Al Di Meola is one of the top guitarists of our time. Here, he has enjoyed a celebrated career that has spanned more than four decades. His fascination with complex rhythmic syncopation, provocative lyrical melodies, and sophisticated harmony are at the heart of his music. Among his myriad critical accolades are multiple Grammys and Grammy nominations. […]
Pat Metheny was born in Lee’s Summit, MO on August 12, 1954 into a musical family. He started on trumpet at the age of eight, then switched to guitar at age twelve. By fifteen, he worked regularly with the best jazz musicians in Kansas City, receiving valuable on-the-bandstand experience. Then, Metheny burst onto the international jazz scene in […]
Fred Hersch belongs to jazz’s piano pantheon. He has been an influential creative force for decades as an improviser, composer, educator, bandleader, collaborator, and recording artist. Here, he has been proclaimed “the most arrestingly innovative pianist in jazz over the last decade” by Vanity Fair. Also, he is hailed as “a living legend” by The New Yorker. A seventeen-time […]
MacPhail Jazz Night celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with a performance by the Dakota Jazz Ensemble, directed by Zacc Harris. Also, acclaimed MacPhail faculty artists Michael Cain, Paul Babcock, and Zacc Harris. The Dakota Jazz Ensemble at MacPhail Center for Music is a premier, audition-based group. Here, this group features some of the Twin Cities’ most outstanding high school jazz […]
Kobe-born, Brooklyn-based trumpeter Takuya Kuroda is dedicated, and his eighth studio record, 2025’s Everyday, is proof of that. Kuroda has not missed a beat since the release of 2022’s Midnight Crisp –– a record PopMatters called a “future classic”. Now, the 45-year-old musician desires to achieve the “perfect blend of production and organic performance”. It’s why he continues to throw himself into his […]
Ladysmith Black Mambazo has performed for millions of people, singing a message of peace, love and harmony. With their 2024 release, Soothe My Soul… Songs From Our South African Church, the group puts their spin on gospel music. The year 2025 marks the sixty-fifth anniversary of Joseph Shabalala forming Ladysmith Black Mambazo. His group conquered all of […]
“I want my songs to be heard and experienced, not just listened to,” says cliché-defying, internationally beloved Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon. Cannon is on the cutting edge of today’s contemporary blues scene. Further, critics hail him as one of the genre’s most creative artists. Fans love him for his richly detailed, truth-telling original songs, blistering, inventive […]
NUNNABOVE has been called the “next generation of the Minneapolis sound”. Furthermore, they were featured on season thirteen of America’s Got Talent. The Current calls them “Minneapolis’s latest and greatest.” Additionally, producer Terry Lewis says, “they have many years of music ahead of them”. Also, Jon Bream (Star Tribune) says “they have oodles of talent and potential”. Sounds Of Blackness […]
Grammy winner Richard Bona is one of the most accomplished international bass players, composers and multi-instrumentalists. With his unique sound and vocal gift he is continuously representing his African origins. Moreover, Bona’s music addresses the continent’s traditions, culture, beauty and issues. His purpose, and Bona’s connection with his audience has turned him into a staple name in […]
Known as a “man of great musical imagination,” Bruce Henry is an internationally-known vocalist, composer, storyteller, recording artist and educator. Additionally, Bruce teaches musical history, traditions and culture as he entertains and enraptures audiences with his vocal agility. Anchored in Chicago, with roots in the Twin Cities, Bruce shares his expertise and creativity across the nation and […]
Halloween, Alaska’s churning, meditative sound neither embodies youth, naivety, anger nor desperation. It’s a unique statement from a veteran band with a persistent cult following and a distinctive indie M.O. Moreover, listeners can hear and feel its influence far beyond its native Minneapolis. In the early ’00s, Halloween, Alaska took root as a semi-electronic diversion […]
Throughout their storied forty-three-year history, the Yellowjackets have recorded twenty-six albums, and received sixteen Grammy nominations, winning two. Additionally, they have performed countless sold-out tours, and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success. The Yellowjackets formed in the late 1970’s as the backup band for guitarist Robben Ford. They recorded their first album together in 1980. Shortly […]
