You may know Erik Brandt from his role as host of Good Acoustics Saturdays from 1 – 3 PM on Jazz88 or as the leader of the Urban Hillbilly Quartet. Erik will be spotlighting the work of three local songwriters in the Good Acoustics Songwriter Showcase on March 21st at Metronome Brewery. I caught up...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with Chicago-based singer Christy Bennett about her work researching and recording the music of Irene Higginbotham. Higginbotham (1918 – 1988) is best remembered as the co-composer of the ballad “Good Morning Heartache,” which was one of Billie Holiday’s signature tunes. Higginbotham wrote published more than fifty songs, including “This Will Make You...Read More
Adrian Younge is a prolific and gifted musician, producer, performer and curator who has been at the helm of the Jazz is Dead project alongside his partner Ali Shaheed Mohammed since 2017, releasing collaborative albums with legends like Brian Jackson, Azymuth, Jean Carne, Tony Allen and more. Younge is on the road for his Something...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon had a chance to talk with legendary blues and soul singer Bettye LaVette about her development as an artist and how she learned to use her voice to make a song her own. LaVette is appearing at The Parkway Theater in a double billing with jazz singer/songwriter Madeleine Peyroux on Thursday, March...Read More
Here are the top ten new releases from Jazz88! Vote for your five favorites below! Ebo Taylor – Get Up Chick Corea & Bela Fleck – Juno Hannah Harder – The Greatest of These is Love Yussef Dayes – Portrait of Tracy Holly Cole – Where Flamingos Fly George Cables – Clockwise Jack Barrett...Read More
This week’s Hot New Local Single is “Battle Ready,” a collab from Black Market Brass and Obi Original. Sean reflects on the single: I remember with great joy a night about twelve years ago where my idea of what was possible in Twin Cities music was recalibrated by seeing Black Market Brass on stage at...Read More
Bobby Commodore has been an indispensable part of the Twin Cities music scene since he sat behind the kit with Sounds of Blackness in 1974. During tenures with Sounds of Blackness, Moore by Four and many other great groups, Commodore served the Twin Cities. Beyond his work behind the kit, Bobby Commodore has served...Read More
