Dakota

Talib Kweli
2025-08-02 18:30 - 20:30 (America/Chicago)
Kweli
Talib Kweli is one of the most lyrically gifted, socially aware and politically insightful rappers working today. The Brooklyn-based MC has earned his stripes with over twenty years of recording and performing.
“I’m a touring artist. I’m an artist that’s internationally known. Not just a local artist at this point in my career. I’m cognizant of the fact that what I do is beyond where it started. I am trying to reach the apex of where I am now, but without turning my back on or dismissing what I’ve done before.”
After twenty years of releasing mesmerizing music, Kweli stands as one of the world’s most talented and accomplished hip-hop artists. He works regularly with Yasiin Bey as one-half of Black Star, and partners with producer Hi-Tek for Reflection Eternal. Then, he collaborates with Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Just Blaze, J Dilla, and Madlib. However, his landmark solo material sets him apart. Here, Kweli commands attention by delivering top-tier lyricism. Also, he crafts captivating stories and can rhyme over virtually any type of instrumental.
Kweli founded Javotti Media in 2011, which is self-defined as “a platform for independent thinkers and doers.” The company, named after his paternal grandmother, released his 2011 album, Gutter Rainbows. Kweli has set out to make Javotti Media into a media powerhouse that releases music, films and books.
Nikolai Paiva (NIKO IS) was born in Rio de Janeiro and moved to Florida at the age of seven. There, Niko created a distinctive sound and style that gained him recognition as a songwriter, witty lyricist, and exceptional freestyler. NIKO IS is a conceptual idiom symbolizing the many personas and identities one experiences and is reflected through his albums. NIKO IS one of those musicians that restores your faith in the artistry of music. In an age where everyone is ‘trying’ to be different; Niko isn’t trying at all, he just IS.
Recommended for fans of De La Soul, The Roots, Yasiin Bey and Fugees.

Arturo Sandoval
2025-08-01 21:00 - 23:00, 2025-08-01 19:00 - 20:30
2024 Kennedy Center Honoree
2013 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
10-time Grammy Award winner
Emmy Award recipient
Six-time Billboard Award winner
A protégé of the legendary jazz master Dizzy Gillespie, Arturo Sandoval was born just outside Havana, Cuba in 1949. Just two years prior, Gillespie became the first musician to bring Latin influences into American jazz. Arturo began studying classical trumpet at the age of twelve, but it didn’t take him long to catch the excitement of the jazz world.
With dazzling technique and near-limitless range, he has evolved into one of the world’s most acknowledged guardians of jazz trumpet and flugelhorn. He is also a renowned classical artist, pianist and composer.
Sandoval is one of the most dynamic and vivacious live performers of our time. He has been seen by millions at the Oscars, at the Grammy Awards, and the Billboard Awards.
Arturo can be heard on recordings from Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Woody Shaw, Michel Legrand, Josh Groban, and Tony Bennett. He has also performed with Stan Getz, Johnny Mathis, Frank Sinatra, Paul Anka, Rod Stewart, and Alicia Keys, among many others. He has performed with John Williams with the Boston Pops, and at the Super Bowl with Tony Bennett and Patti LaBelle.
Arturo Sandoval reaches beyond the scope of mere effort. His struggles while in Cuba and since his defection have given him more energy and strength. His inner drive urges him to accomplish and surpass his childhood dreams. Filled with a virtuoso capability, he desires nothing more than to share his gift with others.
Recommended for fans of Wynton Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Chucho Valdés.

📸: Jeremy Lock

Louis Armstrong Birthday Bash w/Southside Aces
2025-07-31 19:00 - 21:00
For over two decades Southside Aces have been performing the repertoire of the Jazz Age greats and beyond. Join them as they pay tribute to their New Orleans roots, with a special birthday edition of the Crescent City’s most famous son, Louis Armstrong. You’ll hear songs plucked from his nearly 50-year recording career. Come celebrate the genius and ebullience of the man who changed music forever.
The band first began as the brainchild of clarinetist Tony Balluff and sousaphone player Erik Jacobson. Then, their whispers and rumors materialized in Tony’s foyer in South Minneapolis, in August 2003. Since their first gig on a flatbed truck in Apple Valley, the Aces have released eight albums. Their most recent — 2022’s Minneapolis Bump — features fifteen original songs inspired by the Jazz Age.
In New Orleans, the jazz tradition thrives off a wide array of styles. Moreover, their roll call includes the names of Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Hoagy Carmichael, Duke Ellington, and Bix Beiderbecke. Plus, Crescent City classics like “Bourbon Street Parade”, “Just A Closer Walk With Thee”, and “St. James Infirmary”. And let’s not forget the funky rhythms of brass band powerhouses like “Mardi Gras in New Orleans” and “Palm Court Strut”!
The Southside Aces have performed at the Dakota, Icehouse, Crooners Supper Club, Vieux Carre and Twin Cities Jazz Fest. They’ve also played Bix Beiderbecke Jazz Festival and Minnesota Orchestra Sommerfest, to name a few. They’ve driven dancers crazy at national dance competitions and led second line parades through the streets of the Twin Cities. Further, they’ve played events in Denver, Omaha, Chicago, Des Moines, and all across the great state of Minnesota.
Recommended for fans of Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tuba Skinny, Louis Armstrong and Fats Waller.

