FREE

St. Paul roots-rock singer-songwriter Mary Cutrufello has been a mainstay in the Americana scene here and in Texas for thirty years. She's performed on The Tonight Show and Austin City Limits, and toured in all 50 states and several European countries. Hailed by USA Today as "a fierce guitarist with with a blistered-throat voice," Cutrufello mixes original songs and classics of American music (think Willie Nelson and Steve Earle) into a captivating, heartland-proud musical stew at once timeless and immediate.

FREE

Joel Shapira is a top performing classical and jazz guitarist based in the Twin Cities. His educational background includes studies with some of the world's greatest players and teachers including jazz legends Joe Pass, Tal Farlow and Gene Bertoncini, as well as master classical instructor Alan Johnston. A native of St. Paul, Joel attended Berklee School of Music in Boston and The Mannes School of Music in New York City where he lived, performed and taught for eight years.

FREE

James Samuel “Cornbread” Harris Sr. is a Twin Cities legend. His earliest influences were in country music, citing Hank Williams Sr. and Gene Autry among his favorites. Cornbread began learning piano at the age of 13, but he quickly grew tired of having his hands slapped with rulers by "the nuns" and he quit. He hit the piano once again in his early twenties, but this time around it was all about the Blues and he just kept on playing.

Now in his nineties, Cornbread is more active than ever in the local music scene.  He plays several regular weekly and monthly gigs, and now incorporates jazz into his vast repertoire.  He can be seen solo, backed up or playing with Cadillac Kolstad or other musicians.

FREE

Mateo is very well known as a committed flamenco guitarist.  He also specializes in Argentine tango and Latin jazz.  He is joined by the excellent violinist, Sophia Butler, and master percussionist, Eron Woods.  Expect the Unexpected as they journey through Spanish and Latin genres with inspired music making, always true to its' roots, with plenty of virtuosity thrown in.  

FREE

The Mill City Hot Club was started by founding club member and guitarist Dean Harrington. The music is based on the tradition of gypsy jazz, pioneered in the 1920s by the Belgian guitarist Django Reinhardt and French violinist Stephan Grappelli of the famous Quintet of the Hot Club of France.

FREE

Nikki Matteson and Rich Rue are a musical duo from Minnesota, based in Minneapolis. They were the core members of the group, Nikki & The RueMates. Music from the 1950s and 1960s, as well as blues music, especially country blues and female blues, inspires their songwriting and these are the sounds upon which their live performances and recordings are based. When they perform in front of an audience, Rich’s blistering slide guitar and Nikki’s melodious singing create an intimate and joyful musical experience.

FREE

Sarah Morris has a habit of missing the forest. From the day the Minneapolis based singer-songwriter picked up a guitar, armed with the bone-deep memory of her parents’ well-loved record collection and rooted in the storytelling fire of a Mary Chapin Carpenter tune, she’s been too busy crafting love letters to the details of the trees. Sarah’s endearingly honest, expertly penned songs encourage audiences to pull away from the big picture and get caught up in the magic of our everyday minutia, the rainy day ache in her sunlit voice granting us permission to escape into stories at once hauntingly familiar and uniquely her own.

FREE

Called "one of the most brilliant songwriters to emerge from the Twin Cities in nearly two decades" by southernminn.com, Doug Collins's hooky mix of Beatle-esque pop and classic country are highlighted in his energetic shows (both solo and with his crack band, the Receptionists), soulful singing, and honest, emotional songs. His last two CD's were voted "Best of the Year" by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and his most recent, Good Sad News, was voted #3 best American release in Spain by Ruta66 Magazine.

FREE

Award-winning horn player Steve Clarke leads this classic swing combo through lively and energetic renditions of the jazz-era classics as well as smartly crafted originals.

FREE

Mark Joseph has supported and worked with Samantha Fish, Marc Brousard, Greg Koch, Robby Kreiger, Whey Jennings, The Dire Wolves, Nicholas David, The Guess Who, WAR, Shred Is Dead, Keller Williams, Robert Randolph, The Travelin' McCourys, Leftover Salmon, Sherwin Linton, Merle Haggard and countless others. 

FREE

The Neighborhood Quartet’s music is as varied as its members’ résumés—as improvisers, they’re adept at navigating jazz harmony; as writers they understand the shape of folklike melodies—but, if they had to be classified, you could say they pursue a distinctly midwestern take on the tradition of R&B and pop instrumental groups. On its self-titled debut album, the Neighborhood Quartet doesn’t explicitly sound like any of that—they aren’t retrogressive or imitative—but they tap into the tradition’s sensibility: sticky melodies laid on top of supple funk; clever, economical arrangements; tasty and succinct solos.

FREE

Joel Shapira is a top performing classical and jazz guitarist based in the Twin Cities. His educational background includes studies with some of the world's greatest players and teachers including jazz legends Joe Pass, Tal Farlow and Gene Bertoncini, as well as master classical instructor Alan Johnston. A native of St. Paul, Joel attended Berklee School of Music in Boston and The Mannes School of Music in New York City where he lived, performed and taught for eight years.

FREE

Iowa-raised, Minneapolis-based Ben Cook-Feltz is a singer, songwriter, drummer and self-taught pianist. Combining observational, sometimes quirky lyrics with melodies that hearken back to the classic sounds of the 60′s and 70′s, he has been entertaining audiences throughout the Midwest as a dynamic performer, whether playing solo, with his crackerjack band, or backing up some of the finest regional talent. His most recent record, BCF, was released in September 2018.

