StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More "Rising Stars" in concert

This week, let's take a look at some more performances of video by musicians who topped the "Rising Star" categories in this year's DownBeat Critics Poll. As with any article or feature based on poll results, readers are encouraged not to view those results too seriously in terms of who's the "best" on a given instrument, but rather to use them as a starting point for conversation and exploration of artists you may not have heard before.

The first video up above is is from singer and mukti-instrumentalist Jacob Collier, who's become a sensation on YouTube on the way to winning "Rising Star" award for both keyboard and male vocalist. He's seen here doing a solo show in March 2020 on the campus of USC in Los Angeles.

After the jump, you can see a set from Nir Felder, who was named "Rising Star - Guitar" in this year's poll. Felder, who may be familiar to St. Louis fans for his work in recent years with trumpeter Keyon Harrold, is fronting a trio with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Jimmy Macbride for a set recorded in January 2021 at Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL) in New York.

Next up, it's Samuel Blaser, this year's "Rising Star - Trombone" leading a trio for a show in June 2018 at Bop Shop Records in Rochester, NY.

That's followed by a set from Alex Harding, the "Rising Star - Baritone Sax" for 2021, who earlier in his career did time in large ensembles led by former St. Louisans Hamiet Bluiett and Julius Hemphill. Here, Harding is fronting his band Organ Nation for a set recorded in June of this year at The Block in Muskegon, MI.

Today's penultimate video features Cory Henry, this year's winner for "Rising Star - Organ" who's known for his work with Snarky Puppy before launching his solo career. In this video, Henry, guitarist Isaiah Sharkey, and drummer TaRon Lockett are playing a full set recorded on July 3 of this year at Dillon Ampitheater in Dillon, CO.

The final video showcases Tomoko Omura, this year's winner in the "Rising Star - Violin" category, seen here in a solo show recorded in November 2020 in New York City for the WereSoCool Concerts series.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: "Rising Stars" in concert

This week, let's take a look at some live performances from some of the musicians who won awards in the "Rising Star" categories in this year's DownBeat Critic's Poll. As with any poll, the results may make for interesting conversation and provide a snapshot of who's in the news at a given time, but they shouldn't be taken to heart or regarded as definitive.

First up is pianist Gerald Clayton, who was the winner in two categories, "Rising Star - Jazz Artist" and (with his trio) "Rising Star - Jazz Group." He's seen here doing a duet performance with guitarist Peter Bernstein, recorded earlier this past Sunday night at Mezzrow in New York City.

After the jump, it's the UK's Nubya Garcia. this year's winner in the "Rising Star - Tenor Sax" category, performing a song called "Source" during the 6 Music Festival earlier this year at the BBC Radio Theatre.
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That's followed by a video of Adam O'Farrill, named the top "Rising Star - Trumpet" in this year's poll. He's seen here doing a duo gig with his dad, the fine pianist and bandleader Arturo O'Farrill, last August at the The Greene Space in Brooklyn, NY.

The poll's "Rising Star - Piano" this year is Nik Bärtsch, who's featured in the next video with his band RONIN at a gig in October 2019 at the Opera Concert Club in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Next is "Rising Star - Clarinet" winner Angel Bat Dawid, doing a solo show in January 2020 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago.

Finally, the sixth video features Immanuel Wilkins, a repeat winner of rhe "Rising Star - Alto Sax" category. Wulkins is shown in a set he recorded in Feburary 2021 for NPR's "Tiny Desk (Home) Concert" series with Micah Thomas (piano), Daryl Johns (bass), and Kweku Sumbry (drums).

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Critics Poll winners in concert, part 2

This week, let's continue with a look at live performances from some of the winners in this year's DownBeat Critics Poll. (You can see music from some of the other top vote-getters in part one, posted a coupld of weeks ago.)

The first video features the late Chick Corea, who was the poll winner in three different categories this year, "Piano," "Keyboard" and "Jazz Artist." Remarkably prolific and busy with a variety of projects until shortly before he passed away in February of this year, Corea is seen here with two of his closest musical associates, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Dave Weckl, performing in 2018 at the Heineken Jazzaldia festival in San Sebastian, Spain.

After the jump, you can see a set from Dr. Lonnie Smith, this year's winner as best organist. He's seen here in a trio set from April 2018 at Ronnie Scott's in London, with Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar and Xavier Breaker on drums.

