StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Fall 2018 jazz preview, part four

Here's part four of StLJN's Fall 2018 jazz preview, featuring videos of the jazz and creative music performers who will be visiting here in the next several months. You can see part 1 of the preview here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

Continuing this week in chronological order from where last week's post left off, first up is singer and actress Faith Prince, who will be performing as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival on Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27 at the Gaslight Theater. In the video up above, Prince is seen singing "Suddenly Seymour" from the musical Little Shop of Horrors.

After the jump, you can see a video of singer, songwriter and pianist Jimmy Webb, who will follow Price at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival with performances on Sunday, October 28 (already sold out) and Monday, October 29 at the Gaslight Theater. The clip features Webb doing his song "If These Walls Could Speak" in 2016 at a soundcheck for a gig in the UK.

Next is pianist David Thomas Roberts, who will perform in a concert presented by the Friends of Scott Joplin on Sunday, October 28 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. Roberts can be seen in the video premiering a new composition called "Victorian Gardens" at the 2017 West Coast Ragtime Festival in Rancho Cordova, CA.

That same week, vibraphonist Stefon Harris and his band Blackout will be in town to play starting Wednesday, October 31 through Sunday, November 4 at Jazz St. Louis. The next video is an episode of the online program "The Pace Report," recorded in January 2018 and featuring an interview with Harris plus some short musical excerpts.

Also that same week, singer Carrie St. Louis will perform on Friday, November 2 and Saturday, November 3 at the Gaslight Theater. She's seen in today's fifth clip singing three songs from roles on her "Broadway bucket list": Clara in The Light in the Pizza, Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, and Fantine in Les Miserables.

After that, it's singer and trumpeter Lonnie McFadden, who will perform for one night only on Thursday, November 8 at the Gaslight Theater. Today's sixth video shows an excerpt from a performance by the Kansas City native last October at The Phoenix piano bar in his home town.


The next-to-last clip shows composer and instrument builder Ellen Fullman performing on her custom-built Long String Instrument (LSI)  in 2016 at a concert in Paris, France. Fullman and the LSI will be here in St. Louis for a performance presented by New Music Circle on Friday, November 9 at 560 Music Center.

The final video features funk and fusion band Tauk, who will be back in town to perform on Tuesday, November 13 at the Old Rock House. The video shows a full set of the band, recorded in April 2018 at the Woodlands Tavern in Columbus, OH.

Look for part five of StLJN's Fall 2018 jazz preview next week in this space. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

Jazz this week: Kneebody, a tribute to Scott Joplin, "Sculptures in Sound," and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis offers a century-spanning variety of sounds, ranging from a tribute to legendary composer who helped lay the foundation for jazz to a group offering their own contemporary version of a musical melting pot.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, March 29
The eclectic electro-acoustic fusion quintet Kneebody performs for the first of four nights continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

The group (pictured, top left) is touring in support of their latest recording Anti-Hero, their eighth studio album, released earlier this month. For more about Kneebody, plus videos featuring performances of some of the music from Anti-Hero, see this post from Saturday before last.

Elsewhere in Grand Center, the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" proceeds with guitarist/singer Tommy Halloran at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe, Farshid Etniko at the Curtain Call Lounge, the jam session with bassist  Bob Deboo and friends at the Kranzberg Arts Center and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly jam session with pianist Curt Landes, bassist Glen Smith and drummer Chuck Kennedy continues at @Nesby's in South County.

Thursday, March 30
The Jazz at Holmes series presents a free concert by students from Washington University's jazz studies program; the Schlafly Tap Room hosts the March edition of the Bruxism experimental music series, this month featuring music from Ice, Catholic Guilt, and Beauty Pageant; and pianist Adam Maness' trio plays at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, March 31
Trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar, and singer Tony Viviano will perform at @Nesby's.

Saturday, April 1
Paying tribute on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of Joplin's death, the Friends of Scott Joplin will present "Scott Joplin: A Centennial Reflection" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

The event will feature music by pianist John Reed-Torres (pictured, bottom left), members of the Confluence Chamber Orchestra, and vocalists from the University of Missouri St Louis, plus  speakers from UMSL's history department.

