The Touhill Performing Arts Center has just announced that versatile singer Al Jarreau, the only vocalist ever to win Grammy Awards in the jazz, pop and R&B categories, will perform at the hall on Friday, February 13.

Jarreau almost came to St. Louis most recently in 2007, when he had been scheduled to provide the music for the Jazz St. Louis benefit gala but canceled to go on tour with guitarist/singer George Benson. (He was replaced at that event by the Neville Brothers.) Jarreau's two most recent CDs, Love Songs and Christmas, both came out in 2008.

Ticket prices for the February 13 show will range from a low of $30 to $100 for "Gold Circle seating," which includes the closest seats in the house and allows ticket holders to bring drinks into the performance hall. Tickets for Al Jarreau concert at the Touhill Performing Arts Center can be purchased now via the TouPAC Web site or by calling 314-516-4949.

The start of a new year is always a good time to spruce things up a bit, and so there's been some routine maintenance to the list of links on the St. Louis Jazz Notes sidebar, over on the right-hand side of the page.

A few dead links have been deleted, and I've added new links in several sections. Locally speaking, in the "bands and musicians" category, links have been added for Funky Butt Brass Band, Orange, Pfeffer Trio, St. Louis Rivermen, Utter Chaos, and Wackadoo Swing; guitarists Pete Lombardo and Art Ruprecht; saxophonist Jason Swagler; keyboardist Mo Egeston; and percussionists/vibists Mike and Nick Szwedo. And in the "concerts, clubs and festivals" category, there are new links to Black Cat Theatre, Cabaret St. Louis, Casual Cabaret, Mildred E. Kemper Art Museum, Jimmy's Cafe on the Park, Peppertini's and the monthly St. Louis Jazz and Blues Vespers series.

In the "other local/regional jazz sites" section, you can see what's up on three more local scenes by visiting Madison (WI) Jazz, Prague Jazz, and Jakarta Jazz. Under "more jazz and creative music links," the new additions are the fusion/prog rock/world music site Abstract Logix and the traditional jazz haven Riverwalk Jazz. Last but certainly not least, under "jazz blogs of note," you'll now find links to Hot House, JazzWax, Saxophone People, and Talkin' Jazz Radio.

As always, dear readers, please feel free to suggest additional jazz and creative music-related links by sending an email to stljazznotes (at) yahoo (dot) com.

(Edited after posting to add a couple more links I'd forgotten.)

We don't often run blatant editorial plugs for StLJN's advertisers/sponsors, but since this one involves a pretty good deal on the wares of a hometown St. Louis company, it seems worth making an exception to pass it along.

From now until January 29, Sheet Music Plus is offering a special 20% discount on every title in the Mel Bay catalog, including methods, sheet music, and DVDs. Mel Bay specializes in titles for guitar, bass guitar, folk instruments, string instruments and wind instruments. To get the special discount price, use this link, but again, you must buy before January 29, 2009.

For the classically inclined, Sheet Music Plus also is offering 20% savings on the Schott Music catalog of high-quality classical and contemporary editions for all instruments, levels, and ensembles. The Schott sale ends January 29.

Music teachers looking for multiple copies for student use will like the fact that Sheet Music Plus customers automatically save 10% when buying two or more copies of any title. (All titles qualify for this 2+ discount, except hymnals and already discounted titles).

Sheet Music Plus also offers a special Budget Shipping plan that is always $2.99 in the U.S., no matter how large the order. (Note: A few pennies from each dollar you spend at Sheet Music Plus via the links above get kicked back to StLJN, thereby perhaps enabling yr. humble editor to continue to afford essentials like electricity, bandwidth, tacos and caffeine.)

This week, we catch up once again with The Bad Plus, who will be returning to St. Louis to play Wednesday, January 7 through Saturday, January 10 at Jazz at the Bistro.

Today's first video, a version of the Aphex Twin composition "Flim" was recorded in May 2007 in Boulder, Colorado, and serves as a representative example of The Bad Plus' well-known penchant for transforming songs one usually not perceived as fertile material for a jazz treatment. The second clip is from a June 2007 show in Dam, The Netherlands, and starts out with a drum intro from Dave King before the band goes into the tune "Big Eater."

For more insight into The Bad Plus, take a look at their blog Do The Math, which features some smart and entertaining writing, mostly from pianist Ethan Iverson, about the band's influences and process, current music they enjoy, the state of jazz today, and various other topics.

Singers Denise Thimes and Anita Rosamond and bassist Tom Kennedy (pictured) are among the musicians who will be on board for the fall 2009 edition of "The Jazz Cruise" produced by the St. Louis-based company Jazz Cruises LLC. The cruise is scheduled for November 8 - 15 on the Holland America ship Westerdam, and will traverse the Caribbean visiting ports of call such as St. Thomas, St. Barth's and Half Moon Cay.

