July 5-6

Rosanne Cash

7:00

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appearing with John Leventhal
opening act Boyd Lee and Joe Cruz
This show is part of our new American Song Series - intimate stripped-down performances by a select group of great American singers and songwriters.

And we couldn't ask for a better show on the 4th of July weekend than this rare club appearance by Rosanne Cash.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Rosanne Cash may have become famous because of her father (music legend Johnny Cash), but she has certainly backed that fame up with her music. Over her 30 year recording career, Cash has scored eleven number one hits from her fourteen albums. While owing a lot to the folk and country traditions, Cash's lyrics and music are poignant and personal, giving her songs substance and weight that elude most "crossover" artists.

Her most recent album, 2006's Black Cadillac, documents the way she dealt with the loss of both her parents in 2003 and 2005. Already known for making very personal statements with her unique blend of country and pop, the album was critically acclaimed across the board, and made several year end top ten lists as well as being nominated for a Grammy. It is this honest approach to songwriting that has made Cash a household name in music circles for the past three decades.

"Rosanne Cash has one of those familiar voices. The warm, slightly husky tone, the soulful expressiveness and the earthy delivery of intelligent, accessible lyrics. Her pipes are like old friends. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since you’ve seen each other, you reconnect immediately."
– Dallas Morning News



• "I Still Miss Someone"

• "September When It Comes"

July 8-9

Linda Tillery & Cultural Heritage Choir

7:00 and 9:30

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Linda Tillery is a veteran vocalist, percussionist, producer and cultural historian whose career has spanned 34 years. Since the 1960's, Tillery has been regarded as one of the San Francisco Bay Area's most versatile singers. Her powerful, shimmering alto voice has been showcased in such groups as the Loading Zone, Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra, the Solid Senders and Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra. A native San Franciscan, Linda has Texas soul, rooted in her mother's stories and food, and her uncle Tom Anderson's deft blues whistle. These Texas expatriates anchored her earliest memories in an older musical tradition when the contemporary sound pronounced it old-fashioned. The sound of artists such as Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Bill Doggett, Dinah Washington, Clyde McPhatter, Faye Adams and Ruth Brown were all a part of Linda's early music education. While singing for the play Letters From A New England Negro in 1992, Linda Tillery was introduced to some field recordings of traditional African-American music. "My God," she exclaimed, "this is what I've been looking for!" Tillery poured over documentary recordings and ethnomusicology research to uncover a treasure-trove of spirituals, work songs, field hollers, and slave songs. Within months, she assembled the Cultural Heritage Choir: Rhonda Benin, Elouise Burrell, Melanie DeMore, and Simon Monserrat. These songs are "survival music." As Tillery explains, "this music, particularly the spirituals, has kept Black people alive through slavery, night rider's raids, and segregation. This is the music that has been used as a support for just about every political movement in this country. People take spirituals, reword them and march together in the name of freedom and justice." In addition to songs and chants, delivered through such stylistic forms as call-and-response, multi-layered harmonies, and repetitive verse, the CHC repertoire includes intoned sermons, folk tales, polyrhythmic percussion, and dance. • "Ranky Tanky" Linda Tillery on You Tube - Jaime Moreno's Jam

July 10-11

Estaire Godinez

8:00

Cover $15

This stunning vocalist and top-notch percussionist was born in California, but gained a reputation for her smoking Latin shows in the Mpls area just a few years ago. A collaborator with artists as diverse as Prince, George Benson, and Pete Escovedo. Her candor and charisma are as magnetic as her brilliant playing, and her deft melding of Latin styles and rhythms is a joy to behold. “... the weather may be chilly in Minnesota, but it doesn’t diminish the capacity of Godinez or her players to raise the jazz temperature to steamy levels.” - Don Heckman, LA Times

July 12

Steve Smith and Vital Information

7:00 and 9:30

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Vital Information is: Tom Coster, keyboards Baron Browne, bass Vinny Valentino, guitar Steve Smith, drums One of the longest-running and most diverse fusion groups, Vital Information has been keeping their music exciting and fresh for 25 years. This supergroup serves up a veritable banquet of sounds, from slamming funk and syncopated second line grooves to seriously swinging, up-tempo B-3 burners, South Indian Carnatic-inspired jams, and sizzling fuzoid romps. Each member comes to the group with their own impressive resume: Steve Smith is the group's founder and leader. He has played with artists like Ahmad Jamal, Zakir Hussein, Andrea Bocelli and Journey. He has won Modern Drummer's "#1 All-Around Drummer" award five years in a row. Baron Browne has played with Gary Burton, Billy Cobham, and Tom Jones. Possessing a serious groove, Browne is a key factor in the group's versatility and longevity. Tom Coster has played keyboards for Gabor Szabo and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, but is best known for his work with Santana. Vinny Valentino has played guitar with Randy Brecker and Jimmy McGriff, among many others. The newest member of the band, he joined the group in July of 2006. "Drummer Smith and this powerhouse band prove once again they are just about the best fusion band in music." - Bob Karlovits, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Check out this band interview with some live footage:
http://vitalinformation.com/steve/drumtalk.html