Saturday night, the St. Louis Artists' Guild's "Sculptures in Sound" series resumes with a concert from trumpeter Keith Moyer's quintet.

Sunday, April 2
The Friends of Scott Joplin continue their observance of the centennial of Joplin's death with their monthly "Ragtime Rendezvous" at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, and the Jazz Troubadours will perform and host a jam session at Evangeline's.

Monday, April 3
Student from the jazz program at Webster University will present a free concert at Webster's Community Music School.

Tuesday, April 4
Singer Kim Fuller performs "A Tribute to Nancy Wilson" in the first of two late-morning "Coffee Concerts" - there's a second show on Wednesday morning - 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.)

East Coast, West Coast ragtime pianists to meet in concert on Saturday, October 24

Ragtime pianists from the East Coast and West Coast will meet in the Midwest when the Friends of Scott Joplin present Frank LiVolsi and John Reed-Torres (pictured) in a concert at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, October 24 in the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's New Rosebud Cafe.

LiVolsi, who's from Rhode Island, travels the country several times a year to play in ragtime and early jazz festivals, while Reed-Torres, a Californian, has performed extensively around the Los Angeles area, and also has visited Missouri before in 2012 and 2013 to play at the Blind Boone Festival in Columbia.

Tickets for the "East Coast Meets West Coast" concert will be $20 at the door.

Jazz this week: Terry Parrish, "A White Affair," Liberty Jazz Band, and more

It's shaping up to be an eclectic late-summer weekend of jazz and creative music in and around St. Louis, with performances in styles ranging from ragtime to swing to smooth jazz and R&B to experimental. Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, August 13
Pianist Adam Maness will play while artist Vesna Delevska paints at Lilly's Music & Social House, and bassist Willem von Hombracht will team up with saxophonist Dave Stone at Thurman Grill.

Friday, August 14
The Funky Butt Brass Band will perform at Broadway Oyster Bar, and the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom. Also on Friday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to Nathalie's, and pianist Rick Zelle will back singers Rebecca Drury, Erik Olson and Karen Zelle at Tavern of Fine Arts.

(Jazz at the Bistro, meanwhile, is on pause this weekend, as the Bistro will serve as a venue for Grand Center's "Music at the Intersection" series on Friday, and will host a third-party production - see below for more - on Saturday.)

Saturday, 
August 15
You can take your pick from three different pianists working in three very different styles, as the Friends of Scott Joplin will present Terry Parrish (pictured, top left) playing ragtime at the Scott Joplin State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe; Greg Mills will offer free improv, contemporary and experimental sounds at Tavern of Fine Arts; and Marvin F. Cockrell and Focus with special guest singer Alvin Garrett (pictured, center right) will perform smooth jazz and R&B for “A White Affair” at the Ferring Jazz Bistro.

Elsewhere around town, trumpeter Jim Manley and his All-Star Group return to Nathalie's; Wack-A-Doo plays swing and Americana at Evangeline's; and saxophonist Tim Cunningham performs at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Sunday, August 16
St. Louis Jazz Club presents Mexico, MO's Liberty Jazz Band (pictured, lower left) playing traditional jazz and swing in a matinee at the Doubletree Hotel in Westport.

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: Mary Stallings, Erin Bode, Dalton Ridenhour, and more

With Valentine's Day and the annual Mardi Gras parade falling on the same Saturday this year, there's a bountiful selection of jazz and creative music performances on tap this weekend in St. Louis. Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, February 12
Guitarist Tim Fischer will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and bassist Willem von Hombracht and saxophonist Eric Schugren will duet at Thurman Grill.

Friday, February 13
Singer Erin Bode (pictured, top left) returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights of performances, backed by an ensemble including her husband, bassist Syd Rodway, plus pianist Kara Baldus, guitarist Dave Black and drummer Mark Colenburg.

Notably absent will be multi-instrumentalist Adam Maness, a mainstay of Bode's group for a decade who in recent months has gotten increasingly busy with The 442s and other personal projects. In addition to it being Valentine's Day weekend, longtime fans of Bode no doubt will interested to hear what effects the changes to her long-running backing band will have on her sound, so reservations would seem to be a must for this one.

