Jazz Police - Saxophone Madness: Dave Karr and Brian Grivna Meet Connie Evingson at the Dakota, August 28th

Three wonders of the Twin Cities music scene gather for their own “jazz convention” when Dave Karr, Brian Grivna and Connie Evingson meet at the Dakota on August 28th. It will be bipartisan, swinging, and pure magic.

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). Most often heard on tenor, flute, and clarinet, Karr also breaks out the baritone for his Gerry Mulligan tribute band, Mulligan Stew. Dave is a recent recipient of a McKnight Grant.

Brian Grivna

Brian Grivna hit the stage as a Young Artist clarinet soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra when he was just 12. By age 15 was subbing on sax for his teacher in area dance bands. Earning a degree in English literature from Dartmouth, his music career took off after graduation, with work in jazz, commercial, and theater music before joining the Buddy Rich band in 1971. After two years, he became a staff woodwind performer for the Guthrie Theatre, leaving after ten years to freelance and teach. He toured Japan and Europe with Minnesota Orchestra under Eiji Oue and Osmo Vänskä; and the West Coast with Bobby McFerrin and the SPCO. Brian continues to work with the SPCO, Minnesota Orchestra, Children’s Theater Company and touring show pit orchestras (clarinet and sax), teaches at the University of Minnesota and in his home studio, brings his own quartet to such venues as the Dakota and Artists Quarter.

Connie Evingson©Andrea Canter

A native of Hibbing in northern Minnesota’s Iron Range, Connie Evingson did a brief stint with the Minnesota Vocal Jazz Ensemble before joining the popular vocal quartet, Moore By Four, in 1986. As a solo artist, Connie has appeared on concert and club stages around the world, has been a guest soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony, sang with the Vocalessence Music Series with Bobby McFerrin, and recently has performed at Seattle’s Jazz Alley and Washington, DC’s Blues Alley. Often heard on radio and television commercials, Connie and Arne Fogel hosted the weekly Singers and Standards on KBEM radio. In 1998, she was chosen by Jazziz magazine as "one of the top unsigned vocal talents in the country,” was among the top 15 contestants in the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, and received McKnight Artist Fellowship Awards in 2000 and 2005. Connie has released eight solo recordings highlighting her diverse talents, from salutes to Broadway, the Beatles, Peggy Lee, Django Reinhardt and, most recently, Dave Frishberg on Little Did I Dream, with Dave himself on piano.

Between Dave and Brian, there’s at least 80 years of great sax, jazz and more. Add the vocal talents of Connie Evingson and a great rhythm section, and you have six reasons to come down to the Dakota on August 28th!

The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis; visit www.dakotacooks.com or call 612-332-1010.