Jazz this week: Arturo Sandoval, Moon Hooch, Paula West, Hudson, The Wee Trio, and more

It's a big week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, with a half-dozen noteworthy headliners performing in various styles visiting the area over the next few days.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, October 11
The weekly "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features Mark Wallace at KDHX's Magnolia Cafe, a jam session with bassist Bob Deboo and friends at Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor at The Dark Room.

Also on Wednesday, the students of Washington University's Monday Night Jazz Band will present a free concert at the 560 Music Center's Pillsbury Theatre.

Thursday, October 12
If  you're up for a short road trip, trumpeter Serafin Aguilar, best known for his work in Maynard Ferguson's band, will be just down the road in Flat River on Thursday, performing with the MAC Kicks Band and MAC Jazz Ensemble at the Mineral Area College Theater in Flat River.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Dave Black plays at The Pat Connolly Tavern, and singer Erin Bode returns to Cyrano's.

Friday, October 13
The saxophones-and-drums trio Moon Hooch (pictured, bottom left) returns, bringing their distinctive "acoustic techno" sound to the Old Rock House.

For more about them and some video samples of recent performances, see this post from last Saturday.

Also on Friday, the Cuban-born trumpeter Arturo Sandoval is back for the first of two nights paying tribute to his mentor Dizzy Gillespie at Jazz at the Bistro; and singer Paula West kicks off the fall series of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival with the first of two nights at the Gaslight Theater.

Saturday, October 14
The "supergroup" Hudson (pictured, top left), featuring drummer Jack DeJohnette, guitarist John Scofield, keyboard player John Medeski and bassist Larry Grenadier, brings their first-ever nationwide tour to the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Elsewhere around town, the New Orleans Suspects return to the Broadway Oyster Bar, and The Gaslight Squares and Miss Jubilee will perform on a double bill at Das Bevo Biergarten.

Sunday, October 15
The St. Louis Jazz Club presents pianist Pat Joyce and clarinetist Scott Alberici at the Webster Groves Concert Hall; and singer Mary Dyson performs at Troy's Jazz Gallery.

Monday, October 16
Trumpeter Jim Manley plays for diners and drinkers at Momo's Greek Restaurant.

Tuesday, October 17
The Wee Trio, featuring bassist and St. Louis native Dan Loomis, will be back in the area for a performance at SIU Edwardsville's Dunham Hall, augmented by members of the university's jazz faculty for select numbers from their most recent album Wee +3 .

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.)

The Wee Trio to play Tuesday, October 17 at SIU Edwardsville's Dunham Hall

The Wee Trio, featuring bassist and St. Louis native Dan Loomis, will return to the St. Louis area to perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 17 at SIU Edwardsville's Dunham Hall.

The performance is part of SIUE's "Arts & Issues" serie, and the SIU Edwardsville jazz faculty ensemble will open the show.

The Wee Trio (pictured) last appeared in St. Louis in November 2016 in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, supporting the release of their most recent album Wee + 3.

Tickets for The Wee Trio at SIU Edwardsville are $20 for the general public; $18 for seniors age 65 or older and for SIUE staff, faculty, retirees, and alumni; $15 for students with ID; and are on sale now.

Jazz this week: Jimmy Greene, The Wee Trio, Nevermore Jazz Ball, and more

This weekend will see swing dancers from all over the country converging on St. Louis for the annual Nevermore Jazz Ball, plus the local debut of a Grammy nominated saxophonist, a homecoming gig for a St. Louis expat with a new recording to promote, and much more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, November 2
Saxophonist Jimmy Greene (pictured, top left) makes his St. Louis debut as a bandleader with the first of four nights of performances at Jazz at the Bistro.

The 41-year-old Connecticut native has appeared on more than 75 recordings with well-known artists such as Freddie Hubbard, Horace Silver, Harry Connick, Jr., and Jackie McLean. He has also recorded eight albums as a leader, including his latest Beautiful Life, released in 2015 and nominated for two Grammy Awards this year.

Inspired by his six-year-old daughter Ana, who was killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, the album incorporates the influence of traditional spirituals and contemporary Christian music into Greene's jazz sound.

Also on Wednesday, the Sidney Street Shakers will celebrate the release of their debut CD Laugh My Weary Blues Away with a performance at The Stage at KDHX.

Thursday, November 3
The Wee Trio plays a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, The Wee Trio (pictured, center left) currently are touring in support of their recently released album Wee + 3. For more about that, and some video previews of some of the material on the album, see this video post from last Saturday.

Elsewhere around town, the aforementioned Nevermore Jazz Ball gets underway with music from New Orleans-based singer Meschiya Lake and The Little Big Horns at 2720 Cherokee. Though festival passes for the Nevermore Jazz Ball have been sold out for some time, tickets are available for most of this year's individual events; see their website for details.

Also on Thursday, guitarist Dave Black will feature singers Feyza Eren and Joe Mancuso in his final Thursday night gig at Nathalie's, which is closing permanently after service on Saturday.

Friday, November 4
Nevermore Jazz Ball continues with Miss Jubilee playing for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by an early morning show by the Sidney Street Shakers at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Friday, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival resumes with actor and singer Karen Irwin performing the first of two nights of "A Janis Joplin Tribute" at the Gaslight Theater.

Saturday, November 5
The Nevermore Jazz Ball presents the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, featuring free performances starting at noon and continuing into early evening, featuring more than a dozen local acts at various venues along Cherokee Street.

The festival continues Saturday evening with Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders (pictured, bottom left), a swing band from Asheville, NC, at the Casa Loma Ballroom, followed by late night/early morning sounds from Los Angeles-based guitarist Jonathan Stout's Midnighters at the South Broadway Athletic Club.

