Ramsey Lewis

Three-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master Ramsey Lewis makes a rare club appearance at the Dakota Jazz Club to close out the holiday weekend, September 6-7. Lewis’s current tour is in part a celebration of his 75th birthday, and will feature favorite as well as new compositions. 

A native of Chicago, Ramsey Lewis is well known for his gospel inflected style that melds with his classical training. Studying piano from age 4, he was immersed in the great classical composers, hearing little jazz beyond his father’s recordings of Ellington and Tatum. When he was fifteen, he was invited to join a jazz band led by one of the musicians at his church, and soon Lewis was playing gigs with The Clefs. When the Korean War broke up the septet, Lewis formed his first trio with the remaining rhythm section. While jazz was now an important part of his musical life, it never replaced his affinity for classical and gospel music.  

“The PHQ is a true, seasoned ensemble laying down a musical vision with common purpose.”—Pat Courtemanche

Phil Hey©Andrea Canter

Twin Cities jazz fans may not always appreciate our great fortune—to live in a community blessed with some of the finest musicians in the country, artists who have played with such legends as Charlie Rouse, Kenny Barron, Benny Golson, Benny Carter, Jay McShann, and Dewey Redman. Such is the resume of drummer Phil Hey, who brings his quartet into the Artists Quarter for a holiday weekend gig (September 3-4) to reprise their almost-monthly night of hard burning post bop magic. And you can be sure that if AQ owner/drummer Kenny Horst keeps a drummer-led ensemble on his regular rotation, it has to be magic!

"Kenny Burrell is overall the greatest guitarist in the world and he's my favorite." - B.B. King

Kenny Burrell © Andrea Canter

Dubbed the "grand master of the jazz guitar" by Dizzy Gillespie,  Kenny Burrell pioneered the guitar-led trio with bass and drums in the late 1950s. Known for his harmonic creativity, lush tones, and lyricism on the guitar, he is also a prolific and highly regarded composer. Come hear this living legend with his quintet featuring Tivon Pennicott pm saxophone, Mike Wofford on piano, Roberto Miranda on bass, and Clayton Cameron on drums at Yoshi's Jazz Club in Oakland on Friday, September 3rd through Sunday, September 5th.

Mulgrew Miller©Andrea Canter

“So often I have heard the complaint from fellow critics and assorted curmudgeons: ‘Why can’t an American city put on a festival as efficiently run, impressive and FREE as the Montreal International Jazz Festival?’ Note to colleagues: It’s already happening in Detroit.” 
– Bill Milkowski, JazzTimes 

The 31st annual Detroit International Jazz Festival continues its tradition of nonstop performances by a long list of modern legends, veteran masters, and virtuosic rising stars in 2010. To be held over the Labor Day Weekend, September 3-6 along the downtown riverfront, this year’s festival celebrates the alumni of the greatest schools of jazz—the bands of Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Betty Carter, Ray Brown, Miles Davis and Gil Evans. Notes festival Executive and Artistic Director Terri Pontremoli, “The talents of these geniuses burned brightly not only through the movements they created, but also through their investment in and ‘schooling’ of young players – now seasoned and carrying the torch for their mentors.”  

Tony Hymas

British pianist Tony Hymas is perhaps best known for his work with Jeff Beck on the Grammy-winning  album Guitar Shop  (and on many world tours as a cornerstone of Jeff's live band) or to some as the composer of the 1980's hit "I Won't Let You Down", or as the keyboardist of Ursus Minor who you may have heard at the Black Dog Block Party in July.  With a varied and fruitful career that spans jazz, classical, pop and rock Tony Hymas has been accompanist to Frank Sinatra, Cleo Laine and soprano singer Jane Manning, and he has toured and recorded with with Jeff Beck, Jack Bruce, Sam Rivers, Evan Parker, Tony Coe, Stanley Clarke, John McLaughlin and Michel Legrand. On Saturday, September 4th, bassist Brian Roessler and drummer Pete Hennig from Fantastic Merlins will perform with Tony Hymas at the Black Dog Café in Saint Paul at 8:00 pm.

Mose Allison © Andrea Canter

Dubbed the "William Faulkner of Jazz", the legendary composer/pianist/singer Mose Allison can manage to be a Mississippi blues man and an urbane hipster at the same time. His songs are both light-hearted and hard edged with biting social criticism of the modern world.  Mose Allison will perform at the Jazz Standard on Friday, September 3rd through Sunday, September 5/.

Continuing a long and fruitful career, Mose Allison continues to write and perform all over the world. His songs have been covered by Van Morrison, John Mayall, The Who, The Clash, Eric Clapton, the Yardbirds, Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt, to name a few. Van Morrison recorded a tribute album, Tell Me Something, The Songs of Mose Allison, on Verve Records, and rockers like Pete Townshend, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Davies and Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones have frequently cited Mose Allison as a major influence.

“Marie is in the top tier of living female jazz vocalists and her performances continue to prove that point.” - All About Jazz 

Rene Marie©Luis Catarino

With the aplomb and voicings of a seasoned stage veteran, and the energy and delighted delivery of a still-rising star, singer Rene Marie isn’t afraid to take chances when it comes to telling a story in song. With “a vocal style frequently enlivened by spiritual and soul music influences [that] attracts listeners who don’t ordinarily gravitate toward jazz” (Washington Post), there is no doubt that she is a true jazz singer and enchanting improviser. After a four-year absence from local stages, Rene Marie returns for a one-night stand at the Dakota Jazz Club on September 5th, adding emotional voltage to the holiday weekend.