ST. LOUIS – Jazz St. Louis prepared for its fifth consecutive sold-out show as people flocked to see Ferguson trumpeter and songwriter Keyon Harrold.

“I studied music here, went to McCluer High School, then moved to New York City to pursue my dreams as a jazz musician,” Harrold said.

During the last 20 years in the Big Apple, he has worked with many artists like Common, Beyoncé and Maxwell. In 2009 he released his first solo “Introducing Keyon Harrold”. Now he’s back home and adding Creative Advisor of Jazz St. Louis to his CV.

“I have the opportunity to really affect some lives and bring some really creative projects to St. Louis, new energy, new vibes,” said Harrold.

We weren’t able to film the scale or the performance, but Harrold will be there for three years to share his story and bring his own kind of activism to the stage.

Part of his musical inspiration comes from experience.

After seeing the uprisings in his hometown since the shooting of Michael Brown, and a woman who falsely accused her son of stealing his cell phone, a video has gone viral.

“My son was attacked and we had to go through this whole process, but the beauty of the tragedy is that my son and I are always here to talk about it,” said Harrold.

Harrold’s jazz style incorporates rock, R&B and hip-hop, uniting different cultures through his music.

“To take on the mantle of history already rich here in music, in St. Louis from Miles Davis to Clark Terry and so many other amazing people to go deeper to get amazing people to bring in creative collaborations just to organize amazing stuff, man, ”Harrold said.

Harrold’s first five-day concert at Jazz St. Louis ended tonight.

He will focus on annual performances that will reflect the community of Saint-Louis throughout the 2023-2024 season.