STLBlues :: A Blues eZine

St. Louis Art Fair

THIRTEENTH ANNUAL SAINT LOUIS ART FAIR TO SHOWCASE ARTWORK BY NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED ARTISTS

STLBlues is pleased to be a media partner with the 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair. This free event will feature music, art demonstrations, children’s activities and food September 8-10, 2006

St. Louis, Mo., July 27, 2006 – The Saint Louis Art Fair will celebrate its thirteenth anniversary this year with the works of 165 professional artists from around the U.S., Europe and Canada, including several prominent artists from the metropolitan St. Louis region. Free and open to the public, the 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair is consistently ranked among the top outdoor art festivals in the U.S. with more than 1,700 artists annually vying for a booth to exhibit and sell their art at the three-day event. As with every year, the 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair will feature a wide range of art mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, wood, digital art, metalwork, printmaking, ceramics, fiber, glass, drawing/pastel, and two- and three-dimensional mixed media.

According to Cynthia Prost, President/Executive Director of Cultural Festivals, the producer of the Saint Louis Art Fair, “Artists from around the world covet a spot in the Saint Louis Art Fair because they recognize our strict emphasis on quality as the basis for selection into the show. Few shows can compare in terms of creative vision and talent.” Prost estimates that more than 150,000 art enthusiasts and their families will attend the Saint Louis Art Fair to purchase more than $2 million worth of gallery-quality art. “Our Saint Louis Art Fair audience is enthusiastic, educated and sophisticated, and more and more world-class artists are becoming aware of this market as a destination for their work.”

Artists’ creations will be exhibited and offered for sale in outdoor booths in the center of Clayton’s Central Business District from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, September 8; from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 9; and from 11:00 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 10. All art on display is original, meaning that no machine or mechanical reproductions are accepted.

   Jurying for the Saint Louis Art Fair is conducted by a panel of experienced arts industry professionals and is based solely on upon the quality of work as illustrated in submitted slides. A total of three Art Fair jurors rank them for originality, technical execution and overall quality to determine which artists qualify for exhibition. The panel returns to the show in September to judge for awards and $21,000 in cash prizes. The 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair jurors are: Gary Passanise, Director of Painting at Webster University; Mark Masuoka, Executive Director and Chief Curator for the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in Omaha Nebraska; and Bonnie Speed, Executive Director of the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University in Atlanta.

   In addition to the many artist booths, the 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair will feature a variety of musical performances at both the Main and Forsyth stages. A Performing Art Village will offer dance, magic and poetry, while an arts demonstration area will allow visitors the opportunity to experience creating art in several different mediums. To keep the children busy, the Saint Louis Art Fair’s Creative Castle will also provide a host of hands-on children’s art activities. Food and drink by popular St. Louis restaurateurs and vendors will be available throughout the show.

   The 2006 Saint Louis Art Fair is open to the public. To learn more, visit www.saintlouisartfair.com. New and additional information about show content, will be available in the coming weeks.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th ::   PRINTER -FRIENDLY SCHEDULE
*STLBlues co-presents

Main Stage
located in the Garden Seating Area, Brentwood and Forsyth Blvd.

The Forsyth stage
located on Forsyth near Central

5:00-6:30pm

Rick Haydon Quartet featuring Madra Thomas

Guitarist Rick Haydon is a Professor of Music at
Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he is head of the Guitar Program and manages the recording studio. He teaches Advanced Jazz Improvisation, Rhythm Section Workshop and Private Applied Jazz Guitar. He also supervises the Jazz Combo System and directs the Jazz Guitar Ensemble. Rick will be accompanied by Reggie Thomas, piano, Mardra Thomas,
vocals, Miles Vandiver, drums and Veb Briskovich, bass

7:30-9:30pm

SIUE Concert Jazz Band
A very special jazz presentation!

Brett Stamps, Director of Jazz Activities at Southern Illinois
University-Edwardsville, will be joined by faculty Rick Haydon,
Reggie Thomas, Miles Vandiver, Andy Tichenor, special guest
artist Mardra Thomas and alumni Steve Wyatt, Hugh Jones and Aaron Girardeau. The concert will feature arrangements and compositions by Brett Stamps as well as some big band classics.

