So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes' show this Sunday for the Open Air series at the Grandel Theatre is previewed in a story by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Julius Hemphill: The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony, a new seven-CD box set featuring previously unheard recordings by the late saxophonist, former St. Louisan and Black Artists Group co-founder Julius Hemphill (pictured), has been released by New World Records

* In an essay in the St. Louis American, Kayla L. Dennis, the aunt of trumpeter Keyon Harrold, opines about the recent incident in which her nephew and his son were assaulted by a woman at a hotel in NTC.

* The latest efforts of local music venues including the Pageant, Old Rock House, and The Sheldon to stay viable during the pandemic are spotlighted in a feature story from St. Louis Public Radio's Jeremy Goodwin.

* KMOV recalled the death of singer-songwriter and former St. Louisan Donny Hathaway by re-airing their 1979 report of his passing.

* And speaking of re-upping vintage content, AllAboutJazz.com has republished a 1998 interview with trumpeter Lester Bowie.

* Jazziz magazine is promoting the new music streaming service Qobuz.com with a specially compiled Miles Davis playlist, "Miles After Dark," which "features 50 laid-back, chilled-out Miles tracks that are sure to ease you into a state of absolute relaxation."

* Also on the Miles Davis beat, the trumpeter's ex-wife, actor Cicely Tyson, who passed away on Thursday night at age 96, talked about her time with Davis in an NPR interview about her new autobiography Just As I Am.

Jazz this week: "Bitches Brew" at 50, Storm Large, Valentine's Day jazz, and more

If you're looking for something musical to do for Valentine's Day, this week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes plenty of options.

However, seating availability already may be scarce for some of these shows, especially on Friday night, so depending on the venue, you may need to make reservations or call ahead to assure a spot. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, February 12
Jazz St. Louis continues their "Whitaker Jazz Speaks" series with "Bitches Brew at 50," featuring writer and musician George Grella, who wrote a book about the landmark Miles Davis album for the 33 1/3 series.

Grella's talk will be followed by a performance from a band including trumpeter Danny Campbell, keyboardists Adam Maness and Adaron "Pops" Jackson, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, bassis Bob DeBoo, percussionist Matt Henry, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Thursday, February 13
Singer Storm Large (pictured) returns for another performance at Blue Strawberry, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Also on Thursday, singer Erin Bode begins a three-day run of Valentine's Day shows continuing through Saturday at Jazz St. Louis, and songwriter Al Hammerman presents "Meet Me at the Corner," a program of his original songs, at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The show will feature singers Alan Ox, Brian Owens, Arvell Keithley and Feyza Eren singing Hammerman's compositions, with proceeds benefitting the Old Newsboys  Fund for Children's Charities.

Friday, February 14
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform at Evangeline's; bassist and singer Janet Evra plays at Blue Strawberry; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham will play for the first of two nights at Troy's Listening Room.

Elsewhere around town, singer Ralph Williams performs at Cigar Inn; multi-instrumentalist T.J. Muller presents "Love Songs of the 1930s" at Focal Point; and saxophonist Larry Johnson and guitarist Randy Bahr will play both Friday and Saturday at Tompkins by The Rack House, a recent addition to downtown St. Charles.

Saturday, February 15
Singer Feyza Eren performs in a late-morning matinee at the Sheldon Concert Hall, and drummer Kaleb Kirby and his band are back for late night at The Dark Room.

Sunday, February 16
Singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran plays for brunch at The Dark Room; the Original Knights Of Swing return for a matinee at the Opera House of Pacific; and drummer Demarius Hicks and friends will play an early-evening show at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

Monday, February 17
The Webster University Jazz Collective will perform in concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

Tuesday, February 18
Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Drummer Emanuel Harrold's new EP Look Forward is the subject of a brief feature on the website Sounds So Beautiful. In other news, Harrold also recently signed an endorsement deal with BAY Custom Drums.

* Guitarist/singer Tim Halpin and drummer Ron Sikes of the Funky Butt Brass Band were guests on the latest episode of Rock Paper Podcast.

* St. Louis native Josephine Baker (pictured) was profiled in an article on OpenCulture.com tracing her path "from homeless street performer to international superstar, French resistance fighter & civil rights hero."

* The Barnes and Noble bookstore in Ladue will host a fundraiser for New Music Circle on Saturday, December 16, with a percent of any in-store purchases made on that date, including books, magazines, coffee and food, going to support NMC.

