So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Although David Sanborn has wrapped the "official" first season of his online video series "Sanborn Sessions," in recent weeks the saxophonist has added a couple of postscripts in the form of short "remote sessions" with keyboardist Cory Henry and singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke.

* Singer Mardra Thomas and her husband, pianist Reggie Thomas, both are part of the cast of "Day Dream," an online audio drama "inspired by the life of jazz artist and composer Billy Strayhorn." Reggie is handling the musical direction, while Mardra, appropriately, is playing the role of a jazz singer named Alice. Two of the eight planned episodes have been released so far, and can be heard at https://www.daydreamseries.com/.

* Multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris (pictured) was interviewed on last Friday's episode of KTRS radio's "In The Know with Ray Hartmann."

* As reported by the Riverfront Times' Daniel Hill, The Monocle, the venue in the Grove neighborhood that sometimes featured cabaret and jazz performers as part of an eclectic entertainment policy, has closed permanently.

* In more venue news, according to a report from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, construction has begun on The Factory, a new concert club located at The District in Chesterfield, on the site of what was the Chesterfield Outlets mall. The facility, which will have a maximum capacity of 3,000 people, will present a variety of musical genres and is scheduled to open in May, 2021.

* Also in the Post-Dispatch, Ian Froeb reports that the Venice Cafe will close "until spring 2021."

* Tomorrow will be the third and final "RSD Drops" day of 2020, replacing the annual Record Store Day celebration in April that was canceled due to the pandemic. For a list of participating stores in Missouri offering the special RSD releases, go here.

Jazz this week: Mardra & Reggie Thomas, Jahmal Nichols, Todd Mosby + Bach to the Future, Lamar Harris, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis puts the spotlight on hometown performers, with the return of a local favorite couple who have moved away, a show teaming up two bands with distinctive approaches to jazz fusion, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 15
Bassist Jahmal Nichols, who's spent most of his time in recent years on the road with singer Gregory Porter, is back home for a visit and will lead his own band for the first of two nights performing at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, drummer Steve Davis leads a trio at Evangeline's, Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks, and trumpeter Jim Manley continues his weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, 
January 16
Guitarist Todd Mosby (pictured, center left) and his New Horizons Ensemble team up with Bach to the Future for a double-bill of jazz-fusion at Sky Music Lounge, and singer Anna Blair performs her cabaret show "Always..." at Blue Strawberry.

Also on Thursday, singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul perform at the Chase Club; keyboardist Ryan Marquez and his trio return to The Dark Room; and keyboardist Adam Maness' trio continues their weekly gig at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, January 17
Spouses and former St. Louisans Mardra and Reggie Thomas (pictured, top left), on vocals and keyboards respectively, will be back in town to headline "An Evening Of Jazz" at Chaminade College Preparatory School.

Also on Friday, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Elsewhere around town, electro-jazz trio Vehachi plays at the house-concert venue the Judson House, and The Way Out Club hosts "Descension 1" the first installment in a new experimental music series produced by Josh Levi, this time featuring Jack Callahan aka die Reihe, Brain Transplant, and Martin Carriel and Joann McNeil.

Saturday, January 18
Multi-instrumentalist Joe Bozzi and his band return to Evangeline's, and The Dark Room features pianist Jesse Gannon at the dinner hour and drummer Kaleb Kirby's quintet for the late show.

Sunday, January 19
Singer and bassist Janet Evra (pictured, bottom left) performs for brunch at Evangeline's, while singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran is on stage at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents a matinee performance of vintage jazz by The Gaslight Squares in the Oasis Room of the Moolah Shrine Center.

Also on Sunday afternoon, Oikos Ensemble presents "Dreams and Visions - A Jazz Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King" at St. John United Church of Christ in Collinsville.

Monday, January 20
The Folk School of KDHX hosts their weekly Traditional Jazz Jam Session.

Tuesday, January 21
Cabaret Project of 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: Mardra & Reggie Thomas, "Jazz Triple Play," Moon Hooch, and more

As often happens around major holidays, the calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis this week is light on visiting acts, but there still are some noteworthy shows happening, including a homecoming show for a couple of favorite former St. Louisans; a tour stop from from one of the more distinctive all-instrumental bands touring today; a concert featuring three hometown groups on one bill, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 3
Back in St. Louis for a visit, singer Mardra Thomas and keyboardist Reggie Thomas will present a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at Missouri Botanical Garden.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will duet at Scarlett's Wine Bar; and Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks.

Thursday, July 4
While some local venues will be closed for the Independence Day holiday (for example, Jazz St. Louis will be dark the entire weekend),  if you're in the mood for some live music after or instead of fireworks, singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul will be performing at the Chase Club.

Friday, July 5
Funky Butt Brass Band plays at the Broadway Oyster Bar: pianist and singer Jesse Gannon returns to The Dark Room; bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn; and drummer Dhoruba Shakur continues his twice-monthly Friday residency at Sophie's Artist Lounge and Cocktail Club.

Saturday, July 6
The Bosman Twins, the Coleman Hughes Project (pictured, bottom left) and keyboardist Mark Harris II will join forces for a "Jazz Triple Play" at the Grandel Theatre.

