Minnesota based guitarist Cody Steinmann has been steadily releasing music with his trio which features Chris Bates on bass, Abbinet Berhanu on the drums. But for his next act Steinmann is bringing in some extra support. East Coast based tenor player JD Allen is coming through town for a number of engagements including a performance and recording session with Steinmann. Steinmann visited Jazz88 to talk about his upcoming whirlwind weekend with JD Allen and company.

Celebrated drummer JT Bates is getting back into the fold as a curator and booker. In addition to taking on more booking responsibilities at Icehouse in general, Bates is curating Mondays at Icehouse for the month of March. Listen to find out what Bates has planned for the long running curated Monday series at Icehouse.

Tina Schlieske has been a fixture in the Twin Cities music scene since the 1990s but this is the first time she's had a project so centered in jazz. On her new album "The Good Life" Schlieske performed classic numbers with some of the finest musicians in the Twin Cities jazz scene. Tina stopped in to chat with Sean McPherson about the new album and about the release show at Icehouse.

According to LA Buckner, he is putting "all his eggs into his own basket". After years of splitting his time as a sideman and as a leader he is focusing on taking LA Buckner and BiG HOMiE up to the next level. To that end, Buckner is making his debut as a leader at Crooners this Friday. Listen to find out what the plan is for the show on Friday.

Adi Yeshaya is an in-demand arranger and composer whose has done work for Whitney Houston, Prince, Lena Horne and more. In the Twin Cities Yeshaya might be best known for his longtime collaboration with Debbie Duncan. After Duncan's passing in 2020 Adi started to revisit the charts he had worked up during their decades of collaboration. With these arrangements and some new ones in hand, Yeshaya and his Jazz Orchestra are taking the stage of Crooners on Sunday February 25 at 6:30. Jennifer Grimm will be joining the Orchestra as the featured vocalist.

Starting his professional career in the late 70s and staying vital and relevant up to today, Kenny Garrett truly bridges generations as a jazz icon. Frequently recognized as the greatest alto player of his generation, Garrett is also a generational talent as a composer. Check out the conversation between Kenny Garrett and Sean McPherson as they discuss his upcoming shows at the Dakota on February 24 and his forthcoming album which is slated for an April release.

Though performing his own originals and doing tributes is still on the menu for Bruce A. Henry, in recent years he has gravitated towards shows where he explores facets of the African-American experience through music. Though educational, these performances are also engaging and electrifying. The key to maintaining that balance is Henry's personal investment in learning history from all corners of the world and synthesizing that into impassioned performance. Henry endeavors to do just that on Saturday February 17 with his new show “Watch That Star” – A Music Celebration of The African American Journey.

After a decade as one of the most celebrated instrumental groups in the Twin Cities, Purple Funk Metropolis is back in action for 2023. Fresh off a band vacation to Puerto Rico, the group is preparing to head back into the studio and get a couple shows on their calendar. Purple Funk Metropolis is getting ready for a show at The Dakota on February 26 and keyboardist Sam Rosenstone and saxophonist Andrew Tomten popped in to talk about a show and their plans for the year.

Wil B, one half of the hip-hop meets classical string duo Black Violin connected with Jazz88 in anticipation of their show on Saturday, February 10 at the State Theatre.

More than any other hip-hop producer, J. Dilla, born James Yancey February 7, 1974, has impacted how jazz musicians write and play today. His famously "drunken" drum programming, his singular approach to harmonization and his bass programming have all become part of the lexicon of modern jazz. To mark what would be Dilla's 50th birthday (he passed away from complications of a rare blood disease and Lupus in 2006) Sean McPherson connected with Jedidiah Jones and Kevin Gamble. In addition to being a broadcaster here on Jazz88 Jones is a music producer. Kevin Gamble is a popular keyboardist in the Twin Cities music scene as well as a producer. Listen to this episode to hear reflections on Dilla's impact, snippets of his productions and enthusiasm on where music is heading next!