Jazz player Greg Osby

Jazz St. Louis/Jazz at the Bistro is looking for an untapped headliner to join a bill with Greg Osby and Willie Akins on April 10-11.

That name will be found through the “St. Louis Shoes” competition, which seeks a rising star of jazz. The contest is open to saxophonists in high school or college in the metro St. Louis area.

The competition is described as “a way to celebrate the rich heritage and cultural importance of jazz in the St. Louis community. Countless influential jazz musicians have come from St. Louis and the surrounding areas including Clark Terry, Miles Davis, Grant Green, Wilbur Ware, and many others.

“With strong jazz programs in the region’s major universities and a thriving high school jazz culture, this competition seeks to find and showcase the ‘young lions’ that are paving the way for the future of this truly American art form.”

The application application deadline is Jan. 30.

Click here for more details on the competition, as well as to download the application.