The Next Set: From Jazz St. Louis

Jazz St. Louis Big Band Plays Count Basie, directed by Victor Goines

Enjoy the Jazz St. Louis Big Band, under the direction of Victor Goines, as they swing the summer away in salute to the iconic Count Basie Orchestra, performing selections from his expansive catalogue.

Bria Skonberg

New York-based Canadian-born singer, trumpeter, and songwriter Bria Skonberg has stormed onto the jazz scene with her smoky vocals, blistering trumpet, and compelling compositions and arrangements. The Juno Award winner has sung the music of Aretha Franklin alongside Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child, played with U2 at the iconic Apollo Theater, sat in with the Dave Matthews Band, was a featured guest with Jon Batiste, performed as part of The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour, and sang the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden for a NY Rangers game.

The Adam Maness Trio & Montez Coleman

The Adam Maness Trio has become a standard-bearer for what a “working” jazz group is — functioning as a singular unit with all members feeding off each other to create something extraordinary.

• Adam Maness – piano & Rhodes
• Bob DeBoo – bass
• Montez Coleman – drums

East St. Louis native Montez Coleman has toured and shared the stage with a host of jazz luminaries, including the Roy Hargrove Quintet, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Houston Person, Freddy Cole, Bruce Barth, Rufus Reid, & Russell Malone.

• Montez Coleman – drums
• Bob DeBoo – bass
• Adam Maness – piano
• Eric Slaughter – guitar
• Jason Swagler – saxophones

Young, Gifted, & Black: Celebrating Nina Simone featuring Malena Smith

Malena Smith uses her powerful, angelic vocals to inspire unity. The St. Louis singer and songwriter made the move to pursue her solo career after years of singing with the groups Vaughans and the Adam Maness Trio, with Bob DeBoo and the late, great Montez Coleman. Make sure to experience Malena as she celebrates the iconic singer, songwriter, pianist, composer, arranger, and civil rights activist, Nina Simone! Joining Malena will be Adaron “Pops” Jackson on piano, Emanuel Harrold on drums, Jahmal Nichols on bass, and Carlos “Scooter” Brown Jr. On saxophone.

Yellowjackets

Throughout their storied 40-plus year history, Yellowjackets have consistently forged ahead in their evolving artistic statements. The band has recorded dozens of albums, been nominated for a vast array of GRAMMY® Awards, and has adventurously amplified the eclectic, electro-acoustic soundscape, creating a unique jazz sound since its fusion beginnings. Now the band returns to bring brilliance to the Bistro stage!

Heart Full of Rhythm: The Big Band Years of Louis Armstrong

Featuring never-before-published photographs and stories culled from Armstrong’s personal archives, Ricky Riccardi tells the story of how the man called “Pops” became the first “King of Pop.” The program includes a performance by the Jazz St. Louis Big Band.

Reggie Thomas Celebrates the King Cole Trio

Pianist Reggie Thomas pays tribute to one of America’s favorite pianists and vocalists and his unique King Cole Trio. Join us in celebrating the legacy of a man that has influenced generations of musicians and broke down racial barriers as the first black man to host an American television series. This evening will explore the music of the King Cole Trio, originally King Cole and His Swingsters, which featured guitarist Oscar Moore (later replaced by Irving Ashby) and bassist Wesley Prince (later replaced by Johnny Miller). This trio specialized in swing music with a delicate touch in that they did not employ a drummer.

René Marie

In a span of two decades, 11 recordings, and countless stage performances, vocalist René Marie has cemented her reputation as not only a singer but also a composer, arranger, theatrical performer and teacher. Guided and tempered by powerful life lessons and rooted in jazz traditions laid down by Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington and other leading ladies of past generations, she borrows various elements of folk, R&B, classical, and country to create a captivating hybrid style. Her body of work is musical, but it’s more than just music. It’s an exploration of all corners of the human experience, an affirmation of the power of the human spirit. René understands music’s capacity to heal and inspire. Not only has she herself been the beneficiary of it, but she has made every effort along the way to extend those same benefits to others.

