Scottie Miller has a new thing, piano poetry. It’s what happens when he delivers his poetry to his improvisation-based piano playing. Scottie’s piano poetry debuts Saturday August 21 at Crooners in Minneapolis at 8:30, and Friday night August 27 at 7at the Lakeshore Players Theater in White Bear. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Scottie addressed the intersection of writing songs and poetry.

Scottie Miller has a new thing, piano poetry. It’s what happens when he delivers his poetry to his improvisation-based piano playing. Scottie’s piano poetry debuts Saturday August 21 at Crooners in Minneapolis at 8:30, and Friday night August 27 at 7at the Lakeshore Players Theater in White Bear. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Scottie addressed the intersection of writing songs and poetry.

The training for musicians focuses on learning their craft. But a big part of the work turns out to be selling your act. Jeri Goldstein specializes in helping musicians position themselves in the marketplace. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Jeri first talked about developing her specialty.

The Foxgloves is a 6-piece all woman Twin Cities Bluegrass / Americana group performing every second Wednesday at Sociable Cider Werks in Northeast Minneapolis. When Nikki Lemire and Steph Snow of the Foxgloves talked about the group with Phil Nusbaum, Nikki first addressed determining the group’s genre label.

The Red Hot Django Peppers plays the music of Django Reinhardt. The group performs at the Ice House in Minneapolis next Sunday from 11 AM till 2 PM The leader is Ryan Picone. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Ryan talked about how Django, probably in the 1920s, first got interested in jazz.

Tjänrnblom plays traditional music from Swedish and Finnish tradition, and the group’s tunes . The group plays Thursday August 5 at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. In a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Cheryl Paschke and Joe Alfano of the group told how much of the group’s repertoire comes from people known to the band, or to evets the band experienced.

Enso Daiko has been serving up Taiko drumming in the Twin Cities for many years. You can see the group next Sunday 6 to 8 PM in Roseville’s Central Park. Jeff Ellsworth has been a member of Enso Daiko for many years, and in a conversation with Phil Nusbaum, Jeff tells a bit about the heritage of Taiko drumming.

With her voice injury and Covid in the rearview mirror, Katia Cardenas is back singing jazz. Catch Katia at 8PM this Friday night at the Granada in Minneapolis. Katia told Phil Nusbaum that hers is a mix of picking up where she left up, and new ideas caused by reflection.

Charmin Michelle and Dennis Spears have been friends for so long that it’s kind of a surprise that they’ve never shared a stage. But that changes this Sunday at 6 PM at Crooner’s in Minneapolis. When Charmin and Dennis got together with Phil Nusbaum, the talk turned to some of their old Minneapolis hangouts, like the long departed Times Bar.

Maud Hixson performs Songs of the 1920s this Saturday July 24 at Crooner’s in Minneapolis. Then

on Sunday August 1, Maud is right back at Crooner’s with a 6-piece group, French 75. Maud has been very successful presenting shows about specific eras. When Maud talked to Phil Nusbaum, he asked where that idea comes from.