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: "Open Air" streaming shows from The Grandel

Continuing with our ongoing look at streaming performances from various St. Louis musicians and venues during the pandemic, this week let's check out some videos from The Dark Room's "Open Air" series, which since last year has been playing to both in-person and streaming audiences from a heated tent outside the Grandel Theatre.

Although the exceptionally cold weather forced the postponement of shows scheduled for this weekend, the "Open Air" series has been running on Friday and Saturday nights and for Sunday brunch, featuring local musicians from a number of different genres including jazz, blues,, Americana, folk, and more.

This week's post compiles a half-dozen shows from the series so far, starting up above with keyboardist Mo Egeston and his All-Stars in a performance recorded on August 22 of last year.

After the jump, you can see a set from singer and bassist Janet Evra (with a guest appearance by pianist Ptah Williams) that was recorded on September 4.

Williams also appears in the third video, which features him, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sikes backing singer Debby Lennon in a show on October 16.

Next up is singer Denise Thimes, recorded on October 24, followed by singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran and his band Guerrilla Swing in a show from November 13.

The final video spotlights singer Robert Nelson and was recorded on January 9.

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

Jazz this week: COVID-19 outbreak leads to cancellations, postponements

With the COVID-19 crisis leading to restrictions on the size of public gatherings and the closing of local bars and restaurants for everything but delivery and takeout service, all live music in St. Louis is effectively shut down for the next eight weeks.

A number of local presenters and venues have announced specific details about closings, cancellations, postponements, refunds for tickets already purchased, and related issues. Those announcements include:

* Jazz St. Louis released a statement this week saying that they are postponing all performances at their facility until at least Wednesday, May 27, and are suspending educational programs, including Jazz U and Jazz Academy, until at least April 3.

The statement continued, "Ticketholders do not have to do anything at this time except keep their tickets. They will be honored for the rescheduled show. We already are working with the artists to reschedule this Spring’s shows. Once we have done so, we will notify you of the dates and you will have the opportunity at that time to change nights or apply the value of your tickets toward a different show."

* The Sheldon Concert Hall has canceled or postponed all scheduled events through May 1. Plans to reschedule some events are underway, and ticket buyers have been told to retain their current tickets, as they will be honored for the new date. For details on which shows have been postponed and which will not be rescheduled, see The Sheldon's website.

* The Pageant, Delmar Hall and Blueberry Hill have postponed or cancelled all shows through the end of April. Details on rescheduling, refunds and related issues can be found on a dedicated page on The Pageant's website.

* The Kranzberg Arts Foundation has closed all its associated venues, including The Dark Room, Kranzberg Arts Center, .ZACK, Grandel Theatre, Sophie's Artist Lounge and High Low, through May 11. Ticket holders for events at these venues will be contacted by Metrotix to ask if they want a refund or would like to donate the money to KAF.

* A post on social media from Broadway Oyster Bar announced that "BOB's dining and music venues will be closed until further notice," while the restaurant continuing to offer carryout and delivery service.

* Blue Strawberry sent out an email stating that they will be "closing our doors for the next 16 days. Our next currently open day is Thursday, April 2." Tickets already purchased will honored for rescheduled dates, can be exchanged for another scheduled show, or can be refunded, depending on the buyer's preference.

While not every venue or presenter has made a specific announcement yet, given current conditions the default assumption at this time should be that they are closed. For specific details, check their websites (many of which are linked on the sidebar here) and/or social media, or call.

As for StLJN, since a lot of the coverage here revolves around live shows, things here will be changing for the time being, too.

This likely will be the last "Jazz This Week" post for a while, until local presenters and venues start up again. The regular round-ups of local news and recent music-related links will continue on Fridays and Sundays, respectively, and there will be Saturday video posts, though they'll be focused on topics other than previewing upcoming performances.

In addition, StLJN will continue to cover any relevant breaking news as it happens, so to make sure you don't miss out on anything, subscribe to the StLJN email digest (it's free!), and follow StLJN on Facebook and Twitter.

