Along with assorted ghosts and goblins, we have some of the area's best jazz musicians delivering their own tricks and treats this week.
Big Gigs This Week
Friday, October 30. Tonight (and tomorrow night), start your evening at Crooners where accordionist/keyboardist Denny Malmberg plays the Happy Hour sets— featuring polkas! Dinner sets at the Icehouse tonight feature the sublime duo of Bryan Nichols (piano) and James Buckley(bass).
At Jazz Central, the trio was initially scheduled as Hipster Farm Supply, and now they are the Basement Society.Whatever the band is called, it will be three hipsters playing in the basement! The trio is led by drummer Pete James Johnson with pianist Javi Santiago and Boston-groomed bassist Dan Carpel.
At the Nicollet, it's the return of Battle Cat, a once-popular trio that that went dormant for 3 years before reappearing during the 2015 Twin Cities Jazz Festival. The band includes guitarist Park Evans, bassist Cody McKinney and drummer Greg Schutte, “playing original music informed by jazz, rock, West African and Caribbean music, and re-imagined arrangements from the jazz canon."
The double feature at Vieux Carré starts out with the Jeremy Walker Duo (the hip pianist usually paired with bassist Jeff Brueske) before yielding the stage to the soulful Ginger Commodore Quartet (Sean Turner, Mark Weisberg and Bobby Commodore).
Tonight, Arne goes to Hell! Crooner and jazz historian Arne Fogelis back at Hell's Kitchen on Halloween Eve, most likely with a few pals from the Wolverines. Perhaps he will be wearing his Bing Crosby mask?
At the Black Dog, enjoy Radio Joe and the Jazz Bos, featuring the vibraphone artistry of “Maestro" Bruce Wintervold on vibraphone, “Radio Joe" Demko on guitar and vocals, Keith Boyles on bass, and Tony Guscetti on drums, and playing retro swing, boogie woogie and jump blues.
Saturday, October 31. The weekly Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog features the usual double bill, tonight kicking off with the young talents of the Will Schmid Trio (Will on guitar, Alma Engebretson on bass and Simon Petrick on drums). These three high school students formed 60% of the Will Schmid New Quintet which dazzled a full house at The Nicollet last week. They'll warm up the stage for the veteran explorers, How Birds Work (Dean Granros, Peter Schimke, Chris Bates and Kenny Horst), covering great inspirational works from the likes of Coltrane and Shorter as well as originals.
Dinner sets at the Icehouse again feature bassist James Buckley, this evening paired with eclectic guitarist Tim Sparks. The Benny Weinbeck Trio (with Gordy Johnson and Phil Hey) play their weekly gig at Parma 8200, while JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske meet you in the Lobby Bar of the Saint Paul Hotel, their Saturday night home for the past seven years.
The ever-swinging Patty and the Buttons, led by accordionist/vocalist Patrick “Patty" Harison, take over Vieux Carré, matching the decor and menu with their NOLA-influenced brand of musical fun. Sunday, November 1. Remember—set your clocks back an hour! You don't want to miss jazz brunch at Crooners (Andrew Walesch Trio) or at the Aster (Patty and the Buttons) or at Maria's (Robert Everest). Or the Cuban rhythms of Charanga Tropical and their mostly monthly, no-cover afternoon set at the Icehouse. Or the weekly Sunday night special at the Riverview Wine Bar— the Zacc Harris Trio, one of the longest-running gigs in town.
And you don't want to miss the long-awaited return of Soul Cafe, back in their original guitar-sax-piano configuration with Steve Blons, Brad Holden and Steven Hobert, who replaces Laura Caviani at the keyboard. Tonight they explore the theme of “Ripening: Ages and Stages," music paired with poetry readings and a visual arts display in the Art Gallery of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.
At the Dakota, where the club is celebrating its 30th anniversary year, enjoy a no-cover 2016 Preview Party, with music provided by the Jordan Anderson-Adam Astrupduo (teen pianist and guitarist who will blow your socks off), followed by the Debbie Duncan Quintet, along with a video presentation of upcoming shows by Lowell Pickett.
Monday, November 2. Crooners Lounge hosts the Acme Jazz Company, a big band featuring one of the nation's largest selections of original charts. Earlier, vocalist/pianist Andrew Walesch starts his four nights of Happy Hour.
