Jazz88

Pete Whitman, the celebrated Minnesota-based saxophonist and composer swung by the Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming show with Byron Stripling and the JazzMN Orchestra on May 23, as well as an upcoming set on the books at the Dakota.

Brass Lassie adds horn arrangements to the traditional mix of fiddles, flutes and concertinas. The group keeps on evolving, added repertoire learned from a Danish Band, and with dancers added to the performance as well. Brass Lassie performs this coming Tuesday at the Parkway in Minneapolis, with doors opening at 6:30 and the show at 7:30. When Brass Lassie leader Laura MacKenzie talked to Phil Nu...

Ronnie Foster is making his way to the Dakota on May 11. He was nice enough to hop on a ZOOM with Sean McPherson and talk about his new album, the upcoming show, his tutelage under other organ masters and his experience of being sampled by A Tribe Called Quest.

Jazz88's Manny Hill chats with Minneapolis Public Schools Interim Suptindendent Rochelle Cox about the increased graduation rates around MPS, Teacher Appreciation Week, and how the district plans to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Superintendent Cox also highlights the MPS Shines winners for the month of April.

Bobby Lyle is back in town for a Friday show at Crooners and he was nice enough to stop by the Afternoon Cruise. He talked about growing up in Minneapolis and hearing about young musicians in North Minneapolis who were working out of a garage. Those musicians turned out to be Prince and Morris Day! That's the tip of the iceberg with the stories Bobby Lyle can tell about his four plus decades in th...

Pianist Billy Childs connected with Sean McPherson via ZOOM to discuss his new album, his collaborators and his upcoming show at the Dakota in Minneapolis. - This podcast was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.

Some say Willie West’s greatest musical triumph was in the 1970s when he was the lead singer for the iconic pop group, the Meters. But Willie has never stopped singing, as his new CD The Soul Sessions attests. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Willie told about how the songs on the CD are special to him, such as Talk to Me, composed by Little Willie John.

Karrin Allyson swung through the Afternoon Cruise to talk about her upcoming show at the Dakota on Tuesday, May 16. She's preparing for a new album centered on the music of Brazil and she's bringing some collaborators, including Rossa Passos to get in on the action.

In advance of a release show at the Cedar Cultural Center, deVon Russell Gray, Nathan Hanson and Davu Seru visited Jazz88 to discuss their new album, We Sick.

The State of Minnesota has become just the 4th state to pass legislation for a free school meal program. Starting next school year (2023-24), students at Minneapolis Public Schools will be able to eat meals for free during their days at school. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with MPS Director of Culinary and Wellness Bertrand Weber on what it all means for the district, and where families can find more...

The jet-setting Twin Cities based saxophonist Lucia Sarmiento swung by the Afternoon Cruise to chat with Sean McPherson in anticipation of her first headlining concert ever, taking place at Crooners on Thursday, April 27.

Pianist Patrick Adkins’ Quartet takes inspiration from Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet. That includes covers as well or original music that Patrick writes. The group performs at an 8PM show at KJ’s Hideaway in St Paul, Saturday April 29. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Patrick talked about the qualities of the American quartet that guide his group’s playing.

Local songwriter Amanda Walbridge has released a bluegrass CD called “Sunshine in the Valley. All of the songs on Sunshine in the Valley are Amanda Walbridge originals. The songs on “Sunshine in the Valley” tell stories. But also, the individual songs are linked to tell a bigger story. In a recent conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Amanda talked about her process for sequencing the songs on Sunshine...

Willie West hopped on the phone with Sean from the Afternoon Cruise to chat about his upcoming show at Crooners and the re-release of his record "The Soul Sessions".

Jazzen highlights the Native American flute as played by Bobb Fantauzzo with cellist Aaron Kerr and percussionist Derrin Pinto. In much of it’s recent music, Jazzen works from some basic musical phrases, which the trio uses as a basis for improvisation. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Bobb Fantauzzo gave a little of Jazzen’s history, and then told about how the trio works.

Dakota Dave hull is known for his finger-style guitar playing. But on his new CD, Better Late Than Never, Dave explores the guitar – banjo, an instrument with a banjo body and guitar neck. When Phil Nusbaum talked to Dave, Phil asked Dave where his interest in the guitar –banjo comes from.

Lakecia Benjamin connected via ZOOM with Afternoon Cruise host Sean McPherson to chat about her new record "Phoenix" and her rising star in the music world.

Barbaro plays the bluegrass instruments, but group members have backgrounds in other areas. The result is a constantly evolving mix of musical elements. Barbaro performs Saturday night April 15 at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis, sharing the night with Rachel Baiman. Doors open at 7, and the show is at 8. Phil Nusbaum spoke with Barbaro violinist Rachel Calvert about the Barbaro approach.

The Collin Roycroft Quartet plays the Emerging Talent series at jazz Central Studios in Minneapolis next Thursday at 8PM. At the show, Collin and the band will give its spins to great Jazz created over recent decades. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Collin addressed the tune Flamenco Sketches, which has nothing to do with Flamenco music or dance.

Joan Hutton and Sue Orfield came through the Afternoon Cruise to chat about their new record "Take That Back" and their upcoming show this Friday at Crooners.

Thomasina Petrus sings in tribute of Jazz icon Billie Holiday. But Thomasina’s kind of tribute is to sing great songs as Billie might have sung them. The concert is Sunday April 9 at the Dakota at 6PM. Then Thomasina plays Billie in a stage production Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, starting April 21 at the Yellow Tree Theater in Osseo. Thomasina talked with Phil Nusbaum, but first, Thomasina...

Jennifer Grimm and Joe Cruz play and sing great songs. They perform with Joe’s guitar and Jennifer’s percussion, and the sound is made fuller through their electronic gear. The duet plays Saturday and Sunday April 7-8 at Umbra in Minneapolis at 7PM. Joe and Jennifer are married, but they say they are most comfortable when on stage together.

Patty Peterson stopped by the Afternoon Cruise to discuss the Minnesota Jazz Legends event coming up on Sunday. Dive into this interview to get a glimpse of what goes into producing an event like Minnesota Jazz Legends. And we'll see you there on Sunday!

In preparation for their show on Saturday April 1, 2023 at Dakota, Jay Young brought down his son and fellow bassist Ian Young as well as celebrated vocalist Ginger Commodore to discuss the Lyric Factory project.

Immanuel Wilkins visited the Afternoon Cruise in advance of his performance at Dakota on Wednesday April 5. This interview was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.