7:30-9:30pm

Inner City Blues Band Featuring Charles “Skeet” Rodgers*

This band is considered one of the best in the St. Louis area. Vocalist Sandra Carter; Charles "Skeet" Rodgers started playing at age fourteen on drums and has played with Doc Terry, Big George, and the late Little Walter Westbrook; Thomas Johnson, lead guitarist, Tommy Thomas, rhythm guitarist; Frank Dunbar, bass guitarist has been a bass player for Chuck Berry, and both the late Albert King, and Johnnie Johnson; Christopher Taylor on harmonica and Sam Coleman on drums.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9th
*STLBlues co-presents

Main Stage located in the Garden Seating Area, Brentwood and Forsyth Blvd.	The Forsyth stage located on Forsyth near Central	Performing Arts stage located on South Central north of Carondolet
12:00–1:30 pm Marquis Knox* Marquise Knox is a 15 year old blues prodigy who recently exploded on the St. Louis blues scene. Marquise grew up listening to Lightnin' Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Johnny Lee Hooker, and B.B. and Albert King. He’s since performed with legends like Henry Townsend and Honeyboy Edwards! One of the most exciting young players to emerge in St. Louis, Marquise embodies the soul and essence of a veteran bluesman, with his command of guitar and harmonica combining with his energetic showmanship 2:30 – 4:00 pm New Rising Sun* New to the St. Louis music scene this group will get your toes tapping and hands clapping with a mixture of rock, funk and blues. Sit back and enjoy the electric grooves of New Rising Sun. 4:30 –5:30 pm Billy Peek* Billy Peek was born and raised in South St. Louis in a area rich in the blues. Billy's accomplishment include performing with Chuck Berry, where he got his start in rock & roll and performed with the Rod Stewart band Faces during the years of 1977-1983. A St. Louis favorite, Billy Peek has rocked, rolled and duck-walked his way through the clubs and lounges of St. Louis and East St. Louis for nearly 30 years. 6:00 – 7:00 pm Bonedaddy and the Blueshakers* Five seasoned musicians schooled in Blues, Funk, R&B, Soul and Classic Rock. Mixing it all together makes a big bowl of musical gumbo! Having a great time on stage is contagious to the audience and it's what sets them apart! 7:30 – 9:30 pm Monte Montgomery Monte Montgomery has taken the acoustic guitar beyond anyone's expectations. With his amazing fretwork, unique combination finger and pick style playing through trailblazing "chordal" thoroughfares often baffling even the most accomplished players. In 2004 Monte was named on Guitar Player Magazine's list of "Top 50 Greatest Guitarists of All Time."	Noon-1:30pm Anita Rosamond Anita electrified audiences at the 2006 U.S. Bank St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival! Entertaining for more than 25 years, St. Louis vocalist/pianist Anita Rosamond has earned a reputation as one of the most exciting and eclectic performers on the area music scene. The full range of Rosamond’s repertoire and vocal talent is on display on her latest recording, Timeless, a winning blend of classic jazz standards, soulful R&B and pop hits and well-crafted originals. 2:30-3:30pm Gary Gordon Gary, a native of Sparta, Illinois and member of the bluegrass famed Gordon’s has been bringing music to audiences for three decades, touring throughout the Midwest and the Carolinas, playing clubs, fairs, festivals and colleges. Accompanying Gary is Ross Sermons on upright bass. 5:00-6:30pm El Caribe Tropicale El Caribe Tropicale features many seasoned musicians including Latin music instructors and professional musicians from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the U.S. Under the musical direction of Rick Thorp, El Caribe Tropicale plays a wide variety of tropical, Caribbean and South American Latin rhythms such as Salsa, Merengue, Cumbia, and Bolero, and also has an extensive Latin Jazz repertoire. 7:30-9:30pm LaMar Harris LaMar Harris was an instant hit at the U.S. Bank St. Louis Jazz & Heritage Festival in June and embodies the remedy to the stagnate place in today’s music dilemma. On his debut album, Your All, Lamar Harris gives listeners HIS ALL! From reflective pieces he has written and arranged like, Many Lives to up-tempo nostalgic feel good songs like Love 2 Live Soul Music.	11:00-11:45pm Piwacket Theatre presents Little Red Riding Hood Piwacket is a professional non-profit children’s theatre focused on early childhood character education through live interactive dynamic performances and the electronic media. Piwacket creatively adapts fairy tales with catchy songs, fun dances and comical interaction to emphasize important values and morals including; Literacy, Respect, and Bravery. 12:30-1:15pm Aalim Dance Academy Aalim Dance Academy was founded in 1987 by Soraya (Diane Chope) of London, England. Today the Academy is under the Directorship of Salwa. Salwa has been performing and teaching Middle Eastern Dance in St. Louis for twenty-seven years. She began with her mentor Simone Prouty and has continued her extensive study with Suhaila Salimpour and many other National & Internationally known Middle Eastern Dance Artists. 2:00-2:45pm Loretta Washington Loretta Washington is a professional storyteller, multipurpose workshop presenter and writer. She performs and conducts workshops throughout Missouri, Illinois and Kansas. With her alluring stories this captivating, high-energy performer brings her characters to life with unique voices, expressions, movements, music and props. 3:00-3:45pm Soundz of Sankofa Soundz of Sankofa is an African drum and dance performing group specializing in traditional West African dances from Senegal, Gambia, Guinea and Mali. “Sankofa” is an Akan word that means, “One must return to the past in order to move forward.” Mona, a contemporary model, is spiritually transported to the past, where, as a house servant called Shola, she is constantly abused by the slave master. Nunu, an Africanborn field hand, and Shango, Shola’s West Indian lover, continuously rebel against the slave system. Inspired by Nunu and Shango, Shola finally takes her fate into her own hands. 4:30-5:30pm Jazz St. Louis’ THF Realty All-Star Student Ensemble Jazz St. Louis’ All-Star Student Ensemble is comprised of the best young jazz musicians in the St. Louis area. Students selected for this group receive the finest jazz performance training available and also serve as cultural ambassadors for jazz, performing around the city to raise awareness of St. Louis’ jazz legacy and showcasing the wealth of young talent that our community has to offer.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 10th

