Django Reinhardt’s unmistakable cool and jumping joie de vivre have made him an icon. Many guitar luminaries cite his inspiration, including guitar greats Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton. Moreover, Jimi Hendrix named his Band of Gypsys in tribute to Reinhardt. Willie Nelson adopted his influence in playing country swing. The star musicians of the Django Festival Allstars have grown […]

With guest drummer Joe Pulice Like a good many before him, singer and pianist Andrew Walesch manages to encapsulate the sophistication of a cosmopolite and the self-effacing charm of a country boy. Leading his all-star big band, showman Andrew Walesch kidnaps the Blue Eyes tradition and makes it his own in his jazz-bent Sinatra revue. […]

Vocalist Aby Wolf returns to Berlin with piano virtuoso Kavyesh Kaviraj and first-call drummer Pete James Johnson to present a collaborative set of originals and select covers (arranged by Johnson and Kaviraj) for the Twin Cities’ brilliant Laurels String Quartet. This stellar supergroup convenes once in a blue moon. Don't miss it. Band Members: Erica […]

Kenny Garrett’s latest release, 2021’s Sounds from the Ancestors, is a multi-faceted album. The music, however, doesn’t lodge inside the tight confines of the jazz idiom. Here, this is not surprising: the alto saxophonist and composer acknowledges Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye as significant touchstones. Miles Davis’ seminal LP, On the Corner, subverted its main guiding lights […]

Kenny Garrett’s latest release, 2021’s Sounds from the Ancestors, is a multi-faceted album. The music, however, doesn’t lodge inside the tight confines of the jazz idiom. Here, this is not surprising: the alto saxophonist and composer acknowledges Aretha Franklin and Marvin Gaye as significant touchstones. Miles Davis’ seminal LP, On the Corner, subverted its main guiding lights […]

Davina Sowers and the Vagabonds have created a stir on the national music scene. Their high-energy live shows feature level-A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism and Sowers’ commanding stage presence. Also, their influences range from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits. Moreover, the band is converting audiences one show at […]

Musical masters Bruce Henry (vocals) and Dean Magraw (guitar) celebrate the release of their new acoustic album A New Song with a special concert, welcoming Bruce back to his former Twin Cities home. Although the two artists have collaborated over the years, this is their first duo project and reflects an unexpected musical alchemy. Rooted […]

Effortless. Spontaneous. Inimitable. The convergence of two of jazz’s most legendary forces of nature. Moreover, their virtuosic interpretations traverse the musical spectrum. For example, they draw on the canons of luminary composers: Ellington, Porter, Sondheim, LeGrand, Simon, and others. Here, they range from intimate ballads to soulful grooves, delivered with daring expression born of their […]

It isn’t hyperbolic to call Hancock our greatest living jazz artist. Now in his seventh decade of professional life, he has been an integral part of every popular music movement since the 1960s. His work with the Miles Davis Quintet is legendary. His Headhunters album is one of the highest-selling jazz albums of all time. He is […]

Effortless. Spontaneous. Inimitable. The convergence of two of jazz’s most legendary forces of nature. Moreover, their virtuosic interpretations traverse the musical spectrum. For example, they draw on the canons of luminary composers: Ellington, Porter, Sondheim, LeGrand, Simon, and others. Here, they range from intimate ballads to soulful grooves, delivered with daring expression born of their […]

With a solo career spanning two decades, Chris Botti is the highest-selling instrumental artist in the United States. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music. Additionally, his ongoing association with PBS has led to four Number One jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. He performs […]

With a solo career spanning two decades, Chris Botti is the highest-selling instrumental artist in the United States. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music. Additionally, his ongoing association with PBS has led to four Number One jazz albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum and Grammy Awards. He performs worldwide and […]