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Sunday Session: August 22, 2021 21 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

John Coltrane

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Former Police Guitarist Andy Summers Reminisces On Montserrat Sessions In ‘Under The Volcano’ (Forbes.com)
* Angry concert-goer files complaint with Ohio Attorney General after missing James Taylor-Jackson Browne show at Blossom (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
* Highest Trane: John Coltrane’s World-Building Ascension (Jazz Times)
* Under The Volcano Review: Inside George Martin’s Musical Paradise (DenOfGeek.com)
* The Bad Plus Reformulates Again, Now as a Quartet with Ben Monder and Chris Speed (WBGO)
* A Guide to Free Jazz Drumming on Bandcamp (Bandcamp.com)
* At an Old Juke Joint in Mississippi, the Blues Are Alive (Smithsonian)
* If you take all the world’s emotions and put them into one sound, it’s Sérgio Mendes (San Diego Union Tribune)
* The Most Influential Pop-Rock Band Ever? The Monkees! (Vanity Fair)
* The history of electronic music is inside a warehouse in Harleysville, Pa. (WHYY)
* The Light At The End of The Tunnel is Fading (Offbeat)
* Meet the archivist who saved the historic footage that became ‘Summer of Soul’ (Los Angeles Times)
* How Respect Uses Design to Illuminate the Story of Aretha Franklin (Architechtural Digest)
* Marc Ribot Makes the Case for Loud Music (LitHub.com)
* Larry Harlow, Iconic Salsa Musician And Producer, Has Died At 82 (NPR)
* First Live Steely Dan Album in 25 Years Just Days Away (Guitar Player)
* Frank Zappa: ”I think my playing is probably more derived from folk music – Middle Eastern music, Indian music, stuff like that” (Guitar World)
* My musician friends in Afghanistan are hiding their musical instruments in fear of the Taliban: Young Afghan composer Arson Fahim (IndiaTimes.com)
* Country singer Tom T. Hall dies; wrote ‘Harper Valley PTA’ (Associated Press)
* ‘They deserve a place in history’: music teacher makes map of female composers (The Guardian)
* White out! Tony Herrington calls time on the monoculture that is the experimental sound and music industry (The Wire)
* The World's Most Famous Violins Were Treated With a Secret Chemical Mix, Study Shows (ScienceAlert.com)
* Philip Glass on Artificial Intelligence and Art (Auderdy.com)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: More "Rising Stars" in concert 20 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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So What: Local News, Notes & Links 19 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* Singer and bassist Janet Evra will provide the musical entertainment for “Wine and Jazz Under the Stars,” a benefit for Classic 107.3 (Radio Arts Foundation) to be held starting at 5:00 p.m. Sunday, September 12 at The Public School House in St. Charles.

The ticket price of $95 per person also includes appetizers by Russo’s Catering, wines from A. Bommarito Wines, free on-site parking, and the chance to participate in a silent auction of items including Cardinals baseball tickets, a wine-tasting package, gift certificates, and more. For details or to reserve a spot, go to https://classic1073.org/wine-and-jazz/.

* In an effort to "ensure the future of the music economy is sustainable, profitable, and inclusive," the Regional Arts Commission is conducting a survey of the St. Louis music scene, inviting participation from musicians, venues, festivals and fans. If you're in one of those categories, you're encouraged to complete the online survey form before October 10 at https://racstl.org/music-strategy/.

* More St. Louis venues are setting admission policies regarding COVID vaccinations and testing, as the new Chesterfield concert club The Factory and the Hollywood Casino Amphtheatre (aka Riverport) this week announced that patrons will be required to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test to be admitted.

* Saxophonist Lisella Martin (pictured) was profiled in a feature story on Bloomington, IL's WGLT radio.

* Trumpeter and Webster Groves native Ally Hany Albrecht will transfer from the Air Force to the U.S. Navy and relocate from California to Washington DC to join the United States Navy Band Commodores, the premier jazz band of the Navy.

