The Afternoon Cruise

Starting his professional career in the late 70s and staying vital and relevant up to today, Kenny Garrett truly bridges generations as a jazz icon. Frequently recognized as the greatest alto player of his generation, Garrett is also a generational talent as a composer. Check out the conversation between Kenny Garrett and Sean McPherson as […] […]

Greetings! Every Friday I’ll be bringing you some highlights of new music we are featuring here on Jazz88. This is all connected to This Just In, our weekly show that celebrates new jazz releases. You can catch This Just In, hosted by moi, on Fridays at Noon on 88.5 or catch it on your own […] […]

Though performing his own originals and doing tributes is still on the menu for Bruce A. Henry, in recent years he has gravitated towards shows where he explores facets of the African-American experience through music. Though educational, these performances are also engaging and electrifying. The key to maintaining that balance is Henry’s personal investment in […] […]

After a decade as one of the most celebrated instrumental groups in the Twin Cities, Purple Funk Metropolis is back in action for 2023. Fresh off a band vacation to Puerto Rico, the group is preparing to head back into the studio and get a couple shows on their calendar. Purple Funk Metropolis is getting […] […]

We’ll take all the new music we can get from Kevin Washington & RA Spirit. From his drum stool Kevin Washington has been telling the story of Twin Cities music for decades. But Washington has a lot more to offer than his mastery of the kit. He’s a writer, a vocalist and quite the guitar […] […]

Greetings! Every Friday I’ll be bringing you some highlights of new music we are featuring here on Jazz88. This is all connected to This Just In, our weekly show that celebrates new jazz releases. You can catch This Just In, hosted by moi, on Fridays at Noon on 88.5 or catch it on your own […] […]

Wil B, one half of the hip-hop meets classical string duo Black Violin connected with Jazz88 in anticipation of their show on Saturday, February 10 at the State Theatre. Full Interview: This interview aired on The Afternoon Cruise 02/09/24     […]

More than any other hip-hop producer, J. Dilla, born James Yancey February 7, 1974, has impacted how jazz musicians write and play today. His famously “drunken” drum programming, his singular approach to harmonization and his bass playing have all become part of the lexicon of modern jazz. To mark what would be Dilla’s 50th birthday […] […]

It’s a big deal in town when Leslie Vincent drops a new record. She’s a gifted writer and vocalist and she’s got the right players in town to bring her tunes to another level. Jazz88 has been very supportive of the song “Icetown Blues.” It’s a great chart and the telepathic interplay between Vincent and […] […]

Adam Levy is a career guitar player and educator who has shared stages and recording studios with Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman, Meshell Ndegeocello and more. Listen to find out more about Levy’s new album Spry and his approach to writing and playing. Adam Levy plays Friday February 2 at metroNOME in Saint Paul and Saturday […] […]

The Grammys are coming up this weekend (telecast live on CBS on Sunday at 7pm Central Time). After Samara Joy’s banner year last year nabbing Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album, more attention has been justifiably put upon the jazz world and it’s relation to the Grammys. I had the opportunity to connect […] […]

The Sit In Series is a new program sponsored by the Minnesota Hard Bop Collective. The Sit In Series aims to provide a formal opportunity for middle school to college aged musicians to sit in or perform with professional musicians. Lead mentors Dale Alexander (piano) and Omar Abdulkarim (trumpeter) alongside mentee Bernadette Brownrigg Spray (vocals) […] […]

Dennis Spears is the longtime curator of the Legends Series at the Capri Theater. Spears was nice enough to visit Jazz88 on his “day off” to discuss Souled Out, the show he is putting up at the Capri this weekend. The focus for the concert is the legendary soul sounds of the 1960s and 1970s. […] […]

Greetings! Every Friday I’ll be bringing you some highlights of new music we are featuring here on Jazz88. This is all connected to This Just In, our weekly show that celebrates new jazz releases. You can catch This Just In, hosted by moi, on Fridays at Noon on 88.5 or catch it on your own […] […]

The state of the jazz union is good. We’ve got jazz artists all over the upcoming Grammy ceremony in early February, and according to Axios Gen Z is connecting with jazz in a big way. And even though historically January can be a bit of a lull for new releases, this year I’ve been getting […] […]

Jazz88 is getting ready to launch their newest show, “The Jazz Impulse”. Danny Sigelman will host the new show on Saturdays 7-10pm. This show will be about the “now”. The artists stepping on stage that night, the music that’s making this great jazz scene go strong. Sigelman joined Sean McPherson to talk about the show […] […]

Saint Paul Peterson is a funk ambassador, gifted vocalist, bassist and a curator of the Funk Friday series. He’s been a member of The Family and The Time and he’s been a recognized fixture in the music world on an international level for decades. Saint Paul is bringing his online series, Funk Friday, onto the […] […]

  Jenny Klukken has been bridging the gap between her classical background and her passion for jazz on her primary instrument, the marimba, for years. She’s back at it on Thursday night over at Crooners with an all-star band of Chris Olson (g), Chris Bates (b) and non-Chris Dave Schmalenberger (d). Klukken caught up with […] […]

  In 2023 the world saw the passing of some of the most iconic jazz artists, composers and personalities in the music’s history. Listen below to celebrate these artists and hear some of their most celebrated recordings! Artists Featured: Ahmad Jamal – July 2, 1930-April 16, 2023 Tony Bennett – August 3, 1926-July 21, 2023 […] […]

DeCarlo Jackson is a shining light in the Twin Cities. He is a member of HEYARLO, Hippo Campus and is a gifted trumpet player and bassist. After a viewing of the Spike Lee classic Mo’ Better Blues, DeCarlo Jackson wanted to combine the thriving jazz scene in the Twin Cities with the thriving comedy scene […] […]

