Tommy Peterson photo by Andrea Canter

If you thought it was hot in downtown Minneapolis Thursday and Friday, just imagine this line-up for the Saturday edition of the Hot Summer Jazz Festival—Dr. Lonnie Smith, Eric Kamau Gravatt, Benny Golson, and the Wolverines Big Band! That’s just a fraction of the music scheduled over a three-block area of Nicollet Mall on five stages. All you need is your hat, sunscreen, and ears!

Mercedes Benz Main Stage on Peavy Plaza (12^th and Nicollet Mall)

12:45- 1:45 pm, Doug Haining and the Twin Cities Seven. One of the Twin Cities most popular bands, the Twin Cities Seven exudes “splendid, communal small-group swing in the grand tradition of Count Basie's Kansas City Seven and Duke Ellington's sideman ensembles” (Tom Surowicz, Star Tribune). Led by Doug Haining (Alto, Clarinet), the rest of the Seven include Tim Sullivan (trumpet), John Boblett (trombone); Rick Carlson (piano); Kent Saunders (guitar); Steve Pikal (bass), and Brett Forberg (drums).

2:15-3:30 pm, Dr. Lonnie Smith. From the time he was named Down Beat’s top organist back in 1969, Dr. Lonnie Smith has been king of the Hammond B-3, spreading the gospel of soul and acid jazz to new generations of organ grinders. An early compatriot of George Benson, he’s also been associated with Lee Morgan, Fathead Newman, and King Curtis. Smith knocked ‘em dead at the Dakota last summer, and today he’ll convert even the most timid listeners to the B-3!

4:00- 5:15 pm, Source Code with Eric Kamau Gravatt. Philadelphia native Eric Kamau Gravatt is one of the most acclaimed jazz artists living in the Twin Cities. The monster drummer has worked with Weather Report, Joe Henderson, and McCoy Tyner. Exploring the work of Monk, Coltrane and McLean, Gravatt’s bandmates in Source Code include Dean Brewington (sax), Ron Evaniuk (bass), Dave Hagedorn (vibes), and Dave Leigh (trombone).

5:45- 7:00 pm, Salsa del Soul. This ten-piece orchestra brings Caribbean dance music to the northland. Popular at area festivals and such venues as Babalu, Salsa del Soul will lift you off your feet – so wear your dancing shoes and come on down to “dance floor” in front of the Mercedes Benz stage! Cha-cha-cha!

7:30-8:45 pm, Alex Han. He’s only 17 but alto sax man Alex Han has already performed at Lincoln Center with Paquito D’Rivera, at the Blue Note in New York, and at the Montreux Jazz Festival. This spring, Han won the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition for saxophone and was selected as the alto chair for the 2005 Monterrey Jazz Festival’s “Next Generation Orchestra.” And he’s still in high school.

9:15-10:30 pm, Benny Golson. Known worldwide, not only as a virtuoso tenor player, Benny Golson has impeccable credentials as a composer, arranger, lyricist, producer, and educator as well. A native of Philadelphia, Golson studied piano, organ, clarinet, and tenor sax as a child. Later he worked around town with fellow Philadelphian John Coltrane. After working with Lionel Hampton and Earl Bostic in the early 50s, Golson joined Dizzy Gillespie’s band, building his reputation with his compositions "Stablemates," "Whisper Not," and "I Remember Clifford,” the first of many that became jazz standards. With Gillespie, Golson also developed a solo style inspired by Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins. In the late 1950s, Golson was a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and then the Art Farmer Jazztet. In addition to film scores, Golson has written over 300 compositions, has recorded over 30 albums, and has arranged for a long list of well-known jazz performers, including Count Basie, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman. At 75, Golson is still blowing strong!

RBC Dain Rauscher Stage, 10^th and Nicollet Mall

12 Noon-1:00 pm. John Penny and Equatis. Twin Cities’ guitarist John Penny plays in great company as the kick-off act for the Dain Rauscher stage—right there in the middle of Nicollet Mall. In addition to the nylon-string virtuoso, Equatis includes master bassist Gordon Johnson, the sublime drummer Jay Epstein, tenor titan Brian Gallagher, and young ferocious pianist Tanner Taylor.

1:45-3:00 pm, Mulligan Stew. Multi-reed man Dave Karr’s tribute band channels the music of Gerry Mulligan. Despite some rain, Mulligan Stew was a hit of last year’s HSJF and their performance resulted in a live self-titled recording. Joining Dave (bari sax) are local jazz heroes Dave Graf (trombone), Gordon Johnson (bass), Phil Hey (drums), and Tanner Taylor (piano).

