Jazz88

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with Sarah Fornace from the Chicago-based performance collective "Manual Cinema." Fornace is the director of "Leonardo: A Wonderful Show about a Terrible Monster," a show based on two stories by Mo Willems. It's running January 8th - March 9th at Children's Theatre.

The American Roots Revue, with a cast that includes Robert Robinson, Billy Steele, Tonia Hughes and Fiddln’ Pete Watercott, returns to the Dakota in Minneapolis with two shows Friday January 3. Larry Long is the curator of the Revue, and after listening to a bit of Robert Robinson’s Everybody’s Chains Came Off, Larry told Phil Nusbaum about the theme for this edition of the American Roots Revue, S...

Kinda country, kinda jazzy, and certainly Americana. Sarah Morris and the Sometimes Guys. Regardless of which genre label you give it, the sound is based on Sarah’s strong songwriting and the musical sensitivity of the boys in the band. Phil Nusbaum caught up with Sarah at her Minneapolis studio. Their conversation started off with Sarah talking about her musical genre.

Sarah Navratil leads her group into jazz Central Studios This Friday night from 8 till 9:30. Sarah plays the tenor sax, and she duets with Sophia Kickofel who plays the alto. The evening’s music pays tribute to jazz composers Lenny Tristano, Warren Marsh and Lee Konitz. When Sarah talked about the show with Phil Nusbaum, she referenced the saxophone duet on the Tristano composition, Background Mus...

Before Stanley Jordan was a household name he was getting his career started with Madison, Wisconsin as his homebase. The young player made routine trips up to the Twin Cities and he credits the Twin Cities as the first major metro area where he built up a fanbase. Even though Jordan can now command a crowd in every corner of the planet he's quick to come back to the Twin Cities, specifically the...

Rose Lewis was a member first of an award winning Lawrence University’s Conservatory of Music. She went on to perform with major artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Diane Reeves, teaching school based bands, and has freelanced with a greater number of groups than can be listed here. Way back in 1991, Rose won the Minnesota Composer’s Forum’s Composer Commissioning Project, and that opened the door to...

Pianist Bryan Nichols is embarking on a new chapter in his musical life. On Saturday he launches a new quintet to navigate his original compositions. He'll be joined by Sophia Kickhofel (sax), Jake Baldwin (trumpet), Dan Carpel (bass) and JT Bates (drums). The group premieres at Berlin and he was nice enough to stop by Jazz88 and chat with Sean McPherson about the new lineup and his approach to co...

Jazz88's Patty Peterson talks to sax man, Boney James, about his new CD called "Slow Burn" and his tour, which brings him to the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul December 18th, 2024.

Monroe Crossing has been playing its bluegrass music locally, nationally and internationally for almost a quarter-century. The group presents its Christmas show Tuesday and Wednesday December 17 and 18 at Crooner’s, 7:30-p pm. Monroe Crossing’s fiddler and one of its founding members, Lisa Fuglie talked to Phil Nusbaum about the group’s history.

Reid Anderson, the co-founder and the bassist for The Bad Plus, recently connected with Sean McPherson's Jazz88 for a chat. Anderson discussed the new album from The Bad Plus and their upcoming run of shows starting on Christmas Day at the Dakota.

Kathleen Johnson’s Dakota show Wednesday December 11 at the Dakota at 7pm features the voice. The emphasis is because singers can really connect with audiences. Kathleen put across her point of view in a conversation with Phil Nusbaum.

Vocalists Toussaint Morrison and Roz Prickel are deep into the world of holiday music. They are in rehearsals for their Sno Ball event on Saturday at PNA Hall in Northeast. They swung by the Afternoon Cruise to chat about their favorite holiday music, their love of all things pickle and their upcoming show.

Saturday night December 7 at 7PM, Katia Cardenas and trio perform at Walker West Music Academy in Saint Paul. It’ll be a program of Katia’s favorites, so it is It’s slightly ironic that one of Katia’s favorites is the standard “My Favorite Things.” In an interview with Phil Nusbaum Katia first told of the concert series she is part of at Walker.

Vocalist Bruce A. Henry is back in town for a holiday performance with the JazzMN Orchestra. Though Henry didn't sing holiday music for the first half of his career, he reconnected with the canon during a holiday show at a shopping mall in Colorado and hasn't looked back since. In the interview Henry shared how he navigates the big band setting and the holiday songbook. The JazzMN Orchestra presen...

Debbie Briggs presents a beefed-up vintage jazz Christmas show at the Hook and ladder in Minneapolis, 7pm Friday December 6. In between rehearsals, Debbie talked to Phil Nusbaum about the Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz Christmas, and about some of those who are participating in the production.

Jazz88 connected with Windom, Minnesota's own Maria Schneider on her birthday to celebrate her Grammy-laden career and her continued connection to Minnesota but Schneider wanted to talk about was the new anthem she's written for her hometown team, the Vikings. Supported by her orchestra's trombone section and the beefiest baritones Julliard has to offer, Schneider's tune is bound to secure the Vik...

Annie Humphrey is inspired by her Native American roots. She brings this heritage to bear in her performance called Decolonizing Thanksgiving at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis this Friday, November 29. When Annie got together with Phil Nusbaum to talk about the performance, Annie first addressed the importance of being aware of internal and external forces.

Next Wednesday, November 27, Andrew Walesch leads his orchestra into the Dakota in Minneapolis for an evening devoted to the great songs of Tony Bennett. Andrew recently talked to Phil Nusbaum about the show and about Bennett. In 2017 Andrew was in New York City, where he happened to run into Tony Bennett on the street. Andrew followed Tony into a restaurant.

The New Standards are a jazz-adjacent trio featuring John Munson (bass and vocals), Chan Poling (piano and vocals), and Steve Roehm (vibes). Though the group has plenty of rock'n'roll pedigrees on their resume, all the members have a deep love and knowledge of jazz. The New Standards rely on that love of jazz and the song suggestions they receive from their musical guests to craft a celebrated ann...

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with Shawn Lewis, Community Relations Manager with the Minneapolis Parks Foundation, about planned improvements to North Commons Park. At $45 million, the North Commons renovation represents the largest investment ever made in a neighborhood park in the 140-year history of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board.

Big Homie plays the Dakota in Minneapolis, 7pm on this coming Friday. The group is based on the North side of Minneapolis, and led by percussionist L.A. Buckner. L.A. told Phil Nusbaum that Big Homie frequently presents musical portraits of life on the north side, including the tune, Looking to the Hills.

Jazz88 Host Patty Peterson talks to saxophonist, Lucia Sarmiento, about her new single, "Morning Delight" and her upcoming CD release in February 2025 at Berlin in Minneapolis.

Mike Wolter leads his trio into the Lexington in Saint Paul, next Saturday night, November 23 at 7pm. The performance will lean on the standards, but Mike and company bring experience with many types of jazz to each performance. When Mike talked to Phil Nusbaum, they spoke about different types of tunes and different types of inspirations, including a Wolters original, long part of Winter. That on...

Big Homie plays the Dakota in Minneapolis, 7pm on this coming Friday. The group is based on the North side of Minneapolis, and led by percussionist L.A. Buckner. L.A. told Phil Nusbaum that Big Homie frequently presents musical portraits of life on the north side, including the tune, Looking to the Hills.

This month Crooners Supper Club celebrates their ten year anniversary. Jazz88 caught up with their Music Director, Jennifer Grimm, to talk about the club's history, it's triumphant series of outdoor concerts during the pandemic and the importance of having clubs that serve as a listening rooms. This weekend on Sunday Jazz88's own Patty Peterson will revisit the Crooners stage after having served a...