Jazz Police

[Note: This article is slightly revised from the original published at www.pleasedandflipped.com. Thanks to Kelle Green for providing it to Jazz Police!] The Jazz Journalists Association just announced its national slate of 2025 Jazz Heroes, advocates who have had significant impact in their local communities. The ‘Jazz Hero’ awards, presented annually on the basis of […]

It’s been a wild year in the life of the planet and the nation, and we can anticipate that 2025 will not likely bring us more calm or cleaner air. I am ending 2024 with a very personal listing of my favorite gigs of the year and some great expectations for 2025. This “Epilogue/Prologue” will […]

The holidays are upon us, and the coming month will be filled with seasonal music. In fact it might be hard to find unseasonal music throughout December, regardless of the band or musicians or venue. Looking back at November’s “hits” in the Twin Cities, some holiday celebrating got a head start, but for the most […]

Sorry about October. Fall has gotten away from me. It’s not that there wasn’t a lot of great music. I’ll recap some of my favorites going back to September before looking ahead to November! Epilogue: Jazz in September/October I try to never miss Kurt Elling, be it a quartet, trio, due or big band outing. […]

By Don Berryman Hammond B3 organ wiz Pat Bianchi is coming to the Twin Cities on November 14th at Crooners Supper Club with a killer trio featuring Joey DeFrancesco alums, guitarist Paul Bollenback and drummer Byron “Wookie” Landham. Pat Bianchi In the summer of 2010 I visited SMOKE Jazz Club in Manhattan and heard this […]

Epilogue: Favorite Jazz Moments of August As seems true every summer (or, every month?), there was a lot of great music throughout August in the Twin Cities, and I heard a small fraction of it.  And as seems true every month, I feel guilty coming up with a small selection of favorites…but that never stops […]

  For a quarter century, the JazzMN Orchestra has provided the Twin Cities area (and beyond) with the best of classic and modern big band music, presented by some of the best jazz musicians in the Upper Midwest. Under the baton of renowned saxophonist/bandleader Pete Whitman and the artistic direction of performer/curator/big band leader Andrew […]

“I always say that music has saved, saves and will save my life.” –Claudia Medina She grew up in Lima where her father  “transferred his love for music to me.” She joined her school marching band in fourth grade, began saxophone studies in 7th grade, and went on to the National Conservatory of Peru and […]

By Dan Emerson Two-time Grammy winner Kurt Elling is renowned for his formidable vocal instrument which made him an ideal choice to sing and swing with the world-class JazzMN Orchestra at Crooners in Fridley, Minn. on Sunday, October 23. Given the problematic economics of big band music in the modern era, singers don’t get many […]

By Dan Emerson One of Cuban-born piano virtuoso Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera’s stated ambitions is to combine his wide-ranging musical influences into one music. With the help of violin virtuoso Karen Briggs, a kindred spirit, Herrera continued his pursuit of that all-in-one ideal, October 16th at the Dakota jazz club in Minneapolis. The perfectly matched duet […]

The Twin Cities Jazz Festival brought us some great voices throughout St Paul—Bruce Henry, Lila Ammons, Maryann Sullivan, Ginger Commodore, Connie Evingson… the list goes on. So we’re primed for more! And there’s a lot more around the metro this week and into our holiday weekend.  Tierney Sutton, June 29, The Dakota, 7 pm. It’s […]

By Ryan Garmoe A newcomer to Volstead’s Emporium would probably be put off. They would see a line extending from a large metal door located in a back alley behind Bill’s Imported Foods in Uptown. Occasionally, a slit would open in the door, and a voice would ask, “how many?” then shut back up upon […]

By Ryan Garmoe Since 2019, something special has been happening every Tuesday evening in Northeast Minneapolis. Jazz musicians gather, share some drinks, and ultimately play tunes from 10pm-1am at Whitey’s Old Town Saloon on the corner of Southeast 4th and East Hennepin.  Spearheaded by local bassist, bandleader, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu aficionado, Graydon Peterson, the Old […]