Next up, it's Mary Halvorson, selected by the critics as this year's winning guitarist. She's seen here in a trio date, nominally led by drummer Tom Rainey and featuring Ingrid Laubrock on saxophones, recorded in January 2020 at Galerie Maerz in Linz, Austria.

That's followed by a set from this year's top percussionist, tabla player Zakir Hussain, that was recorded in April 2021 right here in St. Louis at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Hussein's "Masters of Percussion" tour also featured Marcus Gilmore on drum kit, Pezhham Akhavass on the tombak, and Anantha Krishnan on mridangam

The fifth video features Joel Ross, the winner in the "Vibraphone" category. in a show from June of this year at the Ars Center at Duck Creek in East Hampton, New York. In addition to the leader, Ross' octet includes Immanuel Wilkins (alto sax), Maria Grand (tenor sax), Marquis Hill (trumpet), Kalia Vandever(trombone), Sean Mason (piano_, Rick Rosato (bass), and Craig Weinrib (drums).

Today's sixth and final video showcases this year's winner in the "Miscellaneous Instrument" category, cellist Tomeka Reid. Reid is seen here performing a concert of six original works in May 2021 at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music in Los Angeles. She's accompanied by bassist Jason Roebke, and drummer Tomas Fujiwara, and Mary Halvorson on guitar.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Happy birthday, David Sanborn!

Today, we interrupt our look at this year's poll-winning musicians begun last week to celebrate the birthday of a local favorite, saxophonist David Sanborn, who turned 76 years old yesterday.

Although he was born in Florida, Sanborn grew up and went to school in the St. Louis suburb of Kirkwood, and after 50 years in the music business, he ranks with Miles Davis and Clark Terry as one of the best-known and most successful jazz musicians to come from this area.

So today, as a birthday tribute, here's a collection of clips looking back at various phases in his storied career. Each video is a full show featuring Sanborn with a different lineup of musicians, presented in chronological order starting up above with a performance recorded in 1986 in Baden-Baden, Germany for the TV program Ohne Filter. The band includes the saxophonist's longtime associates, the late Hiram Bullock on guitar and Ricky Peterson on keyboards, along with bassist Steve Logan, drummer Tony Smith, and percussionist Steve Scales. (Since the complete performance video seems to have disappeared from YouTube, there's a playlist of individual tracks now in its place.)

After the jump, you can see Sanborn's complete set recorded in August, 1998 at the Newport Jazz Festival. That's followed by a performance recorded in December of '98 for broadcast on ABC in the early hours of New Year's Day 1999, featuring Sanborn and his band along with guest performers including singers Cassandra Wilson and D'Angelo, hip-hop duo Gang Starr, and guitarist and singer Eric Clapton.

The fourth video features Sanborn with organist Joey DeFrancesco, with whom he made a couple of records around this time, and drummer Gene Lake, serving up a bluesy, stripped-down set at the 2010 Jazzwoche Burghausen festival in Germany.

Next, it's a show from Sanborn's 2013 "Quartette Humaine" tour, co-led with pianist Bob James and also featuring drummer Steve Gadd and bassist Scott Colley, that was recorded in November at the Leverkusener Jazztage festival in Germany.

Last but not least, you can see a full show from the 2015 edition of Sanborn's touring band, recorded in April of that year in Budapest, Hungary. Along with Sanborn and Ricky Peterson, the group features guitarist Nicky Moroch, bassist Andre Berry and drummer Chris Coleman, with German saxophonist Jan Prax sitting in on a couple of tunes.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Critics Poll winners in concert

The most recent issue of DownBeat contains the results of the magazine's annual Critics Poll, and while it's never a good idea to take any such poll too seriously, they at least can offer a snapshot of who's making news in a given year, and provide some food for thought and/or discussion.

Today's post offers a look at live performances from some of this year's winners, starting up above with Charles Lloyd, who was the top tenor saxophonist in this year's DB poll, and his band the Marvels, featuring guitarist Bill Frisell, who were voted top jazz group. They're seen here in a full set from January 2016 at Lincoln Center in NYC.

After the jump, you can see Rudresh Mahanthappa, this year's winner in the alto sax category, in a video from June 2020 with his Hero Trio, playing Charlie Parker's "Red Cross.".

Next up, it's the poll-winning soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, improvising to the poetry of Emily Dickinson in an April 2018 gig at Yamaha Artist Services' studio in New York City.

That's followed by a set from Gary Smulyan, voted top baritone saxophonist and seen here with his trio in a full set from 2017.

