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: Poncho Sanchez; Cooper-Moore, Abrams & Drake; Glendale Jazz Festival; Willie Akins Jazz Festival; and more

The busy Memorial Day weekend schedule of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis includes the return of a leading light of Latin jazz; an all-star assembly of creative improvisors; a benefit raising funds for scholarships in the name of the late St. Louis saxophonist Willie Akins, and more.

Let's go the highlights....

Wednesday, May 23
Percussionist Poncho Sanchez (pictured, top left) and his band, who are pretty much the gold standard these days for small combo Latin jazz, perform for the first of four nights at Jazz St. Louis. 

For some samples of what you might expect to hear, check out Sanchez and company in action via video in this post from 2014.

Also on Wednesday, this week's "Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features the St. Louis Steady Grinders at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor's quartet at The Dark Room.

Elsewhere around town, the Ambassadors of Swing return for another "Shake and Shout Wednesday" at Tin Roof St. Louis; and The 442s and Erin Bode will perform for the monthly concert series at the World Chess Hall of Fame.

Thursday, May 24
Percussionist Joe Pastor's trio returns to The Dark Room; pianist Adam Maness' trio is back at Thurman's in Shaw; and bassist Willem von Hombracht duets with violinist Abbie Steiling at The Pat Connolly Tavern.

Friday, May 25
The Glendale Jazzfest, now in its 19th year, has moved from City Hall to Glendale Lutheran Church, but still is free and open to the public. This year's fest will feature trumpeter Randy Holmes and his Hard Bop 7 playing music by Horace Silver, plus Chicago saxophonist Shawn Maxwell and singers Anita Rosamond and Coco Soul.

Elsewhere around town, the Funky Butt Brass Band performs for the the St. Louis Zoo's free "Jungle Boogie" event; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Saturday, May 26
New Music Circle closes out their 2017-18 presenting season with a show featuring a collaboration among multi-instrumentalists Cooper-Moore, Joshua Abrams, and Hamid Drake (pictured, bottom left) at Off Broadway.

All three are veterans of the international creative music scene, performing together for the first time here in St. Louis. You can find out more about them and see videos of all three in action (albeit individually) in this post from last Saturday.

Also on Saturday, singers Jeanne Trevor and Joe Mancuso will be backed by guitarist Dave Black and bassist Willem von Hombracht for a show at Focal Point; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes return to the Venice Cafe; and singer Tony Viviano performs at One 19 North Tapas & Wine Bar.

Sunday, May 27
The second annual Willie Akins Jazz Festival will take place at the Grandel Theatre, with a post-concert jam session at The Dark Room. 

The event, which is raising money for scholarships in Akins' name at Webster University, will feature music from Ben Reece's Unity Quartet; trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet; a specially assembled band fronted by saxophonists Freddie Washington, Paul DeMarinis, and Kendrick Smith; singers Erika Johnson and Joe Mancuso; and more.

Monday, May 28
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Swing and Gypsy jazz at The Shaved Duck, and singer and guitarist Tommy Halloran is back at Yaquis on Cherokee.

Tuesday, May 29
"Blind" Willie Dineen and the Broadway Collective return to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, and pianist Pat Joyce will play at Evangeline's.

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.)

Willie Akins Jazz Festival set for Sunday, May 27 at Grandel Theatre

The second annual Willie Akins Jazz Festival will take place starting at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, May 27 at the Grandel Theatre.

The event honors the late St. Louis saxophonist by raising money for music scholarships in his name at Webster University, where Akins (pictured) was an adjunct faculty member. Singer Joe Mancuso is organizing the fest and will serve as co-MC with singer Erika Johnson, who worked with Akins early in her career.

The concert will feature music from saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet, trumpeter Danny Campbell's quartet, and the "Willie Akins All-Stars," an ad hoc group of musicians who worked with and/or knew Akins, including saxophonists Freddie Washington, Paul DeMarinis and Kendrick Smith, guitarist Tom Byrne, bassist Willem von Hombracht, and drummer Kyle Honeycutt.

Following the concert, the action moves to The Dark Room, where pianist Ptah Williams, bassist Darrell Mixon and drummer Gary Sykes will host a post-performance jam session.

Tickets for the Willie Akins Jazz Festival will be $12 for general admission, available at the door.

Jazz this week: Christian McBride, The Soul Rebels, Greg Tardy, Grand Marquis, and more

The calendar of live jazz and creative music coming up in St. Louis features several noteworthy visitors for the Memorial Day weekend, including a renowned.bassist and bandleader; a veteran saxophonist who's played with some very well-known jazz names; one of New Orleans' busiest brass bands; and more. Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, May 24
Bassist Christian McBride opens a four-night engagement continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro.

