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The Lead Sheet: Twin Cities Live Jazz, December 30 - January 5

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This last Lead Sheet for 2016 reflects the depth and breadth of the Twin Cities jazz scene— veterans, visitors and the next generation of stars. There's aural fun to be had on New Year's Eve, of course, and a look at the “Coming Soon" calendar gives us plenty of options to resolve to make 2017 the jazziest yet.

Big Gigs This Week

Friday, December 30.It's a night filled with homecomings! Local native, Chicago-based saxophonist Pat Mallinger is back for a night at Vieux Carre' with friends Chris Lomheim, Graydon Peterson and Phil Hey. Pat's a fixture at the Green Mill in Chicago and a frequent cohort of Bill Carrothers. During the heyday of the Artists Quarter in St Paul, Pat was at least an annual guest. Since the AQ's closing, he has returned to the basement stage at Vieux Carre' and most recently joined Carrothers in the Dunsmore Room. It just would not be the holidays without a visit from Pat. Come early for a set from pianist/composer Jeremy Walker.

At Jazz Central, young artists who have been featured throughout the year——many now located coast to coast in college programs—donate their time for a year-end fundraiser, with three bands starting at 8 pm. Tattered Tear Dropis Josh Johnson, Levi Schwartzberg, DeCarlo Jackson, Alex Karye, Sam Rosenstone, Tyler Wagner, Edmund Catlin and Nazeem Cunningham; TK Wallace's Hard Bop Playhouse has Jordan Anderson and Peter Goggin with Wagner and Catlin; and Sound Skirmish is Schwartzberg with Patrick Adkins, Drew Stinson and Ben Ehrlich. Every $10 cover goes to support the nonprofit venue and jazz education center that not only presents great music, but serves as a significant incubator of area talents.

More young guns tonight: In Excelsior at the 318, already a veteran bandleader, guitarist Will Schmid and long-time cohort, drummer Jesse Thorson, team up with trumpeter Jake Baldwin and bassist Charlie Lincoln for what should be a smoldering evening of originals and thoughtful covers. Will and Jesse just tore it up at the Black Dog a few nights ago, Charlie has been popping up all over town during his winter break from Berklee, and the relatively old Jake Baldwin is always a terror in any context.

At the Icehouse, the piano/bass duo of Bryan Nichols and James Buckley provides creative music through the dinner hours, followed by the jazzy soul sounds of Nooky Jones.

Saturday, December 31. It's a decent forecast for New Year's Eve so venture out this year and catch some great jazz to celebrate or compensate! Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog, starting the evening early with Todd Harper's Sane New Year's Eve, with Hoaxer(Peter Goggin, Will Kjeer, Charlie Lincoln, Edmund Catlin) headlining— and they are just coming off their recording sessions at Creation Audio and a killer performance last week at Reverie. Around 10:30 pm, there will be an all-star jam session featuring Saturday Night favorites.

Singing bassist Kate Lynch and her Most Excellent Fellows are on stage at Vieux Carre;' Park Square Theater presents the last show of The Soul of Gershwin; Arne Fogel, followed by the Benny Weinbeck Trio, celebrate at Parma 8200; Charmin Michelle and the Jerry O'Hagan Orchestra provide a festive ballroom evening at the Shakopee Ballroom; the JoAnn Funk Trio with vocalist Steve Marking pay tribute to Sinatra in the Lobby Bar of the Saint Paul Hotel; guitarist Joel Shapira provides solo sounds to open the evening at The Dakota, followed by the annual blowout with Davina and the Vagabonds.

Sunday, January 1. Most venues are closed today but you can catch some great solo guitar as well as creative brunch treats at the Icehouse, where Tim Sparks provides music to jumpstart your New Year's resolutions.

At Jazz Central, the weekly B-3 Organ Jam (4 pm) led by guitarist Cole Mahlum takes no holiday! And Jennifer Grimm offers a Rose Bowl alternative in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge.

Monday, January 2. A hot start to 2017, the Mill City Hot Club takes the spotlight at Jazz Central. Typically it's a quintet with guitar (Dean Harrington), violin (Gary Schulte), accordion (Patrick Harison), bass (Matt Senjem) and drums (Pete Hennig).

And JT's Jazz Implosion at the Icehouse takes a soulful turn with a new trio of Greg Schutte (Mickey Hart Band, Adam Meckler Quintet, JelloSlave) on drums, Blair Krivanek (Sonny Knight, The Dollys) on guitar, and Jimmy Stofer (Ryan Bingham, The Fray) on bass, with rumors of a special appearance by Sonny Knight himself.

And the Acme Jazz Companystarts 2017 with their monthly residency at Crooners Lounge.

Monday-Tuesday, January 2-3. Over the past decade, Terence Blanchard has emerged as one of the modern legends of jazz trumpet, as a performer, bandleader, film scorer, educator and more. His E-Collective is his funkiest project, featuring amazing young pianist Fabian Almazan, and they return to the Dakota for two nights of live recording as part of a three-city project (including Cleveland and Dallas). The recording concept was inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement and particularly three controversial shootings in the three cities.

Tuesday, January 3. A new year means 12 more First Tuesdays at the Black Dog, the monthly duo fest with guitarist Dean Magraw and drummer Davu Seru. You won't find two more inventive and compatible souls. First Tuesdays also mean the Bill Simenson Orchestra leading off Big Band Night at Jazz Central.

It's a swinging good night at Vieux Carre', starting out with solo piano finery from Chris Lomheim, followed by the king of stride, Butch Thompson, on the piano bench surrounded by the likes of clarinetist Tony Balluff and bassist Steve Pikal. That's a lot of jazz talent for a $5 cover! Tuesday-Wednesday, January 3-4. The Dunsmore Room at Crooners Lounge had already announced two nights with sax titan Jerry Bergonzi, but due to illness, Bergonzi had to cancel. No worries, New York saxophonist Dick Oatts took the slot, and with favorites Bill Carrothers, Billy Peterson and Joe Pulice in support, he'll provide two nights of fire sure to melt the ice on adjacent Moore Lake.

Wednesday, January 4. Winter break is not over yet, at least not for bassist Charlie Lincoln. He's had one gig after another since arriving back home on vacation from studies at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Tonight he's at Jazz Central with young vibes master Levi Schwartzberg and slightly older drum master Cory Healey. Kate Lynch and Her Most Excellent Fellows land at the Dakota.

Thursday, January 5. A few weeks ago, Rodney Ruckus blew Reverie apart with a three-ensemble night that ranged from hip-hop to funk to modern jazz. He in part repeats that evening at Thursday Night Jazz at Reverie tonight, with a double header: First up, the jazz/hip-hop project featuring drummer Arthur “LA" Buckner, followed by the current edition of The Ruckus with Rodney on drums, Greg Byers on cello, and Javi Santiago on piano. The trio heads out on tour after this warm-up.

Jazz Central's Vocal Jazz Night features Sarah M. Greer with inventive bassist Anthony Cox. At Khyber Pass, the Larry McDonough Quartet presents “all originals" written by Larry and bassist Greg Stinson, while the more traditional leanings of the Southside Aces are on display at the Dakota.

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