 2009 TCJF at Mears ParkİAndrea Canter Like the childhood story of the “Little Engine That Could,” the Twin Cities Jazz Festival has emerged from near extinction to become one of the major jazz events of the Midwest summer season. After losing sponsors amidst the national economic downturn, the 11th annual festival in 2009 was nearly canceled. Yet producer Steve Heckler pulled a rabbit out of his horn, with support from the City of St. Paul, Northwestern Foods, and others who ensured a successful weekend at Mears Park. So successful, in fact, that Heckler found more sponsors for 2010. The 12th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival returns to St. Paul June 17-19 with a roll call of headliners that should please jazz fans well beyond the metro area—Joe Lovano’s Us Five, John Scofield’s Piety Street Band, the Sean Jones Quintet, Bobby Watson, and John Ellis’s Double Wide. Add in another stage on adjacent Sixth Street with such favorites as the X-Tet, Ronny Loew, Connie Evingson and Salsa Del Soul, three nights at the Hat Trick Lounge and Artists Quarter, Thursday’s Jazz Night Out, and a student stage, and you have the ingredients for a gumbo of great jazz—and as Heckler notes, “The price is right ... all the music in Mears Park…will be free!”
 Joe LovanoİAndrea Canter
The St. Paul Mayor’s office continues its essential support of TCJF in 2010. Sponsors include the Lowertown Future Fund of The St. Paul Foundation, Saint Paul STAR Program, McNally Smith College of Music, Sun Country, Jazz88 (KBEM 88.5), WORLDCOLOR, MIND SPARK Creative and the Lowertown Entertainment District (LED), including Barrio Tequila Bar, The Black Dog Café, The Bulldog, The Hat Trick Lounge, Rumours & Innuendo, Señor Wong, Station 4, and Trattoria da Vinci. The Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education plans to sponsor a nearby student stage, details to be announced soon. Headliners  Sean JonesİAndrea Canter Joe Lovano and Us Five (June 18, 8:30 pm, Mears Park). One of the premiere saxophonists of our time, Joe Lovano is known as much for his inventive compositions and eclectic ensembles as for his power and lyricism on the horn. A multiple Grammy winner and nominee, he has enjoyed a stream of vital collaborations with such legendary performers as Paul Motian, John Scofield, Bill Frisell, Elvin Jones, Hank Jones, and Gunther Schuller. His eclecticism is evident in recent projects ranging from duets to quartets to big bands, but perhaps never more stunning than with his new quintet project, Us Five, and their recent release, Folk Art (2009, Blue Note), named CD of the year by Jazz Times. Us Five includes pianist James Weidman and drummers Francisco Mela and Otis Brown; regular bassist Esperanza Spalding will not be on this gig (bassist TBN).  Bobby WatsonİAndrea Canter John Ellis and Double-Wide (June 19, 6 pm, Mears Park). After more than five years playing with guitar wizard Charlie Hunter, saxophonist John Ellis now regularly tours with the John Patitucci Trio, and played Newport Jazz Festival in 2009 with Mos Def. He appears as a guest on two recent ObliqSound releases – Gilfema’s 2008 album, Gilfema + 2, and recently played bass clarinet on Sting’s If on a Winter’s Night. The core of John Ellis & Double-Wide is a quartet, with Ellis on saxophone, Jason Marsalis on drums, Matt Perrine on sousaphone and Brian Coogan on organ. The band recently released its second CD, Puppet Mischief.  John ScofieldİAndrea Canter Jon Weber (June 17-19, 9 pm, Artists Quarter). Now based in New York, Milwaukee native Jon Weber has become the festival’s “house pianist,” appearing in multiple venues and configurations as well as with his own trio. Long a crowd favorite, Jon’s virtuosic technique is only matched by his encyclopedic knowledge of music and infectious enthusiasm. Any set with Jon Weber is guaranteed to be as entertaining as it is musical.  Aakash MittalİAndrea Canter Preliminary Schedule The preliminary line-up follows. For updates and more information, visit the festival website often, at www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com
Thursday, June 17 –Jazz Night Out Once again, local bars and clubs will present outstanding jazz in the Lowertown Entertainment District. More venues will be announced soon: - Artists’ Quarter, 9 pm -1 am, Stride Piano Night with Jon Weber, Butch Thompson and Paul Asaro
- Camp Bar, Jazz Vocalists of Minnesota Showcase
- Hat Trick Lounge, 7 – 8 pm, Globafo (John Penny…)
- Mancini’s, 9 -11 pm, Arne Fogel & Maud Hixson
- Mears Park Main Stage in partnership with Music in Mears (free), 6-9 pm, Pippi Ardennia
- The Saint Paul Hotel Lobby Bar, 7-10 pm, Joann Funk and Jeff Brueske
Friday, June 18 Mears Park Main Stage (Free) - 4 pm -- McNally Smith
- 6 pm -- Sean Jones Quintet
- 8:30 pm -- Joe Lovano with Us Five
Mears Park Sixth Street Stage (free) - 5 pm -- Pete Whitman’s X-tet
- 7:30 pm -- Aakash Mittal Quartet
 Jon WeberİAndrea Canter
The Hat Trick Lounge - 5:30 pm -- Peter Snell
- 7 pm -- Mary Louise Knutson
- 8:30 pm -- Pooch’s Playhouse
- 10 pm -- Atlantis Quartet
Saturday, June 19 Mears Park Main Stage (free) - 12 Noon -- Walker West Music Academy
- 2 pm -- McNally Smith
- 4 pm -- Bobby Watson
- 6 pm -- John Ellis & Double-Wide
- 8:30 pm -- John Scofield and the Piety Street Band
Mears Park Sixth Street Stage (free) - 1 pm -- Connie Evingson and the Parisota Hot Club
- 3 pm -- Twin Cities Seven with Charmin Michelle
- 5 pm -- Ronny Loew
- 7:30 pm -- Salsa del Soul
Artists’ Quarter
The Hat Trick Lounge - 7 pm - Cory Wong Quartet
- 8:30 pm -- Frankhouse
- 10 pm -- Shoop!
Keep up with the Twin Cities Jazz Festival at www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com
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Thursday, 29 July 2010
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