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The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, April 1-7

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I know spring is here because the calendar says so. Trees are trying to bud, my rhubarb is up a few inches, robins are flitting around the yard. It will warm up. Until the thermometer catches up with the calendar, we can take comfort in some sizzling hot music over the coming week, from internationally renowned local heroes to internationally revered visitors to a popular former resident reuniting with his band and a favorite songbird saluting a film and stage icon, while another local hero brings his tribute to a tragic jazz figure to a key listening room.

Big Gigs This Week

Friday, April 1. The hot club swing of Gypsy Mania prevails tonight in Hell's Kitchen, while starting their one-month exile, Friday Night Jazz at Reverie moves for one night only to Public Kitchen, with Paul Harper's Chordless Quartet, featuring Harper on saxophones, Steve Kenny on FLUMPET, Tom Lewis on bass and Matt Buckner on drums. The series will move around the Twin Cities the rest of April (Studio Z, Jazz Central), returning to Reverie in May as Thursday Nigh Jazz.

At Jazz Central, it's what seems to be a monthly opportunity to hear Eric Kamau Gravatt and his group Source Code, with Solomon Parham on trumpet, young Lucia Sarmiento on sax, Dean Magraw on guitar, and Ron Evaniuk on bass. Friday-Saturday, April 1-2. TheDave King Trio reassembles in St Paul for their debut at Vieux Carré. Bad Plus drummer Dave put this group together a few years ago for a recording session with Bill Carrothers on piano and Billy Peterson on bass (yielding the very fine I've Been Ringing You on Sunnyside), and since then they've headlined at the Village Vanguard and venues in Europe. They were the opening act for the Dunsmore Room in December and now bring their pithy originals and magical rearrangements of standards to Vieux Carre'.

Saturday, April 2. Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog bringsanother chance to hear bassist Brian Couragebefore he heads back home to New York, this time with the original Courageous Endeavors quartet. Joining Brian are Nelson Devereaux on sax, Joe Strachan on keys, and Miguel Hurtado on drums. Since Brian's move they have performed as Endeavors, but Saturday they will again be Courageous.

More young lions on the prowl at the Icehouse tonight, a late double bill with the McNasty Brass Band and New Sound Underground, the funkier side of jazz and brass.

Another special night, in Bloomington at the Schneider Theater, features a new production from songbird Maud Hixson, “What Would Doris Do?" This tribute to one of Maud's favorites, Doris Day, digs into the Doris songbook as well as looking beyond the sunny character presented in film and on records, and reveals her courage in facing darker personal struggles. Joining Maud will be the swinging Wolverines Trio of Rick Carlson, Keith Boyles and Jendeen Forberg.

Sunday, April 3. It's the monthly afternoon of Latin magic with Doug Little's Charanga Tropical at the Icehouse. And itshould be a fun evening as Dan Chouinard's Birthday Club in the Dunsmore Room welcomes guest vocalist Dennis Spears; they'll include songs from singers and songwriters with April birthdays, and Dennis may have a few April Fools surprises of his own.

Sunday-Monday, April 3-4. One of the world's premiere jazz ensembles is in town for two nights (four sets) at the Dakota. Every year, The SFJazz Collective brings together eight all-stars for a San Francisco-based residency and tour, honoring one composer's work each season—and this year it's Michael Jackson. The current touring band includes alto saxophonist Miguel Zenon, tenor saxophonist David Sanchez, trumpeter Avishai Cohen, trombonist Robin Eubanks, pianist Edward Simon, vibraphonist Warren Wolfe, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Obed Calvaire.

Monday, April 4. The Acme Jazz Company is back in the lounge at Crooners, with Arne Fogel handling the vocals. In the spotlight at Jazz Central, young trumpeter Riley Helgeson (McNasty Brass Band) leads the evening, with the weekly jam session to follow.

At the Icehouse , Jazz Implosion starts off with Noodhammer—"the slow/fuzzy brainchild of Jeremy Ylvisaker & Michael Lewis,"followed by Mamiffer, on tour supporting their new recording, The World Unseen, using piano, voice, guitar, wurlitzer organ, bass synthesizer, tape machines, and effects pedals. Well, anything can happen on Mondays at the Icehouse.

Tuesday, April 5. If you have not yet heard Larry McDonough Quintet tribute to Chet Baker, here's another chance, as Larry will be sitting at the Bosendorfer in the Dunsmore Room, reprising Chet's vocal talents with Steve Kenny taking the trumpet role. And it's First Tuesday, which brings Dean Magraw and Davu Seru to the Black Dog, and the Bill Simenson Orchestra to Jazz Central.

Wednesday, April 6. The ever-popular Wolverines Trio swings hard in Hell's Kitchen—Rick Carlson, Steve Pikal or Keith Boyles, and Jendeen Forberg, one of the region's longest-running ensembles.

Thursday, April 7. Savvy vocalist Lila Ammons brings her Quad (Phil Aaron, Tom Lewis and Jay Epstein) to Jazz Central, while the edgy Fall of the House of Usher turns up the improv heat at the Black Dog. And there's lots of trumpet at Vieux Carré tonight, with a double-header featuring the Gerard Ahlgren Group and Hayden Fihn Quartet.

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