Legacy Jazz Quintet Performs Miles Davis Tribute Friday, Saturday

When pianist Phil Dunlap and the other members of the Legacy Jazz Quintet perform a Miles Davis tribute concert Friday and Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro in St. Louis, they will be carrying on a time-honored jazz tradition.

"This music was passed along from older musicians to younger musicians," said Dunlap, who is also the director of education for Jazz St. Louis. "It’s kind of part of the fabric of the music, these kind of mentorships and learning from the older musicians. I think it’s the role and duty of everyone who studies and plays this music to do the same—to introduce it to the younger generation, to mentor the younger generation. And not just the younger musicians, but also the general public. It’s all about audience development."

Davis, who was born in Alton, IL and spent his early years in East St. Louis, was a natural choice for a tribute.

"Miles is definitely one of the most influential—if not the most influential—jazz musicians in history," Dunlap said.

The group will play two 70 minute sets each night, with the first at 8:30 p.m. and the second at 10:15 p.m. The sets will be different, so someone who attends both will hear fresh material.

"If you come for the first set and stick around for the second set, you’re not gonna hear the exact same music," Dunlap said.

The performances, in cooperation with the Center for the Humanities Summer Institute at Washington University, focus on the legendary jazz trumpeter’s music from 1959 to 1968.

"We’re taking some music from different points in that period, because there was a lot that happened," Dunlap said.

In 1959, Davis was still playing with what aficionados call his "first great quintet"—pianist Red Garland, drummer Philly Joe Jones, bassist Paul Chambers and tenor saxophonist John Coltrane. Occasionally, alto sax player Julian "Cannonball" Adderley joined in for a super sextet. Later iterations of his group would include a who’s who of jazz musicians—Gerry Mulligan, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Horace Silver, Bill Evans, Branford Marsalis, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarrett and many more.

As a musician, Davis was continually evolving, and was on the forefront, Dunlap said, of several jazz "subgenres," including bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, free jazz and fusion. Naturally, the Jazz Legacy shows will be wide-ranging samplers of what Davis played.

"We’re going to do kind of a mixture of what we would consider standards that Miles still played up through that period," Dunlap said.

Among the standards will likely be "I Fall In Love Too Easily," "On Green Dolphin Street" and "All Of You," plus some music from his memorable Kind Of Blue album, including "Freddie Freeloader" and "Blue and Green." Progressive tunes from the early to mid 1960s, such as "Joshua" and "Seven Steps To Heaven," will also be featured.

"We’re going to cover the gamut from standards to Miles’ originals to the more progressive music that he did," Dunlap said. "But it’s all still considered straight ahead jazz."

In addition to Dunlap, the Jazz Legacy Quintet features Nick Jost on bass, drummer Marty Morrison, Anthony Wiggins on trumpet and alto saxophonist Jason Swagler. The group has been together about four years and was first asked to do a Miles Davis tribute show at the Missouri History Museum.

"He’s got the name recognition," Dunlap said. "He was a great composer, and so influential."

Davis, who passed away in 1991 at age 65, had a reputation as an innovator. Still, his music has a universal appeal.

"It’s accessible enough that nobody’s going to get turned off. That was one of the great things about Miles, that no matter how ‘progressive’ he got, he was still accessible to everybody," Dunlap said.

When asked what he likes about jazz, Dunlap chuckled and said, "What don’t I like about jazz?"

With it’s improvisational quality, jazz is a uniquely American art form, he said.

"What I really enjoy most about the music is it really shows off and showcases humanity at its best and American culture at its best," he said. "A lot people consider jazz as America’s greatest contribution to the world of art, and I think it’s very true. People always call it America’s classical music. It was created here—it couldn’t have been created anywhere else. It really speaks to our culture and our society in very positive ways."

Plus, it’s fun, vibrant music.

"It’s just amazing to play and be able to connect emotionally on stage other musicians as well as with the audience," he said. "Any time you can connect on that level with music, it’s pretty amazing."

The Jazz Legacy Quintet performs at 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington Ave., St. Louis, 63103. Tickets are $20, $10 for students, and can be ordered by calling 314-534-111 or online For dining reservations at Jazz at the Bistro, call 314-534-3663.

Getting there from Wentzville

Take Highway 40 east to Grand Avenue north, drive to Washington Avenue just past the Fox Theatre. Jazz the Bistro is on the east side of the street, near the Grand/Washington intersection. Several parking lots are in the area.