Jazz88

Wayne Anthony sings the standards, with a big emphasis on the Frank Sinatra repertoire. This Friday and Saturday, it’s all Sinatra. The show is called In The Sky because the venue is the 50th floor of the IDS Center in Minneapolis. Doors open at 6:30, dinner is available, and the occasion goes till 10PM. Information is available at Wayne Anthony Music dot com. When Wayne talked to Phil Nusbaum, th...

Writer and storyteller Kevin Kling teams with singer Victor Zupanc to highlight Summer turning to Fall. These ultimate troubadours, as Crooners Supper Club calls them, work together to find related songs and stories for presentation, 8-9:30 on Saturday September 16. When Phil Nusbaum met with Victor and Kevin, Kevin addressed the kind of thing that provokes a story.

Twin Cities vocalist Aja Parham fell in love with the voice of Sarah Vaughan on CD. From there, Parham has made an effort to celebrate Sarah Vaughan on stages across the Twin Cities and beyond. She'll be exploring the Sarah Vaughan songbook on Sunday night over at Crooners. Listen in for a conversation between Aja Parham and Sean McPherson about all things Sarah Vaughan.

With the new school year underway, MPS Interim Superintendent Rochelle Cox talks with MPS Voices and Jazz88's Manny Hill about welcoming the students back, and also shares important information regarding Educational Support Professionals around the district. Also, how's the new Career & Technical Education Center at North High coming together?

Jon Reyerson is with the Wayzata Chamber of Commerce and they are preparing for James J Hill Days this weekend. This year Jazz88 is part of the event, presenting a Jazzclectic Concert on Friday night with the Jack Brass Band. Jon stopped by to chat about the concert and about the larger offerings of James J. Hill Days, including llamas in costume.

Grammy nominated artist Najee took the time to connect with Jazz88's Patty Peterson in advance of his headlining show on Saturday, September 9 at the Selby Avenue Jazz Festival. Najee discussed his time touring and recording with Prince, his "COVID" record and he went over the details for the stellar band he's bringing to St. Paul this weekend.

In anticipation of the Zorn at 70 event at the Walker Art Center on Saturday, September 9 Sean McPherson from Jazz88 sat down with Philip Bither from the Walker Art Center to highlight some tracks from Zorn's vast catalog and talk about Zorn's significance in the musical world.

One of the most popular jazz acts ever was the Nat King Cole trio. Cole’s widespread popularity began in the 1940s, and he still commands the attention of jazz musicians and fans. Kings of Cole is a local group organized by Joe Weismann that performs in the style of the Nat King Cole Trio. Joe sat down with Phil Nusbaum to talk about the group ahead of its show at Icehouse in Minneapolis, 5:30-8PM...

Orkestar Bez Ime travels widely to learn folk music from the Balkans, and works with local people. The result is a Twin Cities-based Balkan band with great singing and playing that rings true with the traditions represented. You can catch Orkestar Bez Ime at Crooners on August 31, and then Sept 3 and 4 at the Minnesota State Fair. When Phil Nusbaum sat down with Colleen Bertsch and Katrina Munding...

Celebrated pianist Larry McDonough has been a fixture on the jazz scene for decades and he's well-known for his love of Bill Evans. This Thursday Larry and company are gracing the mainstage of Crooners to play Bill Evans' material. They'll also share part of a moving documentary about Evans' life.

After a chance encounter 22 years ago in the Twin Cities, Tony London went on to become friends with Tony Bennett and receive support and sage advice from him as London built his career as a modern crooner. Like so many in the music industry, London recognizes Bennett as a "singer's singer" and valued his mentorship as much as his artistry. With Bennett's passing in July, Tony London is taking to...

What’s it like to be a member of the No Man’s String Band? Well, you can be kind of busy playing for one thing. When you talk to band members like fiddler Lindsey Bordner and bass player Pat Loftus, you learn that the band’s essence is a combination of a commitment to quality, and enjoying the moment. Lindsay and Pat expanded on those ideas in an interview with Phil Nusbaum.

Jazz88 Radio Host, Patty Peterson, reminisces with several Twin Cities jazz legends, who have achieved local and national acclaim, including educator, arranger and composer, Denny Malmberg (piano, accordion, bass)-composer, sculptor and Arawak Records founder, Douglas Ewart (saxophone, flute), award winning composer and educator Joan Griffith (guitar, bass, mandolin), and “A Prairie Home Companion...

