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Tanner Taylor, coming to Crooners Lounge on September 1 |
© Andrea Canter
Summer might be waning but
the jazz calendars are anything but. Outdoor music and festivals are winding
down, but tickets are on sale for the new Eight O'Clock Jump Series at Walker
West (starting September 6) and Crooners Lounge is jump-starting its new
Tuesday Night series on September 1 with a long-overdue visit from Tanner
Taylor. The coming weekend and week also feature a CD release at the Black Dog
from trombonist and master educator Dean Sorenson, a series debut for No Room
for Squares at The Nicollet, back to back nights at the Dakota with Tootie
Heath and Terence Blanchard, Maud Hixson back at Parma 8200, music of all sorts
on various stages at the Stage Fair..... and the beat goes on.
Big Gigs This Week
Friday, August 28. Heading out to the Fair? The swinging Parisota Hot Club (Robb Henry, Matt
Senjem, Jay Epstein and Erin Livingstone) are on the stage at the Ramberg Senior Center
for three sets starting at 10:30 am.
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Maud Hixson |
The patio might be nice this
evening but come inside to the bar/lounge at Parma 8200 for songbird Maud Hixson and her intrepid trio with
husband Rick Carlson on keys and one of his favorite partners, bassist Steve
Pikal. Count on Maud to throw in a few curveballs -- forgotten songs or
forgotten songwriters. Clever lyrics are always in her set list.
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Bill Stieger |
A favorite among local jazz
hounds at the 2015 Twin Cities Jazz Festival, No Room for Squares is as old fashioned as it sounds-- this is good
ol' bebop at its best, presented by a veteran crew who swing through the best
of the era: Drummer Bill Stieger in the driver's seat, Jon Pemberton on
trumpet, Jimmie Wallace on sax, Mikkel Romstad on piano and Adam Tucker on
bass. They make their debut on the Friday Night Jazz at The Nicollet series.
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Jeremy Walker |
Start up north in Fridley at
Crooners with Katia Cardenas singing
her way through happy hour (and again tomorrow night), then head south to St.
Paul for the double-header at Vieux Carré. The night kicks off in sublime mode
with the Jeremy Walker/Jeff Brueske duo,
then turns around and swings the night away with Patty and the Buttons. Come early and chill out, just long enough
to energize your ears for some old time swing.
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Javi Santiago |
A little bit different
tonight at Jazz Central: Hard core jazzers Javi Santiago (piano) and Miguel
Hurtado (drums) join up with the funky soulful vocalist Taylor Johnson (aka
Proper-T) for a new project, dubbed Murkury.
The ensemble is described as "an experimental, jazz and electro-soul
band."
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Sam Miltich |
Vocalist Charmin Michelle and guitarist Sam Miltich sound like a heavenly
pairing, and tonight they bring their magic to "Take Love Easy," the
music of Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, at the Third Place Gallery in south Minneapolis. Normally this
is not a music venue but a gallery run by photographer Wing Young Huie, but it
will surely be an artful setting for these two musical treasures.
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Dean Sorenson |
Saturday, August 29. Dean Sorenson
has been long associated with the jazz program at the U of Minnesota, which he
has directed for 15+ years, yielding some of the top young jazzers on the Twin
Cities scene (aka, Joe Strachan, Nelson Devereaux, Adam Meckler). But Sorenson
is also a well respected arranger, composer and trombonist, skills on full
display in his Dean Sorenson Sextet.
A band of Twin Cities heavyweights (David Milne, Steve Kenny, Chris Lomheim,
Tom Lewis, Phil Hey), the sextet will celebrate its first recording (Colors of the Soul) on the Saturday
Night Jazz at the Black Dog series tonight. The music soars with the colors and
energy of a big band, yet still retains the intimate collaboration of a chamber
ensemble. The opening act, appropriately, features a trio of Dean's past students -- Ryan Christianson
(trombone), Matt McIntyre (bass) and Andres Crovetti
(drums).
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Patty Peterson |
At the Dakota, Patty Peterson and Friends returns for a
night of soulful jazz and R&B, with Paul Peterson, Billy Franze, Bobby
Vandell, Sean Turner and Ronny Loew.
