The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, October 16-22

Laura Caviani and her Trio -- multiple gigs this week!

© Andrea Canter

The frost is on the pumpkin, leaves are falling, and jazz is buzzing all over the Metro. It's a full week of local veterans in varying combinations and some young cats from Oberlin highlighting the local scene.

Joyce Lyons

Friday, October 16. A fine voice that gets too little attention around town, Joyce Lyons and her usual crew (Phil Aaron, Graydon Peterson) help you chill out at Parma 8200. In Lowertown St Paul, a young voice getting more and more attention lately entertains at the SW Crafthouse (Senor Wong) -- Katia Cardenas pays hommage to Ella as well as more modern jazz and pop.

Eric Gravatt

At the Black Dog, "chill" with some heat from the monthly Donald Washington Trio gig, with the Wise Man of saxophone on the bandstand with son Kevin on drums and special guest on more saxophones, Jimmie Wallace. Another local icon, drummer Eric Kamau Gravatt returns to Jazz Central with his long-running Source Code, currently featuring Dave Graf and Solomon Parham on horns and Ron Evaniuk on bass.

JT Bates

Vieux Carré hosts an early evening of duo finery with Jeremy Walker, then moves into less civilized territory with Grain, the new B-3 organ trio from drummer JT Bates, with Kevin Gastonguay on organ and Zacc Harris on guitar.

Dean Granros

Friday Night Jazz at the Nicollet also brings together some exciting veterans, with Davu Seru on drums, Chris Bates on bass and legendary Dean Granros on guitar (Seru/Bates/Granros).

Yolande Bruce

At Crooners, it's old times with Judi (Donaghy) Vinar singing and swinging with the Wolverines Quartet, while the latest installment of the Eight O'Clock Jump series at Walker West features the Yolande Bruce Group. This concert may be sold out but check with Walker West.

Laura Caviani

Saturday, October 17. The first of several opportunities this week to hear the Laura Caviani Trio with special guest, Portland-based drummer Todd Strait. Todd is an old cohort of Laura's, one of her Kansas City connections through Karrin Allyson. Now in Portland, Todd appeared on Laura's recording, Going There. Tonight the trio (with Steve Pikal on bass) helps raise funds for Habitat for Humanity in concert at Plymouth Congregational Church in south Minneapolis. (See more gigs, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday).

Adam Linz

Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog features a tantalizing double header. Things start cooking with a new string duo-- Peter Susag on bass and Greg Byers on cello. (Greg was the first cello graduate of the University of Miami's famed jazz program.) The heat will be further cranked up for the second round as bassist Adam Linz's Le Percheron makes its Black Dog debut, previewing music from their forthcoming vinyl release. Adam will be joined by young vibes master Levi Schwartzberg, trumpeter Noah Ophoven-Baldwin, and drummer Cory Healey.

Maryann Sullivan's Corner Jazz

Veteran vocalist Maurice Jacox returns to the Normandy Kitchen with his trio, while at Crooners, vocalist Patty Peterson brings along some "new" friends, bassist Mark Weisberg and guitarist Wayne Cullinan, along with nephew Jason Peterson DeLaire on keys and sax. JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske fill the Lobby Bar of the Saint Paul Hotel with classic and more modern fare, while Maryann Sullivan's Corner Jazz performs in the lounge at Public Kitchen.

Andrew Walesch

Sunday, October 18. The usual suspects for jazz brunch-- The Andrew Walesch Trio with Gordy Johnson and Jay Epstein preside at Crooners; Patty and the Buttons swing at the Aster; and Robert Everest puts a touch of Brazil on the Mexican menu at Maria's.

This evening, trumpeter Solomon Parham is back at The Bedlam with Solomon's Sessions, a jam session with young cohorts from McNally Smith College of Music.

Monday, October 19.  An unusually long night of music at the Icehouse: An early start features Junior Ranger, a quartet of Oberlin Conservatory jazz students including two Minneapolis South High alums, trumpeter Joe Suihkonen and drummer Emerson Hunton. With guitarist Noah Gershwin and pianist Eric Krouse, Joe and Emerson raised funds to travel to Amsterdam last spring to study Dutch improvisation, and will soon release a recording inspired by that experience. They will be followed by JT's weekly Jazz Implosion, which tonight is the CD release for the intriguing Fall of the House of Usher. Notes band member Chris Bates re the CD, Icehouse and Elsewhere, "Recorded over several gigs at Icehouse and a few other places, this is an expansive live set from the band. Chris Cunningham, Greg Schutte, Nathan Hanson, Cole Pulice, Jon Davis, Elliot Wachs, Adrian Larkin, Ivan Cunningham, Chris Bates, Adam Svec and special guests will bring the slip-sync grooves to you for two big sets!"