The event also will include a pop-up concert at 4:00 p.m. in the art section of the shop. Online shoppers can contribute to NMC by using code #12272563 for any purchases made on B&N's website from December 16 through December 21.

* Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran has posted to YouTube a music video of the song "She Loves Me, Too!" from his forthcoming album.

* Trumpeter and St. Louis native Ally Hany has completed her basic training for the US Air Force, earning the rank of Airman First Class and taking a chair in the trumpet section in the Air Force's Band of the Golden West, which is based at Travis AFB in California.

* Singer Sarah Ulrich of Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes was in the news the past week, but unfortunately, it wasn't for her music. Ulrich was interviewed Monday by local NBC affiliate KSDK's news department about an incident in which a gunshot shattered a historic glass door at her south St. Louis home, a renovated former drug store and medical office known as "The Deco Fortress."

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Six bands reviving (and re-imagining) vintage jazz

St. Louis has a long and storied history with jazz and blues music, and in the last decade, a number of performers on the local scene have had success reviving vintage jazz from the 1920s and '30s and, in some cases, making new music of their own that evokes those older styles.

Today, let's take a look at six of those bands and musicians, all of whom currently can be heard with some regularity at various venues around town.

First up are Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes, seen at the top of this post performing the classic "St. Louis Blues" in a music video filmed at singer Sarah Ulrich's south side "secret headquarters," The Deco Fortress.

After the jump, it's the Sidney Street Shakers playing "Yaas Yaas Yaas" at the Blues City Deli in November, 2015.

Next, it's Miss Jubilee (aka Valerie Kirchoff), performing "Throw Me In The Alley" during a promotional appearance last year on the morning newscast at KTVI in St. Louis.

That's followed by The Gaslight Squares, led by trumpeter and vocalist TJ Muller (who also plays with the Sidney Street Shakers), with an energetic version of "A Sentimental Gentleman from Georgia," recorded in a performance last year at The Stage at KDHX.

The fifth clip features Wack-A-Doo playing their original song "They Call Me Hairy" in 2014 at KDHX.

Last but not least, it's guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran doing his tune "Gardenias For Rita" from his 2016 album Moan and Shout, with some help from bassist Andy Hainz and violinist Abbie Steiling.

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

Jazz this week: Laurence Hobgood, three young St. Louis jazz stars come home, COCA goes "Uptown," and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a visit from a fine veteran pianist, a homecoming gig for three St. Louis natives who have earned international recognition, a dance production with live music paying tribute to the Harlem Renaissance, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, April 5
Pianist Laurence Hobgood and his trio will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Known to many jazz fans primarily for his long tenure working behind singer Kurt Elling, Hobgood (pictured, top left) stepped into the spotlight himself a few years ago, and has enjoyed success as a solo performer, bandleader, composer, and producer.

For more about his work as a solo artist, plus some videos of him playing in some different musical contexts, see this post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Thursday, April 6
The Vernacular String Trio will promote the release of their new album Parlance with a performance at Foam; and the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University finishes the spring semester with a free concert featuring two Chicago-based musicians, saxophonist Rob Denty and drummer Tim Mulvenna, with St. Louis guitarist Vincent Varvel.

Friday, April 7
An ad hoc ensemble featuring three St. Louis natives now living in NYC - trumpeter Keyon Harrold, pianist Lawrence Fields, and drummer Kimberly Thompson (pictured) - plus saxophonist Adam Larson, who's originally from Normal, IL, will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

These four rising jazz stars with Midwestern roots are back home this week for an educational residency with Jazz St. Louis, working with students in the organization's JazzU program and at local schools, and closing out their stay with a weekend of performances at the Bistro. 

Since this weekend is a one-off for this ensemble, it's difficult to preview in the usual way, but you can find out more about what Keyon Harrold has been up to since his last shows here (as a guest with pianist Robert Glasper in 2015), and see some videos from some recent performances of his in last Saturday's video showcase post.

Also on Friday, COCA presents the first of five performances this weekend of  "Uptown,"  a work about the Harlem Renaissance created by Alvin Ailey dancer/choreographer Matthew Rushing.

Described as "an episodic tour through 1920s Harlem bringing to life the rich artistic activity of the era," the production features students from COCA's dance programs accompanied by a live band including Phil Dunlap (piano), Andy Hainz (bass), Kaleb Kirby (drums), Adam Hucke (trumpet), Kwanae Johnson (tenor sax), Ben Reece (alto sax), and Cody Henry (trombone).

