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| After their AQ debut, Mountain King brings bass trio to Jazz Central |
© Andrea Canter
It never
fails, the weekend before a major holiday seems packed with community events,
concerts, etc. – sort of like a warm-up to the holiday? And the forecast
indicates this weekend will be a warm-up in more ways than one. Outdoor
festivals continue, with the return of the Freedom Jazz Festival at a new
location on Saturday; the Dave King Trucking Company returns to the Artists
Quarter for two nights; there’s a farewell night at the Icehouse for Evan
Montgomery as he heads off to Cal Arts; Ben Sidran brings his keys and stories
to the Dakota; and new Mom and Dad, Tanner Taylor and Nichola Miller, appear
together at Jazz Central to take us into the weekend. And of course this is
just the tip of the jazz hill for the week.
Big Gigs This Week
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| Irv Williams |
Friday, August 23. He just
celebrated #94, so why not check out Happy Hour at the Dakota and give Irv
Williams your birthday wishes? He’s still holding down the early evening gig
with Peter Schimke and sometimes Billy Peterson. Can’t think of a better way to end the work week!
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| Rhonda Laurie |
Parma 8200 continues to bring swinging
music to the west burbs, tonight featuring savvy vocalist Rhonda Laurie with Tanner Taylor and Tom Lewis. Summer seems to be
a great time to visit Parma’s
bar and lounge, as many patrons prefer to be outside on the patio, leaving a
more quiet and intimate space for jazz and relaxing with the fine offerings
from the menu. (Check out the cannoli.) And remember that every Saturday night,
it’s the Benny Weinbeck Trio, usually with Gordy Johnson and Phil Hey.
Friday-Saturday,
August 23-24. James Buckley and Bryan Nichols make for
a very comfortable give and take among two of the area’s finest improvisers, at
the Icehouse this weekend for the dinner sets. And at no cover, one of the best
bargains in area music.
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| Dave King Trucking Company |
At the
Artists Quarter, the Dave King Trucking
Company settles in for two nights of spontaneous fun and magical mayhem,
with Dave’s steady pals Brandon Wozniak, Erik Fratzke and Adam Linz. The guys
laid down tracks for a vinyl release, so expect to hear some previews as well
as favorites and new tunes. All original stuff.
Saturday, August 24. For the past 15 years, with a few “skips,”
the Freedom Jazz Festival has brought
jazz, fun, education and a strong commitment to community to south Minneapolis. For the
first 11 festivals, the excitement was centered around Minnehaha Falls
Park. Now the vibe moves
west to Martin Luther
King Park,
where the festival becomes part of the community celebration of the 50th
anniversary of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the famed March on Washington. Festivities
start at Sabathani
Center at 11 am and
proceed to the park where music kicks off at 1:15 pm, running til 7. Music this
year includes the Capri Big Band, Minneapolis Jazz Workshop,
Walker West, Kathleen Johnson and Best Kept Secret, and the Freedom Jazz
All-Stars with Irv Williams. Free and family-friendly. There’s an open jam
at the end.
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| Capri Big Band at FJF |
Sunday, August 25. “Jazz in the Vineyard” continues
at the Alexis Bailey Winery with afternoon wine tasting and jazz, today
featuring a double horn treat with trumpeter Jon Pemberton and saxophonist Jimmie
Wallace. So you can have your jazz and drink it, too!
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| Evan Montgomery |
Monday, August 26. With more notice, I would probably include
JT’s Jazz Implosion every week… tonight at the Icehouse, it’s a farewell
shindig for guitarist Evan Montgomery,
who heads off to grad school at Cal Arts, leaving a big hole in several bands.
Two of those units will gig big on the Jazz Implosion calendar, back to back
featuring the Evan Montgomery Quartet
and Lulu’s Playground. Says Evan, “I
thought it would be fitting to have one last show where I get to play with my
favorite people…” Starting out, the quartet features Adam Meckler, Matt
Peterson and Jay Epstein (“new tunes and some sweet covers”). The second round
is the very quirky and very musical Lulu’s Playground with Meckler, Steven
Hobert, and Cory Grossman (that’s guitar, trumpet, accordion and cello!),
making “awesome and weird music.” Hopefully Evan will return to the Twin Cities
after completing his program.
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| Adam Meckler directs his AMO |
Tuesday, August 27. Not sure if Evan Montgomery will
hang around long enough to join the Adam
Meckler Orchestra one last time. But either way, the popular big band
returns for its now-monthly gig at the Artists Quarter, following the weekly
installment of the Cory Wong Quartet. After closing out a year or so of monthly
shows at Jazz Central, the AMO began a similar residency last month at the AQ,
and as expected, packed the house. The audience of this band—and their music--
seems to fill up whatever space they play in.
Catch some of the area’s top young musicians and always a few veterans
as well when the AMO is on stage. Or in this case, on and off the stage. And
you can count on some new tunes from composer/bandleader/trumpeter Adam
Meckler.