Karrin Allyson and Rod Fleeman are never far from the holiday spirit. After sharing many a night on stage in Kansas City Allyson and Fleeman frequently travel together to bring their special brand of holiday cheer further afield. The duo were nice enough to stop by our studios today to serenade us with renditions of […] […]

2023 has been a banner year for new jazz music. After the jolt of seeing Samara Joy’s historical Grammy wins early in the year for both Best New Artist and Best Vocal Jazz Album it seems like the world has been paying more attention to the world class 2023 releases from the jazz world. Jazz88 […] […]

Toussaint Morrison and Roz Prickel are no strangers to stages of all varieties. But after about a year of contemplation and a handful of weeks of intense work, the duo are ready to stage their debut holiday show. They’ll be staging it at Northeast Social on Thursday and Friday December 14 and 15. More info […] […]

Joshua Redman recently released his Blue Note Records debut Where Are We. The album is much more lyrics heavy than Redman’s previous outings and features Redman’s maiden voyage as a lyric writer. The album is built around a collaboration between Redman and vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa as well as a top notch band featuring Aaron Parks, […] […]

We are stuffed to the gills in Minnesota with great jazz artists. We wanted to highlight some of the best songs released in 2023. This list is by no means comprehensive and we encourage you to listen our stream dedicated to Minnesota music, Minnesota Jazz Tracks. And don’t miss out on the great local show […] […]

Jazz88 celebrates the birthday of Jim Hall, born this day in 1930 in Buffalo, New York. Hall was widely admired for his harmonic acumen, his understated guitar style and his distinctive compositional voice. While he admired guitar innovators like Charlie Christian and Barney Kessel, he was largely inspired by horn players like Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. After morving to Los Angeles […] […]

José James is a product of South Minneapolis and even though he lives elsewhere he is still strongly connected with the Twin Cities. In fact, James fell in love with jazz as a young teenager thanks to an announcer on Jazz88 outlining the role of Billy Strayhorn in the composition “Take The A Train”. In […] […]

Ginger Commodore, Judi Vinar and Connie Evingson are all headliners in their own right but they have elected to get together as a triple threat for the first time to usher in the holidays with their Crooner’s concert on November 30 “Holiday Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice”. The trio connected with Sean McPherson from the […] […]

Maurice Jacox is a living legend. He’s lived his life on stages around the world and nowadays the Twin Cities is blessed to see him all over town. On November 28 Maurice will be leading his group “We Still R” through a concert at the Dakota. In the conversation with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson Jacox discusses […] […]

Drummer, bandleader and writer Brandon Commodore is no stranger to stages all across the world in his work with Stokley, The New Power Generation and more. But for Brandon’s own musical development, no stage looms as large as the Dakota. This Monday he and his group NRG will grace the stage and Commodore has a […] […]

Jazz 88 celebrates the birthday of Eddie Condon, born November 16, 1905 in Goodland, Indiana. As a guitarist and banjo player based in Chicago in the 20’s, Condon cut his teeth working with artists like Bix Beiderbecke, Jack Teagarden and Frank Teschemaker.  Relocating to New York in 1928, he got work organizing recording sessions and was responsible for racially integrated […] […]

Congratulations to all the great jazz musicians who received Grammy nominations for the upcoming 2024 awards. Many of the nominees are mainstays on Jazz88. Here is a complete list of the jazz category nominations as well as a handful of categories outside of jazz that featured artists we are supportive of on Jazz88 (we have […] […]

Harold López-Nussa is already out on the road and is ready to visit the Cedar Cultural Center on Wednesday November 15 for his debut performance at that venue. López-Nussa’s new release is his first for Blue Note and it’s garnering lots of acclaim for good reason; it’s a reflection on his experiences, both joyous and […] […]

“Every Other Culture Knows Their History, We Need to Know Our History Too” – Nabaté Isles Nabaté Isles connected with Jazz88 in advance of his show this Sunday at Crooners. The show is titled “Jazz’s Influence on Hip-Hop”. Isles was quick to point out how his upbringing in NYC in the golden era of hip-hop […] […]

The celebrated Twin Cities vocalist Kathleen Johnson is back onstage this weekend at the Capri Theater this weekend (November 4 and 5th) for Blue Gardenia. The show features three singers, Johnson, Thomasina Petrus and Patricia Lacy. The trio is navigating the songbooks of Etta James, Billie Holiday and Phyllis Hyman. Kathleen Johnson took the time […] […]

LA Buckner and his Big HomiE project are preparing for another big show at the Dakota. This week he’ll be bringing a special Halloween friendly program to the stage. When he visited Jazz88 he talked about this show and his recent experience playing with Big HomiE on stages that require different levels of restraint in […] […]

Vic Volare is preparing to throw his Monster Mash Birthday Bash on Halloween night over at the Granada Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. In regards to throwing a night of swinging music, this is not Volare’s first rodeo. Vic Volare was at the epicenter of the swing dancing renaissance of the mid-90s here in the Twin […] […]

Craig Taborn was raised in the Twin Cities but set his sights on the East Coast early in his professional career. After cementing his status as a top-flight straight-ahead jazz player in the 1990s, Taborn has become one of the most inventive and forward thinking musicians in any genre. Although he is well-known for his […] […]

During some downtime in Atlanta, Grammy-winning songster Fantastic Negrito was doing a little genealogical digging when he started down a trail leading to his seventh-generation grandparents. It turns out that, in Virginia in the 1750s, his grandparents–a white Scottish indentured female servant and an enslaved African man–fell in love and started a family. This discovery […] […]

Twin Cities mainstay, and friend of the station, Leslie Vincent, visited the studios of Jazz88 to perform a haunting ukulele version of her song, “Bury Her Down,” and to chat up her upcoming performance at the Granada Theater in Uptown Minneapolis on Saturday, October 21. Take a listen: This interview aired on The Afternoon Cruise […] […]

Back in 2017, Jazz88’s Bobby Vandell, host of Bridge to the Blues and Jazz Futures, connected with drum legend David Garibaldi for an extended interview, covering many aspects of Garibaldi’s impressive career, beginning with his early years in Tower of Power. Jazz88 will continue to share portions of this interview throughout the coming months. Enjoy […] […]

Roy Hargrove was born October 16, 1969. In his too-short life (Hargrove died in 2018), he became an icon–sharing stages with musicians from across genres, winning Grammys, and penning songs that would live on for generations. Minnesota-based trumpeter Omar Abdulkarim had occasion to share stages and conversations with Hargrove during his time living in New […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we are able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. Throughout our Fall Drive, we will be sharing selections from our audio […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we’re able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. During our Fall Drive, we will be sharing full live concerts from our […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we are able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. Throughout our Fall Drive, we will be sharing selections from our audio […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we are able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. Throughout our Fall Drive, we will be sharing selections from our audio […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we are able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. Throughout our Fall Drive, we will be sharing selections from our audio […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we’re able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. During our Fall Drive, we will be sharing full live concerts from our […] […]

Jazz88 offers so much more than a streaming service ever can by connecting you to the world of jazz. With the support of our listeners, we’re able to present live events, capturing world-class talent from resident and touring artists, all year long. Throughout our Fall Drive, we will be sharing selections from our audio archives […] […]

Drummer, vocalist, and bandleader Stokley is an internationally-acclaimed R&B star, both as a solo act and through his 20+ year career with Mint Condition, though he keeps a fairly low profile in his native Twin Cities. Stokley doesn’t perform locally all that often, but when he does. . .it’s an event. This Saturday, Oct. 7, […] […]

Grammy award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling took some time out of his touring itinerary to chat with The Afternoon Cruise’s Sean McPherson about his new album, SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree. He’ll be coming to town on Sunday, October 1, with Charlie Hunter and the rest of his SuperBlue touring ensemble for a performance at The Parkway […] […]

Trumpeter/composer John Raymond (above; R) was raised in the Twin Cities, but now spends most of his time between Bloomington, Indiana and New York. However, he’ll back in town on Friday, Sept. 29 at the Cedar Cultural Center to kick off a tour supporting his new collaborative album with S. Carey (above; L), Shadowlands. Jazz88 […] […]

Braxton Haulcy (above; R), Executive Director at St. Paul’s WalkerWest Music Academy, and Ernest Bisong (above; L), a WalkerWest instructor and curator for the newest installment of their long-running Rondo Community Music Series, stopped by the Jazz88 studios to discuss this annual musical community event, how it comes together, and the different ways you can […] […]

Twin Cities-based vocalist and educator Dorothy Doring (above; L) has added a new chapter to the long story of her life as a musician. In the past couple of years, Doring has started writing her own songs and she’s ready to share them with the world. She’ll be playing at Metronome Brewery in St. Paul […] […]

Yohannes Tona, an internationally-renowned bassist, has teamed up with vocalist Dibekulu to bring Ethio-Jazz to the Twin Cities. Ethio-Jazz will headline a show at the Green Room in Minneapolis on Friday, September 22. Listen to the conversation below to hear how Yohannes discovered the sounds of Ethio-jazz–while also learning other styles of music–and discover how […] […]

Cuban-American piano phenom, Alfredo Rodriguez, is coming to the Turf Club for a show on Sunday night (Sept. 24) with his trio. He’s celebrating the release of his new Mack Avenue recording, Coral Way.  Hear a conversation between Alfredo Rodriguez and Jazz88’s Sean McPherson below, and get ready for Rodriguez’s first visit to the Twin […] […]

David Feily, Greg Byers, and Ernest Bisong are all first call players in the Twin Cities music world. As members of a niche group of string players working in improvised settings, their paths might’ve been destined to cross regardless, but it was the urging of violin master Randy Sabien that initially brought them together. After […] […]

Kavyesh Kaviraj is in demand in the Twin Cities as a phenomenal pianist. Throughout his ten years in the Twin Cities, he’s developed quite the network of players to call on when he’s leading the bandstand, so when he took on the duty of curating a Jazz88 JazzClectic pop-up concert, he knew just who to […] […]

Marcus Kar, the Program Director at Youth Farm and co-chair of the Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council, recently came to visit Jazz88 and brought along Jesse Miller, a FAIR School junior and Youth Farm lead. This Saturday, Sept. 16, they are celebrating the season with Playing For the Plants 2023: a concert featuring free food (while […] […]

Twin Cities vocalist Aja Parham fell in love with the voice of Sarah Vaughan the first time she heard her on CD. From there, Parham has made an effort to celebrate Sarah Vaughan on stages across the Twin Cities and beyond. She’ll be exploring the Sarah Vaughan songbook on Sunday night over at Crooners. Listen […] […]

Jon Reyerson of the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce is preparing for the annual James J. Hill Days celebration this weekend. This year, as part of the festivities, Jazz88 will be presenting a JazzClectic pop-up concert on Friday night (Sept. 8) with the Jack Brass Band. Jon stopped by to chat about the concert, and about […] […]

In anticipation of the upcoming Zorn @ 70 event at the Walker Art Center this Saturday (Sept. 9), Jazz88’s Sean McPherson sat down with Philip Bither, Senior Curator of Performing Arts at the Walker, to highlight some tracks from John Zorn’s vast catalog, and to talk about Zorn’s significance in the musical world. Listen: Portions […] […]

“Deedles,” AKA Diane Schuur, is making her way back to the Twin Cities for two shows on Saturday, August 12 with the JazzMN Orchestra. She’ll be exploring the Count Basie songbook–something she’s been doing since the mid 1980s. Diane was joined for this interview by her feline partner, Puss Puss. Listen here: This interview originally […] […]

Award-winning pianist Isaiah J. Thompson is navigating life as a rising star in the jazz world, an in-demand sideman touring the world with John Pizzarelli, and a newlywed! It’s a lot to balance, but Thompson finds a way to do it, while still finding time to serenade his mother’s old Volvo. Take a listen here: […] […]

Minneapolis-based drummer/producer JT Bates is preparing for a show on Monday, August 14 with Todd Clouser (guitar) and John Medeski (keys). Bates connected with The Afternoon Cruise to talk about what it’s like to play with such heavyweights and what they plan to bring to the Icehouse stage. Listen here: This interview originally aired on […] […]

Versatile pianist Ted Godbout is a consummate sideman, supplying the needed support on keys for many of the greats in the Twin Cities and beyond; but on Wednesday, August 9, Godbout will be stepping out as leader to bring his musical vision to the Capri Theater plaza as part of the JazzAccess Series. Check out […] […]

Adam Meckler isn’t just a trumpet player. He’s a writer, an arranger, a curator, a podcaster, an educator, and more. He came down from Michigan’s upper peninsula to get his Twin Cities-based orchestra back together for a show at Crooners on Friday (Aug. 4). In the conversation, Meckler and Jazz88’s Sean McPherson discuss Meckler’s approach […] […]

Jason Fabus is a Minnesota-educated jazz musician making his way out in Los Angeles. He’s swinging back through town to visit friends and play a couple of shows. He’ll be at Crooners this Friday night (Aug. 4) with Graydon Peterson (bass) and Phil Hey (drums) supporting. Fabus is a bit of an odd bird in […] […]

Jazz is having a moment. I start most every day here at Jazz88 reviewing music that comes in via mail and email from players all over the globe. Is it all excellent? Absolutely not. I receive some duds, and I know that, in my music career, I have definitely sent out my share of duds […] […]

Composer/pianist/music director/vocalist Billy Stritch connected with Jazz88 ahead of his upcoming Crooners show, “A Musical Night Out with Billy Stritch.” In the interview, Billy talks about what he’s learned from working with greats like Liza Minnelli, Linda Eder, and others. He also shared a memory of playing with the late, great Tony Bennett in Stritch’s […] […]

Local artists Katia Cardenas and Lucia Sarmiento are both instructors of a new program at WalkerWest Music Academy called the “Women in Jazz Initiative.” The first combo of players from the program are playing on Saturday, June 24 at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival (7:30pm set at the MPSVoices Future of Jazz Stage in the […] […]

When Christian McBride was in town to play the Dakota in January, he made time to discuss the ensemble he’d be bringing to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival this Saturday with Jazz88. Listen here:   This interview originally aired June 22, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise.       […]

Saxophonist, flautist, vocalist, and composer, Camille Thurman, along with the Darrell Green Quartet, are getting ready to hit the Jazz88 Mainstage for night one of the 25th Twin Cities Jazz Festival on Friday, June 23rd (set time 6:00 PM). They caught up with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to talk about their plans for the […] […]

Jazz88 Program Director and Midday Host, Travis Ryder, chatted with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise about the broadcast schedule for this weekend’s Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Here’s a quick summary: Friday, June 23 3:30 – 8:30 PM: MPS Voices Future of Jazz Stage wall-to-wall streaming at MPSVoices.com Scheduled: Walker West Jazz Ensembles, Minnesota Jazz Youth […] […]

Davina Lozier, frontperson for long-running Twin Cities group, Davina and the Vagabonds, swung through The Afternoon Cruise to talk about getting back into their home studio after an extensive tour, a new, upcoming release, how to win over the crowd at this weekend’s Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and more. Davina and the Vagabonds take the […] […]

Gary Hines, the leader of Sounds of Blackness, connected with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to discuss the group’s new single, “Woke” as well as their upcoming Juneteenth show at Allianz Field. Listen: […]

  Manny Hill, the executive producer of MPS Voices, was nice enough to swing through The Afternoon Cruise and talk about the exciting new service designed to let more listeners discover the talents of the Minneapolis Public Schools community. Listen here:   This interview originally aired June 15, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview […] […]

Local guitarist Cody Steinmann visited The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming concerts, his monthly jam session, and his love of the Twin Cities. He was raised in Milwaukee, but relocated to the Twin Cities about five years ago. Sean McPherson also quizzed him about Milwaukee’s not-so-famous food, hoppel poppel. Listen here:   This interview […] […]

“Everybody wants to be free.” Minneapolis-based vocalist Jevetta Steele (of the celebrated family gospel group, The Steeles) caught up with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to discuss her upcoming appearance with the Minnesota Orchestra for their Juneteenth Celebration (happening June 23) and the importance of reflecting on the holiday, especially as Minnesotans. Listen here:   […] […]

Ernest Bisong, an accomplished violinist based out of the Twin Cities, swung through the Jazz88 studios to talk about the role of violin in jazz music and to discuss his upcoming summer camp for young violinists at Walker West Music Academy. Listen:   This interview originally aired June 5, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This […] […]

Legendary guitarist, vocalist, and Radio Deluxe co-host, John Pizzarelli, hopped on the phone with Jazz88 to discuss his new album, Stage & Screen, and his recent travels with his trio. Check it out:   This interview originally aired June 2, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg. […]

Grammy-nominated producer (Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Raphael Saadiq), vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist, Terrace Martin, got with The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his latest project with the jazz “supergroup,” Dinner Party, and his upcoming run of shows at the Dakota. During the conversation, Martin shared his deep knowledge of the Twin Cities music scene–including gracing the stage […] […]

The celebrated MC, artist, and activist Lewiee Blaze came through to discuss his upcoming performance at The Purple Day on Saturday, June 3rd. This annual celebration of Prince, aka “The Purple One,” brings together some of the best and brightest of the Twin Cities music scene for a great community event. Listen:   This interview […] […]

The celebrated harp player Brandee Younger is preparing for a headlining show at the Dakota on Tuesday, May 23. She hopped on the phone with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to discuss the show, her recent album, and the influence of jazz harpist Dorothy Ashby on her work. Listen:   This interview originally aired May […] […]

Minnesota-based trumpet player Jake Baldwin swung through the studios of Jazz88 to discuss garnering a 4-star review in DownBeat magazine for his latest release on Shifting Paradigm records, Misc. Items. Listen:   This interview originally aired May 22, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.     […]

Byron Stripling, a nationally-acclaimed trumpet player and conductor, joined The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming season-opening show, celebrating the music of New Orleans and the legacy of Louis Armstrong, with the JazzMN Orchestra on Tuesday, May 23. Listen:   This interview originally aired May 19, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced […] […]

Sloane Martin, a broadcaster with the Minnesota Lynx, swung by the Jazz88 studios to talk about the upcoming season, which gets underway on May 19 with a home game against the Chicago Sky. Listen:   This interview originally aired May 18, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.   […] […]

Local, in-demand drummer, bandleader, educator, and friend of the station, LA Buckner, stopped by to discuss his upcoming show at Indeed Brewing’s Whirlygig event, part of this weekend’s Art-A-Whirl festivities. Listen:   This interview originally aired May 19, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise.       […]

Chadwick ‘Niles’ Phillips, founder & CEO of The Avant Garde entertainment production company, stopped by the Jazz88 studios to discuss his involvement with ComMUSICation, a program founded in 2013 to provide high-quality after school music programs accessible to youth. The group is celebrating their 10th anniversary on Sunday, May 21 at the Ordway in St. […] […]

Trumpeter and composer Ambrose Akinmusire is getting ready for a two-night stand at the Walker Art Center on May 19 and 20. He’s been working on new music and figuring out how to balance his work with his wellbeing. Hear a conversation between Ambrose Akinmusire and Jazz88’s Sean McPherson before attending the shows this weekend: […] […]

Celebrated saxophonist, composer, educator, and Music Director for the Twin Cities’ own JazzMN Orchestra, Pete Whitman, dropped by the Jazz88 studios to discuss his upcoming show leading and conducting the South High Jazz Band on May 24.   This interview originally aired May 15, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited […] […]

The in-demand, Twin Cities-based pianist and composer, Kavyesh Kaviraj, came through the studios of Jazz88 to talk about the importance of working as a side person, his approach to leading bands, and his upcoming show at the Dakota.   This interview originally aired May 12, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise.       […]

Twin Cities Jazz Festival organizers Steve Heckler and Dayna Martinez swung through The Afternoon Cruise to chat about the event (now in its 25th year), including details about the MPS Voices Youth Stage and other schedule highlights from across the 2023 Twin Cities Jazz Fest. Listen here:   This interview originally aired May 10, 2023 […] […]

Pete Whitman, the celebrated Minnesota-based saxophonist and composer, swung by The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming show with Byron Stripling and the JazzMN Orchestra on May 23, as well as an upcoming set on the books at the Dakota.   This interview originally aired May 8, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was […] […]

Celebrated organist Ronnie Foster is making his way to the Dakota on May 11. Ahead of the show, he hopped on a Zoom with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson to talk about his latest album, what to expect from the show, his tutelage under other organ masters, and his experience of being sampled by hip-hop group, A Tribe […] […]

Bobby Lyle is back in town for a Friday show at Crooners, and while here, he was nice enough to stop by the Jazz88 studios. He talked about growing up in Minneapolis, and hearing about young musicians in North Minneapolis who were working out of a garage. Those musicians turned out to be Prince and […] […]

Pianist Billy Childs connected with Sean McPherson via Zoom to discuss his new album, his collaborators, and his upcoming show at the Dakota in Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 10th. Listen:   This interview originally aired May 3, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.     […]

Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, Karrin Allyson, hopped aboard The Afternoon Cruise to talk about her upcoming show at the Dakota on Tuesday, May 16. She’s preparing for a new album centered on the music of Brazil, and she’s bringing some collaborators along, including Brazilian singer and guitarist, Rosa Passos. Listen:   This interview originally aired May […] […]

deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson, and Davu Seru swung through the Jazz88 studios ahead of their 4/28/23 release show at the Cedar Cultural Center to discuss the making of their new album, We Sick, their process for making music together in general, and more. Listen:   This interview originally aired April 26, 2023 on The Afternoon […] […]

Long-time soul and blues singer, Willie West, hopped on the phone with Sean McPherson from The Afternoon Cruise to chat about his upcoming show at Crooners, the re-release of his record, The Soul Sessions, and more. Listen: Portions of this interview originally aired April 19, 2023 on This Just In.       […]

It’s happening. This Saturday, April 22, is Record Store Day. If you aren’t familiar with Record Store Day, it’s an opportunity for the music world to give love to the saints who still shop, work, and thrive at independent record stores. The event got started in 2007 as a way to call attention to the […] […]

