Vincent Varvel Quartet featuring Leslie Craig

This is part of our COFFEE CONCERT series. Subscriptions are on sale now. Vincent Varvel began his professional career while studying music at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, freelancing with many different performers in the St. Louis area. He has toured the United States and Europe with various ensembles in addition to leading his own group performing his original compositions. He has performed classical music with St. Louis Chamber Soloists, Chamber Project St. Louis, the Kingsbury Ensemble, soprano Stella Markou, and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Pop and Jazz artists he has performed and recorded with include the Peter Mayer Group, Erin Bode, the Alan Ferber Nonet, Sam Moore(Sam & Dave), the Shirelles, Lou Christie, and more. He has recorded five albums as a leader: Pictures and Postcards(2000), …not a creature was stirring… (2004), Third Person(2015), Your Song(2018), and his latest, Mystery Street(2023). His original music has been heard on satellite radio and cable television. He is currently Director of Guitar Studies at Washington University in St. Louis, along with maintaining a private teaching practice and performing regularly with his own group and as a sideman. Leslie Craig has been a fixture in the St. Louis music scene since the 80’s, fronting several bands, most notably co-founding the band Trixie Delight, singing in duos and many recording sessions before relocating to Nashville in 2005, where she continued to do recording work and live performances, notably sharing the stage at the famous Ryman Auditorium with Jamey Johnson, Randy Houser, Lorrie Morgan, Mel Tillis, and the legendary Kris Kristofferson. While in Nashville, Leslie recorded her first full length album, “Wild Card”. Back in St. Louis since 2013, she has fronted her own band, Leslie Craig and the Hellraisers, starred as Amy in “Lioness: The Amy Winehouse Tribute”, and sang with Jim Manley’s “Wild, Cool & Swingin’”, among many other projects. Leslie is an incredibly versatile, powerhouse singer. Whether it’s pop, jazz, country, R&B, rock, showtunes, or even a little rap, she loves singing everything.