First organized in 2003 to recreate the sound of the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, Dave Karr’s Mulligan Stew has been an infrequent but popular ensemble on Twin Cities stages. In a somewhat abbreviated format—more akin to Mulligan’s original, Stew comes to the Artists Quarter September 19-20. Joining Karr on bari sax will be usual cohorts Dave Graff on trombone and Phil Hey on drums, with Gary Raynor handling bass duties. For this weekend, there’s no piano, as was true for Mulligan’s famed quartet of the 1960s.

A native New Yorker, Dave Karrgot 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 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. Bassist Gary Raynor sits in for Gordy Johnson this weekend, but he’s no second fiddle! A regular on Prairie Home Companion and instructor at McNally Smith College, Gary toured with Sammy Davis, Jr., played with the Count Basie Orchestra, and has recorded with Debbie Duncan, Pat Donahue, Prudence Johnson, Klezmarica and more. 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 AQ weekend gig a truly special event. Don’t miss it.