Evento

St. Louis Steady Grinders, featuring Ethan Leinwand and Miss Jubilee

Though rarely celebrated, and often overlooked, St. Louis had a pre-war blues sound all its own. Most often, it was vocal blues with piano accompaniment. It had a low-down and plaintive sound, sparse but full of sweetness and subtlety. This is the music that The St. Louis Steady Grinders love to play.
This year, Miss Jubilee (vocals) and Ethan Leinwand (piano) will be joined by two of Chicago's most accomplished performers of early jazz and blues. Dave Bock (trombone) and Johnny Donatowicz (guitar) are members of the celebrated Fat Babies and Chicago Cellar Boys. They'll bring their superb musicianship and extensive knowledge, creating a quartet that will perform authentic St. Louis blues as it would have been heard in the 1920s and 30s.

Vocalist Valerie Kirchhoff (aka Miss Jubilee) is St. Louiss most recognized singer of early jazz and blues. Ever a champion for the citys musical history, her knowledge of the music, combined with the depth and power in her voice, have made her one of the most important contributors to the recent resurgence of St. Louiss music and dance community. Pianist Ethan Leinwand - previously based in Brooklyn, NY - arrived in the summer of 2014 specifically to play old St. Louis blues with Valerie. Ethan has quickly become a mainstay in his adopted city, performing solo and with multiple projects. Ethan performs throughout the United States and Europe, and is gaining recognition as one of the world's leading exponents of barrelhouse blues piano.