It's here! The 2015 Twin Cities Jazz Festival gets underway in phases, officially opening on June 25 but preliminary events began a few days ago with Jazz at the Library gigs in St. Paul and some “Music on the Move" sets this weekend. Format for the Lead Sheet will be a little different for this week, and this edition will run through the festival finale on June 27. Of course there's a lot of other music around town as well.
Twin Cities Jazz Festival: The Big (and Free) Gigs
Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. “Music on the Move" includes gigs along the Green Line Stops of University Avenue, some serving as festival previews. Episcopal Homes at Iris Park will host two bands on Saturday and two bands on Sunday. Kicking off Saturday at 1:30 pm will be the Adam Meckler Quintet. A prolific composer and performer, trumpeter Adam also leads the popular Adam Meckler Orchestra and Lulu's Playground. His cohorts include Nelson Devereaux, Zacc Harris, Chris Bates and Greg Schutte. Following at 6 pm will be Doug Haining and the Twin Cities 7, swinging through Basie, Ellington and more as they have done for the past 15 years. Come Sunday, enjoy the St. Peter Street Stompers at 1:30 pm, performing traditional New Orleans jazz under the leadership of Chuck DeVore. The weekend winds up at 6 pm with the Southside Aces, a “true authentic" New Orleans dance hall-style band with Tony Balluff, Robert Bell and pals.
Sunday, June 21. The final Jazz at the Library concert takes place this afternoon at the Saint Paul Central Library, featuring Festival Artistic Director Francisco Mela . A charismatic drummer favored by luminaries from McCoy Tyner to Kenny Barron to Joe Lovano, Cuban native Mela has appeared locally at Jazz Fest, the Dakota, Hopkins Center for the Arts and MacPhail. For this Jazz at the Library finale, Mela will be joined by local favorites, Mary Louise Knutson on piano and Graydon Peterson on bass. (Catch Mela again Saturday night, June 27.)
Tuesday, June 23. The final “pre-fest" gig belongs to the Lila Ammons Quartet, performing in Highland on the Langford Chiropractic Outdoor Stage. With a legacy like Uncle Gene Ammons and Grandfather Albert Ammons, vocalist Lila was destined for jazz stardom. She sings ballads, standards, blues and boogie woogie throughout Europe and the Twin Cities. Her talented cohorts include pianist Thom West, bassist Jay Young and drummer Jay Epstein. Also this evening at Walker West, Francisco Mela and perennial fest pianist Jon Weber hold a master class open to the public. This is a great opportunity for student musicians as well as fans of all ages to get some new insights and, very likely, a highly entertaining experience.
Thursday, June 25. Once again, Music at Mears, held on Thursday nights throughout the summer, sponsors the Twin Cities Jazz Festival's opening night (June 25), launching the annual Club Crawl. On the Mears Park stage again as music host will be singer/songwriter and PipJazz Foundation leader Pippi Ardennia. Along with the young artists who have served as PipJazz Youth, Pippi will present three hours of what she calls “pipjazz," or “music that makes you feel good." Most of the clubs and venues open during the festival will host music tonight, from salsa lessons and dance music from Salsa del Soul at Rice Park to the annual duo night with Arne Fogel and Maud Hixson at Mancini's, from Patty Peterson and Friends at the Amsterdam to Firebell and the Illicit Sextet at the Black Dog.
Among the more esoteric offerings on this first festival night, Tim Kliphuisjoins Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club at Heartland. Award-winning Dutch violinist Kliphuis blends classical, gypsy and folks styles. Add in Django Reinhardt devotee, guitarist Sam Miltich, and the swinging Clearwater Hot Club, featuring Gary Schulte (violin), Mike Miller (drums) and Matthew Miltich (bass), and you have something very swinging and very special.