Sam Miltich & The Clearwater Hot Club
2025-07-30 19:00 - 21:00
Sam Miltich, guitar
Mark Kreitzer, guitar
Tony Balluff, clarinet
Matthew Miltich, bass
The Clearwater Hot Club is dedicated to preserving the repertoire and instrumentation of the jazz manouche style. This was pioneered by Roma jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt. Many of the songs played in this group were either performed or written by Django Reinhardt. However, other styles of music such as French musette, Brazilian choro, and eastern European folk music are covered. Here, they are interpreted through the musical lens and technique of the jazz manouche style. In recent years Sam Miltich has written original works of music in the jazz manouche style. Additionally, he lends credence to the music’s roots and traditions while bringing a fresh new voice to it.
The Clearwater Hot Club is true to its name when referencing the word “club”, as the band has a rotating cast of musicians. Since its beginnings in 2000 the Clearwater Hot Club’s primary members have been Sam Miltich (lead guitar) and Matthew Miltich (upright bass).
Sam Miltich is a self-taught jazz guitarist born and raised in the woods of northern Minnesota. Sam burst onto the hot club jazz scene in his teens. Then, he joined Paul Mehling’s Hot Club of San Francisco and toured internationally with the world-renowned Robin Nolan Trio. Sam’s fluid, instinctive sound has graced hundreds of stages, from small Iron Range towns to New York’s Lincoln Center. In addition to fronting his own band, the Clearwater Hot Club, Sam frequently performs solo. Also, he has recorded and performed with many of the Twin Cities’ top jazz artists.
Recommended for fans of Django Reinhardt, Dorado Schmitt, Bireli Lagrene and Paulus Schafer.

Lizz Wright
2025-07-29 19:00 - 21:00
Renowned vocalist and songwriter Lizz Wright sings with a soaring reflection of the cultural fabric of America. New York Times hails her “smooth, dark alto possessed of qualities you might associate with barrel-aged bourbon or butter-soft leather”. She lies beneath the script of history, transcending social divides with an offer of love and deep sense of humanity. Also, her music accepts the beauty of reality and creates a collective experience of belonging for the listener. Thus, Wright’s songs embody a tradition that allows us to always feel at home.
Wright’s latest, 2024’s Shadow, presents Lizz in a gentle and triumphant light. With five originals penned by Wright, Shadow is anchored by acoustic guitars. Then, she layers with string quartets, harp, Carnatic Indian classical strings, gospel vocals, and bare emotion. It celebrates the intimacy of romantic love, loss, community, and healing. Moreover, the album features acclaimed guest artists Angelique Kidjo and Meshell Ndegeocello.
Wright first made a name for herself at twenty-two as a vocalist with a touring concert tribute to Billie Holiday. At twenty-three, she released Salt, which topped Billboard’s contemporary jazz charts. Then, she released the albums Dreaming Wide Awake (2005), The Orchard (2008), and Fellowship (2010). Wright released Freedom & Surrender (2016), featuring the single “Lean In,” which landed on President Obama’s Summer 2016 playlist. Wright’s 2022 release, Holding Space, was a live recording of a concert in Berlin at the Columbia Theater. Here, this marked her debut live album on her own Blues and Greens Records.
Recommended for fans of Cassandra Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Norah Jones and Gregory Porter.

📸: Hollis King

Steven Page
2025-07-27 19:00 - 21:00
Over the last thirty-five years, Steven Page has established himself as one of the most recognizable and enduring voices in music. The release of his latest album, 2022’s Excelsior, shows that he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
Page is a co-founder, vocalist and songwriter for Barenaked Ladies. There, Steven sang and wrote classics like “Brian Wilson,” “If I Had a Million Dollars,” “What a Good Boy,” “It’s All Been Done” and many more. With the band, he sold over 15 million albums and scored multiple Junos, Billboard Music Awards, and SOCAN awards. Also, they earned Gemini Awards and two Grammy nominations. After leaving the band in 2009, Steven embarked on a solo career that has produced five solo albums. He has also toured worldwide, from folk festivals to cabarets and theatres. Additionally, he played packed arenas on a string of dates opening for rock legends The Who.
Steven performs in many configurations, from solo to full band with horn section. However, he has played most often with his pals in The Steven Page Trio. This includes Craig Northey of Vancouver legends Odds on guitar, and Kevin Fox on cello. Here, the trio configuration provides the right amount of portability, intimacy and power to fill just about any venue imaginable.
Steven has performed arrangements of some of his best-loved songs from his long career with orchestras. Here, these include Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Victoria Symphony, and Symphony New Brunswick. A passionate mental health advocate, Steven has been in demand as a public speaker since 2011. In 2018, Steven was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame with his former bandmates in Barenaked Ladies.
Recommended for fans of Barenaked Ladies, Ben Folds Five, XTC and They Might Be Giants.