The three St. Louisans on "The Jazz Cruise" will be part of a large roster of players known primarily for mainstream jazz and swing, including several who have appeared in recent years in St. Louis, such as singer Karrin Allyson, pianist Shelly Berg, singer/pianist Freddie Cole and saxophonists Houston Person and Tom Scott. For complete details, see "The Jazz Cruise" Web site.

Trumpeter Randy Holmes' concert last Saturday at the Kemper Museum was reviewed by writer Lisette Dennis for the news and entertainment Web site the St. Louis Examiner. You can read the review of Holmes' tribute to Chet Baker here.

On this final day of 2008, let's take a look back at some of the most newsworthy, noteworthy and/or interesting items posted here on St. Louis Jazz Notes over the past 12 months:

January 2008

• Erin Bode says legal woes are "officially over."
• Jazz St. Louis, SIU-E to host band director academy in July
• Von Doren, Ehrlich to perform at IAJE conference
• Art exhibit inspired by Sun Ra opens February 15 at Sheldon Art Galleries
• New multi-genre club The Gramophone says they'll include jazz
• Jazz and blues mostly absent from St. Louis' Mardi Gras celebration
• Jazz at Holmes series resumes this week
• New amphitheater in Alton could be named for Miles Davis
• Owsley receives mayoral proclamation

February 2008

• Denise Thimes to perform at the White House
• Washington University launching free concert series at Kemper Museum
• St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival set for Saturday, May 31
• Wynton Marsalis, JaLCO members sit in at Jazz at the Bistro
• LouRadio offers jazz via online stream
• The Gramophone to open Friday, March 14 with the Erin Bode Group
• Whitaker Music Festival announces 2008 lineup

March 2008

• John Patitucci to perform at SLSO Guitar Festival in November
• Ella Fitzgerald musical to open March 21 at the Repertory Theatre
• Jazz St. Louis offering "Jazz 101" class
• Jeanne Trevor to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from Grand Center
• Return to Forever reunion tour coming to the Fox Theatre on June 17
• St. Louis Jazz and Heritage Festival announces 2008 lineup
• Jazz and Heritage Festival organizers defend 2008 lineup
• Critics weigh in on the Rep's Ella

April 2008

• Celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month with the NEA Jazz Masters
• MAXJAZZ releases new CD by Trio da Paz and Joe Locke
• Jim Widner featured in JazzEd magazine
• The story of "Sweet Georgia Brown"
• Sheldon Concert Hall announces 2008-09 season
• Don Wolff's "I Love Jazz" coming to KFUO beginning Friday, May 9
• Anita Rosamond sings national anthem at St. Louis Cardinals game
• Exhibit of jazz photos by Herb Snitzer to open May 16 at Sheldon Art Galleries
• Cornet Chop Suey, Jean Kittrell to headline Madison jazz festival's 20th anniversary party
• Three is a magic number
• Ann Hampton Callaway to headline May 9 show to benefit Ross Gentile
• Glendale Jazz Festival set for Friday, May 23
• Miles Davis Jazz Celebration on May 18 to feature Willie Akins, Arlin Strader
• Downtown Belleville will present Wine, Dine and Jazz Festival on June 7
• Smooth jazz returning to the Pageant this summer

May 2008

• Jazz St. Louis announces Bistro's summer schedule
• Wash U's Center for Humanities presenting summer jazz institute for classroom teachers
• Cabaret at Savor showcasing St. Louis singers
• Clark Terry hospitalized in Kansas City
• Live on the Levee series announces 2008 lineup
• MAXJAZZ releasing CD by bassist Ben Wolfe
• Jazz St. Louis announces 2008-09 season schedule for Jazz at the Bistro
• Jazz Cruises LLC sets 2008-09 schedule
• Memorial service for Rosa Owsley to be held June 1 at Ethical Society
• Ellington Orchestra, Manhattan Transfer coming to TouPAC next season

June 2008

• Clark Terry back home after heart surgery
• UMSL fires KWMU GM
• Download of Hamiet Bluiett's S.O.S. available at Pharoah's Dance
• Jazz at Holmes announces summer 2008 schedule
• Old Webster Jazz and Blues Festival set for Saturday, September 20
• The Sheldon, Cardinals Care team up to teach young baseball players about jazz music
• Freedonia Music releases five new CDs
• Erin Bode wins Riverfront Times Music Award
• The Gramophone, Jazz St. Louis teaming up for Tuesday night series
• Saxophone museum opening this Saturday, June 14
• Jazz concert series will accompany fall exhibition at Kemper Museum
• Cynthia Prost to head Arts & Education Council
• Three MAXJAZZ releases nominated for 2008 International Jazz Awards
• MAXJAZZ releasing new CD from Jeremy Pelt