Another stylistic mashup at The Bedlam finds two young trumpeters leading the BDP 5-Tet, Cameron Kinghorn and Jake Baldwin. With this ensemble, Kinghorn adds vocals while Baldwin adds some trombone, and with Ted Godbout (keys), Andrew Foreman (bass) and Andres Crovetti (drums), they cut across jazz, R&B and a little pop.
Pianist and host Jon Weber starts his three-night run at the soon-to-open Vieux Carré in the old Artists Quarter space in the Hamm Building. Each night Weber performs with a trio for about an hour, followed by an open jam, usually featuring some of the night's headliners. Note start times of 8, 8:30 and 9 pm respectively on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Also starting a three-night run, trumpeter Solomon Parham will play a set with his “Group" followed by a “Smooth and Groove" Jam Session, at the Bedlam starting each night at 9 pm.
Friday, June 26. Start your festival afternoon with an open clinic at McNally Smith College and trumpet star Nicholas Payton, then move on to Mears Park where pianist Laura Caviani will be on the Main Stage (4 pm), making her first-ever festival appearance in a leading role. Laura has assembled a special trio, with Kansas City bassist Bob Bowman and McNally Smith professor of percussion, Dave Schmalenberger. Tunes from Bowman's new album as well as some Caviani originals will be on the set list.
The “headline" sets this evening will draw big, so come early! At 6 pm, welcome the return festival engagement of the Araya-Orta Quartet with their special guest, steel pan artist Othello Molineaux. The two pairs of brothers (Araya and Orta) were here in 2012 and wowed the crowd with their exciting Latin rhythms. This time, with former Jaco Pastorius cohort Molineaux, they will pay tribute to Jaco.
And wrapping up an amazing Friday at Mears, the final set (8:30 pm) features a new collaborative quartet of Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Lionel Loueke and Eric Harland. Each of these artists is a headliner in his own right. The night air will simply crackle with this quartet. Normally we don't have fireworks at this festival. This night, the display will be non-stop.
There's a lot more on Friday, from the Latin-tinged Iowa ensemble Laranja (Jefferson Lines 6th Street Stage) to the beloved JazzMn Orchestra with Patty Peterson (Rayette Lofts Stage at Union Depot North Plaza) to a Jazz Central Studios“all-star" night at The Bedlam with Joe Mayo and Adam Meckler and What Would Monk Do closing the night at the Black Dog. On the Green Line, an impressive line-up at Ngon Bistro (Green Line) includes a trio with Phil Aaron, Steve Pikal and Phil Hey, a vocal double set with Lee Engele and Vicky Mountain, and a new trio of Davu Seru, Dean Granros and Chris Bates.
Saturday, June 27. Students and other learners have two choices (at the same time) for clinics this morning — with Chris Potter at McNally Smith and with local drum hero Kevin Washington at The Bedlam. The latter is a master class format focusing on two high school ensembles, the local Dakota Combo and the visiting City Six from Iowa City. More student activity fills the North Plaza at Union Depot with the annual Youth Showcase sponsored by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education. The showcase, from noon to 5 pm, displays the talents of five bands, including middle school and high school jazz camp ensembles and the all-star Dakota Combo and City Six.
The most highly publicized event of course is Dr. John and the Nite Trippers(3:30 pm) in the new CHS Field, with the New Orleans sounds of our Jack Brass Band opening (2:15 pm). With 4000 (free and VIP) tickets reserved in advance, anyone without a reserved ticket should arrive early to get in line for the remaining seats. This will be the first concert ever presented at CHS. And the largest ever presented at a Twin Cities Jazz Festival. But there's a lot more on Saturday. At Union Depot, enjoy the Atlantis Quartetbefore they head down to the Iowa City Jazz Festival (5:30 pm) and stay to hear the European elegance of the Cloudmakers Trio ( 7 pm), based in London and featuring Wisconsin-raised bassist Michael Janisch. Bands of young artists are celebrated on the AARP Main Stage at Mears Park with the Walker West Jazz Ensembles (2:30 pm), recent University of Northern Colorado graduate Ted Olsen and his quintet (4 pm), and 2014 Monk Trumpet Competition winner Marquis Hill and his Blacktet (6 pm).