Jazz this week: Mardra & Reggie Thomas, Jahmal Nichols, Todd Mosby + Bach to the Future, Lamar Harris, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis puts the spotlight on hometown performers, with the return of a local favorite couple who have moved away, a show teaming up two bands with distinctive approaches to jazz fusion, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 15
Bassist Jahmal Nichols, who's spent most of his time in recent years on the road with singer Gregory Porter, is back home for a visit and will lead his own band for the first of two nights performing at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Wednesday, drummer Steve Davis leads a trio at Evangeline's, Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks, and trumpeter Jim Manley continues his weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, 
January 16
Guitarist Todd Mosby (pictured, center left) and his New Horizons Ensemble team up with Bach to the Future for a double-bill of jazz-fusion at Sky Music Lounge, and singer Anna Blair performs her cabaret show "Always..." at Blue Strawberry.

Also on Thursday, singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul perform at the Chase Club; keyboardist Ryan Marquez and his trio return to The Dark Room; and keyboardist Adam Maness' trio continues their weekly gig at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, January 17
Spouses and former St. Louisans Mardra and Reggie Thomas (pictured, top left), on vocals and keyboards respectively, will be back in town to headline "An Evening Of Jazz" at Chaminade College Preparatory School.

Also on Friday, multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Elsewhere around town, electro-jazz trio Vehachi plays at the house-concert venue the Judson House, and The Way Out Club hosts "Descension 1" the first installment in a new experimental music series produced by Josh Levi, this time featuring Jack Callahan aka die Reihe, Brain Transplant, and Martin Carriel and Joann McNeil.

Saturday, January 18
Multi-instrumentalist Joe Bozzi and his band return to Evangeline's, and The Dark Room features pianist Jesse Gannon at the dinner hour and drummer Kaleb Kirby's quintet for the late show.

Sunday, January 19
Singer and bassist Janet Evra (pictured, bottom left) performs for brunch at Evangeline's, while singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran is on stage at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents a matinee performance of vintage jazz by The Gaslight Squares in the Oasis Room of the Moolah Shrine Center.

Also on Sunday afternoon, Oikos Ensemble presents "Dreams and Visions - A Jazz Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King" at St. John United Church of Christ in Collinsville.

Monday, January 20
The Folk School of KDHX hosts their weekly Traditional Jazz Jam Session.

Tuesday, January 21
Cabaret Project of St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

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

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

Jazz this week: Jim Manley's birthday bash, "60 years of Giant Steps," and more

While this weekend feels like a bit of a post-holiday lull, thanks to the way the calendar lined up this year, there still are some noteworthy jazz and creative music performances happening around St. Louis over the next few days to get 2020 started. Let's go to the highlights...

Thursday, 
January 2
Pianist and singer Rick Jensen presents his cabaret show "With A Little Help From My Friends," featuring guest vocalists Beverly Brennan, Robert Breig, Dionna Raedeke and Angie Nicholson, at Blue Strawberry.

Also on Thursday, The Dark Room has guitarist Dave Black playing at the dinner hour and saxophonist Scooter Brown for late night sets; and saxophonist Vince Sala returns to The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, January 3
Pianist Ptah Williams plays for dinner at The Dark Room; saxophonist Kendrick Smith continues his weekly gig at Thurman's in Shaw; and bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn.

Saturday, January 4
Trumpeter Jim Manley (pictured, top left) celebrates his birthday with a performance at Evangeline's, and trombonist John Covelli and friends pay tribute to "60 Years of Giant Steps" at The Dark Room.

Also on Saturday, "Out Sounds," a new experimental music series affiliated with New Music Circle, will present Austin, TX-based improvising percussionist and instrument inventor Lisa Cameron in a performance at Flood Plain.

Sunday, January 5
Miss Jubilee performs for brunch at Evangeline's, with Dizzy Atmosphere returning to The Dark Room. Also on Sunday, the St. Louis Record Show presents their first event of the year at the American Czech Center.

Monday, January 6
The Folk School of KDHX hosts their first Traditional Jazz Jam Session of the year.