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| Lucia Newell |
Wednesday, August 28. Two weeks I heard the debut of Mountain King, three bassists out for
fun and music, giving us plenty of both. Graydon Peterson, Jeremy Boettcher and
Brian Courage play some originals and some truly original arrangements, this
time at Jazz Central. Talk about getting up close and personal with a bass – or
three. Over at the Artists Quarter, Lucia
Newell makes a long-awaited return, bringing her unique brand of bossa and
bebop.
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| Ben Sidran |
Thursday, August 29. Pianist, writer, broadcaster Ben Sidran is back at the Dakota. The
BBC said it well – “One of those rare characters celebrated as much for
their intelligent pronouncements on jazz as their ability to play it.”
And talk about it. Ben Sidran is always an educational as well as musical
experience.
Long-time
musical collaborators, monster pianist Tanner
Taylor and swinging singer Nichola
Miller partner in other life arenas as well, now as parents of future jazz
star Charlie. Parenthood has made it more complicated for them perform
together, so take advantage of the opportunity tonight when Tanner and Nichola
swing the paint off the walls at Jazz Central.
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| Nichola Miller |
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. TCJS Jazz Notes lists gigs
monthly. A few more gigs of note:
Friday, August 23. Todd Harper, solo piano, early set
at the Black Dog; Vic Volare at Hell’s Kitchen; Maurice Jacox Trio at
McCarron’s Pub
Saturday, August 24. Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma 8200; Jimmie Wallace
at the Red Stag
Sunday, August 25. Robert Everest, brunch at Maria’s;
Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra with Charmin Michelle at Cinema Ballroom
Monday, August 26. Maryann Sullivan at the Wine
Market; Headspace at the Artists Quarter; Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Mark Yannie at Jazz Central
Tuesday, August 27. Acme Jazz Company at the
Shorewood; Zacc Harris at the Black Dog; Nova Big Band at Jazz Central; Jeff
Lorber/Everette Harp/Shaun Labelle/Stokley Williams at the Dakota
Wednesday, August 28. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Steve Kenny and the Bastids, early show at the
Artists Quarter; Jeff Lorber/Everette Harp/Shaun Labelle/Stokley Williams at
the Dakota
Thursday, August 29. Jerry O’Hagan Orchestra at the State
Fair Heritage Stage 3 shows, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm); Gypsy Mania at Hell’s
Kitchen; Connie Dussl Trio at The Bean (Andover); Phil Hey Quartet at the
Artists Quarter; Jon Pemberton at the Red Stag
Coming Soon!
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| Nancy Harms |
. August 30-31,
JazzMN Orchestra at the Artists Quarter
. September
3, Charmin & Shapira and Friends at the Dakota
. September
4, Nancy Harms
CD Release at the Dakota
. September
5, Dave King Trio at the Dakota
. September
5-7, Concrete and Grass Festival at Mears
Park
. September
6-7, Graydon Peterson Quartet CD Release at the Artists Quarter
. September
7, Dakota Combo Auditions at MacPhail
Center for Music (12:30 –
4 pm)
. September
8, PipJazz Sundays featuring Pippi Ardennia at Landmark Center
. September
10, ETHEL Quartet at Macalester
. September
11, Trumpet Summit
(Randy Brecker, Jeremy Pelt) at the Dakota
. September
11, Mansur Scott and the Harlem Quartet at the
Artists Quarter
. September
14, Selby Ave
Jazz Festival (Milton and Selby Av)
. September
16, Doc Severinsen Big Band at the Dakota
. September
18, JazzMN Orchestra Fundraiser at the Dakota
. September
19, Ravi Coltrane Quartet
. September
19-29, “Belmont Hotel” at the Southern Theater (jazz vocals, dance featuring
Katie Gearty)
. September
20-21, Diane Witherspoon at the Artists Quarter
. September
23-24, Bettye LaVette at the Dakota
. September
27, Lila Ammons CD Release at Hell’s Kitchen
. September
27-28, Red Planet at the Artists Quarter
. September
28-29, Prism (Dave Holland, Craig Taborn, Kevin Eubanks, Eric Harland) at the
Dakota
. October
1, Billy Cobham Spectrum 40 at the Dakota
. October
2-3, Gary Burton at the Dakota
. October
3, Kneebody at the Artists Quarter
. October
5, JazzMN Orchestra with Kenny Drew, Jr at Hopkins HS Performing Arts Center
. October
5-6, Atlantis Quartet at the Artists Quarter
. October
11-12, Bill Carrothers at the Artists Quarter
. October
15-16, Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion at the Dakota
. October
18-19, CD Release, Cory Wong at the Artists Quarter
. November
1, Erik Friedlander and Mitch Epstein at the Walker Art Center
. November
3, Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Fundraiser featuring Lynne Arriale Trio
at the Dakota
. November
10, PipJazz Youth All-Stars at Landmark
Center
. November
12-13, José James at the Dakota
. December 6, Reynold Philipsek CD release at 318 Café
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| Concrete and Grass Returns to Mears Park, September 5-7 |
