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Dave King -- at MacPhail and the Walker this week |
© Andrea Canter
It's hard
to believe that the Twin Cities Jazz Festival begins in 4 months - is "hot
summer" really that close? At ten below, as I write this, summer seems
pretty remote. At least there is music to warm our ears and hearts if not our
heads and feet! This week, both Patty Peterson and Dave King pop up a couple
times; our own New Orleans style brass band celebrates Mardi Gras; Bach meets
jazz; the U of M hosts its annual jazz festival with Minnesota's First Family
of Music as guest artist; and one of the world's most popular vocal ensembles
returns to town. That's enough to keep the jazz fires burning.
Big Gigs This Week
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Jack Brass Band |
Friday, February 28. The performance season at the Bloomington Center
for the Arts goes south tonight as the Jack
Brass Band celebrates Mardis Gras and the history of New Orleans brass bands. Led by drummer Mike
Olander and featuring some of the best brass artists in town (Adam Rossmiller,
Adam Meckler, Scott Agster, Gus Sanberg, Mike Mello, Scott Moriarty), along with
snare drum ace Reid Kennedy, JBB will help melt the snow as they take us into
Crescent City. Not far away at Parma
8200, popular singer Patty Peterson
makes her debut in the bar/lounge, one of the more intimate settings to hear
this remarkable musician.
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Milo Fine |
For avant
garde fans, it's a rare appearance these days for multi-instrumentalist Milo Fine, performing at the Black Dog
with "Davu Seru and Friends,"
with Seru on percussion and Andrew Lafkas on bass. And for those lamenting the
closing of the Artists Quarter, Jazz Central presents a new installment of The
Bridge series, tonight with vibes master Dave
Hagedorn, guitarist Zacc Harris, bassist Brian Courage and drummer JT
Bates. In other words, a killer quartet, doing a "Bags and Wes" tribute.
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Patty Peterson |
Saturday, March 1. The U of M hosts its annual jazz
festival, bringing in 13 middle and high school ensembles for a series of
clinics and adjudications. In the evening, the festival concert features vocalist
Patty Peterson and the First Family
of Music (siblings Billy, Ricky, Paul and Linda) with U of M jazz ensembles. The concert is free -- surely the bargain of
the weekend.
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Chris Olson (Framework) |
In St. Paul at the History
Theater, it's the third annual collaboration among the Bach Society and jazz trio Framework
(Chris Olson, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein), along with special guest Pete
Whitman, exploring the connections between Baroque and Jazz. "This
year is very exciting as Chris Olson has created some pieces for the entire
group that integrate us into an ensemble," says Bates. "I can't think
of another ensemble that has this instrumentation of harpsichord (Paul
Boehnke), viola de gamba (Julie Elhard), baroque violin (Jin Kim), sax, guitar,
bass and drums." Me either.
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Dakota Combo |
Sunday, March 2. The MacPhail Center
for Music again hosts a day of clinics and critiques for small student
ensembles in its annual Combo Festival, culminating in an evening concert that
features guest clinicians of the Dave
King Trucking Company. Dave joins the Dakota
Combo (high school student ensemble) for the opening set, followed by the
full Trucking Company -- including saxophonist Chris Speed, in from New York, with fellow
Truckers King, Adam Linz, Erik Fratzke and Brandon Wozniak. It's an early
evening -- concert at 5 pm in Antonello Hall.
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Dave Karr at the Icehouse |
Monday, March 3. First Monday at the Icehouse! That
means JT's Jazz Implosion features local legend Dave Karr with Adam Linz and JT Bates. You may never hear a finer
example of cross-generational improvisation. Over at Jazz Central, saxophonist Dave Brattain has a too-rare evening
leading the house ensemble and late jam session.
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Manhattan Transfer |
Monday-Tuesday, March
3-4. The revered Manhattan Transfer doesn't play too many club dates but fortunately
the Dakota is a favorite stop. For nearly 40 years now, the vocal quartet has
been swinging around the world with its signature harmonies and terrific
soloists --with only personnel change since the beginning, and even that was a
few decades ago! Joining Tim Hauser, Alan Paul and Janis Siegel this tour is
Katie Campbell, filling in for Cheryl Bentyne. It's the second time we've
missed Bentyne in the last three visits, but no doubt Campbell is up to the task given her history
with Sheryl Crow and Bobby McFerrin.
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Debbie Duncan |
Wednesday, March 5. Foodie Nights are always a bargain
at the Dakota-- no cover, usually some deals on food and wine, and typically
stellar local talent. No exception tonight as Debbie Duncan takes the stage -- and she takes no prisoners! From
ballads to blues, from sweet to sassy, Debbie is a favorite entertainer. And her band is the best-- Sanford Moore, Kenni Holmen, Gary Raynor and Nathan Norman.
Thursday, March 6. Walker Art Center presents the
series "Sound Horizon" in conjunction with the current Jim Hodges
exhibit, and tonight's free 6 pm concert features Bad Plus drummer, Trucking
Company CEO Dave King. A rare
opportunity to enjoy King in a solo set. Did I say "free"?
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Lila Ammons |
Vocal Night
at Jazz Central presents very accomplished singer Lila Ammons and a favorite cohort, pianist Thom West. West was one
of Lila's early partners as she got established on the Twin Cities jazz scene.
