So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* St. Louis music venues this week continued to adjust their admission policies to cope with the regional resurgence of COVID and proliferation of the Delta variant. As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, Blue Strawberry made the first move, announcing that it would require patrons to provice proof of vaccination. The Pageant, Delmar Hall, and Off Broadway quickly followed by announcing that they too will require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for entry.

* Nine PBS on Tuesday presented the broadcast premiere of Show Me the Music: A Celebration of the Missouri Bicentennial, a special program featuring Missouri musicians that was recorded in May at The Sheldon.

The lineup of performers includes pianist Peter Martin and his trio plus saxophonist Bobby Watson and trumpeter Keyon Harrold; singer Anita Jackson (pictured); pianist Royce Martin; bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent; a faculty ensemble from the University of Missouri playing a new piece composed specifically for the bicentennial; and more. The special will air multiple times on all four PBS affiliates in the state, and also can be seen on YouTube.

* Miles Davis was known as a sharp dresser, so perhaps it's fitting that the late trumpeter's estate recently added licensed neckties to his online store. You can see the three available designs, including "Bitches Brew," that are available for $59.99 each at https://www.milesdavisstore.com/store/.

* Drummer, educator and U City native Ronnie Burrage now is co-hosting a weekly podcast produced by City Jazz Sessions, for which he already has interviewed St. Louis expats including Russell Gunn, Kelvyn Bell, and Eric Person, as well as musicians working here locally. New episodes are webcast at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, and can been seen (along with all the previous episodes) on the City Jazz Sessions YouTube channel.

* Guitarist Charles "Chip" Katz, a four-decade veteran of the St. Louis music scene, passed away on Sunday, August 8. He was 63 years old; no cause of death has been disclosed.

Katz performed across the area as a solo act, with a trio, and as accompanist to singers Anita Rosamond, Alan Ox, and numerous others. He also taught guitar in private lessons and through local music stores including Fazio's Frets and Friends and McMurray Music. Katz is survived by two sisters, two nieces, and two nephews. Funeral services will be private, and the family has requested that any memorial contributions be made in Katz's name to the charity of the donor's choice.

Ronnie Burrage to perform Thursday, July 22 & Friday, July 23 at BB's with guest Greg Osby

Drummer, composer, bandleader and U City native Ronnie Burrage is coming home this month for a series of events including a musical memorial for a family member, an open jam session, and two nights of performances at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

As his first order of business, Burrage is producing a musical memorial service on Tuesday, July 20 for his cousin Kendra Mahr, who passed away earlier this year. The service will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Gloria Rogers Pavilion in Tilles Park in Ladue.

Then on Wednesday, July 21, he'll join bassist Bob DeBoo as a host musician for the weekly jam session at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of the Grandel Theater.

Burrage (pictured) will wrap up his hometown visit with gigs at BB's on Thursday, July 22 and Friday, July 23 with a band that includes alto saxophonist and fellow St. Louis native Greg Osby as special guest. Showtime is at 7:00 p.m. both nights, and tickets, which start at $40 for a table for two on Thursday or $30 on Friday, can be reserved via BB's website.

A graduate of University City High School, Burrage emerged on the national jazz scene in the 1980s as a drumming phenom, touring with famed pianist McCoy Tyner before he was old enough to legally buy a post-gig beer. He has gone on to work with a long list of notable musicians, including Wayne Shorter, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Woody Shaw, Michael Brecker, David Murray, Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Dianne Reeves, Wallace Roney, Gary Bartz, Jamalaadeen Tacuma, Olu Onabulé, World Saxophone Quartet, and more.

Now living in Brooklyn, NY, Burrage teaches at CUNY Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and SUNY Old Westbury Long Island in addition to recording and performing live. He released Dance of the Great Spirit, his most recent recording and the first from his trio Holographic Principle, early in 2019, earning a nomination for a Grammy Award as "Best Jazz Instrumental Album."

He's been working on the follow-up, tentatively titled Moving on as One, with pianist Alex Collins and longtime bassist Nimrod Speaks, plus an array of guest musicians including keyboardists Michal Wierba, Geffrey Keezer and Marc Cary, saxophonists Antoine Roney and Kendrick Smith, trumpeter Antoine Drye, trombonist Corey Wallace, and Camille Thurman and Terrol Jones on vocals. Basic tracks have been recorded, but "I still have to add strings, choir and surprise rappers to a couple of my compositions also," Burrage said.

(You can see a complete Holographic Principle show, recorded in February of this year at Keystone Korner in Baltimore with Collins, Speaks, and Thurman, here.)

Other recent recording activity has included Been Down This Road Before, an album with trombonist Clifton Anderson, nephew of Sonny Rollins and a veteran of Rollins' band, that came out last December; and more recently, sessions for a forthcoming tribute to Tyner, led by bassist Avery Sharpe and featuring Helen Sung on piano, Joe Ford on saxophone, and Steve Turre on trombone.

This all comes after more than a year of uncertainty caused by the pandemic. "The summer of COVID's height last year I had tour dates lined up in Europe for my band Holographic Principle, it was the first time in about 16 years I would've taken my band out as a leader," Burrage said in an email to StLJN. "I was ecstatic, but then it all went away... At incredible losses (covid and other illnesses) as well from very close friends and mentors and colleagues, this has just been a traumatic season. The (loss of) of greats I've played with, like Henry Grimes, Wallace Roney, Stanley Cowell and so many others during this period, is heartbreaking."

There were some positives, though - Burrage said he was able to use the time off to obtain a small business loan and do repairs on his mother's home, enabling her to resettle in St. Louis, and the involuntary hiatus also allowed him to compose new music.

Although Brooklyn will remain his home base, Burrage is looking forward to spending more time in St. Louis in the near future and establishing a local branch of his not-for-profit organization World Rhythm Academy. "I love the city where I grew up," he said. "My family, children, grandchildren and great grandson are there, not to mention people and friends that really love me," he said. "I'm coming back home and will thrive."

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Ronnie Burrage (pictured) was interviewed in the August issue of The Wire.

