This week's calendar of live jazz and creative music in St. Louis features plenty of brass, with performances headlined by one local trumpeter and singer; one visiting trumpeter who's become quite familiar to local listeners; one star trombonist who's helping pay tribute to some St. Louisans; and more.
Let's go to the highlights...
Wednesday, May 16
Cabaret Project St. Louis has found a new home for their monthly “Broadway Open Mic," which starting this week will take place at Sophie's Artist Lounge & Cocktail Club on the second floor of the .ZACK building at 3224 Locust St.
Also on Wednesday, the weekly “Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and his band at The Dark Room.
Thursday, May 17
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra with singers Valerie Tichacek and Dean Christopher performs at Jazz at the Bistro; saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room; and singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will celebrate Mancuso's birthday with a show at Parkside Grille in West County.
Friday, May 18
Trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber and friends will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.
Also on Friday, saxophonist Kendrick Smith's trio continues at Thurman's in Shaw, and bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn in Belleville.
Saturday, May 19
The Friends of Scott Joplin present the string band Mound City Slickers in a matinee concert at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe.
Then on Saturday evening, percussionist Herman Semidey and Orquesta Son Montuno will play salsa, latin jazz, and more at the Webster Groves Concert Hall, and the Funky Butt Brass Band returns to the Broadway Oyster Bar.
Sunday, May 20 Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his band, the E-Collective, will perform at the Grandel Theatre.
Blanchard and company currently are touring in support of their most recent album Live, which came out earlier this year. For more about that, and Blanchard's ongoing relationship with St. Louis, see this post from last Saturday.
Also on Sunday, singer Wendy Gordon and friends—including special guest star, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon—will present “Honoring Our Own," a tribute to St. Louis trombonist and educator Robert Edwards and actor/singer J. Samuel Davis, at the Sheldon Concert Hall.
That same evening, saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and the Oikos Ensemble are offering another of their “Inner Jazz" programs at the First Congregational Church in Webster Groves.
Monday, May 21
While we haven't heard the band yet and thus cannot offer an informed recommendation, this seems like as good a place as any to note that The Dark Room has started offering live music on Mondays, presenting a quartet led by the young drummer Keith Bowman, a recent graduate of Webster University.
Tuesday, May 22
Pianist “Ragtime" Jack Radcliffe, a specialist in pre-war jazz, blues, and, yes, ragtime, who's from Massachusetts, performs at Evangeline's.
Let's go to the highlights...
Wednesday, May 16
Cabaret Project St. Louis has found a new home for their monthly “Broadway Open Mic," which starting this week will take place at Sophie's Artist Lounge & Cocktail Club on the second floor of the .ZACK building at 3224 Locust St.
Also on Wednesday, the weekly “Grand Center Jazz Crawl" features Sarah Jane and the Blue Notes at The Stage at KDHX, the jam session led by bassist Bob Deboo at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and trumpeter Kasimu Taylor and his band at The Dark Room.
Thursday, May 17
The Route 66 Jazz Orchestra with singers Valerie Tichacek and Dean Christopher performs at Jazz at the Bistro; saxophonist Ben Reece's Unity Quartet returns to The Dark Room; and singer Joe Mancuso and guitarist Dave Black will celebrate Mancuso's birthday with a show at Parkside Grille in West County.
Friday, May 18
Trumpeter and singer Dawn Weber and friends will perform for the first of two nights at Jazz at the Bistro, and the St. Louis Big Band plays for dancers at the Casa Loma Ballroom.
Also on Friday, saxophonist Kendrick Smith's trio continues at Thurman's in Shaw, and bassist Darrell Mixon leads a trio at Cigar Inn in Belleville.
Saturday, May 19
The Friends of Scott Joplin present the string band Mound City Slickers in a matinee concert at the Scott Joplin House State Historic Site's Rosebud Cafe.
Then on Saturday evening, percussionist Herman Semidey and Orquesta Son Montuno will play salsa, latin jazz, and more at the Webster Groves Concert Hall, and the Funky Butt Brass Band returns to the Broadway Oyster Bar.
Sunday, May 20 Trumpeter Terence Blanchard and his band, the E-Collective, will perform at the Grandel Theatre.
Blanchard and company currently are touring in support of their most recent album Live, which came out earlier this year. For more about that, and Blanchard's ongoing relationship with St. Louis, see this post from last Saturday.
Also on Sunday, singer Wendy Gordon and friends—including special guest star, trombonist Wycliffe Gordon—will present “Honoring Our Own," a tribute to St. Louis trombonist and educator Robert Edwards and actor/singer J. Samuel Davis, at the Sheldon Concert Hall.
That same evening, saxophonist Rev. Cliff Aerie and the Oikos Ensemble are offering another of their “Inner Jazz" programs at the First Congregational Church in Webster Groves.
Monday, May 21
While we haven't heard the band yet and thus cannot offer an informed recommendation, this seems like as good a place as any to note that The Dark Room has started offering live music on Mondays, presenting a quartet led by the young drummer Keith Bowman, a recent graduate of Webster University.
Tuesday, May 22
Pianist “Ragtime" Jack Radcliffe, a specialist in pre-war jazz, blues, and, yes, ragtime, who's from Massachusetts, performs at Evangeline's.
