Composers JC Sanford and Asuka Kakitani are working hard to grow the Twin Cities jazz scene, which is already rich with talent. They started a Twin Cities Jazz Composers Workshop in 2017 to encourage the creation of new music for big bands, and they started a new big band called Inatnas (a blend of their...Read More
A trio of legendary musicians is heading to the Twin Cities next week to play Vieux Carre. Pianist Cyrus Chestnut, bassist Buster Williams and drummer Lenny White are scheduled for four shows, Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Chestnut called into the Morning Show to talk about the upcoming performances and...Read More
Cuban pianist Harold López-Nussa is playing the Dakota with his trio Monday, Sept. 17 at 7:00 p.m. His brother, Ruy Adrian Nussa, is the drummer and the bassist is Gastón Joya. López-Nussa’s new album, Un Día Cualquiera, translates to “Just Another Day.” It means there’s nothing special about this album; they play together as they would...Read More
Pianist Geoffrey Keezer and his trio are playing with vocalist Gillian Margot at Crooners Lounge and Supper Club Sunday, Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. He talked with Jazz88’s Emily Reese about the show, and about his new recording On My Way To You. http://kbem-recast.streamguys1.com/content/u20180831055425190.mp3 Originally aired Friday, Aug. 31, 2018 on the Morning Show with Emily...Read More
Three years ago, I was in Boston at Harmonix Music Systems, visiting a composer who works there. Harmonix is a studio known for making video games tied to music, like Guitar Hero, Rock Band and the fantastic motion-based game Fantasia: Music Evolved.* When the composer, Steve Pardo, found out we were from Minneapolis, he starting professing his love for...Read More
New Orleans group the Rebirth Brass Band is playing two shows at the Dakota Sunday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Rebirth started in 1983 when the members were all still in high school. Brothers Philip and Keith Frazier are two of the founding members, Philip on sousaphone and Keith on bass drum....Read More
The 10th annual Rhythmically Speaking show is at The Southern Theater this weekend. Rhythmically Speaking is an organization that supports and presents new staged work inspired by jazz and American social (or vernacular) dance forms. The choreographers featured on this tenth installment of the Rhythmically Speaking annual show are Gabriel Anderson & Laura Selle-Virtucio, Leila Awadallah,...Read More
Tuesday, August 7th, National Night Out is happening in the Twin Cities and the Jazz88 crew will be journeying to the 2600 block of Dupont Avenue in the Wedge neighborhood in Minneapolis to provide a music mix of jazz, blues, soul and roots music and some fun door prizes for their block party! Check out...Read More
Brazilian singer, songwriter, guitarist and percussionist Vinicius Cantuaria is performing at the Dakota Wednesday, June 27 at 7:00 p.m. He spoke with Jazz88’s Emily Reese about the show and the possibility of a new album. His latest album, Vinicius canta Antonio Carlos Jobim, came out in 2015. He’ll perform selections from that release at the...Read More
Singer Dee Dee Bridgewater headlines the Twin Cities Jazz Festival Saturday, June 23 at 8:30 p.m. at Mears Park in St. Paul. She talked with Jazz88’s Emily Reese about her newest album, “Memphis…Yes, I’m Ready” and Saturday’s show. Bridgewater was born in Memphis but moved away when she was 3 years old. She returned to...Read More