Catch the best of modern chamber jazz at the Black Dog, starting at 7 pm with Davu Seru's Clicksong, followed by the six-month old Bottomless Pit (Joel Shapira, Pete Whitman, Tom Lewis, Eric Gravatt) and ending the night with Steve Kenny's Group 47, on hiatus this past year while young pianist Will Kjeer spent a year at Interlochen. Better catch the band tonight before Will heads off to Cal Arts!
Vocalists are not as prevalent at this year's festival as in the past, but you'll find Yolande Bruce at Arnellia's (5 pm) and Debbie Duncan on the 6th Street Stage (7:15 pm).
And the grand finale? Francisco Mela brings in his new Crash Trio with special guest Nicholas Payton (8:30 pm, AARP Main Stage). It's not Mela's first time on our main stage—in the past five years he has appeared with Joe Lovano's Us Five, his own Cuban Safari, and —moved to the Amsterdam when Mears Park washed out—with Melissa Aldana's trio last year. Why does he call it Crash Trio? He's a drummer. You'll get it.
This is nowhere near a complete summary of the music and venues that make up the 17th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Full information including downloadable schedules, artist bios, sponsor lists and more can be found on the fest website at www.hotsummerjazz.com; see updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Big Gigs, Before and AfterThere actually is a lot of jazz in the coming week aside from the jazz festival. Or perhaps because of the jazz festival? Your ears should not want for any break in the action!
Friday, June 19. Once again, guitar legend Bill Frisell comes to town with a different configuration than the last, or the one before that.... This edition of the Bill Frisell Trio features long-time associate Tony Scherr on bass and recent cohort (Beautiful Dreamers, Big Sur) Rudy Royston on drums. They're at the Dakota for just one night, two sets at 7 and 9 pm, and it will surely be magical.
Jazz Central offers an intriguing double header tonight, with veteran trumpeter/pianist Jon Pemberton on keys with bassist Matt Peterson and drummer Cory Healey on “The Bridge" series (7 pm). “Originals, bebop, hard bop, and standards, with tunes by yours truly, Tom Harrell, Sam Rivers, Bobby Peterson, Wayne Shorter, and Monk," promises Pemberton. The late set brings together “Two Steves Swinging Like Hell," Steven Hobert on piano and Steve Pikal on bass. And as Hobert says, it's going to be “mighty fun."
South of downtown Minneapolis sits one of the best kept jazz secrets in town — Friday Night Jazz at the Nicollet. The weekly cast features some of the most inventive cats around, and sometimes a surprising new ensemble as well. Tonight is a rare double-header, starting out (7 pm) with the last club gig of the 2014-2015 edition of the Dakota Combo, the metro-wide high school ensemble directed by Adam Linz. Six just graduated from high school and are heading on to study jazz and/or other things in college programs. This is their warmup for final gigs at the Twin Cities Jazz Fest and Iowa City Jazz Fest. And they should heat up the stage to a warm sizzle for Dean Granros' Tall Tales (9 pm), riding high after their CD release at the Icehouse a few weeks ago. Dean and Zacc Harris make it a double guitar quartet with Chris Bates and Jay Epstein.
In the burbs, enjoy a nearly monthly show with Maud Hixson at Parma 8200, with Rick Carlson on piano and Gordy Johnson on bass. The only thing predictable about the set list is that it will feature Maud's intimate stylings and at least a song or two you didn't know were out there.