Also on Saturday, the Triplets of Grubville play vintage swing and Gypsy jazz at Evangeline's; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham performs (in a non-smoking show) at Gauge Cigar Club (fka Troy's Jazz Gallery and The Gallery by Troy).

Sunday, July 7
Dizzy Atmosphere plays for brunch at The Dark Room, while pianist Adam Maness is at Thurman's in Shaw. Then on Sunday evening, the Jazz Troubadours will play their monthly gig at Evangeline's

Monday, July 8
The Gaslight Squares play a free concert at the historic Hawken House in Webster Groves.

Tuesday, July 9
Saxophones-and-drums trio Moon Hooch (pictured, top left) returns to Old Rock House. Offering danceable grooves with instrumentation that could just as easily be found on an avant-jazz session, they've been touring as relentlessly as ever since their last appearance here in 2018. For a look at some recent shows on video, check out this post from last Saturday.

Also on Tuesday, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris performs in concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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

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

Jazz this week: A tribute to Joe Sample & George Duke, free outdoor concerts, and more

While things may be relatively quiet for the next week in terms of touring artists visiting St. Louis, the calendar of live jazz and creative music does feature a variety of sounds from hometown performers to suit almost any taste, including several free outdoor concerts.

Here's a look at what's coming up...

Wednesday, 
June 27
Acoustik Element plays a free concert for the Missouri Botanical Garden's Whitaker Music Festival, and the Ambassadors of Swing are back at Tin Roof for another "Shake & Shout Wednesday."

Elsewhere around town, this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features bassist Glen Smith and guitarist Dave Black at The Stage at KDHX along with the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's band at The Dark Room.

Thursday, June 28
Guitarist and violinist Christopher Voelker of Dizzy Atmosphere leads a trio at The Pat Connolly Tavern, and singer Joe Mancuso will do what's now a regular Thursday night gig at 50/Fifty Kitchen.

Also on Thursday, saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet is back at The Dark Room, and this month's edition of Nathan Cook's "Bruxism" series will features experimental music from William Morris, Tony Patti, and Deux Plex at the Schlafly Tap Room.

Friday, June 29
Funk/jazz quartet Good 4 The Soul teams up with keyboardist Reggie Thomas (pictured) plus other special guests to offer a one-night-only tribute to "The Sounds of Joe Sample & George Duke" at Jazz St. Louis.

Saturday, June 30
Catch some vintage jazz sounds for free at an outdoor concert with Tommy Halloran's Guerrilla Swing at Eckert's in Belleville or Miss Jubilee at Kirkwood Park.

Also on Saturday, the Funky Butt Brass Band headlines a bill of funk and Louisiana-influenced bands at the Old Rock House 's day-long "Summer Gras" event.

Sunday, July 1
The Friends of Scott Joplin present their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe.

Monday, July 2
Trumpeter Jim Manley plays his weekly gig at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

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:

* Singer Mardra Thomas and her husband, keyboardist Reggie Thomas (pictured), will join the cast of the gospel musical Crowns for two weeks of performances in August at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in Evanston, IL.

The play by writer/director Regina Taylor "reveals the story of African-American women and the hats they wear to church. Each hat holds a story of a wedding, a funeral and a baptism as the women share their life stories of how they moved through life’s struggles."

* Pianist Peter Martin has posted a new blog entry at Medium.com explaining "7 Cool Left Hand Voicings."

* Miles Davis' soundtrack for the 1958 Louis Malle film Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud is being reissued as a deluxe set of three 10" LPs. Scheduled for release by the Verve label on Friday, June 22, it will be the first vinyl release to feature both the film music and complete takes from the December 1957 recording session.

* Improvising percussionist Drew Gowran was the subject of a short Riverfront Times feature by Thomas Crone.

* Singer, actor and Belleville native Lea DeLaria was profiled in San Francisco Classical Voice.

* Guitarist Norman Brown's concert next Saturday at The Sheldon was previewed by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

* Also in the American, Vaughn previews saxophonist Stan Coleman's concert this Sunday at The Sheldon. 

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was interviewed this week on an episode of BBC3's "Jazz Now" (available to hear online through June 20).

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Want to help musicians who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey? The Jazz Foundation is providing assistance to Houston-area musicians who have been displaced or suffered losses due to the storm, as they did for more than 1,000 New Orleans musicians after Hurricane Katrina.

You can find out more and contribute, if you like, via their website.

If you're a musician in need of help due to the storm (or know of one), the organization MusiCares, an affiliate of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (best known for the Grammy Awards), also is inviting calls for assistance at 1-877-626-2748.

* On a much happier note, Jazz St. Louis is now enrolling children for the fall session of WeBop, an early-childhood education program first developed by Jazz at Lincoln Center that "invites families to stomp, strut, and swing to the rhythms of jazz." You can find out more and register at https://jazzstl.org/education-outreach/webop/.

* Keyboardist Reggie Thomas and singer Mardra Thomas (pictured) - spouses and former St. Louisans - will be among the performers at this weekend's Chicago Jazz Festival. The Thomases will take the stage Friday afternoon at the Jazz and Heritage Pavilion, accompanied by drummer Montez Coleman, saxophonist Geof Bradfield and bassist Ivan Taylor. Reggie Thomas currently heads the jazz program at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL.

