Jazz this week: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Alicia Olatuja, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a return visit from one of the top big bands working today and homecoming shows from a couple of St. Louis natives, plus a bunch of holiday-themed performances and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 4
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis will be getting in the seasonal spirit with a program called "Big Band Holidays" at Powell Hall.

Also on Wednesday, singer and St. Louis native Alicia Olatuja performs for the first of five nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Olatuja (pictured, top left) earlier this year released her second album, Intuition: Songs from the Minds of Women, which features original material and songs from female composers including Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, Kate Bush and more. For more about that, plus some videos of recent live performances by Olatuja, check out this post from Saturday before last.

Thursday, December 5
Pianist Kim Portnoy and guitarist William Lenihan will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Also on Thursday, singer Debby Lennon presents her cabaret show "My Favorite Christmas" at Blue Strawberry, and the Funky Butt Brass Band will be "warming up" for their annual Holiday Brasstravaganza later this month with a performance at Joe's Cafe.

Friday, December 6
Singer and St. Louis native Craig Pomranz (pictured, bottom left) will be back home for a visit from his current digs in NYC to perform his cabaret show “The Power of Song!” for one night only at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Also on Friday, singer and impressionist Dean Christopher brings his "A Rat Pack Christmas"  show to Blue Strawberry, and Miss Jubilee returns to the Frisco Barroom.

Saturday, December 7
Singer Anita Jackson will perform for brunch at The Dark Room, and singer Wendy L. Gordon and friends return for a matinee at Hwy 67 BBQ.

Saturday evening, Wright's Project will play funk and fusion at Troy's Listening Room, and keyboardist Mo Egeston and company are back at The Dark Room.

Sunday, December 8
The St. Louis Jazz Club's annual Christmas party will feature traditional jazz and swing from Cornet Chop Suey at the Moolah Shrine Center, and the UMSL Jazz Orchestra, Vocal Point and Wind Ensemble will present their free, annual "Jazz for the Holidays" concert at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Also on Sunday, the students of the City of Music All-Star Chorus and North County Big Band will perform in a free concert at The Sheldon, and The 442s make a special appearance at Thurman's in Shaw

Monday, December 9
Dizzy Atmosphere returns to the The Shaved Duck.

Tuesday, December 10
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band will perform Duke Ellington's arrangements of Tchaikovsky's "Nutcracker" plus additional Ellingtonia for the first of three nights at Jazz St. Louis; and guitarist Vincent Varvel and bassist Ben Wheeler will play a duo 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.)

A guide to holiday jazz in St. Louis

The holiday season always comes with lots of thematic music, and here in St. Louis, listeners can take in plenty of performances aimed at those who'd like to mix some jazz with their jingle bells.

Although this year's calendar includes fewer touring shows than last year, our hometown performers are stepping up with a variety of seasonal programs to suit a diversity of musical tastes.

Here's a quick look at some noteworthy holiday-themed jazz (and jazz-adjacent) shows starting next week and continuing throughout the next month:

Route 66 Jazz Orchestra - "1/2 a Christmas Concert"
7:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 3
Sheldon Concert Hall
St. Louis-based Route 66 Orchestra presents one set of big band jazz and one set of holiday music. $15 at the door.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis - "Big Band Holidays"
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 4
Powell Hall
NYC-based big band led by the famed trumpeter offers swinging arrangements of holiday tunes. $50 - $90.

Funky Butt Brass Band - "Holiday Warmup"
8:00 p.m., Thursday, December 5
Joe's Cafe
St. Louis' New Orleans-style brass band gets ready for their annual "Holday Brasstravaganza' (see below). $15 at the door.

Debby Lennon - "My Favorite Christmas"
8:00 p.m., Thursday, December 5
Blue Strawberry
Singer and Webster University voice teacher offers her versions of seasonal favorites. $30 & $35.

Dean Christopher - "A Rat Pack Christmas"
8:00 p.m., Friday, December 6 & Friday, December 13
Blue Strawberry
Singer and impressionist offers seasonal songs in the style of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and more. $25 & $30.

Cornet Chop Suey - "St. Louis Jazz Club Christmas Party"
2:00 p.m. Sunday, December 8
Moolah Shrine Center - Oasis Room
St. Louis-based septet plays traditional jazz and swing, plus some selected holiday music. $15 members, $20 non-members, Free for students with ID

UMSL Jazz Orchestra, Vocal Point & Wind Ensemble - "Jazz for the Holidays"
3:00 p.m. Sunday, December 8
Touhill Performing Arts Center
UMSL music students perform in their annual holiday concert. Free and open to the public.

Jazz St. Louis Big Band plays "Ellington's 'Nutcracker"
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, December 10 continuing daily until Thursday, December 12
Jazz St. Louis
Duke Ellington's re-imagining of Tchaikovsky's famous work played live by a big band of St. Louis musicians, plus additional favorites from the Ellington catalog. $10 & $26.

Jim Manley - "A Very Manley Christmas"
7:30 p.m. & 9:30 p.m., Friday, December 13 & Saturday, December 14
Jazz St. Louis
St. Louis trumpeter and his seven-piece band offer high-energy versions of holiday favorites. $10 & $21.

