Jazz this week: Herbie Hancock, Louis Armstrong Festival, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the return of one of the most important living jazz musicians for one night only, a two-night tribute to the first superstar soloist in jazz, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, 
August 10
Keyboardist Herbie Hancock will perform in a concert presented by Jazz St. Louis at Powell Hall.

With a new album reportedly in the works, Hancock (pictured) also has a new addition to his live band, with saxophonist/keyboardist Terrace Martin joining guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist James Genus and drummer Vinnie Colaiuta in the group.

Some tickets for the concert still remained on sale as of end of business on Wednesday, but if you haven't gotten seats yet and want to go, you'll probably want to call ahead rather than just walk up to the box office.

To promote his St. Louis show, Hancock did brief interviews with St. Louis magazine's Erin Williams, St. Louis Public Radio's David Cazares, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson. Also, you can see some videos spanning Hancock's 50+ years in the music business in this StLJN post from a couple of Saturdays ago.

Also on Thursday night, bassist and singer Tonina Saputo leads a quartet at The Dark Room, and guitarist Dave Black and singer Tony Vivano will perform at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, August 11
The second annual "Louis Armstrong Festival of St. Louis" will be presented for the first of two nights at the Webster Groves Concert Hall, featuring music associated with Armstrong performed by a band featuring trumpeters Randy Holmes and Robert Souza, trombonist Brett Stamps, clarinetist Scott Alberici, pianist Mary Ann Schulte, drummer Kevin Gianino, bassist Bob Lowe and guitarist/banjoist Dan Stevens. 

You can see StLJN's video tribute to the 116th anniversary of Armstrong's birth in this post from last Saturday.  

Also on Friday, guitarist Eric Slaughter and bassist Glen Smith will duet at Parkside Grille in Ballwin, and the Ambassadors of Swing will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, August 12 
Guitarist Stuart Johnson will play a matinee show at The Shaved Duck, and then on Saturday evening, Dizzy Atmosphere will perform for the "Garden of Glass" event at Missouri Botanical Garden, singer Joe Mancuso returns to Bartolino's South and trumpeter Jim Manley is back at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, August 13
Miss Jubilee returns for the weekly jazz brunch at Evangeline's, Red Lehr and the Rivermen will play a matinee for the St. Louis Jazz Club at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westport, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham will perform at Mount Pleasant Winery.

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: Big Sam's Funky Nation, Louis Armstrong Festival, and more

This weekend's calendar of jazz and creative music in St. Louis has a bit of a New Orleans flavor, with two of that city's favorite working bands playing gigs here, plus two nights of a locally produced tribute to one of the essential New Orleans musicians, Louis Armstrong.

Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, August 11
Big Sam's Funky Nation (pictured) returns to St. Louis to perform at the Broadway Oyster Bar. Led by trombonist and singer "Big Sam" Williams, they recently were named “Best Band In New Orleans” by the local magazine Where Y’At in the publication's 19th annual writer’s poll. You can check out some of their insistent grooves on video in this post from a couple of Saturday ago.

Also on Thursday, drummer Kevin Bowers and friends will present a show celebrating the release of his new album Nova at Off Broadway; Dizzy Atmosphere plays swing and Gypsy jazz at Missouri Botanical Garden; and the Liberation Organ Trio performs at Evangeline's.

Friday, August 12
The Louis Armstrong Festival at the Ozark Theatre in Webster Groves will feature two nights of music associated with the legendary trumpeter and singer, performed by a band led by trumpet player Randy Holmes and including trombonist Brett Stamps, clarinetist Scott Alberici, and various special guests.

In case you need a reminder of his greatness, you can see some videos of Armstrong, including recently discovered footage that's the only filmed record of one of his recording sessions, in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, New Orleans' John "Papa" Gros, former frontman of the band Papa Grows Funk, will be in town to play at the Broadway Oyster Bar; and the Funky Butt Brass Band, with help from the St. Louis Burlesque All-Stars, will present a show they're calling "Shake Your Tailfeather: Babes and Brass Salute the Blues Brothers" will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. (Update, 10:00 p.m. 8/11/16: It has been brought to StLJN's attention that the Blues Brothers and burlesque angles apparently were ditched sometime between the original announcement of JSL's summer season and now, and this weekend's performances now are being billed as "Backyard BBQ with Funky Butt & Friends".)

