On Sunday, May 25, Jazz at the Bistro will have a lineup of performers worthy of the man everyone is gathering to honor: Richard McDonnell.
In addition to founding St. Louis-based independent record label MAXJAZZ, McDonnell was one of the original board members of Jazz St. Louis.
The night before he died this past February, Richard McDonnell spent the evening doing what he loved most, said his son Clayton McDonnell. First he went to hear Peter Martin at the Sheldon, and then he went to hear sets performed at Jazz at the Bistro.
“That was always his M.O.,” said Jazz St. Louis Executive Director Gene Dobbs Bradford. “If there were, three, four jazz performances in an evening, he’d try to get to them all.”
The concert starts at 1:00 p.m. and runs through the afternoon with a cadre of local jazz musicians. The headline performance featuring MAXJAZZ artists Terrell Stafford, Carla Cook, Bruce Barth and Tim Warfield begins at 8:00 p.m.
Richard McDonnell spent most of his career working in banking. But in 2002 he retired from A.G. Edwards to dedicate his time to MAXJAZZ Records.
“It was always a dream of his to give back in a way,” said Clayton McDonnell, who works at the record label and did so with his father for 11 years. “It started out on a local level with these artists, but he looked at some other artists who were deserving of more attention on a national level.”
For more on Richard McDonnell, read the article by Terry Perkins published in February.
Listener Tributes
Since the concert on Sunday is in tribute to Richard McDonnell, it seemed fitting to include audio tributes from listeners who called in to share their memories.
Related Event
Jazz St. Louis Presents Richard McDonnell Memorial Concert
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Beginning at 1:00 p.m. and throughout the day
Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Avenue
For more information, call 314-289-4030 or visit the Jazz St. Louis website.
Cityscape is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer and sponsored in part by the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Arts and Education Council of Greater St. Louis.
