The new Jazz St. Louis season, which kicks off on September 25 with the Yellowjackets at Jazz at the Bistro, mixes in some new acts, new combinations, long-awaited returns and innovative collaborations along with familiar favorites from here, near and far.
Alto saxophonistRudresh Mahanthappa will makes his Jazz at the Bistro debut with his new project Gamak on March 19-22.
“We saw his group in New York in January at Winter Jazzfest and were just blown away,” said Gene Dobbs Bradford, executive director of Jazz St. Louis. “It’s really fresh stuff, creative.”
Jazz St. Louis also has “wonderful pairings this year,” Bradford said, such as father/son guitar duo John & Bucky Pizzarelli performing together (December 18-21), the Matt Wilson Quartet featuring John Medeski of Medeski Martin & Wood (January 22-25), pianist Bill Charlap with saxophonist Houston Person (February 5-8) and pianist Cyrus Chestnut with guitarist Russell Malone.
With this doubling up of headliners on the same bills, Bradford said, “you’re getting even more artists for your money this season.”
In the category of long-awaited returns, Bradford said, “I’m always happy to see Regina Carter back in St. Louis” (she plays November 20-23). “She’s the first artist I ever booked when I started here.”
Bradford also is “happy to have Joe Levano back. We haven’t had him in quite some time.” The tenor saxophonist returns to Jazz St. Louis for the first time in 15 years with his group Us Five (April 30 – May 3).
In the sphere of innovative collaborations, Jazz St. Louis has some beauties this season.
Jazz St. Louis will step away from its Grand Center digs on October 18 to stage Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. Celebrating the gospel in St. Louis will be the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Chorale le Chateau, a pioneering vocal musical group directed by Damien Sneed. (This unique concert is sponsored by World Wide Technology, Inc.)
On the other end of the musical spectrum from gospel, Jazz St. Louis will mix it up with funk in “A Night in Treme: The Musical Majesty of New Orleans” featuring The Donald Harrison Quintet (October 23-26). “With the popularity of Treme on HBO, this should be a really fun show of New Orleans funk,” Bradford said.
Other genre-benders: a collaborative effort with the St. Louis Symphony for a free community concert featuring “On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring” arranged and performed by The Bad Plus (October 3) and conga king Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band (April 16-19).
Other jazz shows: saxophonist Lou Donaldson (October 9-12), vocalist Ann Hampton Callaway, guitarist Pat Martino (December 4-7), The Bad Plus (January 8-11), bassist Christian McBride (February 19-22), trumpeter Sean Jones (March 5-8), vocalist Jane Monheit (May 14-17) and pianist Joe Sample closing the season May 28-31.
Special events: the annual Thanksgiving performance by St. Louis native trumpeter Jeremy Davenport (November 28-29); an all-star quartet of Jazz at Lincoln Orchestra veterans featuring Vincent GardnerwithWalter Blanding, Kenny Rampton, and Herlin Riley (January 31-February 1); and Valentine’s Day with vocalist Erin Bode (February 14-15).
Local acts get a taste, too: pianist Dave Venn (October 19), woodwind artists the Bosman Twins (November 1-2), trumpeter Jim Manley’s Mad Brass & Rhythm (November 15-16), salsa band Musica SLESA (December 13-14), funk/jazz outfit Good 4 the Soul (December 27-28), and a New Orleans New Year with the Funky Butt Brass Band (January 3-4).
Wells Fargo Advisors is the presenting sponsor of the 2013-14 Jazz at the Bistro Season, and World Wide Technology, Inc. is the presenting sponsor of the Jazz St. Louis at the Touhill Series.
All shows at Jazz at the Bistro feature two sets nightly starting at 7:30 & 9:30 pm. For tickets, call the Jazz St. Louis box office 314-289-4030 or MetroTix at 314-534-1111, visit www.metrotix.com or www.jazzstl.org or go in person to any MetroTix outlet or the Jazz St. Louis administrative offices at 3547 Olive Street – Suite 260.
For tickets to the Touhill, call 314-516-4949, visit www.touhill.org, or go to the Touhill box office.