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: Jeremy Davenport, Steve Ross, Jeanette Harris & Althea René, and more

While this week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis is slightly curtailed by the Thanksgiving holiday, there nevertheless are several noteworthy gigs happening, including the annual return of a noted local expat now living in New Orleans; a visit from one of NYC's most storied cabaret performers; and a tour stop by two "Queens of Soul Jazz." Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 27
This week's free "Wednesday Night Jazz Crawl" in Grand Center features multi-instrumentalist Jacob Alspach and friends at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Brady Lewis and BLStet at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black are back at Scarlett's Wine Bar; Miss Jubilee performs vintage swing, hot jazz and more at Schlafly Bottleworks; and trumpeter Jim Manley does his weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Friday, November 29
Trumpeter, singer and U City native Jeremy Davenport (pictured, top left) returns to his hometown for the first of two nights of his annual post-Thanksgiving performances at Jazz St. Louis. Davenport, who leads the house band at the Ritz-Carlton in his adopted home in New Orleans, usually draws a sell-out crowd, so advance reservations are strongly advised.

Elsewhere around town, singer and pianist Steve Ross, nicknamed the "Crown Prince of Cabaret" and a noted interpreter of the music of Cole Porter, will perform songs by Porter and more for the first of two nights at Blue Strawberry.

Also on Friday, there are two shows by local acts promoting debut recordings, with Annie and the Fur Trappers playing traditional jazz at the Focal Point and singer and pianist Katarra Parson offering songs from her album Cocoa Voyage at The Dark Room.

Saturday, November 30
Saxophonist Jeanette Harris and flute player Althea René (pictured, bottom left) bring their "Queens of Soul Jazz" tour to the Sheldon Concert Hall.

The two teamed up earlier this year to release the singer "We Are One," but both have had successful solo careers leading up to the collaboration. For more about both women, and some live performance videos, check out this post from Saturday before last.

Also on Saturday, saxophonist Tim Cunningham is back at Troy's Listening Room; pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True return to the Parkside Grille; and The Gaslight Squares are playing at the Frisco Barroom.

Sunday, December 1
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Gypsy jazz and vintage swing for brunch at The Dark Room; the Jazz Troubadours play their monthly show at Evangeline's; and pianist and singer Jesse Gannon leads a trio at The Judson House.

Monday, December 2
The Folk School of KDHX hosts their weekly Traditional Jazz Jam Session.

Tuesday, December 3
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra plays their fourth annual "1/2 a Christmas Concert" 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.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Guitarist Matt Sewell this week was announced as one of 12 semifinalists in the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz's International Guitar Competition, which will be held next month in Washington, DC.

Sewell (pictured), a graduate of Ladue High School and a former member of the Jazz St. Louis All-Stars student ensemble, received his degree from Berklee College of Music in May.

* Saxophonist David Sanborn has released a video trailer for his new web video series "Sanborn Sessions," which draws inspiration from NBC's Night Music, the eclectic live music program hosted by Sanborn at the turn of the 90s. You can see the trailer here, and read more about it in this interview with Sanborn on AllAboutJazz.com and this short feature in Jazz Times. "Sanborn Sessions" launches on Tuesday, December 3.

* In additional Sanborn news, the saxophonist now is endorsing a new custom model from Drake Mouthpieces.

* The Sheldon Concert Hall has posted to Facebook an album of photos from last Saturday's performance by Mwenso and The Shakes.

* Singer and impressionist Dean Christopher's "Rat Pack and More" show this Sunday at Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey was previewed in an article by the Alton Telegraph's Vicki Bennington.

* A new photo exhibit opening next Wednesday, November 20 at The Dark Room focuses on Jazz St. Louis instructors and students in the JazzU program. "Modulation – Establishing the New Key in the Culture of Jazz St. Louis" features work by St. Louis photographers Collin Elliott, Tyler Small, & Justin Mikhail Soloman and was curated and designed by multi-disciplinary artist Hayveyah McGowan.

* The recently released "lost" Miles Davis album Rubberband was reviewed by Nextbop.com's Rob Shepherd.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Free tickets are available now for "Such Sweet Thunder," a collaboration among Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Big Muddy Dance Company, and Jazz St. Louis that will be presented Thursday, October 3 through Saturday, October 5 outdoors at the Public Media Commons in Grand Center.