July 2008

• Anita Rosamond releasing live CD
• Cabaret at Savor closes
• Oasis reuniting for a show tonight at the Bistro
• USPS featuring Josephine Baker in new stamp series
• Miles Davis concerts streaming for free at Wolfgang's Vault
• StLJN Saturday at the Movies: A David Sanborn master class

August 2008

• Concert calendar changes
• KDHX rearranges broadcast schedule
• Kemper Museum announces fall concert series
• More on Jean Kittrell's retirement
• Brandt's schedules Whalum birthday bash, plus gigs for saxophonist Bruce Menefield
• Oliver Lake, Hamiet Bluiett to perform on Sunday, September 14 as part of "BAG and Beyond" at Metropolitan Gallery
• Mosby concert raises more than $5,000 for Nature Conservancy

September 2008

• Stamps, Owens to celebrate CD release with concert on September 9 at The Sheldon
• Singer Clea Bradford dies at age 67
• Jazz St. Louis looking for school groups, student musicians to take part in educational programs
• St. Louis Jazz Club sets fall 2008 schedule
• Jazz at Holmes Fall 2008 schedule includes concert by Dave Liebman
• New Music Circle 2008-09 season to include concerts by Vinny Golia Large Ensemble, Morton Subotnick
• After renovations, Soulard Preservation Hall reopens for concerts, parties
• Photos from "Peanuts" Whalum's 80th birthday party now online
• BAG II to cease operations at end of 2008
• Jazz St. Louis podcasts offer interviews with visiting artists
• Miles Davis estate makes donation to East St. Louis arts programs
• Riverfront Times 2008 "Best of St. Louis" winners include Carolbeth True, Jazz at the Bistro
• Jazz St. Louis to present community concerts, CD listening club

October 2008

• Monday night concert series features Webster University jazz faculty
• Brunch and concert honoring Don and Heide Wolff to be held at Harris-Stowe this Sunday, October 5
• Music for Lifetime Achievement seeks donations of musical instruments
• Jazz and blues vespers series to begin Sunday, October 19 at Second Baptist Church
• Don Wolff's I Love Jazz to cablecast live from the Kemper Museum next Tuesday, October 14
• M for Mississippi premieres in Clarksdale
• Jazz St. Louis adds new podcasts, feeds
• SLSO, Branca seek guitarists for festival performance
• Erin Bode to release Christmas CD
• Steve Schenkel and Ashley Mason release Christmas CD
• David Sanborn featured in Jazz Times cover story
• New book collects Miles Davis interviews
• Bela Fleck's "Africa Project" coming to The Sheldon on April 1

November 2008

• Campaign seeks musicians to play at polling places on Tuesday
• MAXJAZZ releases new CD from Dena DeRose
• More on Erin Bode's new Christmas CD
• Jazz St. Louis seeks student saxophonist to perform with Greg Osby & Willie Akins
• Jazz at the Bistro, Scott Joplin House named in article on "nine great jazz joints"
• Alton amphitheater almost finished, but not yet named
• Phillip Wilson remembered
• Jazz St. Louis announces more 2009 bookings for Jazz at the Bistro
• Film festival includes music-related movies
• KWMU moving to Grand Center
• Site news: AddThis, plus more ways to get StLJN
• St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival goes "on hiatus" for 2009
• Jeremy Davenport signs with Basin Street Records

December 2008

• Omar Clay 1935-2008
• Lucas School House to close at the end of the month
• KWMU names new GM
• Steve Schankman gives $50,000 to UMSL jazz program
• More on Cookie's closing
• BAG II to present final event next Sunday, December 28
• Post story says downtown St. Louis will get new jazz venue in March
• St. Louis Cabaret announces shows for winter/spring 2009
• Rounding up the "Best Jazz of 2008" lists

For whatever reasons, in recent years New Year's Eve has not been a particularly good time to hear jazz in St. Louis, and once again NYE 2008 looks to be an evening of relatively few options for jazz aficionados.

If you're looking to have dinner and drinks and hear a band play some straight-up instrumental jazz, the best possibilities might very well be a couple of regular weekly gigs that this year just happen to fall on NYE - specifically, pianist Ptah Williams (pictured) and his group at Riddle's in University City, and Park Avenue Jazz at Hammerstone's in the Soulard neighborhood.

