Jazz88 is honoring a new set of notable Minnesota artists with Jazz Legends 2026. This year, we featured vocalist and radio personality Arne Fogel, bassist and educator, Gary Raynor, Drummer and innovator, Gary Gauger and Twin Cities jazz vocalist, the late Shirley Witherspoon, who toured with Duke Ellington.

I was honored to be the host again this year, and the concert and conversations with our honorees on April 12th at the Minnesota History Center’s 3M theater. Arne Fogel kicked of the event with some of his most cherished songs from the Great American Songbook, and a wonderful discussion about how he got into the radio business featuring the work of Bing Crosby. Bassist, Gary Raynor, was next in the honoring, and not only did he perform live at the Jazz Legends Concert, but he also named dropped some of the star artists that he has had the honor of working with. Gary talked about playing a show for Sammy Davis Jr. at the Carleton Celebrity Room in the Twin Cities and then, Sammy invited him to join his orchestra. Touring with a member of the Rat Pack had to be an entertaining musical experience.

Shirley Witherspoon, the late jazz vocalist is next up in our honorees. She started singing from a very young age with her musical family in Minneapolis and because of her talent and passion for music, Shirley’s most high-profile performance ended up being with “The Duke.” Yes, Duke Ellington.

Our 4th honoree is drummer, Gary Gauger. Gary has had a life filled with performing with jazz greats from the very beginning of his career. When he joined “The Airmen of Note” Big Band he recorded and performed with many jazz greats, like Nancy Wilson and Joe Williams. Gary not only talked about full life as a drummer, but he also shared how he invented a whole new line of percussion instruments called R.I.M.s. that is now considered to be state of the art.

-Patty Peterson

Listen here to Jazz Legends 2026:

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