Eric Kamau Gravatt©Andrea Canter

Spring came early to the Twin Cities, and our unseasonable warmth seems to add heat to the local jazz scene. This month our area talents are augmented by some impressive visitors.

Weekends at the AQ (9 pm, $10-$15 cover)

April 6-7, Eric Kamau Gravatt and Source Code ($15). Of drummer Eric Kamau Gravatt, no less than Wayne Shorter remarked, “He had bounce in his rhythm that would bounce off the floor and carry the music up to the ceiling. He had this ethnic sound - the continent of Africa - but with grace. He has a dignity and the flavor of Africa, and of metropolitan cities, all with the element of surprise.” An alum of Weather Report and the bands of McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell and others, Gravatt turned down an offer from Miles Davis to follow Shorter into Weather Report, then joined the fusion band Natural Life (with Bobby Peterson and Bob Rockwell), a move that brought him to the Twin Cities some 30 years ago. In recent years, he has returned to touring with Tyner as well as heading his ensemble, Source Code, and tackling the works of Coltrane, McLean and more. His usual cohorts include saxophonist Jim Marentic, trombonist David Leigh, bassist Ron Evaniuk, and vibes maser Dave Hagedorn.

Bill Carrothers©Andrea Canter

April 20-21, Cory Wong Quartet, CD Release Party ($10). AQ regulars know guitarist Cory Wong as the Tuesday Night Warm-Up Band. But this double CD (Quartet/Quintet, although there are trio configurations as well) is a showcase for Cory Wong, composer. Presumedly he has his recording cohorts on the celebration gig—bassist Billy Peterson, drummer Zach Schmidt, and keyboardists Dan Musselman and Kevin Gastonguay; bassists Andy Schuster and Patricio Toeldo Creus each join in on one track on the Quintet disc. If Wong was not well known outside of the AQ circle, the new recording should remedy that. There’s plenty to celebrate this weekend!

Doug Haining©Andrea Canter

April 27-28, Dave Karr & Brian Grivna ($10). Frequently pairing for some great bop excitement, these two reedmen have a rare weekend gig and will not take the opportunity for granted. Dave Karr has been a fixture on the Twin Cities jazz scene for 50+ years, playing with his quartet nearly monthly at the AQ but also appearing with the JazzMN Orchestra, Pete Whitman X-Tet, and in support of area vocalists including Connie Evingson. Most often heard on tenor, flute, and clarinet, Karr also breaks out the baritone for his Gerry Mulligan tribute band, Mulligan Stew. A child prodigy who has lived up to his early promise, Brian Grivna is an alum of the Buddy Rich band and has toured with the Minnesota Orchestra, SPCO and Bobby McFerrin. Today he continues to perform in touring pit orchestras, teaches at the U of M, and often leads his own quartet in gigs at the Dakota and AQ. Together, Dave and Brian form an incredible front line.

Weeknights, Jazzy Nights, and More (9 pm, $5 unless otherwise noted)

Weeknights at the AQ typically mean local music and low covers—two things that make the AQ the hotspot for jazz in the metro area. And sometimes, there’s a special visiting artist or other occasion to enliven the week.

Mondays, Headspace (7- 9 pm); Open Poetry With Live Jazz (9 pm) (no cover). Headspace features Rob Dewey on piano, Nick Haas on guitar, Rich Casey on bass and Chris Gray on drums. Soap Boxing Slam on April 2 at 8 pm ($5).

Cory Wong

Wednesdays, Steve Kenny and the Bastids (7 pm, no cover). The early set jam features Steve Kenny on trumpet, Jesse Mueller on piano, Adam Tucker on bass, and Aaron Rupar on drums, along with some very interesting weekly special guests. Part jam session, part stand-up comedy, and part game show, the Bastids are a rousing warm-up to the evening’s festivities.

April 3, Slide Meets Valve. Trombones go head to head, with Dave Graf (slide) and Brad Bellows (valve) in the vortex.

April 4, 11, 18, 25, Galactic Soul Arkestra. Featuring spoken word/hip-hop artist Toki Wright and his fellow vocal improvisers, this month brings weekly gigs and a heavy dose of funk.

April 5, Phil Hey Quartet. Drummer Phil brings his long-standing band with Phil Aaron, Tom Lewis and Dave Hagedorn, making it a sort-of Modern Jazz Quartet. Only more so.

Gary Smulyan©Andrea Canter

April 12, McNally Venue Night (7 pm, no cover). Tonight, it’s a jazzy potpourri from the faculty and students at nearby McNally Smith College of Music.

April 19, Secret Architecture ($10). Secret Architecture is a creative, improvisational, NYC-based Jazz group co founded by Fraser Campbell (Perth, Scotland) and Zach Mangan (Minnesota). Since meeting at Berklee College of Music (Boston) and forming the group in 2006, they have performed successfully in many diverse and creative venues. For the last year they have held a weekly residence at Caffe Vivaldi, one of New York City’s premier jazz venues. Each week the members of Secret Architecture challenge themselves to compose, rehearse, and perform new music. Band members include Campbell on sax, Mangan on drums, Wade Ridenhour on piano and Julian Smith on bass. The secret is out!

April 24, Tuesday Night Band. For one night, the TNB returns to its old slot at the AQ. With Downtown Bill Brown on B-3, Billy Franze on guitar and Kenny Horst on drums, it will be a reunion like no other. After holding down the Tuesday night slot for fifteen years, TNB went on hiatus this winter. But it won’t take more than a minute to get back into the groove that made them the most popular act in AQ history. Maybe they just need a little love to make this a more regular gig again.

Coming Soon to the AQ!

 May 3, TCJS Young Artists Present the Roseville Area High School Jazz Ensemble (7 pm)

 May 4-5, Dean Magraw/Bryan Nichols/Billy Peterson/Kenny Horst

 May 11-12, Zacc Harris Group CD Release Party

 May 25-27, Eric Alexander

 June 28, Jon Weber (Twin Cities Jazz Festival

 June 29, Maude Hixson, Jon Weber (Twin Cities Jazz Festival)

 June 30, Jon Weber (Twin Cities Jazz Festival)

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St. Paul; www.artistsquarter.com or 651-292-1359; check the website calendar for updates.

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