This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Feb. 18, 2011 - George Sams has brought many fine performances to the Metropolitan Gallery. "The Jazz Composers Series" features St. Louis musicians performing their own compositions and ones by famed jazz masters, such as "The Jazz Singers," with area vocalists interpreting such icons as Ella Fitzgerald. Now Quincy Troupe, guitarist Kelvyn Bell and bartone saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett combine for a special afternoon.
The Metropolitan Gallery, home of the Nu-Art Performance Series as well as art exhibits, is at 2943 Locust St., in an area that was once one of St. Louis' most interesting cultural enclaves from the mid-1960s through the late 1970s.
Just south of the Gallery, in an area that's now part of Harris-Stowe University, Laclede Town was home to an interesting, racially mixed group of residents that included a good number of musicians, writers and other artists.
Just a few blocks to the north, at 2665 Washington Ave., the musicians and artists of the famed Black Artists Group worked out of the building at 2665 Washington Ave. The musical beginnings of BAG can be traced to performances in Laclede Town's Circle Coffee House in 1967 by saxophonist Oliver Lake and his Lake Art Quartet.
So it's no surprise that George Sams, the director of the Nu-Art Series, has roots that go back to the late 1960s and to the musicians in BAG. Sams attended Sumner and Beaumont high schools, and played trumpet in a drum and bugle corps with drummer Charles "Bobo" Shaw, later a key member of BAG. Sams also became friends with BAG musicians Lake, Julius Hemphill and Hamiet Bluiett.
After spending time in San Francisco playing and teaching music -- and then living in New York City, Sams returned to St. Louis in 1988 and worked for the Regional Arts Commission. He began producing concerts under the name of the nonprofit organization, Nu-Art featuring renowned jazz artists such as Andrew Hill, and others with St. Louis roots such as Lake and Shaw.
Since 2005, The Metropolitan Gallery has served as home base for the Nu-Art series. Over the past couple of years, Sams has developed interesting themes for several of his Nu-Art concert presentations that set them apart from straightforward performances.
In 2009, Sams presented "The Jazz Composers Series: Rearrangements & Nu-Compositions." The concerts featured St. Louis musicians performing both compositions by famed jazz masters as well as their own work.
For example, saxophonist Chad Evans showcased compositions by Charlie Parker plus his own work in one concert, and drummer Jerome "Scrooge" Harris interpreted the music of Miles Davis and Wayne Shorter in another.
A 2010 themed series of concerts called "The Jazz Singers" featured four area vocalists -- Nikki Washington, Felicia Ezell, Mardra Thomas and Erika Johnson -- in a similar approach. Washington sang the music of Sarah Vaughan, Ezell interpreted Ella Fitzgerald's repertoire, Thomas sang music made famous by Nancy Wilson, and Johnson performed the music of Anita O'Day.
The latest event in the Nu-Art series is officially listed as part of the Jazz Composers series -- but it's really a one-of-a-kind concert. The performance takes place Saturday, Feb. 19, and is titled "SoundArt." It features poet and author Quincy Troupe, guitarist Kelvyn Bell and special guest Hamiet Bluiett on baritone saxophone (all originally from the St. Louis area).
Troupe has written eight volumes of poetry, wrote "Miles: The Autobiography," in conjunction with the legendary Miles Davis, and received the Lifetime Achievement American Book Award in 2010.
Bell is best known for his work with saxophonist Arthur Blythe, touring and recording with the band Defunkt (led by trombonist Joseph Bowie) leading his own band, Kelvynator.
In addition to being a member of BAG, Bluiett was one of the founding members of the legendary World saxophone Quartet, and continues to be regarded as one of the finest baritone sax players in jazz history.
A similar mix of poetry and music in late 2009 at Robbie's House in Webster Groves featured Troupe and Bell working with drummer and St. Louis native Ronnie Burrage (also now working in New York). At Robbie's, Troupe's poetry -- blended with the music of Bell and Burrage -- created a performance that proved to be a very intriguing and entertaining evening.
Expect more vocal and instrumental fireworks Saturday at "SoundArt," yet another exciting, challenging and edgy performance in Sams' Nu-Art Performance Series.
Terry Perkins is a freelance journalist whose areas of interest include music.