Is your child is new to Minneapolis Public Schools? Or are you just looking to enroll your child into a different school in the district next year? Shakur Ali of the MPS Enrollment department talks with Jazz88's Manny Hill about all the information you need to know to get started, and why February 7th will be an important date to remember.

Looking to help a family this holiday season? There's a great opportunity to do so with a really cool event happening at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis starting the weekend after Thanksgiving. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with Roosevelt Senior Ivy Mills about her role with Operation Holiday Basket, and how the event originated. Ivy also has info on how you can help.

Graydon Peterson leads Thoughtcast into the Icehouse in Minneapolis to celebrate the group’s new CD. Jake Baldwin plays the trumpet, Ben Erlich is the drummer, Joe Strachan is the keyboardist and Graydon Peterson is the bassist. All ten compositions are Peterson’s When Graydon talked to Phil Nusbaum, Graydon addressed his inspiration for the pieces

Early Childhood Screening is underway this month at Minneapolis Public Schools. Jazz88's Manny Hill talks with Wanda Felder, MPS Early Childhood Education Program Facilitator about why now is the time for MPS families to sign their child up for Screening.

For Curtis and Loretta, the Covid Pandemic was a time for reflection and composing new songs. Many of the songs are on the new CD, Lift The World. The duet celebrates the CD at an event at the Ginkgo in Saint Pau Saturday November 19 at 8PM. When Curtis and Loretta talked to Phil Nusbaum, Loretta spoke of the title song, Lift the World.

Aaron Kerr’s new opera captures the spirit of the times of the assassination of President Kennedy and resignation of President Nixon. Inspired by TV news copy saved over the decades, the work is called Kennedy Nixon UPI AP. It’ll be staged at Zion Lutheran Church in St Paul, Friday November 18 at 7PM. When Aaron talked to Phil Nusbaum about this most unusual opera which involves TV news copy, a narrator and singing, he said that there was a family connection with the UPI and AP TV news copy.

The American Roots Revue, staged November 12 at the Dakota in Minneapolis, comes from an idea of Larry Long. The show brings together Robert Robinson, Tonia Hughes Kendrick, Claudia Schmidt Larry Long and others to celebrate of the artists’ songs and musical cultures. Michael Bland, who has worked with Prince and many other musical luminaries leads the band. When Phil Nusbaum got together with Larry and Michael, he asked Larry why he created this show.

What's happening in the month of November at Minneapolis Public Schools? Interim Superintendent Rochelle Cox shares all with Jazz88's Manny Hill, including the launch of a unique observatory at Hall STEM Academy, what the district has planned for Election Day, National American Indian Involvement Week and much more!

The guitarist Marc Ribot was nice enough to catch up with the Afternoon Cruise in advance of his upcoming show at the Cedar. Ribot discussed his love of solo performance, his short lived tenure in Brother Jack McDuff's band and his close associations with the No-Wave scene in New York City.

Award-winning music icon Vijay Iyer was nice enough to join Sean McPherson from the Afternoon Cruise in anticipation of his Thursday show at The Dakota. In this interview Iyer discusses his new record, Uneasy, his love of the piano trio format and his approach to teaching.