Beyond that, as mentioned earlier, while Jazz at the Bistro is closed for New Year's Eve, the annual First Night event in Grand Center will include a number of musicians of potential interest to jazz fans, such as Kim Massie, the Nuclear Percussion Ensemble, Farshid Etniko, Jeanne Trevor, El Caribe Tropical, and the Urban Groove Project. To see the complete schedule of First Night performances, go here (.pdf file).

If the indoor/outdoor, alcohol-free, family-friendly celebration is not your cup o' tea, a scan of local entertainment listings reveals a few more musical possibilities at places that don't regularly feature jazz. For example, singer Erin Bode and her band will be part of the New Year's Eve entertainment package at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis Riverfront (the old Adam's Mark hotel), along with the Soulard Blues Band, 1970s folk-rockers Brewer & Shipley, Steely Dan tribute band GrooveThang, and others.

Elsewhere in the city, Kim Massie will be doing an early set from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Van Goghz Martini Bar & Bistro, and the West End Grill and Pub will present what's being billed as a "New Orleans-style" event with music from the Louisiana-flavored funk/R&B/zydeco group Gumbohead.

Beyond the city limits, guitarist Todd Mosby will play solo at Bistro Alexander in Clayton; Tony Viviano will sing and swing at the Columns Banquet Center in St. Charles; and singer/pianist/saxophonist Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum is one of a number of entertainers listed as performing at the Casino Queen in East St. Louis.

As for this weekend, Jazz at the the Bistro will remain closed until next Wednesday, January 6, when The Bad Plus begins a four-night run. Also, because of the holidays and the onset of a new month and new year, schedule information from other local clubs is still a bit sketchy, though we can say that Brandt's will feature Hugh "Peanuts" Whalum on Friday night, and other regular weekly gigs, such at saxophonist Dave Stone's trio at Mangia Italiano on Friday and saxophonist Willie Akins and his group at Spruill's on Saturday, should be happening as usual.

For the most timely information, you can check your fave venue's Web site directly - see the StLJN sidebar for a list of links - or consult the St. Louis Jazz Notes Calendar, where I'll be posting any new listings of jazz-related events in St. Louis this weekend and beyond as they arrive.

(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.)

It's once again that time of year when jazz journalists, DJs, critics and bloggers publish their annual "Best Of" lists, and once again, St. Louis Jazz Notes is going all meta on the whole list-making concept by offering a list with links to all of the "Best Jazz of 2008" lists we can locate. It's a bigger group this year, and so to make the list o' lists a little easier to access, it's roughly alphabetized by media and/or the writer's name.

First off, though, I do want to call special attention to some local lists, specifically the Top 10 of 2008 lists from KDHX's Josh Weinstein, host of "All Soul, No Borders" and Al Becker, host of "Voices In The Dark" and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday's list of Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Calvin Wilson.

The rest of our list of "Best Jazz of 2008" lists so far:

* Scott Albin (Jazz.com) Selects the Best Jazz CDs and Tracks of 2008
* AllAboutJazz.com's forum participants pick their 2008 favorites
* AllMusic.com's Favorite New Jazz Albums of 2008 and Favorite Jazz Reissues of 2008
* Amazon.com's Best Jazz and Improv of 2008
* BBC 3's "Jazz on 3" Best of 2008
* Chicago Tribune Best Jazz of 2008, by Howard Reich
* City Sound Inertia's Top 20 Jazz Discoveries of 2008 (mostly older releases)
* Detroit Free Press Best Jazz Albums of 2008, by Mark Stryker
* A European Perspective on the Best Jazz CDs of 2008, from Paris-based Thierry Quénum (Jazz.com)
* James Hale (Jazz Chronicles) - Best Jazz of 2008, parts one, two and three
* Tom Hull (Village Voice)- Best Jazz of 2008
* Peter Hum (Ottawa Citizen) Thriving On A Riff blog - Best Jazz of 2008
* London (UK) Independent Best Jazz Albums of 2008, by Phil Johnson
* Jazz.com's 50 Best Jazz CDs of 2008
* Jazz and Blues Music Reviews' Tim Niland lists his 2008 favorites in two parts
* Jazzzology's Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2008
* The "Just Jazz" Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Bob Bernotas of WNTI, Hackettown, NJ
* Fred Kaplan (Slate.com and Stereophile) - Best Jazz of 2008
* John Kelman (AllAboutJazz.com) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Latin Jazz Corner's Best of 2008
* Will Layman (WNYC) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Callum Mackenzie (The Jazz Monster) - 2008 year-end wrap-up, parts one, two and three
* Howard Mandel (Jazz Beyond Jazz) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Ralph Miriello (Jazz.com) Looks at Some Jazz Highlights of 2008
* NPR's Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Gary Walker of Boston's WGBO
* David Orthmann (All About Jazz.com) - Top Jazz of 2008
* Bob Parlocha (Syndicated radio DJ) - Best Jazz CDs of 2008
* PopMatters Best Jazz of 2008
* Mark Saleski (Jazz.com) Picks the Best Jazz of 2008
* San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate's Best Jazz of 2008, by David Rubien and Jesse Hamlin
* Schenectady (NY) Daily Gazette - Best Jazz Events of 2008
* Seattle Times Best Jazz and World Music of 2008, by Andrew Gilbert
* Smooth Vibes Best Smooth Jazz CDs of 2008
* John Stevenson (eJazz News) - Top 20 jazz recordings for 2008
* Take Five's Top 5 Jazz CDs Of 2008, by Lars Gotrich and Patrick Jarenwattananon
* Washington City Paper Top Ten Best Jazz of 2008, by Michael J. West
* Bob Weinberg (BW Jazz and Blues) Best Jazz and Blues Spins of 2008