Saturday, June 20. Lowertown is having a little festival of its own, between the Black Dog and Studio Z. Good thing the venues are a block apart. Zacc Harris' Jazz at Studio Z finishes its season with its second annual NextGen showcase, tonight featuring the Lars-Erik Larson Trio and Charlie Lincoln Group. Larson has only been in town a couple years and already is proving to be one of the most creative bandleaders, with Mancrush and Ramtrak. Tonight's trio features guitarist Thomas Nordlund and bassist Andrew Foreman. The Charlie Lincoln Group has been heard at the Black Dog and Jazz Central in the past year. Led by new South High grad Charlie on bass, the rest of the crew are equally precocious—Aidan Sponheim, Peter Goggin, Joey Hayes, Levi Schwartzberg and Sam Stroup.
At the Black Dog, two bands of veterans play back-to-back. Up first, the John Penny/Jay Epstein Duo, with composer/guitarist John offering sublime harmonies offset by drummer Jay's playful rhythms. This is a reprise of their first collaboration at the 2014 festival. The second half of the evening features one of the longest-running quartets from the days of the Artists Quarter, the Phil Hey Quartet. A 21st century Modern Jazz Quartet with emphasis on “modern," the PHQ boasts local legends Phil Aaron, Tom Lewis, Dave Hagedorn and of course Phil Hey behind the trapset. They're saluting the late Ornette Coleman as well as other muses.
Sunday, June 21. It's Father's Day and wouldn't Dad enjoy hearing one or two of the top area vocalists? Take him to brunch at the Icehouse for a change of pace, not your usual Sunday restaurant but savvy food and savvy music. And brunch is served with the Patty Peterson Trio — Patty with nephew Jason Peterson DeLaire and pal Billy Franze.
Back in 2009, Connie Evingson put together a program in tribute to Peggy Lee for her new Jazz at the Jungle series at the Jungle Theater. Six years and six seasons later, Connie continues Jazz at the Jungle, and now reprises Happy With the Blues, featuring her recent collaborator Jon Weber on piano, Dave Karr on sax and Gordy Johnson on bass. Hear favorites like “Fever", “He's A Tramp", “Johnny Guitar" and more from the Peggy Lee Songbook. There's two shows, 4:00 and 7:30 pm. Monday, June 22. Kurt Elling seems to get to the Dakota annually, and often it's with a new recording. Now he's just released Passion World (Concord Jazz, 2015), a wide-reaching exploration of passion and desire interpreted through the lens of diverse world cultures. Since each of Elling's previous ten albums received a Grammy nomination, we can expect the same here. He's touring with his working quartet— John McLean on guitar, Clarke Sommers on bass, Kendrick Scott on drums. One night, two sets at 7 and 9 pm.
JT's Jazz Implosion at the Icehouse features a new quartet headed by acrobatic percussionist Davu Seru, with Jake Baldwin (trumpet), Park Evans (guitar) and Josh Granowski (bass). Inventive soundmasters, all around.
Tuesday-Wednesday, June 23-24. Kurt Elling last night and now Cecile McLorin Salvant for two nights, at the Dakota? If this is an embarrassment of riches, we can stand the embarrassment just fine. Winner of the 2010 Monk Vocal Competition, Grammy nominee with her first commercial release (Woman Child), Downbeat New Artist and Top Female Vocalist in 2013, and recently on tour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, seems there are no mountains Cecile can't climb.... and she's only 26. Imagine Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln melted together... Cecile seems to exude the entire history of vocal jazz. And really, she is just beginning.
Wednesday, June 24. Bassist Ted Olsen wasted no time lining up gigs after spring graduation from the University of Northern Colorado. The St Paul native warms up for his main stage gig at JazzFest with a performance tonight at Jazz Central. His usual cohorts include Jake Baldwin, Javi Santiago and Miguel Hurtado, making it a Young Lions blowout.
Thursday, June 25. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band returns to the Dakota, bringing with it a trail of New Orleans music and collaboration going back 40 years.
Friday-Saturday, June 26-27. Back in the Cities for the summer, vocalist/pianist Linda Peterson entertains anyone in the burbs who is not at Jazz Fest! Friday night she's at Parma 8200 in Bloomington (7:30 pm); Saturday night catch her at Crooners in Fridley (7:30 pm).