By Dan Emerson The popular Saturday Night Jazz series in St. Paul’s Lowertown neighborhood has found a new home in an “old” location. Uprooted by the recent closing of Lowertown’s Black Dog Cafe, the series will resume Saturday, February 5 at kj’s hideaway, which opened last year in the basement of the Hamm Building, 408 […]

“She had huge listening ears and an even bigger heart.”–Wendy Lewis, Twin Cities vocalist  About 17 years ago, I formally met Pamela Espeland and her husband John Whiting after months bumping into them at the Dakota and Artists Quarter. Actually I think the Berrymans introduced us. It was clear that we had similar tastes in […]

Seems we are getting back to “jazz normal”, at least a lot closer to it.  Some high powered gigs with local and national heroes/heroines coming up! Crooners keeps three stages going at least 3 nights per week. Friday and Saturday (Oct 1-2) marks the return of vocalist/pianist, multi Grammy winner Karrin Allyson. Years ago she […]

Yes, there are bigger events than jazz gigs across the Metro this weekend, generating more ink, more hype, more COVID concerns… like the the State Fair and Immersive Van Goh. But for jazz fans, it’s hard to top the Atlantis Quartet and JazzMN Orchestra, at the Black Dog and Crooners respectively.  Atlantis, now well into […]

Under the leadership of area photographer Steven Peterson, the Upper Midwest Black and White Music Photography Contest is underway!  Launched to support Midwest musicians and venues, the contest also celebrates the upcoming 2021-2022 concert seasons as well as the many fine music photographers in the region. It’s a totally non-profit, grass-roots contest, where small cash […]

There’s a lot of great music, including hot jazz, around the metro this week but I need to specifically salute Jazz Central Studios and founder/director/veteran drummer Mac Santiago. Operating the basement space on a shoestring since 2010, Mac is more than a survivor on the jazz scene—he is a promoter of talent, particularly young and […]

I sort of retired “The Lead Sheet” when COVID shut down live music. And while I am no longer willing to commit to a weekly “heads up” regarding area jazz, I will try to provide frequent and timely commentary on what’s happening on the local scene. This is not intended as a listing of  all […]

The pandemic of 2020 has forced a tsunami of change for everyone in the performing arts. With nightclubs, theaters, and museums closed, or operating at limited capacity, Twin City jazz musicians have had to double their efforts to stay musically involved. Things grew difficult for the clubs that offer jazz, as well. But all is not […]

Adam Linz is a double bassist and an eminent force on Twin Cities jazz and creative music scenes. Linz has been a part of some of the area’s most exciting bands over the last 20 years, most notably as co-leader of Fat Kid Wednesdays. In this two-part interview, the bassist, composer, band leader and teacher […]

Adam Linz is a double bassist and an eminent force on Twin Cities jazz and creative music scenes. Linz has been a part of some of the area’s most exciting bands over the last 20 years, most notably as co-leader of Fat Kid Wednesdays. In this two-part interview, the bassist, composer, band leader and teacher […]

Good things have a way of sticking around. And few things are better than the music called hard bop which flourished roughly from 1955 to 1965. Luckily for those of us in the Twin Cities, the music lives on here. It’s being played Wednesday nights at Boom Island Brewery in Minnetonka by the Minnesota Hard […]

Either “the coolest old guy or the oldest cool guy…” — Pioneer Press Like a bobo doll, saxophonist Irv Williams seemed as if he would bounce back for an eternity. His career spanned more than 8 decades. He must have “retired” a dozen times, issuing new recordings and playing countless happy hour gigs in between […]

[Updated November 1, 2019] I hear these questions a lot: Where does one find live jazz in the Twin Cities? And how do you learn about it? Look no farther! This is your Jazz Police guide to Twin Cities jazz venues and resources! Learning about area jazz offerings is pretty easy online. Check out Jazz […]