Elsewhere around town, Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; saxophonist Tim Cunningham will take the stage for the first of two nights at Troy's Jazz Gallery; and percussionist Herman Semidey's Orquesta Son Montuno will bring their Latin sound to Club Viva.

Saturday, February 14
This year, although the Mardi Gras parade celebration once again will feature mostly DJs and rock cover bands, organizers have thrown a bone to the musical-authenticity contingent by booking the Funky Butt Brass Band for an early afternoon outdoor set at 9th and Geyer in Soulard. Later in the day, the FBBB will head to the Old Rock House for a split-bill show with R&B group Al Holliday and the East Side Rhythm Band.

Also on Saturday, the Friends of Scott Joplin will present pianist Dalton Ridenhour (pictured, center left), fresh from this week's ragtime festival activities in Sedalia, in a performance at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Elsewhere around town that evening, singers Liz Callaway (sister of St. Louis fave Ann Hampton Callaway) and Jason Graae will present their cabaret show "Happily Ever Laughter: A Valentine's Party" at the 560 Music Center; and singer Danita Mumphard will offer her own Valentine's Day show, "Love's Taking Over," at Orlando Gardens in Maryland Heights.

Also, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes are playing for a "St. Valentine's/Mardi Gras Speakeasy Party" at singer Sarah Ulrich's South Broadway HQ, the Deco Fortress; and the Schlafly Tap Room will present a triple-bill of eclectic sounds featuring the Gypsy jazz of Dizzy Atmosphere, contemporary composition and improv from the Vernacular String Trio, and "folk opera" from May Day Orchestra. 

Sunday, February 15
St. Louis Jazz Club presents a matinee performance featuring pianist Bob Row and friends at the Sheraton Westport Hotel.

Later that afternoon, Community Women Against Hardship's annual benefit concert will feature a performance from singer Mary Stallings at Jazz at the Bistro. Stallings (pictured, lower left) made several St. Louis appearances in the early 2000s while signed to the locally based MAXJAZZ label, but hasn't performed here since 2007. For this gig, the San Francisco native will be backed by pianist David Udolf plus a local rhythm section including Jeff Anderson on bass, Jerome "Scrooge" Harris on drums, and Eric Slaughter on guitar.

Also on Sunday, BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups will feature a matinee from percussionist Joe Pastor's group, plus an early evening show in which Good 4 The Soul and saxophonist Jim Stevens will offer an encore of their tribute to the music of David Sanborn.

Monday, February 16
Trumpeter Jim Manley has added another recurring weekly gig to his schedule, playing each Monday at  Momo's Greek Restaurant in University City, while the Sessions Big Band will return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, February 17
Saxophonist Christopher Braig, bassist Willem von Hombracht, guitarist Dave Black and singer Joe Mancuso will offer a "Tribute to John Coltrane" at the Tavern of Fine Arts; and the Fat Tuesday parade celebration wraps up with the Funky Butt Brass Band and zydeco ensemble The Boudin Brothers at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

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.)

Dalton Ridenhour to perform Saturday, February 14 at Scott Joplin House

Ragtime and stride pianist Dalton Ridenhour is coming to St. Louis to perform at 6:00 p.m. Saturday, February 14 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's New Rosebud Cafe. The concert is co-sponsored by the Friends of Scott Joplin.

Ridenhour (pictured), a native of St. James, Missouri, is a graduate of Berklee College of Music and the Eastman School who first performed at the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival in Sedalia when he was just nine years old. He currently lives in New York City, where he plays with various jazz, rock and funk bands in addition to his solo piano gigs.

Tickets for Dalton Ridenhour will be $20 at the door.

Jazz this week: Rick Haydon Quartet, Terence Blanchard, ragtime at Scott Joplin's house, Oikos Ensemble, and more

If you're looking to get out hear some live jazz in St. Louis, there's there's plenty of local music on tap over the weekend, with some new weekly gigs getting underway, plus some visiting players coming to town to play free concerts next week. Let's go to the highlights:

Tonight, singer Joe Mancuso and his band begin a new weekly Thursday gig at Cafe Eau in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, and Miss Jubilee performs downtown at Thaxton Speakeasy.

