Jazz88

The Red Hot Django Peppers has a new CD and is featuring it at all shows, including Monday night at 7 at the Dakota in Minneapolis. The group plays music called jazz manouche or Hot Club jazz, and pulls music from many sources, some unexpected. When leader Ryan Picone talked with Phil Nusbaum, Ryan reflected on the new CD’s as a landmark in the history of the group.

Jeremy Pelt and Cory Weeds joined the Afternoon Cruise to talk about a recent initiative from Cellar Records to release more music from Black-led bands. Cory Weeds is the label head for Cellar and Jeremy Pelt has appeared on many Cellar releases both as a producer and as a performer. Pelt and Weeds discussed how the mission to release more records from Black leaders came about and how it's been go...

Four Minnesota award-winning Composers present their compositions this Friday at the Icehouse in Minneapolis. The awards are from the McKnight Foundation American Composers Forum, and the performance is in partnership with The Great Northern Festival and the IceHouse. Composers include Mary Ellen Childs, Reinaldo Moya, Mitchell Bercier and Queen Drea. Director of Artist Support at the American Com...

When Charmin Michelle and Joel Shapira perform, it’s more than a singer with a guitarist. It’s an interweaving of musical ideas. Their next show is this coming Monday at the Dakota in Minneapolis at 7PM. Though both Charmin and Joel play with larger ensembles, the two have grown to really love the duet format, as they told Phil Nusbaum.

Rachael Price hosted Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise at the Palace Theatre in St. Paul to chat about her new release with guitarist composer VIlray "I Love a Love Song".

Cumar means confluence in Irish Gaelic, and Cumar is also the name of a Twin Cities group that combines African and Irish Music and Dance. The group performs at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis, 7:30 PM Friday and Saturday January 27 and 28. Phil Nusbaum talked to members of Cumar recently, including the artists guiding the project from its beginnings.

Jazz pianist Tanner Taylor leads a classic piano trio with bassist Graydon Peterson and drummer Mac Santiago. Jazz fans can catch the act at Jazz Central Studios next Friday evening at 8PM. As far as repertoire, the trio has always leaned on jazz composer and pianist Oscar Peterson. When Tanner got together with Phil Nusbaum, Phil asked why.

Erin Schwab joined Patty Peterson to talk about An Evening /w The Divine Miss E! Her show featuring songs from legend, Bette Milder at Capri Theater.

Nunnabove is an all-sibling band that composes, sings and plays, and brings it to the Dakota in Minneapolis, Wednesday January 18 at 7PM. When band members talked to Phil Nusbaum, Matti stressed the need to perform music authentic to group members experiences and points of view.

Drummer and composer extraordinaire Kevin Washington visited the Jazz88 studios to Discuss his upcoming concert at The Hopkins Arts Center.

Lila Ammons has always been interested in stylings from the history of jazz. On her trio’s show this Wednesday, January 11 at the Prior lake library, Lila presents historic blues as well as influences from bebop and right up to hip hop. When Lila talked to Phil Nusbaum, Lila first addressed the role of women in 1920s blues.

Gary Hines, the leader of Sounds Blackness, took the time to visit with Sean from the Afternoon Cruise in advance of Sounds of Blackness's show on Friday January 13 at the Ordway, Music for Martin.

When the Twin Cities Flamenco Collective performs, it’s a combination of singing, dancing and guitar playing. To pull it off, the performers have to be monitoring and responding to each other. The group performs Sunday January 15 at 5PM at the Icehouse in Minneapolis. When collective members talked to Phil Nusbaum, guitarist Ross Fellrath addressed how he approaches playing for singing and dance.

There's just about a month left of Enrollment Season at Minneapolis Public Schools, and the time for finding a school for your child to attend next year is now. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with MPS Interim Supt. Rochelle Cox about what parents and guardians need to know during this final month of the enrollment season, and also how students can find the Career & Technical Education (CTE) class that...

Twin Cities wife and husband team Brianna and Kurt Jorgensen perform and compose music together. Living together makes it oh-so-convenient to work on music details together. The Jorgensens trio performs this Saturday night at the Aster Café in Minneapolis starting at 9 PM. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Brianna and Kurt addressed what it is like writing a song together.

Minnesota musician Keyez Williams paid a visit to the Afternoon Cruise to discuss his run of shows at the Granada in Uptown Minneapolis and to play a bit of his music. 

The show by the Minnesota Jazz Chamber Orchestra at the Chart House in Lakeville has been rescheduled for Tuesday December 27 at 7pm. The performance will feature vocalist Courtney Burton’s interpretations of songs of Ella Fitzgerald. Then the group plays New Year’s Eve at the Masonic Heritage Center in Lakeville at 7. Courtney Burton and Craig Thrane of the group got together with Phil Nusbaum to...

With Enrollment Season in full swing, Minneapolis Public Schools will be participating in the upcoming SchoolFinder Enrollment Fair, hosted by Great MN Schools on January 7 at MCTC. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with Rosie Lais, Director of Community Resources at Great MN Schools about what parents and students can expect if they attend the Fair.

Daniel Volovets is a local guitarist who composes and also re-imagines the work of others. You can catch him at the Metronome Brewery in Saint Paul this Wednesday, January 4 at 7PM. When Daniel talked to Phil Nusbaum, Daniel first addressed his love of arranging.

Pianist Rick Carlson is known for accompanying singers. He also books Maggie’s Afterglow, a casual spot at Crooners Supper Club in Fridley. At the club, singers sing and Rick stays with them. It’s tons of fun for the artists, and for audiences who are looking to decompress from whatever in a festive atmosphere. When Phil Nusbaum got together with Rick, they first talked about the Maggie’s Afterglo...

A Christmas Carole Petersen portrays a Minnesota family’s Christmas celebration. It has light moments and dark ones, but in the end, family and tradition win out. Tod Petersen plays himself as the son of Carole Petersen. Tod talked to Phil Nusbaum about A Christmas Carole Petersen which is staged at Crooner’s Supper Club in Fridley December 15 through 18 at different times.

With Winter Break on the horizon at Minneapolis Public Schools, there are important dates to remember and programs coming up. Jazz88’s Manny Hill talks with MPS Interim Superintendent Rochelle Cox, and they discuss the latest from Enrollment season, a change to the Winter Break schedule, and how students can recover credit for classes over the break.

When pianist Laura Caviani and saxophonist David Milne perform, their shared classical music and jazz backgrounds bring about surprising new treatments. The duet plays at Crooners Lounge in Fridley, Friday December 9 at 6:30 PM. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, David talked about how the duet, known as the Tableaux Duo goes about working together.

Twin Cities music icon Wain McFarlane shares the Dakota Stage with his son and granddaughter next Wednesday. It’ll be at the Dakota in Minneapolis from 7 till 9:30. Wain is known as the Dreadlock Cowboy, and in a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, he told how that designation came to be. Then he talks about his musical son and granddaughter.

The first urban public elementary school observatory resides at Hall STEM Academy in Minneapolis! The Observatory launched in mid-November and it's brought plenty of excitment to the MPS community. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with Hall STEM Coordinator Joel Halvorson about how the idea of the observatory came about, what it all contains, and the next steps to incorporate it into the curriculum for t...