Jazz Police, Author at Twin Cities Jazz Festival

The Lead Sheet: Jazz Central This Weekend (And All Year)

August 20, 2021 •

Mac Santiago, founder and director of Jazz Central, and veteran percussionist There’s a lot of great music, including hot jazz, around the metro this week but I need to specifically salute Jazz Central Studios and founder/director/veteran drummer Mac Santiago. Operating the basement space on a shoestring since 2010, Mac is more than a survivor on […]

The Lead Sheet Returns! August 2021, Part 1

August 12, 2021 •

Adam Meckler Orchestra I sort of retired “The Lead Sheet” when COVID shut down live music. And while I am no longer willing to commit to a weekly “heads up” regarding area jazz, I will try to provide frequent and timely commentary on what’s happening on the local scene. This is not intended as a […]

Will Kjeer Trio to Play Compositions From Soon to be Released “Undreampt,” on Saturday Night Jazz at The Black Dog

August 4, 2021 •

By Bill Stieger Any local jazz aficionado who hasn’t had the pleasure of hearing pianist Will Kjeer is hereby forewarned: get out to see this up-and-coming performer while he’s still planted in the Twin Towns. Because all the local musicians agree–Kjeer is a performer on his way up. And one never knows how long a […]

The Christian Sands Trio at The Jazz Forum

July 27, 2021 •

Ellen Prior, Ryan Sands, Christian Sands, Yasushi Nakamura, and Mark Morganelli © Kevin R. Mason On the weekend of June 11-12, 2021, the Jazz Forum nightclub in Tarrytown, New York presented the Christian Sands Trio. This was the third weekend since the grand re-opening of the club, after more than a year-long closure due to […]

All-Star Tribute Recording to Benefit Frank Kimbrough Scholarship

July 18, 2021 •

By Don Berryman for Jazzpolice.com I just listened to 5 1/2 hours of Frank Kimbrough’s compositions performed by some of the best jazz musicians of our time. I recommend it. KIMBROUGH celebrates the music of pianist, arranger, bandleader, composer and educator Frank Kimbrough, who passed away in December of 2020. Recorded over three and a […]

The 2021 River to River Festival Starring Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Leo Genovese

July 17, 2021 •

Leo Genovese, Esperanza Spalding, and Terri Lyne Carrington at the River to River Festival © Kevin R. Mason On June 10, 2021, New York City’s River to River Festival kicked off its 20th edition with a concert by Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, and Leo Genovese. The River to River Festival is a free […]