If you've found any other 2008 year-end jazz lists that aren't mentioned here, please use the comments (or send me an email) to share the information, and I'll update this post and/or do a follow-up, as needed. Also, please feel free to use the comments to share and discuss thoughts about your own favorite jazz releases, shows and moments of 2008.

It's once again that time of year when jazz journalists, DJs, critics and bloggers publish their annual "Best Of" lists, and once again, St. Louis Jazz Notes is going all meta on the whole list-making concept by offering a list with links to all of the "Best Jazz of 2008" lists we can locate. It's a bigger group this year, and so to make the list o' lists a little easier to access, it's roughly alphabetized by media and/or the writer's name.

First off, though, I do want to call special attention to some local lists, specifically the Top 10 of 2008 lists from KDHX's Josh Weinstein, host of "All Soul, No Borders" and Al Becker, host of "Voices In The Dark" and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/STLtoday's list of Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Calvin Wilson.

The rest of our list of "Best Jazz of 2008" lists so far:

* Scott Albin (Jazz.com) Selects the Best Jazz CDs and Tracks of 2008
* AllAboutJazz.com's forum participants pick their 2008 favorites
* AllMusic.com's Favorite New Jazz Albums of 2008 and Favorite Jazz Reissues of 2008
* Amazon.com's Best Jazz and Improv of 2008
* BBC 3's "Jazz on 3" Best of 2008
* Chicago Tribune Best Jazz of 2008, by Howard Reich
* City Sound Inertia's Top 20 Jazz Discoveries of 2008 (mostly older releases)
* Detroit Free Press Best Jazz Albums of 2008, by Mark Stryker
* A European Perspective on the Best Jazz CDs of 2008, from Paris-based Thierry Quénum (Jazz.com)
* James Hale (Jazz Chronicles) - Best Jazz of 2008, parts one, two and three
* Tom Hull (Village Voice)- Best Jazz of 2008
* Peter Hum (Ottawa Citizen) Thriving On A Riff blog - Best Jazz of 2008
* London (UK) Independent Best Jazz Albums of 2008, by Phil Johnson
* Jazz.com's 50 Best Jazz CDs of 2008
* Jazz and Blues Music Reviews' Tim Niland lists his 2008 favorites in two parts
* Jazzzology's Top 10 Jazz Albums of 2008
* The "Just Jazz" Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Bob Bernotas of WNTI, Hackettown, NJ
* Fred Kaplan (Slate.com and Stereophile) - Best Jazz of 2008
* John Kelman (AllAboutJazz.com) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Latin Jazz Corner's Best of 2008
* Will Layman (WNYC) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Callum Mackenzie (The Jazz Monster) - 2008 year-end wrap-up, parts one, two and three
* Howard Mandel (Jazz Beyond Jazz) - Best Jazz of 2008
* Ralph Miriello (Jazz.com) Looks at Some Jazz Highlights of 2008
* NPR's Best Jazz CDs of 2008, by Gary Walker of Boston's WGBO
* David Orthmann (All About Jazz.com) - Top Jazz of 2008
* Bob Parlocha (Syndicated radio DJ) - Best Jazz CDs of 2008
* PopMatters Best Jazz of 2008
* Mark Saleski (Jazz.com) Picks the Best Jazz of 2008
* San Francisco Chronicle/SF Gate's Best Jazz of 2008, by David Rubien and Jesse Hamlin
* Schenectady (NY) Daily Gazette - Best Jazz Events of 2008
* Seattle Times Best Jazz and World Music of 2008, by Andrew Gilbert
* Smooth Vibes Best Smooth Jazz CDs of 2008
* John Stevenson (eJazz News) - Top 20 jazz recordings for 2008
* Take Five's Top 5 Jazz CDs Of 2008, by Lars Gotrich and Patrick Jarenwattananon
* Washington City Paper Top Ten Best Jazz of 2008, by Michael J. West
* Bob Weinberg (BW Jazz and Blues) Best Jazz and Blues Spins of 2008

If you've found any other 2008 year-end jazz lists that aren't mentioned here, please use the comments (or send me an email) to share the information, and I'll update this post and/or do a follow-up, as needed. Also, please feel free to use the comments to share and discuss thoughts about your own favorite jazz releases, shows and moments of 2008.