Also on Saturday, trumpeter Jim Manley and guitarist Randy Bahr will lead their All-Star Band for one last performance at Nathalie's; the Liberation Organ Trio plays at The Dark Room; and The WirePilots will be joined by multi-instrumentalist Sandy Weltman to play some original jazz-fusion at 1900 Park.

Sunday, November 6
The St. Louis Record & CD Collector Show presents their last event of 2016 at the American Czech Hall; the Friends of Scott Joplin will host the duo Ivory and Gold at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site; and the Jim Widner Big Band will be joined by singer Brian Owens for "A Tribute to Ray Charles" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

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

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

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: The Wee Trio's new album Wee + 3

This week, let's check out some new music from The Wee Trio, who will be in St. Louis to perform in a free concert next Thursday, November 3 for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University.

Featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, James Westfall on vibraphone, and Jared Schonig on drums, the group is touring in support of their latest album Wee + 3, which was released in late September. The "+ 3" in the title refers to the addition of three guest musicians - pianist Fabian Almazan, guitarist Nir Felder, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton - for the first time on any of their recordings.

You can see the "electronic press kit" for Wee + 3 in the embedded window up above. After the jump, there are videos featuring performances of five of the songs from the album, four of which were recorded simultaneously with the audio at Systems 2 Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

The first two tracks, Westfall's composition "Titan Up" and Schonig's "Climb," feature Almazan. Felder joins the group next for "Gibbs Street," another Schonig composition, which is followed by the trio without guest musicians playing Schonig's "Sound Evidence".

Last but not least, there's a live version of another Schonig tune, "Sabotage," that was recorded by an audience member during the group's last visit to St. Louis at a concert in September 2013 at Chaminade College Preparatory School. While the new studio recording features Payton on trumpet, this performance shows that the tune works with just the three core members, too.

(As it happens, the title of "Sabotage" has a St. Louis connection, too, originating when The Wee Trio recorded a live album in 2013 at Jazz at the Bistro. In the press release for Wee + 3, Loomis explains, “The second night of the recording we went to play our first set only to discover (mid-song!!) that the microphone cables had been cut!! We never found the culprit but clearly someone set out to sabotage the band! Thus Jared had a title for his new song.")

For more about Wee + 3, read the reviews from radio station WWOZ and Offbeat magazine.

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Wee Trio, which includes St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, has launched a crowd-funding campaign raising money to record their fifth album. The recording, titled WEE + 3, will feature guest appearances from pianist Fabian Almazán, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, and guitarist Nir Felder.

* Jazz St. Louis' program last week pairing a performance of music from drummer Max Roach's We Insist! The Freedom Now Suite with a discussion of jazz, race, and social justice issues was the subject of a feature story by the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn.

* New Music Circle will promote their upcoming 58th season with "an evening of drinks and DJs" from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 3 at the Tick Tock Tavern, 3459 Magnolia in the Tower Grove East neighborhood. The free event will feature Josh Weinstein and Jeremy Kannapell spinning records, plus raffles for various prizes including CDs, LPs, and tickets to upcoming NMC concerts. Proceeds from drinks purchased during the event will go to support NMC's various programs.

* Pianist Peter Martin's company Open Studio Network has started a new podcast, "The Process," which will feature "interviews with the best players in jazz and beyond." The first episode, with Martin and drummer Gregory Hutchinson (pictured), is online now.

* Saxophonist and educator Harvey Lockhart and the other winners of the 2017 St. Louis Arts Awards were profiled on the website of the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis.

* Legendary singer, dancer and St. Louis native Josephine Baker's favorite places in France were the subject of an article in the New York Times travel section.

* The Regional Arts Commission is accepting applications for the next round of their $20,000 Artist Fellowships through Wednesday, August 10. A total of ten $20,000 fellowships will be awarded to individual St. Louis artists in any discipline as selected by an advisory committee of arts professionals, peers and RAC commissioners. RAC also is offering a workshop on how to apply for the fellowships on Tuesday, August 2 at the Vaughn Cultural Center.

Jazz this week: The Wee Trio, Take 6, J.D. Parran & George Sams, Scott Kirby, Charlie Hunter & Scott Amendola, and more

With spring appearing finally to have sprung here in St. Louis, it should be a fine weekend to get out and hear some live jazz and creative music, and fortunately, our local stages will be filled with intriguing possibilities. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly gig at  BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups; Washington University's jazz studies students will perform a free concert to wrap up this semester's Jazz at Holmes series; the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center has a four-band bill topped by the Brazilian "punk rock with a bit of jazzy influence" band Lisabi; and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues with actress/singer Taylor Pietz performing her show "If I Only Had a Brain" at the Gaslight Theater.

Tomorrow night, The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, returns to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights officially celebrating the live album the group recorded there last year. For more about that, check this interview with Loomis from earlier this year on AllAboutJazz.com, and for some video samples of the Wee Trio in action, see this post from before their visit here last January.

Elsewhere around town, if you were hoping to see singer Storm Large's performance this weekend for the Gaslight Cabaret Festival but don't yet have tickets, you're out of luck, as both nights are sold out. Meanwhile, some spots may remain for the performance by vocal group Take 6 at Washington University Black Alumni Council's 30th anniversary dinner and concert in the Khorassan Ballroom of the Chase Park Plaza Hotel; click the "30th anniversary" link above for details.

There also should be some tickets remaining for MADCO's presentation of "Liquid Roads" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The modern dance company's latest and largest-ever production will be accompanied by a four-piece live band led by trumpeter Brian Casserly of Cornet Chop Suey, performing original songs and a variety of jazz, blues and gospel favorites. You can see a brief video about the show here, and read a preview story written by Terry Perkins for St. Louis Public Radio here.