Albrecht, a graduate of North Texas State University and the Manhattan School of Music, has spent the past four years with the USAF Band of the Golden West at Travis Air Force Base, California.

* DownBeat magazine is conducting their annual readers poll, with voting continuing through Tuesday, September 14. If you're a subscriber to the print magazine, digital edition, or free email newsletter, you can cast a vote at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DownBeatReadersPoll.

Sunday Session: August 15, 2021 14 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Gerald Cleaver

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Gerald Cleaver about Griots, Ghost Orbits and Modular Synthesis (15Questions.net)
* De La Soul Have Finally Acquired Their Masters, According to Talib Kweli (Consequence.net)
* Inside look: How Sun Studio's music and magic have carried on for almost 70 years (Memphis Commercial Appeal)
* Staunchly Original: Marking 20 Years of Pi Recordings (WBGO)
* Chronology: Quincy Jones in the 1950s (Jazz Times)
* Jazz Fest Canceled; New Orleans Reacts (DownBeat)
* This Musician's Unlikely Duet Partner? The Golden Gate Bridge (NPR)
* Famous Harlem Block Renamed Art Kane Harlem 1958 Place (Jazz Times)
* SFJAZZ Collective: Reflecting the Moment (SFJAZZ.org)
* Chops: Min Xiao-Fen on the Pipa (Jazz Times)
* Tony Bennett Cancels Fall 2021 Tour (Variety)
* Tony Bennett retires from performing (AVClub.com)
* The New York Jazz Museum: 1972-1977 (AllAboutJazz.com)
* Living Spaces: Preserving Jazz Homes (Jazz Times)
* AEG To Require Proof Of Full Vaccination At All U.S. Venues Beginning October 1st (LiveForLiveMusic.com)
* Sonic Temples - The resurgence of Memphis’ classic recording studios. (MemphisMagazine.com)
* Historic St. Louis Church Could Become National Center For Gospel Music (StLouisPublicRadio.org)
* Are NFTs The New Napster? This Time The Music Industry Isn’t Taking Chances (Forbes.com)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: "Rising Stars" in concert 13 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 12 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* St. Louis music venues this week continued to adjust their admission policies to cope with the regional resurgence of COVID and proliferation of the Delta variant. As reported by the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson, Blue Strawberry made the first move, announcing that it would require patrons to provice proof of vaccination. The Pageant, Delmar Hall, and Off Broadway quickly followed by announcing that they too will require proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test for entry.

* Nine PBS on Tuesday presented the broadcast premiere of Show Me the Music: A Celebration of the Missouri Bicentennial, a special program featuring Missouri musicians that was recorded in May at The Sheldon.

The lineup of performers includes pianist Peter Martin and his trio plus saxophonist Bobby Watson and trumpeter Keyon Harrold; singer Anita Jackson (pictured); pianist Royce Martin; bluegrass star Rhonda Vincent; a faculty ensemble from the University of Missouri playing a new piece composed specifically for the bicentennial; and more. The special will air multiple times on all four PBS affiliates in the state, and also can be seen on YouTube.

* Miles Davis was known as a sharp dresser, so perhaps it's fitting that the late trumpeter's estate recently added licensed neckties to his online store. You can see the three available designs, including "Bitches Brew," that are available for $59.99 each at https://www.milesdavisstore.com/store/.

* Drummer, educator and U City native Ronnie Burrage now is co-hosting a weekly podcast produced by City Jazz Sessions, for which he already has interviewed St. Louis expats including Russell Gunn, Kelvyn Bell, and Eric Person, as well as musicians working here locally. New episodes are webcast at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, and can been seen (along with all the previous episodes) on the City Jazz Sessions YouTube channel.

* Guitarist Charles "Chip" Katz, a four-decade veteran of the St. Louis music scene, passed away on Sunday, August 8. He was 63 years old; no cause of death has been disclosed.

Katz performed across the area as a solo act, with a trio, and as accompanist to singers Anita Rosamond, Alan Ox, and numerous others. He also taught guitar in private lessons and through local music stores including Fazio's Frets and Friends and McMurray Music. Katz is survived by two sisters, two nieces, and two nephews. Funeral services will be private, and the family has requested that any memorial contributions be made in Katz's name to the charity of the donor's choice.