Elsewhere around town, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to Evangeline's; singer Joe Mancuso brings his Organ Trio to @Nesbys, and Miss Jubilee will perform for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, with special guest, Cincinnati blues pianist Ricky Nye.

Saturday, April 8
Trumpeter Jim Manley's trio will perform for brunch at Evangeline's, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham will play an afternoon show at Mount Pleasant Winery in Augusta.

Monday, April 10
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz for diners 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.)

Jazz this week: Erin Bode, Wine Dine & Jazz Festival, Chesterfield Jazz Festival, and more

This week's calendar of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis includes an event celebrating the release of a popular singer's latest album, two free outdoor festivals taking place at opposite ends of the metro area, and more.

Let's go to the highlights....

Wednesday, June 22
The Chick Corea Trio with Christian McBride and Brain Blade will finish their sold-out two-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro. 

If you're determined to hear them but don't already have tickets, you can check with the Jazz St. Louis box office for last-minute cancellations or returns, or get down to the Bistro early enough to stake out a spot in the first-floor lounge opposite the performance space, where you can watch a live video feed of the show.

Also on Wednesday, singer Feyza Eren will return to Evangeline's, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's trio will be holding down their weekly spot at The Dark Room.

Thursday, June 23
Saxophonist Dave Stone and his trio will make a rare appearance outside their usual South Grand stomping grounds, heading to the Central West End for a performance at Evangeline's.

Friday, June 24
Singer Erin Bode (pictured, top left) will celebrate the release of her latest CD, Here And Now, with the first of two nights of performances at Jazz at the Bistro. The album features Bode's interpretations of songs from an eclectic selection of writers including Irving Berlin and Frank Loesser, Rickie Lee Jones and Gerry Rafferty.

Also on Friday, the 2015 edition of the Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival begins in the public square in downtown Belleville with music from Ptah Williams, Bach to the Future, and blues guitarist and singer "Big" Mike Aguirre. The event is free and open to the public.

Elsewhere around town, Miss Jubilee plays a free outdoor concert at Ferguson Citywalk, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham will perform at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Saturday, June 25
The Wine, Dine & Jazz Festival continues with sets from Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist and singer D’Erania Stampley (pictured, bottom left), the Funky Butt Brass Band, singer and pianist Anita Rosamond, and Soul Café.

Also on Saturday, the Chesterfield Jazz Festival will feature music from Bach to the Future, guitarist Matt Rowland, singer Kim Fuller with the Eric Slaughter Quartet, and more at the Chesterfield Amphitheater. The event is free and open to the public.

Elsewhere on Saturday afternoon, the Stan Coleman/Darrell Mixon Quartet will give the final jazz performance ever at the Tavern of Fine Arts, which is closing for good after service on Saturday evening.

That evening, the Kansas City based swing and "hot jazz" band A La Mode will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Sunday, June 26
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will provide the music accompanying a newly instigated jazz brunch at The Boom Boom Room downtown, and the St. Louis Record & CD Collector Show will host their summer event at the usual location, the American Czech Hall on the south side.

Monday, June 27
Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck.

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Pianist Peter Martin made the rounds of local media this week to promote his new project Open Studio Network, which offers online video music lessons from well-known jazz players including Martin himself, guitarist Romero Lubambo, drummer Greg Hutchinson, and more.

Martin sat down Tuesday for a chat with Charlie Brennan of KMOX radio, and also was interviewed for a feature story in the St. Louis Business Journal.

* Singer Emily West's show last week for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Trombonist and St. Louis native Charlie Halloran's role as a sideman on pianist Jon Cleary's Grammy award-winning album GoGo Juice was the subject of a feature from Kevin Johnson of the Post-Dispatch.

* Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes shared on Facebook an album of photos from their gig last week at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

* Guitarist Kelvyn Bell (pictured) has posted to SoundCloud a bonus track, "American Boy (Estelle)" from the same sessions that produced his most recent album St. Louis Blu.

Jazz this week: Billy Childs' tribute to Laura Nyro; Funky Butt Brass Band; and more

This week in St. Louis jazz and creative music, the Sheldon Concert Hall resumes their jazz series with pianist Billy Childs' tribute to an under-appreciated singer-songwriter of the 1960s and 70s; two local favorites play two nights each at Jazz at the Bistro; and more. Let's go the highlights...

Wednesday, January 27
Pianist Ptah Williams leads a group in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro; singer Erin Bode performs for the monthly concert series at the World Chess Hall of Fame; and Elsie Parker and the Poor People of Paris return to Nathalie's.

