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Lynne Arriale returns to the Dakota to help raise funds for jazz education, November 3 |
© Andrea Canter
That extra
hour we gain when we switch back to standard time will come in handy this week
-- there's a lot of music! We're blessed with exciting visitors, from
experimental cellist Erik Friedlander
and gritty vocalist Patricia Barber to elegant pianist Lynne Arriale and classical
jazz advocate Marcus Roberts. And we have our own home-grown stars as well,
from the Dave King Trucking Company to Steve Kenny, from Dave Karr to Connie
Evingson to Chris Lomheim. And more.
Big Gigs This Week
Friday, November 1st. Walker Art Center hosts a much
anticipated collaboration of music and video, as cellist Erik Friendlander teams up with photographer Mitch Epstein on
"American Power," a look at our cultural relationship to energy.
Strong melodies and surprising improvisations mark Friedlander's musical
backdrop to Epstein's images, culled from five years of travel throughout the U.S. examining
the power grid and its impact on communities and landscapes. Surely one of the
most interesting musical evenings of the year.
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Southwest's Cosmic Troubadours |
Jazz
Central hosts a unique event tonight featuring three high school combos
followed by an open jam. Ensembles from South,
Southwest and Apple Valley
High Schools will
burn up the stage -- each represents one of the regional high school jazz
powerhouse programs, schools that have been frequently and well represented in
All-State, Dakota Combo and MYJB.
Whatever
your early evening plans, consider a late nightcap
at the Dakota with Steve Kenny's Group 47, starting at
11:30 pm. Trumpeter Kenny recently revamped his bop-oriented ensemble, formerly
known as the Bastids and on stage at the Artists Quarter every Wednesday for
the early show. Now he takes a break from St Paul
to bring his new band to Minneapolis.
The new configuration finds Kenny as the senior citizen relative to the young
lions that surround him -- bassist Brian Courage, drummer Alex Burgess, and
17-year-old piano wizard Will Kjeer.
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Will Kjeer |
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Dave King |
Friday-Saturday,
November 1-2. Celebrating
the release of their new vinyl project, Adopted Highway, the Dave King Trucking Company pulls into the Artists Quarter for the
weekend. The recording features the tandem saxes of Brandon Wozniak and Chris
Speed; Speed is busy with his New York-based projects so this edition finds
Wozniak alone on the horn line -- a place where he seems quite comfortable,
interacting with King, Adam Linz and Erik Fratzke.
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Arne Fogel |
Friday-Sunday,
November 1-3.
Any show that Arne Fogel produces is
a class act, and you have three opportunities this weekend. Friday and Saturday
nights and Sunday afternoon, to catch the metro's leading crooner with vocal
sensation Jennifer Eckes in a salute
to Bacharach and David, "What the World Needs Now," at the
Bloomington Center for the Arts.
Saturday, November 2. Usually it's Benny Weinbeck at Parma on Saturday nights,
but tonight it's a too-rare opportunity to enjoy the Chris Lomheim Trio
instead. So grab a cannolli and kick
back in the relaxing space of Parma's
bar and lounge.
Singing
sisters Linda and Patty Peterson have
shared the stage zillions of time over their careers, but tonight you can enjoy
each as they perform back to back at School for the Wise II in Chanhassan,
offering the opportunity to enjoy each as a separate performer.
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Dave Schmalenberger |
Sunday, November 3. What could be better than enjoying
one of the world's great piano voices and at the same time, contributing to the
development of future jazz audiences and musicians? Tonight at the Dakota,
enjoy the voicings and melodies of pianist Lynne Arriale, in the fine company
of Gordy Johnson and Dave Schmalenberger, while raising funds for the Dakota
Foundation for Jazz Education. One of the DFJE's prime projects is the Dakota
Combo, and you will get a taste of their prowess as the rhythm section plays a
short opening set. And it might be one of few opportunities to hear Will Kjeer
play piano with his high school peers! Every penny of the ticket price ($50)
will go to the DFJE, only sales tax and processing fee are not tax-deductible.
It's a win-win evening.
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Dave Karr |
Tuesday, November 5. One of the newer ensembles devoted to new arrangements and new music, Triosé makes for interesting dinner conversation at Cafe Maude (Penn Av). And Vinnie Rose, Jeremy Boettcher and Adrian Suarez make for interesting music, wherever.
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Vinnie Rose, Triose' |
Wednesday, November 6. A pianist on a mission to preserve
jazz history while contributing to the music's future, Marcus Roberts returns to the Dakota with the youngest Marsalis,
Jason, on drums and Ronny Jordan on bass. We last saw him here with Bela Fleck.
Roberts still carries some of the vibe of first employer, Wynton Marsalis, as
well as the influence of Ellington and New
Orleans.
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Marcus Roberts |
It's the
first Wednesday of the month, and that means Connie Evingson will sing her way through the cocktail hours at the
Minneapolis Woman's Club, "Jazz in the Lounge." Her cohorts tonight
are Tanner Taylor and Gordy Johnson.
Thursday, November 7. Any evening with
vocalist/songwriter Patricia Barber will
be an emotional rollercoaster, and her latest release, Smash, brings her talents as poet and pianist full circle. Despite the often depressing and tragic
nature of her lyrics, Barber always manages to infuse hope and life into the
darkest moments. And aside from her vocal skills, she brings a unique slant to
the piano.
