The Yellowjackets have stood the test of time as one of jazz’s most influential and loved groups. Throughout their storied 40+ year history, the Yellowjackets have recorded 25 albums, received 17 Grammy nominations – won 2 – performed countless sold-out tours, and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success. Over the years the band has […]

The Yellowjackets have stood the test of time as one of jazz’s most influential and loved groups. Throughout their storied 40+ year history, the Yellowjackets have recorded 25 albums, received 17 Grammy nominations – won 2 – performed countless sold-out tours, and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success. Over the years the band has […]

KATE MCGARRY & KEITH GANZ With 7 critically acclaimed albums and 3 GRAMMY nominations, vocalist Kate McGarry is recognized as a jazz artist who brings authenticity and vitality to every song regardless of genre. The Wall St. Journal calls her music, “austere and elegant, an exceptionally appealing blend of folk and jazz.” The New York […]

In Person & Live Streaming available.

Multiple award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter, pianist and CBC Music national radio host Laila Biali has headlined festivals and venues spanning five continents from New York City’s Carnegie Hall to Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts, and supported international icon Sting. In 2020, Laila was honoured by SOCAN Music with the Hagood Hardy Award for Excellence […]

Davina and The Vagabonds offer “a modern take on old-time blues and jazz” (PennLive). They’ve created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Davina’s commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom […]

In Person & Live Stream Shawn is a recent transplant to Minnesota from Reno, Nevada, where he attended the University of Nevada, Reno. The band will be playing a mix of Shawn’s originals and works by great artists like Lawrence G. Williams and Brad Mehldau. Featuring: Ryan Garmoe, Trumpet Will Kjeer, Piano Shawn Wang, Bass […]

Headliner (9:30) Joel Shapira Quartet Pete Whitman – Saxophones Joel Shapira – Guitar Tom Lewis – Bass Dave Schmalenberger – Drums Joel Shapira Quartet” is comprised of four Twin Cities jazz veterans, all in top playing form. Joel Shapira guitar, Pete Whitman saxophone, Tom Lewis bass, Dave Schmalenberger drums. The group released “Open Lines” in […]

Davina and The Vagabonds offer “a modern take on old-time blues and jazz” (PennLive). They’ve created a stir on the national music scene with their high-energy live shows, level A musicianship, sharp-dressed professionalism, and Davina’s commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom […]

Framework, an instrumental trio from the Twin Cities, has two CDs out, featuring many original compositions, as well as creative arrangements of pre-existing material. Featuring legendary drummer, Jay Epstein, and powerhouse bassist, Chris Bates, the group covers a wide range of grooves, from Jazz waltzes to odd-meter Fusion, but can still swing with the best […]

In person and live stream Featuring: Davu Seru: drums JC Sanford:trombone Levi Schwartzberg: vibraphone Featured musicians are members of No Territory Band, a group Davu Seru composes for. They’ll be playing originals and the music of modern composers.

Dave Milne, Laura Caviani, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein

In Person & Live Stream The American Straight 8ths Quintet is a project conceived by bassist Sam Worthington and drummer Phil Hey. How might a band sound, they asked themselves, if its repertoire was primarily selected from the great and underperformed tradition of straight 8th jazz music? Curiosity killed the cat, and they formed a […]

Peter Kogan – Drums Pete Whitman – Saxophones Nick Syman – Trombone Mitch Van Laar Abebi Stafford – Piano Will Kjeer – Piano Charlie Lincoln – Bass Geoff LeCrone – Guitar Peter Kogan backed up Blues masters Lightnin’ Hopkins, Floyd Jones and Honeyboy Edwards, appeared with the Larry Elgart Big Band and played with jazz, […]

Liz Draper (upright bass) and Tasha Baron (piano) are a tightly knit duo drawing heavy influence from Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Eric Dolphy.

