AMEREN STAGE: FRIDAY NIGHT ENTERTAINMENT – 8/28
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Janet Evra
Janet Evra is an international jazz vocalist, bassist, and bandleader from England now based in St. Louis in the USA.
Evra performs on premier stages across the USA and Europe, with recent international appearances at the Brecon Jazz Festival in Wales, the Deva Jazz Festival in Romania, the Linna Jazz Festival in Finland. In St. Louis, Evra regularly performs at Jazz St. Louis and The Sheldon.
Evra has collaborated with jazz superstars Randy Brecker, Taylor Eigsti, Wycliffe Gordon, Andrea Motis, Jeff Coffin, Roy Wooten, Chad LB, Sara Gazarek, Mohini Dey, Bob Reynolds, Eric Marienthal, and Diego Figueiredo, among others. She sings in English, Portuguese, Spanish, and French.
Evra is a Plum Jazz artist, and she has released four critically-acclaimed albums: Ask Her to Dance (2018), Janet Evra & Ptah Williams: New Friends, Old Favorites (Live from The Sheldon) (Lotown Records, 2021), Hello Indie Bossa (Plum Jazz, 2022), and Meet Me in Paris (Plum Jazz, 2023). In 2023 Evra released “Almost True” featuring 7x GRAMMY-winner Randy Brecker on trumpet; the track was featured on Spotify’s “Vocal Jazz”, “Jazz Club”, and “Best Vocal Jazz of 2022” editorial playlists. In 2024 Evra released “Summer Nights Are For Loving” featuring GRAMMY-winning jazz pianist Taylor Eigsti and “Tenderly” featuring GRAMMY-nominated Brazilian jazz guitarist Diego Figuieredo.
Evra was a 2019-2020 Artist in Residence at the Kranzberg Arts Foundation in St. Louis, and she has won awards and grants from JazzRoads and the Regional Arts Commission.
Evra has appeared in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Riverfront Times, and St. Louis Magazine and in national jazz publications including JAZZIZ and All About Jazz. Her music is played on St. Louis radio stations 88.1 KDHX, 88.7 The Sound, 90.7 St. Louis Public Radio, and on hundreds of radio stations based in the USA, UK, France, Norway, India, and New Zealand.
AMEREN STAGE: SATURDAY ENTERTAINMENT – 8/29
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
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12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Bill Puhse
1:45 PM – 3:30 PM
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3:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Bernard Long, Jr Trio
Bernard Long, Jr is an award winning drummer, educator, clinician, and bandleader. Bernard Jr. graduated with his B.M. in Jazz Studies May 2009 from Northern Illinois University under the leadership of the late Professor Ron Carter. Bernard, Jr. performed in the world renowned NIU Jazz Ensemble touring with greats like Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Rodney Whitaker, and Peter Erskine. Bernard completed formal studies at Michigan State University M.M. Jazz Studies 2012, M.A.T. Music Education and Ed.S School Administration 2018 at Lindenwood University. Bernard, Jr. is the band director at Madison Jr/Sr High School in Madison, IL. Bernard, Jr’s honors include:, 2018 honoree of the Salute to Excellence in Education class sponsored by the St. Louis American Foundation,2022-2023 Teacher of the Year in the Madison CUSD#12, and 2023 Illinois State Board of Education nominee. Bernard is an active clinician in the Percussive Arts Society, Jazz Education Network, and The Midwest Clinic. Bernard is the percussionist for The St. Louis Black Repertory Theater, the St. Louis MUNY, The Jazz St.Louis Big Band and the National Tour of Antigone in Ferguson. Bernard, Jr. plays Zildjian Cymbals, Vic Firth Drum Sticks and Ludwig Drums. The Bernard Long, Jr trio is an amazing band of musicians. This trio of musicians will take you on a musical journey through timeless standards, original compositions, and inspired arrangements rooted in swing and soul
5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
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AMEREN STAGE: SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENT – 8/30
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Dusty James and Abalone Pearl
Dusty James & Abalone Pearl Both Dusty and Pearl began playing as teens in folk venues and coffee houses where they honed their instrumental skills and the art of crafting tight vocal harmonies. Each possesses in-depth knowledge of the music in their repertoire. The styles are varied and include traditional folk, roots, singer-songwriter, classic country, Americana, original songs and surprises. They invite the audience in by conveying the joy that goes with performing tunes that hold special significance for them. The duo was named Top Finalists in the 2021 Great American Song Contest for the lyrics to their original song, “Here You See Me Standing” and were named Top Finalists again in the 2023 contest for the lyrics and melody to the same song. The Great American Song Contest is one of the biggest song writing competitions in the USA, with 1900 songs entered from 42 countries. The same song was also a finalist in the international Talent Is Timeless contest. The newest song, “Run for the Border,” was named a Top Finalist in the 2024 Great American Song Contest.