On Friday, guitarist Rick Haydon will take the stage for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Haydon, who plays a seven-string guitar not unlike those used by Bucky and John Pizzarelli, is a longtime member of the jazz faculty at SIUE, and just wrapped up his first year heading the jazz studies program there. He'll be backed at the Bistro by Kara Baldus Vandiver on keyboards, Roger Guth on drums and Jim Mayer on bass.

Also Friday, the Funky Butt Brass Band is doing a free outdoor show for the annual Art & Air Festival, held on the grounds of Eden Seminary in Webster Groves; Lindy Hop St. Louis presents their monthly West End Stomp swing dance at the Mahler Ballroom, with music from The Sidemen; and the Ambassadors of Swing will play for dancers at Casa Loma Ballroom.

On Saturday, saxophonist Willie Akins and his quartet will bring Akins' long-running Saturday matinee to a new location, the Cigar Inn in Belleville. As longtime local jazz fans know, Akins played Saturdays at the now-defunct Spruill's for many years before the venue closed last year. Since then, he's tried several different venues for the gig before landing now at Cigar Inn, which is going smoke-free for Akins' performances.

Then on Saturday night, guitarist Randy Bahr and pianist Carolbeth True will duet at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes are at Thurman Grill; and singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran plays at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Sunday, singer Danita Mumphard teams up with saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and the Oikos Ensemble for another concert in the "Inner Jazz' series at Kirkwood United Church of Christ.

Also on Sunday, trumpeter Delano Redmond, who spends his work weeks directing the acclaimed jazz band program at East St. Louis High School, is stepping out front to lead a quartet in a new weekly gig at Troy's Jazz Gallery. UPDATE - 8:30 p.m., 6/6/13: A few minutes after this post went up, Redmond posted on Twitter that there's no show this week, and the new Sunday gig now will commence on June 16. More as we get it...

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band will return to BB's Jazz Blues and Soups.

Then on Tuesday, the "Election Tour for A Stranger America," a politically themed music and performance piece by Jeffrey Young and Paul Pinto, comes to the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. LNAC's Marc Sarich and the Dave Stone Trio also are on the bill; for more, see this post.

On Wednesday, the Friends of Scott Joplin and the Scott Joplin State Historic Site will present a free ragtime concert at the Joplin site, 2658 Delmar at Beaumont. The late-afternoon event will feature pianists Andrew Barrett, Max Keenlyside, John Reed-Torres, William McNally and more.

Then on Wednesday evening, trumpeter Terence Blanchard (pictured), who will be in town for the premiere next week of his opera Champion at Opera Theatre St. Louis, will play a free concert for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden. He'll follow up that up on Thursday with another free show for the Whitaker Urban Evenings series at St. Louis Place Park.

Given that local audiences have repeatedly paid good money to hear the New Orleans native perform here at the Bistro, The Sheldon and elsewhere, these two shows definitely qualify as the best deals of the week. For more about Blanchard and some samples of his music, see this post from last Saturday.

And if that weren't enough, there's also a new weekly gig happening on Wednesdays, as bassist Willem von Hombracht and his New St. Louis Jazz X-Tet will be holding forth at midweek until further notice at the aforementioned Cafe Eau at the Chase Park Plaza.

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.)

Scott Joplin House to host free ragtime concert on Wednesday, June 12

The Scott Joplin House State Historic Site and the Friends of Scott Joplin will present a free concert of ragtime music from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 12 in the New Rosebud Cafe at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site (pictured), 2658 Delmar at Beaumont.

The event will feature performers drawn from the lineups of this year's Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival, to be held June 5 - 8 in Sedalia, and the Blind Boone Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival, which will take place June 11-13 in Columbia. Featured players will include pianists Andrew Barrett, Max Keenlyside, John Reed-Torres, William McNally, and more.

In addition to the live performances, concertgoers also will get a chance to hear five new player piano rolls of tunes by Joplin, Tom Turpin, and Louis Chauvin created especially for the Scott Joplin House. A limited number of the rolls will also be available for purchase.

The concert is free and open to the public. Soft drinks and snack items will be available for sale, and according to the press release, concert goers may "feel free to bring your own as well."

