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1 week ago | 
jazz88.fm | Paige Tighe |Sean McPherson |Andrew Diemand
Taiko Arts Midwest presents a concert and dance party called Taiko Groove, Saturday June 7 at the Cedar at 7pm. The event features not only the long-standing Taiko Arts Midwest group, but a rare US performance by Go-koo, visiting from Tokyo. Jennifer Weir is the executive director of Taiko Arts Midwest. When Jennifer talked to Phil Nusbaum, she told of the Taiko Arts Midwest performance of “Pounding Hooves,” a composition of local Taiko musician, Rick Shiomi.
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1 week ago | 
jazz88.fm | Peter Solomon |Andrew Diemand |Emily Reese
Jazz88’s Peter Solomon speaks with trumpeter Frank London about the history of klezmer music in America and 40 years of genre dending klezmer interpretations and collaborations by the Klezmatics. London was a founding member of the Grammy-award winning ensemble. The Klezmatics play the Dakota Tuesday night (May 27th) with Minneapolis-based ensemble Red Thread. Find details about the eprformance here.
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2 weeks ago | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Paige Tighe |Andrew Diemand
Vocalist Connie Evingson is getting ready to do her final performance at the Woman’s Club. Next Wednesday, May 28, Connie and Lori Dokken are co-presenting a concert titled “Our Heart Will Go On.” The event features an incredible list of Twin Cities talent such as Mary Jane Alm, Doug Anderson, Ginger Commodore, Lori Dokken, Joan Griffith, Jennifer Grimm, Rachel Holder, Patty Peterson, T. Mychael Rambo, Emily Rubbelke, Erin Schwab, Dane Stauffer, Judi Vinar, Charmin Michelle and more.
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2 months ago | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Peter Solomon |Andrew Diemand
Judi Vinar is a singer’s singer. Her skills and her collaborative spirit have made her an in-demand vocalist and vocal instructor nationwide. She dropped by Jazz88 to discuss her upcoming shows with Dennis Spears and the Wolverines Jazz Trio at The Capri Theater on Saturday, April 5 and Sunday, April 6. Vinar talked about maintaining her calm, her longtime collaborators the Wolverines and more.
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2 months ago | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Peter Solomon |Andrew Diemand
Bob James and Dave Koz are titans in the world of contemporary jazz. After years of guesting on each other’s productions, the duo decided they would toss off a short CD of duets just as a thank you to guests on one of Dave Koz’s jazz oriented cruises. This miniature collaboration led to a full blown duo release recorded in Bob James’ home in Michigan.
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Mar 3, 2025 | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Andrew Diemand
Bobby Commodore has been an indispensable part of the Twin Cities music scene since he sat behind the kit with Sounds of Blackness in 1974. During tenures with Sounds of Blackness, Moore by Four and many other great groups, Commodore served the Twin Cities. Beyond his work behind the kit, Bobby Commodore has served as a business manager, a live sound engineer and, most importantly, as a supportive voice to generations of Twin Cities players.
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Feb 25, 2025 | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Andrew Diemand
Hannah Harder is a young saxophonist and composer from the Twin Cities. She recently released her debut album as a leader, The Greatest of These is Love. Harder connected with Sam Keenan from Minnesota Jazz Tracks to discuss the new record, her path to jazz and her upcoming release show at MetroNOME Brewery in St. Paul on Wednesday, February 26.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Peter Solomon |Andrew Diemand
Vocalists Toussaint Morrison and Roz Prickel are deep into the world of holiday music. They are in rehearsals for their Sno Ball event on Saturday at PNA Hall in Northeast. They swung by the Afternoon Cruise to chat about their favorite holiday music, their love of all things pickle, and their upcoming show. This interview aired on The Afternoon Cruise 12/4/24More Posts for Show: The Afternoon Cruise
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Dec 2, 2024 | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Peter Solomon |Andrew Diemand
Vocalist Bruce A. Henry is back in town for a holiday performance with the JazzMN Orchestra. Though Henry didn’t sing holiday music for the first half of his career, he reconnected with the canon during a holiday show at a shopping mall in Colorado and hasn’t looked back since. In this conversation, Henry shares how he navigates the big band setting and the holiday songbook.
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Nov 8, 2024 | 
jazz88.fm | Sean McPherson |Paige Tighe |Andrew Diemand
Bassist Erik Fratzke from Happy Apple was nice enough to stop by the Jazz88 studio to discuss the group’s new studio album New York CD. It’s the group’s first release in 17 years and Fratzke talked about the life cycle of the band and the beautiful rapport and camaraderie the group is enjoying as they hit the 25 year mark. Happy Apple is celebrating the vinyl release of New York CD this weekend with shows on Friday and Saturday November 8 and 9 at the Dakota in Minneapolis.