The St. Louis-based traditional jazz and swing bands Cornet Shop Suey and the St. Louis Rivermen will be among the featured attractions at the 2009 Central Illinois Jazz Festival, which will be held Friday, January 30 through Sunday, February 1 in Decatur, Illinois.

Other performers at the fest will include the Borderline Jazz Band, Crescent City Jazz Band, We 3 + 4, Dixie Daredevils, Midiri Brothers, Titan Hot Seven, SideStreet Strutters, Your Father's Mustache and pianist Bob Seeley.

For more about the festival, see their Web site and this article from Decatur Herald and Review columnist R.B. Fallstrom.

The St. Louis-based traditional jazz and swing bands Cornet Shop Suey and the St. Louis Rivermen will be among the featured attractions at the 2009 Central Illinois Jazz Festival, which will be held Friday, January 30 through Sunday, February 1 in Decatur, Illinois.

Other performers at the fest will include the Borderline Jazz Band, Crescent City Jazz Band, We 3 + 4, Dixie Daredevils, Midiri Brothers, Titan Hot Seven, SideStreet Strutters, Your Father's Mustache and pianist Bob Seeley.

For more about the festival, see their Web site and this article from Decatur Herald and Review columnist R.B. Fallstrom.

When the Cabaret at Savor closed in late June, impresario Jim Dolan vowed that he'd be back presenting shows before long. True to his word, Dolan has formed a new not-for-profit organization called Cabaret St. Louis, and after presenting several shows this fall, now he has announced a schedule of shows to be held at the Sheldon Concert Hall and the new Kranzberg Center for the Arts during the winter and spring of 2009.

The schedule kicks off with Liz Callaway (pictured), the sister of longtime St. Louis favorite, singer and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, on Thursday, February 5 and Friday, February 6 at The Sheldon.

Next up is Tom Wopat, who will appear Wednesday, February 11 through Saturday, February 14 at the Kranzberg Arts Center, which is located just south of the Fox Theatre at 501 N. Grand. Then it's Barb Jungr, who performs Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday, March 14 at the KAC, followed by Marilyn Maye, who returns to St. Louis with her trio of Tedd Firth (music director and piano), Gerald Spaits (bass) and Jim Eklof (drums) to sing on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 at The Sheldon.

For its next event, St. Louis Cabaret will stage a benefit concert and gala featuring Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on Thursday, April 2 at the Fox Theatre. The organization's winter/spring season then wraps up with Lina Koutrakos, who will perform Wednesday, April 22 through Saturday, April 25 at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and female impersonator Jeffery Roberson as "Varla Jean Merman" at the Sheldon on Friday, May 1.

Tickets for all St. Louis Cabaret shows are available via Metrotix. And as a side note, while these shows emphasize performers who are coming from the musical theater side of cabaret, Dolan also has said he plans to revive the "Cabaret in Blue" series, which featured St. Louis blues and jazz performers. While no date has been announced for the return of "Cabaret in Blue," one source has told StLJN that it could be back in the summer or fall of 2009, so stay tuned.

When the Cabaret at Savor closed in late June, impresario Jim Dolan vowed that he'd be back presenting shows before long. True to his word, Dolan has formed a new not-for-profit organization called Cabaret St. Louis, and after presenting several shows this fall, now he has announced a schedule of shows to be held at the Sheldon Concert Hall and the new Kranzberg Center for the Arts during the winter and spring of 2009.

The schedule kicks off with Liz Callaway (pictured), the sister of longtime St. Louis favorite, singer and pianist Ann Hampton Callaway, on Thursday, February 5 and Friday, February 6 at The Sheldon.

Next up is Tom Wopat, who will appear Wednesday, February 11 through Saturday, February 14 at the Kranzberg Arts Center, which is located just south of the Fox Theatre at 501 N. Grand. Then it's Barb Jungr, who performs Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday, March 14 at the KAC, followed by Marilyn Maye, who returns to St. Louis with her trio of Tedd Firth (music director and piano), Gerald Spaits (bass) and Jim Eklof (drums) to sing on Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20 at The Sheldon.

