Jazz88

To singer Aja Parham, Sarah Vaughan is an inspiring jazz vocalist. And next Thursday at Crooners in Fridley, Aja presents an evening of Sarah Vaughn songs that Aja has studied in meticulous detail. An added bonus is the singing of Sarah's 9 year old son and promising jazz vocalist, Asa singing a few songs. When Aja and Asa talked to Phil Nusbaum, Aja first reflected on her first awareness of Sarah Vaughan.

Billy McLaughlin has helped blaze the trail for a guitar style known as tap guitar. But when Billy talked to Phil Nusbaum, we learned that to Billy, showcasing original melodies is the important thing.

The Riffin' Trio delivers a program of Jazz with a carefree spirit, this Sunday September 28 at Dusty's in Minneapolis. It's part of the Riffin' Trio residency at Dusty's, every fourth monthly Sunday 5 till 8PM. Phil Nusbaum caught up with Nelson Deveraux, sax player for the group, and asked Nelson about the Riffin' Trio's approach to a John Coltrane blues.

Global Jazz Collegium performs classics of Fusion Jazz plus its own original music this Thursday night September 25 at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. The show will be from 8 till 11. We open this feature with Global Jazz Collegium playing one of the great classics of the Fusion movement, a piece by Chick Corea.

Global Jazz Collegium performs classics of Fusion Jazz plus its own original music this Thursday night September 25 at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. The show will be from 8 till 11. We open this feature with Global Jazz Collegium playing one of the great classics of the Fusion movement, a piece by Chick Corea.

On his website, drummer, producer and bandleader Makaya MCraven describes himself as a "beat scientist."Much of McCraven's work is involved in picking musical moments from his recorded performances and applying hip-hop style production techniques to reinvent the material. McCraven is releasing four new EPs in October, and he is performing live at Icehouse in Minneapolis on September 25th. He talks about his process and his upcoming musical performance in this conversation with Jazz88's morning host, Peter Solomon.

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 world has been miraculous, but also serendipitous. Pickett shares stories from the club's beginnings, shines light on the Minnesota music scene that is still so central to its success, and looks ahead to the 40 year anniversary block party coming up on Saturday, September 20.

Pianist Yuko Mabuchi is bringing her trio to the Selby Ave Jazz Fest for a performance on Saturday, September 13. Mabuchi, who hails from Japan but is based in L.A., was nice enough to connect with Sean McPherson and talk about her trio, her repertoire and her love of improvisation.

The Selby Avenue Fest includes great performances and master classes by artists with something to say. The complete schedule is at Selby Ave jazz fest dot com. Ernest Bisong is the artistic director of Walker West Academy, the presenting sponsor the Selby Avenue Jazz Fest. When Ernest met with Phil Nusbaum, the two spoke of jazz in general, some of the artists at the event, and the event's educational opportunities.

Lawrence El, the distinguished keyboardist and songwriter from Mint Condition is reuniting with the members of Mint to celebrate a particular facet of their musical offerings; The Mintroludes. During Mint's decades long run as a band they satiated their musical appetites with short interludes that bring in a wider array of styles then their primary R&B offerings would permit. Lawrence El, so often the architect of these Mintroludes, decided he would call in the members of Mint Condition and friends and flesh those short tunes out into full on songs. The group will do just that on Monday, September 15 for two shows over at Icehouse. Special guests include: Stokley, Cory Henry, O'Dell, Ricky Kinchen, Jeffrey Allen, Keri Lewis, David Ginyard Jr and Kavyesh Kaviraj, Chris 'Daddy' Dave and more. Lawrence El was nice enough to visit our studios to discuss his musical journey and what inspired him to organize this concert.

Paulus Shafer is known as one of the greatest living Jazz guitarists. And Paulus makes his first Twin Cities appearance with guitarist Ryan Picone and bassist Matt Blake, from 6 till 7:30, Sunday, September 14 at Crooners Supper Club in Fridley. Ryan visited with Phil Nusbaum, and when the two got together, they first talked about Ryan's composition, Waltz for Chacho, composed when Ryan was a student. and then they talked about the coming of Paulus Shafer.

The Messthetics started as a kind of post-punk instrumental trio including former Fugazi bandmates Brendan Canty on drums and Joe Lally on bass with guitarist and composer Anthony Pirog. In 2023, they brought saxophonist James Brandon Lewis into the ensemble, and the result is a fascinating quartet in which musicians from widely divergent backgrounds find common ground. The Messthetics and James Brandon Lewis are at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis Saturday night, September 6th. Drummer Brendan Canty and saxophonist James Brandon Lewis discuss the music in this conversation with Jazz88's Peter Solomon.

