Paul Motian © T Bruce Wittett

Since the early 1980s Paul Motian has led a trio featuring guitarist Bill Frisell and saxophonist Joe Lovano, occasionally joined by bassists Ed Schuller, Charlie Haden or Marc Johnson, and other musicians, including Jim Pepper, Lee Konitz, Dewey Redman and Geri Allen. In addition to playing Motian's compositions, the group has recorded tributes to Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans, and a series of Paul Motian on Broadway albums, featuring original interpretations of standard tunes.

Larry Coryell©Andrea Canter

One of the “Guitar Gods” of jazz and fusion, Larry Coryell brings his global Bombay Jazz Project to the Dakota for two nights, March 16-17. Credited with giving birth to the fusion movement of the 70s, particularly with his band Eleventh House, Coryell has been a popular performer in the Twin Cities, appearing at the Dakota Jazz Club in 2006 and the Artists Quarter in 2008. Bombay Jazz blends the traditions of modern American jazz and Indian classical music, putting Coryell on the bandstand with globally-influenced American saxophonist George Brooks and acclaimed Indian musicians, Ronu Mojumdar on flute (bansuri) and tabla master Aditya Kalyanpur. 

Larry Coryell

As an inspiring teen guitarist, Larry Coryell recalls a friend telling him that he would “never play with the likes of someone like Dave Brubeck.” Undaunted and full of youthful idealism, Coryell continued his quest to emulate heroes like Barney Kessell and Wes Montgomery. And not only did he eventually play with Brubeck, but as he recounts in his 2007 autobiography, Improvising: My Life in Music, his audiences have included John Coltrane and Roland Kirk; his collaborators have included Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, Stephane Grappelli, Gary Burton and Sonny Rollins.  

Hiromi©Andrea Canter

I saw her Friday night in Chicago at the Jazz Showcase and was entranced. I saw her Monday night at the Dakota and was thoroughly dazzled and charmed. I saw her again Tuesday night, and by the end of the last set, I was convinced I had heard the most exciting night of piano jazz in my own history. The best? Probably not a fair question…. I’ve seen Jarrett, Peterson, Brubeck, McPartland, Hersch, Barron, Tyner, Jamal and more. Hiromi is only 30—it’s too early to burden her with “legend” status. But it is not too early to predict she will get there. For now, let’s say she may have few living peers in terms of her combination of virtuosity, ferocity, and even delicacy. It’s an exhilarating, and charming, package.

“Regina Carter creates music that is wonderfully listenable, probingly intelligent, and, at times, breathtakingly daring…taking the listener into the future of jazz. “ –Time Magazine 

Regina Carter

The Northrop Jazz Series continues its stellar season on March 15th with jazz violinist Regina Carter’s Reverse Thread Project. This quartet performance will feature the music of Carter’s new release (Reverse Thread), music of the African Diaspora. Already known for her unique interpretations that fuse modern jazz and world music, Carter now weaves together traditional instruments such as the kora from Mali (featuring special guest Yocouba Sissoko) and powerful drum rhythms from Senegal with her violin, accordion (Wil Houlshouser), bass (Chris Lightcap), and drumset (Alvester Garnett).

Stefan Kac leads the Symphonic Transients Orchestra. Photo © John Whiting

Then came the group Ingo Bethke in 2008, Kac’s trio with Adam Linz and Pete Hennig in 2008, his quartet with Sean Roderick, Josh Granowski, and Nick Zielinski, the group Bronco Vision with Brandon Wozniak, Anthony Cox, and Jay Epstein, and journeys into free jazz/improvised music with Milo Fine at Homewood Studios.

And there are the projects I haven’t yet heard, like the Copper Street Brass Quintet. Earlier this week I was talking with Dick Parker, a member of the Mouldy Figs, and he asked, “Do you know Stefan Kac”? Apparently Kac also plays with this trad jazz band and others. 

John Scofield © John Whiting

The John Scofield quartet with Mulgrew Miller on piano, Ben Street on bass, and Kendrick Scott on drums will be hitting the west coast from north to south in a week. Scofield is taking a break from his Piety Street tour to hit the west coast with this fine jazz quartet. They will perform on March 9th and 10th at Jazz Alley in Seattle. Then on Tuesday, March 11th through Sunday, March 14th they are at Yoshi's in Oakland. For a single night each they play the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz on March 15th and at Anthology in San Diego on Tuesday, March 16th.