StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: St. Louis Gypsy Jazz Festival

If you dig guitarist Django Reinhardt, you'll want to have a look at the bands and musicians performing in the first-ever St. Louis Gypsy Jazz Festival, which will take place this coming Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25 at Evangeline's.

Organized by singer Eve Seltzer and her husband, guitarist Ben Wood, both of the band Franglais, the event will include three nights of evening performances and late-night jam sessions, with brunch-time shows added on Saturday and Sunday, all featuring jazz played in the style pioneered in the 1930s by Reinhardt and violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

In addition to Franglais (pictured, lower left) the musical lineup will include St. Louis' own Coco Rico, plus visiting acts including accordionist Dallas Vietty, singer Miles Griffith, and the bands Swing '39 and Bedlam Swing, as well any other special guests who may turn up for the jam sessions.

You can see Franglais in the first video up top, performing the 1918 standard "After You've Gone" in a Gypsy jazz style.

After the jump, there's a clip of Vietty with the band Gypsy Roots playing "Limehouse Blues," a 1922 tune famously done by Reinhardt. This version was recorded in 2012 at the Ironhorse in Ashland, VA.

Next is Miles Griffith singing "Toot Toot Tootsie" with some help from pianist Kirk Nurock. The clip was made in 2009 at NYC's Symphony Space as part of a series devoted to the arts during the year 1939.

Below that, you can check out an undated video of Bedlam Swing playing "Putting on the Ritz"; Swing '39's version of "I Got Rhythm," recorded in June 2014 at an outdoor concert in Louisville, KY; and Coco Rico, with guest clarinetist Chloe Feoranzo, doing their version of "Lady Be Good."

For complete schedule information and the latest updates, visit the St. Louis Gypsy Jazz Festival's Facebook page.

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

Fall festivals spotlight diverse styles

While St. Louis currently may lack a large-scale annual jazz festival with the scope and diversity of those found in Chicago, Detroit, Rochester, or even Indianapolis, over the past decade a number of smaller events have come along to at least partially fill the void.

This fall, three of those smaller-scale festivals will spotlight three different sub-genres from within the jazz and improvised music universe:

* This coming Sunday, September 6 and Monday, September 7, the St. Louis Jazz Club's Gateway Jazz Festival will feature a variety of local acts playing traditional, pre-WWII jazz and swing at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westport.

Performers will include Cornet Chop Suey (pictured, top left),  Michael Lacey's New Orleans Swing, Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi, Pat Joyce and Friends, the St. Louis Stompers, Red Lehr's Powerhouse 5, and the Funky Butt Brass Band. Bands will play in three separate sessions, on Sunday afternoon, Sunday night, and Monday afternoon, with every group except the Funky Butt Brass Band playing at least two sets over the two days.

Tickets are $35 per session or $80 for an all-events pass. For more details, call 314-972-8298 or visit http://stlouisjazzclub.org/

* Later this month, the Tavern of Fine Arts will host "3 Nights in September," an event organized by cellist Tracy Andreotti that will feature St. Louis musicians presenting free improv and experimental sounds on Tuesday, September 22; Wednesday, September 23; and Thursday, September 24.

Tuesday's scheduled performers include Brain Transplant, NNN Cook, Michael Williams, and the Hess/Cunningham Duo. Wednesday's concert will feature Ghost Ice & Mister Ben; Dave Stone with Henry Claude, Glenn "Papa" Wright & Joe Hess; and the Perhelion Ensemble. The Experimental Arts Ensemble STL, Vernacular String Trio, and the STL Free Jazz Collective (pictured, center left) will wrap things up on Thursday.

Admission to "3 Nights in September" is just $5 per night, payable in cash only, at the door.

* Last but not least, singer Eve Seltzer and her husband, guitarist Ben Wood - both of the Gypsy jazz band Franglais - have organized a Gypsy Jazz Festival that's scheduled to take place Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25 at Evangeline's.

All three nights will feature evening performances and late-night jam sessions, with brunch-time performances also set for Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to Franglais (pictured, lower left) the musical lineup will include accordionist Dallas Vietty, singer Miles Griffith, bands Swing '39, Bedlam Swing, and Coco Rico, and more.

Admission prices and ticket info for the event are TBA; watch this space for more details.

Edited 9-3-15 to fix a typo.