Elsewhere around town, singer Tony Viviano will serenade diners at Fortel's in Creve Coeur, and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, August 13
Guitarist Todd Mosby plays acoustic at The Dark Room; trumpeter Danny Campbell and his Jazz Collective perform at  Troy's Jazz Gallery; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe; and singer David Giuntoli will perform his cabaret show "Sinatra...The Man and His Music" at The Emerald Room at The Monocle.

Sunday, August 14
Singer Joe Mancuso will lead a quartet in a matinee performance at Peno in Clayton, and guitarists Tommy Halloran and Joe Park will duet at Tamm Avenue Grill.

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: Happy birthday, Louis Armstrong!

Today, let's take a look at some vintage videos featuring trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong, who's back in the StLJN spotlight this week for two reasons.

First, as you may already know, this past Thursday, August 4 was the 115th anniversary of Armstrong's birth. It's true that during his lifetime, he claimed to have been born on July 4, 1900, but years after after his death, researchers uncovered information showing that Armstrong's true date of birth was in fact August 4, 1901. As a result, fans now celebrate on both days.

Second, and of more local relevance, there's an Armstrong-related event coming up soon right here in town, as a band led by trumpeter Randy Holmes will be presenting "The Louis Armstrong Festival of St. Louis" next Friday, August 12 and Saturday, August 13 at the Ozark Theatre. Holmes will be joined by Brett Stamps (trombone), Scott Alberici (clarinet), Mary Ann Schulte (piano), Kevin Gianino (drums) and Bob Lowe (bass) plus special guests for two nights performing music associated with Armstrong.

Since various Armstrong videos already have been spotlighted in this space a couple of times before, in 2012 and 2014, and as the custom here at StLJN is is to try not to recycle the same clips, today's post is focused on material featuring the trumpeter that's come online in just the last couple of years.

The most newsworthy example of that would be the only known film of Armstrong in a recording studio, a clip from 1959 that was re-discovered and made available this spring by the Louis Armstrong House Museum, the official repository of the trumpeter's archives and keepers of his legacy.

Shot while Armstrong was recording the album Satchmo Plays King Oliver, the video shows him and the band recording the master take of "I Ain't Got Nobody," plus silent footage of them listening to the playback. You can see that clip up in the embedded player up above.

After the jump, there are a couple of complete Armstrong performances recorded in 1962. The first was made as an episode of "Goodyear Jazz Concert," a series of short films for television produced by the Goodyear tire company. Originally shot on 35mm film and recorded in stereo, it offers a more high fidelity look and sound than a lot of the available video of Armstrong.

Below that, you can see Armstrong's complete set from a show in May, 1962 in Stockholm, Sweden. Both of these performances feature the same band, and the Goodyear show offers what's basically a subset of the songs from the Stockholm performance, which makes for some compare-and-contrast opportunities. For the record, the group includes Armstrong, trombonist Trummy Young, clarinetist Joe Darensbourg, pianist Billy Kyle, bassist Bill Cronk, drummer Danny Barcelona, and singer Jewel Brown, with Swedish vocalist Monica Zetterlund making a guest appearance during the Stockholm performance.

Finally, there are three songs taken from Armstrong's performance at the 1970 Newport Jazz Festival, which prominently featured a tribute to him in honor of (what then was thought to be) his 70th birthday. First is "Pennies From Heaven," followed by Armstrong's take on Fats Domino's "Blueberry Hill," and a version of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" featuring a guest appearance by the legendary gospel singer Mahalia Jackson.

For more about Louis Armstrong, check out the Louis Armstrong House Museum official site, Armstrong's page at RedHotJazz.com and the tribute site Satchmo.net. For an historic appreciation of his musical and cultural significance, there's also "The Artistry of 'Pops': Louis Armstrong at 100", a presentation put together back in 200 by the Center for Jazz Studies at Columbia University that features trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and critic Stanley Crouch.

Jazz this week: The return of Rene Marie, Gaslight Cabaret Festival, and more

This week's lineup of jazz and creative music performances in St. Louis puts the spotlight on vocalists, starting with an internationally known singer once signed to a local label, and continuing with the latest set of shows featuring performers from the thriving local cabaret scene.