Nicole Mitchell, this year's top vote-getter in the flute category, is next, with a set of music recorded in July 2019 in Orlando, FL backed by bassist Doug Matthews and drummer Anthony Cole.

The final video shows Michael Dease, this year's winning trombonist, in May 2018 at Smalls in New York City, fronting his sextet on a tune called "Dease's Blues."

Look for more of this year's poll winners next week in this space. You can see the rest of today's videos after the jump...

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Herbie Hancock's Harvard lectures

Each year since 1925, Harvard University selects a well-known artist to deliver what are called the Norton lectures, named for Charles Eliot Norton, a celebrated professor, university president, and editor of the Harvard Classics. During their tenure, each selected artist delivers six public talks on topics of their choosing, and in 2014, the lecturer was none other that Herbie Hancock, the celebrated pianist, composer, and bandleader.

Hancock's lectures were documented on video, and now you can see all of them right here. The titles of the six talks, in order, are "The Wisdom Of Miles Davis," "Breaking The Rules," "Cultural Diplomacy And The Voice of Freedom," "Innovation And New Technologies," "Buddhism And Creativity" and "Once Upon A Time." All together, the lectures offer a rare opportunity to "go deep" with one of the most forward-thinking and influential musicians of our time.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A look at the latest local livestreams

Thus week, let's take a look at some of the most recent performances live-streamed by the the "Open Air" series at the Grandel Theatre, along with a special online presentation staged by Jazz St. Louis as a Pride Month coda to their "Season of Stream."

The first of the Grandel shows, seen up above, features the latest appearance there by singer Anita Jackson on Friday, June 4..

After the jump, you can see shows by Acoustik Element from Sunday, June 6; keyboardist Mo Egeston and the Mo E AllStars, from Saturday, June 12; trumpeter Brady Lewis' BLStet, recorded on Friday, June 25; and singer Chuck Flowers, from Saturday June 26.

The sixth video is from Jazz St Louis, and documents a special "Season of Stream" show titled "Celebrate Pride Month" featuring singer and keyboardist Paige Alyssa that was recorded on June 14.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase:"Lift Every Voice and Sing"

As the USA observes Independence Day weekend, let's take a look at some jazz interpretations of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a song often referred to as the "Black national anthem."

"Lift Every Voice..." began in 1900 as a poem by James Weldon Johnson, and subsequently was set to music by his brother, John Rosamond Johnson, and first performed in 1905 for the anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Over the years, it has been done by singers both famous and unknown and as a instrumental, and while it has never been a commercial "hit" per se, it's become a standard that has proved adaptable to a variety of musical settings.

You can see a relatively straightforward vocal version of the song by Ray Charles in the first embed window up above.

After the jump, you can see three more vocal interpretations, by Aretha Franklin, Jazzmeia Horn, and Lisa Fischer (accompanied by Jason Moran on piano).

Next are three versions by solo instrumentalists, starting with guitarist Russell Malone, followed by St. Louis' own Scooter Brown on alto sax, and then harpist Brandee Younger.

Finally, there are three very different versions for larger ensembles, beginning with one from New Orleans' Preservation Hall Jazz Band; followed by pianist Orrin Evans' Captain Black Big Band, recorded at Smalls in New York City and featuring vocalist Miles Griffith; and finally one by trumpeter and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn's Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, as recorded by an audience member at the 2019 Atlanta Jazz Festival.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Jazz documentaries, part 2

This week, let's take a look at some more jazz documentaries, this time focusing on films that tell the stories of individual musicians. (You can see part one, published last week and featuring movies with more of a broad historical focus, here).

The first video in the embed window up top is The Wonderful World Of Louis Armstrong, which tells the story of the famed trumpeter (and the first great jazz soloist) and was released by the BBC in 1999.

After the jump, you can see Art Tatum - The Art Of Jazz Piano, a profile of the great pianist that was released in 1988.

That's followed by Earl "Fatha" Hines, a 1975 film about another influential figure in the development of jazz piano. It was shot at the Blues Alley nightclub in Washington DC for Britain's ITV television channel.

Next up is Let's Get Lost, a critically acclaimed 1988 film by director Bruce Weber about "the turbulent life and career of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker."

Then it's Ronnie Scott and All That Jazz, a 1989 BBC film about the tenor saxophonist-turned-proprietor of London's most famous jazz club.

The penultimate video is Mal: A Portrait Of Mal Waldron, a 1997 film about the pianist who worked with some of the most important musicians and singers of his time, including Billie Holiday, Abbey Lincoln, Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and Jackie McLean.

