Jane Monheit

Perhaps in anticipation of their 25th year bringing great music to the Twin Cities, the Dakota Jazz Club starts November with as big a bang as one can imagine in a small jazz venue—three nights with The Dave Brubeck Quartet. And the rest of the month is nothing to sneeze at, with Bruce Henry, Herb Alpert, Turtle Island String Quartet, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Otis Clay and Jane Monheit on the schedule, along with CD releases from Nancy Harms and Erica West and weekends with Debbie Duncan, Ginger Commodore and Nachito Herrera. 

National Touring Artists (7 & 9:30 pm, ticketed unless otherwise noted)

Yes, the Dakota is still one of the leading jazz clubs in the nation, but its calendar continues to fill with a broad range of American and world music: 

Dave Brubeck©Andrea Canter

November 5, Jonah Smith with Ashleigh Still & Nick Salisbury. “Heartfelt rock music” in the hands of New York-based singer/songwriter Jonah Smith. Steeped in all things music from jazz, soul, country and blues, he’s joined here by local pianist/vocalist Ashleigh Still and bassist Nick Salisbury. 

November 6-7, Bruce Henry (8 pm, club cover). Once a favorite local vocal, it’s time to list Bruce as a national artist, based now in Chicago for more than a year. But the Twin Cities still seems like home as he returns often to reunite with his steamy band. One of the smoothest and most entertaining baritones here or anywhere else, Bruce is a force of nature on the band stand. 

November 8, John Jorgenson Quintet (7 pm only). A pioneer of the American gypsy jazz movement, guitarist Jorgenson was a big hit in his Dakota debut just two months ago, with guitar, clarinet and vocals. Part of the Desert Rose Band in the 1980s and later founder of the Hellcasters, John toured six years in the 1990s with Elton John and appeared with Billy Joel and Sting. Despite his reputation in pop, country and rock, John’s first love and international acclaim is for gypsy jazz, which led to performing music of Django Reinhardt for two films, Gattica and Head in the Clouds, and appearing as Django himself in the latter. Today Jorgenson is based in Nashville, heading the John Jorgenson Quintet, and performing in the UK with his electric band, John Jorgenson and Friends. 

November 10-11, Herb Alpert and Lani Hall (7 pm only). If you were around in the 60s, you remember Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass. Alpert made his name touring and recording for A&M records, which he founded and ultimately sold. Over his career, the trumpeter garnered five #1 hits, 28 albums on the Billboard charts, 8 Grammy Awards, 14 Platinum albums and 15 Gold albums. Working as a vocalist as well as trumpeter, Alpert was inspired to create the Tijuana Brass sound after hearing a mariachi band, and initially he was the TJB—overdubbing his trumpet to create a big band sound. Eventually he did direct a full band of what he described as "Three pastramis, two bagels, and an American cheese” – no Latinos in the bunch! In 1966, TJB had five albums on Billboard (a feat never duplicated since); with 6 Grammies for TJB alone, Alpert recorded some of the era’s most popular music, including “A Taste of Honey,” “Tijuana Taxi,” “Spanish Flea,” and the film themes for “Third Man,” “Zorba the Greek” and “Casino Royale.” After the Brass disbanded, Alpert led a new “TJB” but focused primarily on a solo career from the 70s on, moving into the R&B world with projects that included collaborations with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. More recently he has been touring providing instrumental support for wife/vocalist Lani Hall, an alum of Sergio Mendes’ Brasil ’66. They released their first joint effort last spring, Anything Goes.

Turtle Island String Quartet

November 15, Dirty Dozen Brass Band. Continuing the Dakota’s commitment to presenting New Orleans musicians, the DDBB brings its internationally acclaimed Crescent City sound to the Dakota for one rollicking night. And they’re celebrating the 25th anniversary of their landmark recording, My Feet Can’t Fail Me Now, re-released in early November, with shows in 2010 to feature the full recording with traditional instrumentation.

November 16-17, Evan Christopher. Just in town a few weeks earlier for the A-Train Party and a Sunday night show, everyone had so much fun that Lowell Pickett just had to ask Evan back for two nights of modern New Orleans music from one of the nation’s top clarinetists. And he blows a mean soprano sax, too.  As icing on the cake, he will be paired with fellow New Orleanian, pianist Henry Butler.

November 18, Hot Club of Cowtown. Since they first came together 13 years ago, the Hot Club of Cowtown has been thrilling audiences with its unique blend of Western Swing, pop, folk and hot club jazz. Based in Austin, TX, Elana James on violin and vocals, Whit Smith on guitar and vocals, and Jake Erwin on bass and vocals are among the youngest members ever to be inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame. They’ve served as musical ambassadors for the US State Department, and toured with Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and the Mavericks. This is a return visit.

November 20-21, Otis Clay (8 pm, club cover.) In the style of Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Solomon Burke, Otis Clay is considered one of the top deep soul/gospel singers on the scene today. He’ll also headline the Under the Radar Foundation fund raiser at the Dakota on Sunday, November 22nd. 

November 23, Eden Brent (7 pm only). Another practitioner of the blues, Eden Brent hails from the Mississippi delta, a pianist/vocalist who won Acoustic Artist of the Year and Acoustic Album of the Year honors at the 2009 Blues Music Awards. 

November 29, Zachary Richard. Poet, singer/songwriter brings another perspective on the music of  Louisiana natives, incorporating the diverse styles of the region. 

November 30- December 1, Jane Monheit. One of the most acclaimed singers of the decade, Jane Monheit continues to straddle the words of jazz and pop with a buttercream voice and subtle interpretations of great covers and Brazilian fare. Runner-up (to the late Teri Thornton) in the 1998 Thelonious Monk Vocal Competition, Jane graduated in 1999 from the Manhattan School of Music with a recording contract in hand, and in 2002 was dubbed by Jazz Times as the “Golden Girl of Jazz.” That’s a tough label to live with, but Monheit, now over 30, “has astonished listeners with the depth and range of her irresistible gifts: a deluxe voice and a passionate spirit spiked with an uncanny jazz sense that reinvents the great standards of American popular music” (Jazz at Lincoln Center). Audiences who have followed her meteoric career, as well as newcomers to her charms, are delighting in her latest recording, The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me, filled with the likes of Cole Porter, Paul Simon and Ivan Lins. 

Local Talents (7 pm, 8 pm weekends unless otherwise noted)

November 1, Moulin Blue: A Bourbon Street Style Cabaret Show of Jazz and Burlesque (6 pm). A fun evening of southern cooking and classic New Orleans street jazz with Lili’s Burlesque Revue and the Southside Aces. 

November 9, Connie Evingson. Long associated with Moore by Four, Connie has built a stellar solo career covering everything from Peggy Lee to Lennon & McCarthney to Django and David Frishberg. Hot Club or Jazz Club, any night with Connie is hot and jazzy.

November 13, Debbie Duncan. Always entertaining, always on key, always Debbie. 

Evan Christopher©Andrea Canter

November 19, Nancy Harms CD Release Party. Few debut recordings have as much depth and personal revelation as In the Indigo. Nancy Harms can swing with the best of them but her heart, her voice, her soul go far beyond the Great American songbook in both interpretation of standards and mining new material. She contributes lyrics to a couple tunes and has assembled a sympathetic band with Tanner Taylor, Graydon Peterson, Robert Bell and Jay Epstein, and maybe a surprise or two. One of the year’s best local recordings. 

November 24, Sophia Shorai. Singer/pianist deserving more attention. 

November 25, Erica West CD Release (8 pm). A celebration with R&B/soul vocalist who is making a big name on the Twin Cities scene. 

November 27-28, Nachito Herrera. One of the most dazzling performers on the Dakota stage, every month. Nachito adds Cuban flavorings to standards and jazz seasonings to Cuban traditions. Will he break a string? Maybe. Will you have fun? Certainly. 

Nancy Harms©Andrea Canter

• November 6, Off the Map with Bryan Nichols, Brandon Wozniak, and Jay Epstein: Modern jazz with eccentric, electric elements
• November 7, Suicide Commandos Acoustic. Local punk unplugged.
• November 14, Bryan Nichols Trio. One of the best of the modern pianists, not just locally.
• November 20, Nikki and the Ruemates. Acoustic blues and folk.
• November 21, Ingo Bethke. Tuba-centric sextet.
• November 27, Quarteto Mateo. Latin and flamenco influenced jazz with Scott “Mateo” Davies, Nick Haas, Peter Susag and Eron Woods.
• November 28, Tim Sparks Trio. A reprise of his CD release, finger-style guitar wizard Sparks teams with Chris Bates and Jay Epstein. Sparks will fly.

Coming Soon

• December 3, Bebel Gilberto
• December 5, Dakota Combo and Surprise Guest Artist
• December 6, Gil Scott-Heron
• December 7-8, Holly Cole
• December 25-27, The Bad Plus

The Dakota is located at 1010 Nicollet Mall. Tickets and club reservations at 612-332-1010 or online at www.dakotacoooks.com. 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites