The Yellowjackets and the JazzMN Orchestra with Michael Mayo are the headliners for the 28th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival appearing on the main stage in Mears Park in Saint Paul, Minnesota on June 19th and 20th Watch the TCJS website for more details as more of the schedule is announced: https://www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com/
Yellowjackets
Friday, June 19 at 8:30 p.m.
Throughout their storied 43-year history, the Yellowjackets have recorded 25 albums, received 17 Grammy® nominations – won 2 – performed countless sold-out tours, and enjoyed worldwide critical acclaim and commercial success.
The Yellowjackets formed in the late 1970’s as the backup band for guitarist Robben Ford. They recorded their first album together in 1980. Shortly after that recording, however, Ford decided to part ways and go in a different musical direction. As a result, the modern day Yellowjackets were formed — a trio with Russell Ferrante, Jimmy Haslip and Ricky Lawson. Since then, and with the addition of Bob Mintzer, the Yellowjackets have gained and maintained prominence as one of jazz’s most influential and loved groups.
Over the years the band has undergone numerous lineup changes. Never failing to rise to the inevitable challenges of adjustment, the Yellowjackets – Russell Ferrante, William Kennedy, Bob Mintzer – have maintained an extraordinarily high quality of musicianship that is the rival of many but a surprise to no one who knows and appreciates the band and their music.
The most recent addition to the band adds Australian bass player Dane Alderson in to the mix. With his exceptional rhythmic sensibility and natural disposition toward groove, Dane brings a new energy to the band and adds a youthful approach to the music.
The JazzMN Orchestra with Michael Mayo
Saturday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m.
JazzMN was formed twenty years ago by Dr. Douglas Snapp with the mission to “Promote, Preserve and Perpetuate America’s Indigenous Art Music, Jazz”. Since its inception, the JazzMN Orchestra has presented more than 70 concerts in its main series with dozens of additional performances at jazz and art festivals around the Twin Cities. The music performed by the JazzMN Orchestra ranges from the very beginnings of jazz through contemporary and commissioned works by today’s composers. With the evolution of jazz impacting music across the world and jazz elements being found in many genres of music, JazzMN concerts have included works in Swing, Fusion, R&B, Latin, Rock, and even Rap genres. This effort to program works from Classic to Contemporary ties with JazzMN’s efforts to present jazz as an American art form that crosses age and race barriers. Now in its 21st season, the JazzMN Orchestra has featured international jazz artists such as Randy Brecker, Mike Stern, Arturo Sandoval, Gordon Goodwin, Phil Woods, Nicholas Payton and Paquito D’Rivera
Michael Mayo leans on his intuition as a vocalist, composer, songwriter, and arranger. Much like molding and shaping a sculpture out of clay, he stretches his voice through layers of heavenly harmonizing, hard-hitting beatboxing, and heartfelt crooning.
The Los Angeles-based phenomenon creates from the heart without filter or pretense, allowing his voice to transmit raw emotion above an ever-evolving backdrop of jazz, neo-soul, and R&B on his second full-length LP, Fly [Mack Avenue Records/Artistry Music], and more to come.
Yogev Shetrit Trio
Friday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m.
Yogev Shetrit, an international composer and drummer was the founder and member of the famous worldwide Coolooloosh band.
Yogev has released two studio albums and two Live albums, 3rd studio album “Way of Tradition” released in May 2025 in Africa, India, Europe, USA and Israel. His music contains original compositions that elegantly fuse traditional North African music, Gnawa, Andalusian music from his Moroccan heritage, along with contemporary Jazz and Mediterranean mus
Sullivan Fortner Trio
Saturday, June 20 at 6:00 p.m.
Celebrated pianist Sullivan Fortner’s latest album Southern Nights (2025) earned him Grammy® and landed him on the February cover of DownBeat Magazine. Recipient of the 2026 Larry J. Bell Jazz Artist Award and winner of the 2024 DownBeat Critics Poll for Rising Star Jazz Group: Sullivan Fortner Trio, the New Orleans native has worked with Wynton Marsalis, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Paul Simon, Diane Reeves, and many more.
Additional artists on the Twin Cities Jazz Festival Main Stage:
Friday, June 19:
4:00 p.m. Selby Avenue Brass Band with Thomasina Petrus
Saturday, June 20:
2:00 p.m. Lucia Sarmiento
4:00 p.m. Zacc Harris Group
Visit https://www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com/ for more details