And if all that's not enough for one night, there's also singer Joe Mancuso leading a trio at EdgeWild Restaurant & Winery; the St. Louis Big Band at the Casa Loma Ballroom; pianist Carolbeth True and  Two Times True at Robbie's House of Jazz; and the Charlie B Jazz'd Trio at Thurman Grill.

On Saturday, the sounds at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site will range from free improv to ragtime, as the venue hosts two concerts in one day. First up, multi-instrumentalist J.D. Parran returns home to team up with trumpeter George Sams for a matinee that serves as the spring finale for the Nu-Art Series, and then pianist Scott Kirby will take over for an early evening concert presented by the Friends of Scott Joplin.

Also on Saturday, Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center continues their "Quiet Concert Series" with more new compositions from Mark Sarich and Greg Farough, as Farough continues his focus on "pure waveforms which interact with the natural resonance of rooms to form and slowly transform complex sonic relationships," while Sarich will present a new work utilizing the Schumann Resonance and text of a poem by Rainer Maria Rilke.

Elsewhere on Saturday, pianist Pauline Stark, saxophonist Willie Akins and singer Cici Ranek will perform in the old "Just Jazz" space at the Omni Majestic Hotel; guitarist Dave Black and singer Feyza Eren will play at Pomme Café & Wine Bar; the Jim Widner Trio with Jim Manley and Randy Bahr holds forth at the Fox & Hounds Tavern at the Cheshire Inn; and singer Sarah Jane of the Blue Notes, pianist Tim Garcia and saxophonist Jerry Greene are at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Sunday, Miss Jubilee begins what's projected to be a weekly jazz brunch at Evangeline's; and the "Inner Jazz" series at Kirkwood United Church of Christ continues with a free concert from guitarist Rick Haydon's quartet. StLJN also recently has learned that Freddie Washington is now leading a quartet in a weekly Sunday late afternoon session at Toast Time, 12781 New Halls Ferry Rd in Florissant, and no doubt the veteran saxophonist's many fans will welcome the opportunity to hear him regularly for as long as the gig continue. 

But the biggest names on Sunday arrive that evening, as guitarist Charlie Hunter and drummer Scott Amendola will be in town to perform a duo show at the Old Rock House. The two last fall released their second album together, Pucker, which focuses mostly on Amendola's compositions. But given Hunter's near-one-man-band capabilities and the inherent flexibility of the duo format, they certainly won't be limited to material from the recording. You can read a review of Pucker and hear a sample track here, and read an interview with Amendola from Modern Drummer magazine, in which he discusses his partnership with Hunter, here.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday the Sessions Big Band returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups. Then on Tuesday, Lindy Hop St. Louis's weekly swing dance at the Grandel Theatre will feature live music from Philadelphia's' Perseverance Jazz Band; and Common Time and Jesse Gannon & Truth will perform on a double-bill at Plush.

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

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


(Edited after posting to add the venue name for the "Quiet Concert" series.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* The Chesterfield Jazz Festival, now renamed the Chesterfield Wine and Jazz Festival and changed from a ticketed event to a free one, will take place this year from 3:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, June 28 at Chesterfield Amphitheater.

The lineup of bands will include a headlining set by Yellowjackets (pictured), plus Bach to the Future, led by the event's organizers Michael Silverman and Robert Silverman, and additional acts TBA.

* Saxophonist and Webster University alum Chris Cheek has teamed with fellow saxophonist Seamus Blake for a new album, Reeds Ramble. They'll promote the release with gigs on March 13, 14 & 15 at Small's in NYC. 

* Drummer and St. Louis native Emanuel Harrold, who this past week became a Grammy winner by virtue of his work on singer Gregory Porter's Liquid Spirit, is featured in a new promotional video from drumstick and accessories maker Vic Firth.

* The Wee Trio's live version of David Bowie's "Queen Bitch," recorded here in St. Louis for their album Live at the Bistro, was a "Download of the Day" at AllAboutJazz.com. The group, which includes St. Louis expat Dan Loomis on bass, will return in April to Jazz at the Bistro.

* St. Louis' Cornet Chop Suey and pianist Stephanie Trick are among the performers at the 39th Central Illinois Jazz Festival being held this weekend in Decatur.

* Trombonist Dave Stamps, a graduate of SIUE and Northern Illinois University and son of SIUE's former director of jazz studies Brett Stamps, has been named director of the jazz program at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN.

* Jazz St. Louis has posted online a photo album of the Matt Wilson Quartet and John Medeski last week visiting Beasley Elementary School in the Mehlville School District and performing at Jazz at the Bistro.

* And speaking of photo albums, Miss Jubilee has posted one on Facebook documenting their weekly Thursday night gig at Thaxton Speakeasy.

* The website New York Jazz Workshop offers an entry-level introduction to Miles Davis in three parts.

* The band program at Riverview Gardens High School, directed by saxophonist Harvey Lockhart, is keepin' on keepin' on despite losing a number of students this year to inter-district transfers. Most recently, the RGHS drumline won the second annual Show-Me Showdown held last month at Normandy HS. You can see their first-place performance on video here.

* Regional Arts Commission is accepting applications for another round of Artist Support Grants, which are awarded to individual artists and range in amount from $500 to $3,000. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, March 5.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else,"  Calvin Wilson will spin interpretations of the music of Charlie Parker by the likes of trumpeter Roy Hargrove, saxophonist Anthony Braxton, and Junk Genius.

After that, "The Jazz Collective" host Jason Church will offer a guitar-centric program featuring sounds from Wes Montgomery, Pat Metheny, Larry Carlton, Ottmar Liebert, Chris Standring, George Benson and Lee Ritenour, as well as St. Louis' own Elliott Ranney, Tom Byrne, Farshid Etniko, and Brian Vaccaro.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.    

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Next month's New Music Circle concert featuring bassist Josh Abrams' Natural Information Society is previewed by Stefene Russell of St. Louis magazine.