FREE

We haven’t yet confirmed which one of our talented, rotating local acts will be playing this day - please watch this space and check back later!

FREE

Sarah Morris has a habit of missing the forest. From the day the Minneapolis based singer-songwriter picked up a guitar, armed with the bone-deep memory of her parents’ well-loved record collection and rooted in the storytelling fire of a Mary Chapin Carpenter tune, she’s been too busy crafting love letters to the details of the trees. Sarah’s endearingly honest, expertly penned songs encourage audiences to pull away from the big picture and get caught up in the magic of our everyday minutia, the rainy day ache in her sunlit voice granting us permission to escape into stories at once hauntingly familiar and uniquely her own.

FREE

Brilliant Colors Jazz Trio features (3) experienced jazz musicians well known and respected throughout the twin-cities and region, including: Glen Helgeson - guitar, Jim Chenoweth - bass and Nathan Norman - drums

FREE

The Roe Family Singers are a Good-Time, Old-Time Hillbilly band from the Mississippi-headwaters community of Kirkwood Hollow, MN. Led by wife & husband Kim Roe (Best Female Vocalist, City Pages/Village Voice) and Quillan Roe (Accident Clearinghouse), the band blends characteristic old-time sound with rock & roll urgency and influence.

FREE

Jon Rodine is a singer and songwriter, based in Minnesota. Drawing on sources like Dan Penn, Doug Sahm, Bob Dylan and beyond, his music is song-driven, a blend of Americana, groove-oriented rock’n’roll, and country soul.

FREE

The well oiled machine that is Doug Otto and the Getaways have been likened to the timeless sounds of Robert Johnson, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy.

FREE

Jason Weismann’s smooth, smoky vocals are complemented by his breathy tenor sax work and backed by some of the swinging-est sidemen on the Twin Cities jazz scene. The Q performs a mix of well-loved standards, overlooked chestnuts and even a few well-crafted originals — featuring musicianship that will both engage the casual listener and impress the jazz aficionado.

FREE

St. Paul roots-rock singer-songwriter Mary Cutrufello has been a mainstay in the Americana scene here and in Texas for thirty years. She's performed on The Tonight Show and Austin City Limits, and toured in all 50 states and several European countries. Hailed by USA Today as "a fierce guitarist with with a blistered-throat voice," Cutrufello mixes original songs and classics of American music (think Willie Nelson and Steve Earle) into a captivating, heartland-proud musical stew at once timeless and immediate.

FREE

“After twenty-plus years, Minneapolis singer-songwriter Dan Israel has proven himself an expert at navigating the wide-open field between power pop and roots rock....spreading his wings has led Israel to his best album yet” - Michael Toland

FREE

“After twenty-plus years, Minneapolis singer-songwriter Dan Israel has proven himself an expert at navigating the wide-open field between power pop and roots rock....spreading his wings has led Israel to his best album yet” - Michael Toland

FREE

Joel Shapira is a top performing classical and jazz guitarist based in the Twin Cities. His educational background includes studies with some of the world's greatest players and teachers including jazz legends Joe Pass, Tal Farlow and Gene Bertoncini, as well as master classical instructor Alan Johnston. A native of St. Paul, Joel attended Berklee School of Music in Boston and The Mannes School of Music in New York City where he lived, performed and taught for eight years.

FREE

Musicians from the Midwest have a knack for reinventing tradition. Jeff Ray is no exception. Go to any one of his performances and you’ll hear his fans say the same thing, “his music sounds old and new at the same time”.

Born and raised in Minnesota, Ray left home at the age of 17 to cut his teeth in Memphis. It was through those travels that he developed his unmistakable “East-meets-West” Bluesy Americana sound.

FREE

The Dang Ol' Tri'ole is a 5 person bohemian folk group from the Twin Cities. With nearly 15 years of playing together, they have honed their skills to demonstrate their fluency at their respective instruments through tight vocal harmonies, complex melodies, dense compositions, and improvisational soloing with a dynamic & cohesive presentation. Their unique experiences, and common bonds, have helped spawn their own sound that borrows from an array of styles including: Traditional Folk, Progressive Rock, Salsa, Blues, Ska, Gypsy, and Classic Rock.

FREE

The Minneapolis based Saddle Sores play classic country music from the 50s, 60s, and 70s.  This Twin Cities classic country cover band is a dance community favorite and a multi-generational crowd pleaser.

FREE

Mateo is very well known as a committed flamenco guitarist.  He also specializes in Argentine tango and Latin jazz.  He is joined by the excellent violinist, Sophia Butler, and master percussionist, Eron Woods.  Expect the Unexpected as they journey through Spanish and Latin genres with inspired music making, always true to its' roots, with plenty of virtuosity thrown in.  

FREE

James Samuel “Cornbread” Harris Sr. is a Twin Cities legend. His earliest influences were in country music, citing Hank Williams Sr. and Gene Autry among his favorites. Cornbread began learning piano at the age of 13, but he quickly grew tired of having his hands slapped with rulers by "the nuns" and he quit. He hit the piano once again in his early twenties, but this time around it was all about the Blues and he just kept on playing.

Now in his eighties, Cornbread is more active than ever in the local music scene. Don’t let his age fool you, Cornbread is full of life and is always hopeful about the future.

FREE

A spontaneous, vivid performance by some of Minnesota’s most stellar gypsy-jazz artists played in the Django Reinhardt French swing tradition of the 1930’s. Gypsy Mania features an exceptional stylistic dimension with prodigious improvisation – a group not to be missed.