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| Zacc Harris Week-- at Jazz Central, Riverview Wine Bar, Black Dog, Icehouse, Studio Z |
© Andrea Canter
"Music is vibration - get out
and feel it!" --Chris Bates
The
forecast calls for a return of summer heat next week. Jazz is warming up as
well! This weekend at Jazz Central, Zacc
Harris salutes Wes Montgomery and Jay Young salutes Stevie Wonder and Michael
Jackson; Maud Hixson returns to Parma
8200; the Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project holds its first festival at Rice
Park; Steve Kenny's Group 47 plays one last preview before they release an LP;
the Merlins are back at the Black Dog.
Big Gigs This Week
 |
| Zosha Warpeha |
Friday, July 18. If you've heard young Zosha Warpeha over the past few years
with PipJazz or the Dakota Combo you know this violinist has special talent. A
year ago, just before heading to New York
where she attends the New
School, she was awarded a grant from the state arts board to fund the
purchase of a 5-string violin -- sort of a cross between a violin and viola.
Now she's ready to take the instrument to the bandstand, with an hour-long
performance at The Beat coffee house in Uptown. It might not be jazz, it might
be hard to define, but it is all Zosha.
 |
| Will Kjeer (Group 47) |
Over at the Black Dog, one of Zosha's former bandmates with the Dakota
Combo helps Steve Kenny's Group 47
prepare for their release. Pianist Will Kjeer will also be
leaving town, taking a year to study at Interlochen
Meanwhile, at Jazz
Central, the Harris/Bates Collective
finds Zacc Harris saluting the great Wes Montgomery.
 |
| Maud Hixson and Rick Carlson |
A lot of
instrumental magic tonight, but if you prefer vocals, you will also find the
magic in the songs of Maud Hixson,
with Rick Carlson and Gordy Johnson at Parma 8200.
 |
| JayYoung |
Friday-Saturday, July
18-19. It's a
rare back-to-back performance for bassist Jay
Young and the Lyric Factory-- Friday at the Icehouse, Saturday at Jazz
Central! So you can't help but get a good dose of soul jazz as the band salutes
Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson -- with a line-up that includes Ian Young,
John Penny, Kevin Washington, Scott Fultz, and vocals from Rachel
Holder-Hennig, Judi Donaghy Vinar and Sarah Greer.
 |
| Pippi Ardennia |
Saturday, July 19. The Twin Cities Mobile Jazz Project, with help from the Dakota, hosts
its first jazz festival at Rice
Park. The line-up is
impressive -- Mississippi
(Pete Whitman et al), Pippi Ardennia, Debbie Duncan, Thomasina Petrus, Kevin
Gastonguay and the Innocent Reggae Band.
 |
| Pavel Jany (Ticket to Brasil) |
Sunday, July 20. One of the area's premiere
Brazilian ensembles, Ticket to Brasil,
led by guitarist Pavel Jany and with an expanded cast to sextet proportions,
performs (free!) in the pleasant outdoor setting of the Staring Lake
Amphitheater in Eden Prairie ("Starring at Staring" concert).
 |
| Doan Brian Rosseler (Merlins) |
Monday, July 21. Back at the Black Dog for their
monthly gig, the Fantastic Merlins
(Nathan Hanson, Doan Brian Rosseler, Pete Hennig) bring their own brand of
mayhem to Lowertown. And we're lucky they do!
For a later start, and a later finish, JT's Jazz Implosion tonight at
the Icehouse features the Bryan Nichols
Quintet--with Brandon Wozniak and Mike Lewis as the tandem sax maniacs,
with James Buckley on bass and JT Bates on drums.
 |
| Explosion Big Band |
Tuesday, July 22. Tonight's big band bash at Jazz
Central features the Twin Cities Latin
Jazz Orchestra, a relatively new ensemble headed by Geoff Senn and Mac
Santiago, and filled with the area's top big band musicians. At least the ones
who are not playing with the Explosion
Big Band over at the Minnesota
History Center.
