Jazz Police - Dave Karr and Mulligan Stew at MacPhail, April 10th

First organized in 2003 to recreate the sound of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Dave Karr’s Mulligan Stew returns to the stage as part of the MacPhail Center for Music’s Jazz Thursdays series on April 10th. The gorgeous sound and setting of Antonello Hall at the new MacPhail complex down the street from the Guthrie provides a perfect setting for music that is rich in sonic pleasures and features the best of local talent—Karr on bari sax, young Tanner Taylor on piano, Dave Graff on trombone, Gordy Johnson on bass, and Phil Hey on drums.

A native New Yorker, Dave Karr got hooked on jazz by listening to some of the great jazz legends, including Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Moving to the Twin Cities in his twenties, Karr has been a fixture on the Twin Cities jazz scene for 50 years, composing and producing music for radio and TV since 1970. With Mark Henderson, he formed Mark & Dave Music and Sound Design in 1996. Karr has performed with numerous bands, symphony orchestras, Broadway shows, and recording sessions. Around town Dave performs frequently with his own quartet and backing other musicians at the Dakota, Artists Quarter and other venues, ranging from vocalists (Connie Evingson, Christine Rosholt, Lucia Newell) to small bands (Pete Whitman’s X-Tet) to big bands (Jazz Mn Big Band). Dave is a recent recipient of a McKnight Grant.

Most often heard locally on tenor, flute, and clarinet, Dave also breaks out the baritone for Mulligan Stew. Their first performance was part of a Twin Cities Jazz From J to Z concert at the Artists Quarter, followed by an encore performance at the 2004 Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival, where the group’s debut CD was recorded, featuring such Mulligan standards as “Line for Lyons” and “Walking Shoes.” Thanks to the generosity of Friends of the Twin Cities Jazz Society, Mulligan Stew: Cookin’ at the Hot Summer Jazz Festival was released in spring 2005.

Dave Karr’s cohorts on the recording and on the MacPhail bandstand are all highly sought-after performers. Sharing horn duties, trombone master Dave Graf seems to be everywhere, be it Latin with Salsa del Soul, big band with JazzMN, or ensemble magic with Pete Whitman’s X-Tet. With valve man Brian Bellows, Dave co-leads the “Valve Meets Slide” Quintet. Iowa transplant Tanner Taylor is still in his 20s but his monstrous technique and versatility have made him one of the area’s busiest pianists. Drawing inspiration from Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Benny Green, and the Count Basie Orchestra, Tanner leads his own trio, backs many area vocalists including Christine Rosholt, Nicola Miller and Nancy Harms, and swings with many of the national touring artists on local stages. Bassist Gordy Johnson toured with Maynard Ferguson and has initiated a series of acclaimed trio recordings with local and visiting combinations of pianists and drummers. Currently he has a Monday night gig with Tommy O’Donnell at Maggione’s and keeps the pulse for Laura Caviani, Chris Lomheim and many local and visiting artists. And he is one of the area’s busiest piano tuners! Drummer Phil Hey, a former student of Ed Blackwell, is on the jazz faculty of the University of Minnesota and on the bandstand of nearly everyone in town. He toured extensively with the late Dewey Redman, holds forth monthly at the Artists Quarter with his acclaimed quartet, keeps time for the Out to Lunch Quintet, Pete Whitman X-tet, and too many others to count.

Mulligan Stew performs too infrequently, making their April 10th gig a truly special event. Don’t miss it.

The MacPhail Center for Music is located at 501 Second Avenue South in the “mill district” on the north end of downtown Minneapolis. Mulligan Stew’s performance begins at 8 pm; (612) 331-0100. Tickets $5/$10.