© Andrea Canter
I’ll be
packing my gear and my ears for the Healdsburg Jazz Festival this week—heading
west on Thursday for the northern California’s
second festival weekend. But there’s plenty here to put me in a festival mood
before I leave, from the slinky vibes of Red Planet to the swinging sweet
sounds of Sophie Milman.
Highlights This Week
June 1. You have to love a band of Native
American and world flutes, electric cello and percussion. Especially one with
the name JazZen. The music can be soothing, ethereal,
challenging—definitely enjoyable. The trio led by flautist Bob Fantauzzo (with
Aaron Kerr and Darrin Pinto) has a semi-regular gig at The Nicollet, often on
the weekend. Like tonight. Don’t be surprised to see Bob handle 7-8 different
flutes in a single set. And several in a single tune. With a little touch of zen himself, young
bassist Andrew Foreman heads a trio of new music at the Black Dog
(Community Pool-Deep End series). I first heard Andrew last weekend, first with
Trio Bossa Nova on the KBEM boat cruise and then with the Max Corcoran Project
at Studio Z—proof that his chops are eclectic and flexible.
June 1-2. Together now for nearly a decade, three of our
most potent explorers return to their favorite haunt, the Artists Quarter. Red
Planet (Dean Magraw, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein) continues to orbit the
jazz galaxy without ever tracing the same path twice, be it arrangements of
Coltrane or original compositions. Each musician has the capacity for sublime
reflection or incendiary rocket flares.
June 2. Our favorite Chicagoan returns to
the Dakota Saturday night. There was a lot of angst when Bruce Henry moved from
the Twin Cities back to his native metropolis but he seems to be gigging here
almost as much now as before. Saturday night finds him in his usual fine
company of Peter Schimke, Jay Young, Kevin Washington and Darryl Boudreuax (now
dubbed Wild Horses Run Free), and he’ll be mining his extensive songbook, which
highlights his versatility from swing to bebop to cool to soul. That voice is
one of a kind.
This is not
really a jazz event. It’s not even an improvised music event. But it’s an
unusual event from an unusual composer whose roots are in jazz and
improvisation. Ann Millikan, whose exciting musical installation “House of
Mirrors” featured some of our most creative jazz and classical artists in 2011,
now explores the “Swede Hollow” community in depth with a one-act opera
premiering at Art in the Hollow in Swede Hollow Park. (Read about the opera and
about Ann Millikan here on the blog, May 30th entry.)
June 3. For something light and fun, come
to vocalist Connie Olson’s 7th annual Student Showcase, at
Famous Dave’s in Uptown. Every year, Connie prepares her voice students for a
public performance with professional band. This year her students range from
their teens to 80s, and her band includes Brian Ziemniak, Rick Carlson, Vinnie
Rose, Graydon Peterson, Haralds Bondaris, Dave Karr—in other words, the
students perform with the best possible backing. We might even get a song from
Connie herself.
Hear the
students and then head to the Dakota for a young but seasoned pro—vocalist Sophie
Milman. The Russian-born, Israeli-raised Canadian émigré brings her
multi-cultural upbringing to American jazz and more, earning three Juno
nominations in her first four recordings (winning in 2009), selling out Massey
Hall in Toronto, and generally garnering accolades usually reserved for
veterans. And she’s still under 30.
June 5. Trumpeter Bill Simenson has
assembled a new big band for Jazz Central’s new Tuesday Night Big Band series.
It might be a tight fit at the small gallery space but that just makes it all
the more intimate. Don’t expect a dance floor, this is a modern big band in a
little jazz club with a big heart. For a smaller ensemble, check out the Brian
Grivna Quartet at the Artists Quarter. One of the most accomplished
wind players around, Grivna breaks loose with his own band.
June 7. Rhonda Laurie was at the top of her game recently
with her “Uncommon Standards” revue with Phil Mattson out in Plymouth. Now she brings her ever –expanding
book to the wilds of Delano
with guitarist Joel Shapira, at the Three Crows. It’s not that far—and a good
excuse for a drive.
June 7-8. When I first heard Rachelle
Ferrell at the Dakota two years ago, she rocked my ears—not with volume
but with passion and wide intervals and amazing sounds that rose from her vocal
cords. I will miss this gig but really, don’t you miss it! It’s not just the
octaves she can cover (six?) but what she does within that range that makes her
a unique talent. It’s jazz, it’s soul. It’s a rewarding experience.