Mix in some improvised music with a side order of poetry, and various instrumental performances in a variety of styles, and there should be something to entice just about any jazz listener. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday March 4
Tonight, singer Rene Marie (pictured, above left) returns to St. Louis for the first time since the mid-2000s to begin a four-night engagement at Jazz at the Bistro.

Marie was one of the first artists signed to the St. Louis based MAXJAZZ label back in 1999, and cut six albums for them over the next five years while also performing here a number of times. More recently, she put out a couple of albums on her own, and then signed with Motema, which last year issued her most recent recording project, a tribute to Eartha Kitt. For more about that, see this Saturday video post from a couple of weeks ago.  

Also tonight, singer Eve Seltzer returns to Evangeline's; and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and his trio continue their weekly gig at the The Dark Room in Grand Center.

Thursday March 5
Pianist Greg Mills' project The Perihelion Ensemble, with saxophonist Dave Stone, percussionist Henry Claude, cellist Tracy Andreotti, Ajay Khanna on electronics, and recently named St. Louis poet laureate Michael Castro, will perform at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Also on Thursday, clarinetist Scott Alberici, guitarist Steve Schenkel and bassist Ric Vice will team up to play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes at Washington University; and singer Feyza Eren (pictured, center left) and a band featuring drummer Steve Davis and pianist Scott Sheperd will perform Sheperd's original material in "Colored Sky - An Evening of St. Louis Jazz," a benefit for the Diversity Awareness Partnership at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Friday, March 6
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival's first weekend of the spring begins with singer and pianist Neal Richardson performing his show "Pennies From Heaven," with a guest appearance from singer Ben Nordstrom, at the Gaslight Theater.

Elsewhere that evening, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to Highway 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen; the Original Knights of Swing will play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom.; and keyboardists Ptah Williams and Matt Villinger will join forces at Thurman Grill.

Saturday, March 7
Pianist Carolbeth True (pictured, below left) and Two Times True will be doing a free early evening performance in the St. Louis Art Museum's Sculpture Hall as part of SLAM's annual "Art In Bloom" event.

Also on Saturday, the husband-and-wife team of pianist Joe Dreyer and singer Rosemary Watts will present their show "Transitions" at the Gaslight Theater; trumpeter Jim Manley, singer Charlie B. and friends will perform at Nathalie's; and singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will be doing their duo thing for the diners and drinkers at  Element STL.


Sunday, March 8
The late winter/early spring edition of the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show takes place at the American Czech Hall, 4690 Lansdowne (at Kingshighway) on the south side.

Monday, March 9
Trumpeter Keith Moyer and his group will be back 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.)

John Abercrombie, Eric Person to headline winter/spring Jazz at Holmes schedule

The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University has announced its schedule of free concerts for the winter/spring semester of 2015, and along with the usual sampling of local working musicians, the roster features two particularly noteworthy shows from visiting headliners.

Saxophonist Eric Person, a St. Louis native now living in Brooklyn whose credits include work with McCoy Tyner, Chico Hamilton and the World Saxophone Quartet, will lead his trio in a Jazz at Holmes performance on Thursday, April 2. Person (pictured, top left) has released nine albums as a bandleader, the most recent being the Kickstarter-fueled 2012 big band release Thoughts on God, and last gigged here in his hometown back in 2010.

The following week, guitarist John Abercrombie (pictured, bottom left), who has collaborated with jazz luminaries such as Jack DeJohnette, Charles Lloyd, and Dave Holland, will lead a quartet in a concert on Tuesday, April 7. Abercrombie's most recent release as a leader is 39 Steps, a quartet date with pianist Marc Copland, bassist Drew Gress, and drummer Joey Baron that came out in 2013 on the ECM label.

Update, 1/20/15: Unlike most Jazz at Holmes shows, there will be an admission charge for the John Abercrombie concert. Though the exact price is yet to be determined, Bill Lenihan, guitarist and Wash U faculty member who curates the Jazz at Holmes series, tells StLJN that it likely will be along the lines of $10 for students with ID, $20 for the general public. More details on that when we get 'em.

Also, the schedule posted below now lists different dates for three of the concerts than were published here originally, reflecting an updated version of the semester schedule that was posted to the Jazz at Holmes Facebook page on Friday, January 17.