Storm Large
2025-07-24 21:00 - 23:00, 2025-07-24 19:00 - 20:30
Storm Large: musician, actor, playwright, author, awesome. She shot to national prominence in 2006 as a finalist on the CBS show Rock Star: Supernova. There, despite having been eliminated the week before the finale, Storm built a fanbase that follows her around the world. Additionally, she was seen on the 2021 season of America’s Got Talent.
Storm spent the 1990s singing in clubs throughout San Francisco. Tired of the club scene, she moved to Portland to pursue a new career as a chef. However, a last-minute cancellation at a Portland club turned into a standing weekly engagement for Storm and her new band, The Balls. It wasn’t long before Storm had a cult-like following in Portland. Then, this renewed her singing career that was soon to be launched onto the international stage.
Storm continues to tour concert halls across the country with her band Le Bonheur. She also appears as a special guest on Michael Feinstein’s Shaken & Stirred tour. Alongside Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, Storm joined Michael Feinstein as special guest with the Pasadena Pops. In the 18-19 season, she performed her one-woman autobiographical musical memoir Crazy Enough.
Storm made her debut as guest vocalist with the band Pink Martini in April 2011. There, she sang four sold-out concerts with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. She continues to perform with the band, nationally and internationally, and is featured on their 2013 album Get Happy. Storm has also sung with Grammy winner k.d. lang, pianist Kirill Gerstein, and punk rocker John Doe. Also, singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright, and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer George Clinton.
Recommended for fans of Pink Martini, Dresden Dolls, Paris Chansons and Cécile McLorin Salvant.

Mohini Dey
2025-07-22 19:00 - 21:00
Mohini Dey is an Indian bass guitarist, arranger, producer & vocalist with unique style and impeccable technique. She has gained international recognition for her extraordinary talent and versatility. Also, she has collaborated with numerous renowned artists and performed on prestigious stages around the world.
Forbes India has described her as the “most successful musician under thirty”. Moreover, she has been working professionally in the music industry for the past nineteen years. She is the only female bassist on Music Radar’s Top Ten Bassists of the twenty-first century. Further, she has over 20 million YouTube views with 200k subscribers, 500k Instagram followers, and 200k Facebook followers.
She released her debut album, Mohini Dey, in 2023. Then, it met with rave reviews from fans and critics worldwide. Mohini has recently appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk, the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, and a North American tour with singer Willow Smith. Mohini also recently did an intensive one-on-one interview with famous YouTuber Rick Beato. There, she discussed her techniques on bass, equipment and more. Mohini was also invited to record at the legendary Sweetwater studio A in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There, she recorded two tracks and gave an interview. BET.com also recently featured her.
She has worked with artists like Steve Vai, Zakir Hussain, Quincy Jones, Vinnie Colauita, Stanley Clarke, and Jordan Rudess. Also, Mike Stern, Dean Brown, Marco Minneman, Stu Hamm, Plini, Louiz Banks, Ranjit Barot, Chad Wackerman, Chad Smith, and Simon Phillips.
Recommended for fans of Stanley Clarke, Tal Wilkenfield, Matteo Mancuso and Stanley Jordan.

Sarah Reich
2025-07-21 19:00 - 21:00
“Reich is the perfect ambassador for jazz tap.” – All About Jazz

Sarah Reich is a trailblazer in the world of tap dance, captivating audiences with her innovative approach. She is active as a performer, choreographer, instructor and composer. A Los Angeles native, Sarah has performed, choreographed, and taught in over forty countries, shaping the next generation of tap dancers. She skyrocketed to international fame in 2015 while touring with Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox. There, she earned millions of YouTube views and critical acclaim. Additionally, she has graced iconic stages such as Radio City Music Hall, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Sydney Opera House.
Reich is currently celebrating the tenth anniversary of her Tap Music Project. Furthermore, Sarah continues to inspire dancers to explore musicality and collaborate with musicians. Her 2018 debut album, New Change, features original compositions that fuse percussive tap rhythms with live instrumentation. Here, this creates a distinctive sound.
Sarah’s ambition is clear: “I want to be the first tap dancer to win a Grammy Award!” In summer 2024, Sarah expanded her reach by launching It’s Tappening, a TV series that highlights tap dance culture across the globe. Sarah is currently faculty at NUVO Dance Convention traveling the country and sparking a love for tap among children.
Recommended for fans of Savion Glover, Gregory Hines, Jimmy Slyde and Bunny Briggs.
LEARN MORE: https://www.sarahreich.com/

Greats Gone 2 Soon Presents: The Men of Motown
2025-07-20 19:00 - 21:00
Feat. Lamont Keten, Len Jones, RoShewn Harrington, David Chill Anderson, Shayde Stephens
This dynamic and soulful show features The Mfellaz and the timeless sounds of Motown. Furthermore, the music of Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson 5, The Four Tops and the mighty Temptations.
The show features The KAJ Orchestra led by Kirk A. Johnson, formerly of Prince and The New Power Generation. Also, the music takes you back in time to when these impressive artists created Motown’s danceable arrangements and choreography.
Lamont Keten has been a featured and supporting vocalist for Musicians4Musicians and The Soul Tight Committee. Additionally, he’s worked with The Maxx Band Soul Experience, Mid America Talent, and the world-famous Alexander O’Neal.
Len Jones has been a featured vocalist for Sounds of Blackness and Musicians4Musicians. He is also a writer and producer for KatPhewd Productions.
RoShewn Harrington is an in-demand writer, producer, and featured artist. He has appeared with the Greats Gone 2 Soon live music series, Musicians4Musicians, and Two 4 the Show.
David Chill Anderson has been an acclaimed featured vocalist for many years. Further, he has appeared in MFellaz, The Not Guilty Band, and the Al Green and Bill Withers show.
Shayde Stephens has been a featured vocalist for BKS, Who Nu, High and Mighty, Synergy, Bella Diva, and R Factor.
Recommended for fans of Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Temptations.