* Lamar Harris discusses his instrumental tribute to the music of Jay-Z, coming up tomorrow night at the Kranzberg Arts Center, for an article by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

* Drummer Matt Wilson talks about his new album Gathering Call with the website Search and Restore and with Aarik Danielsen of the Columbia Daily Tribune. Wilson's quartet and special guest John Medeski will play tonight and tomorrow at Jazz at the Bistro, head to Columbia on Sunday, and then return to St. Louis to perform again on Monday to make up for Wednesday's postponed sets.

* Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center is looking for volunteers for its street team, which helps distribute posters and handbills around town. If you'd like to get involved, get in touch via LNAC's Facebook page or by sending an email to contact@lemp-arts.org.

* St. Louis native Dan Loomis, bassist for The Wee Trio, talks at length about the group's album Live at the Bistro album with AllAboutJazz.com's Fiona Ord-Shrimpton.

* Drummer and St. Louis native Mark Colenburg (pictured) performed with pianist Robert Glasper last week on NPR's "Tiny Desk Concert."

* Meanwhile, Kim Thompson, fellow drummer and St. Louis expat, has a new album, Live at Marian's, available on iTunes.

* The latest episode of HEC-TV's I Love Jazz is now available on the channel's website, spotlighting the jazz program at Webster University and performances from last fall's TKT scholarship concert, "Jazz Interpretations of the Music of Irving Berlin".

* Miles Davis' 1970 shows at NYC's Fillmore East will be reissued next month in an expanded box set. You can hear a sample track, "Spanish Key," here.

* The iconic trumpeter's sense of style also got him included in a list of eight jazz icons featured on the website of men's clothing retailer Mr. Porter.

* Jazz radio update: This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation-St. Louis' "Somethin' Else," host Calvin Wilson continues the previous episode's focus on Davis, showcasing music from the trumpeter's famed 1960s quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, and Tony Williams.

Then "The Jazz Collective" host Jason Church will feature tracks from Davis, Grant Green, The Rippingtons, Dudley Moore, Jeff Lorber Fusion, Joel Del Rosario & SureWill, Bob James &  David Sanborn, Jim Stevens, Brian Vaccaro, and Christopher Braig.

Wilson's program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, followed by Church at 9:00 p.m., via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2, and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.   

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Winter/spring 2014 jazz preview, part 4

This week, we continue with part four of StLJN's winter/spring 2014 jazz preview, featuring bands and musicians who will be coming to our town in the first few months of this year. (Here are part one, part two and part three.)

Today's first clip features guitarist Pat Metheny and his Unity Band, with saxophonist Chris Potter, bassist Ben Williams and drummer Antonio Sanchez, performing "Breakdealer" at a show in July 2012 in Rome, Italy. Metheny and the ensemble, now known as the Unity Group with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Giulio Carmassi, will be touring in support of a new album this year and will play St. Louis on Sunday, March 9 at The Pageant.

Down below, you can see pianist Cyrus Chestnut who will be here with his trio and special guest guitarist Russell Malone to perform Wednesday, April 2 through Saturday, April 5 at Jazz at the Bistro.

In this clip, Chestnut, bassist Darryl Hall and drummer Willie Jones III are playing his adaptation of Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," recorded in 2011 for his album Moonlight Sonata, an import-only release from Japan. Below that, you can see a video of Malone playing "There Will Never Be Another You" with pianist Billy Taylor's trio.

The fourth clip shows flute player and composer Claire Chase, who will perform here in a concert presented by New Music Circle on Friday, April 4 at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts. This video is an excerpt from a performance by Chase and her ensemble last January at Le Poisson Rouge in NYC.

Next up are The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, who will be returning to St. Louis to perform on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 at Jazz at the Bistro. In this clip, you can see them in a 2012 show at MiraCosta College in California, performing the arrangement of "Queen Bitch" originally conceived for Ashes to Ashes, their album of David Bowie music, and then revisited on Live at the Bistro, recorded here in St. Louis last February.

The sixth clip features singer Storm Large, who's performing Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12 at the Gaslight Theater as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. Large, whose career in entertainment has ranged from rock singer to reality TV to cabaret, is heard here in a 2011 recording singing the standard "Brasil" with Pink Martini, the retro-style dance band for which she is co-lead vocalist.

Today's seventh video features percussionist Poncho Sanchez, who was here in 2012 to perform at the Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival and will return this year to play Wednesday, April 16 through Saturday, April 19 at the Bistro. Sanchez and his band are seen here performing their complete set from the 2012 Montreux Jazz Festival.

Look for the fifth part of the winter/spring 2014 jazz preview next week.

Tickets on sale Monday for new shows at Jazz at the Bistro

Although there's been no announcement yet from Jazz St. Louis, Metrotix today sent out an email including on-sale dates for a number of new shows in 2014 at Jazz at the Bistro.

According to said email, The Wee Trio, with St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, will be coming back to town in April to celebrate the release of their album recorded earlier this year at the Bistro, and trumpeter Terell Stafford (pictured) will close out the 2013-14 season in May by serving as special guest for a weekend of perofrmances with students from Jazz St. Louis' JazzU program.

As for local players, bassist Jahmal Nichols and singer/guitarist Tommy Halloran have been booked to make their Bistro debuts as bandleaders, and several other hometown favorites will make return appearances there during the winter and spring. Here's the schedule of additional concerts as currently listed by Metrotix.