Sunday, August 30. Singer/songwriter and a great jazz interpreter, Barbara Meyer joins Imaginary Numbers
("cool jazz") for an afternoon of music at the Alexis Bailly Vineyard
in Hastings,
the closing act on the summer's jazz series.
Tonight the Dakota presents
a real treat for jazz fans, with a trio led by the great drummer, Albert "Tootie" Heath, in the
red hot company of Bad Plus pianist Ethan Iverson and bassist Ben Street. One of
the famed Heath Brothers, Tootie's resume covers six decades and includes
stints with the likes of John Coltrane. With his much younger cohorts Iverson
and Street, Heath recently released Philadelphia
Beat, a celebration of his home town.
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Chris Thomson Quartet |
Over at the Icehouse,
there's an early evening show for singer-songwriter Paul Spring's
vinyl release, with the Chris Thomson
Quartet as the opening act. Saxophonist Thomson always engages a creative
group, with his most recent quartet featuring accordionist Patrick Harison,
bassist James Buckley and drummer, Dosh.
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Explosion Big Band |
Monday, August 31. If this is your night at the Fair, check out the
AFL/CIO Pavilion at 5 pm for a free gig from the Doug Haining/Scott Agster Explosion Big Band (to be repeated
tomorrow night). Another accomplished big band, the Acme Jazz Company, fills their monthly slot at Crooners Lounge.
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Terence Blanchard |
A major force in jazz
trumpet and composition, Terence Blanchard
returns to the Dakota with a new "plugged in" project, E-Collective,
described as the intersection of jazz, R& B, funk, and fusion. The ensemble
features outstanding young pianist Fabian Almazon who has been with Blanchard
since 2007. The rest of the band includes guitarist Charles Altura (Chick
Corea's Vigil), bassist Donald Ramsey (Dr. John, Irma Thomas), and drummer
Oscar Seaton (Ramsey Lewis, Lee Ritenour).
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James Buckley |
Tonight's Jazz Implosion at
the Icehouse is essentially the James
Buckley Trio + 1, with guitar wizard Jacob Hanson joining bassist Buckley,
pianist Bryan Nichols and drummer/host, JT Bates. Their debut at Studio Z on
the All Originals series last month was too good to be an isolated gig.
Tuesday, September 1. It's been about a year since piano monster Tanner Taylor pulled up his Minnesota stakes and returned to his native central Iowa. It's a brief
return but a welcome one, and a perfect way to launch the new Tuesday Night
instrumental series at Crooners Lounge. Joining Tanner will be Graydon Peterson
and Jay Epstein, making it a triple play.
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Maryann Sullivan |
Making her Vieux Carré
debut, vocalist Maryann Sullivan
brings her Corner Jazz band to downtown St.
Paul for an evening of old-fashioned swing and
standards. Her band is a bit different from its usual tonight-- with Doug
Haining at the State Fair, the sub on horn is son/trumpeter Preston Haining,
visiting from southern California;
Javi Santiago takes over the piano bench, with Steve Pikal on bass and older
son Trevor Haining on drums.
It's First Tuesdays at the
Black Dog, and tonight guitarist Joseph
Damman sits in for Dean Magraw with Davu
Seru handling percussion.
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Robert Everest |
Wednesday, September 2. Brazilian-style guitarist Robert Everest and his Expedition play today and tomorrow at the
International Bazaar at the State Fair (3 sets starting at 10:45 am).
A very special Jazz in the Lounge at the Minneapolis Woman's Club tonight -- host vocalist Connie Evingson welcomes pianist Jon Weber along with frequent guest, saxophonist Dave Karr. (Jon is in town for his Sunday gig with Connie at the Jungle Theater.)
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Jon Weber |
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Rhonda Laurie |
Thursday, September 3. Vocal Jazz night continues at Jazz Central, now
curated by Sarah Greer. Tonight she hosts Vicky Mountain
"and Friends"....and her friends are always fabulous-- Phil Aaron on
piano and Jim Chenoweth on bass. And vocal jazz rules the evening at Crooners
with the Rhonda Laurie Quartet.
