Last weekend author Ted Gioia (“The Birth (and Death) of the Cool,” “The History of Jazz”) was in town for a reading at Magers & Quinn, after which he joined us at the Artists’ Quarter for drummer Roy Haynes’ late set. It was fun to show off St. Paul’s famous basement jazz club, with its fine acoustics and friendly staff and jazz-happy crowd.
The Twin Cities is a serious arts community, which we sometimes forget and often take for granted. If you have guests coming in for the holiday, consider taking them out on the town(s).
Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: Pat Mallinger at the Artists’ Quarter. Mallinger grew up in St. Paul, went to Henry Sibley High School, studied jazz at North Texas State, hit the road, and finally settled in Chicago, where he plays the late set at the Green Mill on Saturdays. Here’s a video of an AQ performance in 2007. Stop by for some warm, intelligent, straight-ahead sounds — originals and standards, soaring horns (Mallinger plays alto, tenor, and soprano saxes) and a top-shelf rhythm section: Chris Lomheim on piano, Tom Lewis on bass, Kenny Horst on drums. Pat Mallinger Quartet, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, Nov. 25, 27 and 28, Artists’ Quarter, 9 p.m. ($12).
Saturday: The Peterson Family at the Woman’s Club: “Red Hot Holiday Gala.” How many performing Petersons are there in Minnesota’s First Family of Music? I count seven in the publicity shot for this event: matriarch Jeanne Arland (piano), Linda (piano and vocals), Patty (vocals), Billy (bass), Ricky (keyboards and vocals), Paul (drums and vocals), Russ (sax), and Jason Peterson DeLaire (sax and vocals). Tickets to the Woman’s Club’s holiday fundraiser are refreshingly affordable; proceeds fund social service organizations that provide aid for Minnesota’s women and children. Good music and good times for a good cause. Peterson Family, Saturday, Nov. 28, 9:30 p.m., The Woman’s Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St. ($20). Tickets online or call 612-813-5300.
Sunday: Small City Trio at the Red Stag Supper Club. By Sunday you’ll be sick of turkey. Stop by the Red Stag for Slow Food Sunday and let Chef Brian Hauke surprise you. Enjoy the music of Jeremy Walker’s personal trio, with his longtime friends Jeff Brueske on bass and Tim Zhorne on drums. Ellington, Strayhorn, originals, and two-for-one drinks in the bar until closing. What a perfect way to end a holiday weekend. Small City Trio, Sunday, Nov. 29, 9 p.m., Red Stag Supper Club, 509 1st Ave. NE, Minneapolis (no cover).
Pamela Espeland keeps a Twin Cities live jazz calendar, blogs about jazz at Bebopified and tweets about jazz on Twitter.
The Pat Mallinger Quartet at the Artusts’ Quarter is only $8 tonight (Wednesday, November 25th).