* Speaking of festivals, trumpeter Keyon Harrold is writing a new work for the 15th annual Festival Of New Trumpet Music (aka FONT Music) happening later this month in NYC. The work is part of the festival's Roy Campbell, Jr. Commissioning Project, which began in 2014 to honor the organization's co-founder who died that year. You can find out more, and if you like, contribute to Harrold's commission, via an IndieGoGo page set up by the fest.

On a related note, Harrold this week previewed "Wayfaring Traveler," another track from his forthcoming album The Mugician, on the website OkayPlayer. He'll be back in the St. Louis area next weekend to headline the free Alton Jazz and Wine Festival on Saturday, September 9 at Riverfront Amphitheater in Alton.

Jazz this week: Jamison Ross, Mardra and Reggie Thomas, and more

Though not nearly as packed as last week's calendar, this week's schedule of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis still offers listeners here their first look at a much-praised, up-and-coming jazz talent; the return of a couple of local favorites who have moved away; and a variety of shows from our own hometown performers.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, October 5
Drummer and singer Jamison Ross (pictured, top left) makes his St. Louis debut with the first of four nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Just 28 years old, Ross has been tagged as a rising star by both the jazz press and the mainstream media, thanks in large part to his self-titled debut album, which came out last year and was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Jazz Vocal category.

You can see performances of some of the songs from that album and find out more about Ross in this video post from last Saturday.

Thursday, October 6
Guitarist Vincent Varvel will lead his group in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, October 7
Singer Tony Viviano returns to Fortel's Pizza Den, and singer and impressionist Dean Christopher will perform his cabaret show "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime: A Tribute to Dean Martin" for the first of two nights at The Emerald Room at The Monocle.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and saxophonist Austin Cebulski and guitarist Tom Byrne will perform at Thurman's in Shaw.

Saturday, October 8
Saxophonist Christopher Braig will present a free clinic on jazz improvisation based on his book "Jazz Brain Training" during the day at Mozingo Music in O'Fallon, followed on Saturday evening by a performance celebrating the release of his new CD Blue Morph at the St. Louis Artists Guild in Clayton.

Also on Saturday, Franglais plays Gypsy jazz and swing at The Dark Room, and the Midwest Jazz-tette offers their inerpretation of West Coast cool jazz at Evangeline's

Sunday. October 9
Former St. Louisans Mardra and Reggie Thomas (pictured, bottom left) will be back in town to lend their vocal and keyboard talents, respectively, to the Unity Theatre Ensemble Reunion Tribute at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Monday,
October 10
Dizzy Atmosphere will play 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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Peter Martin's new album What Lies Ahead is out today. It's a self-released trio date with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Gregory Hutchinson, also featuring guest appearances from singers Erin Bode and Brian Owens and members of The 442s.

You can see a video of Martin, Rogers and Hutchinson playing "Clapper Dapper" from the album (pictured) here, and hear audio excerpts from some of the other tracks and/or order a copy here.

Martin and company will celebrate the release with a performance next Saturday, October 10 at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

* Jazz St. Louis now is offering four pairs of free student tickets for selected Wednesday night performances via a pre-show lottery. Students 25 years old and younger can go to the box office starting at 6:00 p.m., present their ID and enter their name to win one of the pairs of free tickets.

A drawing then will take place at 7:00 p.m., and each of the four winners will be able to use their tickets for either the 7:30 or 9:30 p.m. performance that evening. For details, see the Jazz St. Louis website.

* Trumpeter and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn is composing original music for Fetch Clay, Make Man, a new play opening later this month in a production from Atlanta's True Colors Theatre.

The play, which is based on a true story about a meeting between Muhammad Ali and actor Lincoln Perry (better known as his character "Stepin Fetchit") before Ali's second fight with Sonny Liston, opens October 27 and runs through November 22 at the Southwest Arts Center in Atlanta.

* Pianist Reggie Thomas, another St. Louis expat who's now heading the jazz studies department at Northern Illinois University, will be part of the rhythm section for the Thelonious Monk Institute's International Jazz Vocals Competition to be held November 14 and 15 in Los Angeles.

Thomas, bassist Rodney Whitaker and drummer Carl Allen will back the contestants as they perform for a panel of judges including Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Freddy Cole, Al Jarreau, and Luciana Souza.

* Vintage Vinyl has made the website Thrillist's list of "The 21 Best Record Shops in America."

* John F. Goodman (a writer, not the St. Louis-born actor) of Jazz Inside and Out reviewed the DVD of the Clark Terry documentary Keep On Keepin' On.

* Pinched by a series of budget cuts affecting state universities in Illinois, radio station WSIE has launched another IndieGoGo campaign, this time hoping to raise $10,000 to help with operational expenses. You can learn more about the campaign and pledge your support here.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has posted to Facebook some photos from Tuesday's night Trio 3 performance with guest pianist Ethan Iverson at the Blue Note in NYC

* The Riverfront Times annual "Best of St. Louis" issue is out this week, and to no one's surprise, Jazz at the Bistro aka Ferring Jazz Bistro was named "Best Jazz Club" in both the staff-written listings and the reader's poll.

Unanimity did not prevail in the selection of "Best Blues Club" though, as the readers picked BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups, while the staff selected the Blues City Deli.

Edited after posting to correct errors in the item about the RFT's "Best of St. Louis" list.

