Steve Kenny Launches the Illicit Jazz Workshop, Fridays at Jazz Central
Jazz artist and curator Steve Kenny announces a new weekly jazz concert series, The Illicit Jazz Workshop, starting October 6 and every Friday at Jazz Central Studios. The...
Playing With “Joyfire”: Ted Olsen Quartet Celebrates CD Release at the Icehouse, September 20
© Andrea Canter It might be a contrived word, but “Joyfire” seems an apt description of the compositions and performance of bassist Ted Olsen, and thus is a logical...
Jay Clayton Salutes Harry Warren in the Dunsmore Room, September 20
© Andrea Canter “More than 20 years after [her debut recording] All Out, Clayton is still the most adventurous singer in jazz, a specialist in wordless improvisation who’s also...
Kermit Ruffins and Irvin Mayfield: “A Beautiful World” (Basin Street, 2017)
There are but a scant few variables you can count on in this woeful world: Frozen pizza is always sub-par, dogs are awesome, and New Orleans will always...
Dee Dee Bridgewater: “Memphis…Yes I’m Ready” (Okeh, 2017)
Since the days of Billie and Ella, it is nearly impossible to find a jazz singer who wasn’t a by-product of the popular music of her day. Yet for...
Arne and Maud, Bing and Rosemary: The Crosby-Clooney Story in the Dunsmore Room, September 19
© Andrea Canter Long-time musical partners Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney come to life again, thanks to long-time musical partners Arne Fogel and Maud Hixson. The Crosby – Clooney...
Jackie Ryan/Rickey Woodard Quintet at Sunset Jazz at Newport
Superb vocalist Jackie Ryan gave a splendid performance at Sunset Jazz Newport in Marriott’s Rose Gardens on August 9th. The weather was once again perfect. Ryan and saxophonist Rickey...
The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, September 2017
© Andrea Canter [Reminder: The Lead Sheet is published monthly and updated weekly] September promises to be one of the hottest jazz months of the year in the Twin...
Young Jazz Artists Wanted! Dakota Combo Auditions on September 17
© Andrea Canter The 12th edition of the Dakota Combo – an elite ensemble of up to eight area youth jazz artists—will be selected following auditions at the MacPhail...
R.I.P. John Abercrombie (1944-2017)
[Press Release] “To my mind John was his generation’s Jim Hall. His playing was always oriented around interplay with others, harmonic richness and flexibility, and tended more towards understatement...
Creative Spirit, Educator, Jazz Pianist Geri Allen, 1957-2017
© Andrea Canter “One of the most brilliant, creative artists of our time…” – Christian McBride “Perhaps more than any other pianist, Ms. Allen’s style — harmonically refracted and...
Louis Hayes: Serenade For Horace (Blue Note)
Blue Note Records has given a home to arguably the greatest recording artists in jazz for many decades. Like all major record labels, particularly those devoted to so-called...
Greg Ward Quintet at the Icehouse, Monday April 3
© Jon Morgan Since his last appearance in the Twin Cities as part of drummer Mike Reed’s People Places and Things quintet, saxophonist Greg Ward has been restlessly engrossed...
A “Colossus” Quartet at Reverie, March 30
© Andrea Canter A week after the Peter Schimke Trio prompted standing ovations, Steve Kenny’s Thursday Night Jazz at Reverie brings together another ensemble with firepower to spare. Dubbed...
Davu Seru’s No Territory Band — Jazz at Studio Z, March 11
© Andrea Canter Zacc Harris’ series of creative jazz concerts, Jazz at Studio Z, continues on March 11 with the No Territory Band, lead by drummer Davu Seru and...
Bobby Watson’s MVP Quartet at the Dakota and Vieux Carre’, February 20-21
© Andrea Canter One of the first national ensembles to play at the original Dakota in St. Paul, Bobby Watson’s Horizon was also one of the most respected jazz...
Free and Cheap Jazz in the Twin Cities: Plentiful and Easy to Find
Too often I hear complaints from would-be jazz fans that it’s too expensive to go out and hear live music in the Twin Cities. Or that they would go...