Jazz Police - Fall Gigs After Hours at the Dakota

The Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis might be know for its fine dining, mainstream jazz, blues and beyond, and its towny clientele. But that’s the Dakota in prime time. Initiated nearly two years ago as a bold experiment for downtown’s musical hub of mainstream elegance, the Dakota’s Late Night series features sets of new and cutting edge jazz every weekend. Modeled to a degree after the late sets that permeate the club scene in Manhattan, and rooted in the all-night jam sessions of 52^nd Street during the golden age of bop, this serieshas proven to be a popular alternative to—or extension of—the more conservative weekend bookings that tend to draw audiences moderately drawn to the music and enthusiastically interested in the bar, the menu, and the ambience. And it is proving to be a haven for creative jazz musicians as well as for the serious listeners who fill the club from 11:30 pm – 1:30 am every Friday and Saturday night.

The format of the Late Night series is simple—at 11:30 on Friday and Saturday nights, the cover drops to $5 (from the usual $10-$15 cover for local bands on weekends). There are happy hour-like specials on food and beverages. And on stage, adventurous, new music and often new talent is featured for 2-3 sets that run til 1:30 am. While there are many venues in the Twin Cities that present jazz at least a few nights per week, the Late series is unique. Trumpeter Kelly Rossum, who has appeared with his quartet and other ensembles, notes that “the late night series at the Dakota is our own New York City. It allows musicians to present their true vision without the threat/need to compromise or water-down their art for commercial gains.”

Counterclockwise

The series has undergone some changes in the past year (Jeremy Walker was the original curator of the series) but the nature of the music has remained unchanged—new music, new bands, experiments among veterans and new talents… and the list for fall is as exciting as ever. Some highlights in the upcoming month:

September 28, Counterclockwise. Three acclaimed local talents in a new collaboration mixing original works and classic jazz in the hard driving format of the organ trio. Tanner Taylor on B3, Jay Epstein on drums, and Zacc Harris on guitar. (Zacc returns on October 12^th with another organ trio!)

September 29, John Raymond Project. Now a senior at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, trumpeter John Raymond is already a veteran of the Twin Cities jazz scene, with previous gigs here on the late night stage featuring his heady compositions and equally talented young cohorts.

October 5, Chris Thomson’s Bells and Whistles. Led by one of the true innovators on the local scene, Bells and Whistles features saxman Thomson’s quartet romping through overlooked classics and original fare.

Chris Thomson Sur Seine©Andrea Canter

October 6, Jelloslave. Two cellos and percussion? Hear Jacqueline Ferreir-Ultan and Michelle Kinney sing, squawk, scream, growl and purr with drummer Greg Schutte as they tear tackle everything from Bach to Led Zeppelin to original works.

October 13, Michael O’Brien Presents. Ever since he moved to New York, bassist Michael O’Brien has maintained his Minnesota connection with these late night visits. Always full of surprises.

October 20, Tanner Taylor/Graydon Peterson/Jay Epstein. One of the most sublime piano trios around. But this is after hours and the gloves come off!

October 26, Snowblind. There’s no keyboard in this brass quintet but you won’t miss it. Inventive arrangements of classic works and sophisticated original compositions from a group of young virtuosos.

“A typical Late Night crowd is composed of true jazz enthusiasts. A casual jazz listener might stop by the Dakota during Happy Hour or possibly even during dinnertime, but an 11:30 PM downbeat will likely occur after most of the early crowd has since gone home. The result is an attentive and supportive audience that is also able to enjoy attractive beverage and appetizer specials. This is an added incentive to the music and candlelit ambience of a late night at the Dakota.” –Reid Kennedy, Snowblind

The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis. Full line-up, for prime time or the Late Night weekend series, is available at www.dakotacooks.com