Jim Marentic, Photo by Andrea Canter

October Weekends and Special Gigs (Sets Begin at 9 pm)

September 30-October 1, Seven Steps to Havana ($10). Local saxophonist/educator Doug Little may be best known for his work with his quartet, but his new Cuban-influenced septet had an exciting debut at the Dakota last fall, and headlined the music on Peavey Plaza during the recent Hot Summer Jazz Festival. Combining Cuban rhythms with modern jazz, Little’s ensemble covers three continents and four languages, including Manhattan School of Music student (and St. Paul native) Greg Paulus on trumpet, Jeff Rinear on Trombone, Cuban pianist/vocalist Viviana Pintado, young bassist Yohannes Tona, Little’s long-time drummer Kevin Washington, conguero Eliezer Frites, and Little on alto sax and other percussion. Little’s quartet recently headlined a weekend at the AQ, and the sizzling textures of his post bop grooves now meld with the flavors and rhythms of the islands for some sonic scenarios of global proportions.

October 7-8, Alicia Wiley Quartet ($10). A relative newcomer, MusicTech grad Alicia Wiley has been dazzling audiences with her piano, vocals, and songwriting chops. With a background in classical and jazz piano, and exhibiting a strong pop influence in her compositions, this young (22!) Minnesota Music Award winning artist is sometimes compared to Fiona Apple and Diana Krall. Last year, Wiley released her first full-length recording, Alicia, with guitarist John Herchert, bassist Jeff Bailey, and drummer Kevin Washington, earning her the Minnesota Music Academy’s Best Self Released Recording Award for 2004. For her AQ weekend gig, she’ll be joined by the same rhythm section, with Yohannes Tona taking over bass duties.

Photo by Andrea Canter

October 14-15, Phil Hey Quartet CD Release Party ($10). At long last, drummer extraordinaire Phil Hey is releasing a recording as leader. Hey’s Subduction: Live at the Artists Quarter follows over 60 recordings as sideman. Joining Hey on the recording and live at the AQ celebration 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). Mpls/St. Paul magazine describes the new release as “an engaging musical conversation among wily conspirators.” Join the conversation at the AQ this weekend!

October 16, Celebrating the Life of Mike Elliott/Benefit (3 pm, suggested donation $10). When Twin Cities’ guitarist/songwriter/producer Mike Elliott passed away on September 14, the area lost a stellar talent. Elliott first made the Twin Cities home in 1966 where his projects included the group Natural Life. A fifteen-year stint in Nashville included performing with Johnny Cash, producing, engineering and writing projects. “Retiring” to the Twin Cities in 1998, Elliott continued to work as an educator, guitarist and recording engineer. A giant in many

Adam Linz, Photo by Andrea Canter

October 20, Tony Hymas Quartet (Minnesota Sur Seine Festival, 8 pm, $10). The Minnesota Sur Seine Festival is the second annual collaboration among area and European cutting-edge musicians, held throughout the Twin Cities at various venues in mid to late October (see www.surseine.com). The Tony Hymas Quartet is featured at the AQ as part of the festival, bringing to St. Paul one of the true stars of modern European music, British keyboard monster Tony Hymas. Pianist for Cleo Laine and John Dankworth in the 70s, Hymas’ career spans jazz, classical and rock. He may be best known for his Grammy-winning work with Jeff Beck and his recent work with the ensemble Ursus Minor. His recording with Billy Peterson and Eric Kamau Gravatt (Hope Street Minnesota) was lauded as a landmark effort in trio music. Tonight, hear Hymas with local wizards George Cartright on sax, Adam Linz on bass, and JT Bates on drums.

Photo by Warren Sampson

October 21-22, Dave Graf CD Release Party ($10). Another local talent deserving wider recognition, trombone king Dave Graf has worked in Dixieland, straight ahead jazz, salsa, big bands, and pit orchestras, and has backed legends such as Natalie Cole, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis, Jr., Harry Connick, Julie Andrews, and Rosemary Clooney. He regularly performs with Mulligan Stew, Percy Hughes’ Ellington Echoes, and the JazzMN Big Band. Covering original tunes as well as classics from Monk, Shorter, Wonder and Kern, his new recording, Just Like That, is a large ensemble of local heroes, including Chris Lomheim and Adi Yeshaya (piano and keyboards), Dave Karr and Kathy Jensen (saxes), Dave Jensen (trumpet), Dave Hagedorn (vibes), Dean Magraw (guitar), Gordy Johnson (bass), and Phil Hey and Gordy Knudtson (drums)—many of whom will be on hand to help Graf celebrate the new CD.

