Christian Howes (March 18, 7 & 9 pm). Leading a resurgence of interest in jazz violin, Christian Howes is playing to rave reviews. The Columbus, Ohio native was classically trained from age five; performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at sixteen, and placed in national classical competitions while still in his teens. His career detoured when he was sentenced to four years in prison on drug charges, yet he never gave up his music. Shortly after his release, he completed the recording Confluence (1997), recorded in part at a Columbus supper club and in part at the correctional institution. Covering jazz classics as well as Mozart, Confluence “pays tribute to a man who has overcome life's challenges, and has channeled them into his growth as an artist" (Kahlid Moss, Dayton Daily News). Now in his mid-30s, Howe has played and/or recorded with top artists such as Greg Osby, Randy Brecker, James Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Akua Dixon’s Quartette Indigo, Billy Hart, D.D. Jackson, David Murray, Steve Turre’s Sextet with Strings, Jane Monheit, Dr. John, Frank Vignola, and Lenny White; at the Newport, Toronto, Ottawa, and Tri-C jazz festivals; and at such world-renowned venues as Birdland, Iridium, the Knitting Factory, Blues Alley, and the Village Vanguard. Along with master classes and clinics, Howes leads five distinct working ensembles, including the Christian Howes Group (quintet or quartet), the Hot Swing Group, the European Acoustic Trio, the Special Electric Violin Project, and Duo Americana. Noted jazz pianist D.D. Jackson, "I don't know of any other violinist who has so many qualities as a violinist as Christian has, in terms of a really astonishing technical facility and true musicianship.”

Freddy Cole (March 21-22, 7 & 9 pm). Younger brother of Nat, Chicago native Freddy Cole grew up surrounded by such musicians as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, and Billy Eckstein. At Julliard in New York, he was influenced by John Lewis, Oscar Peterson, and Teddy Wilson. After receiving a Master’s degree at the New England Conservatory of Music, he toured with Earl Bostic’s band and went on to become a prominent recording artist. Like brother Nat, he plays piano, sings, and performs with guitar and upright bass, but with a smokier voice and phrasing more reminiscent of Sinatra and Holiday than his older brother. Notes Lloyd Sachs (Chicago Sun Times), “Freddy Cole just might be the most attractively understated jazz singer currently at work.”

Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues with Marcy Levy (March 29-31, 7 & 9 pm). Always a popular booking, Corky Siegel returns to the Dakota with his eclectic barrage of jazz, bluegrass, blues and whimsy. Termed “irresistible” by New York Newsday and “scandalous” by the Hollywood Reporter, Siegel describes the music as “a juxtaposition of classical and blues flavors. A meeting of the two of the most important and diverse music forms. The juxtaposition is not just about the instrumentation of string quartet, east Indian tabla, and blues harmonica and piano (with a vocal thrown in now and again)… Chamber Blues is two forms working together. Blues and Classical. Each form's personality is maintained.” Corky Siegel is acclaimed as one of the world's great blues harmonica masters. A composer, blues pianist, singer, and songwriter, he recent won the Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest/Meet the Composer's national award for chamber music composition and the Illinois Arts Council Fellowship Award for Music Composition. Co-founder of the legendary Siegel-Schwall Band that gained fame among rock audiences in the 60s and 70s, Siegel was exposed to the blues by masters such as Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters while playing at Peppers blues club in Chicago, and with the encouragement of classical conductor Seiji Ozawa, he began exploring the fusion of classical and blues, leading to the first performances of Chamber Blues in 1988. In addition to Siegel, Chamber Blues features percussionist Frank Donaldson, a leading exponent of funk, fusion and jazz drumming and accomplished band leader. His past credits include keeping time for the Ramsey Lewis Trio. Rounding out the group is the West End String Quartet.

Corky Siegel’s Chamber Blues will arrive at the Dakota hot off the release of their first live recording, Corky Siegel’s Traveling Chamber Blues Show. Says George Graham, “Corky Siegel's Traveling Chamber Blues Show emphasizes the group's spirit of good fun, and also shows that a string quartet can jam. It makes for music that is not only a very distinctive cross-cultural blend, but also genuinely entertaining and musically infectious.” Joining Siegel and company for this tour is singer/songwriter Marcy Levy, probably best known as the composer of “Lay Down Sally” and her years with Bob Seeger and Eric Clapton. Adding Levy to an already dynamic musical goulash can only mean one thing—the Dakota will rock with blues!

