Bryan Nichols Quintet©Andrea Canter

“...a swinging, sometimes quirky sense of time and creative expression.” – Jazz Police 

In the decade since he completed a degree in genetics at Iowa State University, pianist Bryan Nichols has been busy performing, composing and teaching music rather than studying DNA. The Twin Cities native has been in high demand since returning “home” in 2005, leading his own ensembles (from duos and trios to quintets and nonets), filling the piano chair for a long list of area musicians, and releasing a highly regarded recording, Bright Places, in 2011. In early 2012, he put together a concert of the music of Keith Jarrett's American Quartet--with a sextet, on the stage of Artists Quarter. But it's been a while since his core quintet has been on heard live, a situation that will be remedied this weekend (September 28-29) at the Artists Quarter.

Bryan Nichols©Andrea Canter

Mike Lewis©Andrea Canter

Brandon Wozniak©Andrea Canter

This weekend, with Erik Fratzke handling the bass duties, the quintet reprises works from Bright Places as well as some new composition "plus a few surprises," says Bryan.

Brandon Wozniak previously lived and worked in New York City, toured with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, and earned his BA from Indiana University under the tutelage of David Baker. Since arriving in the Twin Cities in 2006, he has performed with local bands led by Bruce Henry, Katie Gearty, Sam Kuusisto, Zacc Harris, Adam Linz and more; and is a member of the Atlantis Quartet, Monk in Motian, Zacc Harris Quartet, Adam Meckler Quintet, Impulso, Chris Bates' Red 5, and the Dave King Trucking Company.

Multi-instrumentalist/composer Erik Fratzke lends his bass to Happy Apple and his guitar to other projects, including Gang Font and Zebulon Pike. The Winona native started off on drums, switching to upright bass in fourth grade. Among early influences he cites his mother’s record collection (including Bartok), MTV, classical string quartets, and later, the bass playing of Stanley Clarke, Jeff Berlin and Jaco Pastorious. Early in his career, he found himself playing jazz, metal, even “Christian country rock.” Over the years, the three-time Minnesota Music Awards winner as “Bassist of the Year” has played with Reid Anderson and Bill Carrothers in addition to Mike Lewis and Dave King.

J.T. Bates is one of the busiest drummers in the Twin Cities. He was a member of Motion Poets and has worked with a variety of Latin, electronic, and experimental ensembles, including Low Blow, Kelly Rossum Quartet, Zacc Harris Quartet, James Buckley Trio,  Fat Kid Wednesdays, and now with brother Chris Bates' Red 5. Noted Richard Brody in The New Yorker, “In free rhythm, his shimmering cymbals recall Sunny Murray’s work with Ayler; the tom-tom groove is like the one Ed Blackwell got with Coleman; and, when he plays on an ethereally introverted modernistic piece, he sounds like a one-man Art Ensemble of Chicago, ready to use anything for the right sound…” Most recently JT has been curating the Monday night "Jazz Implosion" series of cutting edge jazz at the Icehouse.

The AQ stage is still smoldering from the last visit from the Bryan Nichols Quintet. It will take very little to set the room afire again.  

The Artists Quarter is located at 408 St. Peter Street in downtown St Paul, lower level of the Hamm Building off 7th Place. Sets begin at  9 pm; $12 cover. Visit www.artistsquarter.com 

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