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,...Read More
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...Read More
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...Read More
I live in the seemingly small Venn diagram cross-section of people who enjoy both bluegrass and jazz. That curious nexus where one can appreciate and find merit in Bill Evans and Bill Monroe. John Coltrane and John Hartford. ‘Round Midnight and O Brother, Where Art Thou?. Do I love everything from either genre? No. You’d...Read More
Jazz88’s Manny Hill is joined by MPS Interim Superintendent Rochelle Cox to discuss the effects of the late February winter storm on MPS, and the technology event during that same week, which presented challenges for the district. Also, Supt. Cox shares info on the upcoming MPS Mental Health Caregiver Institute, and highlights the new “MPS...Read More
Studies indicate that students with diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds benefit from the role modeling provided by teachers who share their attributes, but BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) teachers are in short supply. Metro State University’s Urban Educator Program, located on their Minneapolis campus, is looking to help solve the problem, and we recently...Read More
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. More Posts for Show: The Afternoon CruiseRead More
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....Read More
