Cory Wong and his ascent to become one of the biggest jazz acts working today can often be taken for granted in his own backyard. For years Wong has been a fixture in our scene, showing up at jam sessions, collaborating with world class players and always letting his music do the talking. Here in...Read More
Jazz88 celebrates the life and career of drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath, who died on April 3rd at the age of 88. Heath was born in Philadelphia to a family of accomplished musicians. His oldest brother Percy was the bassist with the Modern Jazz Quartet for four decades and his other elder sibling Jimmy was a legendary saxophonist and composer. While still in...Read More
It’s true! The Twin Cities has an exorbitant amount of record stores per capita. Having gone record shopping all over the country, I can confirm we probably have more record stores than some of the major cities on each coast. The music community that fuels our programming and represents our listenership at Jazz88 and all...Read More
Jazz88 celebrates the birthday of legendary bassist Buster Williams, born on this day in Camden, New Jersey. Williams made his first recordings at the age of seventeen, while working with the tenor saxophone duo of Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt. He became a favorite accompanist for several great jazz singers, including Dakota Staton, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn, and Carmen McRae. Williams became...Read More
Like so many of the greats out of the Twin Cities, Steve Yeager is equally comfortable on stage, in the studio or in a lesson setting. Wherever he goes Yeager carries his love and dedication to the vibraphone. His recent release, Collective Vibe, gives listeners a chance to hear some highlights from Yeager’s earlier releases...Read More
Nowadays technology is mostly making things worse. But from time to time I’m reminded about the experiences that technology affords us. Ned Kantar, an in-demand pianist and bandleader in the Twin Cities decided to dust off some big band charts during the pandemic and write some new ones. After a quick chat with fellow arranger...Read More
You probably saw David Feily play this year. Whether you were taking in the MPLS String Project, LA Buckner and Big HomiE or the BZ3 Organ Trio, chances are Feily was up there with his guitar, his bass or splitting the difference on his Fender VI. This tireless collaborator also got into the studio this...Read More
When Joan Hutton and Sue Orfield came together to be the frontline for their new group, Take That Back, the chemistry was tangible immediately. With Hutton on alto sax and bass clarinet and Orfield on her trusty tenor, the group recorded one of the most critically acclaimed jazz albums to come out of the Twin...Read More
Jazz88 celebrates the birthday of Sarah Vaughan, one of the most influential singers of her generation, born on this date in 1924 in Newark, NJ. Her quick wit and playful approach to a lyric earned her the nickname Sassy, and her once-in-a-generation voice earned her the moniker “The Divine one.” Vaughan’s early career was spent in the...Read More
Rabeca – “Aquarium” from their new album Junk I don’t have the greatest feel on what the term “post-rock” means. What I do know is that that is frequently what the group Tortoise gets called. For me, Tortoise exemplifies an embrace of jazz textures and sensibilities by rock musicians without a strident announcement of “THIS IS JAZZ MUSIC, SIT DOWN...Read More
