Twin Cities Spring 2020 Jazz Calendar: May the Music Never End, Even If It’s Virtual!
So who knew this 20th century art form would depend on 21st century technology? Although live music is mostly on hiatus, musicians and venues have been creative in maintaining...
Jesse Simon: Ambassador of Hard Bop
Good things have a way of sticking around. And few things are better than the music called hard bop which flourished roughly from 1955 to 1965. Luckily for those...
No Surprise: Luke Peterson Curates “Our Own Festival” at Studio Z, December 26-28
Something about drummer Luke Peterson impressed me long before he completed his degree in math and physics at Northwestern, long before he started graduate studies in Aerospace Engineering at...
RIP Mr. Smooth: Irv Williams, 1919-2019
Either “the coolest old guy or the oldest cool guy…” — Pioneer Press Like a bobo doll, saxophonist Irv Williams seemed as if he would bounce back for an...
Minnesota Music Hall of Famers: The Petersons Celebrate Family, Music and the Holidays
“We live our lives like our parents taught us…..with integrity, musicality, and love for each other. They all go hand in #8221; –Paul Peterson We’ve known them for...
JT Bates Brings World Class Jazz Quartet to Dakota
The Dakota has been, for the most part, not specifically a Jazz Club for possibly more than a decade or two, and recently has even (correctly) removed ‘Jazz Club’...
Twin Cities Jazz Venues
[Updated November 1, 2019] I hear these questions a lot: Where does one find live jazz in the Twin Cities? And how do you learn about it? Look no...
Who Is Dean Granros?
Dean Granros is an elusive giant of the Twin Cities improvised music scene. The name alone carries weight for younger generations of musicians and fans. His photo hangs on...
Review: Davu Seru’s Motherless Dollar at Jazz Central
By Sam Worthington I had the good fortune of hearing Davu Seru’s Motherless Dollar Quartet at Jazz Central Studios this past Wednesday, October 9th. I caught the second performance...
Chris Bates Red 5 at Studio Z: Never Too Much of This Good Thing
Review © Sam Worthington I had the pleasure of listening to Chris Bates’ Red 5 tonight (October 3) at Studio Z. The show was part of The “All Originals”...
Mads Tolling and Jacob Fischer at Mindekirken, October 15
By Paul Juhl The Grammy award winning Danish jazz violinist, Mads Tolling, will perform with one of Europe’s premier jazz guitarists, Jacob Fischer, at Mindekirken Norwegian Church on Tuesday...
New Season, New Directions for JazzMN
“I just feel like there’s something really special about big bands. There’s something unique, and even for people who are not jazz aficionados or don’t even like jazz,...
Inspired and Inspiring: “Summer School” With the National Youth Jazz Orchestra
Since the first Dakota Combo was launched in 2006 as an audition-only ensemble of high school jazz students, I’ve had the pleasure to meet and observe some very talented...
Jazz Police Twin Cities Jazz Calendar, Summer 2019
Note: The Lead Sheet has “retired,” but in its place we present an ongoing Jazz Police Live Jazz Calendar with (at least) weekly update. And at the suggestion of...
JC Sanford to Lead the JazzMN Orchestra
A few months ago, long-time founding Artistic and Music Director of the JazzMN Orchestra, Doug Snapp, announced he would step down at the end of this season, launching a...
Twin Cities Jazz Festival 2019 , June 20-22: Headliners Announced
[Modified press release from the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, contact Connie Shaver] The 21st annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival (June 20-22) will be headlined this year by vocalist José James, vocalist Nnenna...
Minnesota’s “Jazz Hero”: Steve Kenny Recognized by Jazz Journalists Association
Steve Kenny is many things to many people, especially Twin Cities jazz fans. He is a fulltime computer tech specialist, a dad to two grown children, a professional jazz...
Larry Englund: Farewell to Our Jazz Hero
[Note: Portions of this article are drawn from Janis Ewart’s nomination letter for Larry’s designation as Jazz Hero by the Jazz Journalists Association, and from Larry’s own self-penned obit,...
Lynne Arriale Returns to the Dunsmore Room, February 1
© Andrea Canter, Senior Editor Emeritus “The melody is what creates a particular energy and feeling in the listener and it sets the tone… I take an idea, develop...
JazzMN Celebrates 20 Years: April Concert, Artistic Director Search
On April 8th, 2019, the JazzMN Orchestra holds its final concert of the season. But this event not only marks the season finale, it will be a celebration of...