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Dean Magraw of Red Planet |
Red Planet, with Dean Magraw, Chris Bates and
Jay Epstein, performs tonight as part of the opening night schedule of
Zeitgeist's 5th Annual New Music Cabaret
at Studio Z. The four-day event features new music ensemble Zeitgeist and a
variety of others through the weekend.
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, November 1. Irv Williams and Peter Schimke,
Happy Hour at the Dakota; Bryan Nichols and James Buckley, dinner sets at the
Icehouse; John Penny Three at Señor
Wong; Katie Gearty and Zacc Harris at Parma 8200; Jon Pemberton at the Red
Stag.
Saturday, November 2. JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske at the
Lobby Bar (St Paul Hotel); Jana Nyberg Group at Hell's Kitchen; Bryan Nichols
and James Buckley, dinner sets at the Icehouse; Joel Shapira Trio at the Loring
Pasta Bar; Mill City Hot Club at the Red Stag
Sunday, November 3. Robert Everest, brunch at Maria's
Cafe; Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club, 2 pm at St Paul Central Library;
Century College Jazz Ensemble, "Colors of Fall Concert", 3 pm at Century College; Zacc Harris Trio, 4 pm at
Merlin's Rest Pub
Monday, November 4. Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Southside Aces at Famous Dave's (Uptown); Featured Artist
Night at Jazz Central; JT's Jazz Implosion at the Icehouse
Tuesday, November 5. Jeff Bailey, "Live at 5"
at McNally Smith College of Music; Dean Magraw and Davu Seru at the Black Dog;
Cory Wong Quartet followed by Zacc Harris and Friends at the Artists Quarter;
Bill Simonsen Big Band at Jazz Central; Beasley's Big Band at O'Gara's
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Steve Kenny |
Wednesday, November 6. Zacc Harris Trio at Hell's
Kitchen; Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Steve Kenny
Group 47 followed by Brandon Wozniak and Friends at the Artists Quarter; Gypsy
Mania at Barbette
Thursday, November 7. Arne Fogel
at Hell's Kitchen; Foreman/Feily/Schmidt/Musselman at the Black Dog; Dave Karr
Quartet at the Artists Quarter
Coming Soon!
. November
7-10, Zeitgeist New Music Cabaret
. November
8-9, Bryan Nichols Quartet/Quintet at the Artists Quarter
. November
9, Alan Toussaint at the Dakota
. November
9, JazzMN Orchestra with Rey Rivera, Tribute to Tito Puente at Hopkins High School Auditorium
. November
10, PipJazz Youth All-Stars at Landmark
Center
. November
10, Connie Evingson's "Ellingtonia" at the Jungle Theater
. November
11-12, Roy Hargrove at the Dakota
. November
13, Valve Meets Slide at the Artists Quarter
. November
14, Jesters of Passion, CD Release at the Artists Quarter
. November
15-16, Lew Tabackin at the Artists Quarter
. November
16, Laura Caviani and Pete Whitman, Jazz @ St Barneys (St Barnabas Arts Center)
. November
16, Richard Johnson and Tanner Taylor, Tribute to Oscar Peterson, Jazz at
Studio Z
. November
16, Steve Cole CD Release with the Petersons at the Dakota
. November
17, Soul Cafe at Hennepin Av Methodist
Church
. November
20, Zacc Harris Trio at Cafe Maude
. November
21, Pete Whitman X-Tet at the Artists Quarter
. November
22-23, Lulu's Playground CD Release at the Artists Quarter
. November
25-26, Roberta Gambarini at the Dakota
. November
26, Adam Meckler Orchestra at the Artists Quarter
. November
27, Phil Hey Quartet at the Artists Quarter
. November
29, Atlantis Quartet at the Icehouse
. November
29-30, Pat Mallinger and the Bill Carrothers Trio at the Artists Quarter
. December
2, Joey DeFrancesco at the Dakota
. December
5, Dakota Combo at the Artists Quarter (Young Artists Showcase)
. December 6, Reynold Philipsek CD release at 318
Café
. December 6-7, Happy Apple at the Artists Quarter
. December 7, Jana Nyberg Group CD Release at the
Dakota
. December
8, Bill Frisell's Big Sur Quartet at The Cedar
. December
13, Laura Caviani holiday CD Release at the Artists Quarter
. December
14, Lucia Newell, Jazz at Studio Z
. December
21, Maud Hixson and the Wolverines Trio, "Let It Snow" at Bloomington Center for the Arts, Schneider Theater
. December
22-23, Karrin Allyson Holiday Show at the Dakota
. December
26-29, The Bad Plus at the Dakota (12/29 Rite of Spring)
. December
31, New Year's Eve Party at the Artists Quarter
. January
11, Lee Engele, Jazz @ St. Barneys
. January
11, Adam Meckler Orchestra, Jazz at Studio Z
. February
22, Connie Evingson, Jazz @ St. Barneys
. March 16,
Pat Metheny Unity Group at the Fitzgerald Theater
. April 8,
Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau at the Walker
. April 9,
Brad Mehldau Trio at the Walker
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The Roy Hargrove Quintet returns to the Dakota, November 12-13 |