Patti Austin
2025-07-19 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-18 19:00 - 21:00
Patti Austin’s keen interest in being a total entertainer likely started when she was four years old. Then, she stepped onto the stage of the world-famous Apollo Theater in Harlem at the urging of Dinah Washington. The daughter of jazz trombonist Gordon Austin, Patti was a recording star in her teens. She achieved her first chart success in 1969 with “The Family Tree”, a Top 50 R&B single.
During the 1970s Patti reigned as the undisputed queen of the New York session scene. There, listeners heard her voice behind Paul Simon, Cat Stevens, James Brown and Joe Cocker, and Bette Midler. Also, she worked with Roberta Flack, Luther Vandross and Diana Ross and created countless memorable commercial jingles. After releasing a series of acclaimed albums, she signed with her godfather Quincy Jones’ Qwest label. Then, she began achieving mainstream success on an international level. She recorded the now classic Grammy-nominated hit “Baby Come To Me” with James Ingram. Also, they recorded the follow-up duet, the Oscar-nominated “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”
The 2002 album For Ella opened new doors for Patti as a performer. Moreover, she further solidified her embrace by the jazz world with her Grammy-winning classic Avant Gershwin. Now, after more than two decades of touring, her take on the classic American Songbook has expanded Patti’s appeal. The 2023 release For Ella 2 celebrates the great Ella Fitzgerald in Patti’s unique song storytelling style. It also received a Grammy nomination, her seventh.
Recommended for fans of Anita Baker, Patti LaBelle, Al Jarreau and George Benson.

Rogue Valley
2025-07-17 19:00 - 21:00
Rogue Valley is an Americana band based in the Twin Cities. Here, the blend of urban development and natural landscape converge along the shores of the Mississippi River. The band raced onto the local scene a little over a decade ago, with four full-length albums in a single year. Then, in 2016 the band followed up with the anthemic, twangy surf-rock collection radiate/dissolve. However, since then it’s been mostly sporadic social media posts claiming, “Coming Soon.”
Individually, the band members have all remained occupied. Vocalist Linnea Mohn shares the stage with singer-songwriters Aby Wolf and Jonatha Brooke. Drummer Luke Anderson and guitarist Peter Sieve have joined up with the Iowa-based Lissie. Also, bassist Cody McKinney continues to push boundaries with his compositions and collaborations. Since Rogue Valley’s last release, songwriter-vocalist Chris Koza has released three solo albums (Sleepwalkers Part 1 & 2, and the instrumental On Horseshoe Lake). Additionally, in 2022 he joined the legendary Gordon Lightfoot on a run that would become his final Midwest tour.
Now the hum of optimism surrounding new music is beginning its tangible crescendo. The new album, 2023’s Shell Game, is a nod to natural and created structures that both contain and obscure.
A cocoon yields a butterfly; a riverbed holds a story; a body houses a soul. A shell mirrors the meditative drone of an ocean crashing onto itself. For every journey, there are moments and minutiae in between as bright or dark as any greater narrative. Shell Game roams familiar territory and also furthers the idea of Americana and the Rogue Valley aesthetic.
LSD is a Minneapolis trio blending acoustic warmth, bluesy electric guitar, and reed-organ harmonium into a “living room eclectic” sound. Their debut EP, I Prefer LSD, drops September 2025.
LSD is a new project from Minneapolis-based multi-instrumentalists Lisa Hirst Carnes, Sean Broderick, and David Carnes, veteran musicians who’ve been part of the city’s music scene since the 1990s through projects like Snuggle Bunny Death Train, Mayaflyer, Sweet Stache, Liminal Phase, and A Ghost Revival.
Blending rich acoustic textures with atmospheric electric tones, LSD describes their sound as “living room eclectic.” It’s an intimate vibe, with fireside guitar foundations layered in creamy, blues-inflected electric riffs, haunting vocals, and organic textures from harmonium, and subtle synths. Imagine a sonic intersection where Pentangle meets Fleetwood Mac with a hint of Iron & Wine—soulful, and evocative.
In recent months, LSD has been generating buzz with standing-room-only performances in Minneapolis. They’re currently in the studio working on their debut EP, I Prefer LSD, slated for release in September 2025.
Recommended for fans of Lissie, Jeremy Messersmith, José Gonzalez, and Rogue Wave.