The remainder of the day on the Dain Rauscher Stage is mini-festival of swing and blues music, featuring:

3:30-4:45 pm, Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs. Led by saxophonist Clarke, the Working Stiffs bring their brand of jump blues, swing, and a little rockabilly.

4:45-5:15 pm, Swing Dance Lessons by TC Swing. Always wanted to learn swing dancing? Learn from the local masters.

5:15-7:50 pm, Wolervines Big Band. One of the most acclaimed big bands around, the Wolverines give you a chance to show what you learned!

8:30-9:30 pm, Swamp Twisters. With Ed Petsche, guitar, Charles Lawson, guitar and vocals, and John Gwynn, drums, Swamp Twisters play as hard-driving, loud, rhythmic Maxwell Street style Blues, plus Chicago, Louisiana, Texas, Swamp Pop, and Minnesota Blues. Regulars at the Viking Bar, the Swamp Twisters will chase your blues away!

Millennium Hotel Lounge (13^th and Nicollet Mall)

2:30-3:30 pm, Michael “Hook” Deutsch. W.C. Handy Award-winner Deutsch has won several Minnesota Music Awards for his hard driving blues piano. His vita includes work with Etta James, Big John Dickerson, Koko Taylor, and Jack McDuff among many others. Winner of two Jerome Foundation grants, Deutsch has also worked with area bands including Lamont Cranston and the Butanes.

4:00-5:30 pm, Dallas Johnson Group.

6:00-7:15 pm, Chris Michalek and Christopher Strone. If you missed these guys earlier in the week in Plymouth, here is another chance! Dubbed "one of the most distinctive and cohesive groups on the scene" by Down Beat, the collaboration of diatonic harmonica ace Chris Michalek and multi-instrumentalist/bassist Christopher Strone has produced an exciting, eclectic mix that is “at once dynamic, melodic and flowing” (CD Baby). Michalek is considered one of only a handful of harmonica players to truly explore the subtleties of the instrument, drawing on a diverse set of influences, from Indian to gypsy and jazz. Christopher Strone is equally eclectic in his explorations of everything from Bach to raga and fusion, exhibiting a melodic sensibility that elegantly supports Michalek. Together, “...their music climbs up the Blue Ridge and down to the Bayou and back up the Himalayas” (Washington Post).

Photo by Andrea Canter

8:15-9:30 pm, Killer Dolphins. On Thursday, the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth big band lit up the stage on Peavy Plaza. One of the features of their gig was a quintet of MITY musicians, Killer Dolphins. Here these teen musicians on their own and renew your faith in the future of jazz!

photo by Andrea Canter

10:40 pm – 12:45 am, Jon Weber. Unofficially the festival’s “house pianist,” Jon Weber is all over the HSJF, from his solo outing in Plymouth (Wednesday) to his monstrous supporting role with the Jerry Weldon Quartet (Thursday and Friday), as well as his Friday and Saturday night closing sets at the Millennium. Weber returns to the HSJF year after year, for good reason—he is an amazing keyboard talent with an encyclopedic knowledge of jazz (which he will typically share between tunes). Who knows who will drop in to jam with Jon?

Dakota, 1010 Nicollet Mall

Noon-3:00 pm. Cats Corner Swing Dance Competition. While a lot of swing dancing (and lessons) takes place later at the intersection across from the Dakota (see Dain Rauscher Stage above), the competition will be hot at the Dakota!

photo by Andrea Canter

8:00 pm, Patty Peterson with Tommy Peterson. The Peterson clan was on stage Thursday at Peavy Plaza, a great warm up to Patty’s gig with visiting cousin Tommy of the Tonight Show Band. One of the most accomplished vocalists in town, Patty has been a Minnesota Music Award winner, radio personality, and successful leader of her own ensemble. Come in from the heat and enjoy the coolest bar in town! ($10 cover)

McPhail Clinic Stage, 13^th and Nicollet Mall.

A unique aspect of HSJF is the focus on young jazz artists, through performance opportunities as well as this annual clinic, staged in a tent outside the Millennium Hotel. Established festival artists provide a free, public clinic of interest to students and fans alike, as well as performances. The line-up for Saturday:

photo by Andrea Canter

• 1:30 pm, Student Group Performance

• 3:00 pm, Jerry Weldon

• 4:30 pm, Student Group Performance

• 5:30 pm, Announcement, Winners of the J-Train Summer Jazz Scholarship

• 5:30 pm, McPhail Jazz Faculty

• 6:30 pm, Springboard for the Arts Presentation: Careers in Jazz and Music” by Chris Osgood

• 7:00 pm-dark, Open Jam with McPhail Jazz Faculty

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