Here's the complete schedule* for the semester:

Thursday, January 22: Eric Warren
Thursday, January 29: Ptah Williams

Thursday, February 5: Chris Burchett
Thursday, February 12: Tim Fischer
Thursday, February 19: Kristian Baarsvik 
Thursday, February 26: Kara Baldus, William Lenihan, and Steve Davis

Thursday, March 5: Scott Alberici, Steve Schenkel & Ric Vice
Thursday, March 19: Carolbeth True and Two Times True
Thursday, March 26: The Poor People of Paris

Thursday, April 2: Eric Person Trio
Tuesday, April 7: John Abercrombie Quartet
Thursday, April 9: Wash U jazz performance program students

Presented most Thursday evenings when school is in session, the Jazz at Holmes concerts are free and open to the public. Concerts begin at 8:00 p.m. in Holmes Lounge, Ridgley Hall, located on Washington University’s campus at the west end of the Brookings Quadrangle, near the intersection of Brookings and Hoyt drives.

* Schedule revised as of 1/17/15

Jazz this week: Dr. Lonnie Smith and more

After a couple of very busy weeks, things look a bit slower this weekend for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with just one well-known touring jazz musician passing through town.

All the more reason, then, to go check out the veteran organist Dr. Lonnie Smith (pictured) who's back with his trio for a four-night engagement that opens tonight and continues through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. For more on the good Doctor, please see last Saturday's video showcase post and/or read this interview that Smith did a few years ago with journalist Ted Panken for Down Beat.

On Thursday, clarinetist Scott Alberici is a late substitution as the performer for this week's free concert in the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, as the previously scheduled artist, guitarist Scott Jones, is unable to appear. Alberici will be aided and abetted by bassist Ric Vice, pianist Kim Portnoy, and drummer Marty Morrison. Also on Thursday, the Dixie Dudes will play traditional New Orleans favorites in an early-evening, no-cover-charge show at Jazz On Broadway in Alton.

On Friday, singer Cheryl Brown and keyboardist Tony Simmons will be at Robbie's House of Jazz; and trombonist/vocalist Doug Burns will lead a quartet with drummer Paul Shaw, guitarist Tom Byrne and bassist Willem von Hombracht at Cigar Inn.

Then on Saturday, the Funky Butt Brass Band will do a matinee at Blues City Deli and an evening performance at Broadway Oyster Bar; Jazz On Broadway will present saxophonist Michael Fitzgerald; and Robbie's will feature keyboardist Eddie Brown and Elements.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday saxophonist Willie Akins will perform at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium; and Byrne's Pat Metheny-inspired project Have You Heard? will be at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups. Then on Tuesday, there's more guitar at BB's, as Dave Black and Friends take the stage.

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

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

(Edited after posting to add Saturday's shows by Funky Butt Brass Band.)

Jazz this week: Jeremy Davenport, a tribute to Dinah Washington, and more

Many of St. Louis' larger jazz presenters routinely avoid scheduling shows on holidays like Christmas, New year's and Independence Day, and since Labor Day is another weekend that falls into the same category, jazz activity in town will be relatively sparse over the next several days. Jazz at the Bistro and Robbie's House of Jazz are both closed for the holiday weekend, and other fall concert series won't get underway until later in the month.

As a result, the best-known jazz performer to play here in the next few days won't even get to St. Louis until after Labor Day. That would be trumpeter, singer and U. City native Jeremy Davenport (pictured) who's returning home from New Orleans to headline a free Twilight Tuesdays show next Tuesday outside the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. Davenport remains a local favorite and, barring bad weather, should draw a good crowd, so get there early for the best seats.

However, while touring activity may be at a minimum, our town's local musicians are, as usual, working hard this Labor Day weekend. Tonight, singer Erin Bode plays the Tenderloin Room in the Chase Park Plaza hotel, and trumpeter Keith Moyer and his quartet perform an early-evening session at the downtown nightspot Lola.

On Friday, saxophonist Dave Stone will do his weekly gig at Mangia Italiano, and on Saturday afternoon, the Nu-Art Series presents Nikki Washington singing the music of Dinah Washington at the Metropolitan Gallery downtown helping to kick off the gallery's month-long exhibit of paintings by Cbabi Bayoc.

Also on Saturday afternoon, vibist and trumpeter Joe Bozzi leads his band Night Flight in a matinee at the Sands, while saxophonist Willie Akins plays his weekly show at Spruill's.