Songwriter Charlie Parr sings his songs at the Dakota in Minneapolis, Friday night, September 5 at 9PM. When Charlie talked to Phil Nusbaum about his songwriting, it came out that Charlie also writes short stories, and the stories and songs frequently offer differing perspectives on events and people.

Straight No Chaser. That's the title of a Thelonious Monk composition, and also a quartet that plays Monk. Kavyesh Kavyraj plays the piano, Chris Bates the bass, Chris Thomson the sax and Joey Phillips the drums. The group plays at Berlin in Minneapolis Friday August 29 at 7:30pm. When Phil Nusbaum talked to Kavy and Chris about the quartet, he asked why the focus on Monk, and Chris was the first to respond.

Patty Peterson leads a group of jazz women all-stars into the Dunsmore room at Crooner's Supper Club, this Thursday, August 28 from 6 till 7:30.These shows are always different, and this time, there is a performer Patty's been trying to get on the bill for years.

Guitarist Jeff Christiansen and bassist Larry Wiegand are Twin Cities guys who have performed together in the group Crow. In addition to that, Jeff and Larry have what you might call a side project going. The two of them, with help from some of their musical buddies have put out a recording of instrumental versions of great old songs. It is called Boday and the Big Wig plays the classics. When Jeff and Larry talked to Phil Nusbaum, Larry first talked about why they did it.

After completing the long drive from the Upper Peninsula back to the Twin Cities, trumpet player and composer Adam Meckler was happy to pop in the booth at Jazz88 and discuss his upcoming gigs at Berlin on Friday, August 15. Meckler also talked about his upcoming record "Sampled" which drops in November. Meckler also shared what he and the rest of the team from the Michigan Technological University do to support their jazz students in Michigan.

Professional pianist Abebi Stafford and student saxophonist Sam Stauning stopped by the Jazz88 studios to talk about the fundraiser concert the MN Hard Bop Collective is hosting on Monday, August 11. The concert will feature a student ensemble with Stauning alongside pianist Basil Saathoff and guitarist Kyle Baxter. The concert will also feature a professional performance with Abebi Stafford on organ, Jesse Simon on drums and Ian Duerr on guitar. Stafford and Stauning discussed navigating a rhythm section free performance and also reflected upon the skills one can learn performing in a casual setting like the Sit-In Series.

The celebrated multi-instrumentalist Dosh dreamed big a couple years ago when he put together the Larry Schaefer Memorial Orchestra. This fully improvised 12-piece unit has been performing for a handful of years and Dosh is ready to bring the show to Palmer's on the West Bank for a show this Saturday. The orchestra will be joined by LA Buckner, Little Lizard and more. Dosh was nice enough to stop by the Jazz88 studios and talk about the new project and the upcoming concert. He also took time to celebrate Palmer's, a venue with a 100+ year history that is closing its doors in Mid-September.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with Ricky Riccardi, the Head of Research Collections at the Louis Armstrong House Museum, and the author of three books on Armstrong. Riccardi's newest book is called "Stomp Off, Let's Go: The Early Years of Louis Armstrong." It draws on previously unavailable sources to provide new details and insights about Armstrong's life and music, particularly shedding light on his early years in New Orleans. The book is set to be released in audio book form on Augist 26th.

The legendary guitarist Mark Whitfield is making his way back to the Twin Cities for a set at the Lakeside Guitar Festival. Whitfield is no stranger to Minnesota, having played here frequently at the beginning of his career when he was touring with Brother Jack McDuff. Whitfield covered the details of the trio he's traveling with, his reverence and love for education and his approach to improvising even when playing solo.

Abinnet Berhanu and Yohannes Tona are elite musicians who can cover a lot of ground musically. But, given that they are both Ethiopian-Americans, they bring a lot of passion for Ethiopian music into our scene. After many successful individual efforts, the duo decided to reach out to a likeminded L.A. musician, Kibrom Birhane, and form a new group. ENGOCHA premieres this Friday and Saturday at Icehouse in MPLS. The group breaks new ground in the world of Ethiojazz with a number of originals and they will also add some classics from the genre to the playlist. Abinnet and Yohannes were nice enough to stop by the Jazz88 studios to talk about this new project.

Each year, Jazz88 honors 4 individuals who have been pioneers of Minnesota's jazz scene. This year, the honorees are Art Katzman (trombone), Grant West (piano), Jay Epstein (drums), and award winning singer, the late Debbie Duncan. The live concert and conversation took place at the Minnesota History Center's 3M Theater on April 13th, 2025 and was curated and hosted by Patty Peterson. Minnesota Jazz Legends is supported by The MInnesota Arts And Cultural Heritage Fund, and produced by Jazz88.

JC Sanford, the organizer of the Northfield Jazz Festival, swung by the studios of Jazz88 to discuss the 2025 installment of the festival, which takes place July 11-13. The event is only its second year, but it's already tripled in size. Sanford and co will host events from Friday evening all the way to Sunday evening. Listen to find out more about the Northfield Jazz Fest and this year's headlining artists, Miguel Zenon and Luis Perdomo.

Joan Hutton from Take that Back was nice enough to visit the Jazz88 studios in anticipation of their upcoming performance at Taste of MN this weekend (Sunday July 6 at 5:45). Hutton was joined by Stephanie Wiesler, who is filling in on sax and flute for Sue Orfield. The duo discussed the upcoming gig, the joys and difficulties of subbing in and the fun of playing outside!

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with guitarist Ryan Picone about how he finds inspiration in the music of gypsy guitar legend Django Reinhardt. Picone shares some insider's knowledge about Django's life and music and  stories about his mentors, Howard Alden and Stephane Wrembel. Picone spoke from his apartment in Uptown Minneapolis, where he performed a couple of Django's compositions, including "Nuages" and "Rhythm Future."Ryan Picone's quartet plays the Jazz88 Jazzclectic Stage Sunday, July 6th at The Taste of Minnesota. Picone is putting together Django Fest, featuring several different Twin-Cities based jazz manouche ensembles on July 25th.

Toussaint Morrison is a journalist, an actor and a recording artist. This Friday, Toussaint is premiering five new music videos and a live set of all new music at the Green Room in Minneapolis. The event is in celebration of his forthcoming new album, Shapeshifter. Morrison took the time to visit with Sean from Jazz88 to discuss his love of jazz and share a couple of his personal favorites.

Pianist and composer Emmet Cohen will be back in the Twin Cities to play at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival on Friday, June 20 at 8:30 with his trio and the Four Freshmen. Cohen took a break this week to catch up with Sean McPherson and talk about his latest studio release and what he still keeps on reaching for in the world of music.

Marimbist Jenny Klukken and her quartet will perform a unique show for the Twin Cities Jazz Fest, Friday June 20th at 4:30PM on the PBS Stage. Jenny talks to Sam Keenan about being one of very few marimba players on the jazz scene.

Singer Jennifer Grimm joins the Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra to kick off performances on the Jazz88 Main Stage, 4PM June 20th. Jennifer talks to Sam Keenan about the joys of performing and recording with such a big group, and working with Adi Yeshaya.

Singer Katia Cardenas performs at the Twin Cities Jazz Fest on the Walker West at Night stage, Friday June 20th at 7pm. She talks to Sam Keenan about her music evolution and her work as a program director for Walker West Music Academy.

The Hannah Harder Quintet takes the stage at Metronome Brewery in Fingal's Cave Friday June 20th at 8PM as part of the Twin Cities Jazz Fest. Hannah talks to Sam Keenan about her first time playing her material at the fest and her music plans for the future.

The Adi Yeshaya Jazz Orchestra featuring Jennifer Grimm perform at the Twin Cities Jazz Fest 2025 on the Jazz88 Main Stage, Friday June 20th at 4PM. Adi talks to Sam Keenan about working with a big group and his Twin Cities Jazz Fest Experiences.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon sat down for a conversation with L.A. Buckner, who talks about why he celebrates his home turf of North Side Minneapolis, the influences that inform his music, and the evolution of his band Big Homie. L.A, Buckner and Big Homie are a headliner at this year;s Twin Cities Jazz Festival. You can catch the band Saturday, June 21st at 6 PM at the Jazz88 Main Stage at Mears Park in St. Paul. .

Doreen Ketchens reflects on growing up in New Orleans historic Treme neighborhood, her development as a jazz clarinetist, and playing music with her family on the streets of New Orleans and in concerts and festivals around the world. Ketchens plays the Twin Cities Jazz Festival Friday June 20th at 6 PM on the Jazz88 Main Stage in St. Paul.

The Combination of Thomasina Petrus singing in front of the Selby Avenue Brass Band has been very well received. Catch this pairing in a comfortable listening situation, Crooners Supper Club in Fridley, Friday evening June 13 from 8 till 9:30. The leader of the Selby Avenue Brass Band is Tom Wells. Tom and Thomasina met with Phil Nusbaum to talk about the show, and first, Tom talked about the quality of the ensemble playing on a piece called Selby Strut.

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.

Bassist and composer Ted Olsen is back with a new disc titled Violette. The album comes out on June 6 and he 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 Jazz88's studios to discuss the album. During the visit he did a portrait photo shoot with North High sophomore Devin Frelix.

