 Rick Germanson©Andrea Canter November might bring our first snow, hard frost, and shorter days, but that just means longer nights for hot jazz! Starting the month with a second night of adopted native son Rick Germanson, November also will bring a brief return of former resident Clay Moore, Patty Peterson’s annual birthday party, a new organ trio from Dean Magraw, a reprise tribute to the late great Dewey Redman, the always entertaining Debbie Duncan, a CD release from the Clearwater Hot Club, and more. Weekends (9 pm, $10 cover unless otherwise noted) November 1, Rick Germanson ($15). Rick comes so often that we think of him as one of our local artists. But Pat Martino and Louis Hayes, among others, know otherwise and lay claim to the pianist’s time on a regular basis. With a unique sense of harmony, movement, and drama, Rick’s multi-layered improvisations and shifting rhythms blend the strong two-handed attack of Tatum, Peterson, and Tyner with the lyricism of Evans, along with a complex, dense approach to improvisation that is all his own. Rick’s arrangements of standards and original compositions provide enough melody to follow the line but sufficient abstraction to constantly provoke his fellow musicians to add new layers of harmony and rhythm. Lucky for us, Rick looks forward to his annual AQ gigs almost as much as we do! Tonight he’s joined by Jay Young and Kenny Horst.
November 7, Media Addicts and Sol Spectre. Two bands that came together through nearby McNally Smith College provide modern grooves that have evolved from iconic influences such as Miles Davis and the Mahavishnu Orchestra.  Dean Magraw©Andrea Canter
November 14-15, Dean Magraw’s Organ Trio. Put one of the most innovative and consistently breathtaking guitarists at the helm, add in veteran virtuosos on B-3 and drums, and you have one heckuva band. Usually seen here with one of his guitar/bass/drum trios, this weekend guitar wizard Dean Magraw joins forces with Mikkel Romstad on Hammond B-3 and AQ owner/drummer Kenny Horst for some magnificent mayhem. Expect layer upon layer of shimmering sound... and some fun, too. November 21-22, Tribute to Dewey Redman. The late Dewey Redman was perhaps best known for his work with Keith Jarrett and Pat Metheny, but was indeed a sax of all trades, blowing on straight-ahead as well as avant garde sessions throughout his four-decade career. His last appearance in the Twin Cities was the 2006 Twin Cities Jazz Festival, a few months before his death. Our own team of bassist Gordy Johnson and drummer Phil Hey were frequent sidemen for Dewey, and this weekend they join saxman Pete Whitman and pianist Bryan Nichols for a second (annual?) tribute to one of the greats.  Debbie Duncan©Andrea Canter
November 30, Clearwater Hot Club CD Release (6 pm). Minnesota boasts a handful of accomplished hot club ensembles, and Clearwater tops the list. Anchored by young guitarist Sam Miltich, the group celebrates its new recording, Just You, Just Me. Sam draws as much inspiration from Lester Young and Benny Goodman as from Django Reinhardt, and for this occasion pulls in our own legendary reedman, Dave Karr. And dad/bassist Matthew Miltich debuts as a vocalist! Grand Rapids, MN may not be known as the Hot Club capital of the universe, but maybe it should be! This will be a great excuse for a celebration at the Twin Cities’ jazz party headquarters! Weeknights (9 pm, $5 cover unless otherwise noted). Mondays, Green (7 pm) and Open Poetry (9 pm) no cover. Green features Rob Dewey (piano), Rich Casey (bass), Zack Lozier (trumpet), and Scotty Schultz (drums). Green has been the Monday night band at the AQ for the past three years. Rob is a noted improviser who has performed with Test Type Trio and Streets of Acid; busy Scotty works with Ross William Perry among other projects; Rich can be heard with Javier Trejo. Newest addition Zack has focused on bringing traditional New Orleans jazz to the Midwest, and performs regularly with the Jack Brass Band. Following their sets, open mic poetry reading gets underway at 9 pm. No cover! Tuesdays with the Tuesday Night Band (early set—7 pm with Schmidt/Wong/Meyer/Toledo/Mussleman). B-3 Organ Night with the Tuesday Night Band features “Downtown” Bill Brown on Hammond B-3, along with Billy Franze on guitar and Kenny Horst on drums. A weekly tradition at the AQ, you never know who might sit in—Joey DeFrancesco usually appears whenever he’s in town. In June, the TNB was a featured band at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, performing on a Friday night in Minneapolis for a change! Tuesday night expanded last winter with an exciting new band featuring Zach Schmidt, Cory Wong, Cassie Meier, Patricio Toledo and Dan Musselman playing an early show at 7 pm (no cover). These young, talented musicians provide the perfect starter for AQ's longest-standing engagement. November 5, George Avaloz Quartet. West St. Paul native and trapset powerhouse George Avaloz returns with his equally volcanic band, featuring Jim Marentic on sax, Ron Evaniuk on bass and Mikkel Romstad on piano.  Clay Moore©Andrea Canter
November 12, Javier Trejo Trio/Cory Wong Quartet (8 pm, $8). A couple young bands are just what you need to keep the juices flowing midweek. The Wong Quartet features saxman Josh Brinkman and Nicky The Feelin. November 13, Phil Hey Quartet. A former student of Ed Blackwell, Phil teaches jazz drum at Macalester College and the U of M, and toured with the late Dewey Redman; this spring he toured with vocalist Stacey Kent. One of the most in-demand drummers in the Midwest, Phil keeps busy with the Pete Whitman X-Tet, Chris Lomheim Trio, Laura Caviani Trio, and the Out to Lunch Quintet. His own quartet features long-time bandmates Dave Hagedorn on vibes, Tom Lewis on bass, and Phil Aaron on piano, playing a repertoire that includes the tunes of Kenny Wheeler, Bobby Hutcherson, John Coltrane, and Wayne Shorter. The PHQ’s debut recording, Subduction, is one of the best local releases of the decade. November 19, Jeff Rinear Quartet. A trombone master that we don’t hear nearly enough, Jeff has performed with the best area bands, including the JazzMN Big Band, Cedar Avenue Big Band, St. Croix Jazz Orchestra, Pete Whitman’s Departure Point and X-Tet, and the Butanes. This is a rare chance to hear Jeff in a small ensemble context.  Pete Whitman©Andrea Canter
November 26, Dave Karr Quartet. Long a favorite of Twin Cities’ jazz audiences and artists alike, multi-reedist Dave Karr emigrated to New York from England as a child, and grew up listening to the great boppers, from Charlie Parker to Dizzy Gillespie. A recent recipient of a McKnight Grant, Dave can be found in the pit orchestra of touring Broadway shows, supporting the best area vocalists, holding down the horn sections of the JazzMN Big Band and Pete Whitman’s X-Tet, or leading his own bands, Mulligan Stew and this quartet. On bari, tenor, flute or clarinet, Dave’s “fluid style is both exciting and elegant” (Don Berryman). His usual suspects include Chris Lomheim, Chris Bates and Kenny Horst. November 27, Thanksgiving—Closed!
Coming in December! - December 19-21, Happy Apple
- December 31, AQ Annual New Year’s Eve Bash with Carole Martin and Dave Karr
The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St Peter Street, in the lower level of the Hamm Building next to the Park Square Theater (off the Seventh Place mall). Visit www.artistsquarter.com or call 651-292-1359.
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Twin Cities, MN 
Thursday, 08 January 2009
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