Photo by Andrea Canter

AQ Weeknights (9 pm unless otherwise noted; cover $2-$3 unless otherwise noted).

Mondays, 7 pm, Green; 9 pm Open Poetry (no cover). From 7-9 pm, catch the sounds of Green. Featuring Rob Dewey (piano), Paul Kammeyer (bass) and Scotty Schultz (drums), Green has been the Monday night band at the AQ for the past two years. Following their sets, open mic poetry reading gets underway at 9 pm.

Photo by Andrea Canter

Tuesdays, 9 pm, B-3 Organ Night with the Tuesday Night Band. Although long-time B-3 master Billy Holloman has left the Twin Cities for Las Vegas, the Tuesday Night Band lives on with “Downtown” Bill Brown taking over organ duties, along with the addition of Billy Franze on guitar. Along with Gary Berg on saxes and Kenny Horst on drums, you never know who else will drop in and join the party. (And don’t forget the special weekend edition this month, September 9-10; see above.)

September 1, Chris Lomheim Trio. One of the foremost piano talents on the Twin Cities jazz scene and a regular performer at the Artists Quarter and Dakota, Chris Lomheim started organ studies at age 7, moved on to piano and was into R&B in the 1980s. He was featured at the West Bank School of Music Composer’s Forum in 1991 and nominated as top pianist in the 1997 Minnesota Music Awards. Jeremy Walker of Brilliant Corners called Lomheim “the most sensitive and romantic player you will hear around the Twin Cities' scene. He has prodigious piano technique and an individual ear for harmony.” Often compared to Bill Evans, Lomheim has made two acclaimed trio recordings, And You’ve Been Waiting? (1994, IGMOD) and The Bridge (2002, Artegra). Lomheim’s regular trio includes multi-talented bassist Gordy Johnson and elegant drummer Phil Hey. If you missed their recent Bill Evans tribute, don’t miss them again!

September 7, Red Planet. If you are looking for something a little different, a little edgy in the jazz trio format, look no farther than a trip to the Red Planet. As noted in the AQ press release, Red Planet “is creative jazz for the 21st Century, inviting you to put one ear on the launching pad of neo-bop Trane/Hendrix/Monk burn, and your other ear on the celestial weightlessness from the musical cosmos.” Led by guitarist Dean Magraw, with bassist Chris Bates and drummer Jay Epstein—Red Planet is a popular ensemble at area jazz festivals as well as on club stages. Dean Magraw has been wowing audiences with his fleet fingered plucking and creative compositions. Said Steve Tibbetts, "It's guitar, but it's so liquid, lyrical and effortless that it's like listening to a dancer." Straddling jazz, folk and bluegrass, he has performed with and/or recorded with Peter Ostroushko, Ruth McKenzie, Claudia Schmidt and Greg Brown, among others. Chris Bates and his brother, drummer JT, grew up with jazz, sons of trumpeter/bandleader Don Bates. 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, in addition to Red Planet. Drummer Jay Epstein is seen all over the Twin Cities, often in the company vocalists (Christine Rosholt, Connie Evingson) and top instrumentalists (Gordy Johnson, Benny Weinbeck). He has had a long-standing gig with the Phil Aaron Trio at the Hotel Sofitel in Bloomington, and released a highly acclaimed recording, Long Ago.

Photo by Andrea Canter

September 14, How Birds Work. One of the most popular regular attractions at the AQ, How Birds Work is the collaboration of four well-known area musicians—guitarist Dean Granros, bassist Billy Peterson, pianist Peter Schimke, and drummer Kenny Horst. Playing about monthly at the AQ, the quartet recently made a live—and lively-- recording here. Guitarist Dean Granros “blends the vocabulary of bebop, acid rock, and delta blues into a delightful and potent cocktail that may leave you shaken or stirred” (Don Berryman, Jazz Police). 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. And drummer Kenny Horst is a “great hard-bop, soul jazz, and fusion chops and the sweetest guy you could meet” (Don Berryman). In his role with How Birds Work, pianist Peter Schimke also displays his skills as a composer and adds vocals to the mix. Sophisticated, often subtle, always working toward the edge from a firm foundation, How Birds Work offers multiple layers of challenge to the listener.