Twin Cities Jazz Festival: The Big (and Free) Gigs
Saturday-Sunday, June 20-21. “Music on the Move" includes gigs along the Green Line Stops of University Avenue, some serving as festival previews. Episcopal Homes at Iris Park will host two bands on Saturday and two bands on Sunday. Kicking off Saturday at 1:30 pm will be the Adam Meckler Quintet. A prolific composer and performer, trumpeter Adam also leads the popular Adam Meckler Orchestra and Lulu's Playground. His cohorts include Nelson Devereaux, Zacc Harris, Chris Bates and Greg Schutte. Following at 6 pm will be Doug Haining and the Twin Cities 7, swinging through Basie, Ellington and more as they have done for the past 15 years. Come Sunday, enjoy the St. Peter Street Stompers at 1:30 pm, performing traditional New Orleans jazz under the leadership of Chuck DeVore. The weekend winds up at 6 pm with the Southside Aces, a “true authentic" New Orleans dance hall-style band with Tony Balluff, Robert Bell and pals.
Sunday, June 21. The final Jazz at the Library concert takes place this afternoon at the Saint Paul Central Library, featuring Festival Artistic Director Francisco Mela . A charismatic drummer favored by luminaries from McCoy Tyner to Kenny Barron to Joe Lovano, Cuban native Mela has appeared locally at Jazz Fest, the Dakota, Hopkins Center for the Arts and MacPhail. For this Jazz at the Library finale, Mela will be joined by local favorites, Mary Louise Knutson on piano and Graydon Peterson on bass. (Catch Mela again Saturday night, June 27.)
Tuesday, June 23. The final “pre-fest" gig belongs to the Lila Ammons Quartet, performing in Highland on the Langford Chiropractic Outdoor Stage. With a legacy like Uncle Gene Ammons and Grandfather Albert Ammons, vocalist Lila was destined for jazz stardom. She sings ballads, standards, blues and boogie woogie throughout Europe and the Twin Cities. Her talented cohorts include pianist Thom West, bassist Jay Young and drummer Jay Epstein. Also this evening at Walker West, Francisco Mela and perennial fest pianist Jon Weber hold a master class open to the public. This is a great opportunity for student musicians as well as fans of all ages to get some new insights and, very likely, a highly entertaining experience.
Thursday, June 25. Once again, Music at Mears, held on Thursday nights throughout the summer, sponsors the Twin Cities Jazz Festival's opening night (June 25), launching the annual Club Crawl. On the Mears Park stage again as music host will be singer/songwriter and PipJazz Foundation leader Pippi Ardennia. Along with the young artists who have served as PipJazz Youth, Pippi will present three hours of what she calls “pipjazz," or “music that makes you feel good." Most of the clubs and venues open during the festival will host music tonight, from salsa lessons and dance music from Salsa del Soul at Rice Park to the annual duo night with Arne Fogel and Maud Hixson at Mancini's, from Patty Peterson and Friends at the Amsterdam to Firebell and the Illicit Sextet at the Black Dog.
Among the more esoteric offerings on this first festival night, Tim Kliphuisjoins Sam Miltich and the Clearwater Hot Club at Heartland. Award-winning Dutch violinist Kliphuis blends classical, gypsy and folks styles. Add in Django Reinhardt devotee, guitarist Sam Miltich, and the swinging Clearwater Hot Club, featuring Gary Schulte (violin), Mike Miller (drums) and Matthew Miltich (bass), and you have something very swinging and very special.
Another stylistic mashup at The Bedlam finds two young trumpeters leading the BDP 5-Tet, Cameron Kinghorn and Jake Baldwin. With this ensemble, Kinghorn adds vocals while Baldwin adds some trombone, and with Ted Godbout (keys), Andrew Foreman (bass) and Andres Crovetti (drums), they cut across jazz, R&B and a little pop.