On Sunday, pianist Bob Row's group with clarinetist Scott Alberici does a matinee at the the Sands, and that evening, guitarist Teddy Presberg plays at Riddle's. And on Monday, bassist David Certain and his group CertainBeat WorldBop will take the stage at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

For more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, 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: Scott Alberici & Reggie Thomas, St. Louis Jazz Club picnic, Big Muddy Blues Festival, and more

It looks like we'll have some good weather in St. Louis leading up to and during the Labor Day weekend, and there are plenty of opportunities to get out and hear live jazz, both indoors and outdoors, over the next few days. Here's a look at some highlights in chronological order:

Tonight, the City of St. Louis' O'Fallon Park concert series wraps up with a free performance by singer Denise Thimes.

On Friday and Saturday, clarinetist Scott Alberici (pictured) leads a band including pianist Reggie Thomas for a two-night stand that kicks off the fall season at Jazz at the Bistro. Alberici is an accomplished technician who can play traditional jazz very effectively, but generally takes a slightly more modern. swing-to-bop approach, while Thomas is one of the city's finest pianists. The pairing should make for some good solid mainstream jazz.

Though it's not a jazz event per se, the annual Big Muddy Blues Festival, a free event held this Saturday and Sunday on Laclede's Landing, will include a taste of jazz. In addition to the lineup of local blues bands and touring performers such as Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Joe Louis Walker and Kenny Neal, there will be a set at 1:00 p.m. Saturday from a group of local musicians billed as the St. Louis Jazz Coalition, which includes Dawn Weber (trumpet), Jim Stevens (alto sax). Charles Brown (piano), Mark Youngbauer (guitar), Andy Hainz (bass) and Grover Stewart (drums).

(Yr. humble StLJN editor also will be there at the Big Muddy, playing keyboards with the Oliver Sain Revue as we revive a number of Sain's funk/jazz/instrumental R&B compositions for a set on Sunday night.) For the complete schedule, check the festival's site linked above.

On Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents its annual picnic at the Concord Farmer's Club in South County. Featured performers at this year's event will be the St. Louis Stompers, the Jazz Club All-Stars and The St. Louis Banjo Club.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Tuesday the Jazz St. Louis CD Listening Club has its first meeting of the season at Borders in Brentwood. The featured CD this month is Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus, with a discussion led by JSL executive director Gene Dobbs Bradford and celebrity guest Glenn Zimmermann, meteorologist for local Fox affiliate KTVI (Channel 2).

For more jazz and creative music events this weekend and beyond, check the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, available for viewing on the left sidebar or by clicking here.

(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 at Holmes series sets schedule for Fall 2009

The Jazz at Holmes series of free Thursday night concerts at Washington University in St. Louis has announced its schedule for Fall 2009.

The series kicks off with what seem like a couple of odd musical choices: a jazz tribute to Woodstock, led by guitarist and Wash U director of jazz performance William Lenihan and held outside on Brookings Quadrangle on Thursday, September 10; and the rock/funk/hip-hop band Fresh Heir on Thursday, September 17.

Regarding the former, the news release announcing the series' Fall schedule quotes Lenihan as saying, "The connections between rock music and jazz of the era of Woodstock are many, and not just that which the sonic possibilities of electric and electronic musical instruments brought to the stage. Breaking stylistic boundaries, creating new expressions and symbols of musical thought, whether through Coltrane, Hendrix or Dylan, American popular music had freed itself from its commercial limitations, with audiences fully participating in it's creation. Jazz at Holmes Series is celebrating the music in this spirit of performance."

Color me puzzled. While there's really no disputing the points about the music of the 1960s extending sonic possibilities and going beyond commercial limitations, this statement doesn't really make a connection between Woodstock and jazz, nor does it attempt to describe what the music that's going to be played that night will sound like...so at this point, your guess is as good as mine.

As for Fresh Heir, an energetic young group that mixes 1970s-style funk and contemporary hip-hop, their music doesn't seem to contain much of a jazz influence beyond the occasional background riff played by trumpet and tenor sax. While they may be popular with college students, and for all I know they're probably a nice bunch of fellas, to these ears they seem out of place on the Jazz at Holmes series. (That said, if someone can point me to some examples of their music that shows more of a jazz influence than the selections on their MySpace page, I'd be glad to take a listen...)

