Jazz88

About thirty years ago, Lilith Fair was created to point out gender-based inequities in the music business. Sunday evening March 8 at 6:30, at a performance at Crooner’s in Fridley, vocalist Tristana Ward fronts Pandora’s Other Box, a celebration of the original Lilith Fair artists and those who came later. When Tristana talked to Phil Nusbaum, she reflected on her shock, in the late 1990s, when s...

Theo Bleckmann is an vocalist with a penchant for creating experimental, boundary-pushing recordings drawing on a wide range of musical styles. His latest recording, called "Love and Anger," is no exception. It includes highly personal and sometimes radical arrangements of two Kate Bush songs, Sylvester’s disco hit “Mighty Real,” “Hide Your Love Away” by the Beatles, “Dido’s Lament” by Henry Purce...

Guitarist Dean Magraw and percussionist Davu Seru have each performed in many ensembles. Take together all that playing, and Dean and Davu are well prepared to show up in clubs and entertain. They perform Saturday February 28 at the High Hat in Saint Paul, at 7pm. Dean and Davu say that what they do is to play in the moment. But what does that mean? Phil Nusbaum asked the pair, and Dean was the fi...

John Penny has had multiple musical careers, including performing and music production for movies and commercials. Today, among other things, he leads the Virtual Band. He creates dense musical textures through synthesizing multiple instruments and sings and plays his electric guitar in performance. John’s virtual Band performs Sundays 11 to 2 at the Golden Thyme in Saint Paul. John Penny says he...

Saturday night, the Cedar Cultural Center presents a group of artists commissioned to create new musical work. It’ll be the second Cedar Commissions show, from 7:30 till about 11pm. Phil Nusbaum talked with two of the artists performing February 21, Mikey Marget and Valentine Lowry-Ortega. But first, we hear from John Marks, Operations director of the Cedar, who tells why the Cedar puts on the Ced...

Peter Solomon speaks to Paul Fonfara and Spencer Roth of The Brass Messengers, a Twin Cities-based brass band that blends elements of Balkan, Macedonian, Afrobeat, Free Jazz, New Orleans sounds. The group will play a Mardi-Gras show called "Dance Your Brass Off" Tuesday, February 17th at the Turf Club, presented by Jazz88.

Each year, The Cedar Cultural Center presents a group of artists commissioned to create new work. The grant that funds the Cedar Commissions comes from the Jerome Foundation, and the performances are Friday and Saturday February 20 and 21 at the Cedar, 7:30 till 11pm. Phil Nusbaum talked with the artists performing February 20, Deeq Abdi, Creekbed Carter Hogan and Trick Locket. As we join the arti...

Four Musical couples perform at Crooners in Fridley on valentine’s Day and at Chanhassen Dinner Theater on February 15. The couples are Maud Hixson and Rick Carlson, Deb Brown and Brian Zimniak, Amy and Boyd Lee and Jennifer Grimm and Joe Cruz. When Phil Nusbaum talked with Jennifer Grimm about the show, they first talked about the intimate musical conversations that each couple represents.

On his latest album "Sampled," trumpeter, composer, and educator Adam Meckler collaborated with several different hip hop producers, rappers, and instrumentalists to reimagine and recontextualize his original big band music. He talks about his collanorative process with Jazz88's Peter Solomon.

Rhythmically Speaking Dance performs next Thursday at 7:30 at the Ordway in Saint Paul. The group dances to jazz and other American social forms. In other words, its artistic palette is very broad. We’ll hear how choreographers and dancers base the dance on the inner rhythms of the music they dance to. When Rhythmically Speaking Executive director Erinn Leipard talked to Phil Nusbaum, she first ad...

Motown Reimagined! That’s the theme when a Geoff and Cherese Jones sing in front of a rhythm section that presents acoustic versions of great Motown music. The show takes place 6pm, Sunday January 8 at Crooners in Fridley. When Geoff Jones spoke with Phil Nusbaum about the show, he first addressed singing great songs.

Cellist Jacqueline Ultan and guitarist Pavel Jany are each trained classically, but have broad interests. In their new group, Duo Corda, they play and adapt music from multiple sources, creating a sound that seems to feature them both, but is at its core, integrated. Duo Corda plays Thursday Feb 5 at Crooners in Fridley at, 6pm. When Duo Corda talked to Phil Nusbaum, Jacqueline and Pavel addressed...