Baylor Project

The Baylor Project, featuring Jean Baylor and St. Louis native Marcus Baylor. is a highly anticipated collaboration steeped in the heart and soul of jazz. As the children of pastors, Marcus and Jean’s musical roots were planted deep within the church, and it was there that the road was paved for the influence of gospel, blues, soul, and jazz to make its mark.

Carlos Henriquez Nonet: Dizzy Con Clave & The South Bronx Story

Born in South Bronx, New York in 1979, bassist Carlos Henriquez is set to thrill Jazz St. Louis audiences with his captivating style! He studied music at a young age, played guitar through junior high school, and took up the bass while enrolled in the Juilliard School’s Music Advancement program. Henriquez is no stranger to the musical afro dialect in jazz and Latin styles. He continues to flourish as a great bassist with three great projects as a leader. The Bronx Pyramid, Dizzy Con Clave, and the latest the South Bronx Story, which is a bold multi-movement work of the social history of the South Bronx, draws from Henriquez’s personal Puerto Rican heritage.

Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards

Inter-disciplinary artist, NEA Jazz Master, multiple Grammy Award winner, activist, and educator, Terri Lyne Carrington has worked tirelessly over the last decade to advocate for inclusivity and raise the voice of women, trans and non-binary people in jazz. New Standards, her ambitious new endeavor, was created to shine a light on women composers in historic new ways. The project arrives in the form of a groundbreaking lead sheet book of jazz compositions dedicated entirely to women composers, a newly recorded album of 11 selections from the songbook featuring an all-star band and superb line-up of special guests, and a dynamic multi-media exhibition.

Jazz St. Louis 25th Anniversary Band

JSL celebrates our 25th anniversary with a group that celebrates the history of the organization while looking towards the future at the same time. Longtime JSL staples Terell Stafford (trumpet) and Cyrus Chestnut (piano) are joined by saxophonist and vocalist Grace Kelly, drummer Allison Miller and bassist Nathan Pence (a former JazzU standout). This group can be experienced nowhere else in the world and will end the season on a definite high note!

Black, Brown, & Beige

The title Black, Brown and Beige refers to the three movements of this suite. Each one representing a period in black history:

• "black" – that’s the lives of slaves.
• "brown" – the emancipation of slaves and black service in American wars.
• "beige" – there we have Ellington taking on contemporary black America in the 40s.

Peter Martin & Generation S

St. Louis native Peter Martin brings his fantastic Generation S to the Bistro for this exhilarating run of shows! The acclaimed jazz pianist, educator, and founder of Open Studio has recorded over 400 lessons, pioneering the field of online jazz education and was featured in the New York Times for his groundbreaking work. Martin brings with him the great Rueben Rogers on bass, Gregory Hutchinson on drums, and Sarah Hanahan on saxophone.

Remembering Ray Brown

Bassist Christian McBride, pianist Benny Green, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson join forces to celebrate legendary bassist Ray Brown at Jazz St. Louis. This trio are among the most respected and well-loved purveyors of modern jazz. They don’t get together much anymore, but when they do, you’d better reinforce the walls because the joint will be swinging! This special engagement brings the three long-time musical friends together to pay tribute to their mentor Ray Brown.

Swing Dance Night at the Bistro!

In its origin, jazz music developed symbiotically with Black vernacular dance styles like the Charleston, Tap, Lindy Hop, Shag, Bop. Come swing the night away as Christian Frommelt and Natalia Eristavi give us a swing dance lesson accompanied by live jazz with an all-star band of St. Louis’ finest! The band features Dawn Weber on trumpet and vocals, Jason Swagler on saxophone, Travis Mattison on guitar, Antonio Foster on piano, Bernard Terry on bass, and Bernard Long on drums!

Janet Evra - Meet Me in Paris

Returning to Jazz St. Louis, Janet Evra is an international jazz vocalist, bassist, and bandleader from England. Her music is played on hundreds of radio stations in the USA, UK, France, India, and New Zealand. For these dates, Evra will present Meet Me in Paris, a special show featuring her fresh interpretations of French jazz classics by Edith Piaf, Charles Trenet, and Henri Betti and newer hits by Pink Martini and Cyrille Aimee, along with her original compositions.

