Photo by Andrea Canter

No, it isn’t an episode of the Cosby Show at the Artists Quarter Wednesday night. The Slide Huxtable Quartet isn’t TV comedy, but rather a newly formed jazz ensemble that promises edgy arrangements from a group of veteran Twin Cities’ musicians. The Slide Huxtable Quartet includes former Motion Poets Mark Miller on trombone, Chris Bates on bass, and brother J.T. Bates on drums, along with Bill Bergman on guitar. Playing a mix of originals and standards rearranged “to put some fun into the music,” the band took its name from the famous Bill Cosby Show episode where Cliff's dad (Russell “Slide” Huxtable) plays at a jam session with a bunch of real jazz musicians. Notes Chris Bates, “Slide Hampton is playing off camera while Slide Huxtable does a really bad job of lip synching on camera. We all loved that episode as kids and so the band name came from there.”

Photo by Andrea Canter

Trombone master Mark Miller has been on tour this summer with Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out. Living in the Twin Cities for much of 90s, Miller was well known for his work with the Motion Poets, Happy Apple, and Salsa Del Soul. Earlier this month he had a guest spot with Doug Little’s Seven Steps to Havana, on stage at the Dakota. Chris and J.T. Bates grew up with jazz, sons of trumpeter/bandleader Don Bates. Chris began bass studies in 4^th grade and progressed to jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire before returning to the Twin Cities to study with Anthony Cox. A member of the Motion Poets, Chris Bates has focused more on composing (he was a 1999 McKnight Composer Fellow) and playing regularly with Low Blow and the guitar trio, Framework. Chris’ brother J.T. Bates is one of the busiest drummers in the Twin Cities, on and off the bandstand. He was a member of Motion Poets, has played and recorded with Doug Little, and recently has worked with a variety of Latin, electronic, and experimental ensembles, including his Fat Kid Wednesdays band.

Showtime is 9 pm at the Artists Quarter. Don’t expect the Cosby theme song—just expect some innovative jazz and no re-runs!

The Artists Quarter is located in the lower level of the Hamm Building at 7^th Place and St Peter Street in downtown St. Paul; www.mnjazz.org. Cover for the Slide Huxtable Quartet on Wednesday, August 24^th, is a mere $3.00!

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