Monthly or near monthly gigs feature a raft of Twin Cities' talents, from sax to piano to drums and eclectic mixes of all. Let's start with the horns: The Brian Grivna Quartet (September 30, October 28, cover $3) is led by a former Young Artist clarinet soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra. Now on the jazz faculties of Macalester College in St. Paul and the University of Minnesota, saxophonist Brian Grivna joined the Buddy Rich band as the lead altoist in 1971. Back in the Twin Cities, he did a ten-year stint in the woodwind chair for the Guthrie Theater and now performs at jazz clubs and with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Children's Theater Company, and touring orchestras for musicals such as The Lion King.

photo by Don Berryman
The Pete Whitman X-Tet (September 30; October 28; November 18; cover $6) is one of several projects led by veteran sax performer, composer, and arranger Pete Whitman. His credits include performing with Randy Brecker, Jack McDuff, and the Woody Herman Orchestra, in addition to leading his X-Tet and Quintet in the Twin Cities and working regularly with the Jazz MN Big Band. A graduate of jazz studies at North Texas State University, Whitman heads the Woodwind and Brass Department at St. Paul's MusicTech. The 10-piece X-Tet is a virtual Who's Who in local jazz, with Whitman, Dave Karr, and Dave Milne (reeds), Steve Wagner and Dave Jensen (trumpets), Jeff Rinear (trombone), Dave Hagedorn (vibes), Gordy Johnson (bass), Phil Hey (drums), and Laura Caviani (piano).