Bill Carrothers©Andrea Canter

As 2009 rolls to its end, a variety of holiday, CD release, and other special events promise a month filled with great jazz at the Artists Quarter in St. Paul. Of course, the 15th annual AQ New Year’s Eve Party is the highlight of December, and it is not too early to make your reservation for the best (and most cost-effective!) party in town, featuring Carole Martin and the Irv Williams Quartet. But there is plenty of action earlier in the month, including hot young bands Media Addicts and “530,” a holiday special with Laura Caviani, CD release from the Atlantis Quartet, Steve Kenny’s tribute to Chet Baker, a Saturday night with Bill Carrothers, and a special duo with Dave Hagedorn and former student Dan Cavanagh. 

The Big Weekends and Holidays ($10, 9 pm unless otherwise noted)

Patty Peterson©Andrea Canter

December 4, Patty Peterson/Phil Aaron Trio.  Seven-time winner of the Minnesota Music Award for Best Female Vocalist, Best Group, and "Best Jazz Recording" (for her debut CD, The More I See You), Patty Peterson has worked as an actress, print ad model, national anthem singer and radio personality on WCCO radio. Name a local jazz venue or concert hall, and Patty has performed there, including frequent appearances at the Dakota and AQ, as well as at the Vine Street Bar in Hollywood and with the likes of Sergio Mendez, Donny Osmond, and Ben Sidran. This Friday special finds Patty on stage with the ever-elegant Phil Aaron Trio.

December 5, Media Addicts. Once fellow students at nearby McNally Smith College of Music, the young musicians of this quartet bring together such eclectic influences as Mahavishnu Orchestra, Miles Davis and Tool.  The Addicts include Billy Graczyk (guitar), David Hirsch (saxophone), Brent Wallace (bass) and Eric Miller (drums).

Laura Caviani©Andrea Canter

December 11-12, African Jazz Trio. Bringing together the influences of West Africa and American R&B, the African Jazz Trio features Detroit-based guitarist Loba Akou and Twin Cities’ bassist Serge Akou, natives of the Ivory Coast, with vocalist/percussion master Stokley Williams, known most for his leadership of Mint Condition, two-time nominee for the Soul Train Music Awards. Serge has also played with the band JOTO, and with singers Bruce Henry and JD Steele. In sum, the backgrounds and experiences of these musicians make for an eclectic, globally exciting evening. 

December 13, Laura Caviani’s Holiday Show (8 pm). Come up with a holiday, anniversary date or any other reason to celebrate and pianist Laura Caviani can assemble a tribute or special show to do it justice. Most recently featured at the AQ to honor Thelonious Monk, now Laura brings her almost annual holiday party to St. Paul with pals Lucia Newell on vocals, Pete Whitman on sax, Tom Lewis on bass and Phil Hey on drums.  Making it all the merrier will be the appearance of the AQ’s own Hip Santa, Davis Wilson. Beat poetry, post bop artistry, stunning vocals.... it’s a jazzy night with “The Man With the Bag” and the queen of the keyboard. 

Atlantis Quartet©Andrea Canter

December 26, Bill Carrothers Trio. Once upon a time, this Edina native lived in New York, one of the hottest young talents around. But Bill Carrothers’ Midwest roots couldn’t adapt happily to Manhattan and he ended up in the Upper Peninusla of Michigan. No matter, Bill spends much of the year performing throughout Europe, had a week residency last summer at the Village Vanguard with his “international” trio, and continues to release one exciting recording after another. There’s no holiday let down when one of modern music’s most cerebral and unpredictably creative pianists is in town! 

December 31, New Year’s Eve with Carole Martin and the Irv Williams Quartet ($45/$35 before December 23). A casual buffet, champagne, noisemakers and great music from Minnesota veterans. That’s the recipe for a fun-filled, musically exhilarating year-end celebration. Singing since the 60s, Carole Martin has been a fixture at the AQ, recording live, ushering in the new year, and often in the company of Mr. Smooth—90-year-old Irv Williams who still blows a very sweet saxophone and keeps up with musicians half his age. From torch songs to blues, the music this evening will touch every part of you and give you plenty to smile about as we head into 2010. Reserve early! 

Carole Martin ©Andrea Canter

Mondays, Headspace (7- 9 pm); Open Poetry With Live Jazz (9 pm) (no cover). Headspace features Rob Dewey on piano, Nick Haas on guitar, Rich Casey on bass and Spencer McGinnis on drums. Soap Boxing Poetry Slam on December 7th at 8 pm with guest Laura Tharida Sheridan ($5; competitors free). 