Joan Hutton and Sue Orfield came through The Afternoon Cruise to chat about their collaborative new effort, Take That Back, on Shifting Paradigm Records, and their upcoming show this Friday (4/7) at Crooners. Listen to the conversation here:   This interview originally aired April 5, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise.       […]

Patty Peterson stopped by The Afternoon Cruise to discuss the Minnesota Jazz Legends event coming up on Sunday, April 2nd. Dive into this conversation to get a glimpse of what goes into producing an event like Minnesota Jazz Legends, and we’ll see you there on Sunday! Listen to the interview here: Portions of this interview […] […]

It’s been a while since we’ve done a Rhythm Changes update, and we’re very glad to be back! For the first few months of 2023, we’ve been focusing on one new release per week for This Just In. That pushed our Rhythm Changes series to the side. but with this great influx of new music, […] […]

Saxophonist and composer Immanuel Wilkins came through The Afternoon Cruise and talked with Jazz88 ahead of his performance at the Dakota on Wednesday, April 5. Listen to the interview here: Portions of this interview originally aired March 30, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.     […]

In preparation for their show on Saturday, April 1 at the Dakota, Jay Young brought his son and fellow bassist, Ian Young, as well as celebrated vocalist Ginger Commodore, into the Jazz88 studios to discuss the Lyric Factory project. Listen to the interview here: Portions of this interview originally aired March 27, 2023 on The […] […]

While he was in Minneapolis, Christian McBride was nice enough to connect with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming performances in the Twin Cities, his love and support for all things jazz, and his work on Jazz Night in America. Listen to the interview here: Portions of this interview originally aired March […] […]

Acclaimed poet and educator Desdamona stopped by Jazz88 to discuss her work with TruArt Speaks and the upcoming relaunch of their acclaimed Re-Verb Open Mic series. Listen to the interview here: Interview audio edited by Autumn Haeg Originally aired March 23, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise.     […]

I love Bessie Smith, but there are times where, no matter how much you love the sound, you wish you could hear those songs done faithfully, but recorded with technology that wouldn’t become available until after Smith’s passing in 1937. That’s where this set of performances from Dinah Washington fit in. By 1958, the studios […] […]

The celebrated saxophonist and composer James Brandon Lewis visited with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to discuss the music and legacy of Ornette Coleman on Coleman’s birthdate, March 9. Lewis’ path in the music world is connected to Coleman not only by Coleman’s musical legacy, but also by players like Charlie Haden and Jamaaladeen Tacuma, […] […]

After a seven year absence from the stages of the Twin Cities, Pippi Ardennia and her partner, Daniel Leahy, are back to grace the Crooners mainstage on Sunday evening (3/12). They were nice enough to hop on a Zoom with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to chat about their upcoming visit. Listen to the interview […] […]

When an album gets sampled over and over by hip-hop artists, it’s a clear indicator that something incredibly funky was happening on said release. In the case of Bobbi Humphrey’s Blacks and Blues, there’s a reason so many artists gravitate to the sounds. Larry Mizell laid down the compositions for Humphrey to sink into, with […] […]

LA Buckner was nice enough to visit The Afternoon Cruise before his headlining show at the Dakota on Monday, March 6. Listen to the interview here: Originally aired March 2, 2023 on The Afternoon Cruise. […]

Cassandra Wilson could’ve been the “next great” jazz singer, but she chose a vastly more interesting path. By bringing the sounds of blues, R&B, and more into her fold, Wilson tossed a well-deserved middle finger to the gatekeepers who expect jazz musicians to stay in the Real Book and blues musicians to stay in Mississippi. […] […]

Cécile McLorin Salvant joined a Zoom with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise in advance of her shows this weekend (2/24-25) at the Walker Art Center. Check out the full conversation right here! […]

This year, Jazz88 is sharing space with the team from iHeart Media, including KFAN, while our North Minneapolis studios and offices are undergoing renovations. Turns out, these sports people also know their music, and we’ve received a couple of thoughtful jazz gifts from Mr. Paul Allen. His gifts have been welcome, thoughtful, and, most importantly, […] […]

Joan Griffith visited The Afternoon Cruise to discuss her new album, Sambanova 2, and her upcoming show at Crooner’s on February 17. […]

This Just In is Jazz88’s weekly celebration of new releases. It hits the airwaves every Friday at noon and this week, we are diving into Kassa Overall’s latest mixtape, Shades 3. Kassa Overall is a drummer, producer and vocalist who refuses to water down any part of his skill set to fit into a single genre […] […]

If you’re a music enthusiast, chances are your “favorite” is a moving target–something that changes with the season; perhaps a new release that you predict will turn into a core album for years to come. I’m full of “favorites” that wax and wane. I just had a long discussion with Fletcher from Cities 97 about […] […]

You’re on a jazz radio station’s website right now. Chances are, I’m preaching to the choir here, but in case you’re new to jazz, Mingus Ah Um is the cream of the crop. If you thought jazz was stuffy background music for academics who are afraid to feel anything, every note of this record will change […] […]

In my job, I’m lucky to receive mountains of world-class music in my inboxes–both digital and physical–day in and day out. It’s beautiful, receiving all this music, but it becomes important to use shorthand to seek out the truly high quality stuff as a matter of efficiency. Jeremy Pelt, a celebrated trumpeter based out of […] […]

Rachael Price hosted Sean McPherson from The Afternoon Cruise at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul ahead of her concert with her group Lake Street Dive.  The subject: her other project with guitarist/composer Vilray, and their new release I Love A Love Song! Listen to the interview here: Originally aired Jan. 27, 2023 on The Afternoon […] […]

This Just In is Jazz88’s weekly celebration of new releases. It hits the airwaves every Friday at noon and this week, we are diving into Lakecia Benjamin‘s latest release, Phoenix. It is worth mentioning that the producer of this new release is none other than Terri Lyne Carrington, whose own album was featured last week on […] […]

