A Full Weekend & More. Music: 6.25 – 7.1

Well, it’s Jazz Festival Weekend in the Twin Cities, or more specifically, Saint Paul. I won’t attempt to go into any detail, what with 300 acts over a couple of dozen stages, but will post a separate guide later today with some ideas. In the meantime, I’ve tried to include other jazz happenings as well as a normal amount of roots and blues. Have a good week.

Jazz

Wednesday, June 25

Linda Peterson @ School II Bistro, Chanhassen. 6pm (No Cover) A member of Minnesota’s royal musical family  Linda spent much time in California, but is now back playing piano and singing.

Doug Little’s Tres Mundos @ Arlington Hills Library, Greenbrier St., Saint Paul. 6:30pm – 7:30pm (Free) Okay, last week I had the time wrong and apologize to anyone who didn’t catch the jazz in the library event at Saint Anthony Public Library. The time for this event is correct. Tres Mundos features a blend of salsa, samba and jazz from  pianist/vocalist Viviana Pintado (Cuba), percussionist Eliezer Freites-Santos (Brazil), and saxophonist/flutist Douglas Little (United States). Dancing is encouraged!

Reid Kennedy Trio @ Jazz Central, Minneapolis. 8:30pm ($10 Suggested Donation) Kennedy is a drummer/producer who, in addition to this trio, plays in the Jack Brass Band. Tonight he’s joined by Chris Lomheim on piano, and Graydon Peterson on bass. Pretty sublime music, if you ask me.

Thursday, June 26

Dancing in the Park

Capri Big Band Street Dance @ Rice Park, Saint Paul. 7pm (Free) Swing Dancing! Lessons! A Big, Big Multi-generational Band. Outside. Fun. Inside at the Ordway (still fun) in case of rain. Lessons actually start at 6pm.

Barbara Bjork & Vicky Mountain @ Jazz Central, Minneapolis. 7:30pm ($10 Suggested Donation) It’s a night for vocal jazz. Vicky is one of the area’s most popular educators and jazz singers. Barbara has a cool, accessible approach to jazz and bossa novas.

Friday, June 27

Pig’s Eye Jass Band @ Eagles #34, Minneapolis. 6-9pm ($6) This seven-piece trad jazz band is named after the area’s original bootlegger. Their lively music brings out swing dancers and folks who like to strut their stuff.

Jake Baldwin Quintet @ Dakota Late Night, Minneapolis. 11:30pm ($5) This young trumpeter is becoming a force to be reckoned with. His quintet is composed of a number of talented young musicians: Nelson Devereau, sax; Brian Courage, bass; Joe Strachan, piano; and Miguel Hurtado, drums.

Monday, June 30

Craig Handy & 2nd Line Smith @ the Dakota, Minneapolis. 7pm,. 9pm ($25) Handy is a saxophone player who was a featured soloist in the theme for the Cosby Show. He’s also portrayed Coleman Hawkins in the the film Kansas City, and has recorded and performed with the Mingus Dynasty Band, Betty Carter, Herbie Hancock, John Scofiled, and as a member of The Cookers. HIs current project, 2nd Line Smith, draws inspiration from the music of New Orleans and organist Jimmy Smith.

Jason Squinobal @ Jazz Central, MInneapolis. 8:30pm ($10 Suggested Donation) Squinobal is a saxophone-playing ethnomusicologist who earned his PhD with a dissertation on West African music and it’s relationship to the music of Art Blakey, Yusef Lateef, and Randy Weston. He is a freelance musician who has toured throughout the US, Canada, and Jamaica.

For a comprehensive listing of Jazz, go to the Twin Cities Live Jazz Calendar. For further commentary on Twin Cities jazz, check out the blogs Jazz Police, Bebopified, and Jazz Ink.

Blues, Roots, Other

Wednesday, June 25

Lonesome Dan Case on KFAI and @ The 331 Club, Minneapolis. 5pm (90.3 & 106.7FM), 7pm (331 Club – Tip Jar) The swayback machine will take you back about 80 years when you hear Lonesome Dan  He plays the blues like an itinerant musician making his way through the Great Depression. Tune in during the 5 o’clock hour and head over to the 331 Club to see him in person.