Dusty James (guitar, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, vocals) started playing and singing when he was very young. His influences included Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Doc Watson, Mississippi John Hurt and Merle Travis. Over the years, he has appeared in numerous settings, both locally and nationally, including A Prairie Home Companion and CBS Radio and he has had the privilege of performing on stage with the likes of Doc Watson and Roland White, among others.
Abalone Pearl (guitar, banjo, autoharp, dulcimer, vocals) started playing guitar at age 12 when she was inspired by Bob Dylan, Jean Ritchie, Mike Seeger, Memphis Minnie, The Carter Family, Robert Johnson and the folk movement of the 1960s. She became a professional musician at age 15, playing in coffee houses and other venues. Pearl has had a long and abiding interest in music history and owned a popular record/CD store for many years
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
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2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Mark Biehl
Mark Biehl presents cinematic music of travel and adventure, along with other explorations of world rhythms and jazz improvisation on soprano saxophone, flute, and keyboards.
“This is music woven by a wonderful loom to create a tapestry of sound –
a sound characterized by lush arrangements, rich textures and intricate rhythms. Mark Biehl has shown great ingenuity and inventiveness on several artistic levels…”
– World Music Magazine
Mark Biehl, multi-instrumentalist, composer and lifelong musician, is the founder of Acuity Soundworks®, dedicated to the development and presentation of music and sound to inspire creative thought and action. His live all-original music performances on soprano saxophone, flute, keyboards and percussion offer an exciting blend of world rhythms and melodies interwoven with jazz improvisation. Mark has three album titles to his credit, Landscapes, Asana Sangit and Pranah, which have received positive reviews and recognition both nationally and internationally.
His music has been played on PBS, A&E cable channel, syndicated radio program Echoes, as well as hundreds of local stations nationwide. Music from Landscapes was featured in the World Wildlife Fund video presentation “Amazon Region Protected Areas” and highlighted in a feature article in the British publication World Music Magazine. Tairi, a track from Asana Sangit, was selected for the musical compilation Bodybalance/Bodyflow by Les Mills International of New Zealand.
Mark is also a Certified Vibrational Sound Coach, Licensed Spiritual Health Coach, and has received training in Primordial Sound Meditation with Deepak Chopra, traditional shamanic sound practices with Zacciah Blackburn of the Center of Light Institute, and Certification in Sound Healing with Himalayan Singing Bowls from Nepalese Master Teacher Suren Shrestha. Mark has nearly twenty years’ experience in sound healing, and offers both private and group sound sessions. He has lead monthly group “SANCTUARY” Tibetan bowl meditation sessions for the Cancer Support Community and has provided services to the Veterans Administration for homeless and substance abuse patients. Over the years Mark has presented well over 500 of these events at various spiritual wellness centers and yoga facilities throughout the greater metro St. Louis area, New York, Chicago, Kansas City, and Sedona, AZ.
In addition, Mark worked as a professional audio recording and mixing engineer for nearly twenty years in studios located in Hollywood, Atlanta, and St. Louis with clients as diverse as Madonna, Keith Richards, Bon Jovi, Disney Studios and CNN. This experience brought him a unique perspective to listening; to understand how sound and vibration operates at a fundamental scientific level, as well as the emotional impact that sound and music can have on us as human beings.
Along with Mark’s love of music, his deep interest in philosophy, psychology, meditation, and spirituality has inspired him over many years to expand his knowledge and awareness through research and experiential practices. His ultimate intention is to expose as many people as possible to the transformative powers of music and sound healing, allowing them to experience their essential creative nature. He believes in the idea that sound and music creates a gateway into deeper levels of consciousness, the heart, and soul. As a result, he utilizes various musical instruments, sound tools and the voice in conjunction with his spiritual health coaching skills and positive intention to gently support creative shifts in our perspective on life. His focus is on empowering us to take control of our lives, by better understanding ourselves, and how we respond to our environment. Much of this has to do with developing an ability to clear our minds of distraction and function from a state of balance and centeredness, no matter what is going on around us.
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