  Happy Robert Glasper week, Twin Cities. This weekend, Robert Glasper sets up camp at The Dakota for a run of shows starting on Friday night. Today, on The Afternoon Cruise, we are taking a Deep Dive into one of my favorite records from Glasper’s catalog, 2012’s Black Radio. If you’re making world class music, […] […]

This Just In is Jazz88’s weekly celebration of new releases. It hits the airwaves every Friday at Noon and this week we are diving into Terri Lynn Carrington’s latest release, New Standards Volume 1. For her latest effort Carrington worked with purpose at every turn, working up material exclusively from women composers and drawing in an […] […]

It’s a Deep Dive Wednesday on The Afternoon Cruise and we are going to check out Chris Potter‘s 2006 effort Underground. Ten albums deep into his solo career, Underground has been critically acclaimed as an album where many of the most promising pieces of Potter’s previous releases came together in one package. Chris Potter has a […] […]

This Just In is Jazz88’s weekly celebration of new releases. It hits the airwaves every Friday at Noon and this week we are diving into Jason Marshall‘s latest release, New Beginnings.  It’s not a coup to see a baritone sax player leading a band by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s still certainly not […] […]

Gary Hines, the longtime leader of Sounds of Blackness, stopped by Jazz88 to visit and discuss the group’s upcoming show, “Music for Martin” which takes place at the Ordway on Friday, January 13.     […]

On today’s Afternoon Cruise we’ll be doing a deep dive into Abbey Lincoln’s 1991 album You Gotta Pay The Band. The featured guest on the album is the esteemed legend Stan Getz in one of his last recording sessions before his passing in June of 1991. Throughout the album I am reminded of three primary […] […]

This Just In is Jazz88’s weekly celebration of new releases. It hits the airwaves every Friday at Noon and this week we are diving into Lauren Falls‘ new album A Little Louder Now. Lauren is a bass player/composer who spent some time out in New York before returning to her hometown of Toronto. The release features […] […]

On today’s Afternoon Cruise we’ll be doing a deep dive into Joe Henderson’s debut album as a leader, the 1963 release “Page One”. This album marks the second time that Kenny Dorham and Joe Henderson got into the studio together, though it was the first session to be released to the public. There’s a Ghostface […] […]

Minnesota musician Keyez Williams paid a visit to The Afternoon Cruise to discuss his run of shows at the Granada in uptown Minneapolis and to play a bit of his music. His remaining shows are on December 22, 27, and 29!     […]

Greetings! Sean here, Music Director and Afternoon Host at Jazz88. I’m honored to share the Top Ten Songs of 2022 on Jazz88. A quick note about the methodology: I gathered the fifty most played songs on Jazz88 that were released in the year 2022 and then put up a poll for listeners to pick their […] […]

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We’ve got some new releases, including some holiday fun, to welcome into the rotation here at Jazz88. As always, if there is some new jazz you are loving that you aren’t hearing, I’d love to know about it! I can be reached at sean@jazz88.fm. ST4TA– “Lazy Days feat. Emma-Jean Thackray” from their album ST4TASFEAR  Listen Here […] […]

The guitarist Marc Ribot was nice enough to catch up with The Afternoon Cruise in advance of his upcoming show at the Cedar. Ribot discussed his love of solo performance, his short-lived tenure in Brother Jack McDuff’s band, and his close associations with the no-wave scene in New York City. […]

NOTE: This show has been postponed. When there is a new date we will announce it here.   Award-winning music icon Vijay Iyer was nice enough to join Sean McPherson from The Afternoon Cruise in anticipation of his Thursday (11/3) show at the Dakota. In this interview, Iyer discusses his new record, Uneasy, his love […] […]

The great music just keeps on coming in and we haven’t even tapped into the pile of holiday releases that have come in in the last couple weeks. As always, if there is some new jazz you are loving that you aren’t hearing, I’d love to know about it! I can be reached at sean@jazz88.fm. […] […]

In anticipation of his Saturday show at Jazz Central (10/22), saxophonist Dennis Mitcheltree hopped on a Zoom with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise to talk about new album, Golden Rule. […]

The celebrated vocalist Kendra Morris, who is currently on tour with labelmates, Monophonics, hopped on a ZOOM to chat with Jazz88 host, Christian Fritz, in advance of her upcoming show at the Fine Line. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20220929162343-KendraMorrisPodcastInterview.mp3 […]

Kelly Finnigan, the leader of psych soul/funk group, Monophonics, connected via ZOOM with Jazz88 host, Christian Fritz, in advance of their show on October 3 at the Fine Line in Minneapolis. Listen below. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20220929154643-MonophonicsPodcastInterview.mp3 […]

The musical icon Jellybean Johnson swung through Jazz88 to talk blues, museums, and the greatness of the Twin Cities music scene. […]

The Minnesota-based music icon, Nachito Herrera, hopped on the phone with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson to discuss his upcoming performance at The Ordway. He’ll be playing with a 7-piece band featuring the cream of the crop from the Cuban music scene. Enjoy the conversation about what concert-goers can expect from the show. […]

William Eddins, the accomplished pianist, conductor, and proprietor of Jazz88 business sponsor, MetroNOME Brewery, was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to talk about his gig this weekend. Mr. Eddins will be conducting both the Minnesota Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra for their performances at Orchestra Hall. […] […]

We are in a golden age for new jazz releases, and figuring out the right tunes to get into our playlists has been a true joy. Check out a couple of these highlights and be sure to let us know what you think of the new music. I can be reached at sean@jazz88.fm. Samara Joy […] […]

Guitarist/composer John Scofield is out on the road with his band to support his new, self-titled release, and they’re taking the stage of the Dakota on Thursday evening, September 8th.  He was nice enough to take some time out of his busy schedule to visit with Sean McPherson on The Afternoon Cruise.   […]

Acclaimed vocalist Lizz Wright was nice enough to connect with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson in advance of her show on Thursday, September 1 at The Dakota. Check out the whole conversation here. […]

The Minnesota State Fair is here and we couldn’t be more excited about how much jazz there is to offer this year. No matter what day you go, you should be able to take in a great jazz experience. We sincerely encourage you to come through on Friday, August 26 and/or Saturday, August 27 when […] […]

Local guitar maven and friend of the station, Zacc Harris, is celebrating the legacy of Pat Martino on Thursday, August 25 at Crooners. He hopped on The Afternoon Cruise to discuss Martino’s influence in the jazz world. […]

Keyboardist/producer, Ben Sidran, is rolling through town for a two night stand on Friday, August 19 and Saturday, August 20 at Crooners. He was nice enough to hop on a Zoom and chat with Sean McPherson about his new album and his upcoming shows. […]

Vocalist and pianist Andrew Walesch connected with Patty Peterson to discuss his upcoming CD and CD release show exploring the catalog of Cole Porter. […]

The Minnesota jazz legend and Jazz88 broadcaster, Butch Thompson, passed away on Sunday, 8/14/22. Below, is audio of a tribute to Butch from the 8/16/22 Afternoon Cruise with Tony Balluff (Southside Aces) and Sean McPherson (Jazz88). […]

PaviElle is releasing a new documentary that tracks the making of her newest album, Sovereign. Check out the extended conversation between PaviElle and Jazz88’s Sean McPherson. […]

Hear trumpeter and director of the Count Basie Orchestra, Scotty Barnhart, talk about the upcoming show at Crooners, alongside a discussion about the role of the trumpet in jazz and Scotty’s take on the most important jazz musician of all time. […]

Michael Cain joins The Afternoon Cruise to talk about his upcoming show as part of MacPhail’s Water Works concert on July 9!   […]

Nachito Herrera joins The Afternoon Cruise to talk about his upcoming show as part of MacPhail’s Water Works concert on July 9!   […]

Emmet took a minute between soundcheck and his performance on Friday June 24 to touch base with Sean McPherson from Jazz88. […]

Benny Jones Sr., bass drum player and bandleader for the Treme Brass Band took the time to catch up with Sean McPherson from Jazz88 via phone from his home in New Orleans.   […]

Zacc Harris was nice enough to swing by and chat about his upcoming concert at the Twin Cities Jazz Fest. The show is happening on Saturday June 25th at 2pm on the Jazz88 Mainstage.   […]

Gary Hines, the longtime leader of Sounds of Blackness, stopped by Jazz88 to visit and discuss the group’s new anthem, “Juneteenth Celebration.”   […]

Julius Collins, the vocalist for Dr. Mambo’s Combo and a fixture in the Twin Cities music scene, stopped by The Afternoon Cruise to talk about the shows that the Combo will be a part of this weekend over at the Capri. Check out the conversation in advance of their shows on Saturday and Sunday at […] […]

The celebrated Chicago-based drummer Makaya McCraven is coming through town for a show at The Fine Line on Wednesday. Makaya was nice to hop on a ZOOM call with Sean from The Afternoon Cruise in advance of Wednesdays show! Listen to the interview: final Makaya Audio – Sean McPherson   […]

Throughout the week, I’ll be connecting with artists who are set to take the stage of Indeed Brewing for the Whirlygig event happening in Northeast Minneapolis this weekend, May 20-22, as part of Art-A-Whirl. L.A. Buckner, drummer extraordinaire and leader of Big Homie, stopped by to talk about the gig and what we can expect […] […]

Throughout the week, I’ll be connecting with artists who are set to take the stage of Indeed Brewing for the Whirlygig event happening in Northeast Minneapolis this weekend, May 20-22, as part of Art-A-Whirl. Andrew Tomten (saxophone; L) and Andy Schupp (bass; R) stopped by to talk about the gig and everything that is happening […] […]

As part of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association’s Art-A-Whirl weekend, Whirlygig is back (for the first time since 2019) at Indeed Brewing’s Minneapolis taproom! May 20-22 Jazz88 is proud to be sponsoring a full weekend of great local music, including artists Purple Funk Metropolis, MMYYKK, L.A. Buckner & Big Homie, Arlo, Happy Apple, and many […] […]

Nate Smith’s Kinfolk project is coming to town for a two-night stand at the Dakota on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. I had the chance to catch up with him as he was wrapping up another tour down in Chicago to talk about his most recent recordings and the differences in creating in real […] […]

John Pizzarelli’s schedule permitted him to stop by our studios before his visit to the Dakota tonight. It’s no surprise that John was an absolute natural doing radio, I mean he has his own radio show. We even broadcast it on Jazz88 on Saturdays at 5pm. John was more than happy to talk about his […] […]

I had the honor of catching up with Cyrille Aimée in advance of her performance on Friday night, April 1st, at the Dakota. In the interview, you’ll hear about Cyrille’s fascination with the Dakota, Minneapolis in general, and her adopted hometown of New Orleans. We touch on her impressive 14 disc discography and the band […] […]

  If you are a regular listener to KBEM, hopefully you’ve heard Phil Nusbaum’s informative and entertaining feature Twin Cities This Week/Twin Cities Weekend. On a recent playback, I was intrigued by a new band, Sprig Of That, who discussed in-depth a new recording, Eight Threads. Like Phil’s featurette, the group had received an endowment […] […]