Prolific drummer/composer Dave King is well known for his propulsive work in a number of different bands. From The Bad Plus to Happy Apple to Halloween, Alaska, each group has its own sound and approach, but all are approached in a steadfast manner. These groups are all serious units of focused players who are completely […]

Set 1: Toivo Hannigan – guitar/fx // Josh Granowski – basses/fx // Cory Healey – drums and cymbals Set 2/Transition: Patrick Marschke – solo drums and electronics Set 3: Peter Goggin – alto saxophone // Charlie Lincoln – upright bass // Alden Ikeda – drums and cymbals

In Person & Live Stream Sincerely, Linus is a modern music ensemble led by musician/educator/percussionist Jake Polancich. Informed by jazz, classical, rock, avant-garde, and electronics, the group balances original, covered, and improvised compositions with a nod to the past and an uninhibited exploration of the present. With Ryan Meisel on saxophones and Matt Rodgers on […]

Chris Olson – guitar Chris Bates – bass Jay Epstein – drums

In Person and live stream Andy will be playing a mix of styles ranging across the history of improvisational music, including works from Thelonious Monk, Dexter Gordon, Tom Harrell, Walter Smith III, Nicholas Payton, and more. Featuring: Kevin Gamble – Piano and Rhodes Calvin Caron – Bass Sten Duginski – Drums Andy Peterson, Duluth based […]

Opening Set : (8:00pm) Tim Sparks Trio Tim Sparks – Guitar Gary Raynor – Bass Jay Epstein – Drums 2nd Set : Tall Tales Zacc Harris – Guitar Dean Granros – Guitar Chris Bates – Bass Jay Epstein – Drums The band just celebrated the release of its second album, Taller Tales. Final set : […]

1st set: Michelle Kinney (cello) George Cartwright (saxophones) Noah Ophoven-Baldwin (cornet) Ivan Cunningham (saxophones) Josh Granowski (bass) 2nd set: Jeremy Ylvisaker (guitar) 3rd Set: King Cartwright Granowski

Ethan Iverson is best known as one-third of The Bad Plus, a game-changing collective with Reid Anderson and David King. The New York Times called TBP “…Better than anyone at melding the sensibilities of post-’60s jazz and indie rock.” TBP has performed in venues as diverse as the Village Vanguard, Carnegie Hall, and Bonnaroo; collaborated […]

In this masterclass the Caili O’Doherty Quartet will discuss improvisation techniques and methods for developing a melodic sound.   New York-based pianist, composer, arranger and educator, Caili O’Doherty (pronounced “KAY-lee” “oh-DOE-er-tee”), is known for integrating structures of language in both her compositions and her approach to improvisation. Her recent music focuses on the celebration, preservation, […]

6:30PM Jon Weber Trio 8:00PM Kenny Horst Quartet 9:30PM Steve Kenny Quintet

For complete and up to date information on events, go to the festival website at https://www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com/schedule/. June 23 Pre-Festival Events may have a cover charge

Saxophonist Joe Lovano and trumpeter Dave Douglas debuted their extraordinary Sound Prints quintet on Blue Note Records in 2013, the year of Wayne Shorter’s 80th birthday, and from the outset the group had a joyful but somewhat imposing mandate: to lift up Shorter’s legacy through the writing and performance of new music conceived in his […]

New York-based pianist, composer, arranger and educator, Caili O’Doherty (pronounced “KAY-lee” “oh-DOE-er-tee”), is known for integrating structures of language in both her compositions and her approach to improvisation. Quarantine Dream (Posi-Tone Records) is the latest release from O’Doherty. It showcases eight original compositions and three influential songs reinterpreted by O’Doherty. The album was released on […]

6:30PM Sophia Kickhofel Group 8:00PM Joan Hutton & Sue Orfield – Take That Back 10:00PM Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Graydon Peterson

6:30PM Kenne Thomas Lifeforce 8:00PM Ted Olsen Group 10:00PM Jazz Festival Jam Session hosted by Graydon Peterson

The Red Hot Django Peppers is a band that formed from the love of the music of Django Reinhardt. The troupe consists of guitarists Ryan Picone and Jose Betanzos, violinist Danny Lentz, and bassist Sean Roderick. The Red Hot Django Peppers had their premiere performance in early 2019 at Moto-I and were then asked to […]

8:00pm Patrick Adkins Quartet Patrick Adkins – Piano Ivan Cunningham – Saxophones Charlie Lincoln – Bass Tarek Abdelqader – Drums. Twin Cities based pianist and composer Patrick Adkins is joined by some of his most frequent musical collaborators. Featuring both an eclectic batch of covered music and original compositions, they will aim to probe the […]

CANCELED   In Person & Live stream