For its next event, St. Louis Cabaret will stage a benefit concert and gala featuring Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin on Thursday, April 2 at the Fox Theatre. The organization's winter/spring season then wraps up with Lina Koutrakos, who will perform Wednesday, April 22 through Saturday, April 25 at the Kranzberg Arts Center, and female impersonator Jeffery Roberson as "Varla Jean Merman" at the Sheldon on Friday, May 1.

Tickets for all St. Louis Cabaret shows are available via Metrotix. And as a side note, while these shows emphasize performers who are coming from the musical theater side of cabaret, Dolan also has said he plans to revive the "Cabaret in Blue" series, which featured St. Louis blues and jazz performers. While no date has been announced for the return of "Cabaret in Blue," one source has told StLJN that it could be back in the summer or fall of 2009, so stay tuned.

For the final Saturday video post of 2008, we turn once again to Miles Davis, a St. Louis legend who's one of the all-time greats of jazz and a personal fave of yr. humble editor, and therefore of this Web site as well.

The two clips featured today are from the fall of 1964, right after the formation of Davis' classic quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Ron Carter. The first video, a performance of "So What," is from September 1964 and, according to the annotations on the clip's YouTube page, is supposed to be Shorter's first recording of any sort with Davis.

It would be noteworthy for that alone, but it's also interesting to hear how this version of "So What" differs from the well-known studio recording on Kind of Blue (and the earlier video rendition with John Coltrane featured here in the past and oft-seen around the 'Net). The harmonic structure and two-note motif are intact, but just about everything else has changed. It's a harbinger of things to come, in terms of the way this group of musicians would eventually deconstruct and reassemble a number of familiar songs.

The second video features the same five players a month later, performing at the Teatro Dell'Arte in Milano, Italy. The tune is "Joshua," which can be heard in its studio version on the album Seven Steps To Heaven. While this is a much less well-known tune than "So What," it's still fascinating to hear all the elements of what would become one of modern jazz' signature group sounds coming together before your eyes and ears. It's all there in early form: Carter's rolling, deep-rooted bass, Hancock's distinctive keyboard voicings, Williams' always-probing approach on the drums, plus Davis' and Shorter's singular tonalities, at this point not quite yet enjoying the near-telepathic rapport they would eventually cultivate.

For the final Saturday video post of 2008, we turn once again to Miles Davis, a St. Louis legend who's one of the all-time greats of jazz and a personal fave of yr. humble editor, and therefore of this Web site as well.

The two clips featured today are from the fall of 1964, right after the formation of Davis' classic quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Ron Carter. The first video, a performance of "So What," is from September 1964 and, according to the annotations on the clip's YouTube page, is supposed to be Shorter's first recording of any sort with Davis.

It would be noteworthy for that alone, but it's also interesting to hear how this version of "So What" differs from the well-known studio recording on Kind of Blue (and the earlier video rendition with John Coltrane featured here in the past and oft-seen around the 'Net). The harmonic structure and two-note motif are intact, but just about everything else has changed. It's a harbinger of things to come, in terms of the way this group of musicians would eventually deconstruct and reassemble a number of familiar songs.

The second video features the same five players a month later, performing at the Teatro Dell'Arte in Milano, Italy. The tune is "Joshua," which can be heard in its studio version on the album Seven Steps To Heaven. While this is a much less well-known tune than "So What," it's still fascinating to hear all the elements of what would become one of modern jazz' signature group sounds coming together before your eyes and ears. It's all there in early form: Carter's rolling, deep-rooted bass, Hancock's distinctive keyboard voicings, Williams' always-probing approach on the drums, plus Davis' and Shorter's singular tonalities, at this point not quite yet enjoying the near-telepathic rapport they would eventually cultivate.

For the final Saturday video post of 2008, we turn once again to Miles Davis, a St. Louis legend who's one of the all-time greats of jazz and a personal fave of yr. humble editor, and therefore of this Web site as well.

The two clips featured today are from the fall of 1964, right after the formation of Davis' classic quintet with Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams and Ron Carter. The first video, a performance of "So What," is from September 1964 and, according to the annotations on the clip's YouTube page, is supposed to be Shorter's first recording of any sort with Davis.

It would be noteworthy for that alone, but it's also interesting to hear how this version of "So What" differs from the well-known studio recording on Kind of Blue (and the earlier video rendition with John Coltrane featured here in the past and oft-seen around the 'Net). The harmonic structure and two-note motif are intact, but just about everything else has changed. It's a harbinger of things to come, in terms of the way this group of musicians would eventually deconstruct and reassemble a number of familiar songs.

