Irv Williams © Andrea Canter

There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there is plenty of free and inexpensive jazz in the Twin Cities, and the opportunities in March are staggering. Don’t miss the first of a series of mostly free events sponsored by the MacPhail Center for Music and Minneapolis Central Library on the history and styles of jazz!

Aster Café (125 SE Main St, Minneapolis)

Small café along Old Main Street features jazz standards from the Django songbook. No cover.

• Fridays, Honeysuckle Rose, 6-9:30 pm.

Artists Quarter (408 St. Peter Street, St. Paul; www.artistsquarter.com)

The only free night is usually Monday, but weeknight music is usually $4, and even the hot weekends are typically a reasonable $10. Park for $3 any night in the Macy’s Ramp a half block away on Wabasha and 7^th Place! (Or find a free space on the street.) All shows at 9 pm.

• Mondays, Green (trio) at 7 pm followed by Open Poetry; no cover. First Monday, Poetry Slam at 8 pm, $5
  

  Dean Granros © Don Berryman
• Tuesdays, B-3 Organ Night with the Tuesday Night Band ($4)
• March 1, Brian Grivna Quartet ($4)
• March 4, Davis Wilson’s “Lord Buckley and Other Rants” ($5)
• March 7, Tanner Taylor Trio ($4)
• March 8, John Penny and Equatis ($4)
• March 14, Twin Cities Hot Club ($4)
• March 15, Lucia Newell Quartet ($4)
• March 21, Dean Granros Trio ($4)
• March 22, Phil Hey Quartet ($4)
• March 28, FKG (Scott Fultz, Dave King, Dean Granros, Adam Linz) ($4)
• March 29, Pete Whitman’s X-Tet ($6)

Central Park Ampitheater (8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury)

A free big-band opportunity in the east metro!

• March 4, Jazz on the Prairie Big Band, 2 pm
• March 11, Century College Jazz Ensemble, 2 pm

Clown Lounge at the Turf Club (1601 University, St Paul)

A club featuring a wide range of contemporary music, the Turf features “Jazz Implosion” every Monday night with the edgy improvisory ensemble, Fat Kid Wednesdays, 9:30 pm for a $5 cover.

• March 5, Ben Allison Trio from New York with join FKW for a really steamy night!

Dakota County Music Café (Nicollet Av and County Rd 42, Holiday Inn, Burnsville; http://www.hiburnsville.com/dakota_county_steakhouse)

The new venue drawing from the south metro and beyond, this is a steakhouse with a cozy bar and stage that has been booking the best in the area for Thursday-Saturday nights, no cover. All shows 7-11 pm.

• Thursdays, Chris Lomheim’s Jazz Jam
• March 2, Christine Rosholt
• March 16, Phil Hey Quartet
• March 17, Paula Lammers & Reeves Cary
• March 31, Vicky Mountain

Dakota Jazz Club (1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; www.dakotacooks.com)

Dave Karr © Andrea Canter

The Dakota is regarded as the upscale venue for jazz and beyond, but that doesn’t mean expensive. Park in the Target Ramp at 10^th and LaSalle for $4 after 4 pm; enjoy Happy Hour bargains, and hang around for the 7 pm sets on weeknights featuring local artists.

• March 1, Tanner Taylor Trio ($5)
• March 6, Christine Rosholt, Tribute to Harold Arlen ($5)
• March 7, Dave Karr & Brian Grivna ($5)
• March 8, Bruce Henry ($5)
• March 11, Connie Evingson and Hot Club Sunday ($7)
• March 12, Joanie Knutson with the Phil Aaron Trio ($5)
• March 13, Irv Williams ($5)
• March 14, Katie Gearty ($5)
• March 15, Don Stille with Debbie Duncan, Gary Raynor & Phil Hey ($7)
• March 18, Tom Hunter ($5)
• March 28, Signe Hensel ($5)
• March 29, Scottie Miller Band ($5)
• Happy Hour Thursdays (4:30) with Travis Anderson; and Fridays with Jazz by Fosse with Irv Williams, no cover.
• Late at the Dakota Series, Friday-Saturday nights at 11:30 for $3, featuring new and experimental artists. Schedule on the Dakota website.

Downtowner Woodfire Grill (253 W. 7^th Street, St Paul; www.downtownerwoodfire.com)

Great dining options with a Middle East flair and a tiny stage with great jazz on Friday and Saturday nights, no cover. Music 8:30-11 pm.

• Fridays, Ticket to Brasil
• March 17 & 24, Larry McDonough

Fireside Pizza (67^th and Penn Av South, Richfield)

Charmin Michelle © Andrea Canter

One of the south side’s best pizzas plus jazz standards, no extra charge! Music 6:30-8:30 pm, Mondays and Wednesdays

• Mondays and Wednesdays, usually Charmin Michelle and Denny Malmberg
• March 19 & 21, Dorothy Doring

Il Vesco Vino (579 Selby, St. Paul)

The new Italian spot in the old Vintage mansion hosts Mr. Smooth, Irv Williams, every Thursday (7-10 pm) and Saturday (8-11 pm) evenings, with either Tommy O’Donnell or Peter Schimke on keys. No cover.

