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| Adam Meckler Orchestra -- 2 gigs celebrating new recording this week |
© Andrea Canter
After four
days at the Detroit Jazz Festival over Labor Day, I reached two firm
conclusions: 1) The Detroit Jazz Festival is probably the world's best free
jazz extravaganza as well as the largest; and 2) you don't need to go to a
festival in Detroit (or Chicago) to hear the best jazz musicians in the world,
free or otherwise -- you can just stay in the Twin Cities. For the most part
our local talents don't have international recognition as do those festival
musicians. But in terms of artistry and creativity, we have it all right here.
In the coming week, there are numerous opportunities to sample our local
treasures as well as one of those internationally recognized headliners.
Big Gigs This Week
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| Salsa del Soul |
Friday, September 5. The Concrete and Grass Lowertown
Music Festival is underway at Mears
Park and boasts a wide
range of music, including some hot jazz acts. Tonight, the eclectic Prairie
Fire Ladies Choir is followed by Salsa
del Soul, one of the most popular Latin ensembles in the region. Those
tropical rhythms inspire dancing, indoors or out, and Mears Park
is one of the most dance-friendly of the outdoor venues. Each musician is
well-established in his or her own right, but together they will set more than
a prairie on fire! The nights ends on the majestic notes of the Adam Meckler Orchestra, an 18-piece big
band with the power of a symphony and the interactive spirit of a quartet. The
band will preview its debut release, When the Clouds Look
Like This, officially out at the end of September. (The festival
continues through Saturday night; see the full line up at www.concreteandgrass.com )
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| Chris Bates, Fall of House of Usher |
In
conjunction with Concrete and Grass, the Black Dog is hosting the unusual
ensemble, Fall of the House of Usher.
In the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe (perhaps), this rather spooky collaboration
features Chris Cunningham on guitar, Chris Bates on bass, Greg Schutte on
drums; Elliott Wachs, Nathan Hanson and Ivan Cunningham on saxes; and Adam Svec
on vocals. They describe the music as "world inspired slip
sync improv that gets your booty shakin’!" Over at Jazz Central, a truly
dynamic and fame-worthy piano/bass duo of Peter
Schimke and Anthony Cox takes the Bridge Series to peak levels.
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| The Dakota Combo: Musicians wanted |
Saturday, September 6. A reminder to high school jazz
musicians that open auditions for the Dakota
Combo will be held today (12:30-4 pm) at MacPhail Center for Music. You can
just show up but be sure to check out instructions at www.dfje.org. This is an amazing opportunity
for students in grades 9-12 who are super serious about their jazz to learn and
perform throughout the school year under the direction of acclaimed
bassist/educator Adam Linz.
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| Steve Kenny |
Trumpeter/bandleader
Steve Kenny brings another
outstanding quartet to the Black Dog tonight, featuring Kenny, Brandon Wozniak,
Billy Peterson and Babatunde Lea. Peterson and Lea already have international
cred, and Kenny and Wozniak are similarly deserving. Perhaps there is no better
example this week of a band we'd pay good money to hear in New York.
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| Arne Fogel |
Minnesota's favorite crooner gets a rare
Saturday night at Hell's Kitchen as Arne
Fogel brings charm and song to the stage, joined by frequent partners in
swing, Phil Aaron, Matt Senjem and Mac Santiago. And back for a new season of
Saturday nights in the Lobby Bar of the Saint Paul Hotel, JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske offer tastey takes on standards and
contemporary fare, from Blossom Dearie to John Lennon.
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| Jana Nyberg |
Sunday, September 7. Got to Hell for brunch! Or at least
go to Hell's Kitchen for brunch with the Jana
Nyberg Group. The usual suspects include husband Adam Meckler on sparkling
trumpet. Vocalist Jana will likely double on flute. If you have to go to Hell,
this is the band to go with. If you prefer a room with a view of the river
rather than the huge hellish angel at HK, Sunday brunch with Maud Hixson at the Aster is a good
option. Songbird Maud brings along a mighty fine trio with Rick Carlson, Billy
Peterson and Nathan Norman.
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| Milo Fine |
One of the
local leaders of the avant garde, multi-instrumentlist/ improviser Milo Fine recently opened a studio at
his home in North Minneapolis for a series of
performances. At Studio Toile
d'Angles, Milo gives a solo performance on
drumset, piano and B-flat clarinet. More about the location and music series on
Milo's website.
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| Rueben Ristrom |
Monday, September 8. Too often flying under the radar, guitarist (and banjoist) Rueben Ristrom deservedly takes the
spotlight as Featured Artist at Jazz Central. Maybe no other string player in
town swings harder than Reuben, unless maybe its his cohorts for the evening,
Keith Boyles and Dick Bortolussi. Son Dan Ristrom will add vocals to some tunes
and maybe wife Diane will sit in as well. Call it the Swing Family Ristrom.
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| Mike Lewis |
JT's Jazz
Implosion offers a double header at the Icehouse: First set features San
Francisco-based saxophonist Josh Smith
mixing it up with JT and Mike Lewis (2 saxes and drums-- or perhaps Mike is
picking up the bass tonight?); second set is DD7 with Lewis, Bates, Anthony Cox, Steve Kenny and Brandon
Wozniak-- 3 horns, bass and drums.
Tuesday, September 9. Every second Tuesday, guitarist Chris
Olson holds the stage at the Black Dog. Tonight he is joined by two more
guitars-- Spencer Christesen and Tomas Simpson, in solo, duo and trio formats. Lots
of strings, lots of fun music.
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| Evan Christopher |
Wednesday, September 10.
It's billed as a tribute to the great Sidney Bechet
("Remembering Song"), but Evan
Christopher's return to the Dakota really is a broader event. Evan tells me
that "In
2009, Bucky Pizzarelli recorded some music of mine on an Arbor's CD project
called The Remembering Song. The title and program did celebrate some of
Bechet's philosophy, but it also commemorated my return to New Orleans around 2008." At the time,
and on til today, the virtuosic clarinetist was moving away from jazz per se to
embrace the music of New Orleans. "Some think of New Orleans music as a sub-genre of jazz. I
don't," says Evan. "Specifically, the clarinet is a melody
instrument. Some players want to treat it the way they would the saxophone, but
a great deal of nuance and tradition is often sacrificed. That's why I had Rick
Carlson put together the most tasteful, swinging rhythm section he could."
Joining Evan will be locals Carlson, Keith Boyles and Mac Santiago. "It's
going to be more of a slow burn, every note has to mean something and the
program needs to have some New Orleans humidity," explains Evan. "Haha.
Maybe it's a Bechet tribute after all."
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| Lila Ammons |
On
a less traditional note, the Enormous
Quartet takes the stage at Jazz Central on Chris Bates' "Magica
Improvisado" series, with friends and inventive colleagues Bates, Chris
Thomson, Park Evans and Joey Van Phillips trading ideas. Meanwhile astute
vocalist Lila Ammons returns to the new
Wednesday night jazz series at The Tangiers in the Minneapolis warehouse district.
Thursday,
September 11. Twice in one week? The Adam
Meckler Orchestra closed out the highly successful All Originals Jazz
Series at Studio Z, performing more music from their new recording as well as
some new material.
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 and All About Jazz, as well as here
on the blog. More jazz to tickle your
ears:
Friday, September 5. Irv Williams and Steve Blons,
happy hour at the Dakota; Arne Fogel at Parma
8200; Nachito Herrera at the Dakota
Saturday, September 6. Benny Weinbeck Trio at Parma 8200; Pigs Eye Jass
Band at Eagle's Aerie Club
Sunday, September 7. Paul Lammers at Eagan Art House
(1-5 pm); Jazz on the Prairie Big Band at Edinborough Park; Zacc Harris Trio at
the Riverview Wine Bar
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| Charmin Michelle |
Monday, September 8. Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
at Fireside Pizza; Twin Cities Hot Club at Famous Dave's (Uptown)
Tuesday, September 9. Nova Jazz Orchestra at Minnesota
Music Cafe; Cafe Accordion Orchestra at Loring Pasta Bar; Cedar Avenue Big Band at Jazz
Central; Tommy and the Liebermans at the Dakota
Wednesday, September
10. Charmin
Michelle and Denny Malmberg at Fireside Pizza; Gypsy Mania at Hell's Kitchen;
Linda Peterson at School II Bistro; Pippi Ardennia All Stars, Kevin Washington
Group, Cory Wong Group at Calhoun Square (Mobile Jazz Project)
Thursday, September
11. Colleen
Raye at Jazz Central; Minnesota Jazz Orchestra
at Wabasha Street Caves
Coming Soon!
. September
12, Dean Granros Quartet at Jazz Central
. September
13, John Raymond Trio with Gilad Hekselman and Colin Stranahan, Jazz at Studio
Z
. September
13, Selby Avenue Jazz Festival featuring Harvey Mason (Selby and Milton Av, Saint Paul)
. September
15, Jacob Hansen Trio/Real Bulls (Jazz Implosion)
. September
16, Meshell Ndgeocello at the Dakota
. September
17, Nellie McKay and the Turtle
Island Quartet at the
Dakota
. September
19, Monk in Motian at Jazz Central
. September
20, Steven Hobert CD Release at Friends Meeting, St Paul
. September
20, Mary Louise Knutson Trio, Jazz @ St Barneys, St.
Barnabas Lutheran Church
. September
20, Joel Harrison Trio at Jazz Central
. September
21, Ticket to Brasil, Adieu Summer Concert at Como Park
.September 22, Horst/Peterson/Schimke/Whitman
at the Icehouse (Jazz Implosion)
. September
24, Chick Corea and Vigil at the Dakota
. September
25, The Cookers at the Dakota
. September
25, Joan Griffith at Khyber Pass
. September
26, Pablo Ziegler Tango Project at the Dakota
. September
26, Adam Meckler Orchestra at MacPhail (Antonello Hall)
. September
26, Dave Karr Quartet at Jazz Central
. September
27, Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog begins with How Birds Work
. September
28, French 75 with Maud Hixson, Schneider Theater, Bloomington Center
for the Arts (2 pm)
. September
29, Framework with Pete Whitman at the Icehouse (Jazz Implosion)
. September
30-October 1, Larry Coryell/Victor Bailey/Lenny White at the Dakota
. October
11, JazzMN Orchestra with Dave Weckl at Hopkins High School
Auditorium
. October
12, Laura Caviani and JazzAX at Carleton
College (3 pm)
. October
18, Chris Lomheim Trio CD release at Studio Z
. October
18-20, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall at the Dakota
. November
5-6, Hiromi Trio Project at the Dakota
. November
6, Terri Lynne Carrington's Mosaic Project (with Rachel Z and Lizz Wright) at
O'Shaughnessy
. December
1, Joey DeFrancesco at the Dakota
. December
2, Jazz at Lincoln
Center Orchestra with
Wynton Marsalis and Cecile McLorin Salvant at Orchestra Hall
. December
21-22, Karrin Allyson Holiday Show at the Dakota
. December 25-28, The Bad Plus at the Dakota
. December 25-28, The Bad Plus at the Dakota
. March 12,
2015, Jack DeJohnette at Walker
Art Center,
McGuire Theater
. March
25-26, Delfeayo Marsalis (Southern Gentleman) at the Dakota
. May 2,
2015, Jason Moran and Robert Glasper at Walker Art Center, McGuire Theater
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| John Raymond, bringing his Roots Trio to Studio Z on September 13 |
