Lyle, Nkenya and The BoxDeserter Trio at the Tap Room

Just as I am lamenting that the Scott Joplin House is not hosting any new B.A.G. II concerts, this pops up: former B.A.G. members K. Curtis Lyle and Zimbabwe Nkenya perform at the Schlafly Tap Room’s Club Room Friday at 8 p.m. Following Lyle and Nkenya is brilliant free jazz ensemble The BoxDeserter Trio, made up of Bay Area pianist Thollem McDonas (whose newest disc is being released by the legendary ESP Records) and two Detroiters, saxophone player Skeeter Shelton and multi-instrumentalist Joel Peterson. Shelton, the son of legendary percussionist Ajaramu Shelton, is often described as an "unsung genius," and leads the group Spectrum 2; he’s played with Faruq Z. Bey, Hakim Jami and the North Woods Improvisers. Peterson has played with Immigrant Suns, The Scavenger Quartet, Odu Afrobeat Orchestra and Xenharmonic Garden, and is the fella behind Detroit’s legendary Bohemian National Home (that's where the Arkestra performs when they’re down in Motor City). The BoxDeserter Trio actually arrives in St. Louis on Thursday, and will peform as part of a 9-to-midnight show at the Tap Room’s Eliot Room with Holy! Holy! Holy! and Allgorithms. Both shows are free. --Stefene Russell