Main Stage located in the Garden Seating Area, Brentwood and Forsyth Blvd.	The Forsyth stage located on Forsyth near Central	Performing Arts stage located on South Central north of Carondolet
1:00 – 2:00 pm Danita Mumphard Danita has recently completed her debut jazz CD entitled "With Love" on the Stratosphere Music Group label that includes live and studio performances. "With Love" was released October 2005. “Fever” and “When I Fall in Love” are performed Danita-style, with intricate vocalization and stratospheric notes that make the songs her own. Original compositions “Sometime Soon” and “Wait Until the Time is Right” will keep listeners enthralled. 3:00 –4:00 pm Phat noiZ A native of East St. Louis, Alvin Jett has been entertaining audiences for over twenty-five years. Phat noiZ is Jett’s means for delivering to the audience his brand of in-your-face, hard driving blues. The band performs its own unique style of original blues music as well as blues and R&B standards. Currently operating as a four piece, Phat noiZ consists of Alvin Jett on guitar and vocals, Frank Bauer on saxophone and background vocals, Jeremy west on drums and Matt Davis on bass and background vocals.	1:00 – 2:00 pm Mosby Trio Mixing jazz standards, music by the Police and James Taylor along with exciting classic jazz and upbeat Mosby compositions, Mosby Trio creates cool jazz fusion. 2:30 – 4:00 pm Fiddleback FiddleBack plays original acoustic music blending jazz, classical, bluegrass, folk and rock. Performers Andrew Driscoll, Victoria Branna and Grant Krener will have your feet tappin’ to their infectious sounds.	12:00 – 12:45 pm The Lion and the Mouse - Story Time Puppets- "Papa" and Jackie Wright This is an adaptation of the classic Aesop fable that teaches that a kindness in never wasted. Story Time Puppets’ version of the fable is about an alligator that is given the duty by Hippo to allow all the animals to get a drink from the river in Hippo’s absence. Alligator lets everyone have a drink except Mouse. He feels that Mouse is too little. Lion tells Alligator he should be kind to all animals, even small ones. So Mouse gets his drink, but he wants to repay Lion for intervening. Of course Lion doesn’t feel Mouse needs to repay him. But when he is trapped in a net, Mouse is the one who comes to Lion’s rescue. The show involves audience participation. 1:30 – 2:15 pm COCA - Improvisation COCA (Center of Creative Arts) has been providing meaningful arts experiences to St. Louisans and their family for nearly two decades. COCA has become the largest multidisciplinary arts institution and one of the most valuable community assets in the St. Louis metropolitan area. 2:30 – 3:30 pm St. Louis Harmony Chorus St. Louis Harmony Chorus The St. Louis Harmony Chorus is a non-profit women's a cappella chorus is made up of 65 amateur singers who come together weekly to ring chords and make music. They are two-time grand champions of the Buckeye Invitational Choral Festival in Columbus, Ohio and they won Sweet Adelines International's Harmony Achievement Award in Indianapolis in 2004. The ensemble is the current Sweet Adelines International Silver Medalist Chorus in a region that encompasses Missouri, Illinois, and Iowa.