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| Young lion drummer Miguel Hurtado leads a new trio at the Artists Quarter July 25th |
© Andrea Canter
Decisions,
decisions. Avant garde solo bass? Mainstream chamber finesse? Brunch-time
swing?New York
rising stars? Cuban fireworks? Cutting edge trio? A revue of Minnesota’s Jazz Legends? This week has it
all, right here in the Minni-apple.
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| Brian Roessler |
Friday, July 20. The second installment of this
season’s “Crow With No Mouth” concert series at Studio Z features three sets of
solo improvised music featuring bassist Brian Roessler, instrument builder Eloine
(Bryan Day) and electronics artist Ernst Karel. Notes the concert
promo, “All three
musicians work in areas of sound, however divergent their approaches and
instrumentation, in which the abstract and the personal narrative can both be
heard.” Eloine and Karel are new to me, but I have already developed a fondness
for the basswork of Roessler, who among other ensembles provides the bottom
notes for the Fantastic Merlins and co-curates the Community Pool/Deep End
series at the Black Dog. Studio Z’s promo notes that all proceeds ($10 cover)
go to the musicians.
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| Laura Caviani with Chris Bates |
Friday/Saturday, July 20-21. In any
configuration, pianist Laura Caviani offers music that is
accessible, interesting, and ever evolving. This weekend at the Artists Quarter
she returns to the quartet format, featuring the talents of her musical/life
partner Pete Whitman on saxophone, Chris Bates on bass and Phil Hey on drums.
Over the past year, Laura has been exploring original jazz arrangements of
classical works (“From Bach to Bop”), and will include some of those pieces at
the AQ, as well as her own and Pete’s original compositions and their inventive
takes on jazz standards.
Saturday, July 21. How
about some classic and virtuosic swing with your eggs and toast? Brunch today
at Hell’s Kitchen rises on the musical Richter Scale with music provided by
pianist Rick Carlson and violinist Gary Schulte. You won’t find two
more accomplished purveyors of their craft, and if you don’t understand the
nature of swing after this morning’s fare, you are probably doomed to an
unswinging life. And a life without swing is… well… unswingable.
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| Joel Shapira |
The Loring Pasta Bar pulls a few surprises now and then and
tonight is one of the most interesting – at trio with Joel Shapira on guitar, Tom
Lewis on bass and Eric Kamau Gravatt on drums. This
could be the start of something big.
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| Nancy Harms |
Speaking of the start of something big, our “local girl
makes good” Nancy Harms, currently making her mark among rising star
vocalists in New York, returns to her home state as part of the Jeremy
Siskind Trio, celebrating the release of Finger Songwriter at Jazz Central. An exciting young pianist and
composer, Siskind has set poetic texts to new music, enlisting the ever-growing
voices of Harms and young saxophonist Lucas Pino. Definitely the start of
something big.
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| Nachito Herrera |
Sunday, July 22. We almost take pianist Nachito Herrera for
granted now that he has at least monthly gigs around town, usually at the
Dakota. But don’t forget this is an artist with an international reputation and
resume, from his early days with Cubanissmo to more recent tours with the Afro
Cuban All-Stars and his own mini-tour of the West Coast. Herrera is also a
noteworthy composer and bandleader who will show off both talents in a
ground-breaking concert in Watertown, MN at the community’s Performing Arts
Center. Hoping to launch
and annual “jazz festival,” Nachito is bringing a multi-faceted program to the
Carver County town, opening with the Dakota Combo (Twin Cities’ high
school all-stars) and later featuring special guests Debbie Duncan and the Steele
Brothers (J.D. and Fred), daughter Mirdalys Herrera on vocals,
long-time cohorts Yohannes Tona on bass and Kevin Washington on drums, and the
young artists of the Minneapolis Youth Symphony – all in all, a 22-piece
ensemble. Nachito plans to unveil some new compositions, and you can count on a
lot of energy and firepower.
Monday, July 23.
Minnesota Jazz All-Stars is an aptly title production at the Old Log Theater,
with no less than Jeanne Arland Peterson, Cliff Brunzell, Irv
Williams, Dave Karr, Clyde Anderson, Reuben Ristrom, and Mac Santiago,
with special guest vocalist Charmin Michelle. Part of Old Log’s
“Sounds of Summer” series –and what a collection of sounds! Reuben, Mac and
Charmin are mere teens in comparison to the years of experience of the veterans
in this band. Hard to find this much music on one stage.
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| Michael Nelson |
With all that talent out in Excelsior, is there any left in
the city tonight? Indeed. Trombonist and master arranger Michael Nelson takes a
break from JazzMN and the Hornheads to lead a small group at Jazz Central,
while a new trio of Brandon Wozniak, Adam Linz and Eric Gravatt
take the stage at the Ice House for the first of two consecutive Monday nights
of “Jazz Implosion.”
Tuesday, July 24. Jazz
Central continues two of its “traditions,” Tuesday night Big Band and
presenting new ensembles. Tonight is the maiden voyage of the Doug
Haining/Scott Agster Big Band. Promising a cadre of the area’s top jazz
artists, this debut will feature “a wide variety of material from legendary
big band composers such as Duke Ellingtion, Frank Foster, Thad Jones, and others.” In St Paul, a too-infrequent gig with Framework is
on tap at the Artists Quarter, with Jay Epstein, Chris Olson and Chris Bates
providing original music and arrangements that are typically sublime, even a
bit cerebral, but always fascinating.
