Jazz88’s goal is not just to play the jazz hits of yesteryear but to celebrate the great contributions being made to the art form today. To that end it was inspiring to see so many great artists from our playlist show up all over the Grammy nominations. Our music director Sean McPherson will be celebrating...Read More
The New Standards are a jazz-adjacent trio featuring John Munson (bass and vocals), Chan Poling (piano and vocals), and Steve Roehm (vibes). Though the group has plenty of rock’n’roll pedigrees on their resume, all the members have a deep love and knowledge of jazz. The New Standards rely on that love of jazz and the...Read More
Jazz88’s Patty Peterson spoke to guitarist Cory Wong about coming back to his home town for two concerts at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul, November 23rd and 24th. He also talked about what it was like to write, arrange and record his original material with the Metrople Orkest for his newest album Starship Syncopation....Read More
This month Crooners Supper Club celebrates their ten year anniversary. Jazz88 caught up with their Music Director, Jennifer Grimm, to talk about the club’s history, it’s triumphant series of outdoor concerts during the pandemic and the importance of having clubs that serve as a listening rooms. This weekend on Sunday Jazz88’s own Patty Peterson will...Read More
Guitarist Zacc Harris is back with Chasing Shadows, the follow-up to his well-received 2021 effort Small Wonders. In the summer of 2022 Harris took an opportunity to get away to a cabin for five days sans family and with nothing specific on the agenda. During the retreat Harris found his way into about twenty new...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with Harlem-based pianist Emmet Cohen about his recent album “Vibe Provider,” and about “Live from Emmet’s Place” – the live stream series he started that helped him navigate the pandemic. Cohen plays the Dakota on November 15th with bassist Reuben Rogers and drummer Joe Farnsworth. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20241113110036-EmmetCoheninterviewandmusicFINAL.mp3 TRANSCRIPT PETER SOLOMON: Emmett Cohen...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon spoke with organist Pat Bianchi about his relationship to the Hammond B-3 organ and the influence of the late organist Joey DeFrancesco. Bianchi will perform at the Crooners Main Stage Thursday, November 14th with drummer Byron Landham and guitarist Paul Bollenback, who served as DeFrancesco’s rhythm section for many years. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20241111195108-PatBianchi_mixdown.mp3 TRANSCRIPT:...Read More
Oogie_Push is from the Meskwaki Nation and is currently creating on Dakota territory, aka the Twin Cities. She’s an actor, writer, storyteller, dancer, a Meskwaki twine bag weaver, a production assistant and an award-winning documentarian. She is the playwright and lead performer for the Full Circle Production The Adventures of a Traveling Meskwaki. The show...Read More
Broadcaster and Grammy-nominated performer Judy Carmichael is coming back to the Twin Cities for a performance at the O’Shaugnessy in Saint Paul on Saturday, November 16. She’s no stranger to listeners of Jazz88 as we carry her show Judy Carmichael’s Jazz Inspired on Monday nights at 10pm. She connected with Sean McPherson from Jazz88 to...Read More
Bassist Erik Fratzke from Happy Apple was nice enough to stop by the Jazz88 studio to discuss the group’s new studio album New York CD. It’s the group’s first release in 17 years and Fratzke talked about the life cycle of the band and the beautiful rapport and camaraderie the group is enjoying as they...Read More
