Adam Niewood

Weekends in July

Friday/Saturday, July 7-8, Adam Niewood Quintet (9 pm, $10). Praised by the likes of Dave Liebman and Phil Woods, NewYork tenor saxophonist Adam Niewood was a finalist in the 2002 World Saxophone Competition. The son of Chuck Mangione’s saxman Gerry Niewood and a graduate of the Berklee College of Music (with a Master’s Degree from the Manhattan School of Music), Adam has worked with Bill Charlap, Jim McNeely, Rufus Reid, and particularly studied with drummer Bill Goodwin. His 2004 release Introducing Adam Niewood (Native Language) includes originals and covers of the Beatles, Tyner, and Shorter. This weekend, Adam is recording live with old pal Adam Linz on bass, Greg Paulus on trumpet, Brian Nichols on piano, and JT Bates on drums. Wrote Mark Turner (All About Jazz), “Niewood has a distinctly powerful, supple and soulfully intelligent presence. One can draw comparisons with several jazz saxophonists, but Niewood never mimics or rehashes someone else's work. He clearly can hold his own with names like Tony Malaby, Chris Potter and other notable contemporaries.”

Dean Magraw © Howard A. Gitelson

Friday/Saturday, July 14-15, Dean Magraw (9 pm, $10). Dean Magraw has been wowing audiences for many years 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." Starting out on bugle, St. Paul native Magraw studied classical guitar at the University of Minnesota and Berklee College of Music in Boston. A long-time partner of mandolin virtuoso Peter Ostroushko, Magraw straddles jazz, folk and bluegrass. He has performed with and/or recorded with Ruth McKenzie, Claudia Schmidt and Greg Brown, among others; he has explored his Celtic heritage performing with Celtic accordionist John Williams. Magraw’s first solo recording, Broken Silence, won the NAIRD 1994 Best Acoustic Instrumental Album of the Year. Expect great tunes infused with Magraw’s impish humor.

Charmin Michelle © Andrea Canter

Friday/Saturday, July 21-22, Charmin Michelle (9 pm, $10). Born in Birmingham, vocalist Charmin Michelle moved to Minnesota as a young child. Although the Land of 10,000 Lakes has been home ever since, Michelle’s experiences have taken her around the world, from the funk Jesse Johnson Revue to entertaining U.S. troops abroad to touring European festivals and appearing regularly on Twin Cities’ stages. Locally she appears regularly at the Dakota, Rossi’s, French Press, and other venues, with her quartet and with Doug Hanining and the Twin Cities Seven; she also “moonlights” by fronting the jump band, the Senders. Noted Tom Surowicz in the Star Tribune, “She gently seduces the listener time after time, whether the fare is ageless blues, warm bossa, intimate love song, or upbeat novelty. She's a flower, a lovesome thing.” For the past five years, Michelle has teamed up with guitarist Joel Schapira to perform a diverse repertoire of standards, bossa novas, and modern swing, leading to their release last year of Pure Imagination (2005, Charmsongs). She also appears regularly with Doug Haining’s Twin Cities Seven as well as with her own quartet. This is a voice to soothe your soul.

Phil Aaron © Howard A. Gitelson

Weeknights

Mondays, Green (7 pm) and Open Poetry (9 pm). There five Mondays in July so fans of Green and Open Poetry Night get a bonus! The explosive post bop Green features Rob Dewey (piano), Paul Kammeyer (bass), Zack Lozier (trumpet), and Scotty Schultz (drums). Green has been the Monday night band at the AQ for the past three years. New addition Zack has focused on bringing traditional New Orleans jazz to the Midwest, and performs regularly with the Jack Brass Band. Following their sets, open mic poetry reading gets underway at 9 pm. No cover! First Mondays feature the monthly Poetry Slam—following an hour of Green, a special guest poet convenes the “slam” at 8 pm, $5 cover. This month’s Slam features the Minnesota Slam Team.

Tuesdays, B-3 Organ Night with the Tuesday Night Band (9 pm, $3). 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. Note the AQ is closed on Tuesday, July 4^th.

Wednesday, July 5, Chris Lomheim Trio (9 pm; $3). A popular 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).

Thursday, July 6, Dave Brittain Quartet (9 pm., $3).. Exciting young tenor sax man Dave Brattain has played with the Cedar Avenue Big Band, the Paul Renz Quintet, and the quintet, “Move.” A graduate of the University of Minnesota College of Biological Sciences, Brattain has toured with Troupe America's 1940's Radio Hour, performed with Ben Sidran, and has worked with many local musicians, including the JazzMn Big Band.

Wednesday, July 12, Dave Karr Quartet (9 pm, $3). Multi-instrumentalist Dave Karr and his quartet can help you chill out on a hot summer night with a cool breeze of boppin’ grooves. 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, Dave Graf’s septet) 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.

Thursday, July 13, Weird Joe Smith (9 pm, $3). "Smith is an adventurous and expressive saxophonist who has been playing numerous venues in the Twin Cities for many years" (Don Berryman, Jazz Police).

Wednesday, July 19, Jeff Greene & Human Motion (9 pm, $5). Chicago bassist Jeff Greene recently graduated from Indiana University where he picked up a lot of playtime around Bloomington. His hot sextet, Human Motion, released its debut CD in fall 2005.

Thursday, July 19, How Birds Work (9 pm, $3). How Birds Work is the collaboration of four well-known area musicians—guitarist Dean Granros, bassist Chris Bates, pianist Peter Schimke, and drummer Kenny Horst. 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). A member of the Motion Poets, Low Blow, and Framework, bassist Chris Bates has focused on composing (he was a 1999 McKnight Composer Fellow) as well as performing. 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, volcanic 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. And while you’re at the AQ, pick up the 2005 release from HBW!

Wednesday, July 26, Jim Marentic and the Coltrane Connection (9 pm, $6). Twin Citian Jim Marentic returned from New York last summer and he’s been busy ever since. 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. While still living in New York, he managed to spend some time working on George Avaloz’ 2004 recording, The Highest Mountain. Lately Jim has been fronting the Coltrane Connection Sextet, one of the bands featured at the recent Hot Summer Jazz Festival.

Thursday, July 27, X-Tet (9 pm, $6). The X-Tet is one of several projects led by veteran sax performer, composer, and arranger Pete Whitman. His credits include performing with Randy Brecker, Jack McDuff, and the Woody Herman Orchestra, in addition to leading 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. The 10-piece X-Tet is a virtual Who’s Who in local jazz, with Whitman, Dave Karr, and Dave Milne (reeds), Kelly Rossum and Dave Jensen (trumpets), Jeff Rinear (trombone), Dave Hagedorn (vibes), Gordy Johnson (bass), Phil Hey (drums), and Laura Caviani (piano).

Coming Soon!

Mark your calendars now:

• August 9-10, Bob Rockwell

• August 11-12, Ben Sidran

• August 18-19, Irv Williams Birthday Weekend (87!)

• September 1-3, Happy Apple

The Artists Quarter is located at 7^th Place and St. Peter St. in downtown St. Paul. For more information, see www.artistsquarter.com.

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