Jazz88

AJ Srubas plays multiple styles of traditional fiddle, including early bluegrass. And he’s got some of his early bluegrass buddies from his southern travels in a series of shows coming up. The players are banjoist Trevor Holder, guitarist Conner Vlietstra, mandolinist Reed Stutz and local bass player Rina Rossi. On November 15, the quintet plays at the Oak Center General Store, November 16 in Camb...

Jazz88's Peter Solomon sspeaks with arranger and composer Adi Yeshaya about his latest recording, "Produce." The album showcases vocalist Jennifer Grimm. Yeshaya discusses his association with the late Twin Cities singer Debie Duncan, sheds some light on the arrangements featured on the album, and talks about his upcoming appearance at the Dakota on Wednesday, October 29th.

Jazz88's Peter Solomon speaks with Grammy and Tony Award Winning Vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater about her musical path and how her latest duet album "Elemental" is a return to her musical roots. Bridgwater talks about the music that she grew up with at home in Flint, MI and listening to the legendary black Memphis station WDIA. Bridgewater jumped into being a jazz musician with both feet when she be...

After fifteen years of performing and recording together, in 2021, the Atlantis Quartet began a hiatus. Late in the Covid pandemic, it was a period of reflection for the group. The group eventually reformed, and one of the results is the group’s new CD, Live at Berlin, the Minneapolis Jazz club. Guitarist Zacc Harris and drummer Pete Hennig talked to Phil Nusbaum about the Atlantis Quartet, its CD...

Guitarist Joel Shapira plays in multiple musical settings. But he seems more inclined than most to record solo. Joel’s new solo project is called Unscripted. He showcases music from the CD at two shows about a week out. On Saturday October 25 at 7pm, he leads a trio into the High Hat in Saint Paul, and on Saturday November 1, he plays 4:30 till 6, solo at Berlin in Minneapolis. In a conversation w...

Kristin Korb is that rare breed of musician who is equally adept as a vocalist and a jazz bassist. In this conversation with Jazz88 Morning Show Host Peter Solomon, she discusses her path as an artist, her association with bassist Ray Brown, and her latest project featuring jazz interpretations of music by the British synth-pop duo The Eurhythmics. Korb performs at the Danish American Center on Oc...

Dale Alexander and Pierre Lewis are old friends from Minneapolis. We see Dale around town playing the piano with many groups. He’s also a drummer, and years back, he played drums for Prince. He’s drumming for Pierre Lewis, who will be playing the organ, Saturday October 18 from 8 till 9:30 at Jazz Central Studios in Minneapolis. Dale talked with Phil Nusbaum about the show, music in general, and f...

Kashimana is a Minneapolis musician who experienced things during pregnancy and childbirth that she just had to write songs about. Her project is called Phantom Cries, and the songs range from ones critical of the process to others that are cute and funny. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Kashimana told of her songwriting process.

According to Sarah Morris Dot Com, Sarah is a big dreamer, a sourdough lover, a huge fan of coffee, and a sucker for morning sky. Oh, and also, a singer songwriter. Sarah’s new CD is called Say Yes, and the songs on it reflect varying moods and broad and perhaps unexpected musical settings. The CD release event takes place 7pm Friday October 10 at the Dakota in Minneapolis. Sarah sat down with Phi...

Thirty Second Street Jazz gives fresh Spins to important Jazz. Friday October 10 at 7pm at Metronome in Saint Paul, Thirty Second Street Jazz plays its take on the Miles Davis LP Kind of Blue, plus its original music and unique mashups. But what’s a mashup? When bassist Scott Anderson talked to Phil Nusbaum about Thirty Second Street Jazz, Scott first addressed the difference between a mashup and...

Billy McLaughlin has helped blaze the trail for a guitar style known as tap guitar. But when Billy talked to Phil Nusbaum, we learned that to Billy, showcasing original melodies is the important thing.

To singer Aja Parham, Sarah Vaughan is an inspiring jazz vocalist. And next Thursday at Crooners in Fridley, Aja presents an evening of Sarah Vaughn songs that Aja has studied in meticulous detail. An added bonus is the singing of Sarah’s 9 year old son and promising jazz vocalist, Asa singing a few songs. When Aja and Asa talked to Phil Nusbaum, Aja first reflected on her first awareness of Sarah...

The Riffin’ Trio delivers a program of Jazz with a carefree spirit, this Sunday September 28 at Dusty’s in Minneapolis. It’s part of the Riffin’ Trio residency at Dusty’s, every fourth monthly Sunday 5 till 8PM. Phil Nusbaum caught up with Nelson Deveraux, sax player for the group, and asked Nelson about the Riffin’ Trio’s approach to a John Coltrane blues.

Global Jazz Collegium performs classics of Fusion Jazz plus its own original music this Thursday night September 25 at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. The show will be from 8 till 11. We open this feature with Global Jazz Collegium playing one of the great classics of the Fusion movement, a piece by Chick Corea.

Global Jazz Collegium performs classics of Fusion Jazz plus its own original music this Thursday night September 25 at the Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. The show will be from 8 till 11. We open this feature with Global Jazz Collegium playing one of the great classics of the Fusion movement, a piece by Chick Corea.

On his website, drummer, producer and bandleader Makaya MCraven describes himself as a "beat scientist."Much of McCraven's work is involved in picking musical moments from his recorded performances and applying hip-hop style production techniques to reinvent the material. McCraven is releasing four new EPs in October, and he is performing live at Icehouse in Minneapolis on September 25th. He talks...

Since it's founding in 1985, The Dakota has become a linchpin of the music world. The Dakota's founder, Lowell Pickett, has been at the helm since the beginning and the journey from it's beginnings as a no-cover, all local music spot to one of the premier performance venues in the world has been miraculous, but also serendipitous. Pickett shares stories from the club's beginnings, shines light on...

Pianist Yuko Mabuchi is bringing her trio to the Selby Ave Jazz Fest for a performance on Saturday, September 13. Mabuchi, who hails from Japan but is based in L.A., was nice enough to connect with Sean McPherson and talk about her trio, her repertoire and her love of improvisation.

The Selby Avenue Fest includes great performances and master classes by artists with something to say. The complete schedule is at Selby Ave jazz fest dot com. Ernest Bisong is the artistic director of Walker West Academy, the presenting sponsor the Selby Avenue Jazz Fest. When Ernest met with Phil Nusbaum, the two spoke of jazz in general, some of the artists at the event, and the event’s educati...

Lawrence El, the distinguished keyboardist and songwriter from Mint Condition is reuniting with the members of Mint to celebrate a particular facet of their musical offerings; The Mintroludes. During Mint's decades long run as a band they satiated their musical appetites with short interludes that bring in a wider array of styles then their primary R&B offerings would permit. Lawrence El, so often...

Paulus Shafer is known as one of the greatest living Jazz guitarists. And Paulus makes his first Twin Cities appearance with guitarist Ryan Picone and bassist Matt Blake, from 6 till 7:30, Sunday, September 14 at Crooners Supper Club in Fridley. Ryan visited with Phil Nusbaum, and when the two got together, they first talked about Ryan’s composition, Waltz for Chacho, composed when Ryan was a stud...

The Messthetics started as a kind of post-punk instrumental trio including former Fugazi bandmates Brendan Canty on drums and Joe Lally on bass with guitarist and composer Anthony Pirog. In 2023, they brought saxophonist James Brandon Lewis into the ensemble, and the result is a fascinating quartet in which musicians from widely divergent backgrounds find common ground. The Messthetics and James B...

Songwriter Charlie Parr sings his songs at the Dakota in Minneapolis, Friday night, September 5 at 9PM. When Charlie talked to Phil Nusbaum about his songwriting, it came out that Charlie also writes short stories, and the stories and songs frequently offer differing perspectives on events and people.

Straight No Chaser. That’s the title of a Thelonious Monk composition, and also a quartet that plays Monk. Kavyesh Kavyraj plays the piano, Chris Bates the bass, Chris Thomson the sax and Joey Phillips the drums. The group plays at Berlin in Minneapolis Friday August 29 at 7:30pm. When Phil Nusbaum talked to Kavy and Chris about the quartet, he asked why the focus on Monk, and Chris was the first...

Patty Peterson leads a group of jazz women all-stars into the Dunsmore room at Crooner’s Supper Club, this Thursday, August 28 from 6 till 7:30.These shows are always different, and this time, there is a performer Patty’s been trying to get on the bill for years.