Vocalist Jireh Calo and Guitarist Daniel Volovets formed a musical partnership based on shared interests. The two combine musical genres in ways that are unexpected, but ring true. Jireh and Daniel will perform together for the first time May 17 at the Cedar in Minneapolis. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Daniel told how he and Jireh met.

The in-demand, Twin Cities based keyboard player Kavyesh Kaviraj came through the studios of Jazz88 to talk about the importance of working as a side person, his approach to leading bands and his upcoming show at the Dakota.

Steve Heckler and Dayna Martinez swung by the Afternoon Cruise to chat about The Twin Cities Jazz Festival. They covered details on the MPS Voices Youth Stage as well as provided highlights from all Jazz Fest has to offer.

Pete Whitman, the celebrated Minnesota-based saxophonist and composer swung by the Afternoon Cruise to discuss his upcoming show with Byron Stripling and the JazzMN Orchestra on May 23, as well as an upcoming set on the books at the Dakota.

Brass Lassie adds horn arrangements to the traditional mix of fiddles, flutes and concertinas. The group keeps on evolving, added repertoire learned from a Danish Band, and with dancers added to the performance as well. Brass Lassie performs this coming Tuesday at the Parkway in Minneapolis, with doors opening at 6:30 and the show at 7:30. When Brass Lassie leader Laura MacKenzie talked to Phil Nusbaum, she began be telling where the idea for Brass lassie comes from.

Ronnie Foster is making his way to the Dakota on May 11. He was nice enough to hop on a ZOOM with Sean McPherson and talk about his new album, the upcoming show, his tutelage under other organ masters and his experience of being sampled by A Tribe Called Quest.

Jazz88's Manny Hill chats with Minneapolis Public Schools Interim Suptindendent Rochelle Cox about the increased graduation rates around MPS, Teacher Appreciation Week, and how the district plans to celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Superintendent Cox also highlights the MPS Shines winners for the month of April.

Bobby Lyle is back in town for a Friday show at Crooners and he was nice enough to stop by the Afternoon Cruise. He talked about growing up in Minneapolis and hearing about young musicians in North Minneapolis who were working out of a garage. Those musicians turned out to be Prince and Morris Day! That's the tip of the iceberg with the stories Bobby Lyle can tell about his four plus decades in the music world.

Pianist Billy Childs connected with Sean McPherson via ZOOM to discuss his new album, his collaborators and his upcoming show at the Dakota in Minneapolis. - This podcast was produced and edited by Autumn Haeg.

Some say Willie West’s greatest musical triumph was in the 1970s when he was the lead singer for the iconic pop group, the Meters. But Willie has never stopped singing, as his new CD The Soul Sessions attests. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Willie told about how the songs on the CD are special to him, such as Talk to Me, composed by Little Willie John.