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Dave King and Chris Speed, Dave King Trucking Company at the Icehouse, June 6-7 |
© Andrea Canter
With the
Twin Cities Jazz Festival just three weeks away, we seem to be steadily
building toward that climax with a busy jazz weekend and beyond. Former AQ
owner Kenny Horst returns to the trapset; the Dave King Trucking Company wraps
up a Midwest tour; the festival's "pre-game" series in Saint Paul
Libraries launches with a new version of "Sambanova," the annual Jazz
on the Prairie brings a full afternoon and evening of big band magic; Chris Bates' Red Five returns to Jazz
Central... and more.
Big Gigs This Week
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Kenny Horst with Billy Peterson |
Friday, June 6. What
Would Monk Do? The question was asked first in 2009 at the Artists Quarter
by Steve Kenny, Peter Schimke, Billy Peterson and Kenny Horst, and only a
couple times since. But the guys are back tonight at the Black Dog, bringing
their unique interpretations of Monk's music as well as original compositions
inspired by Monk. Not sure what Monk would do but we sure plan to have a good
time!
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JT Bates |
Jazz
Central presents a rare Friday double-header. Leading off as part of the weekly
Bridge Series, JT Bates initiates an
Organ Trio featuring keyboardist Kevin Gastonguay and guitarist Zacc Harris,
playing music from Tony Williams, Grant Green, Monk, Lena Horne and more.
Following JT, pianist (and accordionist) Steven
Hobert celebrates the launch of his Kickstarter campaign with a free set of
solo piano creations.
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Dave King Trucking Company |
Friday-Saturday, June
6-7. The Dave King Trucking Company is fast
becoming a nationally and internationally recognized ensemble of creative
artists. They've been touring the Midwest this
past week with their new vinyl
recording, Adopted Highway, and now
they settle into the Icehouse for two late nights of fun and music-- and with
their full ensemble: King on drums, Brandon Wozniak and New Yorker Chris Speed
on saxophones, Adam Linz on bass, Erik Fratzke on guitar.
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Nelson Devereaux |
Saturday, June 7. Dakota Late Night brings an
unusual ensemble of eight creative musicians, the Fall of the House of Usher, playing
Afrobeats, Psychedelic Miles, New Orleans Funk, and 80s No Wave: Christopher
Cunningham, guitar; Chris Bates, bass; Greg Schutte, drums; Jon Davis,
clarinets; Nelson Deveraux, saxes; Adrian Larkin and Ivan Cunningham, altos;
Elliott Wachs, baritone.
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Joan Griffith |
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Bend in the River Big Band |
And
for something a little bit different, it's the annual recital by students at
the Connie Olson School
of Music, at Famous Dave's (Uptown) at 4:30 pm. Every year, vocalist and voice
instructor Connie brings her students (from young beginners to teens and much
older adults) to the stage with a top combo of area pros, and you can count on
a tune from Connie herself and perhaps some acclaimed guests. And it's free.
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Mary Louise Knutson |
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Chris Olson |
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Chris Bates, Red 5 |
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Cameron Kinghorn |
More Jazz Every Night
Keep up
with the live jazz scene in the Twin Cities -- check out calendars at Jazz Police, KBEM, Rhythm and Grooves as well as here on
the blog. Some additional gigs of interest this week:
Friday, June 6. Irv Williams Trio, happy hour at
the Dakota; Vicky Mountain at Parma 8200; Dave Karr and Tanner Taylor, dinner
sets at the Icehouse; Patty Peterson and Friends at Bunkers; Charmin Michelle
and the Twin Cities Jazz Imports at House of Pizza (Sartell, MN); Classic Big
Band at the K of C Hall (Bloomington)
Saturday, June 7. Pig's Eye Jass Band at Eagle's
Aerie Club; Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma 8200; Jake Hanson and James Buckley,
dinner sets at the Icehouse; Dean Brewington Trio at the Loring Pasta Bar; Jazz
Central All Stars at the Hollywood Theater (Montivideo, MN)
Sunday, June 8. Mill City Hot Club, brunch at
Hell's Kitchen; Robert Everest, brunch at Maria's; South Side Big Band, Como
Park Lakeside Pavilion (3 pm); Firebell at the Black Dog (4 pm); Ticket to Brasil
at the Lake Harriet Bandshell; Emily Bear at the Dakota; Zacc Harris Trio at
the Riverview Wine Bar
Monday, June 9. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Maple Grove Jazz Ensemble on the Town Green;
Lee Engele and Reynold Philipsek at Centennial Lakes Amphitheater; Minneapolis Police Swing Band at Como Park Pavilion; JT's Jazz Implosion at the
Icehouse; Twin Cities Hot Club at Famous Dave's (Uptown)
Tuesday, June 10. Nova Jazz Orchestra at the Minnesota Music Cafe;
Cafe Accordion at Loring Pasta Bar
Wednesday, June 11. Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project at
Powderhorn Park (4 pm); Good News Big Band at Centennial Lakes
Park; Wolverines Trio at
Hell's Kitchen; Patrick Harison at Cafe Maude
Thursday, June 12. Alicia Renee and Chris Lomheim,
Jazz @ Christos at the Union Depot; Minnesota Jazz Orchestra at Wabasha Street
Caves; River City Jazz Orchestra at Como Park Pavilion
Coming Soon!
. June 14,
Next Generations, Steve Kenny Group 47 LP Release, Jazz at Studio Z
. June 14,
Jazz Central All-Stars, Eagles Healing Nest (Sauk Centre, MN)
. June 15,
Billy Hart Quartet with Ethan Iverson at the Dakota
. June
16-17, Maceo Parker at the Dakota
. June 17,
Adam Meckler Orchestra at the Amsterdam
. June 18,
Ginger Baker Jazz Confusion at the Dakota
. June 18,
Jazz in the Library, Bryan Nichols Quartet at St Anthony Park Library
. June 18, Mississippi with Andres
Prado at Jazz Central
. June 22,
James Carter Organ Trio at the Dakota
. June 23,
Javi Santiago at Jazz Central
. June 24,
Diane Schuur at the Dakota
. June 25,
Jazz in the Library, Tres Mundos at Arlington Hills Library
. June 26,
Joe Krown Trio at the Dakota
. June
26-28, Twin Cities Jazz Festival (Branford Marsalis 6/27; Joe Krown, Dianne
Reeves with Geoffrey Keezer 6/28; and more), Mears
Park and beyond (St Paul)
. June 30,
Craig Handy at the Dakota
. July 1,
Nels Cline and Julian Lage at the Dakota
. July 2,
Pedrito Martinez at the Dakota
. July 3-5,
Iowa City Jazz Festival (Tom Harrell, Joe Lovano Us Five, Anat Cohen Quartet,
Ingrid Jensen Nordic with Geoffrey Keezer, Jared Gold, Pedrito Martinez)
. July 7-8,
Bill Frisell Quartet (Greg Leisz, Tony Scherr and Kenny Wollesen) at the Dakota
. July 10,
All Originals Jazz series, The Illicit Sextet at Studio Z
. July 17,
All Originals Jazz series, Courageous Endeavors at Studio Z
, July 17,
Jazz Central All-Stars, St. James
Memorial Park Band Shell (St. James, MN)
. July 24,
All Originals Jazz series, Zacc Harris Group at Studio Z
. July 31,
All Originals Jazz series, Red Planet at Studio Z
. August
29, Reynold Philipsek, live documentary taping at 318 Cafe