* Bassist and singer Janet Evra has released a music video of "Baila," an original tune from her debut album Ask Her to Dance. The video is the first of three being produced as part of Evra's year-long residency with the Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

* Last Saturday's Alton Jazz and Wine Festival was covered in a feature story by the Alton Telegraph's David Blanchette.

* “Black Indian Rain Dance,” a track from Pyramids, the new album (pictured) from trumpeter Russell Gunn's Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra, was featured on NextBop.com.

* A new menu at The Dark Room is the subject of a feature by Feast magazine's Mabel Suen.

* A couple of weeks ago at the Landmark Theatre in Los Angeles, Stanley Nelson, director of the new documentary Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, took part in a discussion of the film with musicians Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter; actor Carl Lumbly; Miles Davis' nephew Vince Wilburn Jr.; and Davis' son Erin Davis, and a video of the talk has been posted to YouTube.

* Nelson, Wilburn, Erin Davis, and Miles' daughter Cheryl Davis were in St. Louis last weekend for the film's premiere here, and their visit also included a trip to the trumpeter's restored childhood home in East St. Louis, as documented in stories by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn and St. Louis Public Radio's Chad Davis.

* As seen on social media, Wilburn also made time during his St. Louis visit for a trip to Vintage Vinyl.

* Lastly, now that the Davis documentary has opened in theaters around the country, more reviews are coming in rapidly, including appraisals from RogerEbert.com, San Francisco Chronicle, WeAreMovieGeeks.com, Austin Chronicle, and DenOfGeek.com.

Jazz this week: "Celebrating George Benson," Willie Akins Scholarship Concert, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a tribute to one of the most popular guitarists and singers in jazz; a concert raising money for scholarships in the name of a longtime local favorite saxophonist; a gathering of cabaret singers from around the nation, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 17
Pianist and St. Louis native Matt Villinger will be back in town for a visit from his current home in Kansas City to promote the release of his new album All Day with a performance at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, the Cabaret Project of St. Louis, which this week is hosting attendees for around the country at its annual Cabaret Conference, presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" night at Sophie's Artist Lounge.

Thursday, July 18
Author, radio host, and photographer Dennis Owsley will promote his new book St. Louis Jazz: A History via "A Conversation and Book Signing with Dennis Owsley" at UMSL at Grand Center. The event, which is free and open to the public with registration, will include brief performances by singer Jeanne Trevor and singer/percussionist Don Cunningham, both veterans of the Gaslight Square era.

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University continues their "Jazz in July" schedule with a free concert featuring guitarist Vincent Varvel's trio; and Cabaret Project of St. Louis will present their "2019 Cabaret Gala" fundraiser at Jazz St. Louis, with music from Marilyn Maye, Faith Prince, Jeff Harnar, Peisha McPhee, Jim Caruso and Christine Pedi.

Friday, July 19
With George Benson having recently released an album that includes five songs by St. Louis' own Chuck Berry, it seems fitting somehow that Jazz St. Louis is "Celebrating George Benson" for two nights this weekend.

Guitarists Eric Slaughter (pictured) and Matt Sewell and singer Brian Owens are fronting the ensemble, with support from Adam Maness and Adaron “Pops” Jackson on keyboards, Bob DeBoo on bass, and Montez Coleman on drums.

(No word as to whether or not they'll be including any Berry-via-Benson arrangements in their sets, but they should be well-equipped otherwise to handle Benson's extensive catalog of popular favorites.)

Saturday, July 20
The "Willie Akins Scholarship Benefit Concert" will feature music from the groups of saxophonists Harvey Lockhart, Matt McKeever, and Kendrick Smith (pictured), plus guest appearances by singers Joe Mancuso and Erika Johnson, Akins' widow Sandra, and more at the Grandel Theatre.

Also on Saturday, the Cabaret Conference will present their "Professional Track Showcase" at The Stage at KDHX.

Sunday, July 21
If you'd like some music with your Sunday brunch, the options this week include The Gaslight Squares at the Angad Arts Hotel; pianist Adam Maness at Thurman's in Shaw; Miss Jubilee at Evangeline's; and guitarist and singer Tommy Halloran at The Dark Room.

