FM at the Columbia Foundation for the Arts on The Hill.

Also on Friday, trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi and his band return to Evangeline's and the Ambassadors of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, September 21
The annual Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival starts at mid-day and continues through the evening with two stages in the Old Webster Business District, near the intersection of Lockwood & Gore Aves.

The free, family-friendly event will feature sets from the Webster University Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Bach to the Future, Dizzy Atmosphere (pictured, center left), Webster Groves High School Jazz Band, and trumpeter Jim Manley, plus blues performers including David Dee, Marquise Knox, Jeremiah Johnson, and more.

Also on Saturday, Miss Maybell wraps up her visit here with a performance at the Frisco Barroom (just down the road from the festival site); and Chicago-based guitarist, composer and improviser Daniel Wyche performs at Flood Plain gallery, with St. Louis' JoAnn McNeil and Michael Williams offering an opening set of electronics, found-sound manipulation, and guitar.

Sunday, September 22
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents pianist Bob Row's Mardi Gras Jazz Band at the Moolah Shrine Center's Oasis Room; and keyboardist Mo Egeston and his trio will perform at The Judson House.

Monday, September 23
Pianist Peter Martin and guitarist Romero Lubambo (pictured, bottom left) celebrate the release of their new duo album Rio Meets New Orleans: Live From Tokyo with a performance at the Open Studios space at Centene Center for the Arts in Grand Center.

Also on Monday, pianist Carolbeth True and her trio will play a concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

Tuesday, September 24
Pianist Curt Landes and his trio plus singer Feyza Eren will perform in concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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.)

Edward Simon to perform Saturday, August 31 at Centene Center for the Arts

Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio, producers of instructional videos featuring well-known jazz musicians, is making another of its occasional forays in concert production, presenting pianist Edward Simon in a solo performance at 8:00 p.m. Saturday, August 31 at the comapny's space in the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive St in Grand Center.

Simon (pictured) is a native of Venezuela who may be best known as the pianist since 2010 for the SFJAZZ Collective. He's also recorded 14 albums as a leader, and earlier in his career worked as a sideman with saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby, Kansas City saxophonist Bobby Watson, trumpeter Terence Blanchard, and many others. Simon's most recent album is 2016's Latin American Songbook on the Sunnyside label.

Tickets for Edward Simon's solo performance are $25 for general admission, and are on sale now via Eventbrite.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianists Peter Martin and Adam Maness (pictured) will present a special live-streaming version of their Open Studio podcast "You'll Hear It" next Friday, August 9.

* Thurman's In Shaw was reviewed by Sauce magazine, with a mention of the venue's live jazz offerings alongside the critique of its food and drinks.

* A previously unseen interview from the mid-1980s with drummer and St. Louis native Phillip Wilson has been published in the latest issue of the online 'zine Perfect Sound Forever.

* Singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo took time out from her just-concluded European tour to stop in Jazztone Studios in Valencia, Spain to record a music video of the song "Que Lio," originally made famous by Puerto Rican salsa singer Hector Lavoe.

* Singer Valerie Kirchhoff aka Miss Jubilee was one of the musicians interviewed for a Quad City Times article about this weekend's Bix Jazz Festival in Davenport, IA.

* A post on the UMSL Daily blog recounts the UMSL Jazz Ensemble's recent trip to Europe, which doubled as a farewell to outgoing director of jazz studies Jim Widner.

* The Brothers Lazaroff were interviewed about their new album and shows this weekend at Jazz St. Louis by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. (Link is paywalled)

* There's a new trailer out this week for director Stanley Nelson's documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, which will play starting later this month in selected theaters across the country.

* Davis also was the subject of a recent episode of MOJO magazine's "Innovators Podcast."

* Continuing on the Davis beat, the trumpeter this week was the latest musician discussed in The Guardian's recurring "20 Greatest Albums Ranked" feature.

* And finally, Jazz Journal has a review of Milestones, a new reissue of some familiar early Davis tracks by the French label Dreyfus Jazz.

Jazz this week: Roosevelt Collier, Pharez Whitted, Liberty Jazz Band, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features noteworthy performances in a veritable smorgasbord of sub-genres, from cabaret and jazz-inflected opera to vintage swing, post-bop, "sacred steel," Latin music, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 19
Cabaret Project of St. Louis will present their "Singers Open Mic" this month at an alternate location, The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, the world premiere production of trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard's opera Fire Shut Up In My Bones continues at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, with a performance on Wednesday and four more scheduled before OTSL's season ends on Sunday, June 30.

Thursday, June 20
The Sheldon Concert Hall this week is hosting a two-day conference of Midwest talent buyers, and in conjunction with that, on Thursday night they're presenting a "Saint Louis Music Showcase" featuring pianist Peter Martin's trio, The 442s, and singer Brian Owens, which is free and open to the general public.

Also on Thursday, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra returns to Jazz St. Louis; pianist Jim Hegarty leads a trio at Evangeline's; and out in St. Charles County, guitarist Randy Bahr and saxophonist Larry Johnson will play duets at the Rendezvous Cafe & Wine Bar in O'Fallon.

Friday, June 21
Steel guitarist Roosevelt Collier (pictured, top left) performs for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis. After developing his "sacred steel" chops playing in church with a family band, the Florida native in recent years has become a popular touring act among secular audiences, thanks to an explosive style mashing up gospel, blues, funk and rock.

You can find out more Collier and see some videos from recent performances in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, Chicago-based trumpeter Pharez Whitted (pictured, bottom left) comes to southern Illinois for a performance with his post-bop quintet at Panorama Banquet Center in Belleville; and The Gaslight Squares will be joined by guest pianist Kris Tokarski for a tribute to Jelly Roll Morton at The Focal Point.

(Tokarski also is playing a solo show on Sunday afternoon at the Opera House of Pacific.)

Elsewhere around town, Miss Jubilee will perform in a free outdoor concert at Eckert's in Belleville, and keyboardist Mark Harris II plays the late show at The Dark Room.

Saturday, June 22
On Saturday afternoon, singer Wendy Gordon and friends will present a matinee at Hwy 67 BBQ.

Saturday also is the first of two days of "Fiesta in Florissant," a free event presented by the Hispanic Festival of St. Louis at Knights of Columbus Park, featuring live music including Chicago Latin Groove and Ritmo Tropical on Saturday and Tropical Mood on Sunday.

Elsewhere around town, bassist Glen Smith, guitarist Eric Slaughter, and singer Robert Nelson perform at Evangeline's; bassist Ben Wheeler leads a duo at The Dark Room; and Joe Park and the Hot Club of St. Louis will play a house concert at the home of singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran.

Sunday, June 23
Dizzy Atmosphere plays vintage swing and Gypsy jazz for brunch at The Dark Room, and the St. Louis Jazz Club presents the Liberty Jazz Band from Mexico, MO playing traditional jazz and swing at the Moolah Shrine 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 StLJN's latest wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* Jazz St. Louis will raise scholarship money for college-bound local music students with “Swing For The Scholars,” an event at 6:00 p.m. Sunday, May 5 at JSL's HQ, aka the Harold and Dorothy Steward Center for Jazz.

Musical entertainment for the evening will include the Adam Maness Trio, the Route 66 Alumni Band, Good 4 The Soul, singer Anita Jackson, and students from the organization's JazzU program.

* The St. Louis Post-Dispatch and STLToday.com this week published their annual "Go List," and the staff picks in the "Music" section included a nod to singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo for "Best Shout-Out," referencing the inclusion of her song "Historia De Un Amor" on President Barack Obama's 2018 list of favorite songs.

In the reader's poll section of the "Go List," BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups won both "Favorite place to hear jazz" and "Favorite place to hear the blues."

* Drummer Dave Weckl is offering a free two-and-a-half-hour DVD, "Flies On The Studio Wall," to new subscribers to his Dave Weckl Online School who sign up before May 1.

* Prompted by the 60th anniversary of the original recording sessions for the album, writer Eric Schewe of JStor Daily looks at "Why Miles Davis’s “Kind of Blue” Is So Beloved."

* Pianist Peter Martin's "Ask Me Anything" session that was webcast last Friday via the Open Studios Facebook page has been posted to YouTube.

* Singer and East St. Louis native Phil Perry (pictured) will be inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Saturday, June 23 in Detroit. Perry's fellow inductees this year will include Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ray Parker, Jr., Stephanie Mills, and more.

* And speaking of halls of fame, public voting for new members of Jazz at Lincoln Center's Ertegun Jazz Hall of Fame is open until 11:59 p.m. this coming Monday, April 29. The 2019 nominees include Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Kenny Clarke, Roy Haynes, Freddie Hubbard, Arturo “Chico” O’Farrill, Cecil Taylor, Frank Trumbauer, Dinah Washington, Chick Webb, and Teddy Wilson.

* General manager Jason Church's efforts to put radio station WSIE on firmer financial footing are the subject of a story in the SIU Edwardsville campus newspaper The Alestle.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Peter Martin is doing an "Ask Me Anything" Q&A session at 2:00 p.m. Central time today (Friday, April 19) via the Facebook page of his company Open Studio.

* Singer Denise Thimes (pictured) has been chosen for the cast of The Black Rep's upcoming production of Nina Simone: Four Women, a play-with-music by Catherine Ham that will run Wednesday, May 15 through Sunday, June 2 at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus.

* Drummer and educator Bernard Long Jr. has received the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association Certificate of Merit Award for his work as band director at Normandy High School.

* Saxophonist Dave Stone's upcoming move to Oregon is detailed in a feature story by the Riverfront Times' G.M.H. Thompson. Stone's trio will play their final gig at their longtime home Mangia Italiano tonight.

* Bassist Bob DeBoo's recent serendipitous find of a sitar, seemingly in working condition, in an alley near his south St. Louis home is recounted in a brief St. Louis magazine feature by Thomas Crone.

* Pianist and St. Louis native Tom McDermott, who's made his home for many years in New Orleans, has a new album, Tom McDermott Meets Scott Joplin, out this month on the Arbors label.

* Last weekend's Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival was the subject of a story on the University of Missouri-St. Louis' official blog UMSL Daily.

* This year's local celebration of Record Store Day was spotlighted in a feature story by HEC-TV's George Sells.

* On The Corner Live! The Music of Miles Davis, the new release featuring an all-star band gathered by saxophonist and former Davis sideman Dave Liebman, was reviewed in Jazz Journal and Jazz Times.

* If you've been wondering what's happening with seemingly-defunct music festival LouFest's legal battle with their former sound and lighting contractors Logic Systems, there's an update via a story in the trade publication Projection Lighting and Staging News by St. Louis writer and musician Kevin Mitchell.

* The deadline for local student musicians in grades 6-12 to apply for Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program for the 2019-20 school year is next Friday April 26. Audition and application details are online at https://jazzstl.org/education/jazz-u/2019-20-jazzu-auditions/.

* And in a related story, current JazzU student Joanna Serenko, a singer, guitarist and senior at Kirkwood High School, last week was announced as the winner of this year's St. Louis Teen Talent Competition sponsored by the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation.

Jazz this week: Bistro All-Stars with Sean Jones, Tia Fuller, Warren Wolf & Peter Martin; Chucho Valdes' "Jazz Bata"; and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis provides an opportunity to hear four bandleaders joining forces for the first time on one stage, a powerful pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz piano, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 30
The Bistro All-Stars (pictured, top left),  featuring trumpeter Sean Jones, saxophonist Tia Fuller, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and pianist Peter Martin, will perform for the first of five nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Given that each of the four principals is a bandleader and composer in their own right, the All-Stars, assembled specifically for this gig, should have plenty of material to draw upon. And while an ad hoc group like this may not have the established chemistry of a regular working band, the jolt of discovery among musicians working together for the first time can be a lot of fun to watch.

Thursday, January 31
Guitarist Dave Black's newest ensemble, the itti bitti Swing Orchestra, plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and saxophonist Ben Reese's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room.

Friday, February 1
Ptah Williams will play solo piano for "happy hour" at The Dark Room, and pianist Adam Maness' trio with singer Malena Smith resumes their late-night Friday residency at Sophie's Artist Lounge and Cocktail Club.

Saturday, February 2
Anita Jackson will sing music associated with Ella Fitzgerald for a mid-day matinee at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Then on Saturday evening, The Wire Pilots play original jazz/fusion at The Focal Point, and the Funky Butt Brass Band performs at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

Sunday, February 3
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents keyboardist Bob Row's "Mardi Gras Party" at Royale Orleans, and the Jazz Troubadours play an early evening show at Evangeline's.

Monday, February 4
Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart leads a quartet in a concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

Tuesday, February 5
Cuban-born pianist Chucho Valdés (pictured, bottom left) will mix jazz with the rhythms and folk traditions of his home country in the first of three nights of performances with his "Jazz Bata" project at  Jazz St. Louis.

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.)

Geoffrey Keezer to perform Thursday, December 13 at Open Studio

Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio, which to date has specialized in the production of jazz education videos featuring well-known musicians, is expanding into concert presentation. Their first show will feature pianist Geoffrey Keezer leading a trio at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, December 13 at Open Studio's space in the Centene Center for Arts & Education, 3547 Olive St.

Keezer (pictured), who turns 48 in a couple of weeks, first gained wide recognition as a teenager, joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers when he was just 18. He subsequently has gone on to play with a number of notable musicians, including David Sanborn, Chris Botti, Christian McBride, Joe Locke, singer Denise Donatelli, and many others.

Keezer also has recorded frequently as both a sideman and a leader, most recently releasing a trio album, On My Way To You, earlier this year. For his St. Louis show, he'll be accompanied by NYC-based drummer Jon Wikan and St. Louis' own Bob DeBoo on bass.

Tickets for Geoffrey Keezer at Open Studio are $25 each, and are on sale now.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Peter Martin (pictured) and his company Open Studio Network were featured in a Sunday New York Times story about taking jazz piano lessons online.

* On a related note, Open Studio Network this week released their first saxophone course, "Fundamentals of Jazz Saxophone," featuring alto saxophonist Steve Wilson.

* Harris-Stowe State University has announced plans to renovate an historic building on campus that will serve as a home for the university's Don and Heide Wolff Jazz Institute and the National Black Radio Hall of Fame.

* Bassist and singer Janet Evra was the subject of a short feature by the Riverfront Times' Christian Schaeffer.

* Flute player and composer Fred Tompkins has self-released Four For St. Louis, an EP featuring four of his most recent jazz compositions, recorded with musicians including vocalist Johanna Nordhorn, pianists Greg Mills and Maryse Carlin, and drummers Steve Davis, Kyle Honeycutt, and Charlie Dent.

* The first-ever STL Drum Show will take place Saturday, October 20 at the Koken Art Factory. The free event will feature 40 vendors, drum clinics, personal appearances from drummers Glen Sobel and James Sexton, and more.

* The Miles Davis statue in Alton, IL is listed at #1 on the Chicago Tribune's "Bucket list: 20 things to see linked to influential Illinoisans."

* The Regional Arts Commission has released their report on "A Creative Vision For St. Louis," laying out "a series of priorities for the immediate future of the region’s arts scene." You can read the entire report here.

* Drummer and St. Louis expat Kimberly Thompson made news this week, in a tabloid sort of way, for a request for a restraining order she filed against her former employer, pop star Beyoncé, that contains some bizarre allegations. Read more about it in the Riverfront Times, Pitchfork, and/or TheBlast.com.