* Trumpeter Ally Hany Albrecht wrote an essay for the blog El Paso Jazz Girls about her experiences being in an Air Force band.

* Billboard magazine presented the online premiere of "So Emotional," a track from the forthcoming "lost" Miles Davis album Rubberband (featuring vocals from Lalah Hathaway) that will be released on Friday, September 6.

* Elsewhere on the Miles Davis beat, NPR this week devoted the latest episode of their program "Jazz Night In America" to a retrospective look at Davis' album Bitches Brew, with music from bassist Marcus Miller's tribute to the trumpeter's electric bands.

* Guitarist Todd Mosby was featured in a story by St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin.

* Also on St. Louis Public Radio, singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo was interviewed by "St. Louis On The Air" host Sarah Fenske.

* Tonina also is featured in a video released last week by the Lo-Fi Saint Louis project, which shows her performing "Mercy" at Earthbound Beer on Cherokee St.

* Trio 3, which includes saxophonist and former St. Louisan Oliver Lake along with drummer Andrew Cyrille and bassist Reggie Workman, will receive a major grant from Chamber Music America.

Edited after posting to add Tonina video link.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis has been named one of 16 arts organizations nationwide to receive a 2019 Leadership Grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation "in recognition of their existing bodies of work and for their potential continued impact on their respective fields."

The grants range in size from $100,000 to $500,000, with JSL getting get $350,000 for demonstrating "outstanding artistic programs and visionary leadership."

* Singer and St. Louis native Alicia Olatuja was the subject of a feature story in the February issue of DownBeat, which now can be read online. Olatuja will self-release her latest album Intuition: Songs From The Minds Of Women on Friday, February 22 via "iTunes, Amazon, Google Music and all other online music vendors."

* Also putting out new music this month is drummer/keyboardist and U City native Ronnie Burrage. Recording under the group name Holographic Principle, Burrage, keyboardist Michal Wierba, and bassist Nimrod Speaks will release Dance of the Great Spirit on Friday, February 15 via Truth Revolution Records. They'll promote the album (pictured) with a performance on Saturday, February 16 at the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts in Philadelphia.

* And speaking of new albums, vintage swing and Gypsy jazz ensemble Dizzy Atmosphere has a new, eponymous recording out this month, as described by bandleader Christopher Voelker to St. Louis magazine's Thomas Crone.

* Cabaret Project of St. Louis' monthly open mic night is the subject of a feature story on HEC-TV.

* With the premiere of the new documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool last week at the Sundance Film Festival, the movie's director Stanley Nelson, Davis' son Erin, and the trumpeter's nephew Vince Wilburn were interviewed by Essence magazine. Nelson also was interviewed by Colorlines.com, and the premiere was reviewed by Film Threat magazine and Nonfics.com.

Jazz this week: Ronnie Burrage Trio, Good 4 The Soul, New Year's Eve jazz, and more

With most touring artists off the road, the week between Christmas and New Year's Day in St. Louis usually isn't overly crowded with live jazz and creative music shows.

Still, the coming week does feature some noteworthy gigs from a returning St. Louis expat and an assortment of hometown performers, plus several jazz and jazz-related options for New Year's Eve entertainment. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 26
Drummer and U City native Ronnie Burrage (pictured, top left) is visiting home for the holidays and will team with bassist Darrell Mixon and pianist Ptah Williams for three performances this week.

The first of those shows will feature a jam with various invited horn players and guitarists on Wednesday night at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, followed by performances on Thursday at the house concert venue Kinda Blue Club and Friday at The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, trumpeter Jim Manley plays at Sasha's Wine Bar,

Thursday, December 27
Singer Joe Mancuso will be backed by Joe Pastor on vibes and Ben Wheeler on bass at 50/Fifty Kitchen; guitarists Carol B. Eder and Chip Katz will duet at The Pat Connolly Tavern; and saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room.

Friday, 
December 28
Funk/jazz quartet Good 4 The Soul (pictured, lower left) returns to Jazz St. Louis for the first of two nights of their annual year-end gig.

Also on Friday, cornet players "Wild" Bill Mason and T.J Müller lead the Mason-Müller All Star Band in an evening of traditional jazz at Focal Point.



Saturday, December 29
Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, December 30
Drummer Montez Coleman and friends play for brunch at The Dark Room, and the Folk School of KDHX hosts their monthly traditional jazz jam session.

Sunday evening, guitarists Dave Black, Farshid Soltanshahi and Aaron Burlbaw will play at the house concert venue Judson House, 3733 Washington Ave in Grand Center; and DJ Pockets presents his monthly "1950s/60s Jazz Record Spin" at The Royale.

Monday, December 31
Noteworthy New Year's Eve performances include singer Erin Bode doing two shows at Cyrano's; a "Speakeasy NYE Party" with music from Miss Jubilee and blues band Rum Drum Ramblers at Das Bevo; the Funky Butt Brass Band at the Broadway Oyster Bar; and keyboardist and singer Jesse Gannon doing an early evening set at the new Angad Arts Hotel. (Also, you may want to check the STLJN calendar for any last-minute additions.)

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:

* Drummer and U City native Ronnie Burrage (pictured) was interviewed on the "Jazz on the Tube" podcast.

* Singer Anita Jackson was the subject of a feature story by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Saxophonist, clarinetist and St. Louis native Dan Block's album Block Party was reviewed by London Jazz News.

* A decades-old trumpet track from Miles Davis is incorporated into a new version of "Quiet Nights, Quiet Stars" just released by singer Alexandra Jackson on her new album Legacy and Alchemy.

* The Regional Arts Commission's new plan for the future of St. Louis' arts scene was examined in an article by the Riverfront Times' Paul Friswold.

* Message To Our Folks, the book about the Art Ensemble of Chicago by bassist and Wash U assistant professor Paul Steinbeck, is out now in a paperback edition, which is available from the publisher University of Chicago Press as well as bookstores and online retailers.

* Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway's performance of their show "Sibling Revelry" this week at Jazz St. Louis was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Drummer Kimberly Thompson was interviewed by DailyMailTV.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis has posted to Facebook an album of photos from last Friday's National Donut Day celebration at their HQ in Grand Center. A panel of judges sampled donuts from 15 local shops and bakeries, and selected downtown's Pharoah's Donuts as the winner.

* Pianist Simon Rowe, a native of Australia who lived in St. Louis for a number of years and performed with saxophonist Willie Akins and others, was the subject of a feature story on the website OpenSkyJazz.com. Rowe now resides in California, where he serves as executive director of the Brubeck Institute at University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA.

* Bassist Chano Cruz is this year's recipient of the Richard McDonnell memorial scholarship from Jazz St. Louis. The scholarship is named for the late founder of MAXJAZZ Records, and was presented to Cruz last Sunday during the annual concert at Jazz at the Bistro raising money for the scholarship fund. Cruz (pictured, with his bass teacher Bob DeBoo) is from Saint Peters and will study jazz performance at Northern Illinois University.

* Guitarist Dave Black has posted to YouTube a video of his original song "Night Traveler," recorded last Saturday during his concert at Focal Point.

* Multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris' shows this weekend paying tribute to George Clinton and Parliament/Funkedelic were previewed in a segment on KTVI/FOX 2's morning newscast on Tuesday. Harris will present the P-Funk tribute tonight and tomorrow night at Jazz at the Bistro.

* Drummer and U City native Ronnie Burrage is taking time out from leading his own band to gig this weekend with saxophonists Gary Bartz and Rene McLean at Smoke Jazz & Supper Club in NYC, paying tribute to McLean's dad, the great alto saxophonist Jackie McLean.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Pageant once again has made Pollstar's list of best-attended concert clubs worldwide, finishing seventh in total ticket sales in the online tour information service's club rankings for 2015.

* Trumpeter Rob Endicott's gig tomorrow night at Jazz at the Bistro is previewed by St. Louis magazine.

* The financial troubles of community radio station KDHX are the subject of music editor Daniel Hill's cover story in this week's Riverfront Times.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted to Facebook an album of photos from this week's educational residencies by trumpeter Terell Stafford, tuba player Bob Stewart, drummer Jeff Hamilton and saxophonist Todd Williams.

* London Jazz News has some photos from a recent gig by saxophonist and Webster University alumnus Chris Cheek at the Hidden Rooms in Cambridge.

* Guitarist Kelvyn Bell's latest album St. Louis Blu is now available in CD format as well as a digital download. Bell (pictured) also was interviewed last night on the "Thirsty Records" podcast produced by Philadelphia-based Gashouse Radio.

* Drummer Dave Weckl's Acoustic Band will be back on the road later this month, performing in Phoenix, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Oakland. and Seattle.

* Drummer Ronnie Burrage is set to team up once again with one of the most prominent living members of the 1960s jazz avant garde, joining forces with saxophonist and NEA 2016 Jazz Master Award winner Archie Shepp for a concert on January 30 at Goddard College in Plainfield, VT.

The two have been musical associates for years, recording together most recently on Shepp's 2003 album Tomorrow Will Be Another Day. A 2002 gig including Burrage also appears on the live half of Shepp's 2007 release Gemini.

Jazz this week: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Evan Parker & Peter Evans, Ronnie Burrage's RoBu Big Band, and more

This week's schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis is jam-packed, with three notable big band performances, two shows benefiting an ailing elder statesman of the local jazz scene, an evening of free-form music from two intriguing improvisors, and much, much more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, September 30
The eclectic acoustic ensemble The 442s perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and pianist Greg Mills plays free improv and contemporary compositions at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, October 1
Guitarist Tom Byrne will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, serving up "original compositions, some Pat Metheny tunes, some Jobim" and more.

Elsewhere on Thursday night, there are a couple of opportunities for some short-distance road-tripping for those so inclined. In DeSoto, MO, the fourth annual Mel Bay Jazz Festival begins with a show from guitarist Larry Bay and Sugar Moon at the Fountain City Grille on Main St.

The festival continues for two more nights with music from singer Joe Mancuso, guitarists Eric Slaughter and Dave Black, singer Lena Seikaly, and pianist Chris Grasso on Friday at the Fountain City Grille and on Saturday at The Arlington Inn event space, also on Main St.

At the same time across the river in Lebanon, IL, the Count Basie Orchestra will be performing for the first of two nights at McKendree College's Hettenhausen Center for the Arts. Friday's show is sold out, but some tickets apparently still remain available for Thursday's concert.

Friday, October 2
New Music Circle opens their 2015-16 season with  an evening of free improvisation from saxophonist Evan Parker and trumpeter Peter Evans (pictured, center left) at Joe’s Cafe, 6014 Kingsbury Ave.

For more about Parker and Evans, see this video post from last Saturday. (While they're here, both men also will take part in a free workshop and Q&A session on Saturday morning at Foam on South Jefferson.)

Also on Friday, the Italian pianist Roberto Magris will be in town to lead a quartet in a performance at Ozark Theatre; the New Orleans Suspects return to St. Louis to play at Broadway Oyster Bar; and Feyza Eren offers a "Tribute to Billie Holiday" at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

And as if all that weren't enough for one evening, Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap will bring his quintet to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights showcasing material from his forthcoming album. Along with the leader on piano, Dunlap's group features trumpeter Danny Campbell, saxophonist Ben Reece, bassist Nathan Pence, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Saturday, October 3
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by famed famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, return to serve as the featured performers at the "Friends of the Sheldon Benefit Gala" at Sheldon Concert Hall. (For availability of concert-only tickets, check with the Sheldon's box office.)

Marsalis and JaLCO (pictured, top left) have just released Live in Cuba, a two-disc set recorded earlier this year, and the first album on Jazz at Lincoln Center's new in-house imprint Blue Engine Records.

Also on Saturday, drummer/multi-instrumentalist and U City native Ronnie Burrage will be back home from his current residence in Pennsylvania to reactivate his RoBu Big Band (pictured, lower left) for the first of two performances at Voce, 212 S. Tucker.