The second video features the same five players a month later, performing at the Teatro Dell'Arte in Milano, Italy. The tune is "Joshua," which can be heard in its studio version on the album Seven Steps To Heaven. While this is a much less well-known tune than "So What," it's still fascinating to hear all the elements of what would become one of modern jazz' signature group sounds coming together before your eyes and ears. It's all there in early form: Carter's rolling, deep-rooted bass, Hancock's distinctive keyboard voicings, Williams' always-probing approach on the drums, plus Davis' and Shorter's singular tonalities, at this point not quite yet enjoying the near-telepathic rapport they would eventually cultivate.

According to a story in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, downtown St. Louis will be getting a new live music venue called the St. Louis Jazz Cafe in the spring of 2009.

Business columnist Joe Whittington's December 25 entry included an item saying that the venue "will occupy the space that once housed the Red Moon restaurant in the Terra Cotta Lofts, 1501 Locust Street. Arnold and Aundra Charleston will be opening it in March. Tim Simms will be putting together the food offerings. Arnold Charleston said the new spot would have live entertainment three or four nights a week, and maybe a Sunday jazz brunch. The rest of the week will consist of local talent and streaming smooth jazz from the Internet. "Once a week we'll get a headliner, and I've been talking with Erin Bode and Tim Cunningham," said Arnold Charleston."

The above is a direct quote from the Post story, and after reading it three times, I'm still a little confused about how many nights a week the club will feature live music, and whether they'll be booking local or touring acts. The story starts out saying "three or four nights a week," which seems clear enough, but in the very next sentence adds that "the rest of the week will consist of local talent." Very confusing, especially when you consider that the two potential headliners mentioned in the story are both from St. Louis.

Still, news of any new jazz venue in town certainly is a welcome development, and StLJN will be following this story with interest. The St. Louis Jazz Cafe doesn't seem to have a Web site yet, but you can get a peek at their logo here, on the blog of the design firm that created it. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

According to a story in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, downtown St. Louis will be getting a new live music venue called the St. Louis Jazz Cafe in the spring of 2009.

Business columnist Joe Whittington's December 25 entry included an item saying that the venue "will occupy the space that once housed the Red Moon restaurant in the Terra Cotta Lofts, 1501 Locust Street. Arnold and Aundra Charleston will be opening it in March. Tim Simms will be putting together the food offerings. Arnold Charleston said the new spot would have live entertainment three or four nights a week, and maybe a Sunday jazz brunch. The rest of the week will consist of local talent and streaming smooth jazz from the Internet. "Once a week we'll get a headliner, and I've been talking with Erin Bode and Tim Cunningham," said Arnold Charleston."

The above is a direct quote from the Post story, and after reading it three times, I'm still a little confused about how many nights a week the club will feature live music, and whether they'll be booking local or touring acts. The story starts out saying "three or four nights a week," which seems clear enough, but in the very next sentence adds that "the rest of the week will consist of local talent." Very confusing, especially when you consider that the two potential headliners mentioned in the story are both from St. Louis.

Still, news of any new jazz venue in town certainly is a welcome development, and StLJN will be following this story with interest. The St. Louis Jazz Cafe doesn't seem to have a Web site yet, but you can get a peek at their logo here, on the blog of the design firm that created it. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

According to a story in yesterday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, downtown St. Louis will be getting a new live music venue called the St. Louis Jazz Cafe in the spring of 2009.

Business columnist Joe Whittington's December 25 entry included an item saying that the venue "will occupy the space that once housed the Red Moon restaurant in the Terra Cotta Lofts, 1501 Locust Street. Arnold and Aundra Charleston will be opening it in March. Tim Simms will be putting together the food offerings. Arnold Charleston said the new spot would have live entertainment three or four nights a week, and maybe a Sunday jazz brunch. The rest of the week will consist of local talent and streaming smooth jazz from the Internet. "Once a week we'll get a headliner, and I've been talking with Erin Bode and Tim Cunningham," said Arnold Charleston."

The above is a direct quote from the Post story, and after reading it three times, I'm still a little confused about how many nights a week the club will feature live music, and whether they'll be booking local or touring acts. The story starts out saying "three or four nights a week," which seems clear enough, but in the very next sentence adds that "the rest of the week will consist of local talent." Very confusing, especially when you consider that the two potential headliners mentioned in the story are both from St. Louis.

Still, news of any new jazz venue in town certainly is a welcome development, and StLJN will be following this story with interest. The St. Louis Jazz Cafe doesn't seem to have a Web site yet, but you can get a peek at their logo here, on the blog of the design firm that created it. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.