The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, April 28-May 4

Regina Carter, at the Dakota on May 3

© Andrea Canter

There's always talk of the sorry state of jazz, but in this state, that stands in sharp contrast to the number of gigs, the number of visiting artists coming our way. As an audience, we may be spoiled in the Twin Cities, as few other areas in the country can boast of so many options. Some nights, the conflicting schedules can be frustrating -- we can't do it all!

Big Gigs This Week

Jeremy Walker

Friday, April 28. What a busy start to the weekend! The final concert of the Jazz in the Target Atrium season brings Jeremy Walker's Atrium Jazz Ensemble to the little space at Orchestra Hall, this time as a double sax quintet with Chris Thomson and Brandon Wozniak on horns, Walker on piano, Jeffrey Bailey on bass, and Kevin Washington on drums. They're looking at the roots of jazz and particularly Ellington to Coltrane.

Marcus Wise and Dean Magraw

At Jazz Central, it's the return of one of the most exciting local pairings in improvised music - guitar master Dean Magraw and tabla hero Marcus Wise.  They have not played together much in the past few years, leaving us only the music from their 2010 album, When the Light Gets In. Hopefully this gig will encourage more frequent collaborations.

Dave Singley

Another guitar master, Dave Singley holds a CD release gig at Studio Z--his first album in 20 years titled Good Hope. The Peter Schimke Trio with Chris Bates and Kenny Horst offers music at the newly revived Lexington. Zacc Harris and James Buckley provide dinner hour sets at the Icehouse; Arne Fogel croons at Hell's Kitchen; Lila Ammons is back at the Hennepin Steam Room; the Kronick Quintet makes music in the lounge at Public Kitchen; the Southside Aces swing at Vieux Carre'; and classical Indian music meets experimental improvisation when percussionist Zakir Hussein joins santoor player Rahul Sharma at the Pantages Theater.

Friday-Saturday, April 28-29. The Shaun Johnson Big Band experience is on stage for two nights at Chanhassan Dinner Theater.

Bottomless Pit

Saturday, April 29. The veterans of Bottomless Pit perform in the headline slot for Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog--that's Joel Shapira on guitar, Pete Whitman on sax, Tom Lewis on bass, and Eric Gravatt on drums, with an opening set from the Brian Handleland Quartet.

Bill Charlap

At the Dakota, the always sublime Bill Charlap Trio is back, with elegant pianist Charlap and longtime cohorts Peter Washington and Kenny Washington. Charlap is one of the most commanding pianists of his generation, and one of the finest interpreters of standards from swing to bebop to postbop.

Paula Lammers

Also on tap for Saturday, Patty Peterson takes over Crooners Lounge; Tim Sparks joins James Buckley at the Icehouse; vocalist Paula Lammers with pianist John Koziol entertain at Mendoberri's; the Benny Weinbeck Trio is in the lounge at Parma 8200.

Joel Shapira

Sunday, April 30. It's officially International Jazz Day and the last day of the St Paul Art Crawl. Come down to Lowertown on Sunday afternoon and stop by the AZ Gallery in the Northern Warehouse to hear Joel Shapira on solo guitar while enjoying a lot of great local art.

Bruce Henry

In the evening, head out to the Dunsmore Room for your Bruce Henry fix-- he's paying tribute to Stevie Wonder. Bruce left the Twin Cities for Chicago about 8 years ago but has never severed ties with the local music community, returning often to our great pleasure. Whether he is presenting Charlie Parker or Stevie Wonder or the best of Billie and Ella, Bruce is a force with plenty of chops.

Maud Hixson

In the Mankato area? Maud Hixson, Maria Jette, and Rick Carlson perform music from Listening for Your Song, Maud's 2016 album honoring the music referenced in the Besty-Tacy stories written by Maud Hart Lovelace. The concert takes place at St John's Episcopal Church.

And don't forget the regular Sunday features including Patty and the Buttons, brunch at the Aster Cafe and the Zacc Harris Trio at the Riverview Wine Bar.

Delfeayo Marsalis

Monday, May 1. The Dunsmore Room hosts trombone master Delfeayo Marsalis surrounded by local talents--Rick Carlson, Steve Pikal and Nathan Norman. Marsalis was most recently in the Twin Cities for a headline set at the 2016 Twin Cities Jazz Festival.

Born to be Kind of Blue

The Dakota presents more local talents as Larry McDonough reprises his "Born to Be Kind of Blue" show, saluting trumpet legends Miles Davis and Chet Baker with Steve Kenny handling the trumpet duties. The rest of the band includes Richard Terrill on saxes, Greg Stinson on bass and Doug White on drums.

Jake Baldwin

More trumpet at the Icehouse as JT's Jazz Implosion presents three trumpet heavy sets (a trio of trumpet trios),  featuring the Jake Baldwin Trio, Hairsplitters (led by Noah Ophoven Baldwin), and Adam Zahler's Double Trio.

Will Kjeer (KTB)

And without trumpet -- in the spotlight at Jazz Central, a new band of sorts-- it's the rhythm section of Group 47, Will Kjeer (piano), Adam Tucker (bass), and Alex Burgess (drums) as KTB.

At the Ted Mann Concert Hall, the U of M Jazz Ensembles I and II present their salute to big bands.

Davu Seru

Tuesday, May 2.  It's first Tuesday with Dean Magraw and Davu Seru at the Black Dog. Anything can happen. Also in St Paul, pianist Steven Hobert and multi-reedman John Croarkin are on stage for the early show at Vieux Carre'.

Michael O'Brien

In the Dunsmore Room, another opportunity to hear former Minnesotan bassist Michael O'Brien and his Triage Trio with Chris Lomheim and Jay Epstein; and for First Tuesday, big band night at Jazz Central brings in the Bill Simenson Orchestra.

Regina Carter

Wednesday, May 3. Violinist Regina Carter returns to the Dakota with a new recording celebrating Ella Fitzgerald's centennial, Accentuate the Positive; her band includes bassist Chris Lightcap and drummer Alvester Garnett. At the Minneapolis Woman's Club, Connie Evingson holds her monthly cocktail hour gig with Mary Louise Knutson and Dave Karr. (Open to the public.)

Randy Brecker

Wednesday-Thursday, May 3-4. Trumpet king Randy Brecker holds a two-night stand in the Dunsmore Room, featuring another former Minnesotan, Tanner Taylor on piano along with Gordy Johnson and Phil Hey. A new "Brecker Brothers" ensemble?

Brian Nichols

Thursday, May 4.  The Bryan Nichols Trio headlines at Vieux Carre,' with pianist Bryan in fine company with Jeff Bailey and brother JT Bates, following some cool solo guitar from Joel Shapira in the opening set.  Over at Jazz Central, vocal night features Melody Mendis.

Officially Rodney Ruckus has left the Twin Cities for the Bay Area, but he's back for a night leading his hip-hop project at Reverie.

More Jazz

See the Live jazz calendar posted on the KBEM website, and see more about jazz events at jazzpolice.com. --online and on facebook. Tune into the live edition of The Lead Sheet on KBEM 88.5 fm every Thursday at 4:40 pm, rebroadcast on Fridays at 8:20 am. Tune into the Lead Sheet on May 4 when Andrea's guests are the Potash Twins, trombone-wielding brothers with an upcoming gig at Adath Jeshuran Synagogue.

Coming Soon!

. May 5, Fuzzy Math at Jazz Central

. May 6, Travis Anderson Trio, Jazz @ St Barneys (St Barnabas Lutheran Church)
. May 6, Maud Hixson and Phil Aaron Trio, Swing Dance at 301 on Main

. May 6, D'Sievers/Source Code at the Black Dog

. May 7, Minnesota Jazz Legends: Celebrating the Elders with Patty Peterson at Minnesota History Center

. May 7, Charanga Tropical at the Icehouse

. May 7, Dakota Combo Spring Concert at Studio Z
. May 7, Dan Chouinard and Lucia Newell in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge

. May 8, Glenn Zaleski in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge

. May 8, Levi Schwartzberg Quartet/Barnacle at the Icehouse

. May 9, Rio Nido in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge (postponed from earlier date)

. May 9, Chris Olson Project at the Black Dog

. May 10, Zacc Harris Group at Studio Z

. May 11, Potash Twins at Adath Jeshuran Synagogue

. May 11 +14, Keiko Matsui at the Dakota

. May 12, Steve Coleman's Five Elements, Walker Art Center

. May 13, Walker West Jazz Ensemble/Open Story at the Black Dog

. May 15, Karrin Allyson at the Dakota

. May 16, Billy Martin at the Icehouse

. May 15, Dave Graf at Jazz Central

. May 15-16, Dave King Trio in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge

. May 16-17, Marcus Roberts Trio at the Dakota

. May 18, Kristin Lee Sargent with Ted Nash and Jeremy Walker at Vieux Carre'

. May 18, Vicky Mountain at Jazz Central

. May 18, Below Zero/Steve Kenny Quartet at Reverie
. May 19, Phil Hey Quartet at Jazz Central

. May 20, Lease-Moriarty Quartet/Angelica Sanchez Trio at the Black Dog

. May 22, Peter Kogan Quintet at the Icehouse

. May 23, Maud Hixson, "Judy Garland: Muse and Musician" in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge

. May 25, Pete Hennig Trio at Reverie

. May 25, Will Schmid/Charlie Lincoln Quintet Presents the Music of Low at the Black Dog
. May 25, Dorothy Doring at Jazz Central

. May 26, Will Schmid/Greg Lewis Ensemble at Jazz Central

. May 27, Selby Brass Band/Park Evans Quintet at the Black Dog

. May 31, Chris Potter "Dreamer is the Dream" Quartet at the Dakota

. June 1, Zacc Harris Group at Reverie

. June 3-8, Icehouse Fifth Anniversary Party

. June 8, Chris Bates Good Vibes Trio at Reverie

. June 5, Ottmar Liebert and Luna Negra at the Dakota

. June 21, Christian Sands at the Dakota

. June 22-24, Twin Cities Jazz Festival (McCoy Tyner, Terence Blanchard, Anat Cohen, Bobby Lyle)

. June 23-24, Dorado Schmitt and Django All Stars at the Dakota

. June 30-July 2, Iowa City Jazz Festival with Donny McCaslin, Stacy Kent, The Cookers, Laura Caviani, John Raymond, Dakota Combo and more

Levi Schwartzberg-- Quartet at the Icehouse, May 8