Jazz this week: BAG II's farewell, Good 4 The Soul, Bhob Rainey, Randy Holmes, and more

Looking to hear some jazz or creative music amid the holiday hustle and bustle? Here's what's going on in St. Louis over the next few days:

Tonight, free-improvising saxophonist Bhob Rainey (pictured) will perform a solo concert at Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center. You can see a couple of short video samples of Rainey's playing here. (The Tuesday night jazz series at The Gramophone is on pause this week as the club hosts a private party.)

On Friday and Saturday, the band Good 4 The Soul brings their fusion of jazz, r&b, funk, soul and gospel influences to Jazz at the Bistro. Also on Friday, singer Kim Massie will be at Brandt's, and saxophonist Dave Stone and his trio play at Mangia Italiano.

On Saturday, trumpeter Randy Holmes and his trio offer a tribute to trumpeter and singer Chet Baker to wrap up the free "Birth of the Cool" concert series at the Kemper Museum on the Washington University campus, and saxophonist Willie Akins will, as far as we know, be doing his usual Saturday thing at Spruill's.

Sunday brings another free concert, as BAG II gives its farewell presentation at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site featuring music from Zimbabwe Nkenya; poetry from Shirley LeFlore, Michael Castro and others; and more. It's a shame the new incarnation of BAG is coming to an end; here's hoping that Nkenya and the others who have been involved in the organization will stay active on the local scene.

Looking beyond the weekend, singer Erin Bode and her band will appear at the restaurant Revival, 3800 Chouteau, on Tuesday night. That same evening, The Gramophone is hosting what's being billed as the "Jazz St. Louis open jam"; for the latest info, go directly to their Web site.

As for New Year's Eve activities, an initial survey of the available options here in the Gateway City suggests a meager number of choices that are of specific interest to jazz fans. As has been the case for the last several years, Jazz at the Bistro will be dark on NYE as the First Night event takes over the Grand Center neighborhood.

This year's First Night lineup (.pdf file) does have some performers of interest, including Kim Massie, the Nuclear Percussion Ensemble, Farshid Etniko, Jeanne Trevor, El Caribe Tropical, and the Urban Groove Project. However, as anyone who's been knows, the First Night experience is qualitatively quite different from going to a club, concert or hotel, and thus may not be your particular cup o' tea.

Local concert stages are, for the most part, dark as well on New Year's Eve, though The Sheldon once again will be a venue for First Night. Looking at some of the clubs around town that regularly feature jazz, it seems that Brandt's, which last NYE featured a triple bill of Trevor, "Peanuts" Whalum and Mae Wheeler, is going with rock/Latin/pop singer Javier Mendoza this year, while The Gramophone will feature funk band Hazard To Your Booty. There's still some research to do with regard to jazz-related NYE options at local hotels and restaurants, though, and so look for updated info on that in a future post.

In the meantime, you can find more jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond by visiting 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.)

BAG II to present final event next Sunday, December 28

BAG II has scheduled its final event as a presenting organization for 7:00 p.m. next Sunday, December 28 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. From the e-mail announcement:

"On Sunday, December 28th BAG II is Out! with its final presentation: an evening of performance and visual art dedicated to the memory of Vincent Terrell and Ajule “Sonny” Rutlin, original founding members of both BAG and BAG II. The presentation will highlight the spirit of Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) the third day of Kwanzaa. Paying tribute to the BAG vision will be original BAG poet Shirley LeFlore, with Michael Castro, and Marsha Cann; visual artist Seitu James Smith and musician Zimbabwe Nkenya. The event is free, 7 – 9 PM at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar Blvd...

...According to Zimbabwe Nkenya, “BAG II has had its run, but the creative spirit that has driven this work over the past two years will continue.” For more information on the December 28th event call 314-340-5790 or email bag_blackartistgroup@yahoo.com."

Jazz at the Bistro, Scott Joplin House named in article on "nine great jazz joints"

St. Louis' Jazz at the Bistro and the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site are among the music venues cited in "Nine Great Jazz Joints," an article appearing in the current issue of Budget Travel magazine and online at CNN.com. The magazine asked six musicians to name some of their favorite spots to hear jazz, and St. Louis native and multi-reedman J.D. Parran nominated the Bistro and the Joplin house.

