New frontiers fit nicely atop the boundary-breaking career of singer songwriter and slide guitar icon Sonny Landreth. He has performed live with Buddy Guy and John Hiatt in theaters and arenas around the United States. Also, post-New Orleans Jazz Fest jamming on bayou rhythms with Oteil Burbridge and Johnny Vidacovich. Further, he has recorded and played...Read More

Joshua Redman is one of the most acclaimed and charismatic jazz artists working today. Joshua was born in Berkeley, California, and he is the son of legendary saxophonist Dewey Redman and dancer Renee Shedroff. He was exposed at an early age to a variety of music (jazz, classical, rock, soul, Indian, Indonesian, Middle-Eastern, African). Also,...Read More

  photos by Ian Buck Since it’s founding in 1985, The Dakota has become a linchpin of the music world. The Dakota’s founder, Lowell Pickett, has been at the helm since the beginning and the journey from it’s beginnings as a no-cover, all local music spot to one of the premier performance venues in the...Read More

After years of sessions and casual collaborations, trumpet player Omar Abdul-Karim and pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj have forged a collaborative project. The quartet, which also features Ted Olsen on bass and Kevin Washington on drums, will perform on Tuesday, January 28 at the Dakota. Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise caught up with the duo to...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

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

Maurice Jacox is a living legend. He’s lived his life on stages around the world and nowadays the Twin Cities is blessed to see him all over town. On November 28 Maurice will be leading his group “We Still R” through a concert at the Dakota. In the conversation with Jazz88’s Sean McPherson Jacox discusses...Read More

Drummer, bandleader and writer Brandon Commodore is no stranger to stages all across the world in his work with Stokley, The New Power Generation and more. But for Brandon’s own musical development, no stage looms as large as the Dakota. This Monday he and his group NRG will grace the stage and Commodore has a...Read More

String Theory host Kevin Barnes welcomes banjo maestro and muse Béla Fleck to the show. Béla will be joining his music and life partner Abigail Washburn to perform at Live at The Guthrie Monday, February 26th celebrating their latest album “Echo in the Valley”. Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn are two of the least complacent musicians you’ve encountered. With...Read More