Friday, January 17 & Saturday, January 18:  Jahmal Nichols CD Release
Saturday, March 1:  Willie Akins & Dave Venn
Friday, March 14 & Saturday, March 15:  Phil Dunlap Quintet plays the music of Miles Davis
Friday, March 28 & Saturday, March 29:  Jim Stevens & Good 4 the Soul play the music of David Sanborn
Friday, April 11 & Saturday, April 12:  The Wee Trio CD Release Event celebrating Live at the Bistro
Tuesday, April 22:  SIUE Concert Jazz Band/Alumni
Friday, April 25 & Saturday, April 26:  Tommy Halloran's Guerilla Swing
Friday, May 9 & Saturday, May 10:  "Great Guitars 2014" with Shaun Robinson & Eric Slaughter
Friday, May 23 & Saturday, May 24:  JazzU with Terrell Stafford

All the performers will play sets at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., except for the SIUE Concert Jazz Band, who will play one show at 7:30 p.m. 

Ticket prices are $5 for Terell Stafford and JazzU; $15 for the SIUE Concert Jazz Band; $25 for The Wee Trio, Akins & Venn, and Jim Stevens' Sanborn tribute; and $20 for all other performances. Tickets for all shows go on sale at 10:00 a.m. next Monday, December 2 via Metrotix.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* News comes this week of a fund-raising campaign on behalf of pianist and Maplewood native Ray Kennedy (pictured), brother of bassist Tom Kennedy and formerly part of John Pizzarelli's band.

After being diagnosed with the neuro-muscular disease MS a few years ago, Ray Kennedy's condition now has progressed to the point where he no longer is able to perform and earn a living. As a result, friends and fans have set up a fund to assist with medical expenses and support for his family, which includes two young daughters. You can find out more about Ray Kennedy and make a contribution here.

* On a similar note, today's St. Louis Beacon has an article by Terry Perkins about the efforts to help another former St. Louisan, nonagenarian trumpeter Clark Terry, remain in his home by assisting with the cost of his daily home care visits.

* In happier news, The Baylor Project, the new band co-led by St. Louis native and drummer Marcus Baylor and his wife, singer Jean Baylor, has just released an official music video for their debut single "More in Love."

* Meanwhile, drummer and St. Louis native Kimberly Thompson will bring her band to the Kennedy Center in Washington DC for the first time in February.

* Pianist Peter Martin spent this Thanksgiving in Germany, performing yesterday with singer Dianne Reeves and the WDR Big Band in a nationwide broadcast from the Köln Philharmonie.

* Trumpeter Jim Manley's new album Short Stories & Tall Tales was reviewed for AllABoutJazz.com by Nicholas F. Mondello.

* The Wee Trio's recent release Live at the Bistro, recorded here in St. Louis by the group featuring native son Dan Loomis on bass, was reviewed by Jazz Weekly blogger George W. Harris.

* Dennis Owsley has a new post up on St. Louis magazine's Look/Listen blog, about seeing a performance by John Coltrane in Los Angeles the night after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

* In this week's Miles Davis news, the CD box-set reissue of Davis' Original Mono Recordings for Columbia/Legacy was reviewed by Music and More blogger Tim Niland, and an article by Sonia Saraiya for the AV Club examines the contrast between Davis' musical excellence and his history of spousal abuse.

* If you're a musician or artist looking for help getting health insurance and understanding the Affordable Care Act, the St. Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts (VLAA) and the Community Action Agency of St. Louis (CAASTL) will be offering free, in-person guidance from trained certified application counselors from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 11 at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar.

The one-on-one sessions are designed to provide unbiased information and de-mystify the Healthcare.gov enrollment process so you can compare plan prices and coverage details and see if you qualify for subsidies. Appointments will be made on a first -come, first-served basis, and reservations are required. To make an appointment, please send an email including your name and phone number to vlaa at stlrac dot org.

* Jazz radio update:  The weekend lineup on WSIE (88.7 FM) now includes "Saturday Night at The Chase Park-Plaza," a weekly broadcast of music from singers of the 1960s and 1970s featuring selections drawn from vinyl albums in the WSIE vault. The program, hosted by Evan Johnson, Kelly Hoffman and John Uzell, airs from 7:00 p.m to 10:00 p.m..

This Saturday on Radio Arts Foundation - St. Louis, Calvin Wilson's "Somethin' Else" delves into the Cole Porter songbook with tracks from singer Dianne Reeves, saxophonist Sonny Rollins, and trumpeter Wallace Roney. The program can be heard at 8:00 p.m. Saturdays via 107.3 FM, 96.3 HD-2 and online at http://www.rafstl.org/listen.

Jazz this week: The Wee Trio, Yellowjackets, Ronnie Burrage, Dianne Reeves & Peter Martin, Diana Krall, Ahleuchatistas, and more

It's a jam-packed week for jazz and creative music in St. Louis, so much so that there's no time to even attempt a clever opening paragraph for this post. So let's go straight to the highlights...

Tonight, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra presents "A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" with guest soloist Jim Manley on trumpet at the Touhill Performing Arts Center.

Also tonight, The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, is in town to support the release of their new album Live at the Bistro, and will perform at Jefferson College's Fine Arts Theatre, 1000 Viking Dr in Hillsboro.

However, if you can't make it to Jefferson County tonight, there's another chance to hear The Wee Trio on Wednesday night, as they're playing at the Viragh Center for the Arts, Chaminade College Prep, 425 S. Lindbergh Blvd.

Also on Wednesday, Yellowjackets will open the 2013-14 Jazz at the Bistro season with the first of four nights of performances at the club. The celebrated contemporary jazz group is touring in support of their new album A Rise In The Road and features a new member, bassist Felix Pastorius, son of legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius.

On Thursday, drummer and U. City native Ronnie Burrage, back in town to be inducted into the University City High School Hall of Fame, will perform at Robbie's House of Jazz in the first of his three gigs here this week.

That same evening, singer Dianne Reeves and pianist Peter Martin are the headliners for "Divas For a Cause 3," a benefit for the local not-for-profit organization Beyond Housing that will take place at the Sheldon Concert Hall. Fulfilling the event name's promise of multiple divas, St., Louis' own Denise Thimes and Erin Bode also will perform.

Also on Thursday, Italian pianist Antonio Figura will perform a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, supported by locals William Lenihan on bass and Steve Davis on drums.

On Friday, singer and pianist Diana Krall (pictured) returns to St. Louis for the first time since 2007, bringing her "Glad Rag Doll" tour to the Fox Theatre. The concert will feature music from Krall's latest album, which offers her interpretations of early jazz and pop music from the 1920s.

Also on Friday, Ronnie Burrage and Band Burrage will play the first of two nights at the Kranzberg Arts Center; singer Tony Viviano performs at Fortel's in Creve Coeur; and singer Feyza Eren will be at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

On Saturday afternoon, Yellowjackets saxophonist Bob Mintzer will present a free saxophone clinic and workshop at Saxquest.

Then on Saturday evening, the experimental/noise music duo Ahleuchatistas will headline a show at Schlafly St. Louis Brewery & Tap Room celebrating the fifth anniversary of the KDHX program "Wrong Division."

Also on Saturday, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes perform at the Venice Cafe; singer and flute player Erika May and Friends will play at Robbie's House of Jazz; and singer Joe Mancuso and pianist Nick Schlueter will duet at the house concert venue KindaBlue Club, 6101 1/2 Idaho.

On Sunday, Miss Jubilee will be doing back-to-back shows in St. Charles, performing in the afternoon at Magpie's and in the evening at the Moonshine Blues Bar.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday The Bad Plus will take part in a free lunchtime presentation and discussion at the Tavern of Fine Arts, previewing their performance next week of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring; and "Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective will play their monthly gig at BB's Jazz Blues and Soups.

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

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

Jazz this week: Fareed Haque's Mathgames, Jeff Coffin, Johnny Boyd, Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival, The Wee Trio, and more

If you've checked out the first three parts of StLJN's fall 2013 jazz preview, you already may have realized that we're heading into what could be the busiest three weeks of the season, with a wide assortment of touring musicians and special events coming up. Here's a look at the highlights of the next few days...

Tonight, guitarist Fareed Haque brings his fusion band Mathgames to The Gramophone; saxophonist Chad Evans leads a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and pianist Brad MacDonald, a Collinsville native and former student of Carolbeth True's now based in Chicago, will lead a trio at Robbie's House of Jazz.

Tomorrow night, saxophonist Jeff Coffin (pictured) and his band the Mu'tet return to St. Louis to perform at The Gramophone. Interestingly, Coffin's old bandmate Bela Fleck also is back in town Friday, exploring old-time, bluegrass and country styles in a duo show with fellow banjo player and singer Abigail Washburn at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Meanwhile, swing dance fans likely will be flocking to hear singer Johnny Boyd, formerly of 1990s revivalists Indigo Swing, at the Casa Loma Ballroom, with Miss Jubilee opening the show.

Elsewhere on Friday night, Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes Trio are at The Wine Press; the Funky Butt Brass Band plays their monthly gig at the Broadway Oyster Bar; and drummer Kaleb Kirby will lead a jam session at Robbie's House of Jazz in anticipation of Saturday's Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival.

And speaking of the Old Webster festival, it will feature music on two outdoor stages in the Old Webster Business District, near Lockwood & Gore, from noon until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday. Performers at the free event will includes blues singer-guitarist Marquise Knox; the Webster University jazz faculty, reprising the Cannonball Adderley tribute they performed a couple of weeks ago on campus; veteran bluesman David Dee; the Willie Akins/Montez Coleman Group; singer-songwriter Javier Mendoza; and the seemingly ubiquitous retro-swing of both Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes and Miss Jubilee.

Also on the schedule are Shades of Blue, the 18-member big band from Scott AFB; "Webster's Got Talent" contest winners Blue Like Jazz, with guest vocalist Erika Johnson; the hometown Webster Groves High School Jazz Band; and a second line featuring New Orleans R&B cover band North of the Quarter.

Elsewhere on Saturday afternoon, Jeff Coffin and at least some, if not all, of the Mu'tet will be doing a free workshop and performance at Saxquest.

On Saturday evening, singer Feyza Eren will be joined at the Wine Press by Italian pianist Antonio Figura, who's in town to do various things at Washington University including a Jazz at Holmes performance next week; and trumpeter Keith Moyer leads a trio at Thurman Grill.

On Sunday, singer Joe Mancuso will bring a quintet with special guest saxophonist Freddie Washington to the Soulard Art Fair. Later that afternoon, you can see two more big bands for the price of one, as the Dave Dickey Big Band is joined at their monthly gig at Kirkwood Station Brewing Company by guest trumpeter Roger Ingram, plus the entire University of Missouri Concert Jazz Band, led by saxophonist Arthur White, performing in the intermission spot.

Also on Sunday, there's a benefit concert to raise funds for blues singer Kim Massie, who recently had thyroid surgery, at the Sheldon Concert Hall; and Good 4 The Soul and various guest stars will offer "A Tribute to George Duke" at the Bistro at Grand Center.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday saxophonist Paul DeMarinis and friends will play at Webster University's Winifred Moore Auditorium, while guitarist Tom Byrne is downtown at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra, under the baton of bassist Jim Widner, will present "A Tribute to Maynard Ferguson" at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The concert will feature trumpeter Jim Manley, who was inspired early in his career by Ferguson and later befriended him, as guest soloist.

That same evening, The Wee Trio, with St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, will be back in the area for the first of two shows supporting the release of their new album Live at the Bistro at Jefferson College in Hillsboro. The group plays again on Wednesday night at Chaminade College Prep's Viragh Center for the Arts.

