Jazz Police, Author at Twin Cities Jazz Festival

Jacob Collier touches down at the Fillmore in Minneapolis

May 23, 2022 •

By Ryan Garmoe We all know Jacob Collier is singularly gifted. His videos took the internet by storm in 2012, and Collier himself has been on a meteoric rise, musically and popularly, ever since. At 27, he’s won 5 Grammy awards and collaborated with jazz and pop titans, including Herbie Hancock, Snarky Puppy, the Korean […]

Kassa Overall defies genre at The Cedar

May 9, 2022 •

By Ryan Garmoe This past Saturday, Grammy-nominated musician, emcee, singer, producer, and drummer, Kassa Overall, gave a genre-bending performance at The Cedar. This music refuses definition; It’s equal parts jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, but even those titles don’t do full justice to Kassa’s creations. At the end of the day, it’s simply wildly engaging music. […]

Speed and King improvise a winning duo performance

May 4, 2022 •

By Dan Emerson Saxophonist-composer Chris Speed, drummer Dave King and upright bassist Chris Tordini have played off and on as a trio since 2013, along with performing in various other groups. Saturday night’s (April 30) performance in the Dunsmore room at Crooners Supper Club was booked as a trio performance. But there was an unforeseen […]

The Lead Sheet: International Jazz Day April 30, Around the World and Here at Home

April 28, 2022 •

In November 2011, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) officially designated April 30 as International Jazz Day “in order to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.” International Jazz Day is chaired and led by UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay and legendary jazz pianist and composer […]

CD Review: Lynne Arriale Trio, “The Lights Are Always On” (Challenge Records, 2022)

April 16, 2022 •

Lynne Arriale I remember when I first “found” pianist Lynne Arriale in a used CD bin, a few years after her first release (The Eyes Have It, 1994). I was certain this was the start of a new, hopefully long-term relationship to music. I was already a die-hard fan of be-bop and post-bop, particularly of […]

Taborn and trio continue their musical conversation at the Dakota

April 15, 2022 •

By Dan Emerson Pianist and composer Craig Taborn says that his steadily-evolving music takes shape through an ongoing “conversation between composed sections and improvisation.” Returning to his Minneapolis hometown on April 13, Tabor and his trio continued their long-running, musical dialogue in two sets at the Dakota jazz club. After more than 20 years based […]