Hi Guys,
Steve sent this one to me and thought a few of you might be interested. Unfortunately, I'm booked this weekend starting tomorrow night with Poco out at Wildwood.
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Hello Friends and Listeners,
It's been quite awhile since you've heard from me; I've traveled a lot throughout the summer, and haven't been at my computer very much. However, there is still a lot going on in Saint Louis, and I hope you've been enjoying good music.
I'd like to tell you about the United Arts Festival, which will be happening this weekend, Oct 1 - 4, at various venues around the city. This is four days packed with performances of jazz and classical music, poetry, visual arts, cinema, and probably more that I'm not aware of. There are top performers from the St. Louis area, as well as internationally known artists from all over the country.
I shall be taking part in 2 of the concerts. The first one is entitled "Seeing Things Anew", and will take place at 8PM on Friday, Oct 1st, at the brand new Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (3750 Washington Blvd.) I'll be playing with a group including the great Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, guitarist Dan Rubright and percussionists Henry Claude (marimba & trap drums), Ted Rubright (vibraphone & small percussion) and Arthur Moore (congas & djembe). We will be playing several new compositions by the group members, and we will be simultaneously be accompanying the work of two local video artists featuring some of their urban images of St. Louis. There is no way for me to describe to you these sights and sounds, so you'd better come out to experience it for yourself!
On the same concert there will also be a performance by renowned clarinettist David Krakauer, together with a string quartet comprised of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra musicians. That's a 2 for 1 deal on the concerts!
The second concert in which I'm involved is called simply "Words and Music". It will be Sunday afternoon at 1PM on Oct. 3rd, in the theater of Forest Park Community College (5600 Oakland Ave. - alongside Hwy 40). This is a reading of poetry about jazz by American poets, paired with jazz music. Poet David Clewell will recite works by Jack Kerouac, Langston Hughes, Paul Blackburn, Thelonious Monk and many others, including some of his own work. He will be accompanied by classic jazz tunes, performed by a septet led by saxman Paul DeMarinis, and including Randy Holmes, Willie Akins, Steve Schenkel, Kim Portnoy, Kevin Gianino and myself. This is some beautiful poetry about this music we all love, and about the people who created it.
There are many more concerts and other performances during the United Arts Festival, too much for me to relate here. But you can find a complete schedule, with information about some of the featured performers, the venues and the prices at
http://www.crossingsconcerts.org ; on that site there is also a link to United Arts Festival 2004.
Another concert coming up on Monday, Oct. 4th: Webster jazz faculty members will play a program of music by Harold Arlen, at Winnifred Moore Auditorium (470 E.Lockwood). Harold Arlen wrote the music for "The Wizard of Oz", but also much, much more. This is a chance to hear some of his other music as well.
Also at Moore Auditorium: the following Saturday, Oct. 9, at 4PM I'll be playing with Ptah Wiliams and Demarius Hicks. We will be performing several original tunes written by all members of the trio!
Later that same evening I'll accompany Sherry Drake with the Carolbeth True Trio at Lombardo's at Union Station (below the Drury Inn on 20th St.)
You can also hear me at Riddle's every Wednesday with Ptah Williams' trio, and every Sunday with John Norment's quartet.
Thank you all for your interest in our music.
Willem von Hombracht