Keyon Harrold

Jazz St. Louis Creative Advisor and Ferguson native Keyon Harrold returns home to present his brand new commission to close our ’23/24 Season! This season grand finale will see the illustrious musician debut Jazz St. Louis’ much-anticipated, first-ever solo-commissioned work, written to reflect Keyon’s experiences during his momentous three-year appointment with Jazz St. Louis. This boundary-expanding partnership and commissioned work is all made possible with gracious support from the Mellon Foundation. Don’t miss Harrold take the stage to share with the world a new work that promises to be unique and thoughtful.

Harold López-Nussa & Timba a la Americana featuring Grégoire Maret

Cuban pianist Harold López-Nussa expresses a full range and richness of the Cuban music tradition with its unique combination of folkloric, popular, and classical elements. Timba a la Americana, a lavishly colorful project, captures the essence of Afro-Cuban rhythms in a contemporary context. These performances will also include harmonica virtuoso Grégoire Maret!

Arcadia Dance Orchestra

The Arcadia Dance Orchestra is a vibrant 11-piece band from St. Louis, founded under the leadership of England born trumpeter T.J. Müller. Specializing in reviving the vibrant local music scene of St. Louis during the Roaring Twenties, The Arcadia Dance Orchestra serves as a platform for local musicians to authentically perform and celebrate the enduring legacies of St. Louis’ pioneering jazz artists. The group consists of 11 musicians skilled in playing era-appropriate instruments, ranging from a beautifully restored 1920s drum set to saxophonist, cornets, banjos and more! This is the group’s first time collaborating with Jazz St. Louis. Eager to present a diverse selection of music from the 1920s, including both familiar and obscure tunes, they plan to shine a spotlight on St. Louis’ musical history, featuring compositions originally written and performed mere steps away from Jazz St. Louis’ stage from a century ago.

Connie Han Trio

Connie Han remains grounded in the rich tradition of jazz while forging her own musical path, using her talents to bridge gaps between tradition and innovation. This piano prodigy has been lauded by Downbeat Magazine as “The Jazz Warrior- Goddess,” praised for unparalleled skill and ferocity at the keys. She will be joined on stage by Reuben Rogers on bass and Eric Harland on drums.

Anat Cohen Quartetinho

Ever charismatic, prolific and inspired, Grammy-nominated clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen has won hearts and minds the world over with her expressive virtuosity and delightful stage presence. Anat was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, and raised into a musical family. Through the World Scholarship Tour, Anat was able to attend the Berklee College of Music, where she not only honed her jazz chops but also expanded her musical horizons, developing a deep love and facility for various Latin music styles.

Bob DeBoo’s 1959 Project

The year 1959 was arguably the most creative year jazz had ever seen. As musicians began breaking away from BeBop and exploring new experimental forms, four albums were released that year that are now widely recognized as the most influential in history: Miles Davis’s Kind of Blue, Dave Brubeck’s Time Out, Charles Mingus’s Mingus Ah Um, and Ornette Coleman’s The Shape of Jazz to Come. Bassist Bob DeBoo assembles an all-star cast of St. Louis musicians for a celebration of these four iconic albums.

Ellington’s Nutcracker with Jazz St. Louis Big Band

Celebrate the Holidays with a special showcase of Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker Suite performed by the Jazz St. Louis Big Band. These jazz interpretations of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet, arranged by Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, are all played from the original charts!

Etienne Charles’ Creole Christmas

Jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles adds a new twist to the holidays with his dynamic Creole Christmas band. Charles and his ensemble celebrate the Christmas season with unique interpretations of pieces from Charles’ diverse musical roots, featuring classic selections from the Caribbean, American, and European holiday songbooks.