Wednesday, Thursday, June 25, 26

Albert Lee featuring Cindy Cashdollar @ the Dakota, Minneapolis. 7pm ($35), 9pm ($25) Englishman Lee has been (and still is) an in-demand session guitarist for a host of artists, including Muddy Waters, BB King, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, and Emmylou Harris, receiving a number of awards in the process, including five consecutive awards as the Best Country Guitarist from Guitar Player magazine. Cindy Cashdollar plays Dobro and steel guitar, and has worked with many artists as well, including Bob Dylan, Dave Alvin, Rod Stewart, and Marcia Ball, among others. She’s won five Grammy Awards for her work with Asleep At The Wheel.

Thursday, June 26

Midwest Harmonica Workshop Show @ The Minnesota Music Cafe, Saint Paul. 8pm. ($?)  Featuring Hurricane Harold, Mike Fugazzi, and the Moses Oakland Jam. There’s a big harmonica workshop in town, and to kick things off there’s a performance by a couple of area harpmeisters. Hurricane Harold is known for his work with Cool Disposition and his All Star Blues Revue, while Mike Fugazzi is a hard-charging harp player who has gone through a number of bands.

Rockin’ Pinecones @ the Eagles Club #34, Minneapolis. 7:30 – 10pm ($6) Music for Cajun dancing, and a little Zydeco too, along with some good ol’ Swamp Pop music for good measure.

Mother Banjo w/Ernie Hendrickson @ The Aster Cafe, Minneapolis. 9pm ($6) Ellen Stanley, aka Mother Banjo, brings her banjo-fueled writing and singing to the Aster, along with Chicago songwriter Ernie Henderson, a roots/rock writer who’s influences include Neil Young, Tom Petty, and Willie Nelson.

Friday, June 27

Steve Clarke & The Working Stiffs @ The Eagles Club #34, Minneapolis. 7:30pm ($5?) Another night for dancing at the Eagle’s Club, a saxophonist Clarke & crew brings Jump, Jive, and Swing to the wooden dance floor at the club.

Buffalo Killers @ Bayport BBQ, Bayport. 8pm ($10) Buffalo Killers hail from Ohio. The trio has recorded three albums, opened a string of dates with the Black Crowes and appeared on Last Call with Carson Daly. They play “heavy” rock n’ roll, encompassing garage psychedelia, boogie, and other trademarks of 70s rock. Corpse Reviver opens, with a much quieter sound.

Saturday, June 28

Jennifer Markey in formal attire

3rd Annual Honky Tonk Fest @ Grumpy’s NE Bar & Grill, Minneapolis. Muisc by Leo Rondeau, Trailer Trash, Jillian Rae, Jennifer Markey & Her 2nd Cousins, Doug Otto & the Getaways, and more. Proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma society of Minnesota.

Freewheelin’ KFAI Roots Music Benefit @ Harriet Brewing Tap Room, Minneapolis. 2pm (Suggested Donation $5)  An all day event with about 20 different performers in various permutations, including The Roe Family Singers, Bernie King, Papa John Kolstad and Hurricane Harold, Nikki & the RueMates and more! All proceeds from the door and a percentage of beer sales to KFAI. Here’s a video of one of the bands – the Roe Family Singers.

Sunday, June 29

Run Westy Run, Dosh, & BNLX @ The Amsterdam Bar & Hall, Saint Paul. 5pm doors ($20) Formed in the 80s, Run Westy Run was a popular post-punk band in the Twin Cities. They recorded two albums for SST and another for Twin/Tone, and were famous for unpredictable shows, which they performed through the late nineties. Lately, they’ve more or less reunited and have been doing shows around town, including sold-out shows at First Avenue. Dosh uses analog instruments to create electronic soundscapes and collaborate with the likes of Andrew Bird and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. BNLX is a described as an experimental/noisepop/pot-punk band, whatever that means.

Chicha Libre @ the Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis. 7:30 pm. ($15 advance/$18 Door) It’s an evening of Andean and Latin American music.  Chicha Libre, a Brooklyn Collective of international musicians, draws upon Peruvian “chicha” music, which includes Latin rhythms (Cumbia, to be specific), as might be expected, as well as the sound of surf music and psychedelic pop. Chicha Libre also draws from a raft of other influences, including classical music by Satie and Wagner. Alma Andina, a Twin Cities group with members from Chile, opens.

For a more comprehensive listing of blues (and some roots) events, see the MN Blues Society calendar. For a comprehensive listing of Cajun and Zydeco events, see the Krewe de Walley calendar.

Summer’s End. Music: 8.29 – 9.4

One of the aerial rides at the Minnesota State Fair.

Where did the summer go? We’re looking at Labor Day this weekend. I hope you have been able to enjoy the summer. With the State Fair upon us, and school starting up, we’ll start to see fewer outdoor events, though a couple are on hand in the next week or two. in the meantime, we have some unique combinations of jazz players, a few significant birthday celebrations, and  two blues acts from Texas hitting town.

Jazz

Wednesday, August 20

Thomson, Johnson, & Ikeda @ Cafe Maude, Minneapolis. 7:30pm. That’s Chris Thomson, sax; Gordy Johnson, bass; and Alden Ikeda, drums, bringing jazz to the neighborhood bistro at 54th & Penn. It’s jazz that can stand up to careful listening as well as being in the background. If you go for the music, be sure to reserve a table near the band.

Thursday, August 30

Photo by Bruce Christianson

John Devine & Friends @ Loring Pasta Bar, Minneapolis. 6pm (No cover) Devine has been playing his saxophone at this venue for ohh, about twenty or more years. He’s a singular player, who has won awards, fellowships, and commissions from foundations, and has played with R&B bands and classical ensembles, in addition to improvisational groups. You can never tell who will show up to play with Devine, but rest assured, they will be among the most talented musicians in town.

Birthday Celebration for Jeanne Arland Peterson, Irv Williams, and Cliff Brunzell @ The Artists’ Quarter, Saint Paul. 7:30pm – 10:30pm. Here is a chance to honor and respect some of the musical elders in our midst. Peterson on piano, is 91, as is violinist Brunzell. Williams is 93. Each still plays with verve and imagination.

Friday, Saturday, August 31, September 1

Phil Hey Quartet @ The Artists’ Quarter, Saint Paul. 9pm ($10) Okay, so you’re staying in town for the Labor Day weekend, and you’ve exhausted your appreciation for the State Fair. Here’s an opportunity to hear some jazz from musicians that more than hold their own with any group in the nation. Hey is on drums, with Dave Hagedorn on Vibes, Tom Lewis on bass, and Phil Aaron on piano. They usually appear at the AQ on weeknights, so here’s a chance for those of you who have school, work, etc. during the week to see this great band.

Saturday, September 1

Steve Hobart’s Hot Club @ the Harriet Brewing Tap Room. 4:30pm – 6:30pm (Free) Here’s an afternoon stop that will pick you up. Steve Hobert is a pianist/accordionist about town who’s been perking up ears in various ensembles. He’s bringing some gypsy jazz to the Tap Room this afternoon. Sounds like a great destination for a bike ride. Music. Beer. And food from Potter’s Pasties

Sunday, September 2

Photo by Andrea Canter

Leigh Kamman’s 90th Birthday Celebration @ The Artists’ Quarter, Saint Paul. 6pm. Another nonagerian in the jazz community. Kammen set vivid scenes and regaled listeners with many stories on Saturday nights as he broadcast the Jazz Image on MPR for so many years. Musical guests include Pete Whitman’s X-Tet, Brad Bellows, Carole Martin and more.

Dean Harrington Trio @ The Red Stag, Minneapolis. 9pm (No cover) Harrington is a relatively unsung jazz guitarist  who can swing standards and Django Rheinhardt tunes with equal aplomb. Tonight he’s joined by Dean “Many Notes” Mikkelson on guitar and Matt Senjem on bass.

Tuesday, September 4

Nichols, Peterson, & Horst @ The Artists’ Quarter, Saint Paul. 9pm ($5) No, it’s not a law firm, but rather Bryan Nichols, piano; Billy Peterson, bass; and Kenny Horst, drums. A Tuesday night that promises moments of sublime taste as well as effortless flights of imagination.

A more comprehensive calendar for the Twin Cities can be found at Jazz Police. They feature jazz commentary as well, as do Bebopified, and Jazz Ink.

Roots, Blues, Other…

Wednesday, August 29

617 Band @ Groovin in the Garden, Como Park Conservatory, Saint Paul. 6pm (Free) The 617 Band creates highly danceable R&B, Latin, and rock grooves with creative covers and a few originals. Grab a blanket or camp chairs, bring a picnic and have a fun evening on the lawn of the conservatory. A cash bar and lawn games will be available.