July 13

Lura

7:00 and 9:30

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Lura is part of a new generation of musicians rediscovering the hidden traditions of her ancestral homeland.  Born in Portugal, she coniders herself a Cape Verdean, an archipelago 300 miles west of Dakar, Senegal.  Her third and most recent CD explores the African side of her heritage through rhythms like the funana and, in particular, the batuku.  Key to understanding her appeal is to see her onstage, where her warm, communicative manner, hip-swivelling dances and mellow voice make for a winning combination.  With her European upbringing and background in zouk and R&B, she adds a pop sensibility all her own, which comes through in her songwriting. LURA is back with Eclipse, her finest album to date. Recorded in Brussels, Lisbon, Paris, Praia and Naples, Eclipse, the artist’s fourth CD, is released on Four Quarters Entertainment on June 16th, and confirms the talent and natural elegance of a singer who has made a remarkable splash in the U.S. in just a few short years. The title song of Eclipse sets the tone for the album: delicately wrought, acoustic and full of grace. The track is a perfect illustration of sodade - a vague feeling of melancholy and sadness, a nostalgic relationship with land, sea and family sung by poets, sailors and their loved ones for generations. A Portuguese-speaking artist, Lura stands at the crossroads of Portuguese and Cape Verdean culture. Growing up in the Creole quarter of Lisbon, Lura was surrounded by beats from the leeward and windward islands, as well as Portugal’s pop, jazz, African music and American soul. Yet she also felt intensely drawn to the African archipelago that her parents had been forced to leave, and determined to reclaim for herself. Today, all these influences are to be found on “Eclipse”. The album expresses love, joy and sometimes sadness. Its thirteen new tracks display incredible energy as well as Lura’s burgeoning songwriting skills. Hear Lura here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YuRiNY4X2bA

July 14-15

Julian Lage Group

7:00 and 9:30

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Julian Lage, guitar Tupac Mantilla, percussion Jorge Roeder, bass Ben Roseth, saxophones Aristides Rivas, cello 21 year old guitar virtuoso Julian Lage is already a seasoned veteran in the jazz world. Having spent several years as a sideman in groups led by Gary Burton, Nnenna Frelon, and David Grisman, Lage has developed a surprisingly mature and unique musical language. His ability to create striking musical moments in a variety of contexts is so captivating that his technical prowess is almost taken for granted. His debut solo recording, Sounding Point, was released in March 2009. Lage started playing guitar at age 5, and discovered jazz quickly, absorbing everything he heard. His preternatural ability gave him an opportunity to perform on the nationally televised Grammy Awards telecast in 2000, where he was spotted by Gary Burton. Lage joined Burton on some performances and eventually became a regular member of Burton's Generations Quintet, exposing him to the touring jazz circuit. He spent the following years appearing on many stages and records, as a sideman and as a collaborator (notably with pianist Taylor Eigsti), all the while composing and honing his own musical voice. With the release of his amazing debut record, Lage is poised at the forefront of the new generation of jazz performers, an exciting new voice for the years to come. “I was amazed by the depth of his playing, he’s a real improviser who just goes with the flow. He’s not about anything other than making a beautiful musical statement.” -David Grisman "Sounding Point is so negligibly packaged that it could easily slip under the radar or be mistaken for just another guitar-geek recording. In fact it's a major find: springy, intelligent chamber Americana that fits perfectly into a spectrum of Nonesuch-style players like Bill Frisell and Chris Thile's Punch Brothers." Time Out New York

July 15

Tia Fuller

9:30

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One of the most exciting horn players in jazz makes a one-show stop! In February 2007, Tia will be releasing her sophomore album “Healing Space” as a Mack Ave Record artist, as well as touring nationally and internationally with the R&B star BEYONCE, promoting her most recent album “B-day.” In addition, Tia remains an integral part of the jazz community in continuing to tour with the Ralph Peterson Sextet, Sean Jones quintet, T.S. Monk Septet, Rufus Reid Septet, as well as her own quintet in clubs, festivals and universities throughout the United States.