Keiko Matsui
2025-07-16 19:00 - 21:00
Acclaimed pianist, composer and humanitarian Keiko Matsui’s transcendent and haunting melodies have long sought to build bridges. Her sonic cultural exchange has reached the hearts and minds of fans throughout the world. Also, it has fostered collaborations with icons like Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Hugh Masekela and Bob James.
“I have this dream where we can each cherish our own happiness and learn to accept and care for one another.” This declaration is a tall order but if anyone can pull it off, Matsui can. There is a reason why the stunning, soft-spoken, and petite powerhouse with such a commanding presence at the piano has amassed a devout following through the years. “When I tour around the world and witness how my music cuts through our differences and connects everyone, it makes me feel euphoric!” exclaims Keiko. Furthermore, she has lent her voice to raise awareness for causes like The Daniel Pearl and Susan G. Komen Foundations.
Keiko harnesses this joy on her thirtieth recording, 2023’s Euphoria. Keiko is joined by her touring band, bassist Rico Belled, guitarist JP Mourao and drummer Jimmy Branly. Then, she credits them for making the rigors of touring bearable. However, Euphoria promises to be a watershed moment for Keiko. Here, she has poured her heart and soul into this project and the result is an utterly inspiring, epic statement. Keiko declares, “At the core of this album are beauty, strength, energy, love, and hope. These are all the things in life that we need to move forward on a new path. This music is dedicated to a new era.”
Recommended for fans of David Sanborn, Oleta Adams, Brian Culbertson and Bob James.
📸: Raj Naik

The Baylor Project
2025-07-15 19:00 - 21:00
A husband. A wife. An astonishing duo built on love, family, faith, culture and community. These things power The Baylor Project featuring Jean Baylor and Marcus Baylor.
This enticing collaboration is steeped in the heart and soul of jazz. Furthermore, Marcus’ and Jean’s musical roots were planted deep within the church: both are the children of pastors. There, the influence of jazz, gospel, blues and soul made its mark on the young artists. In 2017, their debut CD The Journey reached Number Eight on the Billboard Jazz Chart. Then, the album garnered two Grammy nominations for Best Jazz Vocal Album and Best Traditional R&B Performance.
Two years later during one of the most challenging years in recent history, The Baylors released their single, “Sit on Down”. Here, this earned them a third Grammy nomination, solidifying The Baylor Project as an undeniable force. Additionally, their second album, 2021’s Generations, earned the duo its first NAACP Image Award and its fourth Grammy nomination.
Their first live album, The Evening: Live at APPARATUS garnered The Baylors two more Grammy nominations. A collaboration with Adam Blackstone and Russell Ferrante earned them a seventh Grammy nomination for the original song “Vulnerable (Live)”. Also, this song appears on the live recording Legacy: The Instrumental Jawn.
Most recently, The Baylor Project received their eighth Grammy nomination. Here, they recorded an impromptu live, in-studio performance of the age-old spiritual “Walk With Me, Lord.”
The Baylor Project pays homage to their wide-ranging musical influences. In doing so, they generate an eclectic sound whose overall effect is spiritual, buoyant, feel-good music.
Soulful. Melodic. Authentic. The Baylor Project.
Recommended for fans of Jazzmeia Horn, Jamison Ross, Ravi Coltrane and Matthew Whitaker.

📸: Matthew Placek

Sarah Morris
2025-07-14 19:00 - 21:00
Sarah Morris has a habit of missing the forest. From the day the Minneapolis-based singer-songwriter picked up a guitar, she’s been too busy crafting love letters to the details of the trees. Morris’ endearingly honest, expertly penned songs encourage audiences to pull away from the big picture. Then, we are invited to get caught up in the magic of our everyday minutia. Morris grants us permission to escape into stories at once hauntingly familiar and uniquely her own.
2023’s Here’s To You, her fifth album of original material, sees Morris shedding some country swagger. Thus, this album favors a lusher, more celestial sound. With layers of harmonies and synths orbiting her band’s guitar, bass and drums, Morris’ clarion voice shines brightly. Whether they’re celebration songs, grief songs, or gift songs, you feel devotion to her craft in every line. Dave Franklin of The Big Takeover declared Here’s To You “a triumph. An album of space and restraint, any note played, every word uttered feels perfectly and purposely placed”.
In addition to being a 2018 Kerrville New Folk winner, she recently earned third place at the 2023 Songwriter Serenade. Also, Morris was chosen as a finalist for Telluride Troubadour. Additionally, she took second place at the 2016 MerleFest Chris Austin Songwriting Competition.
Morris is deeply committed to the Twin Cities’ life-giving music community. Here, she hosts an online interview program called “Hey, I Miss You” to amplify the work of her peers. As a writer, lover, mother, and witness, Morris invites us to join her in missing the forest for the trees. There, her songs count and celebrate the glorious details of our messy, magical, everyday lives.
Recommended for fans of JD Souther, Suzy Bogguss, Teddy Thompson and Mary Chapin Carpenter.