Sherman Irby

Born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sherman began playing saxophone at the age of 12, almost immediately recognizing that it was his life’s calling. ❝Jazz music represents what we are as a people, what we need as a people: to be around others, to communicate with others, to coexist with others, to respond to others—not just ourselves,” says Irby. From 2003-2011, Sherman was the regional director for JazzMasters Workshop, a mentoring program for young children. He has served as Artist-in-Residence for Jazz Camp West, Jazz St. Louis, and numerous colleges and universities.

The Next Set: Live on New Year’s Eve

The most sensational NYE party in St. Louis returns as Victor Goines leads a band of extraordinary musicians bringing you a jubilant celebration with swinging jazz standards, classics, and originals. Swing into the promise of 2025 with this special celebration and dazzling performance!

Good 4 the Soul

This explosive four-piece outfit draws upon jazz, funk, fusion, gospel, and R&B repertoires to deliver a powerful and unapologetic sound that excites and thrills audiences. When this band hits the stage, there are no boundaries. The only guarantee is a night of world-class music that is Good 4 the Soul.

• John King - bass
• James Jackson - drums
• Shaun Robinson - guitar
• Adaron “Pops” Jackson - keys

Sean Jones

Artists Sean Jones (trumpeter/musical director) and Brinae Ali (choreographer/tap dancer/vocalist) have teamed up to create a piece that fuses jazz, tap, Hip Hop, and Bebop to articulate the social vernacular language of the African American experience. Dizzy Spellz offers an Afro-futuristic lens into a deeper look at the intersecting cultural and spiritual dilemmas within the African Diaspora through the music of Dizzy Gillespie.

Sherman Irby

Born and raised in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Sherman began playing saxophone at at the age of 12, almost immediately recognizing that it was his life’s calling. Upon graduating high school – during which he had the opportunity to play and record with Gospel immortal James Cleveland – Sherman attended Clark Atlanta University, graduating with a B.A. in Music Education. He joined Atlanta-based piano legend Johnny O’Neal’s quintet in 1991.

After moving to New York in 1994, Sherman quickly connected with the fertile and vital scene at Smalls, where he was a regular until 1997. Here Sherman caught the attention of Blue Note Records, for which he recorded his first two albums Full Circle, and Big Mama’s Biscuits, released in 1996 and 1998, respectively.

During the Smalls period, Sherman also toured the U.S. and the Caribbean with the Boys Choir of Harlem in 1995, was a member of the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra from 1995 to 1997, recorded and toured with Marcus Roberts, and participated in the incomparable Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program. Sherman began his four year stint with Roy Hargrove in 1997. After departing Roy Hargrove’s ensemble, Sherman shifted his primary focus to his own group. Although this was his primary commitment, Irby took the opportunity to join the final ensemble of the peerless Elvin Jones in 2004, and after Elvin’s passing, joined Papo Va’zquez’s Pirates Troubadours.

From 2003-2011, Sherman was the regional director for JazzMasters Workshop, a mentoring program for young children. He has served as Artist-in-Residence for Jazz Camp West, Jazz St. Louis, and numerous colleges and universities. He was an instructor for the Monterey Jazz Festival Band Camp, and a former board member for CubaNOLA Collective.

Recognizing the shift in economics of the record industry, Sherman left Blue Note to form Black Warrior Records, releasing Black Warrior, Faith, Organ Starter, Live at The Otto Club, Cerulean Canvas and Andy Farber’s This Could Be the Start of Something Big.

❝Jazz music represents what we are as a people, what we need as a people: to be around others, to communicate with others, to coexist with others, to respond to others—not just ourselves.❞

— Sherman Irby

Herlin Riley

Jazz St. Louis is very excited for you to experience The Groove Master, Herlin Riley, and his extraordinary abilities live and direct!

Herlin Riley, the longtime drummer for the legendary Ahmad Jamal and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, now leads two groups, his quintet, and the New Orleans Groove Masters. For these performances with Jazz St. Louis, Riley will deliver a new experience for each set, with a wide historical range of music that he refers to as a "living, breathing art form."

