Photo by Phillip Hamer.
From morning ‘till dusk this November 5, St. Louisans can experience the city’s rich jazz history and culture at Cherokee Street’s 10th annual Jazz Crawl. Founded in 2012 as a part of the Nevermore Jazz Ball & St. Louis Swing Dance Festival, the Crawl has grown into a much-anticipated celebration of its own.
This year’s festival, hosted by the Cherokee Street Foundation, boasts its biggest line-up yet. More than 50 musicians will perform during the full-day affair, with free performances beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing until 6 p.m. Bands will be located at various locations throughout Cherokee Street, and details on specific performers are available via the street’s website. According to Jazz Crawl organizer Christian Frommelt, one of the event’s unique draws is its intimate settings.
“Some bands are going to be on stages, where you might expect to see a band,” Frommelt says. “But you're also going to see a band on a patio of a restaurant, or tucked into the clothing racks of a vintage clothing store, or in the middle of the beer aisle at the beer shop—places where music isn't necessarily regularly happening. There's so much collaboration with the various bars, restaurants, and shops up and down Cherokee Street. The street itself becomes the venue.”
Favorites returning to the Crawl include the Saint Boogie Brass Band, Skamasala, and the Rum Drum Ramblers. The festival will also feature several new performers. Guests can catch a traditional piano performance by Richard Egan at Apotheosis Comics, and later pop into the Blank Space music venue to watch a contemporary, hip-hop inspired set from Blvck Spvde and the Cosmos.
“I think it's cool to point out that we have someone like Blvck Spvde and the Cosmos doing a lot of original stuff,” Frommelt says. “But at the same time we have someone like Richard Egan playing ragtime tunes that are over 100 years old.”
To mark the Crawl’s 10th anniversary, the day will round out with a ticketed Grand Finale at The Golden Record, starting at 6:30 p.m. Lamar Harris’ 20-person band, Georgia Mae, is set to perform while the event’s traditional All-Styles Dance Battle plays out on stage. The battle, hosted by Grand Leroy and DJ Nune, will be mediated by a panel of judges.
For Frommelt, the core of the Jazz Crawl is making music accessible to the community.
“It’s about seeing people interact with the bands and seeing people dance in the street with reckless abandon. Just to see that release of energy—I don’t think we get to experience that too frequently.”