The article also offers the recommendations of baritone saxophonist Claire Daly for NYC, bassist Ben Jaffe for New Orleans, and Chicago trombonist Steve Swell, as well as violinist Jason Huo Kwang's take on Amsterdam, Netherlands and German pianist Ursel Schlict on Cologne, Germany. Read the whole thing here.

Cooper-Moore adds second St. Louis performance

NYC-based multi-instrumentalist Cooper-Moore, already scheduled to perform on Saturday, October 25 at Joe's Cafe, has added a second show to his St. Louis sojourn.

While he's in town, Cooper-Moore also will play at 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. This concert is under the auspices of the Black Artists Group aka BAG II, and BAG II's Zimbabwe Nkenya will open the show with a solo performance of his own. For more on Cooper-Moore and the Joe's Cafe show, see this post.

BAG's Zimbabwe Nkenya performing with student musicians this Sunday, July 27

The Black Artists Group has just announced a free event this Sunday, July 27 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site. From the email notice:

"BAG Presents:

An evening of music by Zimbabwe Nkenya and local high school musicians inspired by the traditions of the original Black Artists Group (BAG). Sunday, July 27th, from 8 – 10 PM at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, 2658 Delmar Blvd. Free.

The Lemp Neighborhood Association, with support from the Regional Arts Council, offered a series of workshops this summer for high school musicians focusing on the Black Artists Group to enrich their understanding of the heritage of Jazz in St. Louis. Student participants had the opportunity to learn about the composition and performance of original creative music in the tradition of BAG. This Sunday, Zimbabwe Nkenya and the students will share music from those workshops.

The performance will feature compositions by Zimbabwe Nkenya from his CD The New Jazz (available at Vintage Vinyl and at the concert) as well as pieces dedicated to St. Louis trumpeter Bata Rutlin and saxophonist Maurice Malik King."

For more information, call the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site at 314-340-5790 or send an email to bag_blackartistgroup@yahoo.com.

BAG presenting "Sworn To the Drum" on Sunday, June 22

The Black Artists Group is presenting another free event on Sunday, June 22. From their news release:

"Join “Baba” Mike Nelson (pictured) and friends on Sunday, June 22 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for "Sworn to the Drum," a musical salute to the spirit of the drum, at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site in the Rosebud Café.

A native of St. Louis, Nelson has earned the title of “Omo Anà” or sacred drummer in a global brotherhood of musicians. “This brotherhood is national, international and world-wide. A community that we are expanding by welcoming all to come and share this music with us,” says Nelson.

“This is a musical journey of drumming using local accomplished drummers who have taken an oath to the drum. “Sworn to The Drum” means that we have dedicated our lives to the preservation and protection of drum culture. Singers, dancers and musicians will also accompany the various styles of drumming.

“Part of what we want to speak to is the fact that in the past this style of drumming was relegated only to kings and queens. We’re widening the circle to bring this to the people. Making it accessible to the people and welcoming everyone into the circle,” says Nelson.

“These drummers have dedicated their lives to teaching and the proper social context of the styles of the drumming that we will be sharing on Sunday night. We need to widen the circle, and that is what this event is all about...

...Sunday’s line-up will include Haitian, West African and Afro- Cuban drumming with a tinge of improvisational jazz. Everyone will be invited to take a journey.

“As we have been taught, we want to empower the community with the power that we have, sharing the journey,” says Nelson, “We hope to have people walk away with a new respect for traditional music. An awareness of the sacred drum tradition.”

All BAG events are free and family friendly. Everyone is welcome."

For more information, call 314-340-5790 or send an email to bag_blackartistsgroup@yahoo.com.

BAG to present "From Ragtime to No Time" this Sunday, February 24

This just in: BAG has announced a performance coming up at 7 p.m. this Sunday, February 24 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

The BAG Trio, which includes Gary Sykes on drums, Zimbabwe Nkenya on bass and Mike "Baba" Nelson on trumpet and percussion, will present "From Ragtime to No Time," a concert that "will take listeners through a musical excursion in rhythm from the Ragtime sounds that make the Scott Joplin State Historic Site famous, to the innovations of the musicians of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s who changed the way we hear and think of the creative music today."

Admission to the event is free. For more information, you can call the Scott
Joplin House at 314-340-5790.

