Miguel Vargas and Terrell LaMarr, hosts of the KFAI radio show Radio Pocho, will prepare a special mix for their set at Berlin. They will showcase some of their many musical influences, which include cumbia, jazz, samba, and funk.

Inspired by a return to his former home near the Shenandoah Mountains in 2015, Minneapolis-based guitarist Zacc Harris launched American Reverie, a project that reimagines classic American folk songs through the lens of contemporary jazz. Featuring bassist Matt Peterson and drummer Lars-Erik Larson, the trio’s 2017 debut album received critical acclaim for its fresh, understated […]

Saxophonist/composer Lenard Simpson will perform two sets of original music from his recent release, New Beginnings, with a quartet of excellent Chicago-based musicians. Originally from Milwaukee, WI, Lenard Simpson is “quickly becoming one of the most important saxophonists of this generation” (Kiefer). From his early days as a self-taught beginner to his formal studies at […]

Music producer and DJ Akko digs into his rich crates of vinyl and digital tracks to blend a narrative across jazz, funk, house, and boogie. Andrew Koalska (aka Akko) is a music producer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist from St. Paul, MN. With roots stretching back to classical piano and guitar, he started producing his own records in 2011. […]

Multi-instrumentalist Nick Bhalla will perform one set of improvised solo piano. Then, he will be joined by Matt Beachey on bass and Ben Ehrlich on drums for a jazz trio set. Nick is highly active in the Minneapolis music scene, contributing to projects including Dusty Forever, Harlow, Neopolitan, Steady Range, and his trio Big Blue […]

Bassoonist Garrett Jones, pianist Patrick Adkins, bassist Greg Byers, and drummer Adam Harder Nussbaum will perform two sets of music, featuring original compositions from Jones’ previous releases, Tributaries (2023) and Vestiges (2022), as well as unreleased material. Garrett Jones is a Minneapolis-based bassoonist and composer known for his cross-genre bassoon techniques and jazz bassoon recordings. His […]

The Cherry Pit presents an open jam for musicians and music lovers in the Twin Cities. It’s a social hub for Twin Cities creatives, a training ground to refine musicianship, and a vehicle for high-vibrational improvisation. This is not a free-form basement jam or strictly a jazz jam. Our goal is to find an equilibrium […]

Jimmy Farace, Kenny Reichert, Ethan Philion, and Devin Drobka will be celebrating Farace’s debut album release on Thursday, April 24 at Berlin with two sets of original music and arrangements for a modern jazz quartet. From an early age, Jimmy Farace has been captivated by the beauty and expressive power of the baritone saxophone. With […]

Saxophonist Kevin Sun brings his NYC-based quartet on the road in support of his latest album, Quartets, released on Endectomorph Music. The quartet features his longtime collaborators pianist Christian Li (Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sungazer), bassist Walter Stinson (Adam O’Farrill’s Stranger Days, Onyx Collective), and drummer Kayvon Gordon (Sullivan Fortner Trio). The band will be performing […]

Hailing from Chicago, Pyrography is led by pianist/keyboardist Paul Hecht, who came of age as an improvising musician in Chicago with a vital generation of performers including Greg Ward, Matt Ulery, Quin Kirchner, and particularly Rob Clearfield. He now teaches eclectic classes in music and culture at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and performs regularly […]