Saxophonist Steve Cole is a Mack Avenue recording artist based in the Twin Cities preparing for a show at the Dakota on Saturday, June 14. Cole checked back in with Jazz88 to talk about his recent studio album Without a Doubt and the fun he’s having with his band of Twin Cities heavyweights. This...Read More
Bassist and composer Ted Olsen is back with a new disc titled Violette. The album comes out on June 6 on Shifting Paradigm and Olsen is celebrating the release at the Cedar Cultural Center on Wednesday, June 11. Eric Mayson will be opening that show with a set. Olsen was nice enough to stop by...Read More
Dayna Martinez is gearing up for a busy June but she took some time to visit Jazz88 and talk about the upcoming Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Festival events begin on June 19 with the main action happening June 20-21. Martinez talked about performances and masterclasses that she’s excited about and she provided some tips on...Read More
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with trumpeter Frank London about the history of klezmer music in America and 40 years of genre bending klezmer interpretations and collaborations by the Klezmatics. London was a founding member of the Grammy-award winning ensemble. The Klezmatics play the Dakota Tuesday night (May 27th) with Minneapolis-based ensemble Red Thread. Find details...Read More
Vocalist Connie Evingson is getting ready to do her final performance at the Woman’s Club. Next Wednesday, May 28, Connie and Lori Dokken are co-presenting a concert titled “Our Heart Will Go On.” The event features an incredible list of Twin Cities talent such as Mary Jane Alm, Doug Anderson, Ginger Commodore, Lori Dokken, Joan...Read More
Saxophonist Charles McPherson’s legendary jazz career began in earnest in the late fities and he continues to be vital and productive at the age of 85 . He’s a product of Detroit’s fertile music scene, where as a teenager he came under the influence of pianist Barry Harris. At 19, McPherson moved to New York...Read More
2025 marks the centenary year of Malcolm X’s birth. For the occasion, Dr. Rose Brewer, Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan and additional planners have organized an event uplifting the politics and vision of Malcolm X. The event is on Saturday, May 17 at UROC at Plymouth and Oliver. The event is described in the promotional materials as...Read More
Jazz88 is honored to be representing at Grand Old Day with our very own stage full of spectacular Minnesota talent! Grand Old Day is on Sunday June 1 and we’ll be hanging at the Jazz88 stage. Sean McPherson, the Afternoon Cruise host and music director at Jazz88, will be hosting the stage! More info about...Read More
Michael Bland is a musical powerhouse who calls the Twin Cities home. He is best known for his tenure as the drummer for Prince, but he has been a part of so many great moments in Twin Cities music. This Saturday, Bland will be diving back into the music of Prince for a show titled...Read More
Good Acoustics–the radio show for musical omnivores on KBEM Jazz88—has decided to start a regular showcase for the local artists we feature on our program. Come gather at MetroNOME Brewing in Lowertown St. Paul on Saturday, May 10th from 730-9pm, to hear some of the artists whose music we love. This month we’ll be...Read More