Carolyn Wonderland
2025-07-13 19:00 - 21:00
Carolyn Wonderland has more than earned her reputation as a fiercely independent artist. Fans love her for her dynamic guitar playing, formidable songwriting, and pure Texas vocals. Wonderland plays original, bluesified, cosmic soul music, mixed with heavy doses of Tex-Mex and riff-fueled rock ‘n’ roll. Moreover, she has been performing professionally since age fifteen and has led a colorful and adventurous life. She has spent her entire career on the road, playing with icons from Townes Van Zandt to Levon Helm. Also, she’s worked with Buddy Guy, Hubert Sumlin, Bob Dylan and John Mayall, all while writing her own story.
On her new album, 2025’s Truth Is, Wonderland reflects on the world with honesty and righteous conviction. Here, she does this with vividly detailed, instantly memorable songs. Wonderland’s bold and insightful songs tell common-sense truths that, in her words, “need to be told.” They are driven by her sometimes savage, sometimes gently melodic guitar fingerpicking, along with her full-throated yet still vulnerable vocals. Also, Wonderland explains the album’s brutally honest subject matter. “There’s always hope and we’re still here for each other, but at some point, you have to sing about the elephant in the room.”
Truth Is is a timeless album for these times. Over the course of the album’s twelve songs, Wonderland and her band create lasting musical magic. Wonderland stakes her claim among the most influential roots music voices today. Further, her courageously empowering music packs an emotional wallop. Here, every track on the album radiates a rare intensity that is welcoming and ultimately uplifting. “She’s something else,” Bob Dylan once told Ray Benson. “She should be nationwide.”
Recommended for fans of Marcia Ball, Aaron Neville, Susan Tedeschi and Delbert McClinton.

📸: Mary Bruton

Lissie
2025-07-12 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-07-11 19:00 - 21:00
Lissie’s latest, 2022’s Carving Canyons finds the acclaimed singer-songwriter digging deep to carry on through life’s many uncertainties. Her fifth album is her most personal expression yet. Her songs chart the ripples caused by heartbreak and loneliness, and what happens when the soul perseveres amidst pain. Carving Canyons is as deeply felt as Lissie’s music has ever been.
Carving Canyons came about at Lissie’s own pace, following 2018’s Castles and the piano-based retrospective When I’m Alone (2019). “It wasn’t a time where I felt like I had a lot to say,” she recalls, “and each record typically comes from a shift in my life where I need to share things.” As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world, Lissie was also dealing with an impactful breakup on her Iowa farm. “It was such a heavy time—not just for me but for the world, of course—and I needed love, support, and connection,” she says. “Because there was so much isolation, it was an important period of time for me to explore some of my dark places and process it all.”
Lissie took in the nature and observed the seasons changing around her and within her. Then, the songs that would make up Carving Canyons started to flow from her. Carving Canyons is about looking within while dealing with the uncertainty of the future. Here, she finds hope in personal and worldly adversity, no matter what the forecast might say. “Some days it was so terrifying that I didn’t know how to carry on—and then I realized, ‘How exciting. What a gift,’” Lissie recalls while discussing her frame of mind while making the record. “The road in front of me is wide open.”
Recommended for fans of Ellie Goulding, Neko Case, Brandi Carlile and Patty Griffin.

Toronzo Cannon
2025-07-10 21:00 - 23:00, 2025-07-10 19:00 - 21:00
“exceptionally gifted… man, he can play” – Blues Blast

“I want my songs to be heard and experienced, not just listened to,” says cliché-defying, internationally beloved Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon. Cannon is on the cutting edge of today’s contemporary blues scene. Further, critics hail him as one of the genre’s most creative artists. Fans love him for his richly detailed, truth-telling original songs, blistering, inventive guitar work and impassioned vocals.
Here, his heroes inspire his sound. For example, Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Albert King, Son Seals and Jimi Hendrix. Moreover, on his latest release, 2024’s Shut Up And Play!, Cannon blazes his own path with eleven emotionally charged originals. Thus, his powerful, cathartic guitar solos and his soulfully authoritative voice fuel his imaginative songs.
Shut Up And Play! features Cannon, a former Chicago bus driver, delivering timeless stories of common experiences. Further, his lyrics are set ablaze by his passionate and focused guitar playing. Here, Cannon sings of the heartbreak of lost love, the humor of daily life, and the pain of feeling invisible. Chicago’s New City declared, “Toronzo Cannon spins the innate human capacity of misery and regret into a kind of furious ecstasy.”
“I write what I know, what I feel,” Cannon says. “Listen to the lyrics. I am a Black man in America. These are NOT protest songs. I try to create honest, common sense understanding with my songs.”
Cannon has earned ten Blues Music Award nominations. Further, as his fan base expands, so do his friendships with famous musicians. Gary Clark, Jr. declared, “Toronzo is a beast. He lights the room up.” Also, Joe Bonamassa rightly pronounced, “Toronzo’s a great guitar player, excellent vocalist and an amazing personality.”
Recommended for fans of Lonnie Brooks, Walter Trout, Bernard Allison and Corey Stevens.
LEARN MORE: https://toronzocannon.com/home