July 20-21

Christopher O’Reilly

7:00

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From his groundbreaking transcriptions of Radiohead, Elliott Smith and Nick Drake to his unforgettably sublime interpretations of the Classical canon, pianist Christopher O'Riley has stretched the piano beyond conventional boundaries.  His first recording of Radiohead transcriptions, True Love Waits received four stars from Rolling Stone and was as critically acclaimed as it was commercially successful. His Hold Me to This: Christopher O'Riley plays the music of Radiohead followed suit. Tackling the deeply emotional and complex work from the troubled singer/songwriter Elliott Smith, Home to Oblivion: An Elliott Smith Tribute drew critical praise from both Classical and pop music critics. O’Riley’s fourth set of transcriptions from the contemporary popular songbook was Second Grace – The Music of Nick Drake, a collection of repertoire written and originally recorded by the late enigmatic British guitar wizard and songwriter. Mr. O'Riley has taken his unique vision to both traditional classical music venues and symphonic settings, as well as to entirely new audiences on the radio, at universities and even clubs. As host of the popular classical music radio show, National Public Radio's From The Top, Mr. O'Riley works and performs with the next generation of brilliant young musicians, demonstrating to audiences that these young artists are as interesting and diverse in their personal lives as they are in their music-making. Two years ago, PBS launched the weekly television series From the Top from Carnegie Hall featuring O’Riley as host, directed by Emmy winning director Gary Halvorson. Mr. O’Riley has toured the U.S. with the world-famous Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Orchestra. He has appeared with the philharmonic orchestras of Los Angeles, New York, Moscow and the Royal Philharmonic in London, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the symphonies of Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Baltimore, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The illustrious group of conductors with whom he has collaborated includes Michael Tilson Thomas, Semyon Bychkov, JoAnn Falletta, Krystof Penderecki, Kurt Mazur, James Gaffigan, Vassily Sinaisky, Christopher Hogwood, Roger Norrington and Leonard Bernstein. From early in his career, Mr. O’Riley was honored with many awards at the Leeds, Van Cliburn, Busoni and Montreal competitions, as well as an Avery Fisher Career Grant. O’Riley studied with Russell Sherman at the New England Conservatory of Music. Christopher O’Riley makes his home in Cleveland, OH. From the Top can be found on-line at www.fromthetop.org

July 27-28

Average White Band

7:00 and 9:30

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AWB are widely regarded as one of the best soul and funk bands in music. Though perhaps best known for their timeless instrumental mega-hit 'Pick Up the Pieces,' the band's strength actually lay in their consistently accomplished song-writing, stretching across several gold selling albums and multi-Grammy nominations. Somewhat incongruously, given their Scottish roots, the six piece took the influences of their R&B heroes - people like Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Donny Hathaway and others - and developed their own 'authentic' sound which was eagerly adopted by black audiences in the US and elsewhere. Whilst a good number of cuts - 'Cut The Cake' and 'Let's Go 'Round Again' to name but two - attracted chart action as hit singles, many other album tracks, like 'Schoolboy Crush' and 'Person to Person' became much sampled and turn-tabled 'rare' grooves. Many more tunes, such as 'Cloudy', 'A Love Of Your Own' and 'Nothing You Can Do' - amongst many others- stand alongside some of the finest soul 'album tracks' ever recorded. The current line-up of the band - this time with noted US recruits augmenting founding members Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre - continues to record and tour around the world to ongoing critical and audience acclaim. All this and more is perfectly illustrated in the band's latest release, Soul And The City, which showcases the breadth and depth of the band's material, all captured within the excitement of a 2006 live performance.

July 29

Toby Lightman

7:00

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Toby Lightman’s new independently released album, “Let Go” follows her two Atlantic Records releases, 2004's "Little Things" and 2006's "Bird On A Wire". She's toured the country extensively, having appeared with such artists as Rob Thomas, Jewel, James Blunt, Gavin DeGraw, and on one memorable evening, Prince. Toby’s national TV performances include the Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, NBC's Today Show, and CBS' Second Cup, among many others. Toby can currently be seen every week singing the opening theme song for NASCAR on Fox broadcasts. Songs from “Let Go” have appeared on Dirty Sexy Money, Brothers & Sisters and the title track “Let Go” was the soundtrack of a national radio and TV ad campaign for the Home Shopping Network. She recently appeared on the HSN network becoming their first featured independent artist. “Lightman’s dusky vocals and earthy, groovy vibe invite comparisons to Joan Osborne and Sheryl Crow” -USA TODAY “no small talent… Toby Lightman continues to shine a light on her knack for making rich, soulful pop” -PEOPLE br/ br/ Toby performs her song "Alone" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1oA8f_CA7Q