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

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

(Edited after posting to correct info on the Joe Mancuso and Brad MacDonald gigs.)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Fall 2013 jazz preview

Today, we offer part one of StLJN's 2013 fall jazz preview, with a look at some of the touring jazz and creative music performers who will be coming to St. Louis to perform in September.

First up is singer Roseanna Vitro, with an interpretation of "Mama Told Me Not To Come," the Randy Newman song that was a major pop hit in 1970 for Three Dog Night. She recorded it a couple of years ago as part of an entire album of Newman songs; this version comes from a performance in June 2011 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC, with pianist Mark Soskin, violinist Sara Caswell, bassist Dean Johnson, and drummer Tim Horner. Vitro will perform with pianist Kim Portnoy's trio next Saturday, September 7 at Robbie's House of Jazz, and on Sunday, September 8 at SIUE's Meridian Ballroom as part of a concert paying tribute to the late DJ Ross Gentile.

Down below is singer Michael Buble, seen in full-on Rat Pack mode with an uptempo version of "Come Fly With Me" recorded a few years ago for a live DVD. Though Buble's new album moves more in the direction of pop and rock material, it seems likely that he'll still deliver a few swinging numbers along the same lines when he performs on Saturday, September 14 at the Scottrade Center.

Next, we see saxophonist Jeff Coffin and his band the Mu'tet performing "Move Your Rug" in May of this year at the Loveless Cafe in Nashville. Coffin will return to St. Louis on Friday, September 20 to play at The Gramophone.

Also on Friday, September 20, Johnny Boyd will perform for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom. The former lead singer of Indigo Swing is seen here crooning "My Baby Just Cares For Me" in a performance from December, 2012 in Pasadena, CA.

Below that, it's The Wee Trio with "Ranthem," recorded last year at MiraCosta College in Oceanside, CA. The composition by bassist and St. Louis native Dan Loomis is included on Live at the Bistro, the group's new album recorded in February here in St. Louis and set for release in September on their Bionic Records label. The Wee Trio's tour supporting the album's release will include two public performances in St. Louis, on Tuesday, September 22 at Jefferson College and Wednesday, September 23 at Chaminade College Prep.

Wednesday, September 23 is also when Yellowjackets will open Jazz St. Louis' 2013-14 season, performing two sets nightly through Saturday, September 27 at Jazz at the Bistro. Since their last visit here, the group has a new bassist, Felix Pastorius, and a brand new album, A Rise In The Road, that features their newest lineup. The clip seen here in the sixth position is a full set recorded in May 2012 for something called MüpArt, and though Pastorius at that point was still technically a substitute, rather than an official member, he can be heard in the video along with material from the new album.

Last but not least, it's singer Dianne Reeves, who's been a relatively frequent visitor here in recent years, thanks in part to her music director and pianist, St. Louis native Peter Martin. Reeves, Martin, Erin Bode and Denise Thimes all will perform on Friday, September 26 as part of the "Divas For A Cause 3" benefit for Beyond Housing at the Sheldon Concert Hall. This clip features Reeves doing a wordless piece dubbed "Tango Du Jour" that was recorded on International Jazz Day 2013 in Istanbul, backed by Hüsnü Şenlendirici (clarinet), Bilal Karaman (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla), James Genus (bass), and Terri Lyne Carrington (drums).

Look for part two of StLJN's fall 2013 jazz preview right here next week.

The Wee Trio to release Live at the Bistro on Tuesday, September 17; tour to include three St. Louis dates

The Wee Trio, featuring St. Louis native Dan Loomis on bass, will release their new album Live at the Bistro on Tuesday, September 17.

Recorded on February 8 and 9 of this year at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis, the album is the fourth for the group, which also includes vibraphonist James Westfall and drummer Jared Schonig.

In conjunction with the release of Live at the Bistro,  The Wee Trio will embark on a fall tour that will include three performances in the St. Louis area -  on Monday, September 23 at The Principia (Loomis' alma mater); Tuesday, September 24 at Jefferson College; and Wednesday, September 25 at Chaminade High School.

"This record is really about us wanting to 'bottle' the live experience of The Wee Trio and share it with our fans,." said Loomis in a news release. The bassist expressed similar sentiments when he talked with StLJN earlier this year about the recording of the album; you can read that interview here.

Described as "the most musically complete Wee Trio recording to date," Live at the Bistro is on the group's own Bionic Records label, and includes original arrangements of the standards "Cherokee" and "There Is No Greater Love"; compositions from each of their previous three recordings; and brand-new originals "Sabotage" (written by Schonig), "White Trash Blues" and "New Earth" (Westfall) and "Ranthem" (Loomis).

No details have been released yet about tickets for The Wee Trio's St. Louis shows, but as soon as the information becomes available, StLJN will have it for you right here.

UPDATE - 8/26/13, 6:45 a.m.: Turns out that The Wee Trio's performance at Principia is a private event, but ticket information for the other two dates is as follows:

The Jefferson College show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, September 24 at the college's Fine Arts Theatre, 1000 Viking Dr. on the campus in Hillsboro. Tickets are
$5 for general admission, $2 for students and seniors, and are available at http://www.jeffco.edu/pace.

The concert at Chaminade College Prep begins at 7:30 p.m. in the school's Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, 425 S. Lindbergh Blvd. The Wee Trio also will give a pre-concert talk starting at 6:45 p.m.. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $5 for students, and will be available starting in September at http://www.chaminade-stl.org/.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* New Orleans funk/jazz/hip-hop group Galactic (pictured) will be in St. Louis next week to perform on Valentine's Day at The Pageant, and the group's bassist Robert Mercurio talked to writer Daniel Durchholz for a short preview story in the Post-Dispatch.

* Here's a review of The Wee Trio's set at last weekend's Ottawa Jazz Festival, written by the Ottawa Citizen's Peter Hum. The group will be performing and recording for an upcoming live album tonight and tomorrow at Jazz at the Bistro.

