Jazz88

The Southside Aces New CD, called The Big Beat, continues the Ace Tradition of Playing Old New Orleans Jazz, and also Interpreting a varied Repertoire in a New Orleans Way. The release event is at the Dakota in Minneapolis, Thursday July 16 at 7pm. When Southside Aces clarinetist Tony Balluff talked to Phil Nusbaum about the group, he first addressed how the Aces feel about playing the really old...

Brian Z from BZ3 Organ Trio joins Jazz88's Patty Peterson to talk about their new CD release at the Dakota in Minneapolis on July 9th. The new project is called "Note Salad" and Brian talks about this groups intention of bringing jazz back into people's minds with a blend of funk, jazz, blues, and RnB. Brian Z is on Hammond Organ, David Feily on guitar, and Kevin Washington on drums. This trio wel...

Monroe Crossing is a Twin Cities Bluegrass band that has played all over the United States and in Europe, too. The group is named for the father of Bluegrass music, Bill Monroe. But Monroe Crossing stretches into many music genres, providing common, musical meeting grounds between the band and audiences. Monroe Crossing is preparing for its July 10, 5pm performance in the Belvedere Room at Crooner...

Each year, Jazz88 honors 4 notable artists who have been pioneers of Minnesota's jazz scene. This year's honorees are Arne Fogel (vocalist and radio personality), Gary Raynor (Bassist and educator), Gary Gauger (drummer and innovator) and award winning jazz vocalist, the late Shirley Witherspoon. The live concert and conversation took place at Minnesota History Center's 3M Theater on April 12, 202...

There’s about to be a new jazz club in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. Johnnie Brown, noted local singer, is opening up the Brownstone in a newly refurbished space at 28th Street and Hennepin Avenue. To help the Brownstone get going, Crooners Supper Club in Fridley is holding a benefit concert by Johnnie Brown, this Monday, June 29 at 6pm. Where’d the idea for the club come from? When John...

Liz Ashworth and Emily LaPlant, collective known as LaPlant Road, have sung and played guitar and mandolin since childhood. In 2022, they started thinking of their duet as a performing act. Then, the buzz started, and now, the LaPlant Road CD, Finding Home, is out. This Friday at 8pm, at the 318 Café in Excelsior, the duet performs original material from Finding Home, plus other stuff. When Phil N...

The Northfield Jazz Festival comes to multiple Northfield venues, Friday through Sunday July tenth through twelfth. J.C. Sanford is one of the organizers of the event. When J.C. spoke with Phil Nusbaum about the Northfield Jazz festival, J.C. addressed the concepts used for booking the festival.

Yonci speaks to three vocalists who're preparing not only for the Twin Cities Jazz festival, but to begin their careers after graduating high school! Vocalists From L-R: Livv Davidson, Tamsin Stockman, Aniyah Warren.

The kids keeping the jazz tradition alive. Hear what the 2026 Dakota Ensemble has to say ahead of their main stage performance at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival

An esteemed Jazz vocalist meets a storied Brass Band? Hear what Thomasina and Tom Wells of the Selby Ave Brass band have to say, ahead of their mainstage performance at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival.

Sullivan Fortner is one of the most prominent pianists in the contemporary jazz landscape. Yonci got a few words in between his busy schedule, ahead of this year's Twin Cities Jazz Festival.

The Nancy Bierma trio plays on the Bigos 6th street stage along side Mears Park at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, this Saturday, June 20 at 3pm. Nancy and her husband, bassist Jim Bierma, have been playing professionally for decades. But Nancy’s jazz playing was the result of a dramatic change of course during her college days. She told Phil Nusbaum about it.

Interview with trumpeter Ella Grace ahead of her performance at this year's Twin Cities Jazz Festival

Russell Ferrante is a founding member of the legendary fusion band, the Yellowjackets. He spoke with Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon about his musical path, including an eye-opening first tour with blues singer Jimmy Witherspoon. He also discussed the collaboration with guitarist Robben Ford that led to forming the Yellowjackets, and the leaderless philosphy that has helped the band stay togethe...

Choro Borealis is a Twin-Cities based Brazilian ensemble that performs a variety of musical styles from South America’s largest country, including choro, samba, forro, and original compositions that incorporate jazz influences. The term choro references a type of instrumental music that evolved in the late nineteenth century from the fusion of European dances like polkas, schottisches, and walzes,...

Twin Cities-based guitarist Zacc Harris speaks with Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon about his latest trio project "American Reckoning," the upcoming Zacc Harris group appearance at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and his work in the Atlantis Quartet. You can catch Harris's set at the TCJF Saturday, June 20th at 4 PM at Mears Park.

Brandon Commodore (drummer, composer) joins Jazz88's host, Patty Peterson, to talk about the release of his debut EP of original music called "This Is 40". Starting in the music business at 19, he now reflects on how at this age, the music comes from a deeper place and he hears it in his composing. Known for his work with Sounds Of Blackness, Mint Condition, and NPG, he also talks about an upcomin...

Most audiences know Scottie Millers for his blues, rock and jazz artist. But he’s always kept an interest in symphonic music, and Scottie’s new CD, Hello Pain, reflects that interest. But this type of production has a lot of moving parts. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Scottie talked about mounting the Hello Pain production, the songs on the CD, and what inspired creating it.

Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon speaks with Andrew Wallesch, the Artistic Director of the JazzMn Orchestra, about their Saturday, June 20th appearance with singer Michael Mayo at the 2026 Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Wallesch, a singer himself, discusses Mayo's unique gifts as a vocalist and improvisor. More information on that and other Twin Cities Jazz Festival performances can be found at www.t...

Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon speaks with Andrew Wallesch, the Artistic Director of the JazzMn Orchestra, about their Saturday, June 20th appearance with singer Michael Mayo at the 2026 Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Wallesch, a singer himself, discusses Mayo's unique gifts as a vocalist and improvisor. More information on that and other Twin Cities Jazz Festival performances can be found at www.t...

The Genesis Jazz Orchestra performs under the stars, Wednesday, May 27 at the Lake Harriet Bandshell in Minneapolis. When Genesis director Dave Hagedorn talked with Phil Nusbaum about the performance, Dave said to expect a mix of familiar and unfamiliar. For example, Genesis plays a rethought version of In the Mood, called No Longer in the Mood.

Steve Cole, Saxophonist, joins Jazz88's Patty Peterson to talk about his new CD "Sleight Of Hand" and concert at Dakota in Minneapolis May 23 with his band. He expounds on taking this same band on tour with him and because of the synergy they have together. It makes for a very creative experience for him and the audience.

To guitarist Dean Magraw and tabla player Suwal Singh, musical boundaries do not exist. But there are frontiers that invite exploration and interpretation. Dean and Suwal bring their act to the Aster in Minneapolis, 8:30pm, Friday May 22. When Dean and Suwal talked to Phil Nusbaum, Suwal told how he first became aware of Dean.

The new CD by Flutes and Low represents is the Result of the songs being crafted one at a time by the composers, Cambria Haen and Ben Pichler. When the two got together with Phil Nusbaum, Cambria first told why the name, Flutes and Low, was chosen for a group that does not have a flautist. Then, the talked turned to musical inspiration.

In the Great Men of Country Performance, singer Bobby Vandell Presents a group of great country songs that grab you by the throat and won’t let go. That will be Sunday, May 17, 7pm, at Crooner’s in Fridley. Bobby Talked with Phil Nusbaum about the show. Now, many of us know Bobby as a drummer in R ‘n’ B and rock formats. So Phil asked Bobby where his interest in Country songs comes from.