Jazz this week: Moon Hooch, Avishai Cohen's Triveni, Mardra & Reggie Thomas, and more

Memorial Day weekend may be arriving a bit earlier than usual this year, but along with it, St. Louis fans of jazz and creative music can enjoy a couple of touring headliners, the return of some longtime local favorites, a day of performances paying tribute to an influential figure on the local scene, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 20
Moon Hooch (pictured, top left) returns to St. Louis for another gig at 2720 Cherokee. The difficult-to-categorize trio got their start busking in the subways and streets of NYC, and over the past couple of years have brought their funky, stripped-down sound to clubs, concerts and festivals.

Also tonight, Sarah Jane & The Blue Notes perform at the Feasting Fox, and guitarist Dave Black plays at Thurman Grill.

Thursday, May 21
Trumpeter Avishai Cohen (pictured, center left) brings his trio Triveni to Jazz at the Bistro for one night only.

Also featuring drummer Nasheet Waits, who's appeared on all three of the group's recordings, and bassist Linda Oh, subbing for Omer Avital, Triveni is featured on three of Cohen's recordings as a leader, the most recent of which is Dark Nights, released last October. 

You can read more about Cohen and Triveni and see some samples of them in performance in this video post from last Saturday, and you can read a review of their show this week in Kansas City here.

Elsewhere around town, pianist Ptah Williams and guitarist Eric Slaughter are continuing with themed shows in their weekly residency at The Dark Room, this week performing music from the songbook of Earth, Wind and Fire.

Friday, May 22
Former St. Louisans Mardra and Reggie Thomas, whose vocals and keyboards were staples of the local music scene for more than a decade, will be back in town to headline two nights of performances at Jazz at the Bistro.

After moving to Michigan several years ago, the Thomasas (pictured, bottom left) now are based in Macomb, IL, where last fall Reggie Thomas succeeded Ronald Carter as head of the jazz studies program at Northern Illinois University.

This weekend, they'll be showcasing some of the music from their most recent album, Matters of the Heart, accompanied by a band including three St. Louis musicians - saxophonist Jason Swagler, bassist Zeb Briskovich, and drummer Montez Coleman - plus backing vocalists Nicole Jonas, Olivia Neal, and Zelina Star, and Detroit native Perry Hughes on guitar.

Elsewhere on Friday, the annual Glendale Jazz Festival will feature free, outdoor performances from the St. Louis Big Band, blues guitarist Pennsylvania Slim, and Miss Jubilee at Glendale City Hall, 424 N Sappington Rd.; singers and brothers Tony Viviano and Frank Viviano will join forces at Talayna's Italian Restaurant in Chesterfiled; and singer Joe Mancuso brings a quartet to Nathalie's.

Saturday, May 23
Saxophonist Tim Cunningham will be back at Troy's Jazz Gallery, while guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith will team up for some duets at Thurman Grill.

Sunday, May 24
Jazz St. Louis will present the second Richard McDonnell Memorial Concert at Jazz at the Bistro. The concert honoring the memory of the late founder of MAXJAZZ records and former Jazz St. Louis board member will begin mid-afternoon and continue through the evening will music from Peter Martin, the Funky Butt Brass Band, Adam Maness, Bob DeBoo, Eric Slaughter, Montez Coleman, Jesse Gannon, and more. 

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 St. Louis announces more shows for spring 2015

Jazz St. Louis this week announced additional bookings filling out the rest of the spring 2015 schedule at Jazz at the Bistro.

Perhaps the biggest news is that, as tipped here a couple of weeks ago, pianist Ramsey Lewis will return to St. Louis to perform at the Bistro on Friday, March 13. (JSL's Devin Rodino tells StLJN that the listing shown on Pollstar for Lewis on Saturday, March 14 at the Bistro is for a private event.)

The announcement also confirms dates at the Bistro previously announced by local acts the Bosman Twins (Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11) and Miss Jubilee (Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9).

In addition, Jazz St. Louis will "welcome" singer Mary Stallings (pictured) on Sunday, February 15 in a benefit performance for the not-for-profit organization Community Women Against Hardship; and St. Louis expats, singer Mardra Thomas and pianist Reggie Thomas, have booked a return trip home for Friday, May 22 and Saturday, May 23 to promote the release of a new CD, Matters of the Heart.

Other shows added include a return visit from singer Denise Thimes (Friday, March 27); the Bistro debuts of jazz-fusion band Koplant No (Saturday, March 28) and the up-and-coming Kansas City-based ensemble Shades of Jade (Sunday, March 29); and a one-night, one-set return by the SIUE Concert Jazz Band and  SIUE Alumni Jazz Band (Tuesday, April 21).

Lastly, singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran’s Guerrilla Swing, who currently are playing Sunday brunch every week at the Bistro, will get a full weekend of shows on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25; and the annual performances by students from the JazzU and the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars programs, with a special guest artist yet to be determined, will take place on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6.

Tickets for all of these shows went on sale to Jazz at the Bistro subscribers on Wednesday, January 28, and will be available to the general public starting at 10:00 a.m. next Wednesday, February 4 via Metrotix or the Jazz St. Louis website.

