Jazz88’s Peter Solomon spoke with Trumpeter Steve Kenny, who curates the jazz at K.J.’s Hideaway. He brings his quintet to the St. Paul venue Saturday, February 3rd to celebrate the music of John Coltrane. This will be the 100th performance in the ongoing jazz series that Kenny has curated over the past two years. https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20240130123821-SteveKenny_mixdown.mp3...Read More

Dennis Spears is the longtime curator of the Legends Series at the Capri Theater. Spears was nice enough to visit Jazz88 on his “day off” to discuss Souled Out, the show he is putting up at the Capri this weekend. The focus for the concert is the legendary soul sounds of the 1960s and 1970s....Read More

I’ve loved Blue Note Records for as long as I’ve loved jazz. Growing up as an aspiring jazz musician not much felt better than leaving Applause/Cheapo on Snelling in Saint Paul with a couple of those white jewel boxed Blue Note releases and heading home and finding out what they were all about. Early on...Read More

Jazz88’s Peter Solomon spoke with award-winning mystery novelist Michael Connelly about how jazz played an essential role in establishing the character of Harry Bosch, the hard-edged loner cop with a penchant for bucking authority and a deep-seated love of jazz. Connelly himself became a jazz fan as he was doing the research for his books....Read More

Jazz88’s Peter Solomon spoke with drummers Abinnet Berhanu and Kevin Washington about an upcoming show at Icehouse, Friday evening, January 19th. Berhanu will be showcasing music that draws on his Ethiopian heritage and his band Ahndenet will feature the singer Genet Abate. Washington will perform with RA Spirit. Photo of Abinnet Berhanu by Beza Tuga....Read More

Jazz88 is getting ready to launch their newest show, “The Jazz Impulse”. Danny Sigelman will host the new show on Saturdays 7-10pm. This show will be about the “now”. The artists stepping on stage that night, the music that’s making this great jazz scene go strong. Sigelman joined Sean McPherson to talk about the show...Read More

Saint Paul Peterson is a funk ambassador, gifted vocalist, bassist and a curator of the Funk Friday series. He’s been a member of The Family and The Time and he’s been a recognized fixture in the music world on an international level for decades. Saint Paul is bringing his online series, Funk Friday, onto the...Read More

  Jenny Klukken has been bridging the gap between her classical background and her passion for jazz on her primary instrument, the marimba, for years. She’s back at it on Thursday night over at Crooners with an all-star band of Chris Olson (g), Chris Bates (b) and non-Chris Dave Schmalenberger (d). Klukken caught up with...Read More

Sousaphonist Erik Jacobson’s romance with New Orleans brass bands started when he was in high school and was exposed to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band record “My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now.” After sharing the album with fellow University of Wisconsin-Madison music student Christopher “Roc” Ohly, he started up Mama Digdown’s Brass Band. They’ve kept...Read More

Jazz88 Morning Show host Peter Solomon spoke with Minneapolis-based pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj ahead of his December 30th birthday celebration at KJ’s Hideaway in St. Paul (Photo by Evin Rodriguez-Sosa). https://kbem-od.streamguys1.com/kbem/20231227112041-KaviyeshInterviewConvo.mp3 TRANSCRIPT: PETER SOLOMON: Kavyesh, thanks for talking to me, I want to start out our interview by talking about your early musical experience, how you...Read More