More Jazz Every Night
Don’t
wonder what’s going on, check out the best sources for live jazz in the Twin
Cities – Bebopified
calendar; Jazz Police; daily listings
and interviews on KBEM (88.5) and KFAI (90.3) radio. More suggestions:
Friday, June 1: Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico Kitchen;
Milo Fine Free Jazz Ensemble at the West Bank School of Music; East Side at
Hell’s Kitchen
Saturday, June 2: Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico
Kitchen; Parisota Hot Club at the Loring Pasta Bar; Vicky Mountain and James
Allen at First Course Bistro; Lee Engele and Reynold Philipsek at Pardon My
French; Maryann Sullivan and David Martin at Butter Bakery
Sunday, June 3. Maud Hixson and Arne Fogel with
Tanner Taylor and Graydon Peterson, noon at The Lexington; Charmin Michelle
with the Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra at Cinema Ballroom; Zacc Harris Trio at
Riverview Wine Bar; James Buckley Trio at Barbette
Monday, June 4. Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Tom Krochock Sextet at Jazz Central; Russ Peterson Big Band
at Old Log Theater
Tuesday, June 5. Cory Wong Quartet at the Artists
Quarter (early show); Dean Magraw and Davu Seru at the Black Dog; Deanna Lind
at The Nicollet; Patrick Harrison at Café Maude; Robert Everest World Quartet
at the Dakota; Jack Brass Band at Driftwood Char Bar
Wednesday, June 6. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Steve Kenny and the Bastids followed by the Black
Heralds at the Artists Quarter; Robb Henry Trio at Barbette; Cellar (Bryan
Nichols, James Buckley, Joey Van Phillips) at Nomad World Pub
Thursday, June 7. Snowblind at the Artists Quarter
Coming Soon
·
June
9, Ginger Commodore at the Dakota
·
June
9, Wozniak/Linz/Gravatt at the Artists Quarter
·
June
10, Connie Evingson, CD Release at The Jungle Theater
·
June
10, Barbara Leshoure, Pippi Ardennia, PipJazz Sundays at Landmark Center
·
June
10, Jazz on the Prairie Festival at Staring Lake Park
Amphitheater
·
June
10, Wadda Leo Smith with Douglas Ewart at Weyerhauser Memorial Chapel, Macalester College
·
June
10-11, Roy Hargrove Quintet at the Dakota
·
June
12, Cedar Avenue
Big Band at Jazz Central
·
June
12, Maryann Sullivan and Rhonda Laurie at The Nicollet
·
June
12, Tuesday Night Band at the Artists Quarter
·
June
13, Dean Brewington, Rondo Outreach Library (St Paul), Twin Cities Jazz Festival
·
June
14, Peterson Family at Edina Performing Arts Center,
Edina High School
·
June
14, Joann Funk Trio at the Dakota
·
June
14, Dave Brattain Quartet at the Artists Quarter
·
June
15-16, Paul Bollenback at the Artists Quarter
·
June
16, Jana Nyberg Group at Hayden Heights Library (St Paul), Twin Cities Jazz Festival (2 pm)
·
June
16, Barbary Coast 45th Anniversary at the Black Box, Bloomington Center for the
Arts
·
June
18, Laura Caviani at Jazz Central
·
June
18-19, Stanley
Clarke and George Duke at the Dakota
·
June
20, St Peter Street Stompers, St Anthony Park Library (St Paul), Twin Cities Jazz Festival
·
June
20, Phil Hey Quartet at the Artists Quarter
·
June
21, X-Tet at the Artists Quarter
·
June
22, A Love Electric/Adam Meckler Orchestra at the Ritz Theater
·
June
22-23, Nachito Herrera at the Dakota
·
June
22-23, Dave King Trucking Company at the Artists Quarter
·
June
28, Jack Brass Band at St Paul
Central Library (11:30 am), Twin Cities Jazz Festival
·
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
·
July
5, Dean Magraw & Marcus Wise,
PipJazz Sundays at Landmark
Center
·
July
9-10, Victor Wooten at the Dakota
·
July
13-14, John Raymond Project at the Artists Quarter
·
July
20-21, Pete Whitman & Laura Caviani at the Artists Quarter
·
July
28, Dakota StreetFest on Nicollet Mall
·
July
29, James Carter Organ Trio at the Dakota
·
August
1-2, Tribute to Jimmy Smith with Joey D’Francesco, Larry Coryell & Jimmy
Cobb at the Dakota
·
August
3, Pat Mallinger at the Artists Quarter
·
August
9, Tribute to Blossom Dearie with Joann Funk at the Artists Quarter
·
September
4-5, Pat Metheny Unity Band at the Dakota
. September 18, John Scofield Trio at the Dakota
. September 18, John Scofield Trio 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): Sophie Milman; JazZen; Dean Magraw; Connie Olson; Rachelle Ferrell; Vicky Mountain (all photos by Andrea Canter)