Jazz this week: "250 Years of St. Louis Music," Phil Dunlap Quintet, Karen Mason, and more

So what's going on this week with live jazz and creative music in St. Louis? Glad you asked, as we just happen to have some recommendations for you, including the return of a local favorite who's been away for a couple of years, a diverse salute to St. Louis music history, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, pianist Reggie Thomas, the former St. Louisan and former faculty member at Michigan State who's back a little closer to home now that he's heading up the jazz program at Northern Illinois University, will be performing with the Mineral Area College Jazz Ensemble and MAC Kicks Band at the college's Fine Arts Theatre down in Park Hills.

Also tonight, singer Joe Mancuso and Friends - in this case, guitarist Randy Bahr, bassist Willem von Hombracht, and drummer Gerald Warren - will be at Nathalie’s; and Miss Jubilee has a double-header on tap, with a trio show for happy hour at Magpie's on Main in St. Charles, followed by an evening gig at Thaxton Speakeasy.

Then on Friday, yr. humble StLJN editor must first invoke a disclaimer, as I've been working in my "day job" in recent weeks to help promote the "250 Years of St. Louis Music" concert taking place that evening all over the Sheldon Concert Hall and Galleries.

The centerpiece of the event is an 8:00 p.m.set by the new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound featuring a new composition by Peter Martin (pictured) inspired by Miles Davis. But the festivities actually kick off at 6:30 p.m. and continue after AWS' set with music upstairs and down from jazz performers including Martin, Denise Thimes, Carolbeth True, and Willie Akins; blues from Kim Massie and Billy Peek; hip-hop from Illphonics; the St. Louis Ragtimers; folk and country from Gary Hunt and Dade Farrar; the Webster University Chamber Singers, and more. (See the "250 Years" link above for details on who's playing when and where.)

Also on Friday, pianist and Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap will lead the latest iteration of his quintet in the first of two nights of performances at Jazz at the Bistro.  Featuring Danny Campbell on trumpet, Ben Reece Aaron Giraudo on tenor sax, Montez Coleman on drums, and young phenom Nathan Pence on bass, the group will mix Dunlap's originals, no doubt including some from his forthcoming album, with hard-bop covers.

Elsewhere around town, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with singer Karen Mason performing her show "Secrets of the Ancient Divas" for the first of two evenings at the Gaslight Theater; guitarists Brian Vaccaro and Tim Fischer (the latter a recent transplant from California) will duet at Chasers Lounge in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; the Gateway City Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar; and vibraphonist Tom Rickard leads a trio at Cigar Inn

On Saturday afternoon, saxophonist Jim Stevens and group will be getting funky by the riverside at the Loading Dock up in Grafton; and Saxquest will present a free concert by the Saxquest Nonet Jazz Orchestra, performing music from the "cool jazz" movement of the 1950s.

Then on Saturday evening, pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True will play at the Ozark Theatre; the Wire Pilots return to the Tavern of Fine Arts; and the Coleman Hughes Project with singer Adrienne Felton will be at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

On Sunday, early risers and/or runners can take in some swing and jump blues from Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes as they entertain participants and observers of the annual Rock and Roll Marathon from a stage at Chippewa and S. Broadway.

Later on Sunday, Alarm Will Sound will play a free concert outdoors at the new Public Media Commons, 3653 Olive St. in Grand Center, premiering "Ten Thousand Birds," a new work from Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Luther Adams. Artist Michael Eastman will provide visuals projected on the Commons' two-story tall video screens, and St. Louis electronic musicians Eric Hall and NNN Cook each will do short opening sets, with Cook's enlisting five members of AWS to provide live instrumentation for his piece.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band will be back for their now bi-monthly gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and on Tuesday, the weekly jam session formerly held at Robbie's House of Jazz in Webster Groves has been re-started at the Ozark Theatre (which now is being programmed by former Robbie's GM Dorothy Edwards).

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

* Pianist Reggie Thomas, who left St. Louis a couple of years ago to teach at Michigan State University, has a new job a bit closer to home this fall. Thomas (pictured) is the new head of the jazz studies program at Northern Illinois University, taking over after the retirement of the program's former director, saxophonist Ronald Carter (who also was Thomas' former high school band director in East St. Louis).

* The September edition of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz, hosted by Don Wolff, is available now for viewing on the cable network and online. The episode includes video of Miss Jubilee performing at Casa Loma Ballroom, a "day in the life" feature about trumpeter Sean Jones, and more. Check your TV provider's listing for days, times and channel, or watch online here.

* The Tuesday jazz jam sessions formerly held at Robbie's House of Jazz, which ended earlier this year when the club closed, have returned to Webster Groves at the Ozark Theatre, where former Robbie's GM Dorothy Edwards now is presenting jazz performances on the weekends. The newly revived jam sessions will begin at 7:30 p.m. each Tuesday, with no admission or cover charge.

* Six St. Louis area classical music organizations are teaming up to offer a program for students called the Concert Pass Collaborative (CPC). For a $15 annual fee, students with a valid ID can purchase the pass, which is good for admission to any event produced by the six participating organizations (as long as there's a seat available). Groups taking part include the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis, The Sheldon's classical series, St. Louis Classical Guitar Society, Chamber Project St. Louis, St. Louis Women’s Hope Chorale, Saint Louis Chamber Chorus, and you can get more information on the offer here.