Thursday, January 28
Bassist Darrell Mixon and friends will be at The Dark Room, substituting for Ptah Williams as he plays the Bistro, while the Tavern of Fine Arts presents their monthly "open mic" night with live improvised music. Also on Thursday, Miss Jubilee plays swing, jump blues and more at Thaxton Speakeasy and singer Joe Mancuso returns to Thurman Grill.

Friday, January 29
The Funky Butt Brass Band get warmed up for Mardi Gras season in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and trumpeter Jim Manley plays at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, January 30
Pianist Billy Childs will present "Re-Imagining Laura Nyro," featuring live performances of the material from his best-selling, Grammy Award winning album Map to the Treasure, at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Childs (pictured, upper left) first came to wide attention with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's group in the late 1970s, and still takes the occasional road gig in support of Chris Botti, but these days most of time and artistic energy seems to be spent on arranging and composing, including writing a number of commissioned works for symphony orchestra.

His latest project features interpretations of music written by Nyro, a teenage songwriting prodigy whose tunes were huge hits for The Fifth Dimension, Blood Sweat and Tears, and others, but who then experienced various career and health setbacks before her untimely death from ovarian cancer in 1997, when she was only 49 years old. For more about the project, read the preview story about Childs' concert by Calvin Wilson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday.com.

(The Sheldon and Metrotix are offering a discount on tickets for Childs' concert to online buyers, reducing prices to $30 for orchestra seats, $25 for the balcony. To get the discount, go here and enter the promotional code TREASURE.)

Also on Saturday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes perform at Evangeline's; trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber is at Nathalie's; and the Liberation Organ Trio plays the house concert venue KindaBlue Club.

Sunday, January 31
The Dave Dickey Big Band (pictured, lower left) will present their monthly show at Jazz at the Bistro, with the Francis Howell Central HS Jazz Band playing at intermission.

Monday, February 1
Singer Debby Lennon and members of the Webster University jazz faculty will perform at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

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: New Year's Eve jazz in St. Louis, and more

This week's list of jazz and creative music performances in and around St. Louis is relatively short, in part because some presenters are still on holiday, and in part because several local venues that regularly present jazz have yet to publish their schedules for the new month beginning on Friday.

So, while the StLJN calendar will be updated with new information as soon as it comes in, there still are some noteworthy performances to talk about, including a list of jazz-related options for New Year's Eve. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, December 30
Bassist Bob Deboo and friends will perform and host the weekly jam session at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and then just down the street, trumpeter Kasimu Taylor plays his regular weekly gig at The Dark Room.

A short distance away in the Central West End, guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith will play duets at Evangeline's, and Danbury Street performs at Nathalie's.

Thursday, December 31
Looking at new Year's Eve offering by geogrpahy, starting with downtown, the Funky Butt Brass Band will perform at the Broadway Oyster Bar, and the Coleman Hughes Project with singer Adrienne Felton will be the featured New Year's Eve entertainment at Voce.

In Grand Center, The Dark Room will present a jazz jam involving musicians featured in regular weekly gigs there, including guitarist Slaughter, bassist Darrell Mixon, pianist Adam Maness, and more.

In the CWE, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play for the "1930s Speakeasy Soiree New Years Eve Dinner and Dance" at Evangeline's; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham (pictured, lower left) and singer Trunessia Combs will perform at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

On the south side, guitarist Brian Vaccaro and keyboardist Ryan Marquez will play music for diners at Grapeseed. In Webster Groves, Erin Bode will perform for two seatings at Cyrano's, and out at Westport Plaza, Tony Viviano will provide the music for NYE celebrants at Patrick's.

Friday January 1
Drummer Marty Morrison starts the New Year leading a trio at the Cigar Inn.

Saturday, January 2
Jazz at the Bistro will host a one-night-only reunion of former members of the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars student ensemble, featuring saxophonist Carlos Brown, Jr., trumpeter Brady Lewis, drummer Everette Benton, pianist Eliot Courtois, and bassist Nathan Pence.

Sunday, January 3
The St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show kicks off 2016 with their first event of the year at the American Czech Educational Center.

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: Dave King Trucking Company, Gateway Jazz Festival, a benefit for Willie Akins, Dave Easley, and more

Though it's still before Labor Day, the fall presenting season would seem to be already getting underway this week, with several noteworthy touring musicians visiting St. Louis, plus the customary variety of jazz and creative music from local performers.

Let's go to the highlights...


Thursday, September 3
Erin Bode concludes her two-night engagement singing standards at Jazz at the Bistro, and guitarist Dave Black and friends will perform at Nathalie's.