The group will include Burrage and fellow St. Louis expat, guitarist Kelvyn Bell, plus saxophonists Jeff Anderson, Stanley Coleman, Chad Evans, and Jerome "JDubz" Williams; trumpeter Khamali Cuffie-Moore; bassist Darrell Mixon; pianist Ptah Williams; percussionist Henry Claude; and vocalist Charisse Swan.

The RoBu Big Band also will play a matinee on Sunday afternoon, and both gigs will be recorded on video for what promo material for the shows describes as "a larger film documentary initiative to explore the rich cultural history of St. Louis and to tell the stories of numerous artists that have come from the region." You can read more about that at the GoFundMe page that Burrage has set up for the film project.

Sunday, October 4
Tom Byrne and friends will present a "Tribute/Benefit Event for Willie Akins" at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, raising funds for the veteran St. Louis saxophonist who's now ailing from heart disease and unable to work.

Along with Byrne on guitar, the list of prospective performers includes drummers Montez Coleman and Kyle Honeycutt, bassists Bob DeBoo, Ben Wheeler, and Willem von Hombracht; trumpeters Danny Campbell and Randy Holmes, saxophonist Paul DeMarinis, guitarist Eric Slaughter, singer Erika Johnson, and, crossing over from Ronnie Burrage's matinee gig, Jeffrey Anderson, plus sit-ins and/or special guests TBA.

Also on Sunday, the Dave Dickey Big Band returns for their monthly show at Jazz at the Bistro, with the Ft. Zumwalt North HS Jazz Band performing during intermission.

Monday, October 5
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Gypsy jazz and swing at The Shaved Duck.

Tuesday, October 6
In another fund-raiser for the saxophonist, singers Wendy Gordon, Jeanne Trevor and friends will offer "Music for Willie Akins"at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

In addition to Gordon and Trevor, the announced list of performers includes singers Marty Abdullah, Elaine Donahoe, Marsha Evans, Chuck Flowers, Linda Kennedy, Joe Mancuso, Diane Vaughn, and Ron Wilkinson, along with keyboardists Arthur Toney and Pauline Stark, bassists Jimmy Hinds and Willem Von Hombracht, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, trumpeter Adrian Bowers, guitarist Eric Slaughter, and drummer Alfred Barnes.

Also on Tuesday, the Spiritual Revolution Ensemble plays free jazz at Tavern of Fine Arts; and the First Tuesday Composers Club will have their monthly meeting 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.)

Ronnie Burrage's RoBu Big Band to perform October 3 & 4 at Voce

Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and U City native Ronnie Burrage will be back in St. Louis next month, reassembling his RoBu Big Band for performances on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October at Voce, 212 S. Tucker downtown.

Burrage, who now lives in Pennsylvania, performed here most recently in June of this year, fronting a quintet and the big band in a weekend of gigs at the same venue.

The RoBu Big Band (pictured) plays a mix of jazz standards and original compositions by Burrage. In addition to the leader , the group's announced lineup for the October shows includes another well-known St. Louis expat, guitarist Kelvyn Bell, plus saxophonists Willie Akins, Jeff Anderson, Stanley Coleman, Chad Evans, and Jerome "JDubz" Williams; trumpeter Khamali Cuffie-Moore; bassist Darrell Mixon; pianist Ptah Williams; percussionist Henry Claude; and vocalists Kendra Mahr and Charisse Swan.

Tickets are $25 and are on sale now via EventBrite.

Jazz this week: Ronnie Burrage, a trio of local festivals, Fred Lonberg-Holm, and more

It's another busy weekend for live jazz and creative music in and around the St. Louis area, with homecoming visits from a couple of distinguished expats, local festivals taking place in three different parts of the metro area, a performance from a notable participant in Chicago's thriving improvised music scene, and more.  Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, June 25 
The Gateway City Big Band plays a free outdoor concert at Chesterfield Amphitheater, and the Tavern of Fine Arts presents their monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night," this month featuring live improvised music performed with video art.

Also on Thursday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Tom Byrne perform at Thurman Grill; and yr. humble StLJN editor also has been meaning to mention that there's now an open jam session every other Thursday at The Night Owl, the bar upstairs above the vegetarian restaurant Tree House, 3177 S Grand Blvd.

Friday, June 26
Drummer and U. City native Ronnie Burrage, who's currently living in Pennsylvania, will be back home for a weekend of performances at Voce, 212 S. Tucker. Burrage (pictured, top left) will lead a small group with guitarist Eric Slaughter, bassist Nathan Pence and singer Kendra Mahr, plus trumpeter Danny Campbell on Friday, and Jeff Anderson on tenor sax on Saturday. For more about Burrage and some video samples of him performing, see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, the annual Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival, held in the public square in downtown Belleville, kicks off its first night with sets from trumpeter Jim Manley, the Usual Suspects, and singer Anita Rosamond. Saturday's lineup will feature saxophonist Jim Stevens, trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber (pictured, center left), the Christian blues band Kingdom Brothers, and Soul Cafe.

Elsewhere around town, Tavern of Fine Arts will host "Soliloquy II," a program of solo and duo improvised performances featuring cellist Tracy Andreotti, percussionist Henry Claude, violinist Alex Cunningham, pianist Greg Mills, saxophonist Dave Stone, and flute player Fred Tompkins. 

A bit further south, pianist and singer Carol Schmidt, multi-instrumentalist and singer Michele Isam, and singers Debbie Schuster and Katie McGrath team up to perform as "Women Under the Influence" at Soulard Preservation Hall, 1921 South Ninth St.

And back in midtown at Grand Center, Jazz at the Bistro is trying something a bit different this weekend, on Friday pairing a group of local burlesque dancers billed as the Randy Dandies with live music from the Funky Butt Brass Band for "Babes in Brassland." A similarly themed program titled "Tassles 'n Tunes," with music from Tommy Halloran’s Guerrilla Swing, is set for Saturday night.

Saturday, June 27
The Miles Davis Jazz Festival celebrates its tenth year with performances from drummer Montez Coleman's trio, trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet, and saxophonist Fred Walker at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.