At the Dakota, a Foodie Night with the Travis Anderson Trio(with Steve Pikal and Nathan Norman) boasts what is surely one of the nation's largest selections of crazy antics on the bandstand. At the Icehouse, JT's Jazz Implosion presents two off-the-edge ensembles, starting with the Real Bulls of percussion, Dave King and JT Bates, going stick to stick in a royal battle. They will be followed (if the stage is still standing) by the Enormous Quartet, with Chris Thomson on sax, Park Evans on guitar, Chris Bates on bass, and Joey Van Phillips on drums.
Tuesday, November 3. It's the First Tuesday which means Dean Magraw and Davu Seru wreak havoc at the Black Dog, while at Jazz Central, its the monthly rotation for the Bill Simenson Orchestra, featuring a who's who list of the area's big band greats.
Piano rules at Vieux Carré, with Mary Louise Knutson flying solo followed by the Travis Anderson Trio, just flying! At Crooners, Tuesday Instrumental Jazz night features world-renowned guitarist Tim Sparks and his trio.
Wednesday, November 4. At Crooners, Gary Rue and his Rat Pack band celebrate the great male singers (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole).
Thursday, November 5. Jazz vocal night at Jazz Central features Jana Nyberg (Meckler), a singer who can as easily cover Ella Fitzgerald as Bonnie Raitt.At Crooners, Maud Hixson and Rick Carlson take the stage, “In the Crook." Jon Pemberton (on piano) leads off the night at Vieux Carré, followed by the traditions of New Orleans and beyond from the Southside Aces.
It's sort of a jazz fest at Groundswell coffee shop in St Paul, with three bands tonight— Cory Healey's Beautiful Sunshine Band, Graham O'Brien, and the Noah Ophoven-Baldwin/Cole Pulice duo.
And the University of Wisconsin-River Falls' RADD Jazz Series (Abbott Concert Hall) presents Laura Caviani in the first of two concerts. Tonight it's a duo with UWRF Jazz Professor Dave Milne, presenting “Jazz Impressions" of classical works, from Debussy, Faure, Ravel, Schuman and more, along with some Brubeck and Caviani originals.
Big Gigs This Week
Friday, October 30. Tonight (and tomorrow night), start your evening at Crooners where accordionist/keyboardist Denny Malmberg plays the Happy Hour sets— featuring polkas! Dinner sets at the Icehouse tonight feature the sublime duo of Bryan Nichols (piano) and James Buckley(bass).
At Jazz Central, the trio was initially scheduled as Hipster Farm Supply, and now they are the Basement Society.Whatever the band is called, it will be three hipsters playing in the basement! The trio is led by drummer Pete James Johnson with pianist Javi Santiago and Boston-groomed bassist Dan Carpel.
At the Nicollet, it's the return of Battle Cat, a once-popular trio that that went dormant for 3 years before reappearing during the 2015 Twin Cities Jazz Festival. The band includes guitarist Park Evans, bassist Cody McKinney and drummer Greg Schutte, “playing original music informed by jazz, rock, West African and Caribbean music, and re-imagined arrangements from the jazz canon."
The double feature at Vieux Carré starts out with the Jeremy Walker Duo (the hip pianist usually paired with bassist Jeff Brueske) before yielding the stage to the soulful Ginger Commodore Quartet (Sean Turner, Mark Weisberg and Bobby Commodore).
Tonight, Arne goes to Hell! Crooner and jazz historian Arne Fogelis back at Hell's Kitchen on Halloween Eve, most likely with a few pals from the Wolverines. Perhaps he will be wearing his Bing Crosby mask?
At the Black Dog, enjoy Radio Joe and the Jazz Bos, featuring the vibraphone artistry of “Maestro" Bruce Wintervold on vibraphone, “Radio Joe" Demko on guitar and vocals, Keith Boyles on bass, and Tony Guscetti on drums, and playing retro swing, boogie woogie and jump blues.
Saturday, October 31. The weekly Saturday Night Jazz at the Black Dog features the usual double bill, tonight kicking off with the young talents of the Will Schmid Trio (Will on guitar, Alma Engebretson on bass and Simon Petrick on drums). These three high school students formed 60% of the Will Schmid New Quintet which dazzled a full house at The Nicollet last week. They'll warm up the stage for the veteran explorers, How Birds Work (Dean Granros, Peter Schimke, Chris Bates and Kenny Horst), covering great inspirational works from the likes of Coltrane and Shorter as well as originals.
Dinner sets at the Icehouse again feature bassist James Buckley, this evening paired with eclectic guitarist Tim Sparks. The Benny Weinbeck Trio (with Gordy Johnson and Phil Hey) play their weekly gig at Parma 8200, while JoAnn Funk and Jeff Brueske meet you in the Lobby Bar of the Saint Paul Hotel, their Saturday night home for the past seven years.
The ever-swinging Patty and the Buttons, led by accordionist/vocalist Patrick “Patty" Harison, take over Vieux Carré, matching the decor and menu with their NOLA-influenced brand of musical fun. Sunday, November 1. Remember—set your clocks back an hour! You don't want to miss jazz brunch at Crooners (Andrew Walesch Trio) or at the Aster (Patty and the Buttons) or at Maria's (Robert Everest). Or the Cuban rhythms of Charanga Tropical and their mostly monthly, no-cover afternoon set at the Icehouse. Or the weekly Sunday night special at the Riverview Wine Bar— the Zacc Harris Trio, one of the longest-running gigs in town.
And you don't want to miss the long-awaited return of Soul Cafe, back in their original guitar-sax-piano configuration with Steve Blons, Brad Holden and Steven Hobert, who replaces Laura Caviani at the keyboard. Tonight they explore the theme of “Ripening: Ages and Stages," music paired with poetry readings and a visual arts display in the Art Gallery of the Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church.
At the Dakota, where the club is celebrating its 30th anniversary year, enjoy a no-cover 2016 Preview Party, with music provided by the Jordan Anderson-Adam Astrupduo (teen pianist and guitarist who will blow your socks off), followed by the Debbie Duncan Quintet, along with a video presentation of upcoming shows by Lowell Pickett.
Monday, November 2. Crooners Lounge hosts the Acme Jazz Company, a big band featuring one of the nation's largest selections of original charts. Earlier, vocalist/pianist Andrew Walesch starts his four nights of Happy Hour.
At the Dakota, a Foodie Night with the Travis Anderson Trio(with Steve Pikal and Nathan Norman) boasts what is surely one of the nation's largest selections of crazy antics on the bandstand. At the Icehouse, JT's Jazz Implosion presents two off-the-edge ensembles, starting with the Real Bulls of percussion, Dave King and JT Bates, going stick to stick in a royal battle. They will be followed (if the stage is still standing) by the Enormous Quartet, with Chris Thomson on sax, Park Evans on guitar, Chris Bates on bass, and Joey Van Phillips on drums.
Tuesday, November 3. It's the First Tuesday which means Dean Magraw and Davu Seru wreak havoc at the Black Dog, while at Jazz Central, its the monthly rotation for the Bill Simenson Orchestra, featuring a who's who list of the area's big band greats.
Piano rules at Vieux Carré, with Mary Louise Knutson flying solo followed by the Travis Anderson Trio, just flying! At Crooners, Tuesday Instrumental Jazz night features world-renowned guitarist Tim Sparks and his trio.
Wednesday, November 4. At Crooners, Gary Rue and his Rat Pack band celebrate the great male singers (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole).
Thursday, November 5. Jazz vocal night at Jazz Central features Jana Nyberg (Meckler), a singer who can as easily cover Ella Fitzgerald as Bonnie Raitt.At Crooners, Maud Hixson and Rick Carlson take the stage, “In the Crook." Jon Pemberton (on piano) leads off the night at Vieux Carré, followed by the traditions of New Orleans and beyond from the Southside Aces.
It's sort of a jazz fest at Groundswell coffee shop in St Paul, with three bands tonight— Cory Healey's Beautiful Sunshine Band, Graham O'Brien, and the Noah Ophoven-Baldwin/Cole Pulice duo.
And the University of Wisconsin-River Falls' RADD Jazz Series (Abbott Concert Hall) presents Laura Caviani in the first of two concerts. Tonight it's a duo with UWRF Jazz Professor Dave Milne, presenting “Jazz Impressions" of classical works, from Debussy, Faure, Ravel, Schuman and more, along with some Brubeck and Caviani originals.