Then on Sunday evening, the Cabaret Conference wraps up with a "Closing Night Showcase and Celebration," also at The Stage at KDHX.

Tuesday, July 23
Singer Arvell Keithley reunites with trumpeter Jim Manley and the Wild Cool & Swingin' Horns for a concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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: Tom McDermott, "Jazz in July" at Wash U, Carlos Brown Jr., and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features the return of a local expat who's become a popular practitioner of New Orleans piano styles; the start of a (brief) summer series of free music; the debut of a young saxophonist and bandleader at the city'stown's showcase club venue, and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, July 10
This week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" will include Miss Jubilee at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and what is being touted on social media by trumpeter Kasimu Taylor as his group's final Wednesday night appearance at The Dark Room, at least for the time being.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black are back at Scarlett's Wine Bar, now starting a recurring gig on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.

Thursday, July 11
Pianist Tom McDermott (pictured, top left) will be back from New Orleans to visit his hometown and play a gig at Joe's Cafe & Art Gallery.

Also on Thursday, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents the first of three free "Jazz in July" concerts at Holmes Lounge, this week featuring the trio of pianist Kara Merhmann, bassist Ben Wheeler and drummer Jerry Mazzuca.

Elsewhere around town, singer and impressionist Dean Christopher bring his "Rat Pack and More" show to LoRusso's Cucina on the south side, and saxophonist Kendrick Smith and his trio will perform at The Dark Room.

Friday, July 12
Saxophonist Carlos Brown Jr (pictured, bottom left) plays for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis, singer Erin Bode performs at Focal Point, and trumpeter and vibraphonist Joe Bozzi and his band return to Evangeline's.

Saturday, July 13
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents their monthly jam session matinee, hosted by pianist Bob Row and drummer John Gillick at J P's Corner.

Later on Saturday, pianist Christopher Parrish plays a dinner set and keyboardist Andrew Stephen's Texturz takes the stage for the late show at The Dark Room; and singer and bassist Janet Evra performs at Evangeline's.

Sunday, July 14
Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes play for brunch at the Angad Arts Hotel (south of Powell Hall at the corner of Grand and Samuel Shepard Dr), while pianist Adam Maness is at Thurman's in Shaw.

Then on Sunday afternoon, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents Miss Jubilee in concert at the Oasis Room of the Moolah Shrine Center.

Monday, July 15
Keyboard player Ryan Benthall leads a trio at The Dark Room.

Tuesday, July 16
In what would seem to be an inevitable pairing of performers and venue, The Gaslight Squares will play a concert at the Gaslight Theater.

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: Shoshana Bean, Snarky Puppy, James Carter, Lamar Harris, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features some cabaret vocals from a Broadway star; a couple of stand-out saxophonists; a genre-straddling, Grammy Award winning fusion band; and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 15
Jazz St. Louis closes out their cabaret series co-produced this season with Cabaret Project of St. Louis, presenting the first of two nights of performances by singer Shoshana Bean.

In addition to her work in cabaret, Bean is well-known as the star of several Broadway musicals, including the current hit Waitress, from which she's taking a brief break for her cabaret shows here.

Also on Wednesday, the aforementioned Cabaret Project of St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's Artist Lounge & Cocktail Club;  guitarist Brian Vaccaro plays at Evangeline's; and Miss Jubilee performs at Schlafly Bottleworks.

Thursday, May 16
NYC-based saxophonist Brian Krock, who went to music school up the road at the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, performs in an early show at The Dark Room with his band Liddle, a subset of his big band Big Heart Machine.

Also on Thursday, singer Cheri Evans and CEEJazzSoul return to the Chase Club and Jon Thomas & Friends play at the The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, May 17
Multi-instrumentalist Lamar Harris performs for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Also on Friday, the Original Knights of Swing play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, trumpeter Jim Manley returns to One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar, and drummer Kyle Honeycutt leads a trio for the late-night (actually early morning) gig at Mangia Italiano.

Saturday, May 18
The Funky Butt Brass Band plays their monthly show at the Broadway Oyster Bar, and keyboardist Mo Egeston delivers the late night grooves at The Dark Room.

