St. Olaf Jazz Band

Main Stage Showroom 6161 Hwy 65 NE, Minneapolis, MN, United States

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 1 hour before showtimes. A Night of Great Big Band Jazz! St. Olaf Jazz I is the premier large jazz ensemble at St. Olaf College. Composed of 21 members, the award-winning band is led by Dr. Joseph L. Jefferson. The jazz program at St. Olaf is home to two ensembles that perform both on and off-campus concerts every academic year. These versatile groups perform in a variety of musical styles including swing, bebop, fusion, funk, salsa and Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and traditional jazz idioms. Joseph L. Jefferson, director and trombonist is an award-winning educator that currently serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Ensembles/Applied Jazz Trombone at St. Olaf College. Director: Joseph L. Jefferson Joseph L. Jefferson is an award-winning educator who currently serves as Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Ensembles/Applied Jazz Trombone at St. Olaf College. His extensive training in classical and jazz music has made him a versatile performer, playing as a soloist and chamber musician in Symphonic, Jazz, and Commercial settings both nationally and internationally. His numerous honors and awards span across the scholastic and musical spectrum, including being selected among the “Yamaha 40 under 40” Class of 2023 and receiving the 2022 Ellis Marsalis, Jr. Jazz Educator of the Year award from the Jazz Education Network. As a performer, Dr. Jefferson has shared the stage with a plethora of talented groups and artists such as Vanessa Williams, Sean Jones, The Cab Calloway Orchestra, and international R&B artists Dwele and Raheem Devaughn. In addition to his impressive resume, Dr. Jefferson is also a frequent clinician/consultant for Jazz at Lincoln Center. WP.StOlaf.edu/jazz

A Night in Havana with Charanga Tropical

The Belvedere at Crooners 6161 Highway 65 NE, Minneapolis, MN, United States

Dinner and cocktail seating and service begins 90 minutes before showtimes. Salsa with Strings! Take a musical journey with Charanga Tropical and its repertoire of romantic boleros, modern salsa, and Cuban classics. The ten band members perform as a ‘charanga,’ one of the few in the United States, with an instrumentation that dates back to the roots of Cuban music. The sound combines violins, flute, vocals, and full Latin rhythm section. The beautiful blend of smooth strings and Caribbean beats inspires visions of Old Havana at sunset. Damian Rodriquez: Vocals Frank Rivery: Vocals Doug Little: Flute) Aja Majkrzak: Violin Ana Frómeta: Violin Kristi Petraborg: Viola Mariano Flores: Timbales Andrew Gillespie: Congas Joe Strachan: Piano Graydon Peterson: Bass Founded in 2006 by flutist and bandleader Doug Little, Charanga Tropical brings together Cuban and American musicians whose collective accomplishments include international tours, multiple CDs, major grant awards, Latin Grammy nominations, and more. Charanga Tropical has appeared at major festivals and venues throughout the Midwest. In 2019 the band backed up Grammy-winning Cuban singer Mayito Rivera. In 2015 Charanga Tropical became the only American group ever to perform at Havana’s International Danzón Festival. While on tour they played on national Cuban radio and at venues in and around Havana. Charanga also recorded in the same historic Havana studio that produced Buena Vista Social Club. The resulting CD ‘In Cuba’ captures the magic of that legendary studio space and landmark tour. “On a hot summer day no one else can make downtown Minneapolis feel so much like South Beach, Miami.” –Star Tribune CharangaTropical.com

KFAI 47th Anniversary Community Celebration

The Hook and Ladder Theater 3010 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN, United States

Our friends at KFAI Community Radio (90.3FM) turn 47 this year and we’re helping them celebrate by throwing a free party. The station went on the air in 1978 with studios located in Walker Church and has been the voice of our community ever since. For their birthday celebration, they have curated an entertaining evening of music and fun.

Free