Tuesdays with the Tuesday Night Band (early set—7 pm, no cover with the Cory Wong Quartet). 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; Jim Rotondi was a featured guest earlier this summer. (No cover after 11 pm). Tuesday night starts off early with the Cory Wong Quartet playing an early show at 7 pm (no cover). These young, talented musicians provide the perfect starter for AQ's longest-standing engagement.  

Wednesdays, early set, Tefsa Quartet Jam Session(7 -9 pm, no cover). Super McNally Smith connected young band includes Dejen Tesfagiorgis, saxophones; Adam Meckler, trumpet; Jesse Mueller, piano; Adam Tucker, bass; and Jaky Nyberg, drums. This weekly jam session provides a perfect warm up to whatever comes next! Bring your ax and join the jam! 

December 2, Framework. Guitar trio with Chris Olson, Chris Bates and Jay Epstein rendering standards redefined from the likes of John Scofield, Dave Holland, and Chick Corea, as well as inventive originals from the three musicians. 

December 3, Joe Smith Quartet. Veteran saxman bops hard with like-minded cohorts. 

Dave Hagedorn©Andrea Canter

December 10, How Birds Work. One of the AQ’s most popular creative bands, How Birds Work is the collaboration of four well-known area musicians—guitarist Dean Granros, bassist Chris Bates, pianist Peter Schimke, and drummer Kenny Horst. Sophisticated, often subtle, always working toward the edge from a firm foundation, How Birds Work offers multiple layers of challenge to the listener. 

December 16, Dave Karr Quartet. We love to see Dave show off his (always) red socks and wisecrack his way through a set, but most of all, we just love Dave’s music, a “fluid style [that] is both exciting and elegant” (Don Berryman, Jazz Police). Whether playing with the JazzMN Big Band, Pete Whitman’s X-tet, backing vocalists like Connie Evingson or Christine Rosholt, gathering steam with his Mulligan Stew, or on stage with his quartet, Dave is always a consummate entertainer.  

December 17, “530” (7 pm, no cover). You might recognize the rhythm section from last year’s student band, The Alternates. Now in their freshman year in jazz programs in Chicago, pianist Chris Misa (DePaul University), bassist Cory Grindberg (Northwestern University) and drummer Rob Fletcher (DePaul University) are ready to show the results of a few months of performing and Windy City stimulation, in the company of guest horn artists. And it’s a good warm-up to the evening headliners, The Phil Hey Quartet (9 pm). A former student of Ed Blackwell and Marv Dahlgren, Phil has toured with Dewey Redman and more recently, Stacey Kent, including a gig at Birdland in Manhattan in May. Phil manages the trapsets for the Out to Lunch Quintet, Pete Whitman X-Tet, and small ensembles led by the area’s top bandleaders. But his own quartet is where Phil cuts loose most, and the PHQ’s release Subduction garnered Best of the Year awards in 2006. We might expect the same for his new duet release with Kelly Rossum, Conflict. His sidemen are equally volcanic—pianist Phil Aaron, bassist Tom Lewis and vibes master Dave Hagedorn. 

December 23, Steve Kenny’s Tribute to Chet Baker. One of the most tragic figures in jazz, trumpeter/ vocalist Chet Baker was also a tremendous talent, perhaps best know for his version of “My Funny Valentine.” Paying tribute will be trumpeter Steve Kenny, founding member of the acclaimed Illicit Sextet. He has also performed with Pete Whitman’s Departure Point and with The Five, a quintet of area veterans who performed during the 2009 Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Steve will be joined by a crew of guest artists. 

December 30, Dave Hagedorn and Dan Cavanagh. St. Olaf College in Northfield might not be known as the vortex of modern jazz, but perhaps that is an oversight. Artist in Residence in the Music Department, vibraphonist Dave Hagedorn’s percussion duties have included the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Minnesota Opera, and regular jazz gigs with the Phil Hey Quartet, Maintime, Pete Whitman X-Tet and Out to Lunch Quintet. Dave has also studied and toured with the great George Russell. Notes Don Berryman, Hagedorn “brings an integrated knowledge of complex harmony and rhythm that never fails to swing or to move anyone with ears.” Pianist Dan Cavanagh is the founder of the East Metro Music Academy Summer Jazz Lab, a summer day camp in St. Paul for young musicians. A graduate of the St. Olaf music program, he went on to graduate studies at the University of Oregon and is now active as a clinician and adjudicator in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Winner of several major awards for composition, his most recent release on OAR Records in 2008’s Pulse. 

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street, in the lower level of the Hamm Building in downtown St. Paul. Visit www.artistsquarter.com or call 651-292-1359. Reserve today for New Year’s Eve! 
 

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites