Jazz Police - Phil Hey in Fast Company at the Artists Quarter, June 24 & 25

As one of the area’s premier jazz drummers, Phil Hey is often on the band stand, keeping time and raising the bar for local and visiting artists. This past weekend was no exception as Phil backed Twin Cities Jazz Festival visitors Jon Weber and Alex Han at the Hat Trick Lounge last Thursday and at the Artists Quarter on Friday night. But just about monthly, we get to hear Phil leading his own quartet at the AQ. This week, Phil appears on back to back gigs at the Artists Quarter, with his quartet on Wednesday, June 24th, and with two of his most sympathetic musical partners, Bryan Nichols and Adam Linz, on Thursday, June 25th.

A former student of Ed Blackwell and Marv Dahlgren, Phil Hey has played with such artists as David Liebman, Toots Thielemans, the Mel Lewis Orchestra, and Chet Baker; he frequently toured with the late Dewey Redman, and recently with Stacey Kent. Today he is one of the busiest drummers in town, fronting his own quartet and often in the company of Pete Whitman’s X-Tet, the Out to Lunch Quintet, Laura Caviani Trio, and a long list of local and visiting musicians. In his “spare” time, he teaches jazz drum at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. Phil’s quartet release, Subduction, was named the top jazz CD of 2005 by City Pages. His long-standing compatriots in the PHQ are Dave Hagedorn (vibe), Phil Aaron (piano) and Tom Lewis (bass).

Bryan Nichols©Andrea Canter

Bryan Nichols returned to his native Minnesota after studies at Iowa State and gigging in Chicago. A member of the 2004 edition of Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead (“Jazz Stars of Tomorrow”), he performed at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. He’s played with Ari Brown, Maurice Brown, Von Freeman, and more, and is currently on the faculty of the MacPhail Center for Music. Bryan has been increasingly visible throughout the metro area as a member of the Kelly Rossum Quartet and Rossum Electric Company, Dean Magraw Quintet and more. He’s often on the bandstand at Café Maude with various combinations of the leading purveyors of experimental music.

Adam Linz©Andrea Canter

Adam Linz earned his BM degree at William Paterson University’s Jazz Studies Program. A dedicated jazz educator, Adam taught at MusicTech, Mars Music and the Minnesota Institute for Talented Youth, and currently is an instructor at MacPhail Center for Music where he will become Jazz Coordinator in September. He’s a member of the acclaimed trio, Fat Kid Wednesdays, and has appeared throughout the area and beyond in solo and small ensemble performances, and supports visiting touring artists like Mose Allison.

It’s always magic when musicians of this caliber get together!

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St. Paul. Sets begin at 9 pm. Visit www.artistsquarter.com for full schedule. Andrea Canter blogs on jazz at www.jazzink.blogspot.com. See her Lead Sheet every Friday for jazz picks for the coming week. Her website is www.jazzink.com