Albert Lee @ The Dakota, Minneapolis. 7pm ($30) Not to be confused with Alvin Lee of Ten Years After, Albert Lee is a revered guitarist with a country/rockabilly bent. He’s played with The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Emmy Lou Harris, Jerry Lee Lewis, Joe Cocker, and BB King, to name a few. Considered by many (including Clapton) to be one of the finest guitarists on the planet. Here’s a video of Lee doing his thing.

Thursday, August 30

Andrew Jr. Boy Jones @ Famous Daves Uptown, Minneapolis. 9pm. (No Cover). Texas Guitarist Jones was a member of Freddy King’s band twice, in the 60s (when Jones was 16) and again in the 70s. He’s also worked with the Louisiana soul singer Bobby Patterson, as well as Johnny Taylor, appeared on Katie Webster’s album Swamp Boogie Queen, and recorded three albums with Charlie Musselwhite, winning a WC Handy Award in 1995. He’s recorded five of his own albums since then, getting a WC Handy nomination for Watch What You Say on Rounder. In other words, the deep voiced Mr. Jones is the real deal, and for fans of the blues, is well worth seeing.

Friday, August 31

Jeff Ray & Hurricane Harold @ the Harriet Brewing Tap Room, Minneapolis. 6pm – 8pm (free) Jeff plays dynamite guitar, Harold blows a mean harp. Together they produce energetic acoustic blues. Freshly tapped beers and the Anchor Fish & Chips Food truck are a plus.

Mary Cutrufello @ Cajun Potuck, 5936 Lexington Ave, Shoreview. 7pm – 9pm. Cajun Potluck is an unassuming little cafe that specializes in one Louisiana dish each day, and sells all sorts of authentic ingredients for those who want to try their own hand at Cajun and Creole cooking. While I’ve recommended Mary Cutrufello in the recent past, a chance to hear her singing solo while having Jambalaya is unique, and worthy of your attention. Though no alcohol is served, you certainly don’t need it to enjoy Mary’s country-rock.

Carolyn Wonderland @ The Dakota, Minneapolis. 8pm ($25) Wonderland is an Austin, Texas multi-instrumentalist and composer with a soulful voice that’s tough enough for the blues, and a guitar style to fit. She’s pretty good at singing country and gospel as well.

Sunday, Monday, September 2, 3

Big Sam’s Funky Nation and Bettye Lavette @ The Leinie Lodge Bandshell, MN State Fair, Saint Paul. 3:30 & 4:45 (Big Sam) 8:30pm (Bettye)  (Free with $12 Admission to the Fair) Okay, arrive early in the day and catch New Orleans’ Big Sam who used to be top trombonist in the Dirty Dozen, and his brass heavy funk band. If you’re not familiar with them, check out the video, below. Have some dinner, check out the produce hall, or the sales pitches under the grandstand, and come back to see soul legend Bettye Lavette, a singer who gets inside a song like no one else. Her performances will wring the soul out of you – in the best way possible.

Monday, September 3

Laughing Waters Bluegrass Festival @ Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis. 1pm – 6:30pm. (Free) This is the 14th year for this family-friendly outdoor festival. Twin Cities bands  Ivory Bridge, Sawtooth, The Platte Valley Boys, and the Middle Spunk Creek Boys, will be joined by up and coming guitarist/singer/composer Nora Jane Struthers will be providing the music. Nearby Sea Salt can provide food and drink, while there will no doubt be other vendors around as well. Stop by while traversing the bikeways, or make a day of it.

Duke Robillard

Duke Robillard and Davina & the Vagabonds @ The Dakota, Minneapolis. 7pm ($20-$25) Here’s a two-fer that’s sure to be entertaining, not to mention a bargain. You’ve got vocal powerhouse Davina & the Vagabonds, who bring down the house whether playing a festival in the neighborhood or Switzerland. Robillard is the guitarist who started Roomful of Blues, and has played with folks ranging from Pinetop Perkins to Bob Dylan. His jump blues playing has always included some jazz elements, and in fact, he’s put out a few albums of very swinging standards and originals.

Tuesday, September 4

Jack Klatt @ Cafe Maude, Minneapolis. 7:30 pm (no cover) Klatt can co a Western swing number and turn around and play some bluegrass.

For a more comprehensive listing of blues (and some roots) events, see the Minnesota Blues Society calendar.

For a comprehensive listing of Cajun and Zydeco events, see the Krewe de Walleye calendar.