Pianist and host Jon Weber starts his three-night run at the soon-to-open Vieux Carré in the old Artists Quarter space in the Hamm Building. Each night Weber performs with a trio for about an hour, followed by an open jam, usually featuring some of the night's headliners. Note start times of 8, 8:30 and 9 pm respectively on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Also starting a three-night run, trumpeter Solomon Parham will play a set with his “Group" followed by a “Smooth and Groove" Jam Session, at the Bedlam starting each night at 9 pm.
Friday, June 26. Start your festival afternoon with an open clinic at McNally Smith College and trumpet star Nicholas Payton, then move on to Mears Park where pianist Laura Caviani will be on the Main Stage (4 pm), making her first-ever festival appearance in a leading role. Laura has assembled a special trio, with Kansas City bassist Bob Bowman and McNally Smith professor of percussion, Dave Schmalenberger. Tunes from Bowman's new album as well as some Caviani originals will be on the set list.
The “headline" sets this evening will draw big, so come early! At 6 pm, welcome the return festival engagement of the Araya-Orta Quartet with their special guest, steel pan artist Othello Molineaux. The two pairs of brothers (Araya and Orta) were here in 2012 and wowed the crowd with their exciting Latin rhythms. This time, with former Jaco Pastorius cohort Molineaux, they will pay tribute to Jaco.
And wrapping up an amazing Friday at Mears, the final set (8:30 pm) features a new collaborative quartet of Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Lionel Loueke and Eric Harland. Each of these artists is a headliner in his own right. The night air will simply crackle with this quartet. Normally we don't have fireworks at this festival. This night, the display will be non-stop.
There's a lot more on Friday, from the Latin-tinged Iowa ensemble Laranja (Jefferson Lines 6th Street Stage) to the beloved JazzMn Orchestra with Patty Peterson (Rayette Lofts Stage at Union Depot North Plaza) to a Jazz Central Studios“all-star" night at The Bedlam with Joe Mayo and Adam Meckler and What Would Monk Do closing the night at the Black Dog. On the Green Line, an impressive line-up at Ngon Bistro (Green Line) includes a trio with Phil Aaron, Steve Pikal and Phil Hey, a vocal double set with Lee Engele and Vicky Mountain, and a new trio of Davu Seru, Dean Granros and Chris Bates.
Saturday, June 27. Students and other learners have two choices (at the same time) for clinics this morning — with Chris Potter at McNally Smith and with local drum hero Kevin Washington at The Bedlam. The latter is a master class format focusing on two high school ensembles, the local Dakota Combo and the visiting City Six from Iowa City. More student activity fills the North Plaza at Union Depot with the annual Youth Showcase sponsored by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education. The showcase, from noon to 5 pm, displays the talents of five bands, including middle school and high school jazz camp ensembles and the all-star Dakota Combo and City Six.
The most highly publicized event of course is Dr. John and the Nite Trippers(3:30 pm) in the new CHS Field, with the New Orleans sounds of our Jack Brass Band opening (2:15 pm). With 4000 (free and VIP) tickets reserved in advance, anyone without a reserved ticket should arrive early to get in line for the remaining seats. This will be the first concert ever presented at CHS. And the largest ever presented at a Twin Cities Jazz Festival. But there's a lot more on Saturday. At Union Depot, enjoy the Atlantis Quartetbefore they head down to the Iowa City Jazz Festival (5:30 pm) and stay to hear the European elegance of the Cloudmakers Trio ( 7 pm), based in London and featuring Wisconsin-raised bassist Michael Janisch. Bands of young artists are celebrated on the AARP Main Stage at Mears Park with the Walker West Jazz Ensembles (2:30 pm), recent University of Northern Colorado graduate Ted Olsen and his quintet (4 pm), and 2014 Monk Trumpet Competition winner Marquis Hill and his Blacktet (6 pm).