Friday, September 4
The Dave King Trucking Company will make their St. Louis debut in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Drummer and leader King (pictured, top left), who St. Louisans know from his many performances here with The Bad Plus, has described the Trucking Company's sound as "Americana meets avant-garde." Given TBP's popularity here, odds are that King's side project will draw an enthusiastic audience as well, so advance reservations are recommended.

Also on Friday, Second Generation Swing plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to the Venice Cafe; and singer Joe Mancuso will perform in a benefit concert for saxophonist Willie Akins at Kranzberg Arts Center.

The show will feature Mancuso's quintet plus special guests raising funds to help with medical and living expenses for Akins (pictured, center left), who's facing serious health problems related to heart disease and had to be admitted to the hospital this week. (If you can't attend the show but would like to help, you can donate at a GoFundMe page that's been set up for Akins here.)

Saturday, September 5
New-Orleans based steel guitarist Dave Easley will be in town to perform at Pop's Blue Moon, 5249 Pattison Ave on the Hill. Easley, who's played with drummer Brian Blade's group, Dave Liebman, Kenny Garrett, Cyril Neville, Dr. John and many other well-known bands and musicians, will be backed by fellow New Orleans resident Tom Chute on drums and St' Louis' Bob DeBoo on bass.

Also on Saturday, Miss Jubilee and The Sidemen will team up on a double bill at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, September 6
The first day of the St. Louis Jazz Club's Gateway Jazz Festival at the DoubleTree Hotel at Westport will feature performances from Michael Lacey's New Orleans Swing, the piano duo of Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi, pianist Pat Joyce, the St. Louis Stompers, Red Lehr's Powerhouse 5, and Cornet Chop Suey, with the Funky Butt Brass Band joining in when the festival continues on Monday.

Also on Sunday, Good 4 The Soul returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Monday, September 7
Guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson will perform at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, September 8
Trumpeter Jim Manley adds another recurring gig to his weekly schedule, as he and pianist Chris Swan now are playing every Tuesday at Riverbend Restaurant and Bar, 1059 S. Big Bend Blvd in Richmond Heights.

Also on Tuesday, Miss Jubilee will perform in a free outdoor concert for the "Twilight Tuesdays" series at the  Missouri History Museum; and the Saxquest Jazz Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal 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.)

Jazz this week: Happy birthday, USA!

As one of the USA's indigenous art forms and greatest gifts to the world, jazz ought to be a big part of our nation's birthday celebration.

In reality, Independence Day activities tend to emphasize pop or explicitly patriotic music, and some presenters in and around St. Louis actually go dark for the the holiday weekend. Fortunately, if you're looking for live jazz and creative music over the next few days, StLJN is here to help. Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, July 2
Saxophonist Jim Stevens and his band return to Hammerstone's; and pianist Ptah Williams, guitarist Eric Slaughter and friends continue their weekly performances at The Dark Room.

Friday, July 3
The Funky Butt Brass Band (pictured, top left) will play their monthly show at Broadway Oyster Bar, and percussionist Herman Semidey and Orquesta Son Montuno will play salsa and more for dancers at Club Viva.

Also on Friday, singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Adam Maness perform at Chaser's Lounge in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham plays at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Saturday, July 4
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes (pictured, lower left) will celebrate the nation's birthday with swing, hot jazz and jump blues at Evangeline's, while trumpeter Jim Manley fronts his "All-Stars" group at Nathalie's


Sunday, July 5
Good 4 The Soul will be back for their monthly early-evening gig at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and Elsie Parker and the Poor People of Paris will play jazz, French pop and more at Nathalie's.

Monday, July 6
Singer Erika Johnson and guitarist Tom Byrne play at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, July 7
The First Tuesday Composers Club, which will present monthly workshop performances of new works by St. Louis composers, will have its inaugural 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.)

Jazz this week: Dr. Lonnie Smith & Lionel Loueke, Alarm Will Sound, a tribute to Billie Holiday, and more

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music shows in St. Louis emphasizes collaboration, with several events presenting novel combinations of musicians for your listening enjoyment.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 27
Jazz St. Louis' latest combination of two headliners into one evening of music features organist Dr. Lonnie Smith teamed with guitarist and singer Lionel Loueke, who will perform this week through Saturday night at Jazz at the Bistro.