BAG to present "One For King" on Sunday, January 20

Via email, BAG has announced that they'll present a program called "One For King" this Sunday, January 20 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe. The event is, as the name suggests, dedicated to the memory and message of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and will feature a lineup of poets, musicians and artists including Michael Castro and the BAG Trio ("Baba" Mike Nelson on trumpet and percussion, Zimbabwe Nkenya on bass and mbira, and the great Gary Sykes on drums and percussion).

The program will include several group improvisations as well as individual performances. Sykes will be featured on a solo drum composition "in remembrance of the struggle" and Nkenya will offer a piece based on "Dr. King, The Peaceful Warrior," a Cal Massey composition featured on the Archie Shepp album Things Have Got to Change. Nelson and Castro also will perform original solo pieces honoring the Rev. Dr. King.

"One For King" takes place from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and admission is free. For more information, call the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site at 314-340-5790 or send email to bag_blackartistgroup@yahoo.com.

BAG Trio to perform this Sunday, December 9

BAG II has announced another free event, set for 7 p.m. this Sunday, December 9. From the news release:

The BAG Trio, with Zimbabwe Nkenya on bass and African Mbira, Mike Nelson on shells, trumpet and percussion, and Gary Sykes on drums, are just back from Chicago, where they were featured with Douglas Ewart at the Velvet Lounge. This Sunday, December 9th, they will offer a free evening of creative music at Scott Joplin House State Historic Site from 7 – 9 PM.

The Trio plays everything from Cuban & European to African Jazz. They incorporate the sacred Bata Drums with the sacred African Mbira as well as traditional trio work on trumpet, bass and drums.

For more information call 314-340-5790 or email bag_blackartistgroup@yahoo.com.

BAG II will present Mike Nelson in "Talking With Drums" on July 27

Via email, the Black Arts Guild aka BAG II sends word of a free concert at 7 p.m. on Friday, July 27 at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, this time featuring percussionist and trumpeter Mike Nelson:

BAG Presents: Talking with Drums

The batá drums and their music have survived for over 500 years, from the land of the Yorùbá in Nigeria to Cuba to the United States and beyond.

Used almost entirely for religious or semi-religious events in Nigeria and Benin, musicians in Cuba and the US have started to build and play batá drums that are not sacred.

The batá drums can speak. Not in a metaphorical sense, but they really can be used to speak the Yorùbá language, and have been used traditionally to recite prayers, religious poetry, greetings, announcements, praises for leaders.

Yorùbá speakers use three basic tones, or pitches, and glides between them, as an essential part of how words are pronounced. This is how the hourglass-shaped "talking drums" (called dundun in Yorùbá) are able to speak Yorùbá praises and sayings.

On Friday, July 27 at 7pm Mike Nelson and Friends will be “talking” with the Drums at Scott Joplin House. A native of St. Louis, Mr. Nelson will perform on trumpet, percussion and conch shells. The music will blend traditional with contemporary and promises to be an exciting evening of rhythm and jazz.

Mike Nelson is an accomplished musician and arts educator. He has performed with the St. Louis Symphony, China National Orchestra and Aska Kaneko as well as a list of well-known recording artists. Mr. Nelson has served on faculty at COCA and at the Better Family Life's Urban Rhythms program. He is also an award winning environmental consultant who has represented EPA community based projects and
environmental justice across the country.

Talking with Drums
Friday, July 27, 7 – 9 PM
Scott Joplin House, historic Rosebud Café
2658 Delmar Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63103

A free evening of music presented by BAG
For further information call 314-340-5790
or email: bag_blackartistsgroup @ yahoo.com

Jazz this week: Mulgrew Miller, Jeff Coffin's Mu'tet, Denise Thimes with Clark Terry, Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project, BAG II and more

The jazz-related events happening in St. Louis this week represent a variety of stylistic options for for local music fans.

If you've got a taste for some straightahead, mainstream jazz, give a listen to the powerful pianist Mulgrew Miller, who's at Jazz at the Bistro with his trio tonight through Saturday. Miller, who records for the St. Louis-based MAXJAZZ label, has been a sought-after sideman for years and is now getting more and more attention for his work as a leader. He's rooted in blues and gospel and almost always swings hard, but Miller also has a refined touch and technique that can evoke the fleet-fingered inventions of Tatum, Peterson et al, when he chooses to deploy it.

And speaking of straightahead jazz legends, St. Louis native Clark Terry will be back in his hometown on Sunday as the special guest at this year's edition of singer Denise Thimes' annual Mothers Day show at the Sheldon Concert Hall. While I've been hearing some buzz about a sellout, as of this writing it looks like Metrotix still has some seats left.

But let's say you're in the mood for something a bit more electrified and contemporary; if so, go check out Bela Fleck and the Flecktones' saxman Jeff Coffin (pictured) and his Mu'tet tonight at the Lucas Schoolhouse. The group is one of several ensembles currently blurring the boundaries of jazz and jam bands, but they're a bit quirkier and more versatile than some similar groups that rely almost exclusively on funk-based grooves. And of course, Coffin's two-saxes-at-once routine certainly is entertaining to see.

Latin jazz fans can head out to see the Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project at Finale Music and Dining on Saturday night. A percussionist who hails from just up the road in Champaign/Urbana, Russo is making his third St. Louis appearance in less than a year, so presumably he's developing something a fan base here.

Also on Saturday, aficionados of the avant garde can hear BAG II's "The Group" (Zimbabwe Nkenya, Glenn "Papa" Wright and Jerome "J-Dubz" Williams) performing with poet Michael Castro in a free show at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site.

Some other noteworthy performances this weekend include singer Jeanne Trevor at Brandt's and Visions Jazz at Cookie's Jazz and More on Thursday night; the Randy Holmes Quintet at Cookie's and smooth jazz saxophonist Tim Cunningham at Finale on Friday; Trio Tres Bien with singer Danita Mumphard at Brandt's on Saturday; and guitarist Todd Mosby playing outside on the patio at Terrene on Sunday.

For more of this weekend's musical menu, please consult the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar.

On a sadder note, the memorial service for guitarist Bob Borgstede will be held at 7 p.m. this evening in the gymnasium at Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville, where Borgstede taught music and served as band director. A musical remembrance of Borgstede will follow the service.

For those who'd like to do something in addition to paying their respects, Borgstede's solo CD Narrative Threads is available for purchase as a download from the iTunes store and Napster, and as a physical CD from CD Baby. Since the recording was self released, after the sales outlets take their cut, the rest of the revenue goes directly to Borgstede's family.

(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)

Jazz this week: Pat Metheny & Brad Mehldau, Jan Shapiro, BAG II, Bosman Twins, Leon Thomas memorial concert, and more

This week's highlights post is a bit earlier than usual, due to a major jazz event in mid-week, and will also be a bit terse, as Blogger is being difficult today.

The major jazz event in question is Wednesday night's concert by Pat Metheny and Brad Mehldau (pictured at left) at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Their collaboration already has produced two best-selling CDs in the last year, but this tour is the first time they've gone on the road together, and it's been getting plenty of publicity in both the jazz and mainstream press. StLJN has also had quite a bit of previous Metheny/Mehldau-related coverage, which you can see here.

On Thursday, singer and St. Louis native Jan Shapiro returns to St. Louis to do a free concert as part of the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University. That same night, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, directed by Jim Widner and featuring Mardra Thomas on vocals, will take the stage at Jazz at the Bistro for two sets.

On Friday, the Black Arts Guild aka BAG II kicks off what they're calling their spring season with another concert at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site, this time featuring vocalist Thomasina Clarke along with bassist Zimbabwe Nkenya, drummer Glen "Papa" Wright and saxophonist Jerome Williams.

Friday is also the night for the second annual concert benefitting the Leon and Curtis Thomas Memorial Scholarship fund, featuring an all-star aggregation of local players performing at East St. Louis High School, and it's also the opening evening of a two-night stand for the Bosman Twins (pictured at right; Web site seems to be offline right now) at Jazz at the Bistro.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday night Webster University will present a concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium called "South American Sketches," which will feature music by Luis Bonfa, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Astor Piazzola performed by Erin Bode, Debby Lennon and Valerie Tichacek with the Webster Faculty Jazz Ensemble.

As always, you can find a more extensive list of this week's jazz events by visiting 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. No attachments, please.)