Johnnie Brown: "Let the Music Play" -
2025-07-09 19:00 - 21:00
Johnnie Brown was born in Mississippi. He began singing as a child in his father’s church choir. As an adult, Johnnie’s sibling and friends encouraged him to take singing more seriously.
Brown decided to take his vision as a performer to the next level and formed a band. Since, he has established a reputable name for himself and performs locally around the Minneapolis area. He attributes his love of music to many great legends of R&B, soul, pop and the great “sounds of Philadelphia”.
Brown performs regularly at the Dakota, Crooner’s Supper Club, Ordway, and Chanhassen Dinner Theater. Additionally, he has played Chicago’s Epiphany Center for the Arts, the Ujamaa foundation, community benefits and other celebrations. Furthermore, Johnnie continues to strive to make a difference in the entertainment community.
Brown is lauded for his tribute performances, shows that honor the legendary performers who inspired his singing career. Additionally, he aims to enhance the substance of music and its relevancy, to develop and broaden a more diverse audience. Then, he connects with audiences on an emotional level, leading them on a musical journey they can relate to.
After several sold-out performances, Johnnie brings his Barry White tribute performance, “Let the Music Play” to the Dakota. Here, Brown’s debut tribute performance to the music of the legendary Barry White will be a soulful experience. Then, he reimagines White’s music, detailing the life and time of an amazing artist of our time.
Barry Eugene White was an American singer, songwriter, and producer who was active from the 1950s to the 2000s. People knew him for his bass voice and romantic image, and his greatest success came in the 1970s.
Recommended for fans of Barry White, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson.

Bonerama
2025-07-08 19:00 - 21:00
Bonerama is a force of nature. In many ways, the band defies categorization. A funky rock band with brass… a funky brass band that rocks. Bonerama is a New Orleans-based band that fuses everything that has made that city’s music famous into a genre-defying gumbo. The band takes elements of rock, soul, fusion, pop, jazz, funk, brass, gospel and blues to forge its unique sound.
Formed in 1998, Bonerama is in their twenty-seventh year. They are Mark Mullins (founding member, trombone, electric trombone and lead vocals), Greg Hicks (trombone/vocals), Chris Butcher (trombone). Also, Bert Cotton (guitar), Matt Perrine (sousaphone) and Eric Bolivar (drums). Here, Bonerama is one of the funkiest and most unique bands to ever come out of New Orleans.
Their original songs are extraordinary. Additionally, they deliver blistering covers by Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Allman Brothers, Jimi Hendrix, and Black Sabbath. Thus, Bonerama’s style is distinctive, inimitable, genuine, one-of-a-kind sound is unmatched, high-energy, fun, dynamic and bold.
Over the years, Bonerama has joined forces with many prominent musicians on stage or in the studio. For example, R.E.M., Little Feat, OK Go, Nicole Atkins, George Porter Jr., The Radiators, Ivan Neville, Galactic and many more. Moreover, whoever Bonerama teams up with gets an interesting and personal take on Bonerama’s style. There, they infuse a piece of their own genetics into the band vibe of whoever they are joining. Furthermore, Bonerama’s sound is a mélange unlike anything else. By placing the trombones front and center stage as the lead instrument, Bonerama is different in the best possible way. Here, it is drenched with the New Orleans DNA that flows through the veins of the band’s members.
Recommended for fans of Trombone Shorty, Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels Brass Band and Galactic.

📸: Marc Pagani

Moore By Four
2025-07-07 19:00 - 21:00
Feat. Sanford Moore, Ginger Commodore, Connie Evingson, Dennis Spears, and Ashley Commodore
Moore By Four quickly established themselves as a fixture on the Twin Cities music scene upon their 1986 inception. There, they started out at Ruby’s Cabaret in Minneapolis. The group performed sold-out concerts at the Guthrie and Fitzgerald Theaters and went on to tour Europe and Japan. Then, they shared concert billing with Harry Connick, Jr., Joe Williams, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughan and Dizzy Gillespie. Further, they performed at concert halls and jazz festivals around the world. They’ve sung for the U.S. Olympic Committee, the Super Bowl, the Minnesota Twins, Vikings and Timberwolves. Also, former President and Mrs. Clinton, Mikhail and Raisa Gorbachev, Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel, the King and Queen of Sweden. Additionally, they’ve played countless special events, benefits, corporate functions, colleges and universities, concert halls and festivals in the U.S., Europe and Japan.
The harmonies put forth by the four vocalists immediately invoke thoughts of Manhattan Transfer. They do this with their precise vocal control and polish, pulsating rhythms and innovative arrangements. However, the individuals’ grounding in gospel, jazz, pop and theater provides a far broader range to the group’s musical offerings.
The group’s repertoire, arranged by Director Sanford Moore, originally specialized in music from the swing era. Moreover, it has broadened to also include contemporary jazz, original compositions and new arrangements of great standards. They pull tunes from Broadway, Hollywood and the Cotton Club period. Then, they perform these songs in what has become known as the signature style of Moore By Four.
Recommended for fans of Manhattan Transfer, New York Voices, The Four Freshmen and Take 6.