August 2

Marcia Ball

7:00 & 9:30

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Singer/pianist Marcia Ball knows how to raise roofs and tear down walls with her infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional brand of southern boogie, rollicking, roadhouse blues and heartfelt ballads. Over the course of her three-decade career, Ball has earned a huge and intensely loyal following all over the world. Her exquisite piano playing and passionate, playful vocals fuse New Orleans and Gulf Coast R&B with Austin’s deep songwriting tradition into a sound No Depression described as “a little rock, a lot of roll, a pinch of rhythm and a handful of blues.”

Aug 4-5

CANCELLED-Orchestra Baobab

7:00 and 9:30

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We were really looking forward to hosting one of the most exciting African music ensembles working today. Unfortunately, touring costs have forced the band to cancel their entire North American tour. We hope to be able to bring them back soon. Orchestra Baobab are one of Africa’s great iconic bands, creators of one of the world’s most sublime and truly distinctive pop sounds. Founded in 1970, Orchestra Baobab fused Afro-Cuban rhythm and Portuguese Creole melody with Congolese rumba, high life and a whole gamut of local styles – kickstarting a musical renaissance in their native Senegal, which turned the capital Dakar into one of the world’s most vibrant musical cities. They produced more hits in less than a decade than other bands in a lifetime. While Baobab found themselves sidelined by the revolution they helped create and disbanded in 1985, a huge groundswell of international interest led to their triumphant reformation in 2001. Orchestra Baobab are still very much in business today.

Aug 23

Bobby Rush

7:00 and 9:30

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In his 50-plus years in the music business, blues singer Bobby Rush has achieved legendary status as an entertainer. His signature brand of "folk-funk" is decidedly contemporary, but has its roots deep in the blues tradition. This "King of the Chitlin' Circuit" has won multiple Blues Music Awards for his recorded work, but critics and fans agree that Rush has never sounded better than he does on his latest album, Raw. Gone are the thumping bass lines, frequent costume changes and dancing girls; this time it's just Bobby, his guitar, and his harmonica, and he shows us how deep his blues roots really are. Born in north Louisiana, Rush started out young, performing in Deep South juke joints with his homemade "diddley bow" and wearing a fake mustache. While still a teen, Rush moved to Chicago with his family and quickly gained the respect of the blues community for his tireless ability to hustle gigs, sometimes double booking himself for the same stage or playing three shows a night. His Chicago bands would often include players like Freddie King, Earl Hooker, and Luther Allison. His bandleading skills took him out on tour, and he soon was appearing throughout the "chitlin circuit" of the South. By the time he slowed down long enough to record, people were ready for it. His single "Chicken Heads" garnered him national attention upon its 1971 release, and furthered his exposure in recording and touring for the next three decades. In 2003 he was featured in the Richard Pearce documentary “The Road To Memphis,” part of Martin Scorsese’s film series “The Blues.” Like the artists that influenced him: Louis Jordan, Elmore James and Muddy Waters, Rush's show is full of humor, wit, and soulful music.

August 24-26

Suzanne Vega

7:00

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Suzanne Vega is one of the most brilliant songwriters of her generation. She single-handedly ignited the contemporary folk revival of the early 1980s with her acoustic guitar and clear, distinctive voice. Her performances steer clear of dramatic histrionics but are still emotional experiences, allowing listeners to focus on her masterful storytelling. Born in California, Vega grew up in the cultural melting pot of the Upper West Side of New York City. Having played guitar and written songs throughout her teenage years, she found her true voice after attending a Lou Reed concert. Taking cues from Reed, she honed her vision for her unique brand of neo-folk, and was soon playing regularly in Greenwich Village circles. Suzanne's demo tape was rejected by every major record company, twice by A&M Records. On the third time around, A&M finally signed Vega, and were pleasantly surprised when Vega's self-titled debut went platinum in the UK. Her next recording, Solitude Standing, garnered more critical and commercial success, and produced two hit singles: "Tom's Diner" and "Luka." She has since released several acclaimed recordings, written lyrics for songs by Phillip Glass, performed with Bill Frisell at the Century of Song concerts at the RuhrTriennale in Germany, and been a spokesperson for New York's artistic community. Always present is her ability to balance the tension between constrained form and volatile content that makes her work so resonant. • "Luka" • "Gypsy"