Photo by Andrea Canter

Playing on successive nights (April 13 and 14) in this artist-friendly setting are two of the area’s most innovative small ensembles, How Birds Work and The Five, and the common denominator is Kenny Horst. In addition to his ownership and management of the Artists Quarter, Horst is one of the most popular drummers in the area, with “great hard-bop, soul jazz, and fusion chops and the sweetest guy you could meet” (Don Berryman). 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.

How Birds Work (Wednesday, April 13, 9 pm), is a collaboration of Horst, guitarist Dean Granros, keyboard specialist Peter Schimke, and bassist Billy Peterson. Hot off the fall release of their first recording, Live at the Artists Quarter, HBW continues to hone its craft with at least monthly gigs at the AQ. Each artist has established his reputation through many diverse routes:

Photo by Don Berryman

Dean Granros’s 30-year career encompasses an ecletic range of genres and projects, including several well-known to AQ audiences—FKG with Scott Fultz and Dave King, Siamese Fighting Fish with King and Anthony Cox, and his long-running duo with Brad Bellows. In 2003, he recorded Mercury with the rock/jazz fusion band Curlew, featuring saxist George Cartwright, generating accolades from Jazz Times critic Stuart Nicholson who noted that “Granros’raw guitar explores the tensions between jazz and rock.” Jazz Police administrator Don Berryman adds, “Granros blends the vocabulary of bebop, acid rock, and delta blues into a delightful and potent cocktail that may leave you shaken or stirred.”

Photo by Andrea Canter

Billy Peterson grew up as a member of the legendary Peterson family of musicians. He was singing national commercial spots at age 9 with his sister, Linda Peterson, but soon he was trying his hand at a variety of instruments—drums and keyboards while in junior high school. He discovered the electric bass first, then the acoustic upright and played jazz with his father’s bands. He was asked to tour with the Righteous Brothers at 16 and eventually formed his own bands, working in pop and rock—and landing on Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks. Other projects have included a stint with the Steve Miller Band and arranging for Prince, David Sanborn and Ben Sidran, as well as numerous appearances and recordings with fellow family musicians Bobby, Linda, Patty, and Jean Arland Peterson. Jazz has always been a calling, be it performing with legends like Benny Carter, Clark Terry or Phil Woods, or with local talent.

Photo by Don Berryman

A group formerly known in the 1990s as M.A.C. Music V, The Five (April 14, 9 pm) are devoted to promoting jazz as modern American chamber music. Inspired by the Modern Jazz Quartet, Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and the early bands of Herbie Hancock, The Five features original compositions (many by Kenny Horst). First coming together in the early-mid 90's, The Five captivated audiences with their vibrant form of unrehearsed group expression. Members of this quintet, in addition to Horst, are Steve Kenny (trumpet), Dave Karr (saxophones and flute), Tom Lewis (bass), and Mikkel Romstad (piano).

Photo by Don Berryman

Master of reeds and flute, native New Yorker Dave Karr has been a fixture on the Twin Cities jazz scene for nearly 50 years, composing and producing music for radio and TV, and performing with name bands, symphony orchestras, and Broadway shows. With his bari sax, Karr leads the ever-popular tribute band, Mulligan Stew; he also appears regularly with the JazzMN Big Band, Pete Whitman X-Tet, and on stage with a long list of area vocalists and instrumental artists. Dave blows a sweet horn and is always in the company of the best area musicians.

Photo by Andrea Canter

Pianist Mikkel Romstad has played and/or recorded with just about every jazz instrumentalist and vocalist in the Twin Cities at one time or another, including Irv Williams, George Avaloz, Christine Rosholt, and Lucia Newell.

There is no better way to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month than by celebrating the great jazz artists in our own backyard—at the Artists Quarter where these two great bands appear back to back, Wednesday and Thursday, April 13-14.

For a full calendar of Artist Quarter events and further information, visit www.mnjazz.com. The AQ is located in downtown St. Paul in the lower level of the Hamm Building.