© Andrea Canter
There’s a
lot in the air – the scent of lilacs, chirping birds, spring pollen, and a lot
of jazz riffs! Around the metro, you can hear some great bop saxophone rising
from the Artists Quarter, the songs of Marvin Gaye as interpreted by some of
our favorite jazz voices, great post bop, original musings and an open
rehearsal from the cosmonauts from the Red Planet; a reunion of the jazz/poetry
collusion Soul Café, heartfelt tunes from one of the best of modern-day
crooners…. And more. Spring is here. Don’t let it hang you up—go out and hear
some live jazz!
Highlights, This Week
In addition
to local jazz, you might want to check out live streaming of events for
International Jazz Day. The “day” is April 30th but festive concerts
from Paris to New Orleans
to New York
start on the 27th. Visit Jazz Police for
information about the events and how you can connect to live streamlining of
the headline concerts around the world.
April 27-28. Dave Karr and Brian Grivna have
been teaming up in this dueling saxophone quintet for a few years, and it’s a
bopfest every time. Between the two, who each cover all the reeds, there’s nearly a century of experience. At the Artists Quarter this weekend, you can count
on endless displays of inventive improvising. (Westside tacos add to the
festivities on Saturday night.)
April 28. It’s St. Paul Art Crawl weekend,
and while you are crawling around the Lowertown galleries, pace yourself to end
the afternoon at Studio Z, where the always creative Red Planet will hold an
open rehearsal (4 pm) in preparation for their evening performance, part of the
Jazz at Studio Z monthly concert series curated by Zacc Harris. From eclectic
guitar wizard Dean Magraw to the sublimely creative bassist Chris Bates to the
ever-elegant drummer Jay Epstein, Red Planet covers some of the best from
Coltrane and Coleman to their own compositions. The rehearsal is free and
allows an unusual opportunity to see collaboration in the raw.
For
something completely different….. Bruce Henry is back in town and this time he
has a brand new show to share at the Hopkins
Center for the Arts. The
baritone bard turns his attention to the music of Marvin Gaye, and brings along
onstage three more winning voices—Yolande Bruce (Moore by Four), Aaron Keith Stewart (Sounds
of Blackness), and the always starbright Debbie Duncan. So, “What’s Goin’
On?” And if a little R&B mixed with
your jazz and some great ensemble chemistry sounds appealing for a Saturday
night, Patty Peterson and Friends will keep things hot and steamy at the
Dakota.
April 29. It’s been at least 8 years since
Soul Café launched its unique blend of jazz and poetry at Hennepin Avenue
United Methodist
Church, a secular if
highly spirited series of performances that typically are theme-based. The core
trio of Steve Blons (guitar), alto sax (Brad Holden) and piano (Laura Caviani)
performs only a few times per year now, often with vocalist Lucia Newell and a
variety of guest instrumentalists. This Sunday night, in the Art Gallery
of the church off Loring
Park, the theme is
“Breaking Free” and the trio expands to four with percussionist Darryl
Boudreaux.
April 29-30. Grammy Award-winning,
Emmy-nominated vocalist, producer, songwriter, music supervisor, and more,
Steve Tyrell hit the big time with “Father of the Bride” and “Father of the
Bride II.” While producing hits for artists ranging from Dionne Warwick to Rod
Stewart, Steve himself has sold hundreds of thousands of albums and gained a
passionate following all over the world for his accessible, joyful takes on
jazz and pop classics. His hits, “The Way You Look Tonight,” “A Kiss To Build A
Dream On,” and “The Sunny Side of The Street,” have launched thousands of
weddings and millions of romances, giving Steve a devoted following on Adult
Contemporary Radio. He returns to the Dakota for two intimate evenings, perfect
for spring proposals.
April 30 (International Jazz Day!).
The U of M’s very fine Jazz Ensemble I locks horns (and more) with the U’s
Symphonic Band in a free performance of “Meet in the Middle: Crossover Works
for Jazz and Concert Bands” at Ted Mann Concert Hall. Joined by one of the
area’s great crossover artists, the Minnesota Orchestra’s trumpeter Charles
Lazarus, the student ensembles will premiere new works from Lazarus and
director Dean Sorenson, as well as tenorman John DeHaan. Not far away (and
starting later so you can really make both gigs), pianist Peter Schimke has a
rare night in the spotlight at Jazz Central.
May 1. It’s First Tuesday at the Black
Dog, and tonight guitarist Dean Magraw and drummer Davu Seru welcome special
guest, saxman Brandon Wozniak. You will be hard pressed to find a more
inventive trio. The space is pretty small but the sounds will be mighty big.
May 2. Come early and stay late at the
Artists Quartet tonight. Start things off with the weekly bop jam known as
Steve Kenny and the Bastids, veteran trumpeter Steve pushing the envelope with
young cohorts in the rhythm section and a surprise guest or two on the front
line. And hang out for the AQ debut of the Michael Gold Quintet (Three Flights Up) featuring
Gold on bass, Don Stille on piano, Nathan Norman on drums, Dave Graf on
trombone and Doug Haining on sax. Can’t
beat this double feature for mainstream jazz!