Here's the complete Jazz at Holmes Fall 2009 schedule:

Thursday, September 10: William Lenihan leads a tribute to Woodstock's 40th anniversary. (Concert to be held outdoors on Brookings Quadrangle.)

Thursday, September 17: Fresh Heir

Thursday, September 24: Utter Chaos performs music of Gerry Mulligan

Thursday, October 1: Clarinetist Scott Alberici plays music of the swing era

Thursday, October 8: William Lenihan leads a Miles Davis tribute recreating music from Birth of the Cool

Thursday, October 22: Trumpeter Danny Campbell and drummer Maurice Carnes

Thursday, October 29: Ptah Williams

Thursday, November 5: Willie Akins Quartet

Thursday, November 12: William Lenihan leads a Miles Davis tribute featuring "Petit Machins" and selections from In a Silent Way

Thursday, December 3: Drummer Steve Davis, Willian Lenihan and friends

Note that with the concert featuring Davis (pictured), the Jazz at Holmes series continues its recent practice of booking at least one touring musician each semester. Davis is the author of six books about playing drums; has performed and recorded with musicians including Bill Evans, Lynne Arriale, Benny Golson, Richie Beirach and John Pattitucci; and served as visiting professor of jazz studies at the Berlin Conservatory of Music. He'll play with a group of St. Louis musicians led by Lenihan, who, with major roles in four of the semester's concerts, will once again be a frequent presence on stage in the series as well as an important one behind the scenes.

All Jazz at Holmes concerts are free and open to the public. Holmes Lounge is located in Ridgley Hall, on the west side of Brookings Quadrangle near the intersection of Brookings and Hoyt drives. For further information, call Sue Taylor at 314-862-0874 or email staylor@wustl.edu.

Jazz this week: Lea DeLaria, Musica Slesa, KMOX Jazz & Wine Festival, Scott Alberici, and more

It looks like the weather in St. Louis will be going directly from "soaked" to "sizzling" this weekend, but fortunately, there's jazz and creative music all around town (including several free concerts) to provide diversion from the onset of another steamy summer in the Gateway City.

Here's a brief look at what's going on over the next few days:

Tonight, clarinetist Scott Alberici plays a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. With any luck, the rain that has plagued the event for the past couple of weeks will stay away tonight, but if the skies look threatening, you can check the Garden's Web site or tune into WSIE (FM 88.7) for an update.

On Thursday, pianist and singer Curt Landes performs a free show for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and singer Erin Bode is doing a free concert outdoors at Bluebird Park in Ellisville.

Then on Friday, Latin/jazz group Musica Slesa (pictured at top left) returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first evening of a two-night stand, while guitarist Matthew Von Doran will bring some jazz out to St. Charles county with a show in the performance space at Mozingo Music in O'Fallon. Also on Friday, the St. Louis Jazz Cafe has guitarist Gregg Haynes, while Brandt's will feature singer Kim Massie.

Saturday afternoon brings the KMOX Jazz and Wine Festival to the grounds of the historic Cabanne House in Forest Park (at the corner of Lindell and Union). This year's lineup featuring Erin Bode, Kim Massie, the Original Knights of Swing big band, and saxophonist Tim Cunningham. (Note that, contrary to what some folks searching online seem to be thinking, this is not a free event; tickets are $10 in advance, with a $3 surcharge for online purchases, or $15 at the gate.)

Also on Saturday, singer, actress, comic and Belleville, Illinois native Lea DeLaria (pictured at right) performs a free concert as part of Metro East Pride Festival in downtown Belleville; saxophonist Rod Tate is at the St. Louis Jazz Cafe; and the Joe Pastor Jazz Trinity plays at Brandt's.

As always, this summary only covers some of the notable performances happening over the next few days; for more listings of jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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.)

Missouri Botanical Garden announces 2009 Whitaker Music Festival lineup

The Missouri Botanical Garden has announced the 2009 lineup of free concerts for the annual Whitaker Music Festival, which this year will take place on ten consecutive Wednesdays starting June 3 and ending August 5.

As is customary, the 2009 schedule includes a number of artists of interest to jazz enthusiasts, but unlike some past years, those shows are spread throughout the schedule instead of all taking place during June.