Catch the best of modern chamber jazz at the Black Dog, starting at 7 pm with Davu Seru's Clicksong, followed by the six-month old Bottomless Pit (Joel Shapira, Pete Whitman, Tom Lewis, Eric Gravatt) and ending the night with Steve Kenny's Group 47, on hiatus this past year while young pianist Will Kjeer spent a year at Interlochen. Better catch the band tonight before Will heads off to Cal Arts!
Vocalists are not as prevalent at this year's festival as in the past, but you'll find Yolande Bruce at Arnellia's (5 pm) and Debbie Duncan on the 6th Street Stage (7:15 pm).
And the grand finale? Francisco Mela brings in his new Crash Trio with special guest Nicholas Payton (8:30 pm, AARP Main Stage). It's not Mela's first time on our main stage—in the past five years he has appeared with Joe Lovano's Us Five, his own Cuban Safari, and —moved to the Amsterdam when Mears Park washed out—with Melissa Aldana's trio last year. Why does he call it Crash Trio? He's a drummer. You'll get it.
This is nowhere near a complete summary of the music and venues that make up the 17th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Full information including downloadable schedules, artist bios, sponsor lists and more can be found on the fest website at www.hotsummerjazz.com; see updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Big Gigs, Before and AfterThere actually is a lot of jazz in the coming week aside from the jazz festival. Or perhaps because of the jazz festival? Your ears should not want for any break in the action!
Friday, June 19. Once again, guitar legend Bill Frisell comes to town with a different configuration than the last, or the one before that.... This edition of the Bill Frisell Trio features long-time associate Tony Scherr on bass and recent cohort (Beautiful Dreamers, Big Sur) Rudy Royston on drums. They're at the Dakota for just one night, two sets at 7 and 9 pm, and it will surely be magical.
Jazz Central offers an intriguing double header tonight, with veteran trumpeter/pianist Jon Pemberton on keys with bassist Matt Peterson and drummer Cory Healey on “The Bridge" series (7 pm). “Originals, bebop, hard bop, and standards, with tunes by yours truly, Tom Harrell, Sam Rivers, Bobby Peterson, Wayne Shorter, and Monk," promises Pemberton. The late set brings together “Two Steves Swinging Like Hell," Steven Hobert on piano and Steve Pikal on bass. And as Hobert says, it's going to be “mighty fun."
South of downtown Minneapolis sits one of the best kept jazz secrets in town — Friday Night Jazz at the Nicollet. The weekly cast features some of the most inventive cats around, and sometimes a surprising new ensemble as well. Tonight is a rare double-header, starting out (7 pm) with the last club gig of the 2014-2015 edition of the Dakota Combo, the metro-wide high school ensemble directed by Adam Linz. Six just graduated from high school and are heading on to study jazz and/or other things in college programs. This is their warmup for final gigs at the Twin Cities Jazz Fest and Iowa City Jazz Fest. And they should heat up the stage to a warm sizzle for Dean Granros' Tall Tales (9 pm), riding high after their CD release at the Icehouse a few weeks ago. Dean and Zacc Harris make it a double guitar quartet with Chris Bates and Jay Epstein.
In the burbs, enjoy a nearly monthly show with Maud Hixson at Parma 8200, with Rick Carlson on piano and Gordy Johnson on bass. The only thing predictable about the set list is that it will feature Maud's intimate stylings and at least a song or two you didn't know were out there.
Saturday, June 20. Lowertown is having a little festival of its own, between the Black Dog and Studio Z. Good thing the venues are a block apart. Zacc Harris' Jazz at Studio Z finishes its season with its second annual NextGen showcase, tonight featuring the Lars-Erik Larson Trio and Charlie Lincoln Group. Larson has only been in town a couple years and already is proving to be one of the most creative bandleaders, with Mancrush and Ramtrak. Tonight's trio features guitarist Thomas Nordlund and bassist Andrew Foreman. The Charlie Lincoln Group has been heard at the Black Dog and Jazz Central in the past year. Led by new South High grad Charlie on bass, the rest of the crew are equally precocious—Aidan Sponheim, Peter Goggin, Joey Hayes, Levi Schwartzberg and Sam Stroup.
