“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." –Wayne Shorter

Eric Kamau Gravatt

Perhaps New York is the epicenter of jazz, no argument. But here in the Twin Cities reside some of the truly international figures of jazz, including Anthony Cox and Eric Kamau Gravatt, to name a distinguished pair. And this weekend at the Artists Quarter (October 26-27), we have the opportunity to hear Gravatt with his stellar ensemble, Source Code.

An alum of Weather Report and the bands of McCoy Tyner, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Blue Mitchell and others, Gravatt essentially has had two careers in jazz with a couple decades of separation. Like John Coltrane and long-time associate McCoy Tyner, he is a native of Philadelphia. Originally a conga player, Gravatt taught percussion and music in Philadelphia and Washington, DC in the 1960s. Miles Davis invited him to join his band, but Gravatt turned down the Prince of Darkness to follow Wayne Shorter into Weather Report, with whom he toured and recorded. But Gravatt’s sound was not exactly what WR founder Joe Zawinul had in mind, and after a while Gravatt was replaced in favor of a more “bottom heavy” drummer. He moved on to the fusion band Natural Life (with Bobby Peterson and Bob Rockwell), a move that brought him to the Twin Cities some 30 years ago. Demands of family and a desire for financial stability took Gravatt out of fulltime music and into fulltime work as a guard at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Lino Lakes. “I had kids, and Corrections were the only thing being offered that paid that good, and they had (benefits) you couldn't get in jazz," Gravatt told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Only recently, after retiring from Lino Lakes, has Gravatt returned to his calling, again touring with McCoy Tyner and performing with his band, Source Code. He's also appeared recently at the Icehouse with Adam Linz and Brandon Wozniak.

Dave Hagedorn©Andrea Canter

Director of Jazz at St. Olaf College, Dave Hagedorn’s percussion duties have included the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera, and regular jazz gigs with the Phil Hey Quartet, the Pete Whitman X-Tet, the Out to Lunch Quintet and trio Good Vibes. Dave has also studied and toured with the great George Russell. Notes Don Berryman, Hagedorn “brings an integrated knowledge of complex harmony and rhythm that never fails to swing or to move anyone with ears.”

Pianist Gene Rush was long-affiliated with the University of Memphis jazz program. In addition to performing with a wide range of musicians from John Abercrombie to Attilla Zoller, he has also taught at Attilla Zoller Vermont Jazz Center.

Bassist with the Americana Classic Jazz Orchestra (devoted to the big band music of the 20s and 30s) and leader of his own quartet, Ron Evaniuk recorded with Twin Cities trumpet legend Gene Adams, in addition to his work with Source Code.

We need to take advantage of every opportunity to hear one of the greatest, if lesser known, drummers who today plays with as much fire and finesse as in his early years with Weather Report.  And the next opportunity comes this weekend at the AQ, October 26-27. 

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St. Paul. Sets begin at 9 pm, cover $12. Visit www.artistsquarter.com

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