The great conguero always starts a party. Poncho Sanchez and His Latin Jazz Band.His longstanding, highly acclaimed trio includes Marcus Gilmore on drums and Stephen Crump on bass. He’s a restless, protean force in jazz, a MacArthur fellow and Harvard music professor who’s currently in residence at the new Met Breuer, playing concerts in the lobby gallery. We recently saw pianist and composer Iyer at the Walker with Rez Abbasi’s Invocation. This group was a big hit at last year’s TCJF. Marquis Hill Blacktet, led by trumpeter Hill, winner of the 2014 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition.(The Twin Cities Jazz Fest and the Iowa City Jazz Fest are swapping musicians, which is a good thing.) Saturday, July 2: Our own Phil Hey Quartet, led by the esteemed drummer we know and love. (Note that this jazz fest begins with two women bandleaders. New York-based drummer/composer Allison Miller and her band Boom Tic Boom, with pianist Myra Melford, violinist Jenny Scheinman, clarinetist Ben Goldberg, cornet player Kirk Knuffke and bassist Todd Sickafoose.Lonnie Smith is one of her mentors, ’nuff said. Here are the highlights:įriday, July 1: Japan-born, New York City-based jazz organist Akiko Tsuruga and her trio, featuring drummer Jeff Hamilton. Held over every Fourth of July weekend on the big green lawn of the Old Capitol and in the city’s pleasant streets, it’s a small but mighty jazz event that books top talent. On the topic of jazz festivals, many Twin Cities metro jazz fans make the annual trek south through cornfields and wind farms to the Iowa City Jazz Festival. Alexander should bring serious crowds to Mears Park, and even if some people come to see a young celebrity, someone who’s been on “Ellen” and “60 Minutes” and the “Today Show,” they’ll still hear the real thing. So congratulations to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. ( Here he is, performing for a TED crowd.) And then he takes the mic to announce his next song and you’re reminded once more that this is a kid playing Monk or Strayhorn or John Coltrane. Hearing Alexander play makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck you don’t expect such musicianship, maturity and command of the instrument from a child, and you have to convince yourself to believe your own ears. Maybe that, or maybe it’s just the lightning strike of genius. Some call this proof that jazz is now genuinely global. He grew up listening to his father’s old-school jazz records and taught himself to play piano. Wynton Marsalis has called him “my hero.” Herbie Hancock is a fan.Īlexander was born in Bali, not a place one usually looks for brilliant young jazz musicians. His guest performance at a Jazz at Lincoln Center gala at age 10 won raves. His first album, “My Favorite Things,” debuted at #2 on the Billboard jazz chart. (OK, he’ll be 13 on June 25, but still.)Ī true prodigy whose skill and understanding of the music belie his tender years, Alexander performed at the 2016 Grammys as a two-time nominee and received a standing ovation. His name is Joey Alexander, he plays piano, and he’s only 12 years old. Someone they could squeeze in, and not just because he’s on the small side. Turns out there was room for one more headliner. Paul Thursday-Saturday, June 23-25: trombonist Delfeayo Marsal is on Thursday, guitarist Russell Malone and pianist Ellis Marsalis on Friday, and on Saturday, singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli and the danceable Michael Franti and his band Spearhead.
In February, the Twin Cities Jazz Festival announced five headliners for this year’s event, which takes over downtown St.
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