Jazz88

Jenny Klukken has been bridging the gap between her classical background and her passion for jazz on her primary instrument, the marimba, for years. She's back at it on Thursday night over at Crooners with an all-star band of Chris Olson (g), Chris Bates (b) and non-Chris Dave Schmalenberger (d). Klukken caught up with Sean from Jazz88 to discuss how marimba fits into the world of jazz and how her...

Sousaphonist Erik Jacobson’s romance with New Orleans brass bands started when we was in high school and was exposed to the Dirty Dozen Brass Band record “My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now.” After sharing the album with fellow University of Wisconsin-Madison music student Christopher “Roc” Ohly, he started up Mama Digdown’s Brass Band. They’ve kept it going for thirty years and have toured all over, inclu...

Minneapolis-based pianist and composer spoke with Jazz88's Peter Solomon ahead of his December 30th birthday celebration at KJ's Hideaway in St. Paul. (Photo by Evin Rodriguez-Sosa)

Chris Speed, saxophonist for The Bad Plus, recently connected with Sean McPherson to discuss The Bad Plus's upcoming residency at the Dakota, which starts on December 25 and runs until December 28.

Ben Monder, guitarist for The Bad Plus, recently connected with Peter Solomon to discuss The Bad Plus's upcoming residency at the Dakota, which starts on December 25 and runs until December 28.

Reid Anderson, co-founder and drummer for The Bad Plus, recently connected with Sean McPherson to discuss The Bad Plus's upcoming residency at the Dakota, which starts on December 25 and runs until December 28.

Dave King, co-founder and drummer for The Bad Plus, recently connected with Peter Solomon to discuss The Bad Plus's upcoming residency at the Dakota, which starts on December 25 and runs until December 28.

Joyann Parker is all in for the blues and for weighted blankets. As she travels the road as a celebrated blues musician she has been amassing a fan base across the Midwest and beyond. Check out the conversation to find out Joyann Parker's 2023 album "Roots", her holiday show at KJ's Hideaway and her New Year's Eve shows at Crooners.

Karrin Allyson and Rod Fleeman are never far from the holiday spirit. After sharing many a night on stage in Kansas City Allyson and Fleeman frequently travel together to bring their special brand of holiday cheer further afield. The duo were nice enough to stop by our studios today to serenade us with renditions of "Christmas Bells Are Ringing" and "Some of that Sunshine" plus some conversation.

DeCarlo Jackson is a shining light in the Twin Cities. He is a member of HEYARLO, Hippocampus and is a gifted trumpet player and bassist. After a viewing of the Spike Lee classic Mo' Better Blues, DeCarlo Jackson wanted to combine the thriving jazz scene in the Twin Cities with the thriving comedy scene in the Twin Cities. After connecting with Emma Dalenberg, the duo planted the seeds for RIFFS,...

Toussaint Morrison and Roz Prickel are no strangers to stages of all varieties. But after about a year of contemplation and a handful of weeks of intense work, the duo are ready to stage their debut holiday show. They'll be staging it at Northeast Social on Thursday and Friday December 14 and 15.

Some changes are coming to Minneapolis Public Schools in the next couple of months. There will be new leadership with a permanent Superintendent set to take over soon for the current interim Superintendent Rochelle Cox, who MPS Voices Executive Producer Manny Hill recently caught up with. Manny and Rochelle talk about a few topics, as the winter break is coming up, but first they discussed the new...

Stacey Kent is a critically acclaimed jazz singer beloved the world over. She has sold more than two million recordings and her music has been downloaded a half a billion times. Her latest recording, “Summer Me, Winter Me” was recently issued on Naïve records. Jazz88’s Peter Solomon caught up with Kent via Zoom to discuss the new recording. (Photo by Judy Maxwell. )

Joshua Redman recently released his Blue Note Records debut, "Where Are We". The album is much more lyrics heavy than Redman's previous outings and features Redman's maiden voyage as a lyric writer. The album is built around a collaboration between Redman and vocalist Gabrielle Cavassa as well as a top notch band featuring Aaron Parks, Joe Sanders and Brian Blade. Joshua Redman is scheduled for tw...

Dayna Martinez, the Executive Director of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, stopped by during the Morning Show to announce the artists that will be featured in Winter Jazz Fest coming up on February 24, 2024.

We are stuffed to the gills in Minnesota with great jazz artists. We wanted to highlight some of the best songs released in 2023. This list is by no means comprehensive and we encourage you to listen our stream dedicated to Minnesota music, Minnesota Jazz Tracks. And don't miss out on the great local show of the same name on our FM airwaves on Monday nights from 7-9.

We are stuffed to the gills in Minnesota with great jazz artists. We wanted to highlight some of the best songs released in 2023. This list is by no means comprehensive and we encourage you to listen our stream dedicated to Minnesota music, Minnesota Jazz Tracks. And don't miss out on the great local show of the same name on our FM airwaves on Monday nights from 7-9.

Enrollment Season has gotten underway again at Minneapolis Public Schools. It started November 15, and MPS Voices Executive PRoducer Manny Hill talked with MPS Director of Enrollment Managment Martha Swanson about important dates for families to remember, and also the upcoming School Finder Fair happening on January 13!

José James is a product of South Minneapolis and even though he lives elsewhere he is still strongly connected with the Twin Cities. In fact, James fell in love with jazz as a young teenager thanks to an announcer on Jazz88 outlining the role of Billy Strayhorn in the composition "Take The A Train". In his adulthood James has become an internationally revered jazz artist. He's dropping a new album...

Oleta Adams joined Patty Peterson in the Playroom to talk about her upcoming concert at Dakota in Mpls. She talks about her band and the importance of the song "Get Here".

Craig Dion and Jason Craft alongside fellow musicians and vocalists will be gracing the stage of the Capri Theater in Minneapolis this Sunday for a concert celebrating the music of Stevie Wonder. They visited the Afternoon Cruise to discuss the concert, Wonder's vast musical output and the unique unpolished joy that Stevie Wonder brings to his work behind the drum kit.

Vocalist Deb Brown joins Patty Peterson on Sunday Morning Jazz to talk about her Holiday concert & CD release on Dec. 2 at Crooners.

Ginger Commodore, Judi Vinar and Connie Evingson are all headliners in their own right but they have elected to get together as a triple threat for the first time to usher in the holidays with their Crooner's concert on November 30 "Holiday Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice". The trio connected with Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise to discuss their plans for the concert and their storied ca...

Jazz 88's Peter Solomon spoke with Erinn Liebhard, director of the St. Paul based dance troupe Rhythmically Speaking about their upcoming show "Chill," running Dec. 1 -3 at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul, and featuring original choreography to a live jazz performance of Vince Guaraldi's score for A Charlie Brown Christmas. (Image by Jillian Bell).

Maurice Jacox is a living legend. He's lived his life on stages around the world and nowadays the Twin Cities is blessed to see him all over town. On November 28 Maurice will be leading his group "We Still R" through a concert at the Dakota. In the conversation with Jazz88's Sean McPherson Jacox discusses how he ended up playing with We Still R, his love of the Cuban people and more.