We are stuffed to the gills in Minnesota with great jazz artists. We wanted to highlight some of the best songs released in 2023. This list is by no means comprehensive and we encourage you to listen our stream dedicated to Minnesota music, Minnesota Jazz Tracks. And don't miss out on the great local show of the same name on our FM airwaves on Monday nights from 7-9.

We are stuffed to the gills in Minnesota with great jazz artists. We wanted to highlight some of the best songs released in 2023. This list is by no means comprehensive and we encourage you to listen our stream dedicated to Minnesota music, Minnesota Jazz Tracks. And don't miss out on the great local show of the same name on our FM airwaves on Monday nights from 7-9.

Enrollment Season has gotten underway again at Minneapolis Public Schools. It started November 15, and MPS Voices Executive PRoducer Manny Hill talked with MPS Director of Enrollment Managment Martha Swanson about important dates for families to remember, and also the upcoming School Finder Fair happening on January 13!

José James is a product of South Minneapolis and even though he lives elsewhere he is still strongly connected with the Twin Cities. In fact, James fell in love with jazz as a young teenager thanks to an announcer on Jazz88 outlining the role of Billy Strayhorn in the composition "Take The A Train". In his adulthood James has become an internationally revered jazz artist. He's dropping a new album in April of 2024 and he's coming back to the Twin Cities for two shows at the Dakota on December 12 and 13. These are his annual Christmas shows and this year, he'll be joined by Christian Sands on piano. Tune in to hear about all this and more from José James.

Oleta Adams joined Patty Peterson in the Playroom to talk about her upcoming concert at Dakota in Mpls. She talks about her band and the importance of the song "Get Here".

Craig Dion and Jason Craft alongside fellow musicians and vocalists will be gracing the stage of the Capri Theater in Minneapolis this Sunday for a concert celebrating the music of Stevie Wonder. They visited the Afternoon Cruise to discuss the concert, Wonder's vast musical output and the unique unpolished joy that Stevie Wonder brings to his work behind the drum kit.

Vocalist Deb Brown joins Patty Peterson on Sunday Morning Jazz to talk about her Holiday concert & CD release on Dec. 2 at Crooners.

Ginger Commodore, Judi Vinar and Connie Evingson are all headliners in their own right but they have elected to get together as a triple threat for the first time to usher in the holidays with their Crooner's concert on November 30 "Holiday Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice". The trio connected with Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise to discuss their plans for the concert and their storied careers in the Twin Cities music world.

Jazz 88's Peter Solomon spoke with Erinn Liebhard, director of the St. Paul based dance troupe Rhythmically Speaking about their upcoming show "Chill," running Dec. 1 -3 at Amsterdam Bar & Hall in St. Paul, and featuring original choreography to a live jazz performance of Vince Guaraldi's score for A Charlie Brown Christmas. (Image by Jillian Bell).

Maurice Jacox is a living legend. He's lived his life on stages around the world and nowadays the Twin Cities is blessed to see him all over town. On November 28 Maurice will be leading his group "We Still R" through a concert at the Dakota. In the conversation with Jazz88's Sean McPherson Jacox discusses how he ended up playing with We Still R, his love of the Cuban people and more.