September 15, Phil Hey Quartet. Given AQ owner Kenny Horst’s own talents as a drummer, it is no surprise that Phil Hey and his Quartet are regular features. Joining Hey are Dave Hagedorn (vibes), Phil Aaron (piano), and Tom Lewis (bass). A “no-nonsense, uncompromising band of local jazz greats” (Don Berryman, Jazz Police), the quartet’s repertoire includes the tunes of Kenny Wheeler, Bobby Hutcherson, John Coltrane, and Wayne Shorter. A former student of Ed Blackwell, Phil Hey is one of the busiest drummers in town (he plays with everyone!) and teaches jazz drum at Macalester College. Vibist Dave Hagedorn “brings an integrated knowledge of complex harmony and rhythm that never fails to swing or to move anyone with ears” (Don Berryman, Jazz Police). Tom Lewis is another busy sideman throughout the Twin Cities, a “straight-ahead, hard bop, and bebop bassist and he swings like anything” (Don Berryman). He performs regularly with pianist Phil Aaron, who holds forth weekly at the Hotel Sofitel. Aaron draws inspiration from Bill Evans, Cedar Walton, Tommy Flanagan, and Keith Jarrett, and “can swing hard or wax romantic at the keyboard" (Minneapolis Star Tribune). And mark your calendar now—the Phil Hey Quartet will celebrate the release of their “Live at the AQ” recording on October 14-15!

September 21, Clay Moore Trio. The resume of guitar wizard Clay Moore would run several pages. From his native Texas to Florida to Pittsburgh to Scotland and finally to the Twin Cities, Moore has played with everyone and everywhere, including regular gigs with the Bobby Lyle Trio. He’s also a committed educator on the faculty of McNally Smith (MusicTech) in St. Paul and hosts the Jazz Studio here at the French Press every Wednesday night. Noted Jay Trachtenberg (Austin Chronicle), “Moore exhibits a round tone and buoyant, linear style that reflects major influences such as Wes Montgomery, Joe Pass, and Howard Roberts, while also incorporating more modern elements gleaned from John Scofield and his ilk.”

September 22, Dave Karr Quartet. Multi-instrumentalist Dave Karr and his quartet can warm up the coldest Minnesota night or help you chill out in the heat of summer. A native New Yorker, Karr has been a fixture on the Twin Cities jazz scene for nearly 50 years, and has appeared on multiple recordings with local artists, ranging from vocalists (Connie Evingson) to small ensembles(Pete Whitman’s Departure Point and X-Tet) to big bands (JazzMn Big Band). Dave blows a sweet horn and is always in the company of the best area musicians.

September 28, Dean Granros Trio. Guitarist Dean Granros “blends the vocabulary of bebop, acid rock, and delta blues into a delightful and potent cocktail that may leave you shaken or stirred” (Don Berryman, Jazz Police). Granros worked with the band Curlew beginning in the late 1970s; more recent credits include FKG with Scott Fultz and Dave King (of Bad Plus and Happy Apple fame) and Siamese Fighting Fish with King and all-star bassist Anthony Cox.

September 29, Departure Point (cover $6). One of the many projects of sax master Pete Whitman, this sextet is one of the premiere long-standing jazz ensembles of the Twin Cities. Composer/arranger/bandleader Whitman’s credits include performing with Randy Brecker, Jack McDuff, and the Woody Herman Orchestra, in addition to leading Departure Point, his X-Tet, and Quintet in the Twin Cities and working regularly with the Jazz MN Big Band. A graduate of jazz studies at North Texas State University, Whitman heads the Woodwind and Brass Department at St. Paul’s McNally Smith College of Music. The other members of Departure Point include a who’s who listing of Twin Cities’ musicians: Laura Caviani (piano); Gordy Johnson (bass); Phil Hey (drums); Dave Jensen (trumpet), and Jeff Rinear (trombone).

Looking Ahead

There’s a killer line-up set for October. Mark your calendars now for:

Eric Alexander, October 7-9 (monster tenor sax artist from New York!)

Phil Hey Quartet, October 14-15 (CD release party!)

Dave Graf, October 21-22 (CD release party!)

Anthony Cox, October 28-29 (rare local appearance as leader!)

The Artists Quarter is located in the lower level of the Hamm Building at 7^th Place and St. Peter Street, downtown St. Paul, 651-292-1359; www.mnjazz.com. Reservations recommended for Mose Allison. Every weekend, first set nonsmoking.

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