Tampa Jazz Calendar: Dave Stryker, Peter Bernstein, Diana Krall, more

Celebrated singer-pianist Diana Krall, who probably qualifies as a jazz superstar, makes her fourth appearance at Ruth Eckerd Hall with a Jan. 30 performance supporting her recent Turn Up the Quiet album. And, yeah, file premium-seat tickets under “crazy prices” ($175 & $138.75). On the other hand, nice to see a jazz musician get pop-star pay.

No definitive word on which musicians are joining Krall for the Clearwater date, but for a December show in Ottawa, she was joined by guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Robert Hurst, violinist Stuart Duncan, and drummer Karriem Riggins. Check out Peter Hum’s review.

And here’s a video of her appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in August.

Two superb, nationally known guitarists, Dave Stryker (pictured, above) and Peter Bernstein, are headed our way, too, for shows sponsored or co-sponsored by the Tampa Jazz Club. Stryker and Bernstein frequently play all the major NYC jazz clubs and big jazz festivals you can name.

Ahead:

• Sunday, Jan. 28 — Tampa Jazz Guitar Summit/Tampa Jazz Club: Dave Stryker Quintet (w saxophonist Jack Wilkins, pianist Chris Rottmayer, bassist Charlie Silva, and drummer Walt Hubbard). HCC Ybor Mainstage Theatre, Ybor City, 3 pm. Link
• Monday, Jan. 29 — Tampa Jazz Guitar Summit/Monday Night Jazz: Peter Bernstein, with the USF Faculty Jazz Ensemble (guitarist LaRue Nickelson, pianist/keyboardist Chris Rottmayer, bassist Mark Neuenschwander, and drummer Ric Craig). USF Concert Hall, Tampa, 7:30 pm. Link 
• Tuesday, Jan. 30 — Diana Krall, Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, 7:30 pm. Link
• Wednesday, Feb. 14 — Whitney James‘ Jazz Valentine. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 8 pm. Link
• Wednesday, Feb. 21 — St. Petersburg Jazz Festival: Tal Cohen (piano) Trio, with bassist Dion Kerr and drummer David Chiverton. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Thursday, Feb. 22 — St. Petersburg Jazz Festival: (Saxophonist) Jeff Rupert Quintet with Veronica Swift (vocals), pianist Richard Drexler, bassist Ben Kramer, and drummer Marty Morell. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Friday, Feb. 23 — St. Petersburg Jazz Festival: B3 Fury with the Shawn Brown Quintet, with guitarist Nate Najar, saxophonist Jeremy Carter, and drummer Anthony Breach. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Saturday, Feb. 24 — St. Petersburg Jazz Festival: Helios Jazz Orchestra with (vocalists) Whitney James & Chuck Wansley. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Sunday, Feb. 25 — St. Petersburg Jazz Festival: (Pianist) Gabriel Hernandez Trio, with bassist Mauricio Rodriguez and drummer Dimas Sanchez. Side Door at the Palladium, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Monday, Feb. 26 — Monday Night Jazz: (Pianist/keyboardist) John Beasley. USF Concert Hall, Tampa, 7:30 pm. Link
• Friday, March 2 — Tony Bennett. Mahaffey Theater, St. Petersburg, 7:30 pm. Link
• Sunday, March 11 — Tampa Jazz Club: (Singer) Fred Johnson & (bassist) Michael Ross. HCC Ybor Mainstage Theatre, Ybor City, 3 pm. Link
• Monday, March 26 — USF Monday Night Jazz: (Pianist) Steve Allee. USF Concert Hall, 7:30 pm. Link
• Sunday, April 8 — Tampa Jazz Club: (Saxophonist) Harry Allen. HCC Ybor Mainstage Theatre, 3 pm. Link

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Tampa Jazz Notes — Kenny Drew Jr. Memorial; O Som Do Jazz at HCC Ybor; Diana Krall at the Capitol

Aside from a piece in Jazz Times and some blog posts (including mine, below, and those in Jazz Truth, JazzWax, and via WUSF News), the late great pianist Kenny Drew‘s passing hasn’t attracted much attention in the music press or in mainstream newspapers. I didn’t see any notice of Kenny’s death in his hometown paper, the Tampa Bay Times, or in the New York Times, which often notes the deaths of major musicians. (Correct me if I’m wrong).

Kenny, who died on Aug. 3 at age 56, will be honored by friends, family, colleagues and fans during a memorial service Saturday Aug. 23 at McCabe United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg. The memorial will be held at 11 a.m. at the church, 2800 26th Ave. South.

“His genius will be missed,” as noted in an announcement sent by the Tampa Jazz Club, home to many concerts featuring Kenny, including a terrific trio performance in May.

That trio, with bassist Joe Porter and drummer John Jenkins, recently released a CD, titled “The Music of Tom Becker.” As of now, it’s available via download through CD Baby and Amazon.

A memorial fund for Kenny has been established through his church, Unity of Midtown, 511 Prescott St., South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712. Donations can be made by checks payable to “Unity of Midtown” or via PayPal. More info is here.

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O Som Do Jazz, the Brazilian/jazz band led by trombonist/composer David Manson, plays the Tampa Jazz Club’s first show of the fall season — Sunday, Sept. 28 at 3 pm at HCC Ybor’s Performing Arts Building. More details.

SPC prof Manson, singer Andrea Moraeas Manson, saxophonist Austin Vickrey, pianist David Cubillos, bassist Alejandro Arenas and drummer Mark Feinman will play music from the band’s two recordings. Two tunes from the group’s “A Kiss From Rio” recording were heard on the HBO series “Looking.”

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The good news: The jazz-rooted singer and underrated pianist Diana Krall is returning to the Tampa Bay area, with a show Dec. 14 at 7:30 pm at the the Capitol Theatre in downtown Clearwater (concert affiliated with Ruth Eckerd Hall). She’ll be joined by a first-rate band — guitarist Anthony Wilson, bassist Dennis Crouch, fiddler Stuart Duncan, drummer Karriem Riggins and keyboardist Patrick Warren.

The not-great news: It’ll cost you an arm and a leg to attend this show, as tickets START at $102.25. Seriously? Sure, it’s an “intimate” setting, but that’s about four times what you’d pay to see a show in the world’s greatest jazz club, The Village Vanguard in NYC. ‘Sup with that?

Details.