October 28-29, John Pemberton Quintet, Tribute to Lee Morgan ($10). Trumpeter Jon Pemberton has enjoyed an eclectic career, including performing with Skatet, a 7-piece traditional ska band with heavy heavy jazz influences, and playing trumpet for the Paul Renz Quintet, Shangoya, and George Avaloz. Pemberton is also dedicated to private teaching (tuba!) through the Hopkins School District; and leads his own band, the Pembertones, in addition to his quintet. The JPQ includes some of the finest jazz musicians around town—veteran saxman Gary Berg, AQ owner/drummer Kenny Horst, first-call bassist Tom Lewis, and the sublime pianist, Chris Lomheim. This weekend gig is a tribute to the great hard bop trumpter Lee Morgan, a Coltrane alum best known for his 1963 recording, The Sidewinder. If you missed this show in February, better not make the same mistake twice!

The Weekday Line-Up (9 pm 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 Don Berryman

Tuesdays, 9 pm, B-3 Organ Night with the Tuesday Night Band ($2). 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. With Gary Berg on saxes and Kenny Horst on drums, you never know who else will drop in and join the party.

Photo by Andrea Canter

October 6, Brian Grivna Quartet ($3). A former Young Artist clarinet soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra, Brian Grivna joined the Buddy Rich band as the lead alto sax player in 1971. Back in the Twin Cities, he did a ten-year stint in the woodwind chair for the Guthrie Theater and now performs at jazz clubs and with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Children's Theater Company, and touring orchestras for musicals such as The Lion King. Grivna also is a member of the jazz faculties of Macalester College in St. Paul and the University of Minnesota.

Photo by Andrea Canter

October 12, Tanner Taylor Trio ($3). It was just a couple years ago that a young piano whiz from Iowa settled in the Twin Cities, and he has been burning up keyboards ever since. Tanner Taylor seems to be on stage with every vocalist in town, including stints as one of the “house pianists” when there is a performance by the Twin Cities Vocal Showcase. But his talents as a sympathetic accompanist may obscure the fact that Taylor is a monster soloist, be it as leader of his own trio or in the company of Dave Karr’s Gerry Mulligan tribute band, Mulligan Stew. And notes Pat Courtemanche, “When you consider that Gerry Mulligan didn’t use piano in his classic quartets, now that speaks volumes.” Taylor’s September weekend gig at the AQ was proof that this is not just hype.

October 13, How Birds Work ($3). 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.

Photo by Andrea Canter

October 19, Dave Karr Quartet ($3). Multi-instrumentalist Dave Karr and his quartet can take that late October chill out of the air and envelope you in a toasty glow. 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 (as well as flute and clarinet) and is always in the company of the best area musicians.

October 26, Jim Marentic’s “Coltrane Connection” ($3). Former Twin Citian Jim Marentic returned from New York in July, and the AQ threw a big “welcome home” party. Sax man/composer/arranger Marentic cut his teeth back in the 50s in the house band at the South of the Border Key Club in Minneapolis, and despite his infrequent returns, managed to spend some time working on George Avaloz’ 2004 recording, The Highest Mountain. We’re pleased Jim has decided to relocate to the Twin Cities. Come and hear his Coltrane Connection!

October 27, Departure Point ($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

More great jazz is in store at the AQ:

• Anthony Cox and Shovel (November 4-5)—the Twin Cities’ internationally acclaimed bassist brings a new project to the AQ

• Rich Germanson (November 11-12)—always popular, this New York pianist helped the AQ usher in the New Year for 2005 and recorded a soon-to-be-released CD with Carole Martin

• Pat Mallinger (November 25-26)—One of the headliners of the 2004 Hot Summer Jazz Festival, the sax giant returns to the AQ for an overdue reprise

• Eric Alexander—to be rescheduled from original October date, the tenor titan will return to the AQ this winter; stay tuned!

The Artists Quarter is located at 7^th Place and St. Peter Street, lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul; visit www.mnjazz.com On weekends, first sets are nonsmoking.

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