Since coming of age in the nurturing environment of a very musical family and a distinguished lineage of drummers, the lifelong New Orleanian emerged from the era of all things rhythmic in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, to enliven the ensembles of such influential and demanding improvisers as pianist Ahmad Jamal and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis through his commanding yet elegant rhythmic presence. Riley has also performed with such luminaries as Boz Scaggs, Dr. Lonnie Smith, George Benson, Dr. John, and Paul Simon, just to name a few.

Many comment on Riley’s abilities on tambourine, the origins of which began in the church. “I got into the tambourine as a young kid in New Orleans,” Riley told Jazz St. Louis. "We had a spiritual church and I watched the sisters play the tambourine and I learned to do it myself. When I joined Wynton’s band, he encouraged us to bring all of our experiences into the music. Then he started writing pieces for the tambourine.”

❝A master of color, nuance, and dynamics, Riley mines his drums and cymbals for every possible timbre, often making somewhat unconventional combinations seem perfectly natural.❞

— All About Jazz

❝The most important thing about the music is the truth and honesty. I live in the moment so each show will be different. I’m looking forward to five days of having fun.❞

— Herlin Riley

Regina Carter

Grammy-nominated artist Regina Carter explores the power of music through the voice of the violin in a wide range of genres—including jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop, and African.

Jason Marsalis Lionel Hampton Tribute

Raise The Vibe with Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet as they pay a very special tribute to American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, and bandleader Lionel Hampton.

From a tender young age it was clear that Jason Marsalis had what it took to be great. Jason is the son of pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis and his wife Dolores, and the youngest sibling of Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo. Jason is well known for his prodigal drumming. Working with his father’s group, as well as the great pianist Marcus Roberts, he has fine-tuned his playing in two of the most demanding trio settings in modern jazz. However, with the Basin Street Records release of 2013’s In A World of Mallets, and his recognition as the 2013 rising star winner in the Downbeat Magazine annual critics poll, listeners have now recognized Jason for his unique sound on the vibraphone.

Since 2000, Jason has been a mainstay on the New Orleans scene as a bandleader from the vibraphone chair and has since formed the current incarnation of his Vibes Quartet. Jason’s own playing is unique; drawing from a wide range of influences, he performs original music as well as many hidden gems in the jazz literature and beyond. Jason’s knack for selecting compositions that cover a wide range of moods, rhythms, and emotions, engages the audience, and offers surprises around every turn. As a vibraphonist, he commonly joins Shannon Powell and other New Orleans musicians on the bandstand, as well as touring as the featured soloist with the Lionel Hampton Tribute Orchestra. These varied contemporary collaborations shape Jason’s conception for his Vibes Quartet, as do his respect and admiration for past vibraphone mainstays such as Lionel Hampton, Milt Jackson, and Bobby Hutcherson.

The limited engagement with Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet shines light on his work with Lionel Hampton’s influential repertoire and is not to be missed!

❝Those who value serious musicianship, sensitive phrasemaking and thoroughly idiomatic performances of a broad span of repertoire will find this work deeply satisfying.❞

— The Chicago Tribune

Happy Talk: Celebrating Nancy Wilson

Pianist and educator Adaron “Pops” Jackson and jazz vocalist Kim Fuller join forces for a very special tribute to legendary R&B singer Nancy Wilson, drawing from an illustrious career that spans over five decades.

Christian McGee

Award-winning film composer and multi-instrumentalist Christian McGhee returns to Jazz St. Louis for his “Midwest Album Release Party.” The album, described as “cinematic jazz” incorporates strings and vocals and features all original music that McGhee recorded in January but hasn’t released it. McGhee will be joined on stage by Georgia Heers on vocals, Jahari Stampley on piano, Santosh Sharma on tenor saxophone, Brad Kang on guitar, and Nathan Pence on bass.

In April 2023, Christian was awarded BMI’s Future Jazz Master Award & Ahrold Family commission at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) annual celebration of the Jazz Masters Fellows in Washington D.C. He presented the World Premiere of his Commission/Debut Album A Winged Resilience to two sold-out audience’s at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club on May 20, 2024. A Winged Resilience is also supported by YoungArts.