* The Kranzberg Arts Center will present a screening of the new film Finding Fela, a documentary about Afrobeat musician and bandleader Fela Kuti, next Friday, October 3.

* In conjunction with the label's 65th anniversary, Prestige Records is giving away a set of 20 CDs reissue of albums remastered by famed engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Get details and enter to win here.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson will feature the music of saxophonist, composer and former St. Louisan Julius Hemphill via Hemphill's recordings asa  leader and as a member of the World Saxophone Quartet, plus interpretations of his work by others including saxophonist Tim Berne. The program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Jazz this week: Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, Chicago Underground Duo, Tommy Halloran's Guerrilla Swing, and more

As the final weekend of Jazz Appreciation Month comes into view, there's still plenty to celebrate, with a variety of jazz and creative music performances happening in and around St. Louis over the next few days. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, the 2014 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival gets underway with a quartet performance led by pianist and ex-St. Louisan Reggie Thomas and his Michigan State University colleague, bassist Rodney Whitaker, at Jazz at the Bistro. Drummer Montez Coleman and saxophonist Willie Akins will round out the group.

Also tonight, the St. Louis Low Brass Collective presents a free showcase at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and the Tavern of Fine Arts will present their monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night" with live improvised music.

Tomorrow, the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival shifts to the Touhill Performing Arts Center, where Cuban-born trumpeter Arturo Sandoval will headline Friday's show, with the UMSL jazz band, directed by Jim Widner, as opening act. For more about this GSLJF, read this interview  that Widner did with Terry Perkins for St. Louis Public Radio.

Also tomorrow night, the Chicago Underground Duo (pictured), featuring Rob Mazurek (cornet, electronics) and Chad Taylor (drums, percussion), plays at Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center; singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran and his band Guerrilla Swing make their debut in the first of two evenings at Jazz at the Bistro; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival concludes with the first of two performances this weekend by St. Louis' own Lara Teeter at the Gaslight Theater.

And if all that's not enough, elsewhere around town on Friday Samba Bom will perform a free concert at Ferguson Citywalk; singer Joe Mancuso leads a quartet at Nathalie's; trumpeter Randy Holmes' sextet pays tribute to the music of Duke Ellington at Robbie's House of Jazz; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to CJ Muggs in Webster Groves.

On Saturday, record collectors will want to make time to stop by "The Gigantic St. Louis DJ Album Sale for Charity" being held in midtown at 3137 Locust St. (east of Compton, one block west of The Fountain on Locust). The sale will feature more than 10,000 LPs, CDs and items of music memorabilia donated by local radio personalities past and present; for more details, see this post from last week.  

Also on Saturday afternoon, mouthpiece guru Mike Lomax will give a free workshop and presentation at Saxquest; and Miss Jubilee plays a matinee at Blues City Deli.

Update - 11:00 a.m. 4/25/14: Saxquest has posted on Facebook that the Mike Lomax mouthpiece workshop has been postponed due to illness.   

Then Saturday evening, the 2013 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival concludes with a concert by the Count Basie Orchestra, now directed by trumpeter Scotty Barnhart and featuring Reggie Thomas on piano, at the Touhill. For more about the Basie band and some video samples of performances of their classic repertoire, see this post from last Saturday.

And that's not the only big band show in town on Saturday, as that same evening bassist/trombonist Wayne Coniglio will lead a 35-piece orchestra with guest soloists including Cecil Cope and Elsie Parker in "The Swing of Hearts," a romance-themed program at Florissant Civic Center Theatre.

Also on Saturday night, violinist David McNair and his Gypsy jazz group Tzgane return to Robbie's House of Jazz; and the Ann Dueren Trio performs at Il Bel Lago.

On Sunday, the Dave Dickey Big Band plays their monthly gig at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company, with saxophonist Chip McNeill as guest soloist and the Genesis Jazz Project performing at intermission.

Also on Sunday, guitarists Steve Schenkel, John McClellan, Dave Black and Tom Byrne - aka the guitar faculty of Webster University - team up to perform at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham and singer Jeffery Hardin join forces for a concert at the Forest Park golf course clubhouse.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to  BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; and on Tuesday, pianist David Parker and drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw will perform as a duo at Tavern of Fine Arts.

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: The basics of Basie

With the Count Basie Orchestra set to close out the 2014 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival with a concert on Saturday, April 26 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, our mission here today is a simple one: To share performances of a half-dozen of the most famous and enduring arrangements from the Basie band's repertoire.

Although the band's appearance here will mark 30 years to the day since Basie himself passed away, a series of musicians steeped in the Count's particular musical ethos has continued to direct them in steady touring and the occasional recording, keeping these songs alive for new generations of jazz fans.

Most recently, trumpeter Scott Barnhart, who's played with the Basie band for more than 20 years, took over the leadership last year, and the current pianist is none other than former St. Louisan Reggie Thomas, who now lives and teaches in Michigan. (While Thomas is back in St. Louis next week, he'll also perform on Thursday night at Jazz at the Bistro, co-leading a small group with bassist Rodney Whitaker to kick off the GSLJF.)

You can read a brief history of the Basie orchestra on their website, linked above, but for a more in-depth look at the man and the band, Rutgers University's digital exhibit "One More Once: A Centennial Celebration of the Life and Music of Count Basie." is a fine place to start.

