Photo by Andrea Canter

Worried about that holiday let-down? Let the Peter Schimke Trio chase those blues away when they return to the Artists Quarter in St. Paul this Wednesday night, December 29^th. One of the busiest keyboard talents in the Twin Cities today, Schimke appears frequently at the Artists Quarter, Dakota, and just about anywhere else that requires first class comping and soloing on piano or Fender Rhodes.

Schimke has played and/or recorded with a "Who's Who" in Twin Cities jazz--Dave Sletten, Irv Williams, George Avaloz, Dean McGraw, Anthony Cox, Estaire Godinez, Bruce Henry, Lucia Newell, and Leslie Ball, among many others, and provides stellar comping on Carole Martin's new CD, Pieces of Dreams. He also directed and provided piano support for Mark Murphy's Latin Porter, recorded live at the old Dakota in St. Paul (Go Jazz, 2000).  One of his current projects is How Birds Work (with Kenny Horst, Billy Peterson, and Dean Granros), to which he contributes not only his piano and Fender Rhodes chops but his gravely vocals as well.

Notes Don Berryman (Jazz Police), "When he is comping behind a soloist, he is engaged in a subtle dialogue, listening and responding with harmonies and rhythms that sometimes represent a suggestion or even a challenge to the soloist." And when he takes off in a leading role, Schimke blazes new trails and challenges others to keep up.

The Peter Schimke Trio includes local stalwart musicians Billy Peterson (bass) and Kenny Horst (drums).  Bassist Billy Peterson grew up as a member of the legendary Peterson family of musicians, appeared on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks, toured with the Steve Miller Band, and has arranged for Prince and David Sanborn. He's played with Ben Sidran and Bill Carrothers, and recently was at the AQ with David Hazeltine. Kenny Horst has "great hard-bop, soul jazz, and fusion chops and [is] the sweetest guy you could meet" (Don Berryman). In addition to his ownership and management of the Artists Quarter, Horst is one of the most popular drummers in the area. He worked with Bobby Lyle for three years at the Blue Note in New York, toured with Jimmy McGriff and briefly with Al Hirt, and locally has played with many of the national artists booked at the AQ.

This trio will not only give you a night of great jazz, they will have a lot of fun doing it, and fun, like good music, is contagious. Catch as much as you can, Wednesday, December 29^th.

The Artists Quarter is located in the lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul, 7^th Place and St. Peter; www.mnjazz.com. Sets start at 9 pm, $3 cover.