Dave Black & Sandy Weltman - "3rd Annual Holiday Show"
8:00 p.m., Friday, December 13
Focal Point
Guitarist Black and multi-instrumentalist Weltman play acoustic versions of seasonal tunes. $15.

The 442s - "Holiday Spectacular"
7:30 p.m., Monday, December 16 & Tuesday, December 17
560 Music Center
Eclectic instrumental quintet (plus guest stars) presents originals and holiday favorites. $30, $25 & $15.

Erin Bode - "Holiday Concert"
7:30 p.m., Wednesday, December 18
Wildey Theatre
One of St. Louis' favorite vocalists sings original music and seasonal songs. $25.

David Giuntoli - "A Swinging Holiday Soiree"
Thursday, December 19⋅8:00 – 9:30pm
Blue Strawberry
Holiday music in the vintage style of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. $30 & $25.

Funky Butt Brass Band - "Holiday Brasstravaganza"
8:00 p.m., Friday, December 20 & Saturday, December 21
3:00 p.m., Saturday, December 21
Delmar Hall
St. Louis' popular New Orleans-style brass band moves to a new venue for the ninth year of their holiday show, with a family-friendly Saturday matinee in addition to two evening shows. $20 advance, $25 day of show for evening performances; $10 for Saturday matinee (free for kids under 5 years old).

John McDaniel - "A John McDaniel Christmas"
8:00 p.m., Friday, December 20
Blue Strawberry
St. Louis native, singer and pianist, known for his work on Broadway and on TV's Rosie O'Donnell Show, returns home for a solo performance in an intimate setting. $30 & $35.

Ken Haller - "Happy HallerDays!"
8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 21
Blue Strawberry
A St. Louis cabaret favorite reprises his popular holiday show. $30 & $25.

Dean Christopher - "A 'Rat Pack and More' Christmas Show"
6:30 p.m., Sunday, December 22
St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre
Singer & impressionist offers holiday favorites with an expanded seven-piece band. $15.

Katie McGrath - "Home(sick) for the Holidays"
8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 28
Blue Strawberry
Singer and former St. Louisan, now based in New York City, performs her versions of seasonal songs. $35 & $30.

Do you know of any holiday jazz shows this year in St. Louis that we missed? If so, please share the relevant info in the comments.

Jazz this week: Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, Denise Thimes, Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a unique fusion group; a visit home from a favorite local expat; two of the bands that launched the "jazz-rock" genre 50 years ago; and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 26
This week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features singer Feyza Eren and guitarist Dave Black at The Stage at KDHX, along with the jam session hosted by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, June 27
The reunited original lineup of Béla Fleck and The Flecktones (pictured, top left) return for their first St. Louis performance in seven years at Powell Hall. You can see some videos of recent performances and some footage from the early days of the Flecktones, including their very first performance, in this post from last Saturday. 

Also on Thursday, it's the penultimate performance of trumpeter Terence Blanchard's Fire Shut Up In My Bones at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, with the finale set for Saturday night.

Elsewhere around town, trumpeter Jim Manley and keyboardist Chris Swan play The Pat Connolly Tavern; and the latest installment of the Bruxism experimental music series, featuring Curt Oren, William Morris, Michael Williams and Henry Claude, and Francis Hacienda, happens at the Schlafly Tap Room.

Friday, June 28
Singer Denise Thimes (pictured, bottom left), who last year moved from St. Louis to Chicago in search of greater career opportunities, will be back home to perform for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday, the Ambassadors of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson return to the Parkside Grille; and guitarist Dan Rubright and the Wire Pilots will perform at the Ozark Theatre.

Saturday, June 29
Guitarist Brian Vaccaro and vocalist Stephanie Stewart will play a matinee at Alpha Brewing Company; singer Bre Hammond presents "A Tribute To The Ladies of Jazz" at the Ozark Theatre; and The Dark Room features pianist Ryan Marquez playing for dinner and Andrew Stephen's Texturz performing for the late show.

Sunday, June 30
There are several noteworthy daytime events on Sunday, including the summer edition of the St. Louis Record Show at the American Czech Center; jazz brunch with pianist Adam Maness at Thurman's in Shaw or singer and bassist Janet Evra at Evangeline's; and the monthly Traditional Jazz Jam Session at the Folk School of KDHX.

Then on Sunday evening, in an odd bit of synchronicity, two of the bands that helped popularize the jazz-rock genre a half-century ago will be in St. Louis on the same night, as Chicago plays at the Fox Theatre and Blood, Sweat & Tears performs at the River City Casino & Hotel.

The current touring version of Chicago includes three original members - keyboard player and singer Robert Lamm, trumpeter Lee Loughnane and trombonist (and St. Louis native) James Pankow. 

Meanwhile, BS&T, which has seen dozens of musicians come and go over the past 50 years, has no members remaining from their hit-making days, but fields a lineup of players selected by founding member and drummer Bobby Colomby, who doesn't perform with the group but owns rights to the name.

Tuesday, July 2
Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran plays a free outdoor concert at Fanetti Park.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Then and now with Béla Fleck and the Flecktones

This week, let's take a look at some videos of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, who are coming to St. Louis to perform next Thursday, June 27 at Powell Hall.