Adrian Crutchfield joined host Patty Peterson to talk about his upcoming concert at the Capri Theatre on June 3, his new CD called "Slick" and his deep connection to Prince, as the last saxophonist to ever work with him in the New Power Generation. That connection led him to become a music director at a camp for musically inclined kids call Purple Playground.

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 how to go even deeper with Jazz Festival activities.

Hennepin Fest is a free festival sponsored by the Hennepin Historical Museum. The event presents a roster of local women musicians: Connie Evingson, Annie Mack, Maria Isa and None Above. Claire Leslie Johnson served as a curator for Hennepin Fest, which takes place 2-7pm Saturday May 31. When Claire and Connie Evingson got together with Phil Nusbaum, Claire first addressed the reason for Hennepin Fest.

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. The Klezmatics play the Dakota Tuesday night (May 27th) with Minneapolis-based ensemble Red Thread. Pictured: The Klezmatics. Frank London is seated holding a flugelhorn.

The Gated Community's songs tell personal stories and meet some of the biggest issues today. The new CD is called Goodbye Work. The release event will be at the Parkway Theater in Minneapolis, Sunday evening June 1 at 6pm. Phil Nusbaum talked to Sumanth Gopinath and Beth Hartman about the project. When the three got together, Sumanth first addressed his composition, Hand in the Air, which reflects his childhood.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with three of the musical directors involved in an event commemorating George Floyd called "Weather: Stand the Storm." Participants include Dr. G. Philip Shoultz, conductor of Singers of This Age; Waigwa, director of One Voice Mixed Chorus and Elevate Vocal Arts and Elevation Ensemble; and Dr. Rollo Dilworth, director of Singing City. Dilworth composed the musical setting for Claudia Rankine's poem “Weather,” which is the centerpiece of Saturday night's program. More details about Saturday's program are available at www.mnonevoice.org. Image: Waigwa

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 Hearts 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 Griffith, Jennifer Grimm, Rachel Holder, Patty Peterson, T. Mychael Rambo, Emily Rubbelke, Erin Schwab, Dane Stauffer, Judi Vinar, Charmin Michelle and more. In addition to this star studded lineup, it is commendable that this performance benefits two current Woman's Club tenants: Involve MN and Project DIVA International. The funds will help them secure a new physical space for their organizations. Connie visited Jazz88 to discuss her plans for the concert with Afternoon Cruise host Sean McPherson.

Gospel-based singer Robert Robinson has been gathering accolades for decades. He's noted for such events as singing at Prince's Birthday Bash and being featured at the National Day of Prayer in Washington DC. Robert inspires and entertains, and he records and works with choirs as well. Recently, Robert sat down with Phil Nusbaum to talk about his songs and his mission.

Singer Erin Schwab has been singing to the accompaniments of pianist Jay Fuchs for a long time. Their performances are audience engaging with requests and a lot of dialog back and forth. But for many in the audience what really makes the show are the treatments of Judy Garland and Bette Midler songs. Erin and Jay told how the show came into being when they talked to Phil Nusbaum.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon spoke with legendary saxophonist Charles McPherson about his formative influences, including Charlie Parker, Barry Harris, and Charles Mingus. McPherson also discusses his contributions to the Soundtrack for the Clint Eastwood Charlie Parker bio-pic "Bird" and his tenure as resident composer of the San Diego Ballet. McPherson is 85 years old and still performing. He is playing at the Dakota on May 22nd.

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 gathering of "conscious minds that will include panel discussion, break out groups and vegan food!"  Dr. Rose Brewer is a Morse Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor and Past Chair Person of the Department of African American and African Studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. She took the time to hop on a ZOOM with Sean McPherson from Jazz88 to talk about the event, provide some modern context for X's impact and point listeners to some additional material if they want to learn more about Malcolm X. 

It'll be an evening of spontaneity and musical discovery when John Keston, Anthony Cos and Suwal Singh collaborate at Berlin Jazz Club in Minneapolis. The three are accomplished players of keyboards, bass, guitar and other instruments, but add electronic alteration of sound to the mix, and the vibe changes remarkably. When John Keston spoke to Phil Nusbaum about the music, he addressed the effect of electronics.

In the days of silent film, women had prominent roles in filmmaking and made movies that explored feminist themes that might seem surprising today. Peter Solomon speaks with Maggie Hennefeld, Professor of Cultural Studies and Comparitive Literature at the University of Minnesota. Hennefeld curated a 4-DVD collection of female film pioneers called "Cinema's First Nasty Women." Hennefeld also curated the program "Accordo with Silent Film: Women in Early Cinema" that is taking place at the Ordway on Tuesday, May 13th.