Live Music

Sun May 12 Mike Dowling & Jeff Ray, 1pm https://mikedowling.com/ https://jeffraymusic.com/ When the late, great Vassar Clements heard Mike Dowling play guitar back in 1975 he did the sensible thing. He hired him. Mike was the guitarist in Vasssar’s first touring band and can be heard on Clements’ Grammy-nominated Nashville Jam. Clements called him simply, “One of the finest guitarists there is, anywhere.” Before embarking on a solo performance and teaching career, the Wisconsin native also worked and recorded with music legends Jethro Burns and Joe Venuti in Chicago, and studied briefly with session great George Barnes in San Francisco. In1995, after years in various ensembles and a successful stint as a Nashville songwriter he launched a solo performance career and with the release of Swamp Dog Blues began to headline at concerts and festivals throughout the world. Soon after, Mike packed up his guitars and his fishing gear and moved from Nashville, Tennessee to a little mountain town in northwest Wyoming where he and his wife opened Wind River Guitar, a unique residency school for private master instruction. He’s released eight critically acclaimed albums on his Wind River Guitar label and two more for Solid Air Records. David Chamberlain, host of “Sagebrush Boogie”, WRFG FM, Atlantic called his most recent CD, Tracks, “One of the best recordings I have ever heard.” Mike shares a Grammy for his contribution to Pink Guitar, a collaborative compilation of Henry Mancini tunes arranged and performed by twelve of the country’s top acoustic guitarists. Pink Guitar, produced by Solid Air Records, was voted Pop Instrumental Album of the Year in 2005. Mike Dowling will be joined by Minnesota resonator slide-guitarist and songwriter Jeff Ray. Ray‘s music is rooted in the traditions of acoustic blues and American primitive fingerstyle guitar while also integrating Indian classical and world music styles under the cryptic guise of alternate guitar tunings. His music recalls early blues and rock, fingerstyle-folk, and Indian Carnatic music – sounding equal parts Ry Cooder, Grateful Dead and RL Burnside. Jeff has shared the stage with Chris Smither, Justin Townes Earl, Indigenous, Spider John Koerner, Earl Greyhound, Black Diamond Heavies, Pat Donohue, Retribution Gospel Choir, Dawes, and Charlie Parr, among others. He has earned recognition as a first-place winner of the Minnesota Blues Society “Road to Memphis” competition and placed second in the Trocadero’s Spotlight Songwriter Competition. JEFF RAY hosts the “Roots & Resophonics” concert series at the White Squirrel Bar on the 2nd Sunday of every month, 1-3pm, featuring a unique duo performance of the most talented local and regional musicians in the American roots genre.        

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 75 minutes before showtimes. Collegiate Jazz Ensemble Performing compositions and arrangements by acclaimed women composers and arrangers in honor of Mother’s Day. The program will include works by Toshiko Akiyoshi, Patty Darling, Michele Fernández, Melba Liston, Ellen Rowe, Maria Schneider, and Mary Lou Williams. Abigail Clasemann, Dylan Halom, Chloe Lee, Gabe Mauer, Julia Peterson, Parker Rogers, Indigo Sabin, Anna Stednitz woodwinds Aiden Carlson, Sam Helgerson, Ethan Kalla, Arya Menk, Gracelyn Szynal trumpetsAidan Hansen, Aidon Huck, Zach Mangan, Adam Nordquist, Ian Ort trombonesAmelia Boerger vibes, percussion Holden Docherty bass Daniel Gordon drums Jorgen Halstensen piano Conor Jolly guitar Will Sorg bass Nathan Swanson drumsJack Asmus, Arya Menk, Gracelynn Szynal vocals Dave Stamps director The Gustavus Jazz Ensemble, directed by Dr. Dave Stamps, is the premier 21-member concert jazz ensemble at Gustavus Adolphus College. Formerly known as the Gustavus Jazz Lab Band and Gustavus Stage Band, the Gustavus Jazz Ensemble recently celebrated its 50th year of excellence. Founded in 1970 by Dr. Mark Lammers, the ensemble is composed of students majoring in a diverse array of academic disciplines. The ensemble, affectionately known as GJAZZ, prides itself on its multifaceted repertoire of classic big band works and cutting-edge arrangements by today’s leading jazz composers. Gustavus.edu/finearts

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins one hour before showtime. Mother/Daughter, Cabaret, Heartwarming, Hilarious Erin Schwab and Jay Fuchs have been doing Mother’s Day Cabaret’s for over 20 years, but this time will be EVEN BETTER! They will be joined by Erin’s real life daughter, Sophie Todaro! This is going to be a show to beat ALL Mother’s Day shows. We will sing everything from Stevie Nicks to Stevie Wonder, Showtunes and Sing-A-Longs and of course it will also be hilarious and heart warming. Mary T had us book this show with Sophie after the last show we did together! If the owner of the club herself loves, you better get your tix!! Join us at Crooners for Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 12th at 5pm! Get your tickets now!!! Erin Schwab, Vocals Sophie Todaro, Vocals Jay Fuchs, Piano & Vocals Erin Schwab and Jay Fuchs have been playing together in the Twin Cities and across the US for over 20 years. Erin and Jay have played all of the stages at Crooners for years and have written and performed many shows including 1967: Summer of Love, Erin sings Bette and their VERY popular Naughty and Nice Holiday Shows! They have played Clubs, Theaters, Weddings, Fundraisers, Garages, Living Rooms, Corporate and Political Events. Both EriJay have also been Music and Theater Educators for years. Jay was the head of the Theory and Composition Department at McNally Smith College of Music for years and Erin was on the Voice & Ensemble Faculty there as well. Erin and Jay started Cabaret Camp and Jay has now evolved the original classes to cultivate a new group, The Cabaret All-Stars and they are playing numerous places around town as well. Erin is the audience coordinator and a regular Jason Show Contributor on Fox 9. Host Jason Matheson has been calling her “The Twin Cities Bette Midler” for years! She also is a Director of Educational Theater and Teaching Artist and one of the co-founders of ETC Productions, a new Educational Theater Company here in the Twin Cities! For more information go to etcproductions.info “Erin Schwab IS the Bette Midler of the Twin Cities” Jason Matheson of the Jason Show on Fox 9 and Jason and Alexis In The Morning on My Talk 107.1 FM @ErinSchwabMN on Instagram