Both Smith and Loueke (pictured, top left) certainly share a penchant for grooves, and they have worked together before - you can see video evidence, plus each man leading his own band in several performance clips, in this post from last Saturday - but only briefly. The best guess here is that Smith's repertoire may predominate in terms of song selection, but whatever they end up playing, there should be some surprising moments for everyone this weekend onstage at the Bistro.

Budget-conscious fans take note: In addition to their evening performances, Smith and Loueke also will take part in a free, hour-long "performance and conversation" at noon on Friday at the Bistro. The Bistro won't have food or beverage service available, but listeners can bring in their own food and drink to enjoy along with the sounds.

Thursday, May 28
It's a night for large ensemble performances, as the Jim Widner Big Band plays a free concert at Chesterfield Amphitheater, while the new-music mini-orchestra Alarm Will Sound (pictured, center left) wraps up their third St. Louis season with a program of music from their "Alarm System" project at the Sheldon Concert Hall. The concert will feature the premieres of new works created with performers from several different musical genres, including St. Louis electronic electronic musician Adult Fur, Icelandic composer and producer Valgeir Sigurðsson, and jazz/funk keyboardist John Medeski.

Adventurous music fans also may want to check out the Tavern of Fine Arts monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night," which this month will feature musicians improvising to new video works; or the triple bill featuring saxophonst Dave Stone, the Tory Starbuck Project, and electronic musician Kevin Harris at the Schlafly Tap Room

Friday, May 29
It's a busy night for female vocalists, as singer Debby Lennon and pianist Carolbeth True play a concert at Concord Trinity United Methodist Church in South County; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will swing the Venice Cafe, and Erin Bode returns to Nathalie's.

Elsewhere around town, Lindy Hop St. Louis presents their "West End Stomp," this month featuring live music from Robbie and the Rockin' Fools, at the Mahler Ballroom; and The People's Key will play at the house concert venue KindaBlue.

Saturday, May 30
Singer Kim Fuller and trumpeter Randy Holmes (pictured, lower left) will present a "Tribute to Billie Holiday" at the Ozark Theatre.

The celebration of the 100th anniversary of Holiday's birth also marks the return of jazz to the Ozark, which briefly presented local jazz musicians in a series of performances last fall.

Also on Saturday, Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, May 31
Students from several high schools in North County have joined together to form the North County Big Band under the leadership of saxophonist Harvey Lockhart, band director at Riverview Gardens High School, and they'll present a matinee concert showing off what they've accomplished over the past year at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

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: Kurt Elling, Zappa Plays Zappa, SIUE big bands, and more

As Jazz Appreciation Month 2015 reaches the halfway point, St. Louis gets a visit from one of the top male singers in jazz, a tribute to a memorable moment in 1970s jazz/fusion, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, April 15
Tonight, singer Kurt Elling returns to St. Louis to begin a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro

A regular visitor here for the past decade-plus, Elling (pictured, top left) has won the DownBeat Critics Poll for male vocalist each year for the last fourteen years; has been named “Male Singer of the Year” by the Jazz Journalists Association eight times during that same period, and had had every one of his ten albums nominated for a GRAMMY.

Since parting with longtime pianist and music director Laurence Hobgood a couple of years ago, Elling has gigged with several different keyboardists, including the German pianist Mads Baerentzen and Gary Versace, known for his work with Carla Bley, John Scofield and many others. This week, his ensemble will feature the 24-year-old NYC pianist Emmet Cohen, along with longtime guitarist John McLean, bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Bryan Carter.

While listeners at the Bistro over the course of the week may hear some selections from Elling's last album, 1916 Broadway: The Brill Building Project, and from his recently developed touring show, "Elling Swings Sinatra," the word from other recent tour stops suggests that there also will be a lot of music from his forthcoming album Passion World, which features "ballads of love and loss from across the globe" and is scheduled for release at the end of May.

Elsewhere around town, trumpeter Keith Moyer brings his group back to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly open mic night at Tavern of Fine Arts; and keyboardist Bob Werner and singer Ellen Martinez are hosting a new weekly open mic night at Shakers, which took over the former location of Jazz on Broadway at 554 W. Broadway in Alton.

Thursday, April 16
Guitarist Dave Black, singer Feyza Eren (pictured, center left) and friends perform at Nathalie’s, and guitarist Tom Byrne and his Pat Metheny-inspired project Have U Heard will play a concert at Lewis and Clark Community College.

Friday, April 17
The Gateway City Big Band plays for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom, and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will play swing, hot jazz and blues at the Backstreet Jazz & Blues Club in Westport.

