Jazz88

Pianist Larry McDonough and guitarist Joel Shapira are interpreters of Bill Evans and Jim Hall. Larry and Joel have recorded two CDs of Evans and Hall material, and have played their interpretations in venues around the Twin Cities. Larry and Joel are doing it again, Sunday August 9, at the Arts on Lafond series, 1697 Lafond Avenue in Saint Paul. When Phil Nusbaum talked to Joel and Larry, Larry f...

Phil Aaron is a longtime interpreter of Bill Evans piano jazz. On Wednesday August 12, 5:30 til 7pm, the Phil Aaron trio digs deeply into the Bill Evans repertoire. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Phil Aaron talked about Bill Evans’ contributions to Jazz.

The Moonlight Serenaders 14-lice big band has been around for decades. The group plays a free concert in Rice Park in Saint Paul, next Wednesday, August 5, 7 to 9pm. The group’s current director, percussionist Dan Marrs, and former director and current trumpeter, Linda Ness, talked to Phil Nusbaum about the group. To a greater degree than much contemporary jazz, a big band relies on all the player...

Logan Richardson in a saxophonist, composer and producer who will be Artist in Residence July 29th through 31st at Berlin in Minneapolis. He speaks with Peter Solomon about growing up in Kansas City in the 1980's and how that shaped him as an artist. Richardson will be working with a group of Twin Cities-based artists, including pianist Kavyesh Kaviraj, trumpeter Omar Abdulkarim, bassist Kevin Gib...

The Kendra Glenn band and Ace Mack collaborate for the Funk Extravaganza at the Minnesota Music Cafe in Saint Paul, 8pm on Friday July 31. It’ll be an evening of great singing, with a tight band performance, and of course, dancing. Phil Nusbaum talked with Ace and Kendra about the show. The group enjoys covering Aretha Franklin, whose songs leaned in the direction of funk.

Singing her songs on stage is a lifelong dream of Laura Hugo. And that’s what she’ll be doing, Thursday July 30 at Laura’s EP Release show at Icehouse in Minneapolis. Laura sings about love and love lost, her family, cultural background, and other subjects. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Laura talked about getting started in her songwriting craft.

Last Winter, Phil Nusbaum reported on the Cedar Commissions, a set of performances by up and coming Minnesota artists. One was Mikey Marget, a cellist with interests in traditional Scandinavian folk music, as well as the rock and Jazz, and an inclination to combine genres. Mikey is sharing a night with Kevin Gamble, at the club Berlin, July 22. When Mikey talked with Phil Nusbaum about the upcomin...

Tom McDermott moved to New Orleans in the early eighties and has quickly himself as a leading voice in early jazz and New Orleans roots music. He brings a personal and inventive approach to the repertoire of Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Professor Longhair, and James Booker, as well as ragtime and Brazilian Choro music. McDermott spoke with Jazz88 Morning Host Peter Solomon about his...

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with guitarists Joe Cruz and Scott Keever about the new guitar duo they are bringing to Aster Cafe on July 23rd. Both musicians have diverse musical interests, ranging from Americana to Latin, Blues, Jazz, and more.

Joan Hutton and Sue Orfield’s Take That Back Releases new CD called Splash and performs at Metronome in Saint Paul, Monday night July 20. Uncommon as it is in small group jazz for a band to be led by two saxes, Take That Back has made a distinct impression in the jazz community. The new Take That Back CD is called Splash, and the group performs 7 to 9 pm, Monday July 20 at Metronome in Saint Paul....

The Minnesota Original Music Festival is coming Sunday July 17. Held in Minnesota Square Park in Saint Peter, the Minnesota Original Music Festival presents many musical genres, on multiple stages, and attendance is free of charge. It’s the fifth year of the event, and is the brainchild of Eli Hoehn. Eli told Phil Nusbaum why he created the event.

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...