Local Gems

There’s no dearth of topflight jazz in the Twin Cities. In our own backyard, we have enough talent to populate the clubs of New York and LA. But these artists are here, at least for now, and the Twin Cities is thus a jazz destination in its own right.

Laura Caviani Trio (March 3, 7 pm). One of the Twin Cities’ pre-eminent jazz pianists, composers, and educators, Laura Caviani earned degrees from Lawrence University in Appleton, WI and the University of Michigan; studied in Japan at the Akiyoshidai International Art Village; and received a grant to study with another highly inventive pianist, Joanne Brackeen. She has toured with Toots Theilemans, Bob Mintzer, Dave Liebman, and Karrin Allyson, and has released four acclaimed recordings as well as appearing on a long list of CDs of local musicians. Known for her interpretations of Monk and her work with Soul Café, Departure Point, and Pete Whitman’s X-tet, for this gig Caviani teams up with the best of the best, bassist Gordy Johnson and drummer Phil Hey.

Cuban All Stars photo by Andrea Canter

Nachito Herrera and the Cuban All Stars (March 4-5, 8:30 pm). Every month at the Dakota, we can count on the blistering Afro-Cuban piano grooves of Nachito Herrera. A child prodigy who studied classical music in Havana, Herrera went on to serve as music director for several bands before leading Cubanissmo! His travels to the US caught the eye of potential sponsors, including the Dakota’s Lowell Pickett, and with some wrangling with state department redtape, this amazing musician found himself in Minnesota. After his inaugural band Puro Cubano recorded Live at the Dakota, Herrera developed another great ensemble featuring Cuban musicians (The Cuban All-Stars) who converge in Minneapolis for this monthly gig. Heavy on percussion and vocals (often featuring young Mirdalys Herrera), Herrera and company recently released Bembe en mi Casa, and the Dakota stage is still smoldering from the CD celebration. Noted Michael Dumbrow (Urban Pioneer), “His hands move at a blinding pace over the keys, trilling not only with his dominant hand but with both, turning the piano keys into an extension of his very self.” Where classical structures merge with native Cuban rhythms, where dexterity and fluidity merge with passion and joy, this is the intersection that is home to Nachito Herrera.

JazzMN Big Band (March 6, 4 pm). Since 1998, Minnesota’s big band enthusiasts have had the fortune to hear performances by the JazzMN Big Band. Formed to “promote, preserve and perpetuate jazz, America's indigenous art music, through performance, historical preservation, and education," this non-profit group is an amalgam of the best band artists in the Twin Cities. Under the leadership of director/trumpeter Dr. Doug Snapp, over its five seasons the JazzMn Big Band has presented a who’s who list of guest artists, including Arturo Sandoval, Phil Woods, James Moody, Dave Weckl, Terry Gibbs, and Buddy DeFranco. The band released its first self-titled CD on the Artegra label in 2000. Last month, JazzMN Big Band began a monthly series of Sunday gigs at the Dakota. The stage might be crowded but you can be sure this group of artists will stretch out with an engaging set of charts. The current roster of the JazzMN Big Band includes Pete Whitman, Dave Milne, Dave Karr and Clay Pufahl (sax), Michael Nelson, Dave Graf, Ethan Frier and Wade Clark (trombone), Bob Hallgrimson, Bernie Edstrom and John Ahern (trumpets), Terry Burns (bass), Joe Pulice (drums), and Mary Louise Knutson (piano).

The Girls (March 20, 27, 7 pm). Jazz is synonymous with fun when The Girls are on stage! This quartet of Twin Cities’ divas (and MusicTech instructors) has been pleasing audiences with their infectious blend of stellar voices, magnificent piano, and hilarious banter, a recipe for high flying synergy. The Girls: Pianist/vocalist Lori Dokken has been entertaining Twin Cities’ audiences for over 20 years. An award-winning songwriter and in-demand arranger, she is one of the area’s most popular cabaret performers. Head of the Vocal Music Department at MusicTech, Judi Donaghy has an eclectic list of credits in opera, musical theater, jazz, folk, country, gospel, pop, and R&B, including appearances with Moore By Four, the Mixed Blood Theater, Yo Yo Ma, Carole King, Janis Siegel, Garrison Keillor, and Marilyn McCoo. Perhaps the best known local diva, Debbie Duncan has a background rich in jazz, gospel and Motown. Duncan has opened for Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Stephane Grapelli, and won the Minnesota Music Award for “Perpetually Outstanding Performer.” As a musical theatre performer, Erin Schwab portrayed Tina in Hey City Theater's long-running production of Tony n' Tina's Weddingand performs with The Bellcats, the Wolverines and Metro Jam.