As for our survey of some of Basie's best, the first video clip up above is from a 1943 feature film called Reveille with Beverly, and depicts Basie and the band performing "One O'Clock Jump," a propulsive exercise in blues riffing that served as their theme song in the early years. Although obviously pre-recorded and staged for purposes of the film, it's still a reasonable approximation of what they must have looked and sounded like back then.

Though the blues was central to the first edition of the Basie band, after World War II a "New Testament" version of the group emerged, powered by a more diverse selection of charts from arrangers such as Neal Hefti and Frank Foster, who also played tenor sax in the group and would serve as director for several years after Basie's death.

Hefti's "Li'l Darlin'," shown in the second video in a version recorded in 1960 in Milan, demonstrated that the Basie band could play a delicate ballad as well as swing the blues, and it remains one of the single most beloved pieces in their songbook. The trumpet solo is by Sonny Cohn.

Below that are two selections from a program that Basie recorded in 1965 for the BBC. "Jumpin' at the Woodside" is perhaps Basie's most famous uptempo flag-waver, and in this version, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis gets off a blistering tenor sax solo that almost brings down the house.

After that, it's "April in Paris," with a signature arrangement devised by organist Wild Bill Davis that features a fake ending - or sometimes, multiple fake endings - followed by the Count cuing the band to hit it "one more time," which you can see at the 2:37 mark in this particular clip.

The last two videos are from a show in 1981 at NYC's Carnegie Hall. Frank Foster's "Shiny Stockings" is another perennial favorite dating back to the 1950s version of the band, and is heard here at a somewhat brisker tempo than on the original studio version.

The final number, "Every Day I Have The Blues," takes the Basie orchestra back to its roots, backing singer Joe Williams in what many jazz fans consider to be the definitive version of this blues standard (which, incidentally, was written and originally recorded by St. Louis pianist Pinetop Sparks).

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

Arturo Sandoval, Count Basie Orchestra to headline 2014 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival

Trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and the Count Basie Orchestra will be the headliners for the 2014 Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival, which is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 through Saturday, April 26 at Jazz at the Bistro and the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

The GSLJF begins Thursday night at the Bistro with music from a quartet co-led by pianist and former St. Louisan Reggie Thomas and his fellow faculty member at Michigan State University, bassist Rodney Whitaker. Drummer Montez Coleman and saxophonist Willie Akins round out the group, which will play sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Sandoval, who last played in St. Louis in October 2012 at the Sheldon Concert Hall, will headline Friday's concert at 8:00 p.m. at the Touhill.

The Basie band (pictured), which last visited the St. Louis area in April 2010 for a gig at SIUE, will perform at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Touhill. They recently had a change in leadership and now are under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart, a 20-year veteran of the band who nevertheless also is the first leader who never actually worked for the Count himself.

The UMSL Jazz Band, under the baton of bassist and GSLJF director Jim Widner, will open both shows at the Touhill. The GSLJF also includes a significant educational component, with high school and college jazz ensembles from around the area scheduled during the daytime hours for performances and coaching sessions at the Touhill and UMSL's student center.

Tickets for all performances go on sale at 10:00 a.m. this coming Monday, November 18. Tickets for the Thomas/Whitaker quartet are $33 via Metrotix or by calling the Jazz St. Louis box office at 314-289-4030. Tickets for Arturo Sandoval and the Count Basie Orchestra range in price from $20 to $40 each, and will be available through the Touhill website and box office or by calling 314-516-4949.

Jazz this week: Thomas, Whitaker, Hayward & Warfield; Chris Hazelton & Cory Weeds; Oikos Ensemble; and more

This week's schedule of live jazz and creative music includes a diverse group of musician/educators brought together here by a returning St. Louisan; visiting players from Kansas City, Vancouver and Mississippi; the debuts of two new ensembles featuring some top local musicians; and more. Let's go to the highlights....

Tonight, the Route 66 Jazz Orchestra performs at First Unity Church of St. Louis, 4753 Butler Hill Rd in south county.

On Thursday night, the Young Friends of Jazz St. Louis and two other local organizations' "young friends" groups will present the annual "Jazz Under The Stars" benefit at the Planetarium in Forest Park. The event will include live music from guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Bob Deboo, saxophonist Willie Akins, pianist Jesse Gannon, and drummer Marty Morrison.

Also tomorrow, the St. Louis Avant Garde Ensemble makes its debut at the Tavern of Fine Arts. This new project features Fred Tompkins, flute and melodica; Jim Hegarty, piano and electronics; Tracy Andreotti, cello; Lee Scott Price, guitar; and Thomas Zirkle, percussion and electronics.

And while all that's going on, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will have something a little different this Thursday: a free screening of the Mississippi blues documentary film We Juke Up In Here, produced and directed by St. Louis resident Jeff Konkel and former St. Louisan Roger Stolle. Along with the film, the event will include a Q&A with Konkel and Stolle and a performance by guitarist and singer Jimmy "Duck" Holmes.

