From the Desk of Sean McPherson: I expect new projects to often sound overly ambitious at their first couple stabs at studio recording. There’s a desire to impress each other, a desire to make it count cause who knows how long the project will last. I hear the opposite in HeyArlo. With two songs released...Read More

Start seeing marimbas! It’s a bumper sticker I would buy for sure. Jenny Klukken has carved out a lane for herself as a jazz-conversant marimba player. In the past two years, Klukken has released a handful of singles that display her great approach and her chemistry with the rhythm section of Chris Bates (bass) and...Read More

Cory Wong and his ascent to become one of the biggest jazz acts working today can often be taken for granted in his own backyard. For years Wong has been a fixture in our scene, showing up at jam sessions, collaborating with world class players and always letting his music do the talking. Here in...Read More

Like so many of the greats out of the Twin Cities, Steve Yeager is equally comfortable on stage, in the studio or in a lesson setting. Wherever he goes Yeager carries his love and dedication to the vibraphone. His recent release, Collective Vibe, gives listeners a chance to hear some highlights from Yeager’s earlier releases...Read More

Some of Minnesota’s most iconic and longstanding jazz musicians will tell their stories and perform in a concert during Jazz Appreciation Month. Minnesota Jazz Legends is an intimate afternoon of live music and inspiring stories, and a multimedia record of their lives and legacies, now in its tenth year. Jazz88 host and vocalist Patty Peterson is host and producer. Presented by Jazz88,...Read More

This week’s Hot New Local Single is Tina Schlieske – “My Baby Just Cares for Me” from her album The Good Life  Tina Schlieske has been a household name in the Twin Cities music scene for eons, but this new release “The Good Life” marks her most serious exploration of jazz in a studio setting. She teamed up...Read More

Like clockwork you can count on Sarah Morris to constantly add to her already spectacular catalog. Now on her fifth album of original material, Morris’s 2023 release “Here’s to You” garnered a lot of critical acclaim. Here at Jazz88 we were partial to the tune “Something That Holds”. Morris’s strong vocal and lyric locked in...Read More

Don’t make the mistake of calling the BZ3 Organ Trio a jazz group. Sure, jazz is in there, but they are an organ trio through and through; comfortable working funk, blues, reggae and more into their repertoire. For their rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Too High” they tapped one of the greatest vocalists working in the Twin...Read More

Though he’s short on released material, Kavyesh Kaviraj is already one of the most sought after collaborators in the Twin Cities. Sharing the stage with artists like Lady Midnight, Kevin Washington, Lady Midnight and more, Kaviraj brings a tangible enthusiasm and inspiration to every note he plays. The glimpse we’ve gotten into his work as...Read More

We’ll take all the new music we can get from Kevin Washington & RA Spirit. From his drum stool Kevin Washington has been telling the story of Twin Cities music for decades. But Washington has a lot more to offer than his mastery of the kit. He’s a writer, a vocalist and quite the guitar...Read More