Saturday, April 18
Trumpeter Jim Manley leads a band including singer Charlie B, keyboardist Arthur Toney, guitarist Randy Bahr and trumpeter Joe Weber in a gig at Nathalie's, while Wack-A-Doo plays swing and Americana at Evangeline's.

Also on Saturday, singer Joe Mancuso and Dave Black will duet at Element STL; bassist David Certain will celebrate his birthday with an afternoon jam session and an evening gig with his CertainBeat WorldBop, both at Thurman Grill; and Miss Jubilee performs at Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, April 19
Drummers Montez Coleman and Brandon Jones will co-lead a quintet with keyboardist Adam Maness, saxophonist Kendrick Smith and bassist Jahmal Nichols at Troy's Jazz Gallery

Monday, April 20
Repertory band Zappa Plays Zappa, led by Dweezil Zappa, guitarist and son of Frank, will play at The Ready Room, at 4195 Manchester Ave in the Grove district.

For this show, relocated from the now-closed Plush STL, ZPZ will mark the 40th anniversary of Frank Zappa's 1975 album One Size Fits All by performing the entire record, as they did last year with Apostrophe (').

Also on Monday, the Webster University Jazz Collective and student jazz singers will play at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus, and drummer/percussionist Joe Pastor and band will perform at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, April 21
The SIUE Concert Jazz Band and SIUE Alumni Jazz Band will return for another one-show-only evening at  Jazz at the Bistro.

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:

* An early-week set at NYC's Village Vanguard from Trio 3, featuring former St. Louisan Oliver Lake on saxophone, Reggie Workman on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums, got a favorable review from the New York Times' Nate Chinen.

Trio 3 continues there, as noted by some of the Vanguard's characteristically idiosyncratic signage (pictured), through tomorrow night.

* The Sheldon has posted on Facebook a photo album from last Saturday's performance by the Dizzy Gillespie Afro Cuban Experience.

* And while we're talking photo albums, you can see some shots from the Funky Butt Brass Band's gig Wednesday at the World Chess Hall of Fame here.

* Sarah Ulrich of Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes and her residence, the Deco Fortress, are featured in an article in the April issue of Alive! magazine titled "Offbeat Abodes."

* "Josephine and I," a new one-woman show about the legendary entertainer and St. Louis native Josephine Baker now playing at Joe's Pub in NYC, is one of several current theatrical productions reviewed by The New Yorker's Hilton Als.

* Singer/actor Meghan Kirk's show last week for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was reviewed by Chuck Lavazzi of KDHX.

* Drummer Marcus Baylor has booked two NYC dates for The Baylor Project in May, with gigs set for Friday, May 8 at the Apollo Music Cafe (part of the famed Apollo Theater) and Monday, May 18 at the Blue Note.

* The PledgeMusic campaign for David Sanborn's new album Time and the River is almost over, but you can still get a signed CD, autographed lead sheet, or another pledge premium if you contribute before the official release date on Tuesday, April 7. For more info, visit http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/davidsanborn/exclusives.

* Jazz radio update: On this Saturday's episode of Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' “Somethin’ Else,” host Calvin Wilson “Somethin’ Else” celebrates 100 episodes with new music from Diana Krall, Bobby McFerrin, Bill Frisell, and more.

Then on "The Jazz Collective", host Jason Church will play tracks from Nathan Woodward, The JT Project, Ken Navarro, Rick Braun, Rock Candy Funk Party, Al Jarreau, Jesse Cook, Chuck Mangione, Rodney Franklin, Manhattan Transfer, George Benson, Common Time, and more.

"Somethin' Else" can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by "The Jazz Collective" at 9:00 p.m. on 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Jazz this week: Dawn Weber, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes CD release, and more

Longtime observers of St. Louis' live music scene know there sometimes can be a slight lull in activity between New Year's Day and the run-up to Mardi Gras.

But while there may not be any significant touring jazz or creative music acts passing through St. Louis this week, it's a big weekend for two local ensembles fronted by females, with one performing for the first time at the newly remodeled Jazz at the Bistro and the other releasing a new album. For more on these shows and other noteworthy upcoming gigs, let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, January 29
Pianist Ptah Williams plays solo in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Friday, January 30
Trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber opens a two-night stand at Jazz at the Bistro, accompanied by a band including saxophonist Jason Swagler, bassist Bob DeBoo, keyboardist Nathan Jatcko, drummer Jerry Mazucca, and guitarist Phil Ring.

Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes (pictured, top left) will celebrate the release of their second CD Sarahnade En Bleu with a performance at Venice Cafe.