Coming Soon!
. September
4, Joel Shapira Trio at Parma
8200
. September
4, Katia Cardenas at Vieux Carré
. September 4, Jon Weber at the Dakota
. September 4, Jon Weber at the Dakota
. September
4, Phil Aaron/Zacc Harris Quartet at The Nicollet
. September
5, Adam Booker Sextet CD Release at Vieux Carré
. September
5, Jana Nyberg Group at Crooners Lounge
. September
5, What Would Monk Do at the Black Dog
. September
6, Nichole Mitchell at Walker
West Music
Academy
. September
6, Connie Evingson with Jon Weber, Music of David Frishberg at the Jungle
Theater
. September
7, Convergence Trio (Michael O'Brien, Joel Shapira, Eric Gravatt) at the Black
Dog
. September
7, Dave King Trucking Company at the Icehouse
. September
7-8, Victor Wooten at the Dakota
. September
8, Dave Karr Quartet at Crooners Lounge
. September
9, Dean Magraw solo guitar, American Swedish Institute Ballroom Series
. September
10, Kamasi Washington
at the Icehouse
. September
11, Christian Scott and Stretch Music at the Dakota
. September
11, Ron Carter and Golden Striker Trio at Walker West
Music Academy
. September
11, Michael O'Brien Trio at The Nicollet
. September
12, Selby Avenue
Jazz Festival (Walter Chancellor, Salsa del Soul, Source Code)
. September
12, Peterson Family Tribute to Jeanne Arland Peterson at Vieux Carré
. September
12, Jon Pemberton's Tribute to Lee Morgan at the Black Dog
. September
13-14, Bill Carrothers Trio at Crooners Lounge
. September
15, Butch Thompson and Dean Magraw at Vieux Carré
. September
15, Tommy O'Donnell Trio at Crooners Lounge
. September
17, Patricia Barber at the Dakota
. September
18, Bryan Nichols (Chicago)
Quartet at Vieux Carré
. September
18, Seru/Bates/Wozniak at The Nicollet
. September
19, Freedom Jazz Festival at Minnehaha
Falls Park
. September
19, Laura Caviani and Dave Milne, Jazz at St Barneys
. September
19, Jay Young and Lyric Factory at the Dakota
. September
19, Paul Harper's Show and Tell at the Black Dog
. September
20, Clarice Assad at the Dakota
. September
22, Chris Lomheim Trio at Crooners Lounge
. September
22-23, Lizz Wright at the Dakota
. September
24, Adam Meckler Orchestra at Vieux Carré
. September
25, Javi Santiago Sextet at Vieux Carré
. September
25, Lucia Sarmiento Quartet at The Nicollet
. September
26, Patty Peterson and Friends with Steve Cole at the Dakota
. September
26, John Penny Trio followed by CD Release "Night Together" at the
Black Dog
. September
29, Dave Graf Quartet at Crooners Lounge
. September
29, Red Planet at Vieux Carré
. October
4, Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra at the Dakota
. October
8, Jazz in the Target Atrium (Orchestra Hall), Atrium Jazz Ensemble with
Wessell Anderson
. October
13, Phil Hey Quartet at Crooners
. October
16, JT Bates Organ Trio at Vieux Carré
. October
16, Yolande Bruce Group at Walker
West Music
Academy
. October
20, Laura Caviani Trio with Bob Bowman and Todd Straight at Crooners
. October
25, Benny Green Trio at the Dakota
. November
13, Eric Gravatt and Source Code at Walker
West Music
Academy
. November
16, Regina
Carter's Southern Comfort at the Dakota
. November
19, Jazz in the Target Atrium (Orchestra Hall), Atrium Jazz Ensemble
. November
22-23, Karrin Allyson at the Dakota
. December
2, Diane Schuur at the Dakota
. December
14-15, New York Voices Holiday show at the Dakota
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The Dave King Trucking Company, at the Icehouse on September 7 |
*All photos by Andrea Canter except Tootie Heath Trio (courtesy Chicago Jazz Festival)