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Home > Author : Brian Bix (Page 3)

Author: Brian Bix

Brian H. Bix (Guest Contributor) grew up in the Twin Cities and is currently a Professor of Law and Philosophy at the University of Minnesota. He has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues.

REVIEW: Soultastic Booker T. Jones (The Dakota)

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - July 8, 2022July 8, 2022

Soul legend Booker T. Jones performed last night at The Dakota in Minneapolis, MN. The label "living legend" is often just a cliché or a vast overstatement, but this was not the case last night at The Dakota. After all, the featured performer, Booker T. Jones, was inducted into the Rock

REVIEW: Ain’t Too Proud: What Becomes of the Brokenhearted?

  • Arts
  • Dance
  • Music
  • Theatre
by Brian Bix - June 29, 2022June 30, 2022

Harrell Holmes Jr., Elijah Ahmad Lewis, Jalen Harris, Marcus Paul James, and James T. Lane star as The Temptations in the musical Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, which opened Tuesday night at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, MN. When measuring records sold and overall artistic influence, The

REVIEW: Joe Lovano and Dave Douglas Quintet (Crooners Supper Club)

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - June 24, 2022June 26, 2022

The many faces of American jazz saxophonist, alto clarinetist, flautist, and drummer Joe Lovano with trumpeter Dave Douglas, pianist Leonardo Genovese, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Rudy Royston. Playing as the Sound Prints quintet, the five musicians officially kicked off this year's Twin Cities Jazz Festival on Friday. On June 23, Joe

REVIEW: Straighten Up and Fly Right!: John Pizzarelli at The Dakota

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - April 13, 2022April 13, 2022

Three looks at singer John Pizzarelli (color) with his bandmates pianist Isaiah J. Thompson (center-bottom) and bassist Mike Karn (center-top). The Dakota was packed last night with hard-core John Pizzarelli fans. Many knew of Pizzarelli through his radio show with his wife Radio Deluxe), followed his regular streaming show It’s

REVIEW: Deedles is Back!: The Diane Schuur Quartet at Crooners

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - April 6, 2022April 6, 2022

L-R: Diane Schuur, saxophonist Michael Cox, UR: bassist Roger Hines, LR: drummer Kendall Kay. The great jazz vocalist Diane Schuur (two-time Grammy winner, five-time nominee) was born blind, but it has never slowed her down. She wears spangle-rimmed, almost Elton John-worthy sunglasses and includes references to her situation in her banter.  One

REVIEW: That’s How You Jazz: Jelly’s Last Jam (Theater Latté Da)

  • Arts
  • Dance
  • Music
  • Theatre
by Brian Bix - April 3, 2022April 3, 2022

Julius Collins (center) as Buddy and the cast of Theater Latté Da's production of Jelly’s Last Jam, which opened last night at the Ritz Theater in Northeast Minneapolis. Photo by Dan Norman. When George C. Wolfe brought Jelly’s Last Jam to Broadway in 1992, jazz fans were happy to see the important

REVIEW: The Bob James Trio at 50 Years of Music Making (Dakota Jazz Club)

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - January 22, 2022January 22, 2022

The many faces of jazz keyboardist, arranger, and music producer Bob James, whose namesake trio headlined at the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis last night and returns this evening. Last night, the Bob James Trio played the Dakota Jazz Club in Minneapolis, almost a half century after the ensemble won the

REVIEW: David Benoit and A Charlie Brown Christmas at The Dakota

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - December 10, 2021December 11, 2021

Jazz pianist David Benoit, percussionist Dan Schnell, vocalist Courtney Fortune, and bassist Roberto Vally played the Dakota Jazz Club last night in Minneapolis, MN. Last night’s performance at The Dakota traces back to a television show from 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas. The music for that animated special – the first to

REVIEW: Chris Botti’s All-Star Variety Show (Dakota Jazz Club)

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - November 19, 2021November 19, 2021

Trumpeter Chris Botti and his all-star lineup played at the Dakota Jazz Club last night, with five more shows to come over the weekend. For those who are shy and introverted, the lockdown isolation of the early-stage COVID-19 Pandemic was tolerable, perhaps even welcome. But for someone like Chris Botti, who

PREVIEW: Relief – An Important Jazz Album for a Great Cause

  • Arts
  • Music
by Brian Bix - November 5, 2021November 6, 2021

Album art for the Relief jazz album dropping November 12. A unique jazz album is about to be released: Relief, a compilation of previously unreleased music, is an unusual joint product of many of the best-known jazz labels: Blue Note Records, Verve Label Group, Warner Music Group, Nonesuch Records, Mack Avenue Music

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