The opening act went on an hour later than announced; presumably waiting for the Cinco de Mayo crowd to bring their fiesta to the Old Rock House with them. Once the party got started though, there was funk for all.

Whether manning the kit with soul-funk trio Soulive or leading his own trio, drummer Alan Evans continues to pull new inspiration and ideas out of the rhythmic aether.

Mixing jazz, blues and a big shot of old style rock 'n' roll into a fierce cocktail, JD McPherson pushes time backward with his swinging analog grooves.

The lights dimmed to darkness in the Sheldon Concert Hall to signal the Flecktones making their way to the stage. A moment of quiet settled in.

Before kicking off the West coast leg of Galactic's latest tour guitarist Jeff Raines shed some light on what it's like to have been "touched by Treme."

There is an old joke that jazz is five musicians playing five different songs at the same time. Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey managed to both prove and disprove that statement during their set at 2720 Cherokee on Saturday.

Oklahoma isn't usually associated with the word "jazz," but Tulsa natives Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey whirl like dervishes, creating experimental music from wisps of jazz, blues, funk, rock and all styles in between.

Last night at the Old Rock House, Andy Mckee's exhilarating performance gave fans a sense of awe for both what can be played and composed on a guitar. It was incredible to see harmony, percussion and melody all come from the same instrument and person.

From the first notes of Davina and the Vagabonds' debut album, "Black Cloud," the listener can feel something special boiling in this five-piece band's veins.

The California Guitar Trio are starting a three-month-long tour here in St. Louis at the Old Rock House on Friday, February 24 as part of the club's Listening Room Series.

Paul McCartney
"Kisses on the Bottom"
Hear Music

"Kisses on the Bottom" is a collection of standards by Paul McCartney. This style of music is in McCartney's DNA, every bit as much as the music of Little Richard or Carl Perkins.

Aside from Christmas, no religious or patriotic holiday has any kind of notable soundtrack. But then there's Carnival, aka Carnivale, or Mardi Gras.

A year and six months after the release of his Latin Grammy award-winning album "Chucho's Steps," Chucho Valdés continues to leave an indelible impression on Latin jazz.

The “King of Funk Organ” returns to Jazz at the Bistro.

Click an artist name to listen to the session.

Check out the archives from previous years: 2010 | 2009

If you're a music lover (and we guess you are), then you're surely as excited as we are about a brand new year with brand new music. It can be hard to keep up with releases, but our DJs are here to help.

Somewhere in St. Louis, there's a candle-lit lounge where the rhythms flow, the singer croons and the soul never dies. Ransom Note is playing all night.

Fresh Heir doesn't play the groove too retro. With nods to John Legend and Maroon 5, the band's sound is truly fresh and contemporary.

An all-star band of musicians from the G.E.D. Soul label, the Magic in Threes lays out an exclusively instrumental groove -- smooth, moody and a little mysterious.

It's been an amazing year in music, and the DJs of 88.1 KDHX have been spinning it for you all throughout 2011. In this feature, our DJs pick their top 10 albums of the year.

Greg Ward draws on various musical styles with his individual approach to the saxophone, offering an innovative take on modern jazz with "Phonic Juggernaut."

There is something about the opening number of a jazz act that is timeless. On the first night of a four-night stand in St. Louis, Ramsey Lewis Electric Band kept it cool with electric jazz that captured that feeling all through the night.

St. Louis locals the Civil Tones infuse their funky brand of soul with Latin, jazz, blues and rock influences on "City Stoopin."

Many artists mine the multi-layered bedrock of American music -- country, blues and jazz -- but few return with so many personal riches like Jolie Holland.

Prohibition wasn't exactly party time, but the '20s did give rise to some deliriously danceable and singable music. St. Louis band Wack-A-Doo captures the speakeasy scene in all its vintage glory.