No Tears Project

The No Tears Project is a jazz collective that interprets civil rights history through music—conceived by pianist Christopher Parker and vocalist Kelley Hurt.

Jazz St. Louis has partnered with Oxford American and Gateway Arch National Park to produce and present a concert event in St. Louis that includes songs from the original No Tears Suite composition—performed by a seven-piece jazz ensemble led by Parker and Hurt, alongside brand-new music, poetry, and dance created by and in collaboration with beloved St. Louis artists Oliver Lake, Brian Owens, Treasure Shields Redmond, and Ashley Tate. The jazz ensemble will include Christopher Parker (piano), Kelley Hurt (voice), Rodney Jordan (bass), Chad Anderson (drums), Bobby LaVell (tenor saxophone), Marc Franklin (trumpet), and Chad Fowler (alto saxophone).

Artemis

Individually acclaimed for their solo careers, these modern masters join forces for a collective voice that defies categorization. Named for the Greek goddess of the hunt, ARTEMIS promises mind-bending arrangements of eclectic material to open our ‘24/25 Subscription Series!

This collective with feature Renee Rosnes on piano, Ingrid Jensen on trumpet, Nicole Glover on saxophone, Noriko Ueda on bass, and Allison Miller on drums. These performances are not to be missed!

Jazz Speaks Women in Jazz

Join Jazz St. Louis for a special Whitaker Jazz Speaks event showcasing the indelible imprint that women have made on America’s original art form. Jazz St. Louis President & CEO Victor Goines will be moderating a discussion and Q&A with Jo Ann Daugherty, Mimi Jones, Tina Raymond, and St. Louis’ own Dawn Weber!

These accomplished musicians will also be performing:

Pianist, conductor, musical director, recording artist, composer and arranger Jo Ann Daugherty loves making all kinds of music. She recently returned to Chicago after touring the US as Music Director/Conductor of SIX the Musical’s first national tour. Her work in the jazz world has included performing at clubs and festivals throughout the United States.

Bassist, vocalist, producer, label owner, and now filmmaker, Mimi Jones has reigned supreme, as a side woman to an impressive coterie of musicians and as a leader with three albums on her own Hot Tone Music label. Born Miriam Sullivan in New York City to parents from Barbados, she was raised in the Bronx. Jones took up the guitar at the age of twelve, studying classical guitar with her first music instructor, James Bartow, at the Harlem School of the Arts.

A unique voice in the Los Angeles contemporary improvised music scene, Tina Raymond blends traditional jazz vocabulary with African polyrhythm and classical percussion technique. She performs, adjudicates, and presents workshops world wide at venues, festivals, and conventions, and has shared the stage with many jazz luminaries.

Dawn Weber has a background that includes extensive training in both classical trumpet and flugelhorn, as well as jazz. The St. Louis-based trumpeter is known as a prolific songwriter, stylish vocalist, and for having a mesmerizing, high-energy stage presence.

Samara Joy

Vocalist Samara Joy was the winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition and brought home the GRAMMY awards for "Best New Artist" and "Best Jazz Vocal Album" of 2023. Relive the voice as smooth as velvet in the intimacy of the Bistro!

Dawn Weber and Swunk

Don’t miss the debut of Dawn Weber’s innovative project, Dawn Weber & Swunk, on August 2–3! This fresh endeavor unites the talents of trumpeter, vocalist, composer, and songwriter Dawn Weber with some of St. Louis’ finest jazz musicians. The new sound incorporates the three essential elements of jazz: swing, blues, and improvisation. But what exactly is “Swunk?” It’s a fusion of swing, blues, hip-hop, soul, and funk that creates a dynamic and distinctive musical experience. With St. Louis’ vibrant music scene as its backdrop, this original set was written in St. Louis, for St. Louis, and brought to life by St. Louis musicians. It promises to leave audiences with an uplifted spirit and a feeling of being more connected to the St. Louis music scene as they walk away with more groove in their step.