* HEC-TV this week premiered a new episode of I Love Jazz, featuring performances from the archives by musicians including The Cunninghams, Jim Manley, Reggie and Mardra Thomas, Bach to the Future, and Rick Haydon. Check your TV provider's program guide for dates and times, or view it online at http://www.hectv.org.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has a new album out on the Intakt label. All Decks was recorded live in November 2011 in Zurich, Switzerland, and features Lake with bassist Christian Weber, drummer Dieter Ulrich and trombonist Nils Wogram.

* MilesDavis.com has been compiling the reviews of the newly released recordings featuring Davis' "Lost Quintet" of the late 1960s, and they're "stellar."

* The downtown music venue/bar/restaurant Lola is recalibrating after the departure of partner/music booker Chris Hansen for the new venue The Demo. The Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson has the story on Lola's new direction here.

* Lindy Hop St. Louis is looking for sponsors for the Cherokee Street Jazz Crawl, a part of the Nevermore Jazz Ball, which will be held this year from November 7 through November 10. The Crawl showcases St. Louis traditional jazz and swing musicians in a free-to-the-public event on Cherokee Street. Sponsoring businesses will get recognition in program materials, and donations are tax-deductible. Businesses or organizations interested in becoming sponsors can contact Christian Frommelt of Lindy Hop St. Louis via email at christian @ lindyhopstlouis.org.

* Finally, did you know that St. Louis Jazz Notes has a page on YouTube? If you'd like to see only the StLJN posts that contain online music videos, you can find them all collected for your viewing and listening enjoyment here.

StLJN Interview: Dan Loomis of The Wee Trio on recording live at Jazz at the Bistro

As mentioned several times before in this space, The Wee Trio (pictured, top left) are in St. Louis this weekend, performing and recording a live album on Friday and Saturday nights at Jazz at the Bistro.

Though scheduling complications over the past week rendered fruitless our attempts to connect via phone with bassist and St. Louis native Dan Loomis (pictured, below left), he was kind enough to respond to a few questions about the impending gig/recording session via email: 

StLJN: Your last album began with the idea of exploring the music of a single composer, and after considering various possibilities, you decided on David Bowie. Is there an overall concept behind this recording, and if so, what is it?

Loomis: "The driving motivation behind this record is to capture the live energy of the band. A captivating live experience has always been paramount to The Wee Trio's mission. People often come away from our shows saying, "I don't usually like jazz but I really liked THAT!" So this is our attempt to 'bottle' that, so to speak."

What songs do you plan to record, and who are the composers/arrangers? (Anything else you can tell me about the specific compositions would be good, too.)

"For this record we are synthesizing the musical information from the Bowie record -- smart pop sensibility and a knack for making the avant-garde mainstream -- and returning with a fresh batch of originals. The band had a chance to rehearse for the second time ever before our California tour this winter. We took the opportunity to add the new tunes to the book and hone the arrangements on some jazz classics that we have been playing for a while. There will be new tunes from all three members on the album."

Why did you pick Jazz at the Bistro as the site to record?

"Jazz at the Bistro is my hometown club. My Aunt Hera used to take me to the opening night of every act that came through. Hearing Ray Brown, Ahmad Jamal, Nicholas Payton, Gary Bartz and so many others live at The Bistro were the most formative listening experiences of my life. Returning there to make a live record is an absolute dream for me. When we decided to make a live record it was the first place that I thought of. (Plus the room sounds great!)"

Who's engineering and producing?

"When we asked around for a live recording engineer everyone said the same thing: Paul Hennerich. We are happy that he was available and enthusiastic to do the project."

(Hennerich is a St. Louis-based engineer who's been doing live sound, recording, and radio broadcasts for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra since 1993. Some of his other credits include "artists as diverse as Christine Brewer and the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to the great gravelly voiced Big Bad Smitty and broadcast work for Jazz at the Bistro." He also teaches recording at Webster University.)

How does the schedule lay out, in terms of set-up, soundcheck, test recordings, etc? Will you be playing the same material on both nights? For all four sets?

"As we said, the live experience is paramount to The Wee Trio. So we don't want to sacrifice the experience of the folks coming out for the sake of the record. So we'll play different material on the first and second sets. We will likely repeat a few songs from night to night to get a few takes of them. But we have a lot of material that we love to play so we won't be repeating too much!"

(As regards rehearsal and test recordings, since the band didn't get to St. Louis until Thursday evening, the obvious but unstated answer to that question is that they've got Friday to get things set up and dialed in.)

Will the album consist entirely of recordings from the Bistro, or will there be additional material? If there's more, will it be live or studio, and from where?

"It will be an entirely live album. If it doesn't happen this weekend, it's not making the album! We will likely include some material from previous albums that has evolved into something entirely new since the first time it was recorded. Expect a few Bowie numbers and few choice tunes from Capitol Diner Vols. 1 & 2."

Do you have a name for the album yet? When will it be released, and on what label?

"No name yet. Stay tuned. The record is due out September 1st, 2013. We all grew up on "live at the Bistro" records on the MAXJAZZ label. MAXJAZZ plans pretty far ahead and the band is ready to move forward now. So..... if we can convince Richard McDonnell to completely disrupt his release schedule, we'd love to put this out on MAXJAZZ! But the current plan is to release it on our faithful, independent, New Orleans label (what more could one ask for in this day and age!), Bionic Records.

Tour dates are currently in the works for the end of 2013 and early 2014. There may also be a few surprise Canadian jazz festivals. Stay tuned for the latest at www.theweetrio.com."

For more about The Wee Trio, which also includes vibraphonist James Westfall and drummer Jared Schonig, and video samples of some of the material they plan to record this weekend, see this post.

Thanks to Jason Paul Harman Byrne of Red Cat Publicity for his help in setting up this interview.