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| David Murray |
© Andrea Canter
It seems
May’s cool weather brought June’s showers, but with the Solstice comes the hot
vibes of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, opening Thursday in St.
Paul at Mears
Park. And there’s plenty
of steam leading up to the festival.
Big Gigs This Week
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| Maud Hixson with Rick Carlson |
Friday, June 21. Welcome summer with the soft
breeze that always surrounds songbird Maud
Hixson, tonight in the agile company of Rick Carlson and Gordy Johnson at Parma. And help Maud
celebrate getting back “on her feet” and tossing away those crutches! Expect
some of the exquisite songs from her new release, Don’t Let a Good Thing Get Away. Really. Don’t let this get away!
Interesting
instrumentation and inventive musicians combine at the Red Stag when Leisure Valley
takes the stage. With Bruce Thornton (clarinet, bass clarinet), Patrick Harison
(accordion), Chris Bates (bass), and Joey Van Phillips (drums), this is top
flight, late night entertainment.
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| Pete Whitman |
Friday-Saturday, June
21-22. Dubbed
“Mississippi” (there must be a story about that), this new quartet of long-time
cohorts debuts at the Artists Quarter this weekend, with Pete Whitman, Peter Schimke, Jeff Bailey and Kevin Washington. All
accomplished post bop specialists, there might be some touches of Brazil as well,
given all have worked with Andres Prado.
Saturday, June 22. The Sibley House Historic Site in
Mendota brings the past into the present as trad piano master Butch Thompson and friends celebrate the
old Emporium of Jazz with this special outdoor concert. Also on hand--Charlie
DeVore on trumpet, Tom
Andrews on drums, Steve
Pikal on bass and guest vocalist, Lee Engele.
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| Jason Peterson DeLaire |
The
new Jazz at the Ivy series continues tonight with a special family affair, as
mother and son, singer Linda Peterson and saxophonist Jason Peterson
DeLaire, entertain in the lounge at Porter and Frye. We should hear more
from Linda over the next month or so as she spends her summer visiting family.
Sunday,
June 23. Music
for a summer Sunday includes vocalist Paula Lammers at Como Lakeside
Pavillion in mid afternoon, and the tropical sounds of Ticket to Brasil
at Lake Harriet Bandshell in the early evening. You might be inspired to dance
at both (free) events.
Sunday-Monday,
June 23-24. One of the leading voices in modern jazz,
saxophonist David Murray makes a long awaited return to the Twin Cities
with his Infinity Quartet and neo-soul star singer Macy Gray. Murray,
co-founder of the World Saxophone Quartet, has been busy with his big band in
recent years, but his Infinity Quartet includes big voices—pianist Marc Cary,
bassist Jaribu Shahid and drummer Nasheet Waits. The ensemble
recently released Be My Monster Love
(along with vocalist Gregory Porter), considered one of the best from the
prolific Murray.
At the Dakota for two nights, expect to hear new compositions with lyrics by
Ishmael Reed and some reinventions of Macy Gray hits.
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| Noah Ophoven-Baldwin |
Monday, June 24. Jazz Central’s Monday programming goes
in two directions—veteran jazzers in new configurations and young
up-and-comers. In the latter category is tonight’s featured performer,
trumpeter Noah Ophoven-Baldwin,
recent graduate of the U of M jazz program who has been heard lately with the
Adam Meckler Orchestra and Ellen Lease/Pat Moriarty ensembles. Expect the
unexpected, particularly with the later set jam session.
And here’s advance info about JT’s Jazz Implosion at the
Icehouse! The first set will feature Embezzler with Adam Linz (bass), Paul
Metzger (guitar) and JT Bates (drums), which should go far in melting any ice
at the Icehouse. The late set is special delivery from Chicago
and Norway,
with improvising musicians Fred Lonberg-Holm (cello), Stale Liavik Solberg (drums), and
Keefe Jackson (reeds).
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| Adam Meckler |
Tuesday, June 25. And speaking of the Adam Meckler Orchestra, tonight is the
band’s finale at Jazz Central. With 18 musicians who are routinely pulling in
and audience of 30+, AMO has literally outgrown the venue, where it has
performed monthly over the past year. AMO moves to a regular slot at the
Artists Quarter next month. So come early for a seat, and be ready for some of
the most adventurous big band programming in the Midwest!
