There is no half-stepping with Lucia Sarmiento. The sax phenom taps top notch players and matches them up with top notch material for all of her recordings. It’s no surprise that she’d keep the bar high as a leader considering that she frequently works as a player for international sensations like Pitbull and Karol G....Read More
Abebi Stafford is a Twin Cities mainstay best known for his masterful piano and organ work. For his fourth release as a leader, Stolen By Lies, Stafford has connected with some of the great players in our scene and turned out an energetic and inspired selection of originals plus one Keith Jarrett number. The title...Read More
I have the receipts to prove that I’ve been trying to get my hands on studio recordings from Room3 for quite some time. After I saw an explosive set from them on a flatbed truck at Grand Old Day in 2022, I’ve been jonesing to share their magic on our airwaves. The day has finally...Read More
Roof Access is a group composed of ambitious young players making their way in the jazz world. And thankfully, beyond just making their way, these players are thriving! Roof Access has a new collection of original material and today we are highlighting a piece penned by their pianist, Rafi Karpowitz. The tune is called “I...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 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
Sean brings us his fav 10 Jazz Albums of 2024 in no particular order! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-4YsK4_PqQ Sharel Cassity and Colleen Clark – Alliance Milton Nascimento and esperanza spalding – Milton and esperanza Zaccai Curtis – Cubop Lives! Keyon Harrold – Foreverland Vanisha Gould – She’s Not Shiny, She’s Not Smooth Orrin Evans and the Captain Black Big Band – Walk a Mile...Read More
Manny has his top hip hop albums of the year! Listen to here video about this year’s music here: Here is the list of Manny’s Best Albums of 2024: Blue Lips by ScHoolboy Q American Dream by 21 Savage GNX by Kendrick Lamar Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii The Auditorium Vol 1 by Common...Read More
Olive just aired an interview with Rosie. And it has been a fun year of music for Olive. Listen to here video about this year’s music here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/NtlIxMhUA5Q Here is the list of Olive’s Best Albums of 2024: SYRINGA by Rosie I am my neighbors keeper- Avery Sharpe FISSION – Dead Poet Society High Adventure-...Read More
