Photo by Andrea Canter

Thursday Nights, Open Mic (8 pm, no cover). Open to all musicians and diverse styles-- jazz, funk, soul, r&b, blues, reggae, and rock. There are specials on food, beer, and wine. Show up early to get on the list to participate, or just come and listen. For information, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

November 4, Christine Rosholt (9 pm, $5). A relative newcomer to the Twin Cities jazz scene, Christine Rosholt graduated from the Minneapolis Children’s Theater Company & School and earned at BFA at the Art Institute of Chicago where she majored in performance art and photography. Her career in theater has included original performance art pieces and traditional theater as well as vocal performance. As a jazz vocalist, she has performed recently at many local venues, including regular gigs at Café Havana and Nochee, and has been a featured vocalist with Beasley’s Big Band. Citing influences ranging from Anita O’Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Blossom Dearie, and Frank Sinatra to Connie Evingson, Diana Krall, Jane Monheit, John Pizzarelli, Joni Mitchell, and Karrin Allyson, Christine says: "I especially like the Jazz standards from the 1930s and 40s because they’re timeless, they swing, and they’re sentimental without being syrupy." Watch for the release of Rosholt’s CD later this year. Tonight Christine will be joined by the master of lyrical piano, Chris Lomheim, and young swinging bassist Graydon Peterson.

Photo by Andrea Canter

November 5, Stick Up! (Doug Little Trio) (9 pm, $5). One of the Twin Cities’ most accomplished musicians, composer/educator/saxman Doug Little brings a new project to the French Press. His trio “Stick Up” includes Haralds Bondaris (drums) and Japhlet Attais (chapman stick—a ten-string instrument that sounds like bass and guitar combined!). Doug Little recently released his second recording, The Phoenix, featuring his quartet. He has also been busy with his Cuban-spiced septet, Seven Steps to Havana. An avid educator, Doug heads the Twin Cities Jazz Workshop. After this gig, Little takes off for a three-week tour of Italy with recording partner, pianist Giacomo Aula. With a repertoire of Eddie Harris, Herbie Hancock, Big John Patton, and a good sampling of Cuban melodies and rhythms, Stick Up promises fun and funky grooves.

November 8 &15, Down and Dirty Blues Band (8 pm, no cover). One of the emerging blues bands of the Twin Cities, the Down & Dirty Blues Band includes four exemplary musicians from nearby McNally Smith College of Music. Their individual resumes include playing with nationally known bands and performing overseas. With a repertoire ranging from old Junior Wells and Elmore James tunes to Stevie Ray Vaughan to classic rock covers, the Down & Dirty Blues Band makes (most) Tuesdays “Blues Night” at The French Press.

November 9, French Ballroom Dance Night with the Daddy Squeeze Trio (8 pm, $5). French ballroom dance night. Join us for Swing, Waltz, Latin & Tango with Dan Newton and the Daddy Squeeze Trio. Dust off your dancing shoes and come ready to turn the café into one big dance floor.

November 11, Future Antiques (9 pm, $5). Sharing in the spirit of making danceable yet artistic music, Future Antiques encompasses electronic, jazz, soul, drum and bass, and world music. With sultry vocals over electronic grooves, Future Antiques shimmers with the lush tones of sax, guitar, bass, and keyboards.

Bruce (Pooch) Heine

November 12, Triplicate (9 pm, $5). Triplicate has been performing improvisational jazz around the Twin Cities since 1996, blending eclectic musical influences yield their distinctive, collective group sound. This trio includes Joel Shapira on electric guitar, Bruce "Pooch" Heine on acoustic and electric bass, and David Stanoch on percussion. Earlier this year, Triplicate celebrated the release of their new recording, Day and Age.

November 18, Larry Reeves & Starting Point (9 pm, $5). Founded by bassist Larry Reeves in 2003, Starting Point is a high-energy jazz fusion project that truly defies classification. Their repertoire is as diverse as rearrangements of classic bebop and hard-bop standards or the modern sounds of Weather Report and the Yellowjackets, and as mainstream as Steely Dan. Adding to the diversity and fun are a number of original compositions.

Erin Schwab

November 19, Cabaret with Erin Schwab and Friends (9 pm, $5). A member of the popular quartet, The Girls, Erin Schwab has kept busy with performances at the Dakota and Times, as well as collaborating on the recording Requests. A musical theatre performer, Erin portrayed Tina in Hey City Theater's long-running production of "Tony’ ‘n Tina's Wedding." She also performs with The Bellcats, the Wolverines and Metro Jam, and teaches at McNally Smith College. Erin knows how to have a good time on stage, and this Cabaret will be a special evening.

November 23, Chris Graham and Chris Lomheim (8 pm, no cover). A real treat for the start of the holiday season, this may be the best free entertainment of the month, here or anywhere. Home for the holidays from his first year at the New School in New York City, young guitar whiz Chris Graham “possesses musical maturity far beyond his years. He is the real deal,” according to his teacher Clay Moore. He’s already been leading his own groups professionally for several years. While attending Central High in St. Paul, Chris met pianist Chris Lomheim, and the two have played and recorded together ever since. Lomheim is well known to Twin Cities’ audiences for his lyrical virtuosity, whether leading his own trio or comping behind a vocalist. Put these two together and you have the best of jazz duos. And this is Graham’s only gig on school break!

November 25, Park Evans Quartet (9 pm, $5). Integrating Latin, West African, funk, and reggae into their original compositions, the Park Evans Quartet plays ambient, eclectic jazz featuring Peter Vircks on the saxophone, Cody McKinney on bass, Greg Schutte on drums, and Park Evans on guitar.

Zizix

November 26, Zizix (9 pm, $5). Another stellar trio, Zizix might sound like snoring but these musicians will keep you wide awake with their inventive grooves. Catch the edgy collaboration among one of the area’s most eclectic and talented pianists, Peter Schimke; internationally renowned bassist Anthony Cox, and the ever-elegant and creative Jay Epstein on drums.

November 30, Mark Stillman and Fracince Roché (8 pm, no cover). End the month with the international sounds of Stillman and Roché!

For the full schedule and updates, visit www.fpjazz.com. The French Press Jazz Café is located at 213 E. 4^th Street, across the street from Union Depot, in St. Paul’s Lowertown.