This year's tour marking the band's 30th anniversary is one of their most extensive since original member Howard Levy rejoined in 2009, covering 21 dates this summer with more on tap for fall. Their Powell Hall appearance will be their first St. Louis show since 2012, when they played at The Sheldon while touring in support of their 2011 album Rocket Science.

With that 30th anniversary in mind, today's collection of videos shows the Flecktones both in the present day and at the very beginning.

Their very first show together in 1988 came about when Fleck was asked to appear on the PBS series Lonesome Pines and had to assemble a band to play the show, which went well enough that they subsequently stayed together as the Flecktones. You can see a performance from that 1988 broadcast, "Sea Brazil," in the first video embed up above.

After the jump, you can take a look at the full episode of the Flecktones' return in 1991 to the Lonesome Pines stage in Louisville, KY, this time with saxophonist Branford Marsalis along as a special guest.

Next, check out their 1992 appearance on PBS' Austin City Limits, not long before Levy left the band.

Fast-forwarding ahead 16 years, the next two clips, "Sex In A Pan" and "Nemo's Dream," were recorded during a performance by the reunited Flecktones in June 2018 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY.

The last video features them playing the title track from their second album, 1991's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo, at a gig last July in Boulder, CO.

For more about Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, read Fleck's interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Daniel Durchholz, and the feature story about the current reunion tour published a couple of weeks ago on TheBluegrassSituation.com.

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

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones to perform Thursday, June 27 at Powell Hall

The original lineup of Béla Fleck & The Flecktones (pictured) is reuniting for a 30th anniversary tour that will include a performance at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 27 at Powell Hall in St. Louis.

The group - Fleck on banjo, Howard Levy on piano and harmonica, percussionist Roy "Future Man" Wooten, and bassist Victor Wooten - today announced a total of 19 dates, beginning May 31 at Red Rocks Amphitheater near Denver and continuing through July 1, with more shows expected to follow.

Tickets for the shows announced today, including St. Louis, are on sale now. For more information and a complete list of dates, see Fleck's website.

Jazz this week: Harry Connick Jr, Take 6, "A Very Manley Christmas" and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features one last round of holiday music performances, including shows from two noteworthy touring headliners, plus some local favorites.

Let's go to the highlights...


Wednesday, December 19
The Jazz St. Louis Big Band will present the final two performances this year of Ellington's "Nutcracker" at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, Cabaret Project of St. Louis has their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge & Cocktail Club; and the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the Jazz Troubadors at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Thursday, December 20
Pianist and singer Harry Connick Jr. (pictured, top left) celebrates this holidays New Orleans style at the Stifel Theatre; vocal group Take 6 teams up with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for the standing-room-only "A Gospel Christmas" at Powell Hall; and singer and impressionist Dean Christopher presents a "Rat Pack Christmas" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Friday, 
December 21
Trumpeter Jim Manley (pictured, bottom left) and his Mad Brass and Rhythm band present "A Very Manley Christmas" for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday, singer Tony Viviano and band will perform seasonal favorites and more at  Table Three; keyboardist Owen Ragland's quintet plays at The Dark Room; and pianist Adam Maness' trio plus singer Malena Smith will be back at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

Saturday, December 22
Musicians including Webster Groves High School band director Kevin Cole, multi-instrumentalist Kevin Mitchell and friends will perform in a late-afternoon matinee benefit for the WGHS jazz band at Hwy 61 Roadhouse in Webster.

Saturday evening, piano and cello duo HämmerString plays at Evangeline's, and saxophonist Dave Stone and his trio will be at Thurman's in Shaw.

Sunday, December 23
Miss Jubilee performs for brunch at Evangeline's, while mandolinist Knez Jackovac and band are playing at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday evening, there's one last chance for the year to hear some holiday-themed jazz, from singer Anita Jackson at The Dark Room.

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: Chris Botti; Eddie Henderson; Rogers, Owens & Ellis; Faith Prince and more

This week's jam-packed calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features performances from two top trumpeters, a cavalcade of cabaret, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, October 24
Singer Darius de Haas will present the first of two nights of performances of his cabaret show "A Bernstein Thing" at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, the "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features pianist Jim Hegarty's trio at The Stage at KDHX, along with the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, October 25
Singer Denise Thimes will be back from her new home in Chicago to headline the "Mildred Thimes Foundation 14th Annual Benefit Concert" at the Sheldon Concert Hall. This year's show will feature Thimes and friends interpreting material associated with singers Luther Vandross and Chaka Khan. .

Also on Thursday, Italian drummer Lecrezio de Seta will be joined by bassist/guitarist William Lenihan and keyboardist Jay Oliver for a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room; and trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr will head to O'Fallon, MO for a gig at the Rendezvous Cafe & Wine Bar.

Friday, October 26
Trumpeter Chris Botti (pictured, top left) returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2015 to perform once again with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall.

Also on Friday, the revived Nu-Art Series gets underway with a concert featuring trumpeter Eddie Henderson (pictured, bottom left) with poet Lyah LeFlore, pianist Ptah Williams, and fellow trumpeter and Nu-Art impresario George Sams at Xavier Hall on the St. Louis University campus.

For more about Henderson, who turns 78 the day of his St. Louis show, plus some videos of recent performances, check out the post from last Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, bassist Reuben Rogers, drummer Ulysses Owens Jr. and saxophonist John Ellis, joined by St. Louis' own Peter Martin on piano, will wrap up a week-long educational residency for Jazz St. Louis with the first of two nights of performances at the Bistro; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with Tony Award winning actress and singer Faith Prince performing for the first of two evenings at the Gaslight Theater/

Saturday, October 27
Singer Barb Jungr and singer, pianist and St. Louis native John McDaniel return with a one-night-only performance of their latest cabaret show, "1968 - Let The Sunshine In," at the Kranzberg Arts Center; and pianist Mo Egeston is back at The Dark Room.

Sunday, October 28
Though singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb's two performances for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival are sold out, Sunday offers several other noteworthy musical options, as pianist David Thomas Roberts will perform at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe, and the eight-piece, Seattle-based Afrobeat band Polyrhythmics will play at the Old Rock House

Also on Sunday, trumpeter Randy Holmes has his Hard Bop Heritage band back in action at the Ozark Theatre; and the Bosman Twins with guest vocalist Marsha Evans will provide the music for the "Royal Vagabonds Foundation Scholarship Benefit" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Monday, October 29
The Usual Suspects play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and drummer Nick Savage leads a quartet in a concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Wynton Marsalis' "Swing Symphony"

This week, let's take a look at Wynton Marsalis' "Swing Symphony," which will be performed here in St. Louis by the composer, the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on Friday, May 4; Saturday, May 5; and Sunday, May 6 at Powell Hall. The performances will be conducted by David Robertson in his final weekend as music director of the SLSO.

The third symphonic work written by Marsalis, "Swing Symphony" was commissioned jointly by the New York Philharmonic, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and London’s Barbican Center and was premiered in June, 2010 by the Berlin Philharmonic. It received its US premiere in September 2010 in a performance by the New York Philharmonic in conjunction with Jazz at Lincoln Center that was televised live on PBS.

In the first video up above, you can see Marsalis talking about the process of composition for "Swing Symphony" in a brief interview recorded for the New York Philharmonic at the time of the US premiere in 2010.

After the jump, you can see a more extensive interview with the composer about the work, recorded a few months later by Jazz at Lincoln Center in March 2011, and divided into four parts.

The final two videos are performances of "Swing Symphony," the first recorded by Marsalis, the JaLCO, and the Ceska Philhamonic with Wayne Marshall conducting in July of last year in Prague, Czech Republic. The second was recorded earlier this month by the Frankfurt (Germany) Radio Symphony and Frankfurt Radio Big Band, with Andrés Orozco-Estrada conducting.

While both performances no doubt have some differences in interpretation and feel from what the audience at Powell Hall will hear next weekend, the two versions - one with the composer and his hand-picked band, the other an interpretation by musicians with no prior connection to the work - should provide some good opportunities for comparing and contrasting.

You can read some reviews of past performances of "Swing Symphony" on Wynton Marsalis' website, including those published by the Sydney Morning Herald and London's The Telegraph. Other noteworthy reviews include one by The New Republic in 2010; the Los Angeles Times in 2011; and London Jazz News in 2012;

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, part six

Today, it's the sixth and final part of StLJN's winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, featuring videos of jazz and creative music performers who will be coming to St. Louis in the first few months of the new year. (If you missed the previous installments, you can see part one here, part two here, part three here, part four here, and part five here.)

Resuming in chronological order where we left off last week, today's first video features the John Scofield - Joe Lovano Quartet, who will be returning to St. Louis to perform starting Wednesday, April 25 through Saturday, April 28 at Jazz at the Bistro. They're seen here performing a full set at the 2015 Leverkusener Jazztage festival in Leverkusene, Germany.

The next weekend, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will be in town for three performances of Marsalis' “Swing Symphony” with the St. Louis Symphony on Friday, May 4; Saturday, May 5; and Sunday, May 6 at Powell Hall.

Unfortunately, though "Swing Symphony" has been performed a number of times in the USA and Europe, the only good video of the work is stuck behind a paywall. So instead, after the jump, you can see a clip of Marsalis discussing "Swing Symphony" with conductor Simon Rattle, recorded at the Berlin Philharmonie in June 2010.

A couple of days after Marsalis and company leave town, guitarist Dweezil Zappa will be back for a performance on Tuesday, May 8 at The Ready Room.

Given his ongoing legal dispute with the Zappa Family Trust, it's unclear at this time what material DZ will be performing on this year's tour. However, the next clip, a full show recorded in July 2016 at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, features material spanning several decades of his dad Frank Zappa's career, and though the video (shot by an audience member) is a bit shaky, the audio is solid and serves as a good demonstration of his touring ensemble's capabilities.

That same week, trumpeter Terell Stafford will be here with his quintet to play Wednesday, May 9 through Saturday, May 12 at the Bistro. Stafford, who at one time recorded for the St. Louis based MAXJAZZ label and has performed frequently here over the last decade, probably needs to introduction to local audiences.

Nevertheless, he and his band can be seen in today's fourth video, performing a tribute to the late Lee Morgan in October 2016 at Dizzy's Club in New York City. Along with the leader on trumpet and his fellow Philadelphian Tim Warfield on tenor sax, this edition of Stafford's group featured another MAXJAZZ alumnus, pianist Bruce Barth, along with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Billy Williams.

Next up, it's multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson, who will visit St. Louis on Saturday, May 12 for a show at The Pageant. He's seen here performing "Been Around The World" in October 2016 at the Aliante Casino in Las Vegas.

The following week, trumpeter Terence Blanchard will return for a concert on Sunday, May 20 at the Grandel Theatre. Blanchard will be accompanied by his band The E-Collective, which includes Charles Altura (guitar), Fabian Almazan (keyboards), Donald Ramsey (bass), and Oscar Seaton (drums). They're seen here performing a full set at the 2015 North Sea Jazz Fest in Rotterfam, Netherlands.

Today's final video features another familiar face, percussionist Poncho Sanchez, who's developed a following here over the years and will return for a four-night engagement from Wednesday, May 23 through Saturday, May 26 at the Bistro. The clip shows Sanchez and his band playing what he calls the "Poncho Sanchez Medley" at a show in December 2017 in Las Vegas.

That wraps up StLJN's winter/spring 2018 jazz preview, although if/when any other performers of interest are booked for concerts here in St. Louis, you'll find the latest news here. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Jazz this week: Take 6, Tatsuya Nakatani, Bonerama, Xmas jazz around town, and more

It's going to be a busy few days for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, and though a couple of high-profile shows are sold out (or nearly so), there's still going to be plenty of music - holiday and other - available on local stages. Let's go to the highlights.

Wednesday, December 13
Acappella vocal group Take 6 returns for the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro. The run of shows was described by Jazz St. Louis on Tuesday as "nearly sold out," so if you want to hear the multiple Grammy winners in the intimate confines of the Bistro, you'll definitely need to call ahead for advance reservations, and perhaps a bit of luck as well.

As an alternative, you can see a live video stream of Wednesday's shows in the first floor lounge on the west side of Jazz St. Louis HQ, available with no cover charge in conjunction with the free, weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl".

This week's crawl also features the Jazz Troubadours at The Stage at KDHX, plus the jam session led by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, the musical show "An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas" resumes its run,  continuing with performances through Sunday afternoon at the Playhouse at Westport Plaza.

Thursday, December 14
Singer Dianne Reeves, who had been scheduled to headline "Gospel Christmas: A Soulful Celebration" with the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall, announced on Thursday that she would be unable to perform due to an unspecified health issue. Simultaneously, the SLSO announced that the show would go on as scheduled, with St. Louis' own Brian Owens standing in for Reeves.

Also on Thursday, singer Erin Bode will be in Edwardsville for a holiday concert at the Wildey Theatre; guitarist Dave Black will play at The Pat Connolly Tavern; and trumpeter Keith Moyer and his quintet return to The Dark Room

Friday, December 15
Percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani (pictured, top left) will be back for what has become an annual convening here of his Gong Orchestra, in which he teams up with and trains a group of local musicians in specific techniques for each performance.  This year's edition, presented at the William A Kerr Foundation on the riverfront, will feature a solo percussion set by Nakatani, followed by the Gong Orchestra set with him and 14 collaborators from St. Louis.

Also on Friday, the Funky Butt Brass Band kicks off their annual "Holiday Brasstravaganza" weekend at Off Broadway. As of this writing, a few tickets may remain for Friday, but the Saturday night show and a newly added, family friendly Saturday matinee are already sold out.

Elsewhere around town, the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; singer Feyza Eren performs at the house concert venue KindaBlue Club; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play vintage swing, jump blues and more at the Venice Cafe

Saturday, 
December 16
New Orleans' trombone-centric band Bonerama (pictured, bottom left) returns to perform at The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy.

Currently touring in support of their new album Hot Like Fire - their first release as part of a new deal with New Orleans' Basin Street Records - Bonerama have been regular visitors to St. Louis for most of this decade, playing at venues including the Old Rock House, Broadway Oyster Bar and The Sheldon. If you've missed out on their brass/funk/rock sound up until now, you can find our more and see some video samples of recent performances in this post from last Saturday. 

Also on Saturday, Wack-A-Doo returns to Evangeline's; saxophonist Dave Stone's trio will play at Thurman's in Shaw; and Miss Jubilee performs at the Casa Loma Ballroom .

Sunday, December 17
There's more holiday jazz in the offing, as the Oikos Ensemble presents "Jazz Noel: A Child is Born" at the First Congregational Church of Webster Groves, while the Dave Dickey Big Band celebrates a "Big Band Christmas" with singer Anita Jackson and guest intermission performers, the North County HS Jazz Ensemble, at .ZACK in Grand Center.

Monday, December 18
Trumpeter Jim Manley plays his weekly Monday night gig at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, December 19
Still more holiday jazz on tap, as the Jazz St. Louis Big Band will play Duke Ellington's "Nutcracker" Suite (plus additional Ellingtonia) for the first of three nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and The 442s present their "Holiday Spectacular" at 560 Music 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.)

Jazz this week: Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the return of one of the most important living jazz musicians for one night only, a two-night tribute to the first superstar soloist in jazz, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, 
August 10
Keyboardist Herbie Hancock will perform in a concert presented by Jazz St. Louis at Powell Hall.

With a new album reportedly in the works, Hancock (pictured) also has a new addition to his live band, with saxophonist/keyboardist Terrace Martin joining guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist James Genus and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta in the group.

Some tickets for the concert still remained on sale as of end of business on Wednesday, but if you haven't gotten seats yet and want to go, you'll probably want to call ahead rather than just walk up to the box office.

To promote his St. Louis show, Hancock did brief interviews with St. Louis magazine's Erin Williams, St. Louis Public Radio's David Cazares, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. Also, you can see some videos spanning Hancock's 50+ years in the music business in this StLJN post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also on Thursday night, bassist and singer Tonina Saputo leads a quartet at The Dark Room, and guitarist Dave Black and singer Tony Vivano will perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, August 11
The second annual "Louis Armstrong Festival of St. Louis" will be presented for the first of two nights at the Webster Groves Concert Hall, featuring music associated with Armstrong performed by a band featuring trumpeters Randy Holmes and Robert Souza, trombonist Brett Stamps, clarinetist Scott Alberici, pianist Mary Ann Schulte, drummer Kevin Gianino, bassist Bob Lowe and guitarist/banjoist Dan Stevens. 

You can see StLJN's video tribute to the 116th anniversary of Armstrong's birth in this post from last Saturday.  

Also on Friday, guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith will duet at Parkside Grille in Ballwin, and the Ambassadors of Swing will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, August 12 
Guitarist Stuart Johnson will play a matinee show at The Shaved Duck, and then on Saturday evening, Dizzy Atmosphere will perform for the "Garden of Glass" event at Missouri Botanical Garden, singer Joe Mancuso returns to Bartolino's South and trumpeter Jim Manley is back at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, August 13
Miss Jubilee returns for the weekly jazz brunch at Evangeline's, Red Lehr and the Rivermen will play a matinee for the St. Louis Jazz Club at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westport, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham will perform at Mount Pleasant Winery.

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.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: 50 years of Herbie Hancock

This week, let's take a look at some videos featuring keyboardist Herbie Hancock, who will be back in St. Louis to perform in a concert presented by Jazz St Louis on Thursday, August 10 at Powell Hall.

Hancock has been at the forefront of jazz for more than half a century, first coming to wide public attention in the mid-1960s as a member of Miles Davis' "Second Great Quintet." Striking out on his own at the turn of the 1970s, Hancock has managed to have considerable commercial success - most notably with his 1973 album HeadHunters, which remains one of the best-selling jazz albums of all time - while keeping his artistic credibility.

Today, StLJN celebrates Hancock's musical legacy with videos of his performances spanning more than 50 years and including some of his most popular tunes. The first clip up top is from Hancock's time with Miles Davis, and shows a performance of Davis' "All Blues" recorded October 11, 1964 at the Teatro dell'Arte in Milan, Italy. Along with Davis and Hancock, that's Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Tony Williams on drums.

After the jump, you can see "You'll Know When You Get There," recorded in 1971 in Molde, Norway by the ensemble commonly known as the "Mwandishi" band (after Hancock's album of the same name from that year), with Eddie Henderson (trumpet), Julian Priester (trombone), Bennie Maupin (soprano sax, flute, bass clarinet), Buster Williams (bass), and Billy Hart (drums).

Next, it's a full set of the Headhunters, performing their eponymous album in November 1974 at Musikladen in Bremen, Germany, with Hancock, Maupin, Paul Jackson (electric bass), Bill Summers (percussion) and Mike Clark (drums).

The fourth clip features a 1988 performance of one of Hancock's most famous compositions, "Maiden Voyage," recorded in Hamburg, Germany with Hancock, Buster Williams, Al Foster on drums, and on alto sax, St. Louis' own Greg Osby.

The penultimate video is a version of "Hang Up Your Hang Ups" recorded in 2005 in Tokyo by the all-star version of the Headhunters that toured on a limited basis that year, with Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Kenny Garrett on alto sax, Lionel Loueke and Wah Wah Waton on guitars, Marcus Miller on bass, and Munyungo Jackson on percussion.

Finally, you can check out a clip of Hancock's longtime concert staple "Actual Proof" recorded just three weeks ago at the North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, with his current touring band, featuring Loueke on guitar, James Genus on bass, Vinnie Colaiuta on drums, and rising star Terrace Martin on saxophone and additional keyboards.

For more about Herbie Hancock's current musical direction and tour, check out his interview on NPR from last August, and Terrace Martin's DownBeat interview from last fall in which he talks about working with Hancock.

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

Herbie Hancock to perform Thursday, August 10 at Powell Hall

Keyboard player, composer and musical icon Herbie Hancock is returning to St. Louis to perform on Thursday, August 10 at Powell Symphony Hall.