Pianist Peter Martin (pictured), a St. Louis native known internationally for his work with singer Dianne Reeves, trumpeter Chris Botti and others, will open the 2009 series on Wednesday, June 3. On June 10, the St. Louis Stompers will perform traditional New Orleans style jazz, followed on June 17 by clarinetist Scott Alberici, whose skills range from swing to bop to modern jazz. Then on June 24, guitarist Todd Mosby and his group will present their fusion of jazz, rock, classical and Indian styles.

Next up, it's the string-band swing and Gypsy jazz of Dizzy Atmosphere on July 1, then jazz/R&B keyboardist Tony Simmons on July 8, and the 1960s-flavored folk-rock of Rogers, Nienhaus and Crawford on July 15.

Jazz/Latin/world music band Farshid Etniko will take the stage on July 22, followed by pop crooner Ralph Butler on July 29, and singer/pianist Anita Rosamond, making up a 2008 date that was rained out, wrapping up the series on August 5.

The concerts are held outdoors on the lawn of the Garden's Cohen Amphitheater, just west of the Climatron, and concertgoers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets. Admission to the Garden is free after 5:00 p.m. on concert nights, with music beginning at 7:30 p.m. Free parking is available on site and at lots two blocks west at the corner of Shaw and Vandeventer. For more information, visit the Garden's Web site or call the recorded hotline at 314-577-9400. In the event of inclement weather, tune in to WSIE (88.7 FM) for updates.

(Edited 3/1/09 to fix a typo.)

Jazz this week: The Cunninghams, Tony DeSare, "BAG and Beyond," and more

It's a week of homecomings for St. Louis jazz, as performers from both the Gaslight Square era of the early 1960s and the experimental period of the late 1960s return to local venues.

The Gaslight Square veteran is singer/percussionist/multi-instrumentalist Don Cunningham, who now lives in Las Vegas and works with his wife Alicia, a singer and pianist, as The Cunninghams. They'll be at the Sheldon Concert Hall this evening with an act that's a mix of cleverly arranged jazz vocals, straightahead swing, Latin jazz, lounge music and exotica, honed by many years touring the United States and Asia as headliners and as featured performers with the Count Basie Orchestra. I wrote more about The Cunninghams when they were in town in July 2007, and you can read those posts here and here.

Also returning to St. Louis this weekend are saxophonist Oliver Lake, trumpeter Rasul Siddik and other members of the original Black Artists Group, the musicians and artists collective that flourished here briefly in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Lake, Siddik, and many other former BAG members will be at the Metropolitan Gallery downtown this weekend in conjunction with a three-day series of events dubbed "BAG and Beyond."

It starts with a reception on Friday evening for an exhibit by artist Oliver Jackson, another co-founder of the multi-disciplinary arts collective. Saturday's concert will showcase Siddik, performing with pianist Katy Roberts, plus a group led by saxophonist Freddie Washington and featuring young trumpeter Marlon Bonds, plus additional musical, poetry and spoken word performances. On Sunday, Lake will perform on a bill that also includes his fellow World Saxophone Quartet member and BAG co-founder, baritone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett (who still lives nearby in Brooklyn, IL), poet Quincy Troupe and others. For more on the "BAG and Beyond" weekend, see the posts here, here and here. (As an aside, this week's edition of the St. Louis American features some previously unpublished poetry by Troupe and other BAG associated writers; read their work online here.)

Elsewhere in town, clarinetist Scott Alberici will give a free concert tonight to kick off the fall 2008 Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. Alberici probably is the preeminent local player on his instrument, with great technical facility and a pleasing tone, and his incorporation of modern influences - to these ears, similar in some ways to the approach of Eddie Daniels - allows him to demonstrate respect for the long history of the clarinet in jazz without being completely hemmed in by traditional conceptions.

Last but not least, singer/pianist Tony DeSare (pictured) has returned for another stint at Jazz at the Bistro, where he'll perform through Saturday night. (DeSare's not from St. Louis, but given that this is his fourth trip here in the last three years, he's probably starting to feel somewhat at home.) If you're a fan of vintage Frank Sinatra or and/or Harry Connick Jr., chances are you'll enjoy DeSare, who's a highly skilled piano player as well as a personable entertainer. You can see a couple of videos of DeSare in action here.

These performances are just some of the week's highlights, so to see listings of more jazz-related events in and around St. Louis this weekend and beyond, please visit the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

(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 at Holmes Fall 2008 schedule includes concert by Dave Liebman

The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University has announced its lineup of free concerts for Fall 2008, and, given that the series presents mostly local talent along with the occasional up-and-coming touring performer, they've snagged a relatively big name for this fall in the person of saxophonist Dave Liebman (pictured), who will perform on Thursday, November 13.