Jack Barrett (piano) and Charlie Bruber (bass) are kindred musical spirits. And during the pandemic they found their way back to creativity by doing brisk, low-pressure sessions with Ben Ehrlich and Jake Baldwin bright and early in the morning. These sessions grew into the record that they are releasing as the Jack Barrett Quartet on Wednesday night at Icehouse.

On August 21, 1904 Count Basie was born in Red Bank, NJ. In his seventy-nine years on planet earth he contributed immense amounts to the development of jazz. And the legendary orchestra that he led for the majority of his life continues on to this day under the tutelage of Scotty Barnhart. Rick Carlson, a Twin Cities pianist who holds an after hours residency at Crooners, was raised on the piano w...

The Selby Avenue Brass Band does a lot of performing with singer Thomassina Petrus. On Sunday, August 27, the whole group performs during a church service. It’s part of the Gospel According to jazz project, and this performance will be during the 11AM worship service at the Liberty Community Church, 3700 Bryant Avenue in Minneapolis. The Selby Avenue Brass Band is led by Tom Wells who writes and a...

The greatness of the pop group the Beatles might just be in the musical possibilities inherent in the group’s songs. This Saturday night at 6:30 at Crooners Supper Club in Fridley, four Minneapolis guitarists explore Beatles music. They are Jeff Perry, Tim Sparks, Joel Shapira and Zach Harris, with bassist Gary Raynor and drummer Bob Johnston. Phil Nusbaum went to a Beatles Reimagined rehearsal an...

Jamecia Bennett took time out of her busy schedule to chat with Jazz88 in advance of her headlining show at the Art and All That Jazz Festival this weekend in Burnsville. Ms. Bennett, well-known for her long tenure with Sounds of Blackness, is bringing her critically acclaimed solo show to Nicollet Commons Park and already planning out further performances later in the year at the Ordway.

Deedles, aka Diane Schuur, is making her way back to the Twin Cities for two shows on Saturday, August 12 with the JazzMN Orchestra. She'll be exploring the Count Basie songbook, something she's been doing since the mid 1980s. Diane was joined for this interview by her feline partner, Puss Puss. This interview was edited by Ben Ere’imul.

Celebrated pianist and MacPhail instructor Michael Cain spent about a decade working with Jack DeJohnette from '90-'99. He was nice enough to swing through Jazz88 and talk about his love of Jack DeJohnette. He also reflected on DeJohnette's larger importance in the music world at large.

Award-winning pianist Isaiah J. Thompson is navigating life as a rising star in the jazz world, an in-demand sideman touring the world with John Pizzarelli and a newly-wed! It's a lot to balance but Thompson finds a way to that and also serenade his mother's old Volvo in song form.

JT Bates is preparing for a show on Monday August 14 with Todd Clouser and John Medeski. JT Bates connected with Sean from the Afternoon Cruise to talk about what it's like to play with Medeski and Clouser and what they plan to bring to the stage of Icehouse on Monday, August 14.

Ted Godbout is a consumate sideman supplying the needed support on the keys for many of the greats in the Twin Cities and beyond. But on Wednesday August 9 Godbout will be stepping out as a leader to bring his sounds to the plaza of the Capri Theater. Check out the conversation between Ted and Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise.

Back in the 1980s, Diane Schuur was singing with the Count Basie orchestra. She recorded with Basie, the recording won a grammy, and now Diane Schuur is an established Basie interpreter. Diane comes to the Twin Cities this Saturday night to team up with JazzMN, a Twin Cities jazz orchestra that works frequently with international talent. Phil Nusbaum talked with JazzMN music director Pete Whitman,...

The 30-Days Foundation’s Art and All that Jazz Festival comes to the Ames Center and Nicollet Commons Park in Burnsville, Friday and Saturday August 18 and 19. The festival features prominent Twin Cities figures Steve Cole; Jamecia Bennett, known for her work solo and with the Sounds of Blackness; Jay Young with Ginger Commodore; Ticket to Brasil; and Mary Louise Knutson with Patti Peterson as a g...