Wednesday, June 26. Tonight is the final installment of
the Jazz in the Library pre-festival series sponsored by the St Paul Libraries,
with hot Latin sounds of Salsabrosa filling
the Riverview Library on the West Side. It’s
an early evening set, free, and will end in plenty of time to cross the bridge
and head to the Artists Quarter for the Phil
Hey Quartet. Simply, the PHQ is one
of the best modern jazz ensembles in the region.
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| Talking Strings |
Thursday, June 27. Finally, the festival comes alive
from Mears Park to Mancini’s to the Artists Quarter
to Jazz Central and many clubs in between. It’s Funk Night on the Mears Park
Stage (RJ and the Soul, Black Market
Brass and New Sounds Underground), stride night at the Artists Quarter (Butch Thompson and Jon Weber), Dorothy Doring and JazzFly at Golden’s
Deli, Teresa Manzella at the Hat Trick,
Arne Fogel and Maud Hixson at
Mancini’s, JoAnn Funk at the Lobby
Bar (St Paul Hotel), Talking Strings
and Donald Washington at the Black
Dog, Maryann Sullivan and Tanner Taylor
at Jazz Central, and more. Check the festival
website for full schedule.
More Jazz Every Night!
Be sure to
check live jazz calendars on Jazz Police
and KBEM sites. Also find a growing
number of events on the Jazz Near
You site, a service of All About
Jazz. A few more gigs of note:
Friday, June 21. Irv Williams and Peter Schimke,
Happy Hour at the Dakota followed by special “Free Friday” (no cover) with the
Southside Aces; Todd Harper (solo piano)
followed by the Brad Bellows/Donald Washington Quartet at the Black Dog
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| Bobb Fantauzzo of Rhizosphere |
Saturday, June 22. Arne Fogel at Club Saratoga
(Duluth); Rhizosphere and Gnarl at the Black Dog; Neighborhood Trio at the Red
Stag; Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma; JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske at the Lobby
Bar (St Paul Hotel); Zacc Harris Trio at Loring Pasta Bar; Regina Marie Williams in "Eartha: The Whole Kitt and Kaboodle" at the Capri
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| Regina Marie Williams |
Monday, June 24. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Headspace at the Artists Quarter; Brio Brass at Como Lakeside Pavillion
Tuesday, June 25. Cory Wong Quartet followed by Dean
Magraw and Friends at the Artists Quarter; Café Accordion at Loring Pasta Bar; Arne Fogel with Acme Jazz Co at the Shorewood
Wednesday, June 26. Wolverines at Hell’s Kitchen;
Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Pete Whitman at Jazz
Central; Steve Kenny and the Bastids, early set at the Artists Quarter
Thursday, June 27. Charmin and Shapira at the Dakota;
Connie and Herb at the Bean (Andover)
Coming Soon!
. June 28
Twin Cities Jazz Festival with Kenny Werner, Ariel Pocock, Jon Weber and more
. June 28,
Ginger Commodore at the Dakota
. June 29,
Twin Cities Jazz Festival with Matt Slocum & Walter Smith III, Cyrus
Chestnut Trio, Youth Stage and more
. July 3,
Lulu’s Playground at the Artists Quarter
. July 5-7,
Iowa City Jazz
Festival with Pharoah Sanders, Fred Hersch, Charlie Hunter, Christian Scott, Lonnie
Smith and more
. July 8,
Milo Fine Free Jazz Ensemble at Homewood
Studios
. July 8-9,
Pharoah Sanders at the Dakota
. July 13,
St Croix Vineyards Jazz Festival in Stillwater
(Atlantis Quartet, Patty Peterson and more)
. July 14,
PipJazz Sundays with Louis Alemayehu at Landmark Center
. July 18, Stanley Jordan
at the Dakota
. July 19,
Maud Hixson at Parma
. July 23,
Badi Assad at the Dakota
. July 25,
Benefit for Jeremy Walker at the Dakota
. July 27, Dakota Street Fest
(Nicollet Mall)
. August
10, Todd Clouser and A Love Electric with Cyro Baptista at the Icehouse
. August
17, Burnsville Art and All That Jazz Festival, Nicollet Commons
Park (Burnsville)
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| Twin Cities Jazz Festival, June 27-29 at Mears Park |
