So What: Local, News & Notes

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

* Saxophonist David Sanborn (pictured) has released a new episode of his "Sanborn Sessions" online video series with bassist Marcus Miller as his featured guest, plus drummer Billy Kilson and pianist Geoffrey Keezer.

* Jazz St. Louis is one of 16 independent music venues across the country that this week received a grant from the Live Music Society. The grants, which range from $10,000 to $50,000, are intended to help smaller venues stay financially viable as the music industry attempts a post-pandemic restart.

* STLtoday has posted an album of photos from the Galactic shows last weekend at The Big Top.

* St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin has written a story reporting on the reopening plans of local concert venues including The Sheldon, The Pageant, The Big Top, and others.

* Mikie Sellers, the impresario behind the new "Jazz and Cars" outdoor concert series on the grounds of Gateway Classic Cars in O'Fallon, IL, was interviewed on FOX 2's morning newscast.

* An article by Mark Beckford on TheGrio.com looks at the ultimately unsuccessful effort to preserve St. Louis native Josephine Baker's famed cabaret in Paris.

* DePaul William "Willy" Smith, who played saxophone with the Original Knights of Swing, the Meramec Jazz Lab Band, and other groups around town, has died at age 90.

* JAZZIZ magazine's "The Week in Jazz" column for this week has a couple of St. Louis mentions, noting the announcement of the "Music at the Intersection" festival and previewing a track from keyboardist Michael Silverman's forthcoming album.

* Radio station Classic 107.3 will raise funds next month with "Classical Cocktails," an online event to be held on Sunday, June 13. The festivities will include dinner and cocktails from Salt + Smoke, plus music from pianists Orli Shaham and Dominic Cheli, the Pro Arte Quartet, the Arianna String Quartet, and violinist David Perry. For more info or to make a reservation, visit https://classic1073.org/classical-cocktails/.

* As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Steph Kukuljan, a company called Gateway Studios LLC has announced plans to acquire 32 acres of land just north of the Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Chesterfield to build an $88 million facilty for music, video and film production. Gateway Studios, which currently operates in Pennsylvania, will seek both tax incentives and publically financed bonds to help pay for the project.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

A day earlier than usual, due to Friday's holiday, here's the latest wrap-up of assorted links and short news items of local interest:

* Comedian Amy Schumer's impromptu visit last weekend to hear drummer Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O at Jazz at the Bistro was mentioned briefly on Wednesday by the nationally syndicated TV program TMZ. That report was then picked up by Vulture, the entertainment website run by New York magazine.

* While they were in town, Wilson and the Christmas Tree-O also visited KDHX to perform for the "Collector's Edition" podcast.

* The Chicago Jazz Orchestra's tribute to trumpeter Clark Terry last Friday, December 18 at the Spertus Institute was reviewed by Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune.

* STLtoday.com has posted online an album of photos from the Funky Butt Brass Band's "Holiday Brasstravaganza" last weekend at Off Broadway, and there's also another public album of pix from the gigs posted to Facebook by a fan.

* The Big Little Big Band has posted to Facebook a photo album from last week's "Big Band Christmas and Tribute to Frank Sinatra" show at The Abbey in Belleville.

* When The Bad Plus returns to St. Louis in January to play Jazz at the Bistro for the tenth consecutive year, they'll be adding something new to their musical menu: a free pancake lunch.

More specifically, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Friday, January 8, TBP will take part in a free, public performance and discussion at the Bistro that also will feature free "imaginative pancakes" from St. Louis artist/chef Dr. Dan the Pancake Man. Although there's no charge for the event or the pancakes, since space is limited, those wishing to attend are asked to reserve a spot online or call the JSL box office at 314-571-6000.

* Sauce magazine reports that the owners of the recently expanded Broadway Oyster Bar (pictured) will open a second restaurant next year in Grafton, IL. No word yet, though, as to whether or not the new location will feature live music, which has been a staple of the original in downtown St. Louis.

* The Curtain Call Lounge has officially opened in the storefront space on Grand Ave. next to the Fox Theatre. The lounge will open at 5:00 p.m. before evening performances at the Fox, and stay open for two hours afterwards. Management has said they plan to offer occasional live jazz and cabaret music on the weekends.

* A ruling last week by the federal Copyright Royalty Board could doom more than 2,000 internet radio stations, including the just-launched Groove Jazz Radio online stream originating here in St. Louis. The ruling reduces payments made to musicians and labels by traditional broadcasters streaming online, while raising rates for webcasting hobbyists, not-for-profits, and small businesses like Groove Jazz's parent, theroots.fm, making them comparable to the payment schedule for large corporations like Pandora and Spotify.

The proprietors of Groove Jazz are appealing for donations to help offset the cost of the increased fees, and say the station could be shut down on January 1 if fundraising efforts fall short. 

Edited 1/5/16 to correct the day & time of The Bad Plus event.

Rue Lafayette closes

Rue Lafayette, the Lafayette Square cafe and boutique that featured live jazz regularly on weekends, has closed. According to reports published today on STLtoday and the website of St. Louis magazine, the closing is a byproduct of divorce proceedings between proprietress Araceli Kopiloff and her co-owner and soon-to-be-ex-husband.

The venue (pictured) had presented live jazz during Saturday and Sunday brunch and on occasional evenings, featuring retro jazz and swing performers such as Miss Jubilee, the Sidemen, Wack-A-Doo, and others. Miss Jubilee, who had been playing at brunch there most Sundays, now will move over to a regular slot on that day at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups, performing weekly from noon to 4:00 p.m beginning this coming Sunday, February 17.