Also on Saturday, Chicago-based cellist Fred Lonberg-Holm will be in town to headline a show at the Schlafly Tap Room. Lonberg-Holm, who's collaborated with well-regarded improvisors such as Ken Vandermark, Joe McPhee, and Peter Brötzmann, will perform in a duo with percussionist Ståle Liavik Solberg. The Vernacular String Trio and DJ Ghost Ice also are on the bill.

Saturday also is the day for this year's edition of the Chesterfield Jazz Festival, a free event at the Chesterfield Amphitheater that will feature a headlining performance from saxophonist and St. Louis native Eric Person, backed by pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes, plus sets from Bach to the Future, singer Feyza Eren, bassist Bob DeBoo, and singer Tony Viviano.

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to the Venice Cafe; Miss Jubilee performs for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and singer Eve Seltzer and band will host a late-night jam session at Evangeline's.

Sunday, June 28
The summer edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show will take place at the American Czech Hall, 4690 Lansdowne (at Kingshighway).

Also on Sunday, Ronnie Burrage leads his RoBu Big Band in a matinee performance at Voce. The ensemble will feature Danny Campbell and Jeff Anderson from the drummer's small-group shows, along with saxophonists Chad Evans, Jerome "JDubz" Williams, Stanley Coleman, and Willie Akins; pianist Ptah Williams; bassist Darrell Mixon; percussionist Henry Claude; singer Charisse Swan, and other special guests.

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 return of Ronnie Burrage

This week, let's take a look at some video clips featuring University City native Ronnie Burrage, who's coming back home next weekend to perform on Friday, June 26; Saturday June 27; and Sunday, June 28 at Voce, 212 S. Tucker.

A percussionist, keyboardist and composer who currently teaches at Penn State University, Burrage has drummed with a long list of well-known jazz musicians, including McCoy Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Archie Shepp, and many others. He's also appeared on gigs and recordings with noteworthy St. Louis musicians such as Lester Bowie, Hamiet Bluiett, Kelvyn Bell, and Joseph Bowie's band Defunkt.

For his shows here next week, Burrage will be accompanied by three different lineups of players, leading a quintet for two sets per night on Friday and Saturday, and then fronting a big band for a Sunday matinee. These groups are being assembled specifically for the gigs, so there's really no video of them to share, but what we can do is show you some clips from various other things Burrage has done since the last time he performed here a couple of years ago.

The first clip, recorded in 2013 at the Penn State Jazz Festival, goes behind the drum kit with Burrage as he plays his original composition "Martinique" with saxophonist Rick Tate, bassist Nimrod Speaks, and guitarist Eric Slaughter, a St. Louisan who's been part of his touring group Band Burrage for the past several years.

After the jump, you can see three more excerpts from recent shows by Band Burrage, starting with an excerpt from a 2013 gig at the Philadelphia Free Library.

Then there's a version of Michael Jackson's "I Can't Help It," recorded at the Blue Note in NYC with Burrage, Speaks, Tate, singer Shenel Johns, and guitarist David Gilmore; and "Flight Endless," from a show at Shapeshifter Labs in Brooklyn.

That's followed by a sort of behind-the-scenes promo video that Burrage put together a couple of years ago before heading out on a summer tour that included a concert at the Aime Cesaire Cultural Festival in Fort-de-France, Martinique; and a complete performance of "World Harmony," a collaboration with poet Sonia Sanchez recorded in 2013 at Penn State.

Along with Burrage, Sanchez and Slaughter, the ensemble for "World Harmony" also includes bassist Bob DeBoo and a former St. Louisan, trumpeter Rasul Siddik, as well as saxophonists Rick Tate and Rene McLean, singers Eric Farmer and Melody Stringer, and dancers Kendra Vie Beheme Dennard and Kikora Franklin.

For more about Ronnie Burrage, read this interview with him published in the October 2014 issue of Jazz Times magazine.

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

Ronnie Burrage to perform June 26, 27 & 28 at Voce

Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and U. City native Ronnie Burrage is coming back home to perform on Friday, June 26; Saturday, June 27; and Sunday, June 28 at Voce, 212 South Tucker Blvd. downtown.

A 1978 graduate of University City High School, Burrage (pictured) worked local gigs with visiting luminaries such as Arthur Blythe, Jackie McLean, Andrew Hill, and McCoy Tyner while still a teenager living in St. Louis.

After moving to NYC, he played with trumpeter Woody Shaw's quintet in the mid-1980s; formed Third Kind of Blue with saxophonist John Purcell and bassist Anthony Cox in 1986; and gigged with an impressive roster of jazz greats, including Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, and more.

During the 1990s, Burrage recorded with Courtney Pine, Sonny Fortune, Gunther Schuller, Hamiet Bluiett, the World Saxophone Quartet, and Billy Bang. More recently, he's been teaching at Penn State University while releasing a series of recordings as a leader, including Just Natural (2001), In It (2004), Blue Noise (2010), Spirit Guides (2011) and Heal (2013). Despite that busy schedule, Burrage has managed to make it home to perform most summers in recent years, including a weekend of gigs in 2013 supporting the release of Heal.

On this visit to St. Louis, he'll start by playing shows with a small band at 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. That ensemble will feature Burrage on drums and keyboards fronting two slightly different lineups of local musicians, with Eric Slaughter (guitar), Nathan Pence (bass), Kendra Mahr (vocals), and Danny Campbell (trumpet) on Friday, and then with Jeff Anderson (tenor sax) in for Campbell on Saturday.

To cap off the weekend, Sunday's matinee at 3:00 p.m. will feature the 10-piece-plus RoBu Big Band, with Campbell, Anderson, saxophonists Chad Evans, Jerome "JDubz" Williams, Stanley Coleman, and Willie Akins; pianist Ptah Williams; bassist Darrell Mixon; percussionist Henry Claude; singer Charisse Swan, and other special guests.

Tickets are $20 per set on Friday and Saturday, and $25 on Sunday, with a service fee of $1.49 per ticket for online purchases, and are on sale now.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* New music ensemble Alarm Will Sound's two performances this weekend are previewed by Stef Russell of St. Louis magazine.

* Meanwhile, the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson takes a look at tonight's "250 Years of St. Louis Music" show at the Sheldon Concert Hall, which features Alarm Will Sound* playing a new work by Peter Martin, plus performances from a diverse list of St. Louis jazz, blues and roots musicians.

* Drummer/bandleader and U City native Ronnie Burrage is the subject of a feature article in Jazz Times.

* To promote an upcoming gig at LA's Jazz Bakery, saxophonist Greg Osby has put together a brief online playlist of some of his favorite music.

* St. Louis singer Katie McGrath will perform her cabaret show "Love in the Desert, Romance in an Age of Scarcity" at NYC's Metropolitan Room next Thursday, October 23.

* Keep On Keepin' On, the new documentary about trumpeter Clark Terry and his student Justin Kauflin, was reviewed by AllAboutJazz.com's Mark F. Turner. 

* Miles Davis' "Blue Xmas" b/w "Devil May Care" will be released as a limited edition 7" blue vinyl single (pictured) for Record Store Day's annual Black Friday event on November 28.

* In more Davis-related news, Jazz Times critic Nate Chinen weighs in on Mostly Other People Do The Killing's controversial note-for-note remake of Davis' Kind of Blue, and Popmatters has an interview about the record with MOPDTK bassist and bandleader Moppa Elliott.

* In response to the controversy, the Davis estate felt the need yesterday to issue an official statement: "I Vincent Wilburn Jr., drummer and nephew of Miles Davis, and Cheryl A. Davis, daughter of Miles Davis, want to clarify that “Blue” the ultimate tribute by the band Mostly Other People Do The Killing, is not supported by us, nor done with our cooperation or participation."

* Saxophonist David Sanborn's performance this week in San Diego was previewed by the local daily the Union-Tribune.

* The performances last week by Sanborn at Jazz at the Bistro and Chick Corea at the Sheldon Concert Hall were reviewed by Calvin Wilson for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

* Bassist Stanley Clarke's show Tuesday at The Pageant was documented via a photo set posted on Facebook by Hip 96.3 FM.

* The Riverfront Times this week published a set of photos by Mabel Suen showing off the newly renovated Jazz at the Bistro.

* The Funky Butt Brass Band's version of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" was listed at #4 in an article on the website Mashable about "13 Brass Band Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Originals."

Not only that, but while on a recent trip to Arkansas to play the King Biscuit Blues Festival, the FBBB stopped off in Memphis for a visit to the Stax Records museum, where saxophonist Ben Reece, trumpeter Adam Hucke and trombonist Aaron Chandler met famed trumpeter Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns.

* KDHX has posted online a photo set of Wack-A-Doo's performance last week at one of the station's "Harvest Sessions."

* Speaking of photo sets, the Midwest Jazz-tette has posted two of them to Facebook, documenting performances earlier this year at First Unity Church and Cigar Inn

* Trombonist Dave Dickey is moving his monthly big band gig to Jazz at the Bistro, effective Sunday, November 2. The band now will play on the first Sunday of each month, continuing in their new location the practice of having local student bands perform at intermission. Their run of monthly shows at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company lasted three years. Tickets for the November 2 debut performance at the Bistro go on sale at 10:00 a.m. today via Metrotix.

* The Regional Arts Commission is accepting applications for the 2015 Katherine Dunham Internship, which provides hands-on experience in arts administration for an African-American student. The deadline to apply is Monday, November 3.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson explores the landscape of extended improvisation via tracks from Henry Threadgill, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis and more. 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.

* Disclaimer: I've been working with Alarm Will Sound since 2010 on publicity for their gigs in Columbia and St. Louis, including this one. However, given their demonstrated accomplishments and StLJN's usual editorial focus, I'd be writing about them here even if I had no relationship with them.

So What: Local News, Notes and Links

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

* Multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman's work with the Municipal Commission on Arts and Letters for University City is the subject of a feature story by Terry Perkins for St. Louis Public Radio.

* KDHX is offering free public tours of the station's new headquarters at 3524 Washington, just east of Grand, starting this Saturday.

* Drummer, composer and St. Louis expat Ronnie Burrage is busy promoting Heal, the new release from his Band Burrage, with various live gigs including an appearance next Tuesday, February 11 at Penn State University's Music Is Life Festival. Burrage also has posted on YouTube a video excerpt from the band's recent performance at  the Blue Note in NYC, and created a new Reverb Nation page and Facebook store for those who wish to hear and/or purchase the new album.

* Elsewhere back east, several musicians with St. Louis roots with be appearing in NYC this month, starting with keyboardist Peter Martin and drummer Terreon Gully (pictured), who will be part of Dianne Reeves' ensemble for the singer's gigs on February 14 and 15 at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Rose Theater.

A few days later, saxophonist Greg Osby joins trumpeter Tom Harrell, drummer Matt Wilson, saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Ben Allison, and pianist Aaron Goldberg for "Reflections on Monk" from Wednesday, February 17 through Saturday February 22 at Birdland. And that same week, drummer Marcus Baylor's Baylor Project, featuring Jean Baylor on vocals, will perform on February 20 at Smoke.

* There's quite a bit of Miles Davis-related news this week, starting with the news that Miles Davis Properties LLC has reached a deal with Kobalt Music Group to administer Davis' entire catalog, effective immediately. The company will attempt to develop new ways to exploit Davis' music in movies, TV, advertising, and other media.

* “The Wisdom of Miles Davis” was the title of the first lecture given this past week by pianist and composer Herbie Hancock in his capacity as the 2014 Charles Eliot Norton Professor of Poetry at Harvard University.  Hancock's talk, the first in a series of six lectures entitled "The Ethics of Jazz," used his memories of Davis as a springboard to a discussion of racism, ethics, and Buddhism.

* MilesDavis.com and Creative Allies are sponsoring a contest to design an official poster for the soon-to-be-released CD box set Miles At The Fillmore‬. The winner receives cash and prizes, and the winning design will be included in the sets sold via the two websites. Meanwhile, Chronicle: The Complete Prestige Recordings 1951-1956, another Davis box set first issued 20 years ago, is getting a deluxe limited edition reissue.

