Taiko Arts Midwest presents a concert and dance party called Taiko Groove, Saturday June 7 at the Cedar at 7pm. The event features not only the long-standing Taiko Arts Midwest group, but a rare US performance by Go-koo, visiting from Tokyo. Jennifer Weir is the executive director of Taiko Arts Midwest. When Jennifer talked to...Read More

Dayna Martinez is gearing up for a busy June but she took some time to visit Jazz88 and talk about the upcoming Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Festival events begin on June 19 with the main action happening June 20-21. Martinez talked about performances and masterclasses that she’s excited about and she provided some tips on...Read More

The Zoo Too Trio is a new recording project from some very big names in the world of modern jazz. Before listening to their new disc, Poetry Legroom, I was most familiar with the work of pianist and keyboard player Michael Cain. Michael Cain is an accomplished pianist who has been popping up in liner-notes of...Read More

Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with trumpeter Frank London about the history of klezmer music in America and 40 years of genre bending klezmer interpretations and collaborations by the Klezmatics. London was a founding member of the Grammy-award winning ensemble. The Klezmatics play the Dakota Tuesday night (May 27th) with Minneapolis-based ensemble Red Thread. Find details...Read More

Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with three of the musical directors involved in an event commemorating George Floyd called “Weather: Stand the Storm.” Participants include Dr. G. Philip Shoultz, conductor of Singers of This Age; Waigwa, director of One Voice Mixed Chorus and Elevate Vocal Arts and Elevation Ensemble; and Dr. Rollo Dilworth, director of Singing...Read More

Hot New Local Single for Wednesday, May 21 In the Twin Cities we are blessed to have a thriving music scene that features great players at every stage of their career. One sign of a thriving scene can be measured in the ability for new players to arrive to town, land a couple gigs and...Read More

Vocalist Connie Evingson is getting ready to do her final performance at the Woman’s Club. Next Wednesday, May 28, Connie and Lori Dokken are co-presenting a concert titled “Our Heart Will Go On.” The event features an incredible list of Twin Cities talent such as Mary Jane Alm, Doug Anderson, Ginger Commodore, Lori Dokken, Joan...Read More

Saxophonist Charles McPherson’s legendary jazz career began in earnest in the late fities and he continues to be vital and productive at the age of 85 . He’s a product of Detroit’s fertile music scene, where as a teenager he came under the influence of pianist Barry Harris. At 19, McPherson moved to New York...Read More

  2025 marks the centenary year of Malcolm X’s birth. For the occasion, Dr. Rose Brewer, Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan and additional planners have organized an event uplifting the politics and vision of Malcolm X. The event is on Saturday, May 17 at UROC at Plymouth and Oliver. The event is described in the promotional materials as...Read More

In the days of silent film – the period from the late 1890s until the late twenties –  women had prominent and important creative roles. Not just as actors, but as directors, writers, and producers.  Many of the films that these pioneering film makers created explored provocative feminist themes that might seem surprising today. Peter...Read More