Led by Doug Haining and Scott Agster, the band is a monthly fixture at Jazz
Central, and now brings its explosive energy to Saint Paul.
 |
| Chris Olson (Framework) |
Wednesday, July 23. One of the edgier trios in local
modern jazz, Framework (Chris Olson, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein) spins around
Jazz Central tonight, previewing some new tunes for their upcoming new CD; while a more sublime evening is promised by
Charmin and Shapira and Friends at the Dakota. "Friends" typically
include saxophonist Paul Harper, bassist Tom Lewis and drummer Nathan Norman.
 |
| JT Bates (Zacc Harris Group) |
Thursday, July 24. How are our student musicians
faring this summer? Check out the accomplishments of students in the Summer
Enrichment program at Walker West,
and see the new facilities including the cool performance hall, 10:30 am
(across the street from the old WW).
The All Originals concert series,
curated by Steve Kenny at Studio Z, picks up steam this week with the Zacc
Harris Group (Harris, Bryan Nichols, Chris Bates, JT Bates). All are
established composers, and we'll be hearing two sets of original works. At the
Dakota, New Orleans
never sounded brassier with a visit from the famed Rebirth Brass Band.
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. More jazz to tickle your ears:
Friday, July 18. Irv Williams Trio, happy hour at
the Dakota; Capri Big Band at the Minnehaha Park Bandshell
 |
| Zacc Harris and Chris Bates (Icehouse) |
Saturday, July 19. Twin Cities Jazz Workshop, student
concert at the Icehouse (11 am); Zacc Harris and Chris Bates, dinner sets at
the Icehouse; Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma
8200; Maurice Jacox Trio at the Normandy Kitchen
Sunday, July 20. Robert Everest, brunch at Maria's;
Jazz on the Prairie Big Band at the U of M Arboretum; Zacc Harris Trio at Riverview
Wine Bar
Monday, July 21. Charmin Michelle and Denny
Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Mark Yannie at Jazz Central
Tuesday, July 22. Rick Carlson at Cafe Maude; Zacc
Harris and guests at the Black Dog
Wednesday, July 23. Wolverines at Hell's Kitchen;
Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza
Thursday, July 24. World Jazz Collegium (Josue Alfaro, Dan Weston, Pavel Jany) at the Black Dog; Connie
and Herb at The Bean (Andover); Alicia Renee and Chris Lomheim, Jazz @Christo's
(Union Depot); Bend in the River Big Band at Como Lakeside Pavillion
Coming Soon!
. July 25,
Laura Caviani workshop at Schmitt Music (Edina)
and trio concert at Jazz Central
. July 26,
Adam Meckler, Jana Nyberg and Chris Bates, 2-4 pm at the Fun
Art Gallery
(Stillwater)
. July 26,
Irv Williams Trio, CD Release concert at The Museum of Russian Art
. July 28,
Steve Kenny Group 47, LP release at the Icehouse
. July 31,
All Originals Jazz series, Red Planet at Studio Z
. July 31,
Judi Donaghy Vinar and Rick Carlson at Jazz Central
. July 31,
Tierney Sutton and Mark Summers at the Dakota
. August 2,
Crow With No Mouth Series at Studio Z presents the Dennis Gonzalez Quintet
. August 7,
All Originals Jazz series, Mississippi
at Studio Z
. August
14, All Originals Jazz series, Chris Lomheim Trio at Studio Z
. August
14, Adam Linz solo bass/Joe Suihkonen & Noah Baldwin trumpet duets at Khyber Pass
. August
28, Atlantis Quartet at Studio Z
. August
29, Reynold Philipsek, live documentary taping at 318 Cafe
. September
11, Adam Meckler Orchestra at Studio Z
. September
13, John Raymond, Jazz at Studio Z
. September
14, Selby Avenue
Jazz Festival (Selby and Milton Av, Saint
Paul)
. September
16, Meshell Ndgeocello at the Dakota
. September
17, Nellie McKay and the Turtle
Island Quartet at the Dakota
. September
24, Chick Corea and Vigil at the Dakota
. September
25, The Cookers at the Dakota
. September
29-30, Larry Coryell/Victor Bailey/Lenny White at the Dakota
. October
18-20, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at the Dakota
. November
6, Terri Lynne Carrington's Mosaic Project (with Rachel Z) at
O'Shaughnessy
 |
| Irv Williams with Billy Peterson, CD release on July 26 at The Museum of Russian Art |