Sunday Session: August 8, 2021 7 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Stevie Wonder

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Snug Harbor canceling performances due to rising Covid cases (Offbeat)
* Don Marquis, esteemed jazz author and New Orleans Jazz Museum founder, has died at 88 (NOLA.com)
* At Lollapalooza 2021, there's one question hanging over everything (AVClub.com)
* Musical artist Suzanne Ciani feeds deepfake program below Morrison Hall (DailyCal.org)
* Anatomy Of A Bad Gig: Recalling A Show 40 Years Ago Where Virtually Nothing Went Right (ProSoundWeb.com)
* Labels are going to become more like VCs than they probably want to be (Music Industry Blog)
* Study: Consumption of music streaming declined significantly during COVID-19 lockdowns worldwide (EurekAlert.org)
* Alan Rubin: Mr. Fabulous in Every Way (AllAboutJazz.com)
* End of an era: Trumpets owners reminisce after developers buy legendary jazz club (NorthJersey.com)
* NC jazz musician releases album via legendary record label (Durham Herald Sun)
* Rolling Stones’ Charlie Watts Drops Out of U.S. Tour After Medical Procedure (Rolling Stone)
* Steve Vai reflects on working with Frank Zappa: "If you didn’t have the goods, you didn’t last. Frank expected everybody to rise to the occasion" (Guitar World)
* Interns Turned Engineers Take the Reins at SF’s Historic Different Fur Studios (KQED)
* Eddie Palmieri On Pioneering Latin Jazz & His Blue Note Residency: "We're Talking About The Greatest Jazz Room In The World" (Grammy.com)
* Blues Great Buddy Guy on His ‘American Masters’ Documentary, Hitting the Road Again at 85, and Why the Blues Is Like Golf (Variety)
* As Delta Variant Spreads, Artists and Venues Scramble to Keep Concerts Safe (Yahoo News)
* When Stevie Wonder Blended Funk, Soul And Social Commentary On ‘Innervisions’ (Yahoo News)
* George Harrison’s Son Dhani on the “Pandora’s Box” Process of Remastering All Things Must Pass at 50 (Consequence.net)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Critics Poll winners in concert, part 2 6 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 5 Aug 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* The Boyé Multi-National Crusade for Harmony, the seven-CD set drawn from the archives of saxophonist and Black Artists Group co-founder Julius Hemphill and released earlier this year, is the subject of a short feature/review for Jazz Times by Ted Panken.

* Trumpeter and East St. Louis native Russell Gunn, now based in Atlanta, has released the second recording from his band The Royal Krunk Jazz Orkestra. Titled The Sirius Mystery opus 4 no. 1, the album is out today via Ropeadope Records on all digital platforms, plus limited editions on CD and vinyl LP.

* Bassist Damon Smith, a recent transplant to St. Louis, also has a new recording, Houston 2012, out this week on digital and as a double CD. The album teams Smith with guitarists Keith Rowe and Sandy Ewen and the ensemble Gooseberry Marmalade.

* And speaking of new releases, a Miles Davis performance recorded in 1991 at La Villette in Paris, France will be released as The Lost Concert on digital services and as a two-CD set on Wednesday, September 29, the 30th anniversary of his death. The album (pictured) is the third in a series from Sleepy Night Records that started with Miles Davis: The Lost Quintet and continued with The Lost Septet, both released last year.

The Lost Concert is particularly noteworthy because Davis' then-current band was augmented for the date by numerous guest stars and former sidemen, including Chick Corea, Al Foster, Steve Grossman, Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, Darryl Jones, John McLaughlin, Jackie McLean, John Scofield, and Joe Zawinul.

* Gene Dobbs Bradford of Jazz St. Louis was interviewed about the organization's upcoming 2021-22 season by the St. Louis American's Danielle Brown.