Sunday, May 19
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents Cornet Chop Suey playing traditional jazz and vintage swing at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel St. Louis - Westport.

Also on Sunday afternoon, saxophonist James Carter (pictured, bottom left) will perform with some help from pianist Peter Martin's at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Then on Sunday night, the jazz/funk/world fusion band
Snarky Puppy (pictured, top left) will play an outdoor show at the Atomic Cowboy Pavilion.

They're touring in support of their latest album Immigrance, which came out in March. For more about that, and some video footage of recent performances including material from the new album, see this post from last Saturday.

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold was among the featured performers at "A Great Night in Harlem," held recently at the Apollo Theater to honor singers Harry Belafonte and Tony Bennett and to raise funds for the Jazz Foundation of America. DownBeat's article about the evening includes a quote from Harrold, who, along with fellow trumpeter Wallace Roney, performed "Grazing In The Grass" as a tribute to the late Hugh Masekela.

* Harrold also has been tapped as a member of New Masters, “a rotating ensemble of today’s leading, up-and-coming and established jazz musicians” assembled by Sony Music Masterworks to record jazz interpretations of contemporary hits "originally performed by the likes of Cardi B, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA."

The group, which also includes pianist Sullivan Fortner, drummer Eric Harland, guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Burniss Earl Travis, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins and percussionist Bashiri Johnson, will release their debut album ReWORKS Volume 1 on Friday, July 12.

* "Why Jazz Still Matters" is the title of an article in the spring 2019 issue of Daedalus magazine co-authored by Washington University professor Gerald Early with Ingrid Monson, professor of African American Music at Harvard University.

* Seven musicians who worked with Miles Davis during the trumpeter's electric period, including bassist Michael Henderson, saxophonists Dave Liebman and Gary Bartz, and drummer Lenny White, talked about their experiences at a Jazz Congress conference panel this past January in NYC, which now has been transcribed for an article in Jazz Times.

* In more Davis news, the trumpeter's landmark album Birth of the Cool will be re-released in a deluxe 70th anniversary edition (pictured) on Friday, May 17. The vinyl and digital set will include the complete studio and live recordings made in 1949-50 by Davis' nine-piece ensemble.

* Lastly, in a story published on April 1 by the Alton-area weekly Riverbender, Davis' ghost is credited with saving the lives of three area residents in separate incidents.

* Trumpeter Clark Terry's mentoring of young musicians, particularly pianist Justin Kauflin, is the subject of a recent article in Vail Daily.

* In an article in the Edwardsville Intelligencer, vibraphonist Lee Roth credits the sounds of radio station WSIE with helping him recover from recent brain surgery.

* Jazz St. Louis, The Dark Room and Broadway Oyster Bar are among the spots mentioned in a Post-Dispatch feature about local venues offering "dinner and a show."

Jazz this week: Branford Marsalis Quartet; Wilson, Miles & Strickland; Toby Foyeh & Orchestra Africa; and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes a week full of headliners at Jazz St. Louis, plus noteworthy shows featuring Afrobeat, free improvisation, vintage swing, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, April 3
Saxophonist Branford Marsalis' quartet continues their run at Jazz St. Louis, with the 7:30 shows pretty much sold out, but with tickets available (as of this writing) for the 9:30 sets both tonight and Thursday.

Marsalis and company are touring in support of their new album The Secret Between the Shadow and the Soul, which was released last month. For more about that, and some videos featuring live performances of some of their new material, see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Wednesday, singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black perform at SqWires Restaurant & Annex, and trumpeter Jim Manley will be doing his regular weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, April 4
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents a free concert of improvised music featuring trumpeter George Sams, violinist India Cooke, pianist Greg Mills, clarinetist Eric Mandat and cellist Tracy Andreotti.

Update, 8:00 p.m. 4/3/19: George Sams has informed StLJN of a couple of late-breaking personnel changes on the gig, as violinist Alyssa Avery will perform in place of India Cooke, and bassist Darrell Mixon will be there instead of Tracy Andreotti.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Todd Mosby and his New Horizons Ensemble promote the release of a Mosby's new CD Open Water with a performance at Sky Music Lounge.

Elsewhere around town, fusion trio Tracer, with pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mizon and drummer Gary Sykes, will be back at The Dark Room; singer Cherilyn Evans and CEEJazzSoul return to the Chase Club in the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; and saxophonist Vince Sala leads a trio at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, April 5
In town this week for educational residencies with Jazz St. Louis. drummer Matt Wilson, trumpeter Ron Miles, and saxophonist Marcus Strickland (who's stepping in for the previously announced Jeff Coffin) will wrap up their stay by joining forces for the first of two nights of performances at the Bistro.

Of the three (pictured, top left), Wilson is the most familiar to St. Louis audiences, having played here numerous times before with various bands of his own and as a sideman. However, both Miles, who's worked with Bill Frisell and Joshua Redman among others, and Strickland, whose credits include Roy Haynes, Christian McBride's New Jawn, and Dave Douglas, are formidable players and bandleaders in their own right.

Also on Friday, The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League, a six-piece vintage swing band from Minneapolis, will be in town for a one-nighter at Evangeline's; Miss Jubilee performs for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; and keyboardist and singer Jesse Gannon is back at The Dark Room.

Saturday, April 6
Guitarist Dan Rubright of the Wire Pilots plays a late-morning matinee featuring his original compositions at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Saturday evening, guitarist Toby Foyeh (pictured, bottom left) and Orchestra Africa will bring their lively mix of Afrobeat, jazz, rock, and more to the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Sunday, April 7
Pianist Adam Maness plays solo for Sunday brunch in a new weekly gig at Thurman's in Shaw, while Anita Jackson returns to The Dark Room.

Later that afternoon, the Ozark Theatre re-opens for the season with a performance from singer Wendy Gordon celebrating the birthday of Billie Holiday, followed by an open jam session; and the Genesis Jazz Project returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Then on Sunday evening, guitarist Tom Byrne will lead a quartet in a concert spotlighting some of his original music at Focal Point.

Monday, April 8
The faculty members who make up the Webster University Jazz Collective will present their final performance of the semester at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster campus.

Tuesday, April 9
The Gaslight Squares play the first of two morning "coffee concerts" at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

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

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

Jazz this week: Cyrus Chestnut, a salute to Richard Henderson, and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a popular pianist, a tribute to one of the city's most visible longtime jazz fans, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, February 20
Pianist Cyrus Chestnut (pictured, top left) leads his trio in the first of two nights (plus a "coffee concert") at Jazz St. Louis.

Among current jazz pianists, Chestnut would seem be one of the most prominent exponents of the virtuoso tradition of Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson, as you can see in this collection of videos in a post from when he played the Bistro in 2016. If you're planning on going, though, do keep in mind that this time around, due to the "coffee concert" performance, Chestnut will playing one set only each evening, starting at 7:30 p.m..

Also on Wednesday, Cabaret Project of St. Louis presents their monthly "Singers Open Mic" at Sophie's, and this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" includes Gypsy jazz band Coco Rico at The Stage at KDHX, the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, February 21
The Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University will present a free concert showcasing the talents of student jazz musicians; singer Joe Mancuso returns to 50/Fifty Kitchen; and pianist Adam Maness leads his trio at Thurman's in Shaw.

Friday, February 22
Jazz St. Louis pays tribute to a recently deceased St. Louis "jazz hero" with the first of two nights of  "Swingin' at the Bistro: A Salute to Richard Henderson," described as "an all-star weekend of swing in remembrance of a dear friend."

Performers celebrating Henderson (pictured, center left) will include drummer Montez Coleman, bassist Bob DeBoo, trumpeter Danny Campbell, vibraphonist Peter Schlamb, guitarist Eric Slaughter, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, keyboardist Matt Villinger, and on Saturday only, keyboardist Adam Maness.

Also on Friday, Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, and singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo returns to The Dark Room.

Saturday, February 23
Keyboardist Mo Egeston plays the late show at The Dark Room.

Sunday, February 24
The Folk School of KDHX presents their monthly "Traditional Jazz Jam Session," and the Genesis Jazz Project performs at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups

Monday, February 25
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, 
February 26
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra (pictured, bottom left) plays a "Notes From Home" concert at The Sheldon.