Last but not least, it's The Jazz Baroness, a 2009 biography of Pannonica de Koenigswarter, the British jazz fan and sometimes writer who famously befriended Thelonious Monk and was known as "the patron saint of bebop."

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Jazz documentaries, part 1

This week, let's revisit what has become something of a tradition for this feature in summertime, when previewable shows usually slow down dramatically in St. Louis: the "screening" of some jazz-related documentary films available for free viewing online.

Today's first film A Great Day in Harlem is a 1994 American documentary that tells the story behind the famed photograph of the same name. The picture, shot on August 12, 1958 by freelance photographer Art Kane for Esquire magazine, depicts 57 jazz musicians, including many of the biggest names then active in the music, gathered in from of a building on East 126th St. in Harlem.

After the jump, you can see the 1975 BBC documentary Born To Swing, which looks at changes in the post-WWII jazz scene through the eyes of several alumni of the Count Basie band of 1943, including Buddy Tate, Earle Warren, Joe Newman, Dickie Wells, Buck Clayton, and more.

Next up, it's 1959: The Year that Changed Jazz, another BBC documentary from 2009 that looks at how the music was affected by the release that year of four landmark albums - Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, Dave Brubeck's Time Out, Charles Mingus' Mingus Ah Um, and Ornette Coleman's The Shape of Jazz to Come.

That's followed by Inside Out In The Open, a 2001 American film subtitled "An Expressionist Journey Into The World Known As Free Jazz." As the name suggests, the movie looks at free and experimental jazz via performances by and interviews with practitioners such as Marion Brown, Roswell Rudd, John Tchicai, Alan Silva, Burton Greene, Joseph Jarman, William Parker, Daniel Carter, Matthew Shipp, Susie Ibarra, and St. Louis' own Baikida Carroll.

The fifth film, Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool is from 1994, and it both explores the consequences of AIDS for the African American community and also spotlights collaborations between jazz performers and hip-hop and "acid jazz" artists, including Donald Byrd, Guru and Ronny Jordan; MC Solaar and Ron Carter; Me’Shell NdegéOcello and Herbie Hancock; The Roots and Roy Ayers; Digable Planets and St. Louis native Lester Bowie; and more.

The last two films aren't jazz documentaries per se, but instead look at a couple of genres closely associated with jazz. Our Latin Thing is a 1972 documentary about the explosion of salsa music in 1970s New York, featuring performances, interviews and in-studio footage, while Blues Story from 2003, looks at modern electric blues and includes interviews and performance footage from a variety of musicians, including B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Little Milton, Ruth Brown, Bobby "Blue" Bland, St. Louis mainstay Henry Townsend, and many more.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Janet Evra & Will Buchanan's "St. Louis Music Box"

This week, let's take a look at "St. Louis Music Box," a video project created and produced over the past year by hassist/singer Janet Evra and guitarist Will Buchanan.

When the pandemic hit last spring and all gigs were canceled, Evra and Buchanan, who are married as well as musical partners, like a lot of musicians found themselves with some time on their hands. One of the projects they devised to fill the void was the "St. Louis Music Box" series, in which they and various musical friends team up to collaborate remotely on new arrangements of familiar popular tunes from the 70s and 80s.

Singer Anita Jackson has been a mainstay on the project, doing lead vocals on five of the six videos released so far, while Evra concentrated on bass and co-production duties. While most of tghe musicians are from St. Louis, the remote-collaboration nature of the project has made it possible to enlist some famous guest stars, most notably veteran trumpeter Randy Brecker and piano phenom Taylor Eigsti.

The "St. Louis Music Box" series kicked off last year in July with a video cover of the Kool and the Gang disco-era hit "Ladies' Night," performed by Evra, Buchanan, Jackson, keyboard player Andrew Stephen, and drummer Tim Moore.

After the jump, you can check out their version of "Ain't Nobody," a song written by Prince that in 1984 was one of singer Chaka Khan's last hits as a member of the band Rufus. The recording features Randy Brecker and the same band as "Ladies' night," except with drummer Dhoruba Hill in for Moore.

The next song, a cover of Natalie Cole's "This Will Be," uses mostly the same musicians, but with tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown instead of Brecker and Tim Moore back behind the drum kit.

That's followed by another disco-era song, Leo Sayer's "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing," with both Jackson and Evra on vocals and Paul Brackens playing the bass, and then by a cover of the Beatles' "Octopus's Garden" with Evra as vocal soloist accompanied by Brackens, Moore, and keyboard player Ryan Marquez.