* And closer to home, the Miles Davis Memorial Project has put online a reservation form for their upcoming fundraising dinner on Saturday, March 22, at Lewis & Clark Community College. Tickets are $60 per person, $450 for a table of eight, and the deadline to RSVP is Sunday, March 9. For more information, call Pride, Incorporated at 618-467-2375 or email them at pride@prideincorporated.org.

* St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts will sponsor another free workshop on "Navigating Health Care Reform" at 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, February 19 at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. Saint Louis University School of Law health-law students will explain the Affordable Care Act and provide strategies for selecting a plan and determining eligibility for tax credits and subsidies. This workshop is FREE and open to artists of all disciplines, and guests are welcome, but you must register in advance.

VLAA and Community Action Agency of St. Louis (CAASTL) also will offer in-person help with health insurance enrollment from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Thursday, February 20 at the RAC offices. Artists of all disciplines can sign up for free one-on-one sessions with  trained, certified application counselors. Appointments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis; to sign up, send an email to vlaa@stlrac.org.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson sets an anticipatory mood for Valentine’s Day with recordings from Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle (from Waits' soundtrack for Francis Ford Coppola's One From The Heart), John Coltrane and singer Johnny Hartman, and Norah Jones.

Then on "The Jazz Collective," Jason Church will spin tracks from Four80East, Chris Standring, David Longoria, Donald Byrd, Sonny Rollins, Chuck Mangione, Lee Ritenour, the Brand New Heavies, Eumir Deodato, and Roy Ayers, as well as music from St. Louis' own Dawn Weber, Jesse Gannon, Jason Swagler, and Tommy Halloran.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.     

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra has openings for a guitarist, lead tenor saxophonist, and trombonist. Rehearsals begin on January 15 and are held Wednesday evenings in South County. To schedule an audition, contact the band via their website.

* The blog Killed in Cars has available for free download a remix/sampler of live bootlegs of Miles Davis performances from October and November 1971 in Milan, Brussels, Belgrade, Oslo, and Turin.

* Meanwhile, guitarist Henry Kaiser talked with Guitar Player magazine about Yo, Miles!, the band he co-led with trumpeter Wadada Leo Smith that drew inspiration from Davis' electric music of the same period.

* Drummer and University City native Ronnie Burrage will celebrate the release of Heal, the latest album by his Band Burrage (also featuring St. Louis guitarist Eric Slaughter) with a late-night show on January 18 at NYC's Blue Note.

* Meanwhile, another former U. Citian, multireedist Marty Ehrlich, will team with alto saxophonist and St. Louis native Greg Osby for the tribute concert "Compulsion: The Music of Andrew Hill" this coming Tuesday, January 14 at NYC's Jazz Standard. Osby and Ehrlich, who both are former Hill collaborators, will be joined by saxophonists Donny McCaslin and Jaleel Shaw; trumpeter Jeremy Pelt; bassist Ben Allison; and drummers Matt Wilson and Billy Drummond.

* Out on the West Coast, drummer Dave Weckl (pictured), who just celebrated a birthday on Wednesday, will perform with his new Acoustic Band on January 20 and 21 at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood. The lineup for the group features a couple of familiar collaborators - bassist and fellow St. Louis native Tom Kennedy and saxophonist Gary Meek - along with pianist Makoto Ozone.

* Pianist Peter Martin has revamped the look and added new material to the video lessons section of his website.

* KDHX will present a free workshop on "How To Get Your Music On The Radio" at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow at the station's new HQ at 3524 Washington Ave.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson will feature recordings from top jazz drummers such as Art Blakey, Bobby Previte and Jeff “Tain” Watts.

Then on "The Jazz Collective," Jason Church will have an all-St. Louis program, with music from Erin Bode, Farshid Etniko, Jim Manley, Funky Butt Brass Band, Jesse Gannon, Tommy Halloran, Dawn Weber, Tom Byrne, Tim Cunningham, Jim Stevens, Vince Varvel, Jeanne Trevor, Kim Massie, Robert Silverman, "Peanuts" Whalum, Clave Sol, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, Brian Vaccaro, Rod Tate and Gregg Haynes, Soul Cafe, Carolbeth True, Elliott Ranney, and Jason Swagler.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen. 

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Drums along the Mississippi, or City of Raijins

When Dennis Owsley wrote a history of jazz in St. Louis a few years ago, he titled his book City of Gabriels in recognition of the trumpeters from the area, including Miles Davis, Clark Terry and Lester Bowie, who have had a significant impact on jazz music, both here and around the globe.

While that trumpet tradition continues through the work of nationally and internationally recognized musicians like Jeremy Davenport, Russell Gunn, Keyon Harrold, Jim Manley, and others, in recent years St. Louis area drummers from both sides of the Mississippi have made their mark as well - so much so that if Owsley were to write a history of the last decade, it might be tempting to name it after the drumming equivalent of the Biblical trumpeter who blew down the walls of Jericho.

For that, one might nominate Raijin, "a god of lightning, thunder and storms in the Shinto religion and in Japanese mythology." According to Wikipedia, his name is derived from the Japanese words for "thunder" and "god," and he typically is depicted as "a demon-looking spirit beating drums to create thunder, usually with the symbol tomoe drawn on the drums."

While we're certainly not suggesting that any of the St. Louis drummers featured in today's videos are demonic, they definitely can bring the thunder. So with that in mind, today let's take a quick look at some of the most noteworthy drummers from our "City of Rajins" who currently are making noise on the national and international scene. 

Dave Weckl, who grew up in St. Charles and is seen in the first clip above performing a solo at Montreal Drumfest 2012, likely is the best known of the bunch, thanks to his high-profile stint with the Chick Corea Elektrik Band and successful career as a bandleader in his own right. Weckl also has worked frequently with guitarist Mike Stern, and has appeared on record with Paul Simon, Madonna, George Benson, Robert Plant, the GRP Big Band, and many others.