Wednesday, July 25. Youthful energy dominates the Miguel Hurtado Trio at the Artists Quarter tonight. Following the
always boppin’ Steve Kenny and the
Bastids on the early set,
drummer Miguel brings in a new ensemble, with guitarist Zacc Harris and
newcomer bassist Brian Courage. Miguel led a weekend gig at the AQ last month, and was back last
weekend manning the trapset for John Raymond, providing ample reason for Kenny
Horst to book him again as bandleader. Surely one of the best pieces of evidence
that our area is an expanding cauldron for jazz talent.
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| Rhonda Laurie |
Thursday, July 26. Capping a hot week at the AQ, Pete Whitman
returns with his X-Tet, showing off our best times ten. In Minneapolis, enjoy a late
gig at the Red Stag with vocalist Rhonda
Laurie and guitarist Robert Bell. I
just heard the duo at Barbette and they are definitely creating some late night
magic, reinventing standards and introducing some new or seldom heard tunes as
well.
More Jazz Every Night
Pamela Espeland announced earlier that she would discontinue
her Twin Cities Live Jazz Calendar on Bebopified as of August 1, but
Don Berryman stepped into the breach and announced he would take over the live
jazz postings on Jazz Police, effective at the end of July. The Bebopified
calendar has been posted on the Jazz
Police site all along (on the Twin Cities page) so this should be a
relatively painless transition. Musicians and venues should send gig listings
via email to tc.jazzpolice@gmail.com
Meanwhile, a few more recommendations for the coming week:
Friday, July 20. Dan
Musselman, Altamir Coelho and Josh Alfaro at Rodizio Grill (Maple Grove); Zacc
Harris Trio with Lucia Newell at Hell’s Kitchen; Joel Shapira solo guitar at
Ingredients Café; Matt Turner and Viv
Corringham at the Black Dog; Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico Kitchen; Patty
Peterson and Friends at School II Bistro; James Buckley and Bryan Nichols,
dinner set at the Ice House
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| Patty Peterson |
Saturday, July 21. Pig’s
Eye Jazz Band (swing dance) at the Eagles Aerie Club; Patty Peterson Trio at
The Lexington; Nachito Herrera at the Dakota; Benny Weinbeck Trio at D’Amico
Kitchen; Jim Anton/Dean Magraw, dinner set at the Icehouse
Sunday, July 22. Patty
and the Buttons, brunch at the Aster Café; Jazz in July with Rhonda Laurie at
All Saints Lutheran Church (Cottage Grove); Zacc Harris Trio at the Riverview
Wine Bar
Monday, July 23.
Headspace at the Artists Quarter; Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at
Fireside Pizza; Ronnie Laws and Tom Browne Super Group at the Dakota; George
Maurer’s Autumn Song at St Joan of Arc Auditorium
Tuesday, July 24. Cory
Wong Quartet, opening set at the Artists Quarter; Charles Lazarus Quartet at
Plymouth Congregational Church (Minneapolis); Moonlight Serenaders with Lee
Engele at the Minnesota History Center; Ronnie Laws and Tom Browne Super Group
at the Dakota; Jack Brass Band at the Driftwood CharBar
Wednesday, July 25.
Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Linda Peterson at School
II Bistro; Adrian Legg at the Dakota; Deconunisms (Luke Polopnik, Devin Drobka,
Jon Christiansen) at Nomad World Pub
Coming Soon!
·
July
27-28, Jay Young & the Lyric Factory at the Artists Quarter
·
July
29, James Carter Organ Trio at the Dakota
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July
30, Brandon Wozniak at Jazz Central
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July
31, Adam Meckler Orchestra at Jazz Central
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August
1-2, Tribute to Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery with Joey D’Francesco, Larry
Coryell & Jimmy Cobb at the Dakota
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August
2, Bloomington
Jazz Festival (Steve Clark and Working Stiffs, George Maurer Big Band)
·
August
3, Pat Mallinger at the Artists Quarter
·
August
4, Atlantis Quartet at the Artists Quarter
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August
9, Tribute to Blossom Dearie with Joann Funk at the Artists Quarter
·
August
11, Dave King Trucking Company at the Dakota
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August
12, PipJazz Sundays with Yolande Bruce at Landmark Center
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August
18, Burnsville Art and All That Jazz Festival (Nicollet Commons Park)
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August
18, Jake Baldwin Quartet at the Dakota (late night)
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August
20, Erin Bode at the Dakota
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August
24, Boot Camp (Jeremy Walker) at the Dakota (late night)
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September
4-5, Pat Metheny Unity Band at the Dakota
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September
8, Selby Avenue
Jazz Festival
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September
9, Dakota Combo Auditions at MacPhail
Center for Music
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September
11-12, Marcus Miller at the Dakota
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September
14-15, Chris Bates’ Red 5 CD Release at the Artists Quarter
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September
15, Arne Fogel, Jazz @St. Barney’s (St. Barnabas Arts Center, Plymouth)
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September
18, John Scofield Trio at the Dakota
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September
26-27, Chick Corea and Gary Burton at the Dakota
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September
30, Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Society at the State Theater
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September
30, Men With Mics (Gregg Marquardt, Reeves Carey, Dan Ristrom) at the Artists
Quarter (TCJS, Jazz From J to Z)
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October
13, Connie Evingson, Jazz @St. Barney’s (St. Barnabas Arts Center, Plymouth)
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October
14-15, Cassandra Wilson
at the Dakota
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October
30-31, Maria Schneider Orchestra at the Dakota
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November
4, Spiral Visions (Milne, Hagedorn, Aaron, Lewis, Hey) at Landmark Center
(TCJS Jazz From J to Z)
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| Pat Mallinger returns to the Artists Quarter on August 3rd |