The final video and most recent in the series is "Some Kind of Wonderful," made famous in 1974 by Grand Funk Railroad, and here featuring Taylor Eigsti on piano along with Evra, Buchanan, Jackson, and Noore. No word yet as to when and if another installment might be forthcoming, but you can keep an eye out for one by checking in on Evra's YouTube channel,

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Memories of Oliver Nelson

The nearly ubiquitous Miles Davis notwithstanding, which jazz musician from the St. Louis area has been heard by the most people throughout the world? It's probably impossible to measure something like that with any degree of exactitude, but one certainly can make an informed guess.

Any short list would have to include trumpeter Clark Terry, famed for nearly seven decades as a high-profile jazz soloist and recording artist, member of the Ellington and Basie big bands, and veteran of television and session work; and saxophonist David Sanborn, who has had a very popular career as a solo artist, as well as being one of the most recorded session players of his era and the host of various radio and television programs.

Another, more unexpected contender for the title would have to be saxophonist, arranger and composer Oliver Nelson, who packed a lot of music into his all-too-brief 43 years on planet Earth. Born in St. Louis on June 4, 1932, Nelson was working with local bands by age 15 and joined saxophonist Louis Jordan's big band at 18, playing alto sax and arranging.

After serving in the Marine Corps and attending Washington University in St. Louis and Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Nelson moved to New York, where he established himself as a soloist, bandleader and arranger/composer. His big breakthrough came with the album The Blues and the Abstract Truth, which featured his tune "Stolen Moments," now a standard played by musicians everywhere.

Nelson went on to record many big-band albums and to work as an arranger for a number of well-known jazz musicians, including Cannonball Adderley, Sonny Rollins, Johnny Hodges, Wes Montgomery, Buddy Rich, and Jimmy Smith. In 1967, he moved to Los Angeles, where, along with his old pal Quincy Jones, he became one of the first African-American composers to get significant amounts of work scoring television and films.

Nelson wrote music for hugely popular TV shows such as Ironside, Night Gallery, Columbo, The Six Million Dollar Man, and The Bionic Woman, reaching tens of millions of people every week. He also wrote the score for the film Death of a Gunfighter, arranged Gato Barbieri's music for the movie Last Tango in Paris, and produced and arranged popular music for singers including Nancy Wilson, James Brown, the Temptations, and Diana Ross.

Tragically, Nelson died of a heart attack on October 28, 1975. Given the vast quantity and generally high quality of the music he wrote during his short life, one can't help but wonder how much more he could have accomplished had he lived longer.

Even so, Nelson's legacy is quite impressive - his recordings still hold up well today; his film and TV music remains emblematic of its era; and "Stolen Moments" likely will continue to be played forever. Moreover, the path he helped to pave in Hollywood has been well-utilized by subsequent generations of musicians; for example, it's hard to imagine someone like Terence Blanchard getting the chance to write all those film scores absent the pioneering work of Nelson and Jones.

Today, as a tribute to this under-appreciated St. Louis jazz great, we've got what seem to be the only videos online of Nelson in live performance. The first three videos show of Nelson performing and conducting the multi-national Berlin Dream Band playing his arrangements for a TV program recorded in 1970 in Berlin.

The first video, "Black Brown and Beautiful," is a Nelson original that also features him as the soloist, while the second, "Milestones" has solos by Leo Wright and Klaus Marmulla on altos and Rolf Roemer on tenor. The third video shows the band playing Nelson's arrangement of the gospel standard "Down By The Riverside."

Those clips are followed by two short excerpts of a performance of Nelson's composition "Swiss Suite," recorded in 1971 at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The existence of these excerpts suggests there might be more video out there, but until and unless something else surfaces, these clips would seem to be the only film or video recordings of any Nelson performances.

(This is an edited version of a post originally published in June 2009.)

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Catching up on the latest local livestreams

This week, let's take a look at some more performances recently livestreamed by St. Louis musicians, starting up above with a program called "Basses Loaded" that was recorded on May 7 at Jazz St. Louis and streamed this past Thursday.

As the title suggests, the set serves as a showcase for bassists Chano Cruz, Bernard Terry, and Ben Wheeler, who are supported by pianist Adaron “Pops” Jackson and drummer Demarius Hicks.

After the jump, you can see the Coleman-Hughes Project with singer Adrianne, performing a set of smooth jazz and R&B last Friday, May 21 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a recording of another program from Jazz St. Louis' "Jazz Speaks" series titled "Radiohead Runs the Voodoo Down," in which Dr. Pete Carney, director of jazz studies at the State College of Florida, makes the case that the British band's breakthrough album OK Computer actually was significant;y influenced by jazz.

Carney's talk is followed by a set of music in which an ensemble led by pianist Adam Maness interprets some Radiohead songs.

Next up, it's keyboardist Mark Harris II and his band, recorded live on Saturday, May 15 at the "Open Air" tent.

That's followed by a set from another up-and-coming pianist, Antonio Foster, who performed a streamed show for Jazz St. Louis on May 4 with an ensemble including Scooter Brown (alto sax), Bernard Terry (bass), Josiah Joyce (guitar), and Dorian Simms (drums).

In the final video, you can see pianist Peter Martin in a duo performance with the Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo, his friend and collegaue in singer Dianne Reeves' backup band. The set was recorded in Martin's studio and first streamed live on Friday, May 14.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Celebrating the birthday of Miles Davis

This coming Wednesday, May 26 will be the 95th anniversary of the birth of Miles Davis, and so it's time once again for StLJN's annual tribute to the most famous and influential jazz musician ever to come from this area.

Here are nine videos from throughout Davis' career, selected as personal favorites of yr. editor and first posted here with annotations in 2016.

The first, embedded up above the text, is the by-now-at-least semi-famous live version of "So What," the leadoff track from Kind of Blue, seen here as recorded by Davis and his quintet for the 1959 TV special The Sound of Miles Davis.

After the jump, you can see Davis and the Gil Evans Orchestra performing "The Duke" and "Blues for Pablo" from that same TV special.

The next two clips show Davis' so-called "Second Great Quintet" - with Wayne Shorter (tenor saxophone), Herbie Hancock (piano), Tony Williams (drums) and Ron Carter (bass) - in 1967, performing "I Fall In Love Too Easily" in Karlsruhe, Germany, and then doing "Footprints" in Stockholm, Sweden.

Davis was on the precipice of his "electric period" at that point, and in the next clip, a full set recorded in 1969 in Copenhagen, you can see him taking the leap with help from Shorter plus Chick Corea (keyboards), Dave Holland (bass), and Jack DeJohnette (drums).

This relatively short-lived band, which years later was dubbed the "Lost Quintet," led directly to the group seen in the next video, an entire set recorded on August 18, 1970 at the Berkshire Music Center, Tanglewood, MA. The band here is Davis, Corea, Holland and DeJohnette along with Gary Bartz (alto and soprano sax), Keith Jarrett on organ, and Airto Moreira on percussion, and at this point, Miles has gone full-on electric.

By the time the seventh clip was recorded, in 1973 at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Davis had changed the entire band again, and the version of "Ife" offers an even more jagged soundscape than the previous clip, courtesy of David Liebman (soprano sax), Pete Cosey (guitar, percussion), Reggie Lucas (guitar), Michael Henderson (bass), Mtume (congas, percussion), and Al Foster (drums).

The final two videos are both from the 1980s, well after Davis' comeback from the period of self-imposed exile in which Don Cheadle's film Miles Ahead is set. "Time After Time," Davis' cover of a hit originally recorded by Cyndi Lauper, was a staple of his live sets for several years, and is heard here in a version recorded in 1985 in Tokyo, Japan.

The last clip is a version of "Tutu," recorded in 1988 in Stuttgart, Germany, which unfortunately does not feature Marcus Miller, the song's composer and producer of the album of the same name. But it does show off one of Davis' more interesting and idiosyncratic late-period bands, with Kenny Garrett on saxophone and flute, Robert Irving III and Adam Holzmann on keyboards, Joseph "Foley" McCreary on six-string "lead bass" plus Benjamin Rietveld on electric bass, percussionist Marilyn Mazur, and the great drummer Ricky Wellman, who Davis plucked from Washington DC go-go godfather Chuck Brown's band, the Soul Searchers.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More local livestreams, plus the all-star International Jazz Day concert

This week's collection of videos features some of the latest livestreamed performances from St. Louis, plus a bonus video showcasing some of today's top jazz stars.

The first video up above is a program that was livestreamed this past Monday night as New Music Circle's 2020-21 season closer. It features a performance by the STL String Collective dedicated to the memory of Tracy Andreotti, the St. Louis cellist who passed away in December of last year. In addition to the concert by the Collective - violinst Alyssa Avery, cellist Ranya Iqbal, and violinist Sarah Vie - the video also includes an introduction from St. Louis musician Syrhea Conaway (aka SynaSoPro) and some archival footage of Andreotti.

