Dean Granros Quartet©Andrea Canter

Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog presents a veteran double-header this Saturday night, January 31. After a 7 pm opening set from the Dave Brattain Quartet, Dean Granros leads his double guitar quartet, with Zacc Harris, Chris Bates and Jay Epstein, starting at about 8:30 pm.

Steve Kenny©Andrea Canter

What would have happened if eccentric genius Thelonious Monk had encountered four of the best Twin Cities jazzmen? Trumpeter Steve Kenny, pianist Peter Schimke, bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Kenny Horst first asked that question in 2010 at the Artists Quarter, and the quartet has gathered together more often over the past six months. Boasting musicians who helped shape the music at the AQ in its final run, the "Bridge" series at Jazz Central Studios welcomes What Would Monk Do on Friday, January 30 at 7:30 pm.

Cecile McLorin Salvant

The 19th Litchfield Jazz Festival took place August 8 - 10 at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Connecticut.  The festival had wonderful musical offerings, delicious food, and an artist village with hand-wrought collectibles and gifts, including paintings, photographs, jewelry, soap, and metal art.

Friday, August 8  

The festival got off to a great start with an opening-night “Friends of the Festival Gala,” a fundraiser for the Litchfield Jazz Camp. In fact, the first music you heard was from the talented Jazz Camp students. The gala also featured a silent auction with several desirable items, including a superb portrait of Dave Brubeck by illustrious Connecticut artist, Chris Osborne.

"If there's anyone who has that quality of freedom, it's Pharoah. He's probably the best tenor player in the world." - Ornette Coleman

Jazz legend Pharoah Sanders will appear for four nights at Dizzy's in Manhattan on Thursday, Janury 29th through Sunday, February 1st. NEA Jazz Master Pharoah Sanders possesses one of the most distinctive tenor saxophone sounds in jazz. Harmonically rich and heavy with overtones, Sanders' sound can be as raw and abrasive as it is possible for a saxophonist to produce, and although he made his name with expressionistic, nearly anarchic free jazz in John Coltrane's late ensembles of the mid-'60s, Sanders' later music is guided by more graceful concerns. In the decades after his first recordings with Coltrane, Sanders developed the capability of playing convincingly in a variety of contexts, from free to mainstream, and as a mature artist he has discovered a hard-edged lyricism that has served him well. Mr Sanders will be joined by William Henderson on piano, Nat Reeves on bass, and Joe Farnsworth on drums. (Note January 31st show broadcast live to Micro Content Network partners.)

Pharoah Sanders courtesy of SF Jazz

Pharoah Sanders came to San Francisco for four sold-out shows, January 8-11 at the SFJAZZ Center,  receiving what may be some of the warmest and most appreciative responses from any audience in his career. The love fest for this seventy-four-year-old alum of the early John Coltrane bands and veteran of avant-garde saxophone was of even greater significance, as it followed the recent Coltrane tribute concerts that featured Ravi Coltrane, celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the album, Love Supreme.

Charles Lloyd©Andrea Canter

"I've dreamed of having Charles Lloyd play our festival since I became involved many years ago. That dream will be realized in July, 2015." -- Don Thompson, Iowa City Jazz Festival Committee Chair

Celebrating 25 years, the Iowa City Jazz Festival announced its 2015 line-up -- and it's a who's who in modern jazz, featuring internationally renowned headliners Rudresh Mahanthappa, Dave Douglas, Julian Lage, Ben Allison, Ron Miles, and Charles Lloyd. Rising stars abound as well, with Grammy nominated B-3 organist Brian Charette, widely acclaimed vocalist Becca Stevens, New York's KROM, and in multiple supporting roles throughout the festival, drummer Rudy Royston. Held July 2-4 on the famed Pentacrest lawn in the heart of the University of Iowa campus, the festival includes side stages along adjacent Iowa Avenue and Clinton Street (with bands playing between sets on the main stage), Culinary Row, FunZone, Artists Booths, and concessions; the Iowa City public fireworks display will take place following the final Main Stage set Saturday night. And new this year, in place of the late night jam sessions, concerts will be held at the Englert Theater on Friday (Ron Miles) and Saturday (KROM) nights.

Patty Peterson ©Andrea Canter

Patty Peterson is a very talented lady from the "First Family of Music" in Minneapolis, MN.   A radio personality and motivational speaker for special humanitarian projects, as a vocalist she has performed to sold-out audiences around the country, has won the coveted Minnesota Music Award seven times, and recently was inducted into the Mid-America Hall of Fame.  She has four solo albums to her credit featuring Shelia E., David Hazeltine and Ira Sullivan, as well as renowned brothers Billy, Paul and Ricky Peterson. This was Patty's first appearance at Catalina's, although she has performed previously in LA, at the Jazz Bakery and Vitello's.