In 2024, Jay Beckenstein and band observe the 50th anniversary of what started as a diversion, something that was just for fun (and twenty-five cents at the door). It began inauspiciously when Beckenstein and a few musician friends in Buffalo, NY organized a get-together on their shared night off from working in bands that actually […]

With energy and chops to burn, The Travis Anderson Trio brings fresh interpretations to standards and more – from Chopin to Mario Bros – they swing like there’s no tomorrow while saluting the great trios of yesterday. Travis Anderson has been delighting audiences with his dazzling piano technique and inventive arrangements since 2003. Additionally, he has taken […]

Founded in 2006, Charanga Tropical performs with instrumentation that dates back to the roots of Cuban music featuring a sizzling Latin rhythm section, three violins, vocalists, and flute. The music is rich in harmony and melody, fantastic for listening and superb for dancing. In 2015 Charanga Tropical became the first and only North American group ever to […]

David Smith, keyboards Tony Axtell, bass Ke’Andre Mack, drums Solomon Parham, trumpet Kathy Mueller, synth, flute, vocals Peter Vircks, saxophone Geoff Jones, vocals Chreese Jones, vocals A three-time Emmy Award-winning actor, vocalist, arts educator and community organizer; T. Mychael Rambo is a long-standing Twin Cities arts community pillar. T. Mychael has made an indelible mark in the […]

A pianist with a long association with the elegant St. Paul Hotel , who may be talked into playing some of his Bill Evans or Keith Jarrett transcriptions

Moore By Four quickly established themselves as a fixture on the Twin Cities music scene when the group was created in 1986 at Ruby’s Cabaret in Minneapolis. The group performed sold-out concerts at the Guthrie and Fitzgerald Theaters and went on to tour Europe and Japan, sharing concert billing with Harry Connick, Jr., Joe Williams, […]

New York transplant at home on Guitar, piano, and, I hear, Bass. He’ll be strumming and picking

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

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 […]

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 […]