He swings hard and fast, and she has no trouble keeping pace! Enjoy this rare
duo performance in an perfectly intimate space.
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, February 28. Irv Williams and Peter Schimke,
happy hour at the Dakota followed by Seven Steps to Havana; JoAnn Funk and Jeff
Brueske in the Lobby Bar (Saint Paul Hotel); Todd Harper, solo piano at the
Black Dog; Carleton College Jazz Ensemble, Concert Hall at Carleton College;
Steve Kenny at Senor Wong
Saturday, March 1. Pig's Eye Jass Band at Eagle's Club;
Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma 8200; JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske at the Lobby Bar
(Saint Paul Hotel); Zacc Harris Trio at the Loring Pasta Bar; Phil Aaron and
Jeremy Boettcher, dinner sets at the Icehouse; Sophia Shorai at Hell's Kitchen
Sunday, March 2. Robert Everest, brunch at Maria's
Cafe; Zacc Harris Trio at the Riverview Wine Bar; Doug Little Quartet at Eat
Street Social; Klezmatics at the Dakota
Monday, March 3. Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Southside Aces at Famous Dave's (Uptown); the Neighborhood
Trio at Barbette
Tuesday, March 4. Bill Simeonson Orchestra at Jazz
Central; Jack Brass Band at the Amsterdam Bar; Three Loud at Cafe Maude; Cafe
Accordion at Loring Pasta Bar; Beasley's Big Band at O'Gara's
Wednesday, March 5. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Wolverines Trio at Hell's Kitchen; Retro Swing
Sister at the Eagles Club; Anthony Cox Presents at Jazz Central; Gypsy Mania at
Barbette
Thursday, March 6. Moonlight Serenaders at Wabasha Street Caves
Coming Soon!
. March 7,
Harrelson Trumpet Duets at Jazz Central
. March 8, Eric Gravatt and Source Code, Jazz at Studio Z
. March 8,
Steven Hobert at Jazz Central (Midwest Solo
Tour)
. March 9,
Cecile McLorin Salvant at the Dakota
. March 10,
Tyler Anderson at Jazz Central
. March 11,
Cedar Av Big Band at Jazz Central
. March 12,
Mountain King at Jazz Central
. March 13,
Vicky Mountain at Jazz Central
. March 15,
Connie Evingson, Jazz @ St Barney's (St Barnabas Church, Plymouth)
. March 16,
JazzMN Orchestra with New York Voices (matinee) at Hopkins High School
Auditorium
. March 16,
Pat Metheny Unity Group at the Fitzgerald Theater
. March 17,
Joe Strachan (tribute to Sonny Clark) at Jazz Central
. March 17,
Fantastic Merlins at the Black Dog
. March 18,
Explosion Big Band at Jazz Central
. March
21-22, Chris Botti at Orchestra Hall
. March 22,
Todd Clouser and Chris Bates at Harriet Brewing
. March 25,
Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra at Jazz Central
. March 29,
Rick Carlson and Steve Pikal, Jazz @St Barney's (St Barnabas Church, Plymouth)
. April 3,
Dean Granros and Joel Shapira at the Black Dog
. April 5,
Dakota Combo with PipJazz, Capri Theater
. April
5-6, Charmin and Shapira and Friends, Black Box Theater (Bloomington)
. April 8,
Chris Thile and Brad Mehldau at the Walker
. April 9,
Brad Mehldau Trio at the Walker
. April
9-10, Matt Slocum Trio CD release with Phil Hey Quartet, Bryan Nichols and more
at Weyerhaeuser Auditorium of Landmark
Center
. April 10,
Delfeayo Marsalis at the Dakota
. April 12,
Doc Severinsen at Orchestra Hall
. April 14,
Good Vibes Trio CD release at the Icehouse
. April 15,
Poncho Sanchez at the Dakota
. April 18,
Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli at Orchestra Hall
. April 19,
Bobby McFerrin at Orchestra Hall
. April 19,
Jazz at Studio Z (TBA)
. April 21,
José James at The Cedar
. April 26,
Miguel Zenon with the JazzMN Orchestra, Hopkins High School
. April 27,
Jazz Noir with John Penny, live broadcast on KBEM from the Dakota
. April 27,
Earth Day Concert, Dave Milne's One World Consort at Lake Harriet
Spiritual Community
. April 28,
Joe Lovano Us Five at the Dakota
. May 3,
PipJazz "Women in Jazz" workshop and concert at Maplewood Community Center
. May 10,
Jazz at Studio Z (TBA)
. May 15,
Jazz Thursdays with the Dakota Combo at MacPhail Center
for Music
. May
15-17, Ragamala Dance Company and Rudresh Mahanthappa at the Walker
. May
19-20, Cassandra Wilson
at the Dakota
. May 29,
Bill Charlap Trio at the Dakota
. June
16-17, Maceo Parker at the Dakota
. June 18,
Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion at the Dakota
. June
26-28, Twin Cities Jazz Festival (Dianne Reeves, Branford Marsalis and more), Mears Park (St Paul)
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Monk Competition winner, Grammy nominee Cecile McLorin Salvant comes to the Dakota March 9th |