* One of St. Louis' most acclaimed young talents is leaving town, as singer and multi-instrumentalist Tonina Saputo this week announced in a Facebook post, "I have accepted a job as an audio engineer at a media group in Los Angeles. I’ll be driving from STL to LA this weekend." Saputo will play what she's calling her final show as a St. Louis resident tonight at Tower Grove Park (though she also is on the bill for the Music at the Intersection festival in September).

Recently on Heliocentric Worlds 1 Aug 2021 4:37 PM (3 years ago)

It's the start of another new month, which means it's time once again to check in on StLJN's sibling site Heliocentric Worlds, where each day there's a new online music video posted, drawing on genres including jazz, blues, soul, funk, classic rock, prog rock, experimental and more.

The five most-watched videos added to the site last month were:

Airto Moreira & Flora Purim - Live in California
Eddie Fisher - "Cosmic Blues"
Otis Rush and Friends - Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival
Aretha Franklin - "Lift Every Voice and Sing"
Linda May Han Oh Quartet - Live at Bimhuis

Other recent posts have featured performances on video by Bud Powell, Clark Terry & Friends, Joe Ely, The Doobie Brothers, Blondie, The Great Guitars, Christone "Kingfish" Ingram, Joe Pass, Delbert McClinton, Yusef Lateef Quartet, Fleetwood Mac, Carole King, Stevie Wonder, Jamiroquai, Bill Frisell Trio, Blue Öyster Cult, Linda Ronstadt, Rickie Lee Jones, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Little Milton, Stan Getz, Freddie King, Fourplay, The Crusaders, Jon Hassell, James Carter Organ Trio, and NRBQ.

If you've missed out on all this up until now, it's OK - you still can see all of these videos, plus thousands more from the archives, by going to https://heliocentricworlds.blogspot.com/.

Sunday Session: August 1, 2021 31 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Billie Holiday

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Charles Mingus: An Essential Top Ten Albums (AllAboutJazz.com)
* Laura Nyro: the phenomenal singers’ singer the 60s overlooked (The Guardian)
* Buddy Guy: “When you pick up a guitar, you have something of your own even if you don’t realize it” (Guitar World)
* The United States vs. Billie Holiday vs. the Truth (Jazz Times)
* Fire Music Documentary to See National Release (Jazz Times)
* Ryan Adams, Shunned by the Music Business and ‘Scared,’ Pleads for Labels to Rescue His Career (Variety)
* This Is Your Brain On Vinyl, and Other Tales From Obsessive Collecting in the Pandemic (Jezebel.com)
* BREAKING NEWS: Three major music venues in New Orleans will require vaccination cards or negative Covid tests for entry (Offbeat)
* John Pizzarelli’s Ode to Pat Metheny (DownBeat)
* Dee Dee Bridgewater Returns to Rome (DownBeat)
* Low Fidelity: Vintage Vinyl and The Precarious State of the Indie Record Store (DecibelMagazine.com)
* Jim Keltner: A Before & After Listening Session (Jazz Times)
* Blues guitar legend Buddy Guy looks back on a special career (Associated Press)
* Fred Rzewski’s Classical Call To Arms (Bandcamp.com)
* (Back) In The Club: Jazz United Considers the Return of Live Concerts (WBGO)
* A Beginner’s Guide to Frank Zappa (Guitar Player)
* A Guide to the Late Recordings of Experimental Vocalist Linda Sharrock (Bandcamp.com)
* Do You Hear What I See? (New Music Box)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Happy birthday, David Sanborn! 30 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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











(This post appeared previously, with a different headline and slightly different format, in March 2020.)

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 29 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* Trumpeter Keyon Harrold (pictured) spoke about his new role as creative advisor to Jazz St. Louis in a brief interview with Amanda Woytus of St. Louis magazine.

* Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool, the documentary film about the trumpeter that was released earlier this year, has been nominated for two Emmy awards, for "Outstanding Arts & Culture Documentary" and "Outstanding Sound."