Matty B’s (354 Wabasha Street, St. Paul; 651-291-0404; www.mattybs.com)

Supper club menu and a dance floor—perfect date venue! Usually no cover. Music 8 pm-Midnight

• March 9, Arne Fogel with the Phil Aaron Trio
• March 13, Katie Gearty with Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs
• March 17, Debbie Duncan
• March 24, Pizzazz Jazz with Connie Dusseau
• March 30-31, Katie Gearty with Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs

Nomad World Pub (501 Cedar S., Minneapolis; www.nomadpub.com)

Live jazz every Wednesday night. Low covers or free.

Palm Court Music Lounge (2424 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis; www.palmctmpls.com)

A new venue brings jazz, pop and more to Nord’east!

• March 10 & 17, Nancy Bierma Trio with Thomas Bruce
• March 30-31, Chamin Michelle with the NuJazz Band

Rossi’s Blue Star (80 S. 9^th Street, Minneapolis; www.bluestarjazz.com)

Sophia Shorai

• A popular if often noisy bar and steakhouse with great music, low covers ($3), and Happy Hour specials. New starting times early in the week—5:30 for the after work crowd. Music every night.
• March 1, Sophia Shorai, 5:30 pm
• March 2, Dallas Johnson, 9 pm
• March 3, Alicia Wiley, 9 pm
• March 4, Katie Gearty, 5:30 pm
• March 8, Charmin Michelle, 5:30 pm
• March 11, Alicia Wiley, 7:30 pm
• March 12, Black Ice, 5:30 pm
• March 13, Connie Olson. 5:30 pm
• March 14, Clearwater Hot Club, 5:30 pm
• March 18, Sophia Shorai, 7:30 pm
• March 19, Lee Engele, 5:30 pm
• March 24, Alicia Wiley, 9 pm
• March 25, Rhonda Laurie, 5:30 pm
• March 27, Connie Olson. 5:30 pm
• March 28, Katie Gearty, 5:30 pm
• March 29, Sophia Shorai, 5:30 pm

St Paul Conservatory of Music (29 E. Exchange St., St Paul)

• March 7, Noon. Lucia Newell, Pete Whitman and Laura Caviani (no charge)

Times Bar and Café (201 E. Hennepin, Minneapolis; www.timesbarandcafe.com)

Cafe Accordian © Andrea Cantrer

Never a cover at one of the more hip joints for jazz in the Twin Cities. Full menu in the bar or dining room, and reservations are recommended on weekends.

• Sunday Brunch, 10 am – 2 pm: Wolverines Trio with Kim Cameron
• Sunday Nights with the Twin Cities Hot Club, 8:30 pm
• Tuesday Nights, Showcase with Lori Dokken, 7 pm
• Wednesday Nights, Wolverines Trio with Debbie Duncan, 8 pm
• Thursday Nights with Salsa Del Soul
• March 10, Charmin Michelle with the Tanner Taylor Trio, 9:30 pm
• March 17, Café Accordion Orchestra, 9:30 pm
• March 23, Twin Cities Hot Club, 9:30 pm
• March 31, Maud Hixson with the Wolverines Trio, 9:30 pm

University of Minnesota (Minneapolis; Ted Mann Auditorium, 2128 4^th Street)

Bill Carrothers © Andrea Canter

The U of M annual jazz festival brings high school bands from across the state to a Saturday of clinics and performances, topped by a free public concert in the evening featuring a guest artist.

• March 3, U of M Jazz Ensemble I with guest Bill Carrothers (piano), 7:30 pm.

Best Bets, $10

For less than the price of a movie and small popcorn, you can hear some of the best music anywhere, anytime. Best bets this month:

• March 2-3, Ginger and Bobby Commodore, CD Release Party at the Dakota (8 pm, $10)
• March 9-10, Laura Caviani Trio at the Artists Quarter (9 pm, $10)
• March 9, Bruce Henry at the Dakota (8 pm, $10)
• March 10, Connie Evingson at the Dakota (8 pm, $10)
• March 16-17, How Birds Work at the Artists Quarter (9 pm, $10)
• March 23-24, Rick Carlson Quartet at the Artists Quarter (9 pm, $10)
• March 30-31, Debbie Duncan and Carole Martin at the Artists Quarter (9 pm, $10)

Best Bets, Any Price

Jean-Michel Pilc, photo by Jimmy Katz

With all the free jazz this month, you should put away enough to cover one of these!

• March 2-3, Ari Hoenig/Jean Michel Pilc/Anthony Cox at the Artists Quarter (9 pm, $20)
• March 10, World Saxophone Quartet, Walker Art Center McGuire Theater (7 & 9:30 pm/$28)
• March 19-20, Kurt Elling at the Dakota Jazz Club (7 & 9 pm, $30/$20)
• March 25, SF Jazz Collective at the Dakota Jazz Club (7 & 9:30 pm, $60/$45)

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