The St. Louis magazine story said, "Kopiloff confided that she has attempted a variety of measures to keep Rue Lafayette open, including selling the business to a third party, but no agreement has yet been reached." A post on Kopiloff's Facebook page, since deleted, also mentioned the possibility of reopening under new management. Watch this space for news of any further developments.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Don Cunningham of The Cunninghams (pictured) talked about their show tonight at the Sheldon Concert Hall to Calvin Wilson of the Post-Dispatch, and you can read that article online here.

* Trumpet legend and St. Louis native Clark Terry shared some thoughts on mentoring younger musicians with JazzEd magazine.

* Last week's unveiling of the statue of Chuck Berry in University City was covered by Terry Perkins for the St. Louis Beacon.

* The Miles Davis estate and Sony records are looking for input from fans on the next re-release package of the trumpeter's music.

* STLtoday.com has started aggregating content from local blogs on several section-header pages, and StLJN now is included on the music page's list of blogs. (Scroll down the page to see the feeds.) Thanks to Bob Rose of STLtoday/the Post-Dispatch and whoever else was responsible for the add.

Police investigating shooting, robbery outside Spruill's

A story published today on STLtoday.com says St. Louis police are investigating a shooting and robbery that took place outside Spruill's Lounge early this morning. The club, located on Jefferson Ave. west of downtown, is familiar to many local jazz fans for hosting saxophonist Willie Akins' long-running Saturday matinee shows.

The article written by reporter Carolyn Tuft says, in part:

"At 3:45 a.m. today, the 49-year-old owner of Spruill's Lounge at 1101 N. Jefferson Ave. was carrying a bag of money out to his car to make a deposit, police said.

Two men approached him, displayed guns and attempted to take the money bag. The owner struggled with them, police said. The suspects shot the owner in the elbow. The owner returned fire. The two suspects fled in a grey, older-model mini-van driven by a third suspect, police said.

Friends took the owner, whose name is not being released by police, to a hospital where he is listed in stable condition."

You can read the entire story online here.

UPDATE, 5:30 p.m., 12/9/09: The Riverfront Times has a story about the incident here.

(Edited after posting to fix some formatting problems.)

STLtoday has online video of Kind of Blue tribute

STLtoday.com has a short video online today with excerpts from last night's free concert by the Legacy Jazz Quintet at the Missouri History Museum. The tribute to Miles Davis' Kind of Blue was presented by Jazz St. Louis and the History Museum as part of JSL's Whitaker Community Concerts series. You can see the video here.

Charlie Hunter reviewed at STLtoday

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday's Matt Fernandes has a review of guitarist Charlie Hunter at Jazz at the Bistro, along with some photos, here. Hunter wraps up his St. Louis engagement with sets at 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. tonight.

Lucas School House to close at the end of the month

The Soulard music venue Lucas School House will close after a final show on New Year's Eve. The RFT's Annie Zaleski broke the story in a blog post last Friday, and the Post's Kevin Johnson also has an item on his blog today.

Over the last two and half years, Lucas School House featured a variety of musical genres, emphasizing rock, Americana and singer-songwriters, but also hosting jam bands, monthly events from Cafe Soul shows and the occasional jazz or world music gig. The eclectic guitarist Adrian Legg will play there this Thursday, and the final show on New Year's Eve will feature Grateful Dead tribute band Jake's Leg.

Inthe release quoted in both the linked stories, owner Dan Jameson says he'll be back soon with another larger music venue, but not in the Soulard neighborhood. StLJN will be watching that situation, and we'll have more as it develops further.

Harry Connick Jr. holiday show reviewed in Post-Dispatch

Singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr. was in St. Louis on Sunday night to perform at the Fox Theatre, and freelance music writer (and friend of this Web site) Terry Perkins was there to cover the show for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. You can read Perkins' review online here.

STLtoday adds jazz coverage with Culture Club blog

STLtoday, the Web site of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has revamped what was once the site's classical music blog into a "fine arts" blog called Culture Club that also will include news of visual arts, theater, dance and jazz. The latter two subjects will be covered by the Post's Calvin Wilson, who's written frequently about jazz for the paper.

This is the first week for the new combined effort, and so far the only jazz-related posts are previews of this Saturday's Paula West concert and pianist Jacky Terasson's upcoming stint at Jazz at the Bistro, but I'm sure Wilson will be coming up with lots more in the future. Check out Culture Club here.

Win free tickets to Return to Forever

From the Department of "Because Everyone Likes Free Stuff": STLtoday.com and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch are giving away tickets to see Return to Forever's concert next Tuesday, June 17 at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. The winner of the promotional giveaway will receive a "VIP Package for 2 to the Return to Forever Show that Includes access to Pre-Show Party, Meet and Greet, and Merchandise!".

You have to have (or be willing to create) an STLtoday.com ID to enter the drawing, which closes at 5:00 p.m. this Friday, June 13. You can see the rules and submit your entry here.

Kevin Mitchell featured on STLtoday's Book Blog

Pianist and bandleader Kevin Mitchell, whose "day job" is author and journalist, recently was interviewed by writer Clair Applewhite for an article on STLtoday's Book Blog about his new tome St. Louis Dad. You can read the interview online here.