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JAM 2024 BANDS

Jake Baldwin Quartet

Jake Baldwin is a trumpet player based in Minneapolis, MN. His stylistic versatility has made him one of the busiest freelance trumpet players in the Midwest. You can hear him with groups ranging from the iconic Four Freshmen to the Minnesota Orchestra. In 2023 Jake won a Grammy for his contributions to the videogame “Assassin’s Creed: Ragnarök”
He has two releases under his own name. 2021’s “Where You’re Planted” and 2023’s “Misc. Items” which gained critical acclaim from Downbeat Magazine.

Anderson Twuo

Anderson Twuo is an experimental, free-form jazz duo featuring percussionist Garth Anderson and multi-instrumentalist Joseph Anderson. Formed in 2021, the prolific pair has released eight offerings on Bandcamp, including live performances from West Duluth institutions Wussow’s Concert Cafe and the Jade Fountain. The instrumental work is edgy and mysterious. Compositions feel improvised and can take off with the force of a fighter jet or float like a falling maple leaf.

The Becktet

The Becktet is a modern jazz quartet playing all of the jazz standards you love with a few original tunes as well. This small jazz ensemble is local to the Duluth area and made up with current and former students from the University of Minnesota Duluth. This quartet features Grant Carl on Bass, Ben Pichler on piano, Craig Visnovec on drums, and Rebecca Fulin on trumpet.

Callum Schultz Quartet

Callum Schultz is a bassist based in St. Paul, MN. While under the continued tutelage of such Twin Cities jazz greats as Kevin Washington, Ted Olsen, and Kavy Kaviraj, he began playing bass professionally at the age of 14 and has now played many shows throughout the cities as both a leader and sideman. With the intangible Gabe “Old Man” Hartnett on saxophone, the incredible Xavier Johnson-Ryan on keyboards, and the masterful Ataa Mensah on drums, this quartet flows effortlessly between the traditional jazz diaspora and the stylings of hip hop, funk, and jazz fusion, playing with complex harmonic and rhythmic concepts as well. They play a wide range of music, including powerful original compositions by their bassist and their drummer.

Emanuel Eisele’s “One Shot”

One Shot is a group based out of Duluth Minnesota, featuring: Ian Hopp on drums, Courtney Eillian on keys, Calvin Lund on Bass, Marshall Dillon on lead guitar and Emanuel Eisele on rhythm Guitar. The group hopes to incorporate various Latin, funk and jazz influences into a cohesive and enjoyable performance.

No Comment

No Comment is an instrumental jazz/funk ensemble based in Duluth, MN. The group features Marshall Dillon on guitar, Calvin “Calzone” Lund on the big guitar, Sten Duginski on several drums, Kevin Gamble on at least a few keys, and Jacob Burkhart on trumpet. 

Owl’s Club Big Band

The Owls Club Big Band officially hatched late in 2016 and took the name of the band’s inaugural concert venue, The Duluth Owls Club, where the band of Duluth musicians is based. The 17(ish) musicians comprising the ensemble are devotees of helping the ladies and gentlemen looking back at them from the floor find the center of Saturday night, no matter which night of the week it is.

Randy Lee Quintet

Randy Lee, saxes
Tim Stratioti, trombone
Sam Chandler, piano
Gordon Lewis, bass
Sten Duginski, drums
MR. RANDY LEE is a busy free-lance musician for various jazz concerts, dances, and receptions involving everything from Dixieland trios, to jazz combo, to Latin Jazz music, to big bands. Randy has performed with the orchestras of Guy Lombardo (Al Pierson and the Royal Canadians), Russ Morgan, Harry James, and Jimmy Dorsey, as well as for the Temptations, and the Four Tops. Mr. Lee’s professional bands and other associations have found him accompanying the Mills Brothers, Wayne Newton, Steve Lippia, the Drifters, Bobby Vinton, Johnny Mathis, Marvin Hamlisch and such jazz notables as Bobby Shew, Rufus Reid, Lee Konitz, Bob Brookmeyer, Paul McKee, Tom Matta, Randy Brecker, Bob Baca, and Rick DellaRatta (Jazz for Peace). He has performed for six Casinos across MN and WI. Randy is a founder, Artistic Director, and a featured woodwind soloist of the Big Time Jazz Orchestra (www.bigtimejazz.org), a group twice chosen to play at the MN Music Educators Assoc (MMEA) Convention and selected to perform at the American School Band Directors‘ Association 50th Anniversary Convention. He has served as Jazz Education Chair for the MMEA, has presented saxophone and jazz clinic sessions at Conventions and Conferences, judged the Iowa High School Jazz Championships, and was sax section coach for the MN All-State Jazz Bands. He’s been a featured jazz soloist with all three Duluth-Superior area college jazz bands. Other performance credits include the Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra, the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra, the Lake Superior Saxophone Quartet, Twin Ports Wind Ensemble, Mankato Symphony Orchestra and the Itasca Symphony Orchestra. He serves as adjunct staff for all three area colleges, has performed in multiple Playhouse pit orchestra performances for the Norshor Theater in Duluth, and has directed regional High School Honor Jazz Bands in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

Sam Chandler Trio

Sam Chandler, piano
Calvin Caron, bass
Sten Duginski, drums
Sam Chandler is a dynamic and versatile pianist, composer, and educator from Duluth, Minnesota. A Ravinia Steans Music Institute Jazz Program Fellow and Berklee College of Music graduate, Sam has studied with Ayn Inserto, Billy Childs, Kenny Werner, Greg Hopkins, Rufus Reid, Ryan Frane, Yoko Miwa, Steve Wilson, Steven Feifke and Kevin Harris. He has played with Bijon Watson’s and Steven Feifke’s Grammy-winning Generation Gap Jazz Orchestra, the Ayn Inserto Jazz Orchestra, Berklee’s Billy Childs Ensemble, and the Berklee Jazz Composition Faculty Ensemble, in addition to various groups at venues including Wally’s Jazz Club, the Lilypad Inman, and the Cellar Dog in New York City.

Sten Duginski’s “New Lands Collective“

“The New Lands Collective explores sounds of jazz and jazz fusion with a sense of wonder at each new sound. Bassist Calvin Caron, guitarist Kyle Gill, pