So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Dave Weckl is the subject of the cover story of the May 2021 issue of Modern Drummer magazine (pictured).

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold talks about his new job as creative advisor to Jazz St. Louis in an interview with the St. Louis American's Danielle Brown.

* Keyboardist Dave Grelle was interviewed in advance of his gig tonight at City Foundry by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* The Post/STLtoday also has published an "IParty" photo gallery from last Saturday's show by singer Janet Evra and pianist Prah Williams at Blue Strawberry.

* Trumpeter Jim Manley was the featured guest on the latest episode of "The Trumpet Gurus" podcast.

* Generations, the forthcoming album from drummer Marcus Baylor's Baylor Project that's set for release on Friday, June 18, was previewed in a brief post on the blog Soul and Jazz and Funk.

* Marking the 95th anniversary of the trumpeter's birth, an article in the UK's Far Out Magazine attempts to answer the question "Why Do So Many Rock Stars Love Miles Davis?"

New recordings from Ryan Marquez, Jim Manley, Erika Johnson, and Janet Evra & Ptah Williams

Whether it's the coming of spring, the appearance of some light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, or something else entirely, St. Louis musicians have been busy, with several new releases of potential interest to StLJN readers announced or already out:

* Keyboardist Ryan Marquez of The People's Key and Fresh Heir is set to drop Saint Unity, a solo album featuring guest appearances from 20 St. Louis musicians and vocalists, including singers Anita Jackson, Erin Bode, Lola Kristine, Janet Evra, Paige Alyssa, and Chrissy Renick.

The material is a mix of Marquez's originals and covers, including songs by The Beatles, Foo Fighters, and No Doubt. A single, "Serenity," featuring Jackson and trumpeter Dawn Weber, already has been released, with the full album set to come out in June. For more, check out Marquez's interview with Kim Hudson of FOX 2 News and the feature story on the album from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. 

* Meanwhile, the ever-prolific trumpeter Jim Manley has released his second recording since the start of quarantine last year. Still Kickin' Brass includes 15 tracks of original music created in Manley's home studio, and is available now directly from his website as both a download and physical CD.

* Vocalist Erika Johnson will celebrate the release of her latest recording, Raising Standards, with a show next Tuesday, June 1 at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups. The album (pictured), which includes both Johnson originals and covers including "Strange Fruit," was produced by keyboardist Antonio Foster and saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown, and already is available on the major streaming services.

* Last but not least, singer/bassist Janet Evra has teamed with pianist Ptah Williams on a new album titled New Friends, Old Favorites. Recorded live at the Sheldon Concert Hall with a band including saxophonist Kendrick Smith, drummer Demarius Hicks, and Evra's husband, guitarist Will Buchanan, the album features Evra and Williams' arrangements of ten familiar tunes, including songs associated with Ray Charles, Nina Simone, The Shirelles, and more. You can see their rendition of "My Baby Just Cares For Me" on Facebook Video, and find the album streaming online.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold has written an essay for USA Today about the recent incident at a New York City hotel in which he and his teenage son were assaulted and falsely accused of theft.

* Keyboardist David Garfield's re-release of a track featuring singer-guitarist Boz Scaggs was the subject of a brief feature in American Songwriter magazine.

* Rhythm City, the recent album from pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Larry Kornfeld, and drummer Rob Silverman, received a four-star review in the February 2021 issue of DownBeat magazine.

* Singer Erika Johnson (pictured) talked about her new band The Gemini Project in an interview with the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. The group debuts this Saturday at Blue Strawberry.

* As also reported by Kevin Johnson in the Post-Dispatch, The Sheldon has postponed its "Coffee Concerts" series that had been scheduled to resume this spring until the fall and winter of 2021-22.

* Saxophonist David Sanborn is starting a new series of online master classes on Sunday, January 31. For details on the classes and pricing, or to register, visit his website.

* A story from St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin looks at the potential impact of government relief funds on local arts and cultural organizations affected by the COVID pandemic.

* AllAboutJazz.com recently surveyed readers to find out what they consider to be the "top jazz cities" in the world, and St. Louis came in at #42. (Insert your own Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy joke here.) The top five jazz cities as determined by AAJ.com readers are New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Paris, and London; Kansas City was ranked as #13.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* With no new relief from the government this fall for businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic, St. Louis-area independent venues that are part of the Missouri Entertainment Alliance are asking music enthusiasts to contact Missouri legislators and urge them to provide industry-specific financial assistance at the state level.

Find more about the campaign and how to participate at https://www.missourientertainmentalliance.com/take-action.

* Singer Denise Thimes (pictured) led an online master class on "Interpretation of Performance Material" this past Tuesday for local students under the auspices of the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation. You can see the class on YouTube in three parts here, here and here.

* Rhythm City, a new recording from pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Larry Kornfeld and drummer Rob Silverman on the Autumn Hill label, was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Jim Worsley and by MakingAScene.org's Jim Hynes.

* St. Louis Post-Dispatch classical music critic Sarah Bryan Miller has died after a long battle with cancer. Miller was 68 years old and had been at the Post since 1999.

* A feature story in the latest issue of Jazz Times takes a look at Miles Davis' unreleased collaboration with singer-songwriter Prince.

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, Jo Gelbard, who was the trumpeter's "painting teacher, collaborator, and companion in the final seven years of his life" was interviewed about "The Paintings of Miles Davis" on the podcast "For Keeps."

* Bassist Jahmal Nichols talked about his new recording Black Frequencies in an interview with the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Nine Network is reporting on social media that veteran St. Louis pianist and teacher Herb Drury has died. Drury was 92 years old, and was active on the local scene from the Gaslight Square era in the late 1950s into the early 2000s. You can see a profile of Drury from a 2008 episode of Nine's program Living St. Louis here.

Jazz this week: Etienne Charles, University City Symphony, Marilyn Maye, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a Trinidadian trumpeter with a distinctive sound, the grand dame of cabaret singers, a community orchestra collaborating with local jazz musicians, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, March 4
Trumpeter Etienne Charles (pictured, top left) performs for the first of five nights continuing through Sunday at Jazz St. Louis

Originally from the island nation of Trinidad, Charles incorporates Caribbean rhythms and culture into his style, which he calls "Creole soul." Look for his sets to feature material from his most recent album Carnival: The Sound Of A People, Vol. 1, which was released last year.

Thursday, March 5
Trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi's band will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and The Dark Room has a double bill featuring Chicago-based pianist Lara Driscoll and her trio at the dinner hour, and saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown in late night.

Also on Thursday, pianist Adam Maness and his trio return to Thurman's in Shaw, and saxophonist Vince Sala will play at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, March 6
Experimental guitarist Mark Shippy, another Chicago-based musician who's known for his work with noise-rockers U.S. Maple, Shorty, Invisible Things, and various other projects, will perform at Flood Plain.

Also on Friday, singer and bassist Janet Evra plays at the Wildey Theatre, and singer and impressionist Dean Christopher presents "A Dean Martin Tribute" at Blue Strawberry.

Saturday, March 7
Saxophonist Tim Cunningham performs at Troy's Listening Room, and keyboardist Mo Egeston and friends will bring the "Late Night Grooves" at The Dark Room.

Also on Saturday, singer Robert Nelson returns to the Parkside Grille, and the Triplets of Grubville play Swing and Gypsy jazz at Evangeline's.

Sunday, March 8
The University City Symphony presents a free concert at the 560 Music Center, with guest performances including pianist Ptah Williams playing Gershwin and selections featuring Bach to the Future with violinist Tracy Silverman and guitarist Dave Black, plus two orchestral works composed by guitarist Todd Mosby.

Monday, March 9
Guitarist Eric Slaughter returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, March 10
Marilyn Maye (pictured, bottom left), the nonagenarian phenomenon known to many as the "grand dame of cabaret," will front the Jazz St. Louis Big Band for the first of three nights of performances, with some tickets still remaining as of this writing.

Also on Tuesday, keyboardist and singer Jesse Gannon returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: Jazz at Holmes resumes, Polyphony Marimba, Miss Maybell, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a local favorite series of free concerts, plus noteworthy performances in musical styles ranging from from vintage swing and ragtime to modern jazz and beyond.

Let's go to the highlights...


Wednesday, September 11
This week's "Wednesday Night Jazz Crawl" in Grand Center features multi-instrumentalist Jacob Alspach and friends playing traditional jazz at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and bassist Ben Wheeler's band Sketchbook at The Dark Room.

Thursday, September 12
The Jazz at Holmes series of free concerts at Washington University gets underway for the fall semester with a performance by pianist Ptah Williams (pictured, top left) in Holmes Lounge, located in Ridgley Hall on the Wash U campus.

Also on Thursday, while the sounds made by Polyphony Marimba (pictured, center left), who will be performing at Joe's Cafe & Art Gallery, aren't jazz, they definitely fall into the "creative music" category, mixing the instrumentation of a Zimbabwean percussion ensemble with classical, pop, and other genres.

Elsewhere around town, singer and impressionist Dean Christopher will bring his "Rat Pack and More" show LoRusso's Cucina; singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul return to the Chase Club; and guitarist Dan Rubright and his group will play at The Dark Room.

Friday, September 13
Dizzy Atmosphere will serve up vintage swing and Gypsy jazz in the "Garden Party Lights" area at Missouri Botanical Garden, and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Also on Friday, The Gaslight Squares perform at Yaquis on Cherokee, and saxophonist Lisella Martin takes the stage at The Dark Room.

Saturday, September 14
Saturday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents their monthly jam session matinee hosted by pianist Bob Row and drummer John Gillick at J P's Corner, and radio host, author and photographer  Dennis Owsley will sign copies of his new book St. Louis Jazz: A History at the Webster Groves Public Library.

Then on Saturday evening, guitarist Vincent Varvel plays solo at The Dark Room; bassist and singer Janet Evra performs at Evangeline's; and the Funky Butt Brass Band returns to the Broadway Oyster Bar.

Sunday, 
September 15
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform for brunch at the Angad Arts Hotel, while just across the street, singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran will be playing at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday evening, NYC-based singer Miss Maybell (pictured, bottom left) and pianist Charlie Judkins, who specialize in ragtime, early jazz, and other early 20th century music, will perform at Evangeline's, beginning a week of St. Louis shows that will include gigs at Thaxton Speakeasy, Yaquis, The Frisco Barrom, and The Dark Room.

Monday, September 16
Saxophonist Paul DeMarinis and his trio will perform at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

Tuesday, September 17
Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

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: Tribute to Count Basie, Clint Baker salutes New Orleans "cornet kings," Webster Groves Piano Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes tributes to one of the greatest big band leaders in jazz and to New Orleans' tradition of producing memorable cornet players, a free outdoor concert featuring four St. Louis pianists, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, August 21
Saxophonist Kendrick Smith (pictured, top left) has assembled an eight-piece band plus vocalist Joe Mancuso to pay "Tribute to Count Basie" in a concert at the Ozark Theatre.

Also on Wednesday, Jazz St. Louis will raise funds with "Cocktails for a Cause" at 33 Wine Shop & Bar, and this week's Grand Center Jazz Crawl features saxophonist Andy Ament at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the  Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor returning to The Dark Room.

Thursday, August 22
The Ptah Williams Trio with bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes will play at Joe's Cafe, and trumpeter Jim Manley performs at Evangeline's.

Friday, August 23
The Focal Point continues their late-summer traditional jazz series with the Rudy Torrini Swing Project, featuring the St. Louis clarinetist and friends playing music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee performs in a free outdoor show for "Jungle Boogie" at the St. Louis Zoo; and keyboardist Ryan Marquez will promote the release of his new CD Cosmic Perspective with a late-night show at The Dark Room.

Saturday, August 24
The first-ever Webster Groves Piano Festival
will feature music from Carolbeth True and Two Times True, Jay Oliver, Michael Silverman and Bach to the Future, and Ptah Williams with Darrell Mixon and Steve Davis, all for free on the front lawn of the Masonic Hall, 12 E. Lockwood Ave in downtown Webster.

Also on Friday, San Francisco-based multi-instrumentalist Clint Baker (pictured, bottom left) will offer "A Tribute to the Cornet Kings of New Orleans" with some help from cornetists T.J. Muller and "Wild" Bill Mason at the Focal Point; and Dizzy Atmosphere plays vintage swing and Gypsy jazz at Urban Chestnut Midtown Brewery and Biergarten.

Sunday, August 25
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to play for brunch at the Angad Arts Hotel, and the Folk School of KDHX presents their monthly Traditional Jazz Jam Session.

Monday, August 26
Drummer Kaleb Kirby and friends perform at The Dark Room.

Tuesday, August 27
Pianist Pat Joyce plays solo at Evangeline's.

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: Support your local musicians

While there are no touring jazz or creative music performers visiting St. Louis in the next few days, you still can hear plenty of hometown musicians playing in a variety of styles at various spots around town. Here are a few suggestions...

Wednesday, January 9
This week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes bassist Glen Smith and friends at The Stage at KDHX, along with the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor (pictured, top left) and band at The Dark Room.

Also playing their regular Wednesday night gigs are Miss Jubilee at the Schlafly Bottleworks; guitarist Joe Park's trio at Yaquis on Cherokee, and trumpeter Jim Manley at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, January 10
Guitarist Dave Black and multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern; pianist Eddie Randle Jr leads a trio at The Dark Room; and singer Joe Mancuso will be doing his weekly gig at 50/Fifty Kitchen.

Friday, January 11
Pianist Ptah Williams plays solo for happy hour at The Dark Room, followed by singer Anita Jackson performing for the late show.

Also on Friday, Falling Fences (pictured, bottom left) plays for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis. Known locally both for two well-received albums of original Americana material and for a Sunday night residency at McGurk's playing mostly Irish music, they'll present an expanded version of their usual five-piece lineup at the Bistro, adding Funky Butt Brass Band trumpeter Adam Hucke, saxophonist Charlie Cerpa, and multi-instrumentalist Paul Niehaus IV.

Based on that configuration of the band's show last August at Delmar Hall, listeners can expect to hear those original Americana tunes, with the addition of some horn arrangements plus expanded segments for solos on some songs.

Saturday, January 12
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents a mid-day jam session hosted by keyboardist Bob Row and drummer John Gillick at J P's Corner. Then on Saturday night, keyboardist Mo Egeston plays late night at The Dark Room.

Sunday, January 13
Singer and bassist Janet Evra provides the music for brunch at The Dark Room, and the Arcadia Dance Orchestra will play vintage jazz for a matinee show at Focal Point.

Monday, January 14
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck.

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.)

Home for the holidays, Ronnie Burrage set for three performances next week

Drummer and U City native Ronnie Burrage is back home for the holidays, and has scheduled three performances in St. Louis for the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Burrage (pictured), who now lives in NYC, has a stellar resume that includes performances and recordings with an impressive number of jazz greats, including McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Archie Shepp, and many more. On his own, he's led small groups of various sizes as well as a big band, and has released more than a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader.

Also a composer and multi-instrumentalist who plays mallet percussion and keyboards, Burrage has taught music courses for the Jazzmobile and The New School in NYC and for Penn State University, and with his wife Chanda currently runs World Rhythm Academy, which provides community-based arts and educational programs in Brooklyn, NY.

He'll start his visit home on Wednesday, December 26, when he'll be joined by bassist Darrell Mixon and pianist Ptah Williams to perform from 9:00 p.m. to midnight at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, with part of the show devoted to a jam session with various invited horn players and guitarists.

Then on Thursday, December 27, Burrage, Mixon and Williams will play from 8:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the house concert venue Kinda Blue Club, 6101 1/2 Idaho, 63111.

Burrage will wrap up his visit home on Friday, December 28 with a performance featuring original compositions played by the trio plus special guests at 9:30 p.m. at The Dark Room.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Singer Denise Thimes was interviewed about Aretha Franklin by St. Louis Public Radio. 

* Trombonist and St. Louis native Jimmy Wilkins (pictured) has died at age 97 in Las Vegas. Wilkins, the brother of saxophonist Ernie Wilkins, performed with Count Basie, Clark Terry, Motown studio band The Funk Brothers, and more. He spent much of his adult life in Detroit, and had lived in Las Vegas since 1994.

* Pianist Ptah Williams and other jazz acts playing at this year's Loufest are the subjects of a brief St. Louis magazine feature penned by Thomas Crone.

* Also in St. Louis magazine, writer Jeannette Cooperman previews tomorrow night's "Labor of Love" show featuring the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's resident artists at the Grandel Theatre. 

* Bassist and singer Janet Evra of The Bonbon Plot has released a music video for "You or Me," a song from her forthcoming debut album Ask Her to Dance. The video, directed by Bill Streeter of Hydraulic Pictures, features Evra and the musicians who performed on the track, including guitarist Will Buchanan, drummer Montez Coleman, pianist Adam Maness, and trumpeter Khamali Cuffie-Moore.

* The House of Miles East St. Louis is hosting a "Kind of Blue and You Fundraiser!" on Tuesday, September 25 at the Casino Queen.

* St. Louis multi-instrumentalist and freelance writer Kevin Mitchell has teamed up with Webster University Community Music School violin teacher and ensemble director Joanne Keefe to write  Jazz Songs for the Student Violinist, which is available now from Sher Music.

* There still are some spaces open in the "Drum Fantasy Camp" tour group traveling with drummer Dave Weckl in January to Havana, Cuba.

* The Sheldon Art Galleries have announced a new exhibit showcasing more instruments from the Hartenberger World Music Collection. "St. Louis, A Musical Gateway: The Balkans, India and Mexico" will open with a reception at 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 5 and continue through Saturday, April 13, 2019. The exhibit will feature more than 150 "unique and rare" instruments from India, Mexico and the Balkan region.

Curator Dr. Aurelia Hartenberger will present a gallery talk about the instruments at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 4. The talk is free, but space is limited, so to reserve a spot, send an email to plincoln@thesheldon.org or call The Sheldon at 314-533-9900 x37.

Willie Akins Jazz Festival set for Sunday, May 27 at Grandel Theatre

The second annual Willie Akins Jazz Festival will take place starting at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 27 at the Grandel Theatre.

The event honors the late St. Louis saxophonist by raising money for music scholarships in his name at Webster University, where Akins (pictured) was an adjunct faculty member. Singer Joe Mancuso is organizing the fest and will serve as co-MC with singer Erika Johnson, who worked with Akins early in her career.

The concert will feature music from saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet, trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet, and the "Willie Akins All-Stars," an ad hoc group of musicians who worked with and/or knew Akins, including saxophonists Freddie Washington, Paul DeMarinis and Kendrick Smith, guitarist Tom Byrne, bassist Willem von Hombracht, and drummer Kyle Honeycutt.

Following the concert, the action moves to The Dark Room, where pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes will host a post-performance jam session.

Tickets for the Willie Akins Jazz Festival will be $12 for general admission, available at the door.

Kranzberg Arts Foundation begins "Music Artist in Residence" program

The Kranzberg Arts Foundation (KAF) has announced a new "Music Artist in Residence" program intended to identify "band leaders with original projects and provide them with the performance, rehearsal and recording opportunities that assist them with advancing and building their careers."

The first group of residents consists of nine performers who already are involved with the foundation through performances at the Kranzberg Arts Center and/or The Dark Room, including bassist Bob DeBoo, keyboardists Mo Egeston, Jesse Gannon, Owen Ragland and Ptah Williams, singer Anita Jackson, saxophonist Ben Reece, bassist and singer Tonina Saputo, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor (pictured).

As artists in residence, they'll continue regular performances at those venues and in conjunction with other programs within the Grand Center Arts District. What makes the residency program new are the additional forms of support being deployed on their behalf, including marketing help, free rehearsal and office space, and more.

Residents will have access to cooperative office space and conference rooms at .ZACK, with rehearsal spaces provided at Kranzberg Arts Center and other KAF venues, said Chris Hansen, executive director of the foundation, in an email to StLJN. The foundation also will provide funding for "paid radio and print, social media, digital activation, as well as helping them (with) graphic design, photography and other essential tools," he said.

In addition to the in-house support from the foundation, Clayton Studios will donate studio time towards production of a compilation album featuring the artists in residence. The album, release date TBD, will be available through digital outlets, along with a "small number" of CDs, Hansen said.

Also, Listen Live Entertainment, producers of the annual LouFest Music Festival, will "provide the artists with main stage opportunities at the festival and other satellite events, plus other exciting opportunities to be announced later."

In total, Hansen said the foundation will spend more than $100,000 annually on the residency program. That's over and above the fees paid to the musicians for performances, and encompasses all the marketing and support services, as well as recent upgrades to The Dark Room including a new piano, sound system, and an in-house sound technician.

While this first group of residents was selected from among performers who had existing relationships with the foundation, that could change in the future. "We will be creating a formal submission process for the next round of residents," said Hansen. "Currently we have not set a definitive time on the residencies. It has been an organic process and we want to serve the current residents until we feel like their and our goals are met."

Jazz at Holmes announces Fall 2017 schedule

The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University has announced their schedule of free concerts for the Fall 2017 semester.

The series will begin on Thursday, September 14 with British bassist Tony Grey (pictured), who's probably best known as a member of pianist Hiromi's working band.

Grey will be accompanied by Jay Oliver on keyboards; Wash U faculty member and Jazz at Holmes series director William Lenihan on guitar; and Roger Guth on drums.

In addition to Grey and various shows featuring a selection of St. Louis performers, the Fall 2017 series also will include themed programs exploring Italian film music; the intersection of experimental jazz and contemporary classical; and folk and protest songs of the 1960s.

Here's the entire schedule in chronological order:

Thursday, September 14; Tony Grey
Thursday, September 21: Freddie Washington Quartet
Thursday, September 28: Montez Coleman/Eric Slaughter Quartet

Thursday, October 5: Kim Fuller
Thursday, October 19: "From Torino - Music of Italian Film Composers: Morricone, Gaslini, Rota, Umiliani, Giordano" with Filippo Cosentino, William Lenihan, and the Sogni D'Alba String Trio.
Thursday, October 26: "Streams of Extremity II" with Ptah Williams, William Lenihan, Steve Davis, Amy Greenhalgh, and Marcia Mann

Thursday, November 2: "Voices of Freedom, Songs of Social Justice" with R. Scott Bryan, Rick Schuler, and band.
Thursday, November 9: Joe Mancuso Organ Trio
Thursday, November 16: Arc of Light Ensemble with Paul DeMarinis, Randy Holmes, Wayne Coniglio, William Lenihan, and band
Thursday, November 30 - Vincent Varvel Quartet

Thursday, December 7: Holiday concert featuring Wash U singers & musicians TBA.

All concerts are free and open to the public. Concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. and are presented in Holmes Lounge, Ridgley Hall, which is located on Washington University’s campus at the west end of the Brookings Quadrangle, near the intersection of Brookings and Hoyt drives.

Jazz this week: Ptah Williams, Erika Johnson, a salute to the Nat "King" Cole Trio, and more

Summer definitely is sizzling in St. Louis this week, but if you're brave enough to venture out in the steamy weather, there are a number of  noteworthy jazz and creative music shows happening this weekend, including several free concerts.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, 
July 12
Pianist Ptah Williams (pictured, top left) will perform in a free outdoor concert for the Missouri Botanical Garden's Whitaker Music Festival.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" proceeds as usual, featuring live jazz with no cover or admission charge at The Stage at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe, Kranzberg Arts Center, Curtain Call Lounge and The Dark Room.

Thursday, July 13
Pianist Kara Baldus will lead her trio in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes "Jazz in July" series at Washington University; saxophonist Harvey Lockhart and The Collective will take the stage at The Dark Room; and vibraphonist Tom Rickard and guitarist Dave Black will perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, July 14
Singer Erika Johnson (pictured, center left) will return to Jazz at the Bistro for the first two nights.

Well-grounded in the tradition thanks to jazz studies at East St. Louis HS (with noted educator Ronald Carter) and at SIU Edwardsville, and an early apprenticeship with the late Willie Akins, Johnson has a repertoire that ranges from Bird to the Beatles, and is one of the better scat singers among St. Louis female vocalists.

She often works in a duo format, but she'll have a full band at the Bistro, making these dates especially attractive for fans both old and new.

Also on Friday, there will be free concerts featuring singer Erin Bode at Ferguson CityWalk; singer Joe Mancuso's organ trio at Lakeside 370 Park in St. Peters; and drummer Steve Davis' "Super Band," featuring singer Feyza Eren at the Webster Groves Concert Hall

Elsewhere around town, the Funky Butt Brass Band will be back for their monthly appearance at the Broadway Oyster Bar, and Miss Jubilee will perform for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, July 15
The Jazz Troubadours will perform for brunch at Evangeline's, serving as the first half of a jazz double-bill there that also will feature an evening performance from the Joe Bozzi Band.

Also on Saturday night, singer Chuck Flowers (pictured, bottom left) will salute the music of the Nat 'King' Cole Trio at The Monocle; and trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, July 16
Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran plays for brunch 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: Tony Bennett, two Miles Davis tributes, U City Jazz Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a legendary vocalist; two different events paying tribute to this city's most influential jazz musician ever; several free outdoor events featuring live jazz, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, June 7
Singer Tony Bennett (pictured, top left), who remarkably is still touring regularly as a nonagenarian, returns to perform at the Fox Theatre. Some tickets are still available as of this writing; for details, visit the "rush" section of the Fox's website. To when your appetite with some live performance videos of Bennett, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly Grand Center Jazz Crawl continues with live music at four different venues in the district; and the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra performs at First Unity Church of St. Louis.

Thursday, June 8
Pianist Adam Maness returns with his trio to Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, June 9
Keyboardist Adaron Jackson, guitarist Eric Slaughter, saxophonist Ben Reece (pictured, center left) and drummer Montez Coleman, doing business as Jackson, Slaughter, Reece & Coleman, will revisit the sounds of some of the classic organ/tenor soul-jazz combos of 1950s and '60s for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also on Friday, trumpeter Randy Holmes leads his quintet in the first of two nights of the "St. Louis Miles Davis Festival," performing music associated with Davis at the Webster Groves Concert Hall (formerly the Ozark Theatre).

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; ; and saxophonist Paul DeMarinis and guitarist Dave Black, collaborators in several past bands, will debut a new group called Breathtet, also featuring bassist Mark Wallace and drummer Kevin Cheli, in a show at The Focal Point,

Saturday, June 10
It's a good day to hear some jazz at a free outdoor festival, with three different events happening in the afternoon and evening.

Starting in mid-afternoon, the U City Jazz Festival will feature music from drummer Demarius Hicks, pianist Ptah Williams (pictured, bottom left), guitarist Dave Black, Bach to the Future, and the St. Louis Jazz All-Stars, continuing through the evening at Heman Park,

A little later in the afternoon and just a few miles away, the City of Clayton Music + Wine Festival will include performances from The Gaslight Squares, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, and Miss Jubilee as part of a free outdoor concert at Carondelet Plaza.

At the same time a little further to the east, the Central West End Cocktail Party will include a stage at Euclid and McPherson with live performances from bands including the Twin Cities' Gatsby Gang and St. Louis' own Funky Butt Brass Band.

Also on Saturday, the Alton Museum presents the 12th annual Miles Davis Jazz Festival in the town where the iconic trumpeter was born, featuring music from blues singer Big George Brock Jr. and the NGK Band, piano/vocal duo Bob and Me, guitarist Tim Jarden, and saxophonist Fred Walker at the Jacoby Arts Center.

Sunday, June 11
The St. Louis Symphony presents a "Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and the Ladies of Swing" featuring singer Dee Daniels at Powell Symphony Hall; the St. Louis Jazz Club's monthly show will feature John Gillick and the Impacts with pianist Bob Row at the DoubleTree Hotel; and the Ambassadors of Swing return to Kirkwood Station Brewing Company.

Monday, June 12 
Trumpeter Jim Manley will play his weekly gig serenading diners and drinkers at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, June 13
Saxophonist Adam Larson will be in town to present a free masterclass and performance at Saxquest, backed by guitarist Matt Sewell, bassist Bob DeBoo, and drummer Matt Wilson.

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:

* Dave Weckl will drum with the Buddy Rich Big Band in a tribute concert in May at Ronnie Scott's in London.

* Speaking of London, the website London Jazz News last week published two posts of local interest to StLJN readers: a previously unseen interview from 1995 with trumpeter and St. Louis native Lester Bowie; and a review of Message to Our People, bassist and Washington University faculty member Paul Steinbeck's new book recounting the history of the Art Ensemble of Chicago, of which Bowie was a member.

* Organizers of the U City Jazz Festival have announced the date and lineup for this year's event. The fest will be held Saturday, June 10 in Heman Park, and will feature music from Demarius Hicks, Ptah Williams (pictured), Dave Black, Bach to the Future, and the St. Louis Jazz All Stars.

* David Steward, founder of St. Louis-based World Wide Technology Inc, and his wife Thelma Steward will receive the Ed Bradley Award for Leadership in philanthropy from Jazz at Lincoln Center during JALC's annual gala on April 26 in NYC. Though the award is for their contributions to JaLC, the Stewards also were the lead donors for Jazz St. Louis' renovated headquarters and performance space that opened in October 2014.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson is transformed into an animated version of herself in the first episode of "Music Time with Kimberly Thompson," a new web series for kids posted this week to YouTube.

* Meanwhile, in another animation aimed at a more adult audience, singer, actor and Belleville, IL native Lea DeLaria lends her voice to the role of a talking birth control pill in "I'm Just A Pill," a new animated video produced by the Lady Parts Justice League "to school (Supreme Court nominee Neil) Gorsuch and dispel fake facts on birth control and drop some scientific knowledge on Plan B as a preventative measure."

* Chris Hansen of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation was interviewed by writer Terry Perkins for an article in Alive! magazine about The Dark Room's new location in the renovated Grandel Theatre.

* Happiness of Living,  the new album from On Fillmore, bassist Darin Gray's duo project with drummer Glenn Kotche, is officially released today, and already has gotten positive press coverage from Rolling Stone and Chicago Reader.

* Saxophonist Eric Person has posted to Facebook a photo album from his recent "Person to Person" shows with fellow saxophonist (and unrelated namesake) Houston Person at the Blue Note in NYC.

* Trombonist Charlie Halloran talks about his move from St. Louis to New Orleans in a brief feature by the Riverfront Times' Christian Schaeffer.

* Cabaret Project St. Louis' monthly open mic night has yet another new home, after a brief run at The Monocle following the closing last year of its longtime location, the Tavern of Fine Arts. Starting on Thursday, April 20, the event, now known as the Broadway Open Mic, will take place from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month at the Curtain Call Lounge in Grand Center.

Jazz this week: Branford Marsalis & Kurt Elling, Denise Thimes, and more

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a early-week visit from two well-known jazz performers touring together for the first time, plus a couple of new jam sessions providing musical workout opportunities for local players, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Tuesday, January 24
Tonight, saxophonist Branford Marsalis, his quartet, and singer Kurt Elling will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Marsalis and Elling (pictured, top left) are touring together in support their collaborative album Upward Spiral, which came out last summer. While their shows here likely are sold out by now, you can check with the Jazz St. Louis box office for returns or cancellations, or get to the Bistro early enough to grab a spot in the adjacent first-floor lounge and catch the video simulcast for free.

Also on Wednesday, percussionist Joe Pastor and the Legacy Jazz Ensemble play the late show at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and the Jazz Troubadours perform at Evangeline's.

Wednesday, January 25
As mentioned above, there are a couple of new jam sessions starting up this week, the first featuring pianist Curt Landes, bassist Glen Smith and drummer Chuck Kennedy as the house group for a new weekly Wednesday night jam at @Nesby's in Sunset Hills.

Thursday, January 26
The Jazz at Holmes series of free concerts at Washington University gets underway for the semester with a reunion performance by Tracer, the jazz-fusion project of pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes.

Also on Thursday, pianist Adam Maness, bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montez Coleman join forces for a one-off gig at Jazz at the Bistro; and the Chamber Jazz Project plays at Joe's Cafe.

Friday, Jan 27
Singer Denise Thimes (pictured, bottom left) will sing music associated with the late Nancy Wilson in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Also on Friday, the Fleur De Lou All-Stars play swing and Gypsy jazz at Evangeline's; and singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will duet at Edgewild Restaurant and Winery.

Sunday, January 29
The other new jam session happening for the first time this week is aimed at musicians interested in traditional jazz of the 1920s and 30s, and will take place on the last Sunday afternoon of the month at the Folk School of KDHX.

Also on Sunday , Chicago-based jazz/rock band Marbin returns for a performance at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Monday, January 30
Guitarist Tom Byrne and his quartet will perform (in a concert rescheduled from this week, due to a heating system failure) at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium.

Tuesday, January 31
Saxophonist "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

For more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, which can be found on the left sidebar of the site or by clicking here. You also can keep up with all the latest news by following St. Louis Jazz Notes on Twitter at http://twitter.com/StLJazzNotes or clicking the "Like" icon on the StLJN Facebook page.

(If you have calendar items, band schedule information, news tips, links, or anything else you think may be of interest to StLJN's readers, please email the information to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com. If you have photos, MP3s or other digital files, please send links, not attachments.)

Jazz this week: The Bad Plus and more

While the first part of January is famously a slow time for the music business in general, and the touring industry in particular, there still are jazz and creative music performances happening this week in St. Louis that should be worth braving the winter chill.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 4
The Bad Plus opens a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro, marking the tenth consecutive year that pianist Ethan Iverson, bassist Reid Anderson, and drummer Dave King have been the first touring band of the new year to play the Grand Center venue.

After making a return visit to the Bistro last April with saxophonist Joshua Redman, the trio released their most recent album It’s Hard, which came out in August and features a return to the sort of unexpected cover songs, from Prince and Kraftwerk to Johnny Cash and Ornette Coleman, that helped make their early albums distinctive.

In addition to his work with The Bad Plus, Iverson has been involved in some outside projects this year, including a solo album called The Purity of the Turf, a trio effort with bassist Ron Carter and drummer Nasheet Waits that was released in September. Iverson talked about that and The Bad Plus' latest with the Post-Dispatch's Calvin Wilson for a preview story, which you can read online here.

Thursday, January 5
The Schlafly Tap Room will host a bill featuring the improv duo Marble//Wall, Vernacular String Trio, and singer/songwriter Toni Saputo, and pianist Ptah Williams and guitarist Eric Slaughter will play their weekly gig at The Dark Room.

Friday, January 6
Pianist Peter Martin will host "A Conversation With The Bad Plus," a free, public lunchtime event at Jazz at the Bistro featuring a discussion with the members of TBP about the band's history and music that also will be recorded for Martin's podcast "The Process."

Then on Friday evening, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black return to the Sidecar Lounge at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; trumpeter Jim Manley leads a trio at Evangeline's; and the quartet Danbury Street plays at The Abbey Espresso Bar and Cafe in Belleville.

Saturday, January 7
Trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi brings his band to Evangeline's, and saxophonist/singer Cary Colman's trio plays at Howard's in Soulard.

Sunday, January 8
The First Unitarian Church of St. Louis in the Central West End will offer a special "Jazz Sunday" Service with music from guitarist Rick Haydon and pianist Greg Hoeltzel, and the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show will present their first event of the year at the American Czech Center.

Also on Sunday, Miss Jubilee will provide music for the jazz brunch at Evangeline's, and trumpeter Keith Moyer returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups for a matinee show.

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.)

Updated 6:00 p.m. 1/4/16 with info about "A Conversation With The Bad Plus."