Twin Cities Jazz Festival

The 10th Annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival features national and local talent over two June weekends, one in St. Paul and one in Minneapolis.  Although the festival officially began on Thursday night, June 19th, with the reunion concert of 70s fusion band Return to Forever, the main events begin tonight Mears Park in St. Paul’s Lowertown! The music begins at 6:00 PM with Salsabrosa.  Jerry Gonzales and the Fort Apache Band are headlining tonight’s events at 8:30 PM. The music will continue Saturday afternoon, beginning with the Walker West Music Academy and ending in the evening with the Ravi Coltrane Quartet.  The annual festival jam will end the weekend’s events a few blocks west at the Artists Quarter.  

The Twin Cities Jazz Festival week continues with special performances in Minneapolis and Bloomington.  The final weekend of the festival will occur at Peavy Plaza in downtown Minneapolis on June 27 and 28.  It will feature headliners Charmaine Neville, Tony Monoco and the Heatin’ System, and Moore By Four.

Although most of the festival is free and outdoors, there are some significant ticketed events this year, continuing with special shows at the Artists Quarter and Dakota, and Downbeat’s Rising Stars showcase at Orchestra Hall on June 26th. A full schedule of events can be found here.