Steve Kenny

Laura Caviani's trio with Graydon Peterson and Todd Strait will present a workshop at Schmitt Music in Edina on jazz piano ensemble performance. Over at Crooners, Doug Haining and his Twin Cities Seven, with vocalist Maryann Sullivan, perform on their monthly Monday slot. And at Jazz Central, trumpeter and curator Steve Kenny shines in the "featured artist" slot.

Tuesday, October 20. The Laura Caviani Trio makes its debut at Crooners on the Tuesday instrumental jazz night, with Graydon Peterson and Portland, OR drummer Todd Strait.  At Vieux Carré, Dan Musselman plays some inventive solo piano during the early evening, followed by the Zacc Harris Trio.

Katia Cardenas

And it's Foodie Night at the Dakota, with vocalist Katia Cardenas and her band, featuring Todd Godbout on piano, Andrew Foreman on bass, Zach Schmidt on drums and special guest Jason Weisman on sax. It's the one-year "Dakota-versary" for the young singer who has become a regular presence on Foodie Nights. The Explosion Big Band, led by Doug Haining and Dave Graf, takes their usual place on Big Band Tuesday at Jazz Central.

Chris Lomheim

Wednesday, October 21. We're used to hearing pianist Chris Lomheim in solo or with his trio, but tonight at Jazz Central, Chris expands his team to a quintet, with Pete Whitman on sax, Adam Rossmiller on trumpet, Jay Young on bass and Dave Schmalenberger on drums.

Thursday, October 22.  The original Charmin and Shapira Duo return to Jazz Central tonight as part of the Vocal Jazz series. And a younger duo, pianist Joe Strachan and bassist Ted Olsen, open the evening at Vieux Carré.

More Jazz!

Keep up with the live jazz scene in the Twin Cities. The most comprehensive jazz calendar can be found at Jazz Police, but you will also find jazz listings at KBEM, Rhythm and Grooves and Jazz Near You. KBEM and KFAI radio host jazz programs regularly and provide daily notices of jazz gigs and concerts. The live edition of The Lead Sheet can be heard at 4:40 pm on Thursdays on KBEM, excerpts rebroadcast at 7:40 am on Fridays. (Special guest October 22-- Will Schmid re his quintet gig on the Youth Jazz Showcase the next night at The Nicollet.) Venues and artists are reminded to send information to online and print calendars (e.g. tc@jazzpolice.com).

Coming Soon!

. October 23, No Room for Squares (opening - Will Schmid New Quintet) at The Nicollet

. October 23, BDP at Jazz Central

. October 24, Illicit Sextet at the Black Dog

. October 24, Pippi Ardennia Birthday Bash and Fundraiser at The Bedlam

. October 25, Benny Green Trio at the Dakota

. October 26,  Glimpse Trio (Mike Sopko/Hamir Atwal/Martin Dosh) at the Icehouse

. October 27, Jane Monheit at the Dakota

. October 29, Emily Green at Jazz Central

. October 31, How Birds Work at the Black Dog

. November 1, Soul Cafe at the Hennepin Ave United Methodist Church

. November 2, Real Bulls (JT Bates, Dave King) and Enormous Quartet at the Icehouse

. November 7, Butch Thompson with Tony Balluff and Steve Pikal, Jazz @ St Barneys (St Barnabas Church)

. November 9, Joey DeFrancesco at the Dakota

. November 10, Mary Louise Knutson Trio at Crooners Lounge

. November 12-14, Zeitgeist New Music Cabaret at Studio Z

. November 13, Eric Gravatt and Source Code at Walker West Music Academy

. November 16, Regina Carter's Southern Comfort at the Dakota

. November 17, Adam Meckler Orchestra at Vieux Carré

. November 19, Jazz in the Target Atrium (Orchestra Hall), Atrium Jazz Ensemble + Ron Miles

. November 21, Joyce Lyons, Jazz @ St. Barneys

. November 21, JazzMN Orchestra at Hopkins High School Auditorium

. November 22-23, Karrin Allyson at the Dakota

. November 30, Pat Martino Quartet at the Dakota

. December 2, Diane Schuur at the Dakota

. December 4, The Girls at the Dakota

. December 4, Atlantis Quartet at The Nicollet

. December 5, Atlantis Quartet at the Black Dog

. December 8, Jamison Ross at the Dakota

. December 9-10, Ramsey Lewis Holiday Show at the Dakota

. December 14-15, New York Voices Holiday show at the Dakota

. December 25-28, The Bad Plus at the Dakota

. January 23, Jeremy Walker's Seven Psalms at Orchestra Hall

. February 2, Charles Lloyd Trio with Bill Frisell at the Dakota

. February 8-9, John Scofield and Joe Lovano at the Dakota

. March 2-3, Brian Blade Fellowship at the Dakota

* All photos by Andrea Canter except Junior Ranger (provided by the band)

 

Benny Green and his trio -- coming to the Dakota on October 25!