* And speaking of Davis, comedian and actor Alonzo Bodden this week was a guest on the podcast The 500, talking about his love for Davis' album Sketches of Spain.

* St. Louis Music Park, the new 4,500-seat outdoor concert venue in Maryland Heights, is the subject of a feature story from the Post-Dispatch's Kevin Johnson.

Brian Culbertson to perform Sunday, November 21 at The Pageant 26 Jul 2021 6:19 AM (3 years ago)

Multi-instrumentalist Brian Culbertson will return to St. Louis to perform at 8:00 p.m. Sunday, November 21 at The Pageant.

Culbertson (pictured) has a new album, The Trilogy: Red, set for release in September. He had been scheduled to perform at The Pageant in May 2020 as part of the tour supporting his then-most-recent album, 2020's XX, but the concert was postponed due to the COVID pandemic. Before that, his last St. Louis appearance was in September 2019 as part of the "Smooth Jazz Cruise on Land" at Chesterfield Amphitheater.

Tickets for Brian Culbertson at The Pageant start at $49.50, and will go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, July 30 via Ticketmaster and The Pageant box office.

Sunday Session: July 25, 2021 24 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Terri Lyne Carrington

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* The Strange Magic Of YouTube's '80s Remix Culture (NPR)
* Meet Terri Lyne Carrington (AllAboutJazz.com)
* Summer of Soul review – the best concert film ever made? (The Guardian)
* What Will Happen to My Music Library When Spotify Dies? (The Atlantic)
* The Sounds of Healing (ReasonsToBeCheerful.world)
* Pressing issues: vinyl revival held back by production capacity, Brexit and more (The Guardian)
* NEA Names Its 2022 Jazz Masters: Hart, Clarke, Wilson And Harrison (NPR)
* Billy Gibbons: storyteller, hot sauce merchant, lover of public transport (LouderSound.com)
* A Guide to the Early Music of John Coltrane on Prestige Records (Bandcamp.com)
* Are You Relivin’ the Years?: How Steely Dan Became a Cult Favorite for Millennials (TheRinger.com)
* The Essential Herbie Hancock (San Francisco Classical Voice)
* Thelonious Monk Estate Says Biopic Starring Yasiin Bey Is Unauthorized (Pitchfork.com)
* Yasiin Bey says he won’t play jazz legend Thelonious Monk in biopic since family disapproves (NME.com)
* Jazz Night's Favorite Grooves Of 2021, So Far (NPR)
* Funkadelic's 'Maggot Brain' At 50: R&B, Psychedelic Rock And A Black Guitarist's Cry (NPR)
* ‘My strength isn’t looking at a computer screen. I wouldn’t join the music business today, because I don’t want to be a typist.’ (MusicBusinessWorldwide.com)
* From Soldier to Jazz Giant: The Life of Billy Bang (Bandcamp.com)
* Christone 'Kingfish' Ingram Reflects On Leaving – And Sharing – '622' (NPR)
* The greatest keyboard players of all time, revealed (MusicRadar.com)
* Monterey Jazz Festival Quickly Sells Out Despite No Vaccination Requirements (DigitalMusicNews.com)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Critics Poll winners in concert 23 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 22 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* Keyboardist and Metro East native David Garfield is set to release Stretchin' Outside The Box, the sixth and final installment in his "Outside The Box" series of albums, on Monday, September 27.

As the title suggests, the two-CD, 24-song set (pictured) features Garfield doing some extended jamming with an impressive array of guest stars, including Gerald Albright, Eric Marienthal, Chuck Loeb, Marcus Miller, Kirk Whalum, Paul Jackson Jr., Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Nathan East, Steve Gadd, Greg Phillinganes, David Paich, and more.

* There's a new episode of David Sanborn's "Sanborn Sessions" posted online this week, with bassist and vocalist Sting as the special guest joining the saxophonist and friends in the studio. You can see this latest episode in the embedded video window at the bottom of this post, and check out previous installments via the series' YouTube channel.

* A story from St. Louis Public Radio's Evie Hemphill examines the potential effects of the opening of two new live music venues, The Factory and St. Louis Music Park, in west St. Louis County.