Next is Marcus Baylor, seen in the first clip below playing a solo in a show last December here at Jazz at the Bistro. Baylor was a member of the popular fusion band Yellowjackets for nearly ten years, and also has worked with trumpeters Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton, saxophonists Greg Tardy and Kenny Garrett, and others. He and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, recently launched a new band called, appropriately enough, The Baylor Project.

In the third clip, there's an interview with Mark Colenburg, who currently drums with the talked-about pianist Robert Glasper and is featured on Glasper's new album Black Radio, Volume 2. Colenburg also has worked with hip-hop and R&B performers such as Common, Lauryn Hill, Mos Def, and Erykah Badu as well as jazz players including Chico Freeman, Stefon Harris, George Coleman, and more.

Then in video number four, Kimberly Thompson plays a solo as part of her appearance at the 2011 Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC). Thompson first came to wide attention as a member of pop singer Beyonce's all-female band, and subsequently has branched out into songwriting and production as well as working with Mike Stern, Jay-Z, Wallace Roney, Meshell N'Degeocello, Richard Bona, Jason Moran, and numerous others.

The fifth clip features Terreon Gully, who was part of the acclaimed music program at East St. Louis High School and has gone on to play with singer Dianne Reeves, bassist Christian McBride, saxophonist Ron Blake, vibraphonists Stefon Harris and Joe Locke, and many others. Gully is seen here in a gig a couple of years ago with Locke's band in Italy, trading fours with the leader and pianist Robert Rodriguez.

Montez Coleman, who's seen in the sixth clip, can still be heard performing  in St. Louis with some regularity, as the East St. Louis HS grad lives here when not on the road with the likes of trumpeter Roy Hargrove (with whom he spent nearly five years) or the legendary pianist McCoy Tyner. Coleman is seen here during a gig with Hargrove's quintet in October 2010 at Macc Jazz Maastricht in the Netherlands.You can catch him around town working with saxophonist Willie Akins and guitarist Eric Slaughter and sometimes leading Tuesday night jam sessions at Herbie's Vintage 72 in the Central West End.

Last but not least, we'd be remiss not to mention Charles "Bobo" Shaw, whose work was foundational to the funky yet free sounds of Black Artists Group, Human Arts Ensemble, Lester Bowie and others. After recording and touring prolifically during the 1970s and 1980s, Shaw has maintained a much lower public profile in recent years, but turned up in St. Louis a couple of years ago for a performance for the Nu-Art Series at the Metropolitan Gallery. That concert, with fellow drummers Jerome "Scrooge" Harris, Gary Sykes, and Johnny Johnson, is excerpted in the seventh and final clip.

One last thing: As the presence of Harris, Sykes and Johnson in the last clip suggests, the pool of drumming talent from St. Louis is by no means limited to the seven musicians featured today. For example, there's U. City native Ronnie Burrage, who certainly belongs on any list of notable St. Louis drummers thanks to his work with Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, Archie Shepp, Bowie, Hamiet Bluiett, and many others. He was featured here previously in a video showcase post of his own back in 2011. Which St. Louis drummers will be the next to step into the national spotlight? Please use the comments to share your opinion.

Jazz this week: The Wee Trio, Yellowjackets, Ronnie Burrage, Dianne Reeves & Peter Martin, Diana Krall, Ahleuchatistas, and more

It's a jam-packed week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, so much so that there's no time to even attempt a clever opening paragraph for this post. So let's go straight to the highlights...

Tonight, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra presents "A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" with guest soloist Jim Manley on trumpet at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Also tonight, The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, is in town to support the release of their new album Live at the Bistro, and will perform at Jefferson College's Fine Arts Theatre, 1000 Viking Dr in Hillsboro.

However, if you can't make it to Jefferson County tonight, there's another chance to hear The Wee Trio on Wednesday night, as they're playing at the Viragh Center for the Arts, Chaminade College Prep, 425 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

Also on Wednesday, Yellowjackets will open the 2013-14 Jazz at the Bistro season with the first of four nights of performances at the club. The celebrated contemporary jazz group is touring in support of their new album A Rise In The Road and features a new member, bassist Felix Pastorius, son of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius.

On Thursday, drummer and U. City native Ronnie Burrage, back in town to be inducted into the University City High School Hall of Fame, will perform at Robbie's House of Jazz in the first of his three gigs here this week.

That same evening, singer Dianne Reeves and pianist Peter Martin are the headliners for "Divas For a Cause 3," a benefit for the local not-for-profit organization Beyond Housing that will take place at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Fulfilling the event name's promise of multiple divas, St., Louis' own Denise Thimes and Erin Bode also will perform.

Also on Thursday, Italian pianist Antonio Figura will perform a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, supported by locals William Lenihan on bass and Steve Davis on drums.

On Friday, singer and pianist Diana Krall (pictured) returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2007, bringing her "Glad Rag Doll" tour to the Fox Theatre. The concert will feature music from Krall's latest album, which offers her interpretations of early jazz and pop music from the 1920s.

Also on Friday, Ronnie Burrage and Band Burrage will play the first of two nights at the Kranzberg Arts Center; singer Tony Viviano performs at Fortel's in Creve Coeur; and singer Feyza Eren will be at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

On Saturday afternoon, Yellowjackets saxophonist Bob Mintzer will present a free saxophone clinic and workshop at Saxquest.

Then on Saturday evening, the experimental/noise music duo Ahleuchatistas will headline a show at Schlafly St. Louis Brewery & Tap Room celebrating the fifth anniversary of the KDHX program "Wrong Division."

Also on Saturday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes perform at the Venice Cafe; singer and flute player Erika May and Friends will play at Robbie's House of Jazz; and singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Nick Schlueter will duet at the house concert venue KindaBlue Club, 6101 1/2 Idaho.

On Sunday, Miss Jubilee will be doing back-to-back shows in St. Charles, performing in the afternoon at Magpie's and in the evening at the Moonshine Blues Bar.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday The Bad Plus will take part in a free lunchtime presentation and discussion at the Tavern of Fine Arts, previewing their performance next week of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring; and "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective will play their monthly gig at BB's Jazz Blues and 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.)