JT Bates, Zacc Harris, Chris Bates Trio
2025-07-06 19:00 - 21:00
Drummer JT Bates grew up at the Dakota. He experienced being in the same room as many drummers who created the language of the modern drumset. For example, Billy Higgins, Ben Riley, Elvin Jones, Max Roach, and on from those depths.
To share a stage shared by so much music from far and wide is an honor. Here, JT is joined by brother Chris Bates on bass, and Zacc Harris on guitar.
Currently residing in Minneapolis, JT is most often holed up in a studio making drum tracks for many recording artists. He has recently contributed tracks to Maya Hawke, Taylor Swift, and Ed Sheeran. However, growing up in a jazz-oriented family has never left his core. Thus, he can be seen semi-regularly in the Twin Cities performing creative music in multiple capacities.
Bates has worked with artists from both ends of the spectrum. He has toured with fellow improvisers Tony Malaby, Anthony Cox, John Medeski, and Craig Taborn. Also, The Lowest Pair, Big Red Machine (with Justin Vernon and Aaron Dessner), Jenny Lewis, Bonny Light Horseman, and LULUC. Additionally, he was a part of the Bon Iver Tu Dance project at The Palace.
Bates has played alongside some of his personal favorite singer/songwriters. These include Pieta Brown, Phil Cook, Erik Koskinen, Dead Man Winter, and The Pines. He made his first solo recording, Open Relationships, in 2015. JT is a lifelong member of Fat Kid Wednesdays (w/Adam Linz and Michael Lewis), and Alpha Consumer (w/Jeremy Ylvisaker and Michael Lewis). He also fronts Grain, a Hammond B3 organ trio.
Recommended for fans of The Bad Plus, Nate Smith, LA Buckner and Dosh.

The Belfast Cowboys
2025-07-05 19:00 - 21:00
The Belfast Cowboys is a nine-piece, horn-driven band from Minneapolis that specializes in the music of Van Morrison. Entering their third decade, they are adept at mixing rock, blues, roots and soul sounds. Led by veteran songwriter/guitarist Terry Walsh, the Cowboys have flourished in the renowned Minnesota music scene. They have consistently packed houses and wowed crowds since 2002.
Terry Walsh got his start playing in various Twin Cities rock bands. He toured as Slim Dunlap’s bass player in 1997, opening for Son Volt. In 2001 Terry hit upon the idea of forming a Van Morrison tribute band. Terry spent the rest of the year learning Van songs and building an all-star band. The band played their first show at the old 400 Bar on Saint Patrick’s Day 2002.
Many musicians have played with the band, but the ‘A’ team was soon established. It includes Dan Kowalke (guitar, vocals, Joe Baumgart (bass), Dave Kirby and Dave Haugen (drums, backing vocals), Joe Loskota (keyboards, backing vocals). The horn section includes Paul Gronert (sax), Matt Hanzelka (trombone), Tim Martin (trumpet), Vic Volare (sax, flute). Bandleader Terry Walsh (lead vocals, guitar, harmonica, piano).
The band has expanded its content over the years to include rock and soul covers. Terry’s own originals have become fan favorites. Now a beloved staple in Minnesota, the 9-piece Belfast Cowboys averaged over 120 shows a year before the pandemic. The bar-tested troubadours are known for playing epic sets at their weekly Minneapolis gigs and drawing crowds to outdoor festivals. Occasionally they’ll venture beyond the Midwest to play Ireland, Phoenix, and New York’s Times Square. Once they opened for the band Chicago in front of 15,000 people.
Recommended for fans of Bruce Springsteen, G.B. Leighton, Tina and the B-Sides and Van Morrison.

Closed for the holiday
2025-07-04
We will be closed on JUL 4 for the holiday.
BOOK YOUR EVENT HERE:
https://www.dakotacooks.com/private-events/

T. Mychael Rambo & Ginger Commodore
2025-07-03 19:00 - 21:00
“[Rambo is a] local theater legend” – Music in MN

“Ginger possesses some of the sweetest and most clarion pipes in town.” – City Pages

David Smith, keyboards
Tony Axtell, bass
Ke’Andre Mack, drums
Solomon Parham, trumpet
Kathy Mueller, synth, flute, vocals
Peter Vircks, saxophone
Geoff Jones, vocals
Chreese Jones, vocals
A three-time Emmy Award-winning actor, vocalist, arts educator and community organizer; T. Mychael Rambo is a long-standing Twin Cities arts community pillar.
T. Mychael has made an indelible mark in the Twin Cities. Here, he has performed principal roles at such theaters as the Guthrie, Ordway Theatre, Illusion Theatre, and Mixed Blood. Also, Park Square Theatre, Ten Thousand Things, Children’s Theatre and Minnesota Opera among others. His Penumbra Theatre credits alone include: Black Nativity, Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope, Dinah Was, Last Minstrel Show, Jitney, Spunk, Gem of the Ocean, Ain’t Misbehavin, Piano Lesson, and Ballad of Emmett Till to name just a few.
Nationally and internationally his stage credits include Carnegie Hall and performances abroad in Africa, Europe and South America. He has appeared in local and national television commercials. Also, feature films (The Cure, Justice, Crossing the Bridge, Wooley Boys) HBO mini-series (Laurel Avenue, Equinox), and other television programming. T. Mychael is an accomplished residency artist (COMPAS, Young Audiences, MN State Arts Board, VocalEssence). Further, he is an affiliate professor in the College of Liberal Arts, Theatre Arts and Dance at University of Minnesota.
A member of the Midwest music scene for many years, Ginger Commodore is a regular visitor to the Dakota stage. Classically trained, gospel-influenced, and jazz-inspired, Ginger’s musical foundation is a true amalgam of musical styles presented with her unique delivery.
Recommended for fans of Stevie Wonder, Peabo Bryson, Marvin Gaye and Vanessa Williams.
LEARN MORE:
https://www.instagram.com/rambotmychael/
https://www.gingercommodore.com
