Month: February 2016

A number of years ago, tenor saxophone legend Irv Williams hinted at retirement in his liner notes for That’s All (2004), but clearly that was premature. Three CDs later, the then 88-year-old known fondly as “Mr. Smooth” issued a more dramatic hint with the release of Finality (Ding Dong Music) in 2008.  But apparently the […]

Mardi Gras, aka “Fat Tuesday,” is perhaps the biggest party in New Orleans, capping two weeks of parades, costumes, and of course, traditional NOLA music. Even “Fat Monday” has become almost as famous for revelry. At the other end of the Mississippi River, Minnesotans have a number of opportunities to join in, thanks to our […]