* Sunday, August 1 is the deadline to apply for the Kranzberg Arts Foundation's 2021-22 artist-in-residence program. You can get details and submit an application at the foundation's website.

* Also from the Kranzberg foundation this week comes word that the "Open Air" concerts outside the Grandel Theatre will continue through August (though the band lineup for the month contains more blues than jazz).

* Trumpeter Andy Tichenor, who's played in the pit orchestras at The Muny and Fox Theatre and with various local big bands, has been hospitalized with "a serious infection," and friends have started a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his medical and living expenses.

J. Scheidegger Center arts series to feature Branford Marsalis Quartet, Tower of Power 21 Jul 2021 7:40 AM (3 years ago)

The J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts at Lindenwood University today announced the 2021-22 season schedule for their touring artists series, and there are at least a couple of shows of potential interest to StLJN readers.

The biggest "get" from a jazz fan's perspective is the Branford Marsalis Quartet, who will close out the series next spring with a concert on Thursday, April 14.

Marsalis and company (pictured) will be immediately preceded on the schedule by legendary funk and soul band Tower of Power, who will perform at Lindenwood on Saturday, March 19.

Single ticket prices for Marsalis and TOP both start at $15 for rear balcony/obstructed view seating and go up to $95 per person for "platinum" seating.

The series also will include a holiday show from swing revivalists Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on Thursday, December 23, as well as six other performances featuring country music, comedy, magic, and more.

Single ticket sales via the Scheidegger Center box office will begin on Tuesday, August 3, and there's also a "Pick-A-Pack" option that offers a discount when purchasing tickets to four shows at the same time. You can see the season brochure for the series online here.

Sunday Session: July 18, 2021 17 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Juini Booth

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Rhodes returns: iconic electric piano brand is back with the promise of new keyboards (MusicRadar.com)
* ‘There is no fear’: how a cold-war tour inspired Pakistan’s progressive jazz scene (The Guardian)
* Miles Copeland Shares Tales Of The Police, The Go-Go’s And I.R.S. Records In His New Memoir (Forbes.com)
* The Good Doctor: An Interview With Eugene Chadbourne (TheQuietus.com)
* 'It's Fan Fiction For Music': Why Deepfake Vocals of Music Legends Are on the Rise (Billboard)
* Artist’s Choice: Gregory Porter Cooks Up Some Gumbo (Jazz Times)
* Immerse yourself in the Muscle Shoals Sound in northwest Alabama (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
* Bley, Corea, Schneider Top Critics Poll (DownBeat)
* A Conversation with Jackie McLean (AllAboutJazz.com)
* John McLaughlin Summons the Spirit of His Muses on a New Album, 'Liberation Time' (WBGO)
* The Leopolis Jazz Fest: Back in the (Ex)-U.S.S.R. (Jazz Times)
* The world's most endangered sound (BBC)
* High-profile Cuban musicians show rare public support to protesters (The Guardian)
* Over 66% of all music listening in the US is now of catalog records, rather than new releases (MusicBusinessWorldwide.com)
* Re-Revising 'The History Of Jazz' (NPR)
* Arthur “Juini” Booth 1948–2021 (Jazz Times)
* Kamasi Washington is composing a ballet, writing a graphic novel, and returning to the Hollywood Bowl this weekend (KCRW)
* The Sly Stone mystery: why ‘the JD Salinger of Soul’ disappeared (Yahoo.com)
* A Conversation with Amiri Baraka (AllAboutJazz.com)
* Five Records Made With Invented Instruments (Bandcamp.com)
* The New Wave in Jazz, at 60: Jazz United Considers the Legacy of Impulse Records (WBGO)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: Herbie Hancock's Harvard lectures 16 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 15 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* Bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured) was interviewed on a recent episode of NoTreble.com's podcast "Groove."

* Generations, the new album from Marcus and Jean Baylor's Baylor project, was reviewed by Martin Johnson of Jazz Times magazine.

