Internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and humanitarian Keiko Matsui’s transcendent and haunting melodies have long sought to build bridges. Her sonic cultural exchange has reached the hearts and minds of fans throughout the world. On her thirtieth recording, 2023’s Euphoria, Keiko channels beauty, strength, energy, love, and hope. Her numerous accolades include Billboard's "Top Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Year" […]

Composer, film composer, first call accompanist for many jazz singers, and a hellacious pianist

Matt Hollenberg / Dave Sewelson / Steve Hirsh unites three distinct voices from the avant-garde jazz world into a thrilling improvisational trio. Sewelson's baritone saxophone roar and freewheeling phrasing intertwine with Hollenberg’s electric surges and Hirsh’s textural drumming. The music is spontaneously composed, balancing raw energy with nuanced interplay: thunderous and cathartic one moment, exploratory and […]

Charlie Bruber and Jack Barrett, longtime friends and collaborators, will perform a duo set at Berlin. When they play their original compositions as a duo, you can hear a friendship distilled to its purest form. This show is an official Twin Cities Jazz Festival event! Jack Barrett has explored avenues of classical, progressive rock, metal, […]

Patti Austin’s keen interest in being a total entertainer likely started when she was four years old. Then, she stepped onto the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem at the urging of Dinah Washington. During the 1970s Patti reigned as the undisputed queen of the New York session scene. Her recent recordings celebrate the […]

The Steve Kenny Quintet will perform selections from its upcoming album release—Blue Chunks—on Friday, July 18. Blue Chunks is a compositional concept wherein bite-sized jazz situations are grouped into suites and performed as a larger work. Individually, these small ideas can be solemn or exciting or brash, but when combined, they form complete thoughts. Kenny’s 2014 […]

Pianist Patrick Adkins and trumpeter Ryan Garmoe will share duo versions of their original compositions and takes on classic standards. Patrick Adkins is an inventive, empathetic Minneapolis-based pianist and composer. An in-demand band leader and sideman all over town, Patrick has made his mark on the Twin Cities jazz scene, performing at jazz festivals across […]

Patti Austin’s keen interest in being a total entertainer likely started when she was four years old. Then, she stepped onto the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem at the urging of Dinah Washington. During the 1970s Patti reigned as the undisputed queen of the New York session scene. Her recent recordings celebrate the […]

Pianist Abebi Stafford, bassist Graydon Peterson, and drummer Pete James Johnson will perform two sets of songs primarily from Stafford’s most recent album, Stolen By Lies. Pete James Johnson is a drummer, composer and educator in the Twin Cities—most often seen playing jazz and improvised music but at home in a variety of musical worlds. He […]

Gary and Louie met while Louie was studying at North Central University, and since their meeting they have worked on many projects together and played in many different settings. While Gary and Louie have worked together as sidemen for many artists in the city, now they are exploring the music that they love, and creating memorable […]

Kenny Reichert and Ella Grace will reunite for a special guitar/trumpet duo performance. The first set will include original contemporary jazz compositions from both artists, and the second set will shift to a more ambient experience. In the second set, the duo will use experimental pedal setups to create unique, freely improvised soundscapes. This duo […]