On Friday, pianist Reggie Thomas, who grew up and worked here for most of his life but moved away last year for a teaching job in Michigan, will be back in town to perform for the second time since the move. Thomas (pictured) will join forces with bassist Rodney Whitaker (a fellow faculty member at Michigan State University), trombonist Andre Hayward, and saxophonist Tim Warfield for shows on Friday and Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

All four men have been in town throughout the week as part of an educational residency for Jazz St. Louis, performing and teaching at local schools and working with students in the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars and JazzU programs. Thomas, of course, is a longtime StLJN favorite who's well known to local jazz fans, and yr. humble editor found Hayward to be particularly impressive a few years ago here with the SF Jazz Collective at the Bistro. (And that's certainly not to slight Whitaker or Warfield, both of whom have impressive resumes of their own.)

Also Friday, the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom, singer Joe Mancuso brings a quartet to Robbie's House of Jazz; and Eric Slaughter will lead a quartet with Akins, Morrison and DeBoo at Cigar Inn.

On Saturday afternoon, singer Wendy Gordon and her band will be playing a new jazz brunch, this one at Ace's Bar and Grill, 9600 Natural Bridge Rd (inside the Comfort Inn) on the north side. Meanwhile, across town, trumpeter/vibraphonist Joe Bozzi and his group will be performing a matinee at Schoemehl's Southside Grill, 7529 Michigan Ave.

Then on Saturday evening, organist Chris Hazelton, who's from Kansas City, and Cory Weeds, a saxophonist from Vancouver, will team up for a performance at Robbie's. Hazelton is a former student of Hammond master Dr. Lonnie Smith, while Weeds frequently plays in the organ-trio format and also operates a club called the Jazz Cellar in Vancouver. As far as StLJN can tell, this gig is the St. Louis debut for both men; check out their respective websites for some music samples.

Also on Saturday, singer Danita Mumphard will perform at Jazz on Broadway; and the WirePilots, a new group featuring brothers Dan and Ted Rubright on guitar and percussion plus Ric Vice on bass, will debut at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

On Sunday, the Oikos Ensemble, featuring Rev. Cliff Aerie on saxophone, will present a free concert called "Inner Jazz" at Kirkwood United Church of Christ, 1603 Dougherty Ferry Rd. Aerie's collaborators for the performance will include Carolbeth True (piano), Danny Campbell (trumpet), Dave Troncoso (bass) and Kevin Gianino (drums).

Also on Sunday, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris will present a free concert at Missouri History Museum in Forest Park, offering jazz interpretations of the music of the late hip-hop performer/producer J Dilla.

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 Wee Trio; Mardra & Reggie Thomas; CD release event for Swagler, Slaughter, Jost & Morrison; and more

With the annual Mardi Gras parade this Saturday, Valentine's Day just around the corner, and the usual mix of other performances happening around town, there's an eclectic selection of jazz and creative music on St. Louis stages this weekend. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, saxophonist Jason Swagler, guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Nick Jost and drummer Marty Morrison will promote the release of their first collaborative album, Rough Stuff, with two sets at Jazz at the Bistro. The ticket price includes a copy of the album, but if you can't make it to the show, it also is now on sale as a digital download from Amazon and iTunes.

Also tonight, drummer Ben Thigpen and his band will perform a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and the Brazilian music group Samba Bom plays at the Central West End house concert venue Joe's Cafe.

On Friday afternoon, percussionist Mike Dillon, in town to open for Umphrey's McGee this weekend at The Pageant, will do a free in-store performance and CD signing at Vintage Vinyl.

Then on Friday evening, The Wee Trio (pictured), featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, will be in town for the first of two evenings of recording a live album at Jazz at the Bistro. They were here most recently last January, performing at the Bistro in support of their then-new release of interpretations of the songs of rocker David Bowie.

Apparently, they must have found the setting congenial enough, for they decided to make their next record right there. For more about that, and some video samples of a couple of the songs they plan to record, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also on Friday night, you can warm up for Saturday's Mardi Gras Parade with New Orleans' own Big Sam's Funky Nation and the Funky Butt Brass Band at the Old Rock House.

Elsewhere around town that evening, retro swing band Wack-A-Doo will play a free "happy hour" concert at the Kemper Art Museum on the Washington University campus; singer Ralph Butler is at Robbie's House of Jazz; singer Dean Christopher will present the first of three performance of a Valentine's-themed cabaret show at Dramatic License Theatre in Chesterfield Mall; and drummer Paul Shaw leads a trio at Cigar Inn.

On Saturday, Mardra and Reggie Thomas return from Michigan to perform at Robbie's House of Jazz. While the Thomases still lived in the St. Louis area, for many years they did an annual gig sometime around Valentine's Day at Jazz at the Bistro. This year, with Mardra and Reggie having relocated for his new job teaching at Michigan State University, and singer Sachal Vasandani making his St. Louis debut next week at the Bistro, this gig will have to suffice for their many hometown fans.

Also on Saturday, the Funky Butt Butt Brass Band and their longtime companions, New Orleans R&B cover band Gumbohead, will present a post-parade performance at Broadway Oyster Bar; and guitarist Dave Black will lead a trio in the first of a planned series of monthly gigs at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday guitarist Steve Schenkel performs at Webster University; and the Sessions Big Band plays their first show of the year at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups. BB's talent booker John May tells StLJN that, due to declining crowds, the Sessions band this year will only be playing once every other month at BB's. So if you're a fan of theirs, or of big bands in general, now might be a good time to show some support by turning out for the gig.

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 2/8/13 to fix a typo.)