* Trumpeter Jim Manley was a featured guest on last Thursday's episode of KTRS radio's "St. Louis In The Know with Ray Hartmann."

* An article by the Riverfront Times' Jack Probst previews the second installment of this year's "Record Store Day," happening this Saturday at music stores here in St. Louis and across the country.

Ronnie Burrage to perform Thursday, July 22 & Friday, July 23 at BB's with guest Greg Osby 14 Jul 2021 9:57 AM (3 years ago)

Drummer, composer, bandleader and U City native Ronnie Burrage is coming home this month for a series of events including a musical memorial for a family member, an open jam session, and two nights of performances at BB's Jazz, Blues and Soups.

As his first order of business, Burrage is producing a musical memorial service on Tuesday, July 20 for his cousin Kendra Mahr, who passed away earlier this year. The service will be held from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Gloria Rogers Pavilion in Tilles Park in Ladue.

Then on Wednesday, July 21, he'll join bassist Bob DeBoo as a host musician for the weekly jam session at the "Open Air" tent on the grounds of the Grandel Theater.

Burrage (pictured) will wrap up his hometown visit with gigs at BB's on Thursday, July 22 and Friday, July 23 with a band that includes alto saxophonist and fellow St. Louis native Greg Osby as special guest. Showtime is at 7:00 p.m. both nights, and tickets, which start at $40 for a table for two on Thursday or $30 on Friday, can be reserved via BB's website.

A graduate of University City High School, Burrage emerged on the national jazz scene in the 1980s as a drumming phenom, touring with famed pianist McCoy Tyner before he was old enough to legally buy a post-gig beer. He has gone on to work with a long list of notable musicians, including Wayne Shorter, Archie Shepp, Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Woody Shaw, Michael Brecker, David Murray, Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Dianne Reeves, Wallace Roney, Gary Bartz, Jamalaadeen Tacuma, Olu Onabulé, World Saxophone Quartet, and more.

Now living in Brooklyn, NY, Burrage teaches at CUNY Brooklyn Conservatory of Music and SUNY Old Westbury Long Island in addition to recording and performing live. He released Dance of the Great Spirit, his most recent recording and the first from his trio Holographic Principle, early in 2019, earning a nomination for a Grammy Award as "Best Jazz Instrumental Album."

He's been working on the follow-up, tentatively titled Moving on as One, with pianist Alex Collins and longtime bassist Nimrod Speaks, plus an array of guest musicians including keyboardists Michal Wierba, Geffrey Keezer and Marc Cary, saxophonists Antoine Roney and Kendrick Smith, trumpeter Antoine Drye, trombonist Corey Wallace, and Camille Thurman and Terrol Jones on vocals. Basic tracks have been recorded, but "I still have to add strings, choir and surprise rappers to a couple of my compositions also," Burrage said.

(You can see a complete Holographic Principle show, recorded in February of this year at Keystone Korner in Baltimore with Collins, Speaks, and Thurman, here.)

Other recent recording activity has included Been Down This Road Before, an album with trombonist Clifton Anderson, nephew of Sonny Rollins and a veteran of Rollins' band, that came out last December; and more recently, sessions for a forthcoming tribute to Tyner, led by bassist Avery Sharpe and featuring Helen Sung on piano, Joe Ford on saxophone, and Steve Turre on trombone.

This all comes after more than a year of uncertainty caused by the pandemic. "The summer of COVID's height last year I had tour dates lined up in Europe for my band Holographic Principle, it was the first time in about 16 years I would've taken my band out as a leader," Burrage said in an email to StLJN. "I was ecstatic, but then it all went away... At incredible losses (covid and other illnesses) as well from very close friends and mentors and colleagues, this has just been a traumatic season. The (loss of) of greats I've played with, like Henry Grimes, Wallace Roney, Stanley Cowell and so many others during this period, is heartbreaking."

There were some positives, though - Burrage said he was able to use the time off to obtain a small business loan and do repairs on his mother's home, enabling her to resettle in St. Louis, and the involuntary hiatus also allowed him to compose new music.