After the jump, you can see the most recent livestream from Jazz St. Louis, featuring saxophonist Carlos "Scooter" Brown in a set recorded back in April and streamed for the first time this past Thursday evening. Along with Brown, the musicians are Antonio Foster (keyboards), Jordan Brewer (bass), and Dorian Sims (drums).

Next up, it's pianist Peter Martin, who last Friday expanded on his ongoing series of online solo concerts with a trio session including drummer Montez Coleman and bassist Bob DeBoo.

That's followed by another set from drummer Demarius Hicks' quintet, this one from last Saturday night at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

Drummer Dave Weckl is another St. Louis musician who has been doing weekly webcasts during the pandemic, and the fifth video is Weckl's "Weekend Hang" from Sunday, May 9, with a mix of solo performance, Q&A session, and educational material.

Lastly, there's the aforementioned bonus video of the 2021 International Jazz Day "Virtual Global Concert," first webcast live on April 30 with performances by Herbie Hancock, Kris Bowers, Billy Childs, Antonio Sánchez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Linda May Han Oh, Lionel Loueke, and more.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More of the latest livestreams from St. Louis

This week, let's take a look at some more recent livestream performances from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with an Art Blakey tribute led by drummmer Montez Coleman. Coleman is joined by Ben Reece (tenor sax), Danny Campbell (trumpet), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (piano), and Bob DeBoo (bass) for the session recorded last November at Jazz St, Louis and streamed online this Thursday, May 7.

After the jump, you can see a set from violinist Tim Kampen's Jazz Expedition. Campen, a St. Louis native now living in Nashville, recorded the set at The Sheldon for streaming this past Tuesday, May 4.

Next up, it's keyboardist Pete Ruthenburg and his band in a show recorded on last Saturday, May 1 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

That's followed by a set from singer Joanna Serenko, recorded in April at Jazz St. Louis with accompaniment from guitarist Tyler Dale. keyboardist David Grelle, bassist Zeb Briskovich, and drummer Miles Vandiver.

The fifth video features another installment from pianist Peter Martin's ongoing series of solo online shows, first streamed on Friday, April 9.

And the final video features some vintage jazz and swing from Miss Jubilee and the Yas Yas Boys, recorded in March 2021 here in St. Louis for streaming by the San Diego Jazz Fest.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The latest livestreams from St. Louis

This week, let's take a look at some more recent livestreams from St. Louis musicians and presenters, starting up above with a program from Jazz St. Louis paying tribute to Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald.

The set was recorded April 2 at Jazz St. Louis HQ in Grand Center, with Erika Johnson singing Holiday's songs and Anita Jackson handling the Fitzgerald material, supported by Adaron "Pops" Jackson (piano), Ben Reece (saxophone), Bob DeBoo (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

After the jump, it's another "Whitaker Jazz Speaks" program from Jazz St. Louis. "1959: The Year That Changed Jazz" also was recorded on April 2, and features music from four historic recordings released in the titular year: Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, and Charles Mingus’ Mingus Ah Um.

Bassist Bob DeBoo served as music director, with Kendrick Smith on saxophones, Ben Paille on trumpet, Alan Ferber on trombone, Adam Maness on piano, and Montez Coleman on drums,

Next up, it's saxophonist Stan Coleman's quintet, recorded on April 24 at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of The Grandel, followed by a set from guitarist Joe Park's trio with singer Janet Evra, recorded on April 15 at Focal Point St. Louis.

The penultimate video is another from Jazz St. Louis' "Season of Stream" series, and features funk/jazz quartet The Service in a set recorded on March 11. The band includes Pete Lombardo (guitar), Nathan Hershey (organ), Andy Coco (bass), and Nick Savage (drums), with special guest Matt McKeever on saxophones.

The final video, also recorded on April 15 at Focal Point, is a duo show featuring guitarists Dave Black and Farshid Etniko. (The performance originally was presented as a benefit for the Alzheimer's Association, so there's some material about that at the beginning of the video.)

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Livestreams from the "All-Star Jazz Fundraiser Festival"

Today, let's go back in time one week to share some videos from last Saturday's "All-Star Jazz Fundraiser Festival" held at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of The Grandel in the Grand Center district.

Organized by saxophonist Kendrick Smith, the event featured a couple dozen St. Louis musicians sorted into five ad hoc groups, each playing a single set of music, with proceeds from ticket sales going to a fund to help local musicians, small jazz venues, and radio station WSIE.