At the Black Dog, two bands of veterans play back-to-back. Up first, the John Penny/Jay Epstein Duo, with composer/guitarist John offering sublime harmonies offset by drummer Jay's playful rhythms. This is a reprise of their first collaboration at the 2014 festival. The second half of the evening features one of the longest-running quartets from the days of the Artists Quarter, the Phil Hey Quartet. A 21st century Modern Jazz Quartet with emphasis on “modern," the PHQ boasts local legends Phil Aaron, Tom Lewis, Dave Hagedorn and of course Phil Hey behind the trapset. They're saluting the late Ornette Coleman as well as other muses.
Sunday, June 21. It's Father's Day and wouldn't Dad enjoy hearing one or two of the top area vocalists? Take him to brunch at the Icehouse for a change of pace, not your usual Sunday restaurant but savvy food and savvy music. And brunch is served with the Patty Peterson Trio — Patty with nephew Jason Peterson DeLaire and pal Billy Franze.
Back in 2009, Connie Evingson put together a program in tribute to Peggy Lee for her new Jazz at the Jungle series at the Jungle Theater. Six years and six seasons later, Connie continues Jazz at the Jungle, and now reprises Happy With the Blues, featuring her recent collaborator Jon Weber on piano, Dave Karr on sax and Gordy Johnson on bass. Hear favorites like “Fever", “He's A Tramp", “Johnny Guitar" and more from the Peggy Lee Songbook. There's two shows, 4:00 and 7:30 pm. Monday, June 22. Kurt Elling seems to get to the Dakota annually, and often it's with a new recording. Now he's just released Passion World (Concord Jazz, 2015), a wide-reaching exploration of passion and desire interpreted through the lens of diverse world cultures. Since each of Elling's previous ten albums received a Grammy nomination, we can expect the same here. He's touring with his working quartet— John McLean on guitar, Clarke Sommers on bass, Kendrick Scott on drums. One night, two sets at 7 and 9 pm.
JT's Jazz Implosion at the Icehouse features a new quartet headed by acrobatic percussionist Davu Seru, with Jake Baldwin (trumpet), Park Evans (guitar) and Josh Granowski (bass). Inventive soundmasters, all around.
Tuesday-Wednesday, June 23-24. Kurt Elling last night and now Cecile McLorin Salvant for two nights, at the Dakota? If this is an embarrassment of riches, we can stand the embarrassment just fine. Winner of the 2010 Monk Vocal Competition, Grammy nominee with her first commercial release (Woman Child), Downbeat New Artist and Top Female Vocalist in 2013, and recently on tour with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, seems there are no mountains Cecile can't climb.... and she's only 26. Imagine Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter and Abbey Lincoln melted together... Cecile seems to exude the entire history of vocal jazz. And really, she is just beginning.
Wednesday, June 24. Bassist Ted Olsen wasted no time lining up gigs after spring graduation from the University of Northern Colorado. The St Paul native warms up for his main stage gig at JazzFest with a performance tonight at Jazz Central. His usual cohorts include Jake Baldwin, Javi Santiago and Miguel Hurtado, making it a Young Lions blowout.
Thursday, June 25. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band returns to the Dakota, bringing with it a trail of New Orleans music and collaboration going back 40 years.
Friday-Saturday, June 26-27. Back in the Cities for the summer, vocalist/pianist Linda Peterson entertains anyone in the burbs who is not at Jazz Fest! Friday night she's at Parma 8200 in Bloomington (7:30 pm); Saturday night catch her at Crooners in Fridley (7:30 pm).