Together, The Girls have recorded Requests (Swedish Girl Music) and entertain on a regular basis at local venues, including The Times and the Dakota. “Lori thunders away on the keys, Debbie sings low and sassy, Erin and Judi croon with thundering energy. They mix and match duets, trios, and full-blown quartets throughout the evening, but whatever combo you get, it’ll definitely impress” (The Rake, July 2004). These two consecutive Sunday gigs will be set up for live recording for a new CD.

Prudence Johnson/Brubeck Institute Sextet (March 25-26, 8 pm). One of the most popular songstresses in the Twin Cities, Prudence Johnson has had an eclectic career to say the least. A native of Moose Lake, MN, Johnson’s resume covers coffee houses in St. Cloud to tours of Russia, musical theater, regular appearances on Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, and even a bit role in Robert Redford’s film, A River Runs Through It. A founding member of Rio Nido (with Tim Sparks) in the 1980s, Johnson released several solo albums in the 1990s (including Grammy-nominated Little Dreamer in 1992). Her 2002 recording of Hoagy Carmichael tunes, Moon Country, brought renewed attention to this deserving artist. Wrote Jim Walsh (St. Paul Pioneer Press), “Armed with the timbre and phrasing that comes from years of experimentation, here's the sound of a true artist hitting her timeless stride.” Since then, she has led productions saluting Kurt Weill and Edna St. Vincent Millay and released a recording of Gershwin with pianist Dan Chouinard (‘S Gershwin). On this Dakota gig, Johnson teams with a stellar trio including pianist Laura Caviani (see above), bassist Gary Raynor, and drummer Joe Pulice.

And it’s a double header this weekend, with the Brubeck Institute Jazz Sextet sharing the stage. In 2000, jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his wife Iola established the Brubeck Institute in conjunction with the University of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. The Institute is a "living archive" where students study jazz and contemporary music, perform, compose, and share what they learn with future generations. "The idea is to regenerate the same opportunities that Miles, Coltrane, Art Blakey, Dave Brubeck and others had," says Executive Director J.B. Dyas. "The way they developed was by playing with other good players, back when there were jazz clubs on every corner. Now the fellows are playing and talking about jazz in schools.” Under the tutelage of Artistic Director and master bassist Christian McBride, the student ensembles of the Brubeck Institute work with internationally renowned jazz “artists in residence” and perform extensively. Tonight’s performance is the culminating event in a series of area clinics. Come hear the future of jazz!

And More!

There’s a lot more on the Dakota’s March calendar, including:

Vocalists—Patty Peterson and Lori Dokken (March 6, 7 pm); Bruce Henry (March 11-12, 8 pm); Libby Turner (March 17, 7 pm); Ginger Commodore (March 19, 8 pm); Connie Evingson (March 23, 7 pm); Charmin Michelle (March 28, 7 pm)

Instrumentals—Pat Donahue/Dan Newton/Gary Raynor (March 10, 7 pm); Red Planet (Dean McGraw, Chris Bates, Jay Epstein (March 15, 7 pm); The George Maurer Group (March 16, 7 pm); Chris Lomheim Quartet (March 24, 7 pm)

Amazing April Ahead

And what comes next? Perhaps the biggest hottest band to ever take the Dakota stage, on April 2 (one night only!), the SF Jazz Collective makes a very rare club appearance for two sets. Featuring the brightest stars on the planet, SF includes tenor titan Joshua Redman, trumpet lion Nicholas Payton, alto sax rising star Miguel Zenon, veteran vibe virtuoso Bobby Hutcherson, sublime pianist Renee Rosnes, trombone wizard Isaac Smith, the future of bass Matt Penman, and smoldering drummer Eric Harland. Reservations a must, seating will cover the dining room and bar for this night to remember.

We can also look forward to April dates with cellist Matt Haimovitz (April 4); vocalists Maria Muldaur (April 11-12) and Stacy Kent (April 25-27); traditional favorites Dr. Michael White and Kermit Ruffins (April 17); the incredible trio of John Scofield, Steve Swallow and Bill Stewart (April 24); and the new hometown band, the Jazz Is Now Orchestra, with Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra sax man Ted Nash (April 28).

There’s music at the Dakota seven nights per week. For the full March schedule, reservation form, and other information, visit www.dakotacooks.com . The Dakota is located in downtown Minneapolis at 1010 Nicollet Mall, 612-332-1010.