Liebman is nationally and internationally known as a saxophonist and composer, leading his own bands and playing with the group Saxophone Summit and with many jazz greats including Miles Davis, Chick Corea and Elvin Jones.

Other concerts in the Jazz at Holmes series, which begins next Thursday, September 11 with a performance by clarinetist Scott Alberici and his quartet, will feature St. Louis mainstays such as saxophonists Willie Akins and Dave Stone, pianists Carolbeth True and Ptah Williams, and guitarists William Lenihan and Steve Schenkel. Less familiar performers on the schedule include Austrian pianist Elizabeth Harnick and something called the FO[U]R PEACE BAND (neither of whom seem to have much of an Internet presence).

Here's the full Jazz at Holmes series schedule for Fall 2008:

Thursday, September 11: Scott Alberici Quartet

Thursday, September 18: Willie Akins Quartet

Thursday, September 25: Two Times True with pianist Carolbeth True and drummer David True

Thursday, October 9: Paul DeMarinis with vocalist Debby Lennon

Thursday, October 23: Dave Stone with pianist Adam Maness

Thursday, October 30: William Lenihan and Ptah Williams perform music from Miles Davis' Bitches Brew

Thursday, November 6: Elizabeth Harnick Trio

Thursday, November 13: Dave Liebman Quartet

Thursday, November 20: FO[U]R PEACE BAND

Thursday, December 4: Steve Schenkel with vocalist Ashley Mason

All concerts take place from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. in Holmes Lounge, and are free and open to the public. Holmes Lounge is located in Ridgley Hall,on the west side of Brookings Quadrangle, near the intersection of Brookings and Hoyt drives.

For more information about the Jazz at Holmes series, you can call (314) 862-0874 or email staylor@wustl.edu. To receive email notices about future events, send an email to tvs2@wustl.edu.

Jazz this week: Trio Tres Bien at the Garden, a Jimmy Smith tribute, Scott Alberici with Herb Drury, "Neo-Jazz" and more

Alas, Blogger is being extremely uncooperative today, so before my computer is reduced to a smoking ruin, or something even worse happens, let's get right to this week's jazz highlights in St. Louis:

Tonight, longtime St. Louis favorites Trio Trés Bien (pictured) will perform in a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. No official word if frequent guest vocalist Danita Mumphard, who's the daughter of TTB bassist Harold Thompson, also will be performing, but if so, it's the icing on the cake.

On Thursday, saxophonist David Fatek brings his quartet to Finale Music and Dining for "Back At The Chicken Shack: A Tribute to Jimmy Smith and Stanley Turrentine," which will also feature organist Tony DiPasquale. Though I'm not familiar with Fatek's work, I like the concept and I'm glad Finale booked this show, because St. Louis doesn't have much in the way of indigenous jazz organ groups these days.

On Friday, the Mildred E. Bastian Performing Arts Center at St. Louis Community College-Forest Park will host the "Budweiser Neo-Jazz Fest," a smooth jazz package show featuring vocalists Eric Roberson and Maysa, keyboard player Bob Baldwin and saxophonist Marion Meadows. Tickets are available via Metrotix.

On Friday and Saturday, Jazz at the Bistro continues its summer season with a two-night stand by the Scott Alberici Quartet. The clarinetist's group for this gig will include veteran pianist Herb Drury, a onetime mainstay of the local scene who doesn't perform in public much anymore, so that alone makes it something of a special occasion.

There's more, but I think we've tempted fate and Blogger enough for one day, so please go to the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar for a more extensive listing of local jazz-related events.

(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. No attachments, please.)

Terrene now featuring jazz on Sundays

The Central West End restaurant Terrene, 33 N. Sarah, has begun a new music policy, featuring live jazz outdoors on what it calls "the CWE's largest private patio" from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Sunday evening in May.

This Sunday, May 6, singer Al Ovenhandler (aka "Al Ox") will perform with pianist Curt Landes and guitarist Vince Martin. On Sunday, May 13, guitarist Todd Mosby will play, followed by clarinetist Scott Alberici on May 20 and singer Debby Lennon on May 27.