Elsewhere around town, Lindy Hop St. Louis' monthly "West End Stomp" at the Mahler Ballroom will feature music from Miss Jubilee; the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr will take the stage at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, January 31
Singer Feyza Eren (pictured, below left) and guitarist Tom Byrne will duet at Thurman Grill.

Sunday, February 1
In a late-afternoon session before the big football game kicks off, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will be recording a music video at Nathalie's.

Monday, February 2
Webster University celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of Billie Holiday with a concert from singer Kim Fuller and members of the Webster jazz faculty at Winifred Moore Auditorium on campus.

Tuesday, February 3
Pianists David Parker and Greg Mills present another performance under the auspices of their Society for Creative Survival, teaming up for "The Rites of Musick/ Tribute to John Cage" at the 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.)

Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes to release second CD on Friday, January 30

Swing, hot jazz, and jump-blues band Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will celebrate the release of their second CD with a performance at 9:00 p.m. Friday, January 30 at Venice Cafe.

Titled Sarahnade En Bleu, the disc (pictured) was recorded this past fall at Red Pill Studios by Sam Ohlhausen, and includes 17 songs ranging from swing and blues numbers dating back to the 1930s to slightly newer standards such as "Mack The Knife" and "Fever."

The band's namesake and lead singer Sarah Jane Ulrich is accompanied on the recording by Blue Note regulars Jerry Greene (saxophones, clarinet), Ben Osborne (guitar), Mark Hochberg (bass) and Kevin Cheli (drums), as well as a crew of guest musicians including Tommy Halloran on vocals, Joe Bozzi on vibes, Doug Burns on trombone, Randy Holmes on trumpet, and Tim Garcia on piano.

Copies of the CD will be available initially only at Blue Notes gigs, with a special sale price of $10 on January 30 only, and $15 thereafter. Ulrich said the disc subsequently will be available for mail order via the band's website, exact date TBD, with digital downloads to follow "within 30 days."

Jazz this week: The Bad Plus returns to Jazz at the Bistro, and more

Though this week in St. Louis brings unusually frigid temperatures along with the usual temporary post-holiday lull in touring activity, there still are some jazz and creative music performances happening around town that will reward those determined to brave the cold.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 7
Tonight, The Bad Plus (pictured) begin a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro, marking the ninth consecutive year the trio has performed at the Bistro in early January.

Since their last St. Louis appearance, TBP have released two albums: their version of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring," which they performed here in 2013; and Inevitable Western, another collection of original material. Expect to hear at least a few selections from the latter this weekend at the Bistro, though given The Bad Plus' popularity, tickets for the 7:30 shows are likely to be sold out, and advance reservations are a must.

Also, just yesterday Jazz St. Louis announced that in addition to the usual two sets each evening through Saturday, The Bad Plus also will play a free show at noon on Friday at the Bistro, with open seating on a first-come, first-serve basis. The fact that it's billed as part of JSL's school performance program explains the "free" part, though why the show is taking place at the Bistro (instead of at a school, as is the usual custom)  is open to speculation.

Elsewhere around town, guitarist John Farrar and the Park Avenue Trio, having recently concluded a 16-year run of mid-week gigs at Hammerstone's, are playing Wednesdays this month at Evangeline's.

Thursday, January 8
Guitarists Tom Byrne and William Lenihan will be playing duets at Remy's Kitchen & Wine Bar.

Friday, January 9
As mentioned above, The Bad Plus are playing a free noontime show on Friday at Jazz at the Bistro, with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. In the evening, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will perform at Nathalie's; Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; keyboardists Ptah Williams and Matt Villinger will join forces at Thurman Grill and bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn.

Saturday, January 10
Singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black are on tap at Element, 1419 Carroll St in Soulard; vocal group Java Jived takes the stage at Tavern of Fine Arts; Wack-A-Doo plays swing and Americana at Thurman Grill; the Charlie B Trio with trumpeter Jim Manley returns to Jimmy's On The Park; and the Kranzberg Arts Center will present a Cabaret Showcase, directed by Cabaret Project St. Louis' Tim Schall and featuring performances from eight different singers. 

Sunday, January 11
BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups has a double-header of jazz, with drummer Montez Coleman leading a band in a late-afternoon matinee set, plus a late-night jam session led by flute player/singer Margaret Bianchetta and bassist Willem von Hombracht.

Monday, January 12
Singer Dean Christopher and his "Rat Pack & More" return to One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar.

Tuesday, January 13
Guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran plays at Evangeline's.

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

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