(Pkease note that yr. humble editor searched for a link for making donations after the event, but could not find one. If anyone has such a link or even a mailing address, please email me at stljazznotes at yahoo dot com, and I'll add it to the post.)

Fortunately for those who couldn't attend in person, the event was captured on video, and you can see almost all of it starting up above with the day's first set, featuring drummer Demarius Hicks, trumpeter Kasimu Taylor, singer Janet Evra, bassist Bernard Terry, and guitarist Will Buchanan.

After the jump, you can see a performance from Anita Jackson (vocals), Jahmal Nichols (bass), Jason Swagler (alto sax), Mark Harris II (keyboards), and Dhoruba Hill (drums).

That's followed by music from keyboardist Adam Maness, trumpeter Brady Lewis, drummer Joseph Hibbs, bassist Ben Wheeler, and saxophonist Carlos Brown Jr.

Next up, it's Darrell Mixon (bass), Dawn Weber (trumpet, vocals), Josiah Joyce (guitar), Ryan Marquez (keyboards), and Gary Sykes (drums).

Finally, the last two videos document the set presented by pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Bob Deboo, drummer Marty Morrison, and saxophonist Kendrick Smith.

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Still more livestreams from St. Louis...

This week, we're back to bringing you a selection of recent livestreams presented by St. Louis musicians and venues, starting up above with a set from guitarist Eric Slaughter, recorded on March 23 at Jazz St. Louis and released online this past week. Slaughter is joined by a band including Jason Swagler (alto sax, flute), Adaron “Pops” Jackson (keyboards), Jahmal Nichols (bass) and Montez Coleman (drums).

After the jump, you can see a set from singer Emily Wallace with pianist Adam Maness' trio, recorded March 31 at Jazz St. Louis. Along with Wallace and Maness, the musicians are Adam Hucke (vocals, trumpet), Bob DeBoo (bass), and Montez Coleman (drums).

That's followed by a set from singer Cheri Evans and band, recorded on April 10 at the "Open Air" tent outside The Grandel.

Next up, it's The 442s, in a set recorded on April 7 at The Sheldon. The group featues Adam Maness on keyboards and various other instruments, along with Shawn Weil (violin), Michael Casimir (viola), Bjorn Ranheim (cello), and Bob DeBoo (bass), along with guest musicians Peter Henderson (piano) and Brendan Fitzgerald (bass).

The fifth video is from the most recent installment of Jazz St. Louis' "Whitaker Jazz Speaks" series, and focuses on the impact of music from the year 1959 in shaping jazz for the next couple of decades. The program features a talk from author Ashley Kahn, followed by a set from a live band led by Bob DeBoo performing music from the four albums from 1959 given special attention in the program: Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Charles Mingus’ Mingus Ah Um, and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come.

The final video documents a show from this past week by a student combo drawn from the North County Big Band, a group of high school students sponsored by The Sheldon and HEAL Center for the Arts. Directed by saxophonist and HEAL Center founder Harvey Lockhart, the young players performing the music of Duke Ellington are Tayari Chambers (alto sax), Walter Turner (tenor sax), Asia Brantley (trumpet), Laylah Williams (bass), and Jalen Jackson (drums).

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Galactic comes back (one year later)

When live shows shut down last March due to the pandemic, a performance by the New Orleans band Galactic scheduled at Delmar Hall was one of the first concerts to get canceled here in St. Louis. So perhaps it's fitting that they're one of the first bands to return here for a gig as restrictions are loosened and some venues are able to reopen.

In anticipation of that show on Sunday, May 16 at The Big Top, here's a grab-bag of (relatively) recent videos featuring Galactic and their current lead singer, Anjelika "Jelly" Joseph, starting up above with a full set of music recorded on New Year's Eve 2019 at the band's home venue, Tipitina's, which they've owned since the fall of 2018.

After the jump, you can see a version of "Walking On The Moon" recorded last fall at Tipitina's to benefit Georgia Comes Alive, a virtual festival to get out the vote in the Georgia Senate runoff elections.

That's followed by the music video for another single recorded during the pandemic, titled "Something’s Wrong With This Picture" and featuring Joseph and Ivan Neville.

The fourth video shows the band and Joseph performing "Heart of Steel" and "Hey Na Na" in September 2019 at Tipitina's.

The final two videos, both from May 2019, documents a Jazz Fest set at Tipitina's and an in-store performance at the Louisiana Music Factory.

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