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: Bistro All-Stars with Sean Jones, Tia Fuller, Warren Wolf & Peter Martin; Chucho Valdes' "Jazz Bata"; and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis provides an opportunity to hear four bandleaders joining forces for the first time on one stage, a powerful pioneer of Afro-Cuban jazz piano, and more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 30
The Bistro All-Stars (pictured, top left),  featuring trumpeter Sean Jones, saxophonist Tia Fuller, vibraphonist Warren Wolf, and pianist Peter Martin, will perform for the first of five nights at Jazz St. Louis.

Given that each of the four principals is a bandleader and composer in their own right, the All-Stars, assembled specifically for this gig, should have plenty of material to draw upon. And while an ad hoc group like this may not have the established chemistry of a regular working band, the jolt of discovery among musicians working together for the first time can be a lot of fun to watch.

Thursday, January 31
Guitarist Dave Black's newest ensemble, the itti bitti Swing Orchestra, plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, and saxophonist Ben Reese's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room.

Friday, February 1
Ptah Williams will play solo piano for "happy hour" at The Dark Room, and pianist Adam Maness' trio with singer Malena Smith resumes their late-night Friday residency at Sophie's Artist Lounge and Cocktail Club.

Saturday, February 2
Anita Jackson will sing music associated with Ella Fitzgerald for a mid-day matinee at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Then on Saturday evening, The Wire Pilots play original jazz/fusion at The Focal Point, and the Funky Butt Brass Band performs at the Broadway Oyster Bar.

Sunday, February 3
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents keyboardist Bob Row's "Mardi Gras Party" at Royale Orleans, and the Jazz Troubadours play an early evening show at Evangeline's.

Monday, February 4
Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart leads a quartet in a concert at Winifred Moore Auditorium on the Webster University campus.

Tuesday, February 5
Cuban-born pianist Chucho Valdés (pictured, bottom left) will mix jazz with the rhythms and folk traditions of his home country in the first of three nights of performances with his "Jazz Bata" project at  Jazz St. Louis.

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: Lea DeLaria,"Music for Piano, Percussion & Drums," and more

This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features visits from a couple of local natives turned expats - one quite famous, the other up-and-coming - plus an assortment of performances in a variety of jazz styles from hometown performers. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, January 23
Singer Emily Wallace presents a one-night-only performance at Jazz St. Louis, backed by pianist Adam Maness' trio.

Also on Wednesday, the weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features guitarist Jacob Weisman and friends at The Stage at KDHX, the weekly jam session hosted by bassist Bob DeBoo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Thursday, January 24
Saxophonist Stephen Martin is back home from Kansas City to lead a quartet at The Dark Room, and singer Joe Mancuso will welcome singer Jan Shapiro and pianist Dave Venn as the guests for his gig this week at 50/Fifty Kitchen.

Friday, January 25
Belleville native Lea DeLaria (pictured, top left) may be best known as an actor and one of the stars of the Netflix series Orange Is The New Black, but she also has extensive credits in cabaret, musical theater and stand-up comedy. All those skills likely will be on display when DeLaria takes the stage for the first of two nights at Jazz St. Louis as part of the series JSL is co-presenting this year with Cabaret Project of St. Louis.

Also on Friday, singer Tony Viviano presents a tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin for the first of two nights at Table Three; soul/jazz quintet Hip Grease returns to The Dark Room; trumpeter Jim Manley performs at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, January 26
Pianist Greg Mills and percussionist Glen "Papa" Wright will present a free concert of "Music for Piano, Percussion & Drums" at St. Louis University's Xavier Hall; and The Gaslight Squares play vintage jazz at The Frisco Barroom, a recently opened spot in the Old Orchard neighborhood of Webster Groves.

Sunday, January 27
The Folk School of KDHX will host their monthly traditional jazz jam session, and DJ Pockets will present his monthly "1950s/60s Jazz Record Spin" at The Royale.

Monday, January 28
Bassist Willem von Hombracht leads a trio in a concert at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium, and singer/impressionist Dean Christopher brings his "Rat Pack & More" show back to One 19 North Tapas & Wine 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.)