Although Brooklyn will remain his home base, Burrage is looking forward to spending more time in St. Louis in the near future and establishing a local branch of his not-for-profit organization World Rhythm Academy. "I love the city where I grew up," he said. "My family, children, grandchildren and great grandson are there, not to mention people and friends that really love me," he said. "I'm coming back home and will thrive."

Sunday Session: July 11, 2021 10 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

Susie Ibarra

Here's this week's roundup of various music-related items of interest:

* Gatemouth Brown memorialized on the road he traveled, in the town where he lived (Nola.com)
* The Urge to Destroy a Violin (The New Yorker)
* Little Walter’s Song That Changed Everything for the Blues (TheDailyBeast.com)
* The Story of Louis Armstrong’s Final Tape (LouisArmstrongHouse.org)
* More really is more with new Lee Morgan jazz release (Denver Post)
* PAMA calls for “outdated” audio terms such as ‘master/slave’ and ‘male/female’ to be replaced (MusicRadar.com)
* Grand Funk Railroad Feed Off Crowd's Energy At First Concert Back (UltimateClassicRock.com)
* In Memoriam: Rick Laird (NoTreble.com)
* John McLaughlin Discusses Mahavishnu Orchestra, Liberation Time, and More (Jazz Times)
* Norwegian Company Creating Doomsday Vault to Preserve Music Recordings (Consequence.net)
* The Sound of Early Sci-Fi: Samuel Hoffman’s Theremin (Reverb.com)
* Back on the Road! Live Sound Gears Up for Reopening (MixOnline.com)
* Five things to know about Hamid Drake (Vancouver Sun)
* Susie Ibarra: Hybrid Culture (New Music Box)
* John McLaughlin Discusses Mahavishnu Orchestra, Liberation Time, and More (Jazz Times)
* Mulgrew Miller Saw Us Through (AdmissionsProjects.com)
* What People Actually Listen To In 2021 (Music3Point0.com)
* Numbers Don’t Lie: Lilli Lewis Talks Black Presence in Americana (Offbeat)
* Frank Sinatra And Quincy Jones: When The Voice Met The Dude (UDiscoverMusic.com)
* Jam & Lewis: “With Prince, we learned to use synthesizers in a very musical way” (MusicRadar.com)
* Tony Scott: How A BeBop Jazz Clarinetist Invented New Age Music (UDiscoverMusic.com)
* Legendary Pete Escovedo ready to help jump-start Bay Area jazz scene (San Jose Mercury News)
* Call It Mourning: Mark Ruffin Remembers Gil Scott-Heron on the 10-Year Anniversary of the Poet’s Death (Jazziz)

StLJN Saturday Video Showcase: A look at the latest local livestreams 9 Jul 2021 9:04 PM (3 years ago)

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

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

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

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

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

So What: Local News, Notes & Links 8 Jul 2021 9:01 PM (3 years ago)

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

* Merci, Miles! Live at Vienne, the newly released album of previously unheard recordings from Miles Davis' last concert (pictured), was reviewed in Jazz Times magazine.

* Generations, the new release from the Baylor Project (featuring St. Louis' own Marcus Baylor and spouse Jean Baylor) is among the albums named by NPR to their list of favorites of 2021 (so far).

* The Baylors also are featured this month in an article on Grammy.com spotlighting "8 Jazz Artists Honoring Black Geniuses."

* The Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival this week announced that the event will return on Saturday, September 19, featuring a dozen acts on two stages with headliners including blues guitarist/singer Marquise Knox, jazz-fusion band Bach to the Future, and singer Erin Bode.

* St. Louis magazine's annual "A-List" issue is out, and readers' picks for 2021 include the Funky Butt Brass Band as "Favorite Original Band", The Pageant as "Favorite Live Music Venue" and Erin Bode as "Favorite Vocalist." You can see the entire issue (albeit in flip-book format) here.

* Organizers of the upcoming Music at the Intersection festival have put together a Spotify playlist featuring the acts that will be playing at the three-day event.