Percussionist Bill Summers described music as a “religious undertaking” when he connected with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson to discuss the recent Headhunters record and their upcoming performance at the Dakota. Summers was joined by their drummer Mike Clark and the conversation covered iconic moments from Headhunters history, the group’s current lineup and their concern for musicians...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon spoke with G. Philip Shoultz, III about the 44th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute Concert taking place Sunday, January 19th at Ted Mann Concert Hall on the U of M campus. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20250116063843-FinalVersionGPSMLK_web.mp3Read More
Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below! Vanisha Gould – Donovan Etienne Charles – Colorado River Song feat. René Marie Adi Yeshaya – I Love You feat. Jennifer Grimm Sarah Hanahan – On The Trail Ezra Collective – God Gave Me Feet for Dancing Khruangbin – Three...Read More
Purple Funk Metropolis is back in action with their new single “Liquid Death.” The veteran group has navigated many different facets of funk music and on this one I hear a deep connection to Afrobeat. “Liquid Death” has the sprightly guitar interplay, rapid hand percussion patterns and powerful horn blasts I associate with the father...Read More
The celebrated vocalist Bruce Henry is back in town to perform a concert on Saturday at the Dakota titled “Everyone Under the Sun: A Celebration of Unity and Love.” Henry connected with Sean McPherson to discuss how he and the band will use Martin Luther King Jr. as a point of departure to build community...Read More
Today marks the one-hundredth birthday of pioneeering jazz drummer, composer, and activist Max Roach. Roach was a percussion virtuoso who was widely admired for his impeccable brush technique and mastery of dynamics. Along with drummer Kenny Clarke, Roach revolutionized jazz drumming, keeping time on the ride cymbal and playing irregular accents on the bass drum in order...Read More
Federal offices, including local Federal courts and the Postal Service, will be closed today (January 9, 2025). It’s a national day of mourning for President Jimmy Carter, whose state funeral and private burial are scheduled for today. Carter was a well-documented lover of music. His affinity for classical performance and friendships in the country-rock world...Read More
Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below! Vanisha Gould – Cute Boy Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band – Save the Children ft. Bilal Bilal – All for Love The Airmen of Note – Hey Lalo! ft. Jon Faddis Julian Lage – Speak To Me...Read More
The Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra is back! Adi Yeshaya, a topflight arranger based in the Twin Cities, formed a 12-piece band decades ago to support the vocal performances of the Twin Cities icon Debbie Duncan. The group flourished for a number of years, but they ended up putting the project on hold. In 2020 Debbie...Read More
Jazz88 definitely inspired me this past year with some good albums. Here are my fav albums of 2024 in no particular order: Shadow by Lizz Wright A la Sala by Khruangbin Bright Future by Adrianne Lenker Sonido Cósmico by Hermanos Gutiérrez No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin by Meshell Ndegeocello (Saw this project...Read More
