Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut, a salute to Richard Henderson, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a popular pianist, a tribute to one of the city's most visible longtime jazz fans, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, February 20
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut (pictured, top left) leads his trio in the first of two nights (plus a "coffee concert") at Jazz St. Louis.

Among current jazz pianists, Chestnut would seem be one of the most prominent exponents of the virtuoso tradition of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, as you can see in this collection of videos in a post from when he played the Bistro in 2016. If you're planning on going, though, do keep in mind that this time around, due to the "coffee concert" performance, Chestnut will playing one set only each evening, starting at 7:30 p.m..

Also on Wednesday, Cabaret Project of St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's, and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes Gypsy jazz band Coco Rico at The Stage at KDHX, the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, February 21
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present a free concert showcasing the talents of student jazz musicians; singer Joe Mancuso returns to 50/Fifty Kitchen; and pianist Adam Maness leads his trio at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, February 22
Jazz St. Louis pays tribute to a recently deceased St. Louis "jazz hero" with the first of two nights of  "Swingin' at the Bistro: A Salute to Richard Henderson," described as "an all-star weekend of swing in remembrance of a dear friend."

Performers celebrating Henderson (pictured, center left) will include drummer Montez Coleman, bassist Bob DeBoo, trumpeter Danny Campbell, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, guitarist Eric Slaughter, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, keyboardist Matt Villinger, and on Saturday only, keyboardist Adam Maness.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo returns to The Dark Room.

Saturday, February 23
Keyboardist Mo Egeston plays the late show at The Dark Room.

Sunday, February 24
The Folk School of KDHX presents their monthly "Traditional Jazz Jam Session," and the Genesis Jazz Project performs at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups

Monday, February 25
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, 
February 26
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra (pictured, bottom left) plays a "Notes From Home" concert at The Sheldon.

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.)

Richard Henderson 1932-2018

Richard Henderson, the well-known St. Louis jazz enthusiast who in 2017 was named a "Jazz Hero" by the Jazz Journalists Association, died on Saturday, December 15. He was 86 years old.

Henderson (pictured) was known for decades as a regular presence at jazz performances in St. Louis, a friend to local and visiting jazz players, and a mentor to students and up-and-coming jazz musicians.

In 1997, he was a co-founder of the not-for-profit organization Crusaders for Jazz, which presented jazz performances and also raised money for college scholarships for local music students, with recipients including now nationally prominent musicians such as trumpeter Keyon Herrold and drummer Kimberly Thompson.

Photographer and journalist Roscoe Crenshaw, a longtime friend of Henderson's, honored him with a remembrance in this week's St. Louis American, and Bob Bennett of Jazz St. Louis paid tribute with photos and a message about Henderson on Facebook.

A celebration of Richard Henderson’s life and “jazz jam service” will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. next Wednesday, December 26 at Randall Funeral Home, 4600 Natural Bridge Rd. in St. Louis.

Jim Widner wins 2018 "Jazz Hero" award from Jazz Journalists Association

The Jazz Journalists Association has named Jim Widner of St. Louis as one of its local "Jazz Heroes" for 2018.

In a press release announcing the award, the JJA defines Jazz Heroes as "advocates, altruists, activists, aiders and abettors of jazz who have had significant impact in their local communities.” There are 22 individuals in this year's group of award winners, chosen from 20 cities across the USA.

A bassist, bandleader and educator, Widner (pictured) has worked with the Stan Kenton Orchestra, Woody Herman Big Band, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra directed by Buddy DeFranco, as well as leading his own Jim Widner Big Band. Building on his experience working for Kenton, he founded and has run his own summer jazz camps for more than 30 years, with annual sessions in St. Louis and Omaha, NE. Widner has served since 2003 as director of jazz studies at the University of Missouri - St. Louis, where in 2004 he also founded the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival.

Widner is the fourth St. Louisan to win the "Jazz Hero" award. The late Don Wolff, a longtime jazz broadcaster, MC, and advocate for the music, won in 2015; Dennis Owsley - author, photographer, and host of "Jazz Unlimited" on St. Louis Public Radio - was a winner in 2016; and Richard Henderson, mentor to many young St. Louis musicians and an impresario and presenter with the local organization Crusaders for Jazz, won in 2017.

The JJA award will be presented to Widner in a ceremony in St. Louis, details TBA.

Richard Henderson wins 2017 "Jazz Hero" award from Jazz Journalists Association

The Jazz Journalists Association has named Richard Henderson of St. Louis as one of its local "Jazz Heroes" for 2017.

In a press release announcing the award, the JJA defines Jazz Heroes as "the Jazz A Team: activists, advocates, altruists, aiders and abettors of jazz. They are the people who, many times quietly and behind the scenes and other times in a very public way, keep jazz thriving in our local communities.” There are 26 individuals in this year's group of award winners, chosen from 20 cities across the USA.

Described as "a constant, recognized presence on the local jazz scene for more than five decades," Henderson (pictured) has served as a mentor to several generations of young St. Louis musicians, and in 1997 was a co-founder of the not-for-profit organization Crusaders for Jazz, which presented jazz performances and also raised money for college scholarships for local music students.

Among those students were drummer Kimberly Thompson and trumpet player Keyon Harrold, who both are now internationally known and, as fate would have it, will be performing on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Henderson is the third St. Louisan to win the "Jazz Hero" award. The late Don Wolff, a longtime jazz broadcaster, MC, and advocate for the music, won in 2015, and Dennis Owsley - author, photographer, and host of "Jazz Unlimited" on St. Louis Public Radio, was a winner in 2016.

Richard Henderson will be presented with his “Jazz Hero” award in a ceremony held from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. this Saturday, April 8 in the first-floor lounge at Jazz St. Louis headquarters, 3536 Washington Ave. in Grand Center.

Hosted by Jazz St. Louis, the event is free and open to the public, and will feature live music from a group of JazzU students and complimentary Brother Thelonious Ale. A cash bar also will be available. The festivities will end at 6:00 p.m., with separate admission required for the 7:30 p.m. set at Jazz at the Bistro featuring Harrold, Thompson, pianist and St. Louis native Lawrence Fields, and saxophonist Adam Larsen.

Edited after publication to correct the total number of 2017 winners and remove an erroneous reference to the year the awards started.