Joanne Lundberg is a Financial Counseling Supervisor with Lutheran Social Services. She speaks with Jazz88's Peter Solomon about debt consolidation, with an an explanation of the process and when and for whom it might be a good option.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with Craig Ritacco, COO and General Manager of The Lexington, a historic restaurant in St. Paul that features jazz between Labor day and April. Benny Weinbeck, a jazz pianist who books the shows, also joins the conversation.

Joanne Lundberg is a Financial Counseling Supervisor with Lutheran Social Services. She speaks with Jazz88's Peter Solomon about debt consolidation, with an an explanation of the process and when and for whom it might be a good option.

Jarrod Lawson joins Jazz88’s Patty Peterson to talk about his upcoming concert at Dakota on Jan. 28, along with his 7-piece band. Dubbed the "Soul Artist of The Year" at the Jazz FM Awards in London, Jarrod is a modern-day soul singer/keyboardist whose lyrics are packed with messages that speak to the times we’re in today. “The album is called “Be The Change" and is a beautiful, restrained, dreamy...

Klezmer On Ice is a festival of Yiddish culture, held in Minneapolis next weekend. The event stages and presents workshops that teach about, Yiddish culture. Venues include the Center for Performing Arts on Pleasant Avenue in Minneapolis, as well as Lake Harriet. Phil Nusbaum talked to Josh Rosard and Miri Villerius, two festival organizers, who also play in the klezmer band di Bayke. First, a lit...

Pianist Aaron Parks speaks to Jazz88's Peter Solomon about his most recent project on the Blue Note label, a quartet session called "By All Means," featuring bassist Ben Street, saxophonist Ben Solomon, and legendary drummer Billy Hart. Parks also discusses his musical influences, how he dealt with being labelled a jazz prodigy,and talks about his recent essay discussing his experiences navigating...

Andrew Wheeler is the playwright of Whoosh, seen at History Theater in Saint Paul, January 29 through February 22. It is a one man show, and music by Irish music duo Northern Shores, Brian Miller and Danny Diamond, play a big role in moving the narrative forward. Whoosh! takes place in the era of both the Civil War and Irish immigration to the Great Lakes area. During a conversation with Phil Nusb...

Bob Mintzer of the YellowJackets talks to Jazz88 host, Patty Peterson, about their upcoming concert at Dakota Jan 21, 2026. Yellowjackets have a new album out called "Fasten Up" in addition to their work with the WDR Big Band out of Cologne, Germany. Bob talks about the magic sauce as to why the YellowJackets are still the vibrant ensemble they still are after 47 years. Russell Ferrante: Piano & S...

The Double Down Daredevils performs bluegrass old and new, with a bent towards originality and fresh spins. Saturday January 31, the Daredevils performs at Crooners in Minneapolis from 6 till 7:30pm. Tom Peschges is one of the singers, songwriters and guitarists for the Double Down Daredevils. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Tom first addressed what it is like to be in the middle of a bluegra...

Wayne Anthony, Mick Sterling and Scotty Bahr share the spotlight presenting great songs and great arrangements by Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, January 30 and 31. The performance is called Spinning Wheel Trilogy. The Friday show will be at the Freight House in Stillwater, and Saturday at Le Musique Room in St Michael. The show honors three great bands, as it provides the singe...

Canadh Croí is a Twin Cities group that combines African and Celtic music traditions, and has recently created a CD. The CD release event takes place Friday January 16 at 7:30 pm, at Celtic Junction is Saint Paul. By the way, Canadh Croí is the capitol of Guinea, from which two group members hail, and in the Irish tradition, Canadh Croí means, roughly, “singing of the heart.” When the convener of...

Steve Clarke celebrates his birthday with a performance by the Steve Clarke Quartet, 7pm Sunday night January 18 at Crooners. When Steve got together with Phil Nusbaum, Steve talked about the special theme of this performance.

Paul Barry, Twin Cities Blues Harp Player Combines blues band influences from Chicago and West Coast in live shows by the Ace Tones. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Paul expressed his gratefulness to the past blues masters who set him in the right direction.