May 3. An unusual band for the intimate
space of Jazz Central, the Keith Karns Big Band makes a stop here on its CD
release tour. Based in Indiana,
trumpeter/bandleader/ composer Karns will introduce the Twin Cities to “compositions and arrangements[that]
represent the leading edge of contemporary big band music. He is a fan of Stan
Kenton, Jim McNeely and Minnesotan Maria Schneider” (Jerry Swanberg of Big Band Scene). In St Paul,
a double-header at the Artists Quarter kicks off with the young talents of the
award-winning Roseville Area High School Jazz Band, followed by the “Good
Vibes” of Chris Bates’ new trio.
More Jazz, Every Night
Keep up with local live music with calendars on Bebopfied and Jazz Police. More suggestions:
Friday, April 27: Nichola Miller and Tanner Taylor
at Hell’s Kitchen; Kristin Sponcia at The Marsh; Joann Funk and Jeff Brueske at
the Lobby Bar (St Paul Hotel); Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico Kitchen; Nachito
Herrera at the Dakota; Patty Peterson and Friends at School II Bistro; St. Olaf
College Jazz Band I at Buntrock Commons (Northfield); Rhonda Laurie and The
Swingset at the Hatrick Lounge; Chris Bates/Vinnie Rose/Adrian Suarez at
Shanghai Bistro (Hudson)
Saturday, April 28: Mark Bloom and Kavanescence at
Loring Pasta Bar; Joann Funk and Jeff Brueske at the Lobby Bar (St Paul Hotel);
Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico Kitchen; Parisota Hot Club at the Black Dog;
Arne Fogel at The Lexington; Lee Engele and Reynold Philipsek at the Red Stag; Babatunde Lea guests with the UW River Falls Jazz Ensemble's RADD concert appearance on campus, Abbott Concert Hall.
Sunday, April 29: Milo Fine Assemblage at Homewood
Studios; St Olaf College Jazz Band II at Buntrock Commons (Northfield); Zacc Harris Trio at the
Riverview Wine Bar
Monday, April 30: Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Headspace at the Artists Quarter; Patty and the Buttons at
the Red Stag
Tuesday, May 1: Cory Wong Quartet followed by Zacc
Harris/Jason Craft/Kenny Horst at the Artists Quarter ; Jack Brass Band at the
Driftwood Charbar; Sophia Shorai with Bryan Nichols, James Buckley and Greg
Schutte at the Dakota
Wednesday, May 2: Wolverines Trio at Hell’s Kitchen;
Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza
Thursday, May 3: Sophia Shorai at Hell’s Kitchen;
Robb Henry Trio at Barbette
Coming Soon!
·
May
4, Tortoise and Twin Cities Jazz All-Stars at the Walker Art Center
·
May
4-5, Magraw/Nichols/Peterson/Horst at the Artists Quarter
·
May
6, Poncho Sanchez at the Dakota
·
May
10, Dakota Combo at MacPhail (Antonello Hall)
·
May
10, Phil Mattson Singers at the Artists Quarter
·
May
11, Evan Christopher, free public workshop at MacPhail (4 pm)
·
May
11-12, Zacc Harris Group CD Release at the Artists Quarter
·
May
12, Evan Christopher with Lee Engele & Trad All-Stars at the Hopkins Center for the Arts
·
May
13, Jeanne and Patty Peterson, Mothers’ Day Brunch at the Dakota
·
May
13, Debbie Duncan with PipJazz Sundays at Landmark Center
·
May
13, Nancy Harms
at the Dakota
·
May
17, Snowblind at the Artists Quarter
·
May
19, Rhonda Laurie at Jazz@ St Barneys (St Barnabus Center
for the Arts)
·
May
19, Reynold Philipsek CD release at the Aster Café
·
May
20-21, Ramsey Lewis Electric Band at the Dakota
·
May
26, Preservation Hall Jazz Band/New Orleans
Jazz Orchestra at Orchestra Hall
·
May
26-27, Eric Alexander at the Artists Quarter
·
May
29, Vicky Mountain at the Artists Quarter
·
June
3, Sophie Millman at the Dakota
·
June
18-19, Stanley
Clarke and George Duke at the Dakota
·
June
22, A Love Electric/Adam Meckler Orchestra at the Ritz Theater
·
June
28-30, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Mears
Park (headliners Bad Plus
with Joshua Redman; Delfeayo Marsalis; Francisco Mela’s Cuban Safari)
·
July
1-2, Bill Frisell at the Dakota
·
September
4-5, Pat Metheny Unity Band at the Dakota
·
September
26-27, Chick Corea and Gary Burton at the Dakota
·
October
30-31, Maria Schneider Orchestra at the Dakota
Photos (top to bottom): Red Planet (composite) at the Artists Quarter; Brian Grivna; Bruce Henry; Steve Tyrell; Steve Kenny; Arne Fogel at The Lexington (All photos by Andrea Canter)