“A top notch option on the Mpls/St Paul jazz scene!”
~ Down Beat Magazine

One of the most intimate places to hear jazz in the Twin Cities area is at "Le Bar" in the Hotel Sofitel—our bit of France in suburban Bloomington.  For the past 12 years, the Phil Aaron Trio has been playing for jazz connoisseurs and diners alike, wowing with them with great arrangements and award-winning vocalists in a low-profile setting. With Phil Aaron on piano, Tom Lewis on bass, and Jay Epstein on drums, the trio features vocalists Debbie Duncan on Friday nights and Patty Peterson on Saturday nights. Occasionally, Patty and Debbie stop in to see each other, and lucky patrons can catch this dynamic duo singing a tune or two together. 

Based in St. Paul, JazzAx is dedicated to the exploration and performance of jazz, contemporary, and improvised music for saxophone quartet. All four members of JazzAx are well known locally and beyond as jazz and classical performers and educators. The JazzAx Saxophone Quartet (JSQ) performed regularly at Brilliant Corners in St. Paul from February 2003 until the club closed last year; JSQ has also performed as part of the 13th World Saxophone Congress in Minneapolis, and has appeared on the stages of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Hamline University, Lawrence University, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Jazz Festival), Phipps Center for the Arts, and the Minnesota State Capitol (Arts Advocacy Day Concert). JSQ has also performed as part of the Minneapolis-St Paul Regional Public School Performance series, was recently featured at the MacPhail Center for the Arts’ "Saxophone Day," and at the Stillwater Public Schools’ "Jazz Exchange" festival. In addition, JSQ presents master classes in jazz saxophone performance, saxophone ensemble performance techniques, and jazz ensemble performance.

Jazz Is Now!

The Phil Aaron Trio, features national recording artist Phil Aaron on piano, highly acclaimed acoustic bassist, Tom Lewis and international performer, Jay Epstein on drums. All three have extensive concert, recording and performance experience on both local and national levels.

Drawing inspiration from Bill Evans, Cedar Walton, Tommy Flanagan, Keith Jarrett, and many others, they have built a deep repertoire of original & classic jazz tunes that highlight a swinging approach to jazz classics and standards. Whether playing the Great American Songbook of Cole Porter, George Gershwin or Jerome Kern or the Classic Jazz of Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck or Fats Waller, the musical emphasis is always on interpretation, improvisation and dynamic group interplay.

Formed at the turn of the millennium, Kelly Rossum Quintet  features top local musicians including pianist  Chris Lomheim, tenor saxophonist Chris Thomson, bassist Michael O'Brien and drummer J.T. Bates. While Lomheim's sensitivity on the piano and funk on the Fender Rhodes evokes the great works 60's and 70's (Bill Evans, Keith Jarret, Herbie Hancock, etc.), J.T. Bates pushes the music into the 21st century with rhythmic explorations that vivisect the beat without killing the groove. Over it all Kelly blows sweet and true with an intense passion for the music. His 2004 release "Renovations'  was chose as the #12 in the best local CD of the year by the Minneapolis Star and Tribune and in the top 10 Cd's by City Pages. Personally, it made it into my top 3 with its' engaging, edgy sound that expands the genre without 'dumbing' it down (click here to read my review).

Kelly Rossum is a master performer of jazz trumpet, although all of his university studies have focused on classical trumpet playing. Kelly said, "Since the trumpet is such a difficult instrument to master, classical training will give you the technical ability to play anything you want. Once you thoroughly understand the instrument, stylistic choices become just that, choices. Not limitations."