Having played the club in 2014 with his trio and in 2009 with the quintet Inside Straight, this time McBride is showcasing his latest group, New Jawn, a quartet featuring trumpeter Josh Evans, saxophonist Marcus Strickland, and drummer Nasheet Waits. (For those curious about the band's name, "jawn" is an "all-purpose noun," perhaps derived from "joint," used specifically by Philadelphia natives.)

With no piano, guitar or vibes to supply chords, New Jawn's instrumentation give McBride plenty of harmonic freedom while interacting with Evans and Strickland. It's a setup that's proven adaptable to a variety of jazz styles dating back to at least the 1950s, when Ornette Coleman's original quartet and the Gerry Mulligan/Chet Baker "cool jazz" ensemble both eschewed chordal instruments with memorable, yet very different, results.

You can get an idea of what McBride, Evans, Strickland and Waits are doing with that flexibility in this video of Thelonious Monk's "Raise Four", recorded last September at SFJAZZ in San Francisco, and this clip of Monk's "Mysterioso," from a show this March in Russia.

Also on Wednesday, singer Marsha Evans will perform for the "Chapel Concerts" series at St. Vincent Home for Children, and trumpeter Jim Manley will be back for his weekly gig at Sasha's Wine Bar.

Thursday, May 25
The Soul Rebels (pictured, top left) will perform at the Old Rock House.

Putting a contemporary spin on the New Orleans brass band tradition, the Soul Rebels are known for re-imagining hit songs from a variety of genres, and for their frequent collaborations with an equally diverse range of bands, singers, and MCs.

You can find out more and see some videos of them in action in this post from Saturday before last.

Also on Thursday, The 442s will return to Cyrano's, and saxophonist Greg Tardy (pictured, center left) will be in town for a free, early evening performance at Saxquest.

Tardy, who heads the jazz studies departments at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, has released more than a dozen albums as a leader, enjoying a relationship of more than a decade with the indie label Steeplechase Records. He's also worked with a number of well-known jazz musicians, most notably Elvin Jones, Dave Douglas, Avishai Cohen, Brad Mehldau, and Joshua Redman.

Friday, May 26
Saxophonist Harvey Lockhart and the Collective will be back at The Dark Room; guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson will make their debut at the Parkside Grille in West County; and the Second Generation Swing Band will play for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Also on Friday, the annual Glendale Jazz Festival will take place on an outdoor stage at Glendale City Hall. The event, which is free and open to the public, will feature music from the Funky Butt Brass Band, blues/R&B singer Coco Soul, the St. Louis Big Band with singer Anita Rosamond, and Randy Holmes and the Satchmo 7.

Saturday, May 27
The Kansas City-based jump blues and swing band Grand Marquis (pictured, bottom left) returns for a performance at the Casa Loma Ballroom; the Midwest Jazz-tette returns to Evangeline's, and the Kevin Lucas Marimba Band will play a concert at the Jacoby Arts Center in Alton.

Sunday, May 28
The Folk School of KDHX will host their monthly Traditional Jazz Jam Session on Sunday afternoon.

Later in the afternoon and just a short distance away in Grand Center, more than thirty St. Louis musicians and singers will join forces for the "Willie Akins Jazz Festival," an event paying tribute to the late saxophonist at the Grandel Theatre.

Organized by singer Joe Mancuso, the concert also is intended to raise money for music scholarships in Akins' name, and so while the event is free and open to the public, donations will be accepted at the door, and there's also a GoFundMe page for online contributions.

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 info on the Glendale Jazz Festival. 

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Jazz St. Louis is looking to hire a full-time Education Associate to help launch a new program for at-risk middle school students called Jazz Academy. For more information about the job and how to apply, go here.

* In advance of his gig tonight for The Sheldon's annual fundraising gala, guitarist and singer George Benson did a brief Q&A with St. Louis magazine's Erin Williams.

* Singer Joe Mancuso has organized an event to raise money for music scholarships in the name of the late saxophonist Willie Akins. Set up as a structured jam involving a couple of dozen St. Louis musicians, the "Willie Akins Jazz Festival" is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 28 at the Grandel Theatre, with an informal jam session at The Dark Room to follow. Mancuso also has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the scholarship fund.

* The Bosman Twins (pictured) were interviewed last week on the WSIE (88.7 FM) program "Voices," and their chat with host Hank Thompson has been archived online as an MP3 file here.

* The STL Free Jazz Collective has posted on Facebook a photo album from their recent show at the 14th St Artists Community.

* The website Sound of STL has photo coverage of the recent gig by Thomas Fujiwara's The Hookup presented by New Music Circle at The Stage at KDHX.

* Speaking of KDHX, singer Ken Haller's latest reprise of his cabaret entertainment "The Medicine Show" was reviewed for the station by Chuck Lavazzi.

* In the latest chapter in the saga of the Goldenrod Showboat, St. Louis Public Radio reports that the remains of the venerable venue - once home to performances of ragtime and vintage jazz on the St. Louis riverfront - are sinking in the flooded Illinois River. The flooding threatens the plans of preservationists who hoped to salvage artifacts and materials from the boat for display in a museum.

* The British music magazine The Wire has published an excerpt from Message To Our Folks, bassist and Washington University faculty member Paul Steinbeck's new book about the Art Ensemble of Chicago.

* "The Music Seen - Beyond the Stage," an exhibit featuring music-related images from seven different photographers, will open with receptions from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, June 9 and from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturday, June 10 at Bullivant Gallery, 3321 Washington Blvd in Grand Center. The exhibit, which features work from Michael Eastman, David Godlis, Jason Lee, Charles Peterson, David Rocco, Dr. Ernest Withers, and Baron Wolman, continues through Friday, July 14.

* Just in time for Mothers Day, the St. Louis American's Kenya Vaughn interviews Shirley Harrold, a St. Louis mom whose flock of 16 children includes two young jazz stars, trumpeter Keyon Harrold and drummer Emanuel Harrold.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* If you feel like catching a buzz - musically and metaphorically speaking, that is - at lunchtime, Yellowjackets will be presenting a brief performance and Q&A session that's free and open to the public at noon today (Friday, October 9) at Jazz at the Bistro.

As with previous "brown bag" events hosted by Jazz St. Louis, there will be no food or beverage service available, but audience members are welcome to bring their own food and drink. You can RSVP or direct any questions to Jazz St. Louis' Andy Ament via an email to andy(at)jazzstl.org.

* The death of saxophonist Willie Akins was noted by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the St. Louis American.

* On a related note, saxophonist Greg Osby posted to Instagram a collage of photos of him and Akins together over the years.

* All Night, the just-issued solo debut album of keyboardist Matt Villinger, was reviewed by Bill Brownlee of the Kansas City jazz blog Plastic Sax. Villinger recently moved from St. Louis to KC.

* Saxophonist Oliver Lake has posted to Facebook some photos from last week's Trio 3 gig featuring guest pianist Vijay Iyer at Blue Note in NYC

* Also on Facebook, Saxquest has posted photos from last Saturday's performance and workshop by Jeffrey Collins.

* The Nine Network's "City of Music" has won this year's Mid-America Emmy award for "Arts/Entertainment – Program/Special." Based on recordings made at a concert last October at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries (pictured), the program pays tribute to 250 years of St. Louis music history with performances from local musicians and singers including Peter Martin, Denise Thimes, Billy Peek, the St. Louis Ragtimers, and many more. You can watch both parts of the two-hour special online here.

* The music streaming service Pandora has opened an ad sales office in St. Louis.

Willie Akins 1939 - 2015

Friends and musical colleagues of Willie Akins reported Friday night on social media that the veteran saxophonist has died. He was 76, and had battled heart disease for more than a decade.

A native of Webster Groves, Akins (pictured) gained early experience with local bands including Eddie Randle's Blue Devils and a group led by his music teacher, bassist Walter Latham. After graduating from Douglass High School, he moved to New York City in May, 1957 to try to make it in the music business.

He spent eleven years in NYC, but, as detailed in a 2002 Riverfront Times profile, was mostly frustrated in his attempts to break into the city's highly competitive jazz scene. After the breakup of his first marriage and the death of his father, in 1968 Akins returned to St. Louis to look after his mother, and wound up staying for good.

Once back home, Akins worked as steadily as any local jazz musician could - painting houses during the day to help make ends meet - and for more than 40 years was generally regarded as one of the city's top modern jazz performers. While his illness had curtailed his playing schedule in recent months, Akins did make one last brief appearance at a benefit concert on September 4 at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

Before that, though, his weekly Saturday matinees at Spruill's in midtown were for 20 years a staple for St. Louis jazz fans, and often attracted visits and sit-ins from touring musicians as well. Akins also mentored several generations of St. Louis musicians, some of whom, such as saxophonists Greg Osby and Chris Cheek, drummer Kim Thompson, trumpeter Keyon Harrold and his brother, drummer Emmanuel Harrold, have gone on to national and international recognition.

In 2004, when the Riverfront Times' annual music issue named him "Best Jazz Artist," yr. StLJN editor was tasked with summing up his appeal, and this is what I wrote: 

An old-school jazzman in the tradition of Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and John Coltrane, tenor saxophonist Willie Akins blows both tough and tender while conjuring entire universes of sound from a few pounds of metal and a few lines on a score. On the bandstand, wielding his sax like a tool and a talisman, Akins can sketch dark fantasies in chiaroscuro, meditate over love lost in infinite shades of blue or paint jubilation in colors as bright as the sun.

Dapper in appearance, modest and gentlemanly in manner, off the bandstand Akins is representative of a very particular sort of jazz legend, that of the local guy who could have made the big time but chose a calmer life close to home and family. Those who revere Akins can't help but wish he'd been recorded more often, so as to share his considerable talents with the world. That said, it's a gift to have Willie Akins as part of the St. Louis music scene, and anyone who loves jazz should be thankful for his continued presence.

In 1998, Akins released Alima, his only album as a leader. The quartet date featured a mix of originals, covers and standards performed by Akins, bassist Willem von Hombracht, drummer Montez Coleman, and pianist Simon Rowe.

Akins' survivors include his wife, Sandra and children Hassan Corbin of Las Vegas, NV; Voncia Taylor of Aurora, CO; Yusuf Reynolds of Carbondale, IL; Vanessa Cunningham of Amityville, NY; Kenya Brown of Boston, MA; Alima Dunn of Houston, TX; and Omar R. Akins of East St. Louis, IL; and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Eddie Randle and Sons Funeral Home, 4600 Natural Bridge Avenue. Visitation will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, with services at noon on Thursday, October 8. Burial will be at Sunset Garden of Memory in Millstadt, IL.

In the embedded video below, you can see Willie Akins performing Thelonious Monk's "Ask Me Now" in 2011 at the Artists' Quarter in St Paul, MN, backed by Montez Coleman, Willem Von Hombracht, and Simon Rowe.



Updated 10/3/15 and again on 10/4/15 with information about survivors and funeral arrangements.

Jazz this week: Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Evan Parker & Peter Evans, Ronnie Burrage's RoBu Big Band, and more

This week's schedule of jazz and creative music in St. Louis is jam-packed, with three notable big band performances, two shows benefiting an ailing elder statesman of the local jazz scene, an evening of free-form music from two intriguing improvisors, and much, much more.

Let's go to the highlights...

Wednesday, September 30
The eclectic acoustic ensemble The 442s perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and pianist Greg Mills plays free improv and contemporary compositions at the Tavern of Fine Arts.

Thursday, October 1
Guitarist Tom Byrne will lead a quartet in a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University, serving up "original compositions, some Pat Metheny tunes, some Jobim" and more.

Elsewhere on Thursday night, there are a couple of opportunities for some short-distance road-tripping for those so inclined. In DeSoto, MO, the fourth annual Mel Bay Jazz Festival begins with a show from guitarist Larry Bay and Sugar Moon at the Fountain City Grille on Main St.

The festival continues for two more nights with music from singer Joe Mancuso, guitarists Eric Slaughter and Dave Black, singer Lena Seikaly, and pianist Chris Grasso on Friday at the Fountain City Grille and on Saturday at The Arlington Inn event space, also on Main St.

At the same time across the river in Lebanon, IL, the Count Basie Orchestra will be performing for the first of two nights at McKendree College's Hettenhausen Center for the Arts. Friday's show is sold out, but some tickets apparently still remain available for Thursday's concert.

Friday, October 2
New Music Circle opens their 2015-16 season with  an evening of free improvisation from saxophonist Evan Parker and trumpeter Peter Evans (pictured, center left) at Joe’s Cafe, 6014 Kingsbury Ave.

For more about Parker and Evans, see this video post from last Saturday. (While they're here, both men also will take part in a free workshop and Q&A session on Saturday morning at Foam on South Jefferson.)

Also on Friday, the Italian pianist Roberto Magris will be in town to lead a quartet in a performance at Ozark Theatre; the New Orleans Suspects return to St. Louis to play at Broadway Oyster Bar; and Feyza Eren offers a "Tribute to Billie Holiday" at the Kranzberg Arts Center.

And as if all that weren't enough for one evening, Jazz St. Louis education director Phil Dunlap will bring his quintet to Jazz at the Bistro for the first of two nights showcasing material from his forthcoming album. Along with the leader on piano, Dunlap's group features trumpeter Danny Campbell, saxophonist Ben Reece, bassist Nathan Pence, and drummer Montez Coleman.

Saturday, October 3
The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by famed famed trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, return to serve as the featured performers at the "Friends of the Sheldon Benefit Gala" at Sheldon Concert Hall. (For availability of concert-only tickets, check with the Sheldon's box office.)

Marsalis and JaLCO (pictured, top left) have just released Live in Cuba, a two-disc set recorded earlier this year, and the first album on Jazz at Lincoln Center's new in-house imprint Blue Engine Records.

Also on Saturday, drummer/multi-instrumentalist and U City native Ronnie Burrage will be back home from his current residence in Pennsylvania to reactivate his RoBu Big Band (pictured, lower left) for the first of two performances at Voce, 212 S. Tucker.

The group will include Burrage and fellow St. Louis expat, guitarist Kelvyn Bell, plus saxophonists Jeff Anderson, Stanley Coleman, Chad Evans, and Jerome "JDubz" Williams; trumpeter Khamali Cuffie-Moore; bassist Darrell Mixon; pianist Ptah Williams; percussionist Henry Claude; and vocalist Charisse Swan.

The RoBu Big Band also will play a matinee on Sunday afternoon, and both gigs will be recorded on video for what promo material for the shows describes as "a larger film documentary initiative to explore the rich cultural history of St. Louis and to tell the stories of numerous artists that have come from the region." You can read more about that at the GoFundMe page that Burrage has set up for the film project.

Sunday, October 4
Tom Byrne and friends will present a "Tribute/Benefit Event for Willie Akins" at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups, raising funds for the veteran St. Louis saxophonist who's now ailing from heart disease and unable to work.

Along with Byrne on guitar, the list of prospective performers includes drummers Montez Coleman and Kyle Honeycutt, bassists Bob DeBoo, Ben Wheeler, and Willem von Hombracht; trumpeters Danny Campbell and Randy Holmes, saxophonist Paul DeMarinis, guitarist Eric Slaughter, singer Erika Johnson, and, crossing over from Ronnie Burrage's matinee gig, Jeffrey Anderson, plus sit-ins and/or special guests TBA.

Also on Sunday, the Dave Dickey Big Band returns for their monthly show at Jazz at the Bistro, with the Ft. Zumwalt North HS Jazz Band performing during intermission.

Monday, October 5
Dizzy Atmosphere plays Gypsy jazz and swing at The Shaved Duck.

Tuesday, October 6
In another fund-raiser for the saxophonist, singers Wendy Gordon, Jeanne Trevor and friends will offer "Music for Willie Akins"at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

In addition to Gordon and Trevor, the announced list of performers includes singers Marty Abdullah, Elaine Donahoe, Marsha Evans, Chuck Flowers, Linda Kennedy, Joe Mancuso, Diane Vaughn, and Ron Wilkinson, along with keyboardists Arthur Toney and Pauline Stark, bassists Jimmy Hinds and Willem Von Hombracht, saxophonist Kendrick Smith, trumpeter Adrian Bowers, guitarist Eric Slaughter, and drummer Alfred Barnes.

Also on Tuesday, the Spiritual Revolution Ensemble plays free jazz at Tavern of Fine Arts; and the First Tuesday Composers Club will have their monthly meeting at The Dark Room.

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.)

Ronnie Burrage's RoBu Big Band to perform October 3 & 4 at Voce

Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and U City native Ronnie Burrage will be back in St. Louis next month, reassembling his RoBu Big Band for performances on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October at Voce, 212 S. Tucker downtown.

Burrage, who now lives in Pennsylvania, performed here most recently in June of this year, fronting a quintet and the big band in a weekend of gigs at the same venue.

The RoBu Big Band (pictured) plays a mix of jazz standards and original compositions by Burrage. In addition to the leader , the group's announced lineup for the October shows includes another well-known St. Louis expat, guitarist Kelvyn Bell, plus saxophonists Willie Akins, Jeff Anderson, Stanley Coleman, Chad Evans, and Jerome "JDubz" Williams; trumpeter Khamali Cuffie-Moore; bassist Darrell Mixon; pianist Ptah Williams; percussionist Henry Claude; and vocalists Kendra Mahr and Charisse Swan.

Tickets are $25 and are on sale now via EventBrite.

So What: Local News, Notes & Links

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

* Saxophonist Eric Person has released a new CD, DuoScope, which features duet performances with drummer Shinnosuke Takahashi. The album (pictured) is available now via CD Baby.

* St. Louis Public Radio has added a jazz channel to their online and HD offerings. Jazz KWMU-2 is streaming syndicated programming produced by Jazz Works, which offers a mix of mainstream modern jazz, Latin jazz, vocals, and more. You can see some sample playlists from the JazzWorks service here.

* In this week's St. Louis American, staff writer Kenya Vaughn reviews the latest album from singer Cecile McLorin Salvant.

* Saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett will celebrate his 75th birthday next week with a concert on Sunday, September 20 at the Chicago Academy of Music.

* A video excerpt showing saxophonist Willie Akins playing the blues at his own benefit concert last Friday at the Kranzberg Arts Center has been posted to YouTube.

* The band Soul Cafe won the fourth annual "Old Webster's Got Talent" contest last week, and will open the 2015 Old Webster Jazz & Blues Festival at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, September 19 on the Allen Avenue stage.

* Saxophonist, composer and onetime Webster University undergraduate John Zorn was the subject of a feature story in the Wall Street Journal.

* In what a cynic would say has the appearance of a classic holiday weekend newsdump, Grand Center announced last Friday evening that there will be no First Night celebration this year. There's no word yet as to whether venues in the district, which includes Jazz at the Bistro, the Sheldon, and the Kranzberg Arts Center, will be putting on any New Year's Eve programming of their own. Stay tuned...

Jazz this week: Dave King Trucking Company, Gateway Jazz Festival, a benefit for Willie Akins, Dave Easley, and more

Though it's still before Labor Day, the fall presenting season would seem to be already getting underway this week, with several noteworthy touring musicians visiting St. Louis, plus the customary variety of jazz and creative music from local performers.

Let's go to the highlights...


Thursday, September 3
Erin Bode concludes her two-night engagement singing standards at Jazz at the Bistro, and guitarist Dave Black and friends will perform at Nathalie's.

Friday, September 4
The Dave King Trucking Company will make their St. Louis debut in the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Drummer and leader King (pictured, top left), who St. Louisans know from his many performances here with The Bad Plus, has described the Trucking Company's sound as "Americana meets avant-garde." Given TBP's popularity here, odds are that King's side project will draw an enthusiastic audience as well, so advance reservations are recommended.

Also on Friday, Second Generation Swing plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to the Venice Cafe; and singer Joe Mancuso will perform in a benefit concert for saxophonist Willie Akins at Kranzberg Arts Center.

The show will feature Mancuso's quintet plus special guests raising funds to help with medical and living expenses for Akins (pictured, center left), who's facing serious health problems related to heart disease and had to be admitted to the hospital this week. (If you can't attend the show but would like to help, you can donate at a GoFundMe page that's been set up for Akins here.)

Saturday, September 5
New-Orleans based steel guitarist Dave Easley will be in town to perform at Pop's Blue Moon, 5249 Pattison Ave on the Hill. Easley, who's played with drummer Brian Blade's group, Dave Liebman, Kenny Garrett, Cyril Neville, Dr. John and many other well-known bands and musicians, will be backed by fellow New Orleans resident Tom Chute on drums and St' Louis' Bob DeBoo on bass.

Also on Saturday, Miss Jubilee and The Sidemen will team up on a double bill at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Sunday, September 6
The first day of the St. Louis Jazz Club's Gateway Jazz Festival at the DoubleTree Hotel at Westport will feature performances from Michael Lacey's New Orleans Swing, the piano duo of Stephanie Trick and Paolo Alderighi, pianist Pat Joyce, the St. Louis Stompers, Red Lehr's Powerhouse 5, and Cornet Chop Suey, with the Funky Butt Brass Band joining in when the festival continues on Monday.

Also on Sunday, Good 4 The Soul returns to BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Monday, September 7
Guitarist Tom Byrne and singer Erika Johnson will perform at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tuesday, September 8
Trumpeter Jim Manley adds another recurring gig to his weekly schedule, as he and pianist Chris Swan now are playing every Tuesday at Riverbend Restaurant and Bar, 1059 S. Big Bend Blvd in Richmond Heights.

Also on Tuesday, Miss Jubilee will perform in a free outdoor concert for the "Twilight Tuesdays" series at the  Missouri History Museum; and the Saxquest Jazz Orchestra will hold an open rehearsal at Tavern of Fine 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.)

Ronnie Burrage to perform June 26, 27 & 28 at Voce

Drummer, multi-instrumentalist, and U. City native Ronnie Burrage is coming back home to perform on Friday, June 26; Saturday, June 27; and Sunday, June 28 at Voce, 212 South Tucker Blvd. downtown.

A 1978 graduate of University City High School, Burrage (pictured) worked local gigs with visiting luminaries such as Arthur Blythe, Jackie McLean, Andrew Hill, and McCoy Tyner while still a teenager living in St. Louis.

After moving to NYC, he played with trumpeter Woody Shaw's quintet in the mid-1980s; formed Third Kind of Blue with saxophonist John Purcell and bassist Anthony Cox in 1986; and gigged with an impressive roster of jazz greats, including Tyner, Wayne Shorter, Joe Zawinul, and more.

During the 1990s, Burrage recorded with Courtney Pine, Sonny Fortune, Gunther Schuller, Hamiet Bluiett, the World Saxophone Quartet, and Billy Bang. More recently, he's been teaching at Penn State University while releasing a series of recordings as a leader, including Just Natural (2001), In It (2004), Blue Noise (2010), Spirit Guides (2011) and Heal (2013). Despite that busy schedule, Burrage has managed to make it home to perform most summers in recent years, including a weekend of gigs in 2013 supporting the release of Heal.

On this visit to St. Louis, he'll start by playing shows with a small band at 9:30 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. That ensemble will feature Burrage on drums and keyboards fronting two slightly different lineups of local musicians, with Eric Slaughter (guitar), Nathan Pence (bass), Kendra Mahr (vocals), and Danny Campbell (trumpet) on Friday, and then with Jeff Anderson (tenor sax) in for Campbell on Saturday.

To cap off the weekend, Sunday's matinee at 3:00 p.m. will feature the 10-piece-plus RoBu Big Band, with Campbell, Anderson, saxophonists Chad Evans, Jerome "JDubz" Williams, Stanley Coleman, and Willie Akins; pianist Ptah Williams; bassist Darrell Mixon; percussionist Henry Claude; singer Charisse Swan, and other special guests.

Tickets are $20 per set on Friday and Saturday, and $25 on Sunday, with a service fee of $1.49 per ticket for online purchases, and are on sale now.

Jazz this week: Marissa Mulder, Jazz St. Louis benefit gala, Hamiet Bluiett & George Sams, Roger Ingram, and more

It's Mardi Gras weekend in St. Louis, and though the "official" Mardi Gras events in recent years have tended to feature rock cover bands and DJs rather than jazz and blues, there will be plenty of jazz and creative music around town this week, if you know where to look.

For the Funky Butt Brass Band, St. Louis' best known exponents of the New Orleans brass band sound, the next few days are the equivalent of the week before Christmas for Santa Claus' various helpers and stand-ins. The FBBB will kick off the weekend this evening at Blues City Deli's King Cake Party, then team up with NOLA R&B/zydeco tribute band Gumbohead for gigs on Saturday at the Old Rock House and Tuesday at the Broadway Oyster Bar.
 
Elsewhere around town tonight, singer Marissa Mulder (pictured) makes her St. Louis debut as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, performing her show "The Songs of Tom Waits" at the Gaslight Theater.  Mulder will do the show twice more, on Friday and Saturday, while the Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues weekends through April 26. .

Also tonight, singer Denise Thimes performs at the Ethical Society of St. Louis; pianist Ptah Williams' trio will play a free concert featuring the music of Chick Corea for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and the Tavern of Fine Arts will present their monthly "Experimental Arts Open Improv Night" with live improvised music from keyboardist Jim Hegarty, flute player Fred Tompkins, and others.

Tomorrow night, Jazz St. Louis will hold their annual benefit gala at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Clayton, featuring the legendary funk saxophonist Maceo Parker as the headline entertainment, plus dinner, drinks, a silent auction, and more. As of this writing, there still are some tickets available, starting at $400 per person; call 314-289-4034 for details.

Also on Friday, pianist Pete Ruthenberg will play "The Music of Herbie Hancock" at the Kranzberg Arts Center; trombonists Doug Bert and Rodney Lancaster join forces for a gig at Robbie's House of Jazz; singer/pianist Jesse Gannon and his band Truth return to The Engine Room; and Miss Jubilee plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

On Saturday afternoon, trumpeter George Sams will re-start his Nu-Art Series by playing a duo concert with baritone sax great Hamiet Bluiett at a new location, the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site downtown.

Then on Saturday evening, Roger Ingram, known as lead trumpeter for Harry Connick Jr.'s big band and as as jazz educator much in demand, will be the featured guest performer at this year's Mineral Area College Jazz Festival down in Park Hills.

Also on Saturday evening and a bit closer to home, pianist Dave Venn and saxophonist Willie Akins will team up for a one-night-only performance at Jazz at the Bistro; the Coleman-Hughes Project with singer Adrienne Felton will play at Troy's Jazz Gallery; Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes will return to The Wine Press, and pianist Carolbeth True and Two Times True with saxophonist Larry Johnson will take the stage at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Record Collector and CD Show will hold their first event of the year - January's show was canceled due to bad weather - at the usual location, the American Czech Hall at 4690 Lansdowne in south St. Louis.

Also on Sunday, trumpeter Russell Gunn will be back home, performing on a bill with singer Dionne Ferris of Arrested Development at the Casino Queen's Club Sevens.While the first show is sold out, a second show at 8:30 p.m. has been added.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday guitarist Tom Byrne is at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; and on Tuesday, the St. Louis Community College at Meramec Jazz Combos will present a free performance at Meramec Theatre on campus.

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.)

(Updated after posting with info on the Russell Gunn show.) 

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.

Jazz this week: Lou Donaldson, Alarm Will Sound, Three Tenors of St. Louis, David Grisman, St. Louis Stompers, and more

Though Cardinal baseball may be preoccupying large segments of the populace in St. Louis, the fall jazz and creative music presenting season nevertheless continues this week with a full slate of performances in a wide variety of styles.

Music fans who care to venture forth into clubs and concert halls over the next few days will find everything from traditional New Orleans jazz  to bluesy, bop-inflected saxophone from an old-school jazz master to top touring groups showcasing recombinant genres rooted in classical and bluegrass. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, the veteran alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson will begin a four-night gig continuing through Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro. Performing with an organ trio, the 86-year-old Donaldson mixes blues, bop, ballads, and backbeats in a crowd-pleasing fashion, and usually adds additional entertainment with some wry, between-song quips along the way. For more about Donaldson (pictured) and some video samples of what you're likely to hear this weekend, see this post from last Saturday.

Also tonight, the 20-member new music ensemble Alarm Will Sound begins their second St. Louis season at the Sheldon Concert Hall, previewing the program they'll play this weekend at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Elsewhere around town, the 442s play at the Tavern of Fine Arts; singer Joe Mancuso leads a trio at EdgeWild Restaurant and Winery in Chesterfield; and vibraphonist Peter Schlamb's group performs at BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups.

Tomorrow night, the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University presents a free concert featuring "Three Tenors of St. Louis," namely Freddie Washington, Willie Akins and Paul DeMarinis. While Washington and Akins have performed together occasionally in the past, the three-tenor format adds a new wrinkle and should make for some friendly but spirited competition. Also on Thursday, funk/R&B/jazz group Good 4 The Soul plays their monthly show at BB's.

On Friday, mandolinist David Grisman, inventor of the acoustic swing/folk/rock/bluegrass hybrid style he calls "dawg music," brings his FolkJazz Trio to the Sheldon Concert Hall. Also on Friday, saxophonist Jay Hutson and Da Wolvez are at Robbie's House of Jazz; and pianist Ptah Williams leads a trio at Cigar Inn.

On Saturday afternoon, guitarist Corey Christiansen will present a jazz improvisation workshop at Mozingo Music. Christensen, who lived in St. Louis for several years before moving back to Utah in 2007, also will lead a trio in a Saturday night performance at Robbie's.

Elsewhere on Saturday night, the Bosman Twins and friends from several different locales are teaming up for one of their periodic "Reunion Jazz Band' gigs at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups; and Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes trio perform at Thurman Grill.

On Sunday, the St. Louis Jazz Club presents the St. Louis Stompers at the Doubletree Hotel in Westport.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday guitarist Robben Ford, who's played with jazz stars including Tom Scott, Jimmy Witherspoon and Miles Davis, will present a guitar clinic sponsored by Mozingo Music at Sky Music Lounge in Ballwin. Also on Monday,  the Sessions Big Band plays at BB's Jazz, Blues & 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: Erik Jekabsen, "Music for Mutts," Tim Cunningham, free outdoor concerts, and more

Looks like we're in for some steamy weather in St. Louis for the next few days, but fortunately there will be ample opportunities to cool out with some live jazz and creative music, both indoors and outdoors. Let's go to the highlights...

Tonight, there are two free outdoor shows of interest, as Good 4 The Soul plays a free concert at O'Fallon Park while the Willie Akins/Montez Coleman group performs for the Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Also tonight, trumpeter Delano Redmond starts a new recurring Wednesday night gig at the Premier Lounge, and Cabaret Project St. Louis presents their monthly open mic night at Tavern of Fine Arts.

Tomorrow night, trumpeter Erik Jekabsen (pictured), with a band that will include Kansas City saxophonist Matt Otto, will play a free concert for the Jazz at Holmes series at Washington University; and Miss Jubilee performs for a free outdoor event at St Peters City Centre Amphitheater.

On Friday, there are plenty of choices for the discerning listener, starting with the return of saxophonist Tim Cunningham for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro. Elsewhere around town, mandolinist Knez Jakovac leads a quartet in a concert at the Lemp Grand Hall, 1817 Cherokee (at Lemp); Feyza Eren performs at the Wine Press; Danita Mumphard sings at Jazz on Broadway; and the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.

Also on Friday, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis presents "Chromaconditional," a multi-media performance featuring Kevin Harris, Mike Murphy, Adrian McBride, and Jeremy Kannapell, who will "use special sensors to connect the motion and colors of a gigantic video projection to sound patterns, creating a musical soundscape that will fill CAM’s Performance Space."

On Saturday, "Music for Mutts," a benefit for four local animal rescue organizations, will feature music from the cabaret quartet Women Under the Influence, singer Christy Strickland, Miss Jubilee, and more. Proceeds from the event, which will be held at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Dr in Clayton, go to Act Now Rescue, Gateway Pet Guardians, Operation Spot and Pound Pals.

Also on Saturday, guitarist Randy Bahr and flute player/singer Margaret Bianchetta will perform at One 19 North Tapas and Wine Bar, and drummer Robbie Tucker leads a quartet at Robbie's House of Jazz.

On Sunday, trumpeter Jim Manley continues his long-running brunch gig at Jimmy's Cafe on the Park, while singer-guitarist Tommy Halloran and his band Guerilla Swing will entertain the brunch crowd at The Rustic Goat.

Looking beyond the weekend, on Monday Clave Sol plays Latin jazz 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.)

U City Jazz Festival sets lineup for Saturday, September 7

The U City Jazz Festival has announced the lineup of musicians who will perform at this year's event, which will be held from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 7 in Heman Park in University City.

The all-St. Louis musical menu for the festival will include Willie Akins and Montez Coleman, Bach to the Future, Phil Gomez and Clave Sol, the Joe Mancuso Quintet, Tom Byrne and Have U Heard?, and a tribute to Wes Montgomery led by Maurice Carnes (pictured).

The event will be staged in conjunction with the annual Fair U. City, and is free and open to the public. Heman Park is located on Olive Blvd, near the corner of Midland Ave and Olive.