Jazz Police - Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Bigger and Better Every Year: June 28-30

Back in 1999, Steve Heckler had no intention of starting an annual jazz festival, and certainly no interest in producing such an event. He’d had his fill of such event planning in the 70s, went back to school and was working as a social worker and part time record producer. But he was determined to help get more jazz musicians out in the public arena, something that was not an easy sell in the Twin Cities. In 1999, the Dakota was going strong at Bandana Square, but the Artists Quarter was in-between St Paul locations and the only festival-type event was the one-day KBEM Winter Jazz Fest. With pal Kevin Barnes from KBEM, Heckler convinced the Minneapolis City Council to support a one-day, after 5 pm jazz party on Peavy Plaza as a means of bringing people into the heart of the city for some fun and music. They anticipated an audience of 300. When 3,000 showed up, they had to rethink their perceptions of the potential jazz audience. The “Hot Summer Jazz Festival” was off and running.

The 2012 Festival

Mears Park Stage©Andrea Canter

Based entirely in St Paul, the 2012 festival will offer the most music ever, thanks in part to Legacy grant funding that will allow Heckler to present jazz not only on stages at Mears Park, but at a long list of club and concert venues throughout Lowertown, downtown, and beyond. And at all festival stages, as well as most club venues, music and clinics are free! Consider the headliners alone—Francisco Mela’s Cuban Safari, Delfeayo Marsalis’ Octet, The Bad Plus with Joshual Redman—and that is already the music bargain of the year! But of course there’s a lot more—the final of four jazz concerts in St Paul Libraries starts “preview” day on June 28th at 11:30 am with Jack Brass Band at the Central Library; “Jazz Night Out” officially launches in Mears Park at 6 pm with Pippi Ardennia and her PipJazz band and guests, with concurrent gigs from Lowertown to Downtown and beyond at 13 club and concert venues well into the night. The Main Stage at Mears and adjacent Sixth Street Stages host the best international, national and local jazz artists starting at 4 pm Friday (June 29) and running til Saturday evening (June 30), with the annual Youth Stage (on Prince Street) Saturday afternoon and more music at a dozen other area venues each evening. A record five free clinics (led by festival headliners) will be held at McNally Smith College of Music on Friday and Saturday.

Charmine Michelle and Doug Haining©Andrea Canter

To help you get around, especially in this era of Light Rail construction, you can ride around free on all Metro Transit light rail and busses with a Go Greener Pass (see festival website to print out your pass). And if you can not make it down to the festival, or need a time out, you can hear it live on KBEM radio, Friday and Saturday at 88.5 FM.

Mears Park is surrounded by bars, cafes and restaurants to add to your festival fun; and as always, there will be plenty of concessions right there in the park near the main stage. You won’t go hungry or thirsty! And look for the KBEM tent, which also hosts the info table for the Twin Cities Jazz Society. There you can learn more about the local jazz scene, pick up a CD, summer jazz schedules, and more.

The festival booklet with complete schedule and venue map is now available throughout area venues, as a PDF on the festival website and during the festival at Mears Park. You can also find artist bios and other info on the website. Jazz Police will provide day by day details to enhance your festival experience!

Francisco Mela©Andrea Canter

Festival Stage Schedule (All Free)

See festival website for complete schedule at all venues!

Thursday, June 28

11:30 am, Jack Brass Band (St Paul Central Library, 90 W. 4th St., St Paul)
6-9 pm, Pippi Ardennia and PipJazz with special guest, Barbara LeShoure (Mears Park, E. 5th St. and Sibley St., St. Paul)

Friday, June 29, Mears Park Stage (E. 5th St. & Sibley St., St Paul)

4 pm, Twin Cities Seven with Charmin Michelle
Joshua REdman©Andrea Canter
6 pm, Fransico Mela Cuban Safari
8:30 pm, Delfeayo Marsalis Octet

Friday, June 29, Sixth Street Stage (236 E. Sixth St., adjacent to Mears Park)

5 pm, Atlantis Quartet
7:15 pm, Robert Everest Expedition

Friday, June 29, Clinics at McNally Smith College (19 E. Exchange St, St Paul)

2:30 pm, Francisco Mela Drum Clinic
4 pm, Delfeayo Marsalis with Mark Gross

Marquis Hill©Andrea Canter

Saturday, June 30, Mears Park Stage (E. 5th St. & Sibley St., St Paul)

Noon, Walker West Music Academy
2 pm, Debbie Duncan
4 pm, Araya Orta Latin Jazz Quartet
6 pm, Luca Ciarla
8:30 pm, The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman

Saturday, June 30, Sixth Street Stage (236 E. 6th St., St Paul)

1 pm, Lucia Newell (with Dean Magraw, Dave Karr, Gordy Johnson and Phil Hey)
3 pm, Phil Hey Quartet
5 pm, Marquis Hill
7:15 pm, Koplant No

Saturday, June 30, Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education Youth Stage (Prince Street at Broadway, St. Paul, adjacent to the Black Dog Café)

1 pm, Southwest High School Combo (directed by Keith Liuzzi)
2 pm, Roseville Area High School Jazz Band (directed by Pat Moriarty)
3 pm, Dakota Combo Alumni Band (led by Jake Baldwin)
4:30 pm, Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth Jazz Band (directed by Scott Carter)
5:30 pm, Stillwater Area High School Combo (directed by Dennis Lindsay)
6:30 pm, Dakota Combo (directed by Adam Linz)

Saturday, June 30, Clinics at McNally Smith College (19 E. Exchange St., St Paul)

11 am, Jon Weber
2 pm, Araya Orta Latin Jazz Quartet
4:30 pm, The Bad Plus With Joshua Redman

Complete festival information and schedules is available on the festival website. Visit Jazz Police throughout the week for day by day details.