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

In person & live stream Born and raised in Minneapolis, MN, Javier grew up being immersed in the close-knit community and rich legacy of musicians in the Twin Cities. His parents were important members of this community. Santiago started playing piano at the age of 5, and was classically trained until he discovered his love […]

Debbie Briggs as described by a fan: “…Her voice sounds like whiskey poured over velvet, like honey in your tea” No doubt Debbie Briggs is on her way to becoming a mainstay in the Twin Cities jazz scene due to her dynamic voice that harkens back to a simpler time, when broken hearts and broken […]

n 2020, Harry Allen was inducted into the Jazz Monsters Hall of Fame at SOKA University of America and was a top-three finalist for France’s Acadamie du Jazz’s Prix du Jazz Classiquehas. Harry has recorded over 70 CDs as a leader and many more as a sideman. He has performed at jazz festivals and clubs […]

Acclaimed Milwaukee-based jazz guitarist, composer, author, and educator Paul Silbergleit heads up a trio with top-flight Minneapolitans Charlie Lincoln on bass and Phil Hey on drums, bringing original tunes from his recent album, January, fresh arrangements of some lesser-heard gems, and a swingin’ and spontaneous playing style

8:00pm Ted Godbout Quartet Ted Godbout – Piano Omar Abdulkarim – Trumpet Matt Peterson – Bass Adam Harder Nussbaum – Drums Ted Godbout is a pianist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis. A versatile and active musician, Ted performs frequently as a jazz pianist and classical accompanist, as well in funk, R&B, and rock bands. […]

Miguel Espinoza, guitar, Dianne Betkowski, cello, Randy Koepner, electric bass, Andy Skellenger, tabla and cajon.   Combinations of flamenco, salsa, samba and other rhythms.

In person & live stream The Bird &D iz Legacy Quintet explores the extraordinary compositions of the two great progenitors of Bebop, Charles Parker, Jr. and John Birks Gillespie. For our 2nd installment (Episode 2) in the quintet format that they established, we will be playing more tunes from their “canon” and having a blast! […]

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 […]

Featuring the soundtrack of the expatriate American artists in Europe between the World Wars and beyond. Celebrating jazz artists such as Sidney Bechet and Blossom Dearie, beloved French stars Edith Piaf and Charles Trenet, and the English contributions to the standard repertoire, exemplified by the works of Noel Coward. French 75, named for the cocktail, […]

Dale Alexander, Gary Raynor, Jay Epstein

The group complements the musettes with swing, ballads, cha chas, rumbas, and cumbias to create a wonderfully varied show. CAO is led by DAN NEWTON on accordion and vocals, with ERIC MOHRING on mandolin, violin and vocals, ERIK LILLESTOL on bass and vocals, and JOE STEINGER on percussion.

In Person/Live Stream Available The Freier Department will be performing some of the songs from their recent album, “Dysfunktion”, along with other funk, jazz, salsa, and rock songs in their book. Please join us for a musical adventure in all things funky!   Featuring: Ethan Freier: composer, arranger and Trombone Rich Manik: Saxophones Adam Rossmiller: […]

Pat Mallinger was born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota and began playing the saxophone at 11 years of age. He received his Jazz Studies degree from North Texas State University on a “One O’clock Lab Band” Scholarship. He lived and performed in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, and Japan, before establishing Chicago as his home […]

Creative Jazz from Kansas City

DeCarlo Jackson and Richard Haneman met in 2015 and connected over their mutual interests involving music and art. With the addition of guitarist Evan Slack and bassist Megan Mahoney “HEYARLO” was formed. Using original compositions, HEYARLO elevates any setting into an intimate experience for each listener. With each members individual sound and musical approach elements of rock, funk and jazz can […]

In Person/Live Stream Available

8:00pm Paul Harper Quartet Paul Harper – Saxophones / woodwinds Phil Aaron – Piano Tom Lewis – Bass Nathan Norman – Drums The Paul Harper Quartet plays jazz compositions written by many of the greats from jazz history (Chick Corea, Thelonius Monk, John Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, John Abercrombie, etc.) as well some original compositions from […]

After a beginner-friendly lesson with the internationally renowned teachers from Uptown Swing, get ready to turn up the heat with The Red Hot Django Peppers as they burn up the Hot Club Swing style popularized by Django Reinhardt. Dinner and drink specials are available and predinning at our Uptown Lobby is always available or we […]