Announced today by Hancock, the show is one of a dozen late-summer dates appended to the end of a previously announced European tour, starting August 6 at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ, finishing in the USA on August 23 at the Hollywood Bowl, and skipping back over the Atlantic for one last show in September at the Montreux Jazz Festival.

Hancock (pictured) last played St. Louis in March, 2012 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. His band for the 2017 tour will feature three familiar sidemen - bassist James Genus, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, and guitarist Lionel Loueke - plus a recent addition, keyboardist/saxophonist Terrace Martin, who's been collaborating with Hancock on new music for a possible release this year. Hancock's most recent album, The Imagine Project, came out in 2010.

Today's announcement did not include ticket prices or an on-sale date for the St. Louis show, but as soon as more information is available, this post will be updated.

Jazz this week: Chris Botti, JazzU with Stefon Harris, Don Cunningham, U City Jazz Festival, Daniel Bennett, and more

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis encompasses musicians with a vast range of experience, from young teenage players getting their first chances onstage at a showcase club to an elder statesman who got his start more than a half-century ago in the fabled Gaslight Square entertainment district. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 3
Billed as the "New York Jazz Ensemble," bassist Tom Kennedy, saxophonists George Garzone and Steve Wirts, guitarist Joe Cohn and drummer Miles Vandiver will play an early evening show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Also on Wednesday, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra will make their debut at Jazz at the Bistro.

Thursday, June 4
Singer Feyza Eren teams with guitarist Brian Vaccaro's trio to re-imagine songs from a variety of genres at the Tavern of Fine Arts; guitarist Dave Black and friends, featuring singer Joe Mancuso, return to Nathalie's; and saxophonist Jim Stevens and band will perform at Hammerstone's.

Friday, June 5
If there's a sentimental favorite among this week's jazz and creative music attractions, it would have to be singer, multi-instrumentalist and St. Louis native Don Cunningham.

Cunningham (pictured, top left), a veteran of the Gaslight Square era who now lives in Las Vegas, is returning to his hometown this weekend for his first performances since his wife and musical partner, singer and pianist Alicia Cunningham, passed away back in December.

He'll be joined by singer Jeanne Trevor and a local rhythm section for shows paying tribute to his wife and the late St. Louis singer Gene Lynn on Friday and Saturday nights, plus a Sunday matinee, at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Friday, trumpeter Chris Botti (pictured, center left) returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2012 for a performance with the St. Louis Symphony at Powell Hall; and the students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU and Jazz St. Louis All-Stars programs will begin their annual weekend showcase at Jazz at the Bistro, with a little help from special guest vibraphonist Stefon Harris (pictured, lower left).

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform at Evangeline's; the Funky Butt Brass Band check in for their monthly gig at Broadway Oyster Bar; and the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom.


Saturday, June 6
Starting mid-afternoon and continuing through the evening, the annual U City Jazz Festival in Heman Park will present free performances by drummer Demarius Hicks' quartet, the Silverman Brothers Band, trumpeter Anthony Wiggins with drummer Maurice Carnes, pianist Philip Gomez' trio, and the student band Nexus.

Also on Saturday, pianist Greg Mills and the Perihelion Ensemble return to the Tavern of Fine Arts; and The People's Key offer instrumental interpretations of the music of Michael Jackson at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Sunday, June 7
The Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" matinee at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, this month welcoming performs who will have just played the annual Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival in Sedalia; and Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday June 9
Saxophonist Daniel Bennett, touring in support of his new album The Mystery at Clown Castle, will play a free concert with his trio in the auditorium at the downtown branch of the St. Louis Public Library.

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.)

Chris Botti returning next June to Powell Hall

Trumpeter Chris Botti is coming back to St. Louis next year to perform with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on Friday, June 5 at Powell Symphony Hall.

The show is part of the SLSO's just-announced "Live at Powell Hall" series of pops concerts for next season. The series also includes at least one more performance that may be of interest to jazz fans, as singer Cary Hoffman will present his show "My Sinatra" with the SLSO on Sunday, June 21.

Other "Live at Powell Hall" programs will include tributes to the music of rock bands including the Beatles, U2, Eagles, and Journey and to folk-rockers Simon & Garfunkel; an evening of music from the video game "Final Fantasy"; and "Lost in Space," featuring theme music from a number of science fiction and fantasy films and TV series.

Botti (pictured) was in St. Louis last in February, 2012 to play at the Peabody Opera House, and he previously performed with the SLSO in February 2011 as part of what then was called "SLSO Presents". This time around, he'll be playing mostly selections from his 2012 album Impressions, for which he received the 2013 Grammy Award for "Best Pop Instrumental Album."

Single tickets for Chris Botti and the rest of the "Live at Powell Hall series are priced from $25 to $99, and will go on sale Monday, August 11 by phone at 314-534-1700, online at http://stlsymphony.org/, and at the Powell Hall box office.

St. Louis Symphony offers 2-for-1 tickets for Byron Stripling's "Gospel According to Swing"

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is offering two tickets for the price of one for "The Gospel According to Swing," featuring trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling (pictured) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 30 at Powell Hall.

As described by SLSO, the program ranges "from Mahalia Jackson to Aretha Franklin, with the influences of Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington," with selections including "Down by the Riverside," "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "He's Got the Whole World.”

The two-for-one offer is good only through next Thursday, May 15, and applies to seats regularly priced from $30 to $45 each.

To purchase tickets, click here or call 314-534-1700. Box seats and prior sales are excluded, and while there's no promo code as such, for phone orders you must mention the 2-for-1 offer.

Byron Stripling, St. Louis Symphony presenting "The Gospel According to Swing" on Friday, May 30

Trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling will be making a return trip to St. Louis next year to perform with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2014 at Powell Symphony Hall.

Stripling, the artistic director and conductor of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, performed his show "Sounds of New Orleans: A Tribute to Louis Armstrong" with the SLSO in June, 2012. He also did an educational residency for Jazz St. Louis and two nights at Jazz at the Bistro in February, 2012. (For more about Stripling and some video samples of his playing, check out this post from last year.)

For his next appearance with the orchestra, which is part of the SLSO's "Live at Powell Hall" series, Stripling (pictured) will offer a program entitled "The Gospel According to Swing," exploring the link between gospel music and jazz through familiar songs such as "Down by the Riverside," "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen" and "He's Got the Whole World.”

Tickets for Byron Stripling and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's presentation of "The Gospel According to Swing" are priced from $25 to $55, and are on sale now via the SLSO website.

Jazz this week: Jim Pugh, Jeremy Haynes, Amina Figarova, Jazz St. Louis gala, Jeff Coffin, Chris Botti, Dan Thomas, and more

There's jazz and creative music happening early and often throughout this week in St. Louis, and so to help make sure that you don't miss anything, here's a special early edition of the weekly highlights post:

Tonight, trombonist Jim Pugh is in town for a free concert at at Maryville University presented by the St. Louis Low Brass Collective. Pugh is best known for his work with Woody Herman and Chick Corea, but also has been a top studio trombonist recording for film soundtracks, pop music sessions, and much more. The concert will feature Pugh backed by ten local jazz trombonists, a rhythm section, and the entire trombone section of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Meanwhile, back downtown, drummer Jeremy Haynes and the Rhythm Is Life band will play at Lola. Haynes, a St. Louis native who's been part of five Grammy winning gospel recordings, is performing in support of the release of his first instrumental album Prodigal Son 2K.

Also tonight, Three Central gives a free concert at the St. Louis Public Library main branch downtown; and the Tommy Halloran Quintet plays for Lindy Hop St. Louis' weekly swing dance at Grandel Theatre.

Tomorrow night, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra brings their big band sound to West County at the Sky Music Lounge in Ballwin; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes perform at the Feasting Fox; and the Ann Dueren Trio is at Frontenac Grill.

On Thursday, pianist Amina Figarova (pictured) and her group will perform in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. Figarova's skills at writing for small ensembles prompted Jazz Times to call her "among the most important composers to come into jazz in the new millennium." For more about her, and some vidfeo samples of her group in action, see this post from Saturday.

Also on Thursday, singer Erin Bode is at Crave coffee house.

Update, 4:50 p.m. 2/21/13: Both the Amina Figarova concert for the Jazz at Holmes series and Erin Bode's performance at Crave have been postponed due to bad weather. Bode's gig will take place next Thursday at the same time; JAH organizers hope to reschedule Figarova some time next month.

Update, 5:10 p.m. 2/21/13:Tonight's shows featuring Miss Jubilee at Thaxton Speakeasy and Downstereo at Atomic Cowboy have been cancelled due to bad weather. Both are recurring weekly gigs, so both bands should be back at work at the same venues next Thursday.

On Friday, Jazz St. Louis will present their annual fundraising gala at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, featuring music from David Sanborn and "surprise musical guests." The event is effectively sold out, but if you've got the price of admission - tickets start at $400 per person and go up from there - you can see if any spaces have opened up by calling JSL's director of development Kate Francis at 314-289-4037 or emailing her at katef @ jazzstl.org.

For those on a more modest budget on Friday, saxophonist Jeff Coffin will be back in town to present a free early-evening performance and workshop at Saxquest; Kansas City saxophonist Dan Thomas plays for the first of two nights at Robbie's House of Jazz; and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor leads a quartet at Cigar Inn.

Update: 1:30 p.m., 2/21/13: The previously announced dates for Dan Thomas have been removed without explanation from the Robbie's House of Jazz website. The site now lists saxophonist Jerry Greene's trio playing on Friday, and drummer Gerald Warren's group on Saturday.

On Saturday, trumpeter Chris Botti and his band will perform with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra at Powell Hall. (Given Botti's popularity, this one also is probably close to a sellout by now, so if you're interested in going, don't count on being able to get tickets at the door - call the box office first.)

Also on Saturday, saxophonist Willie Akins, drummer Montez Coleman and band will promote the release of their new album The St. Louis Connection with two sets at Jazz at the Bistro; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom. 

Then on Sunday, the Dave Dickey Big Band plays their monthly show at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, this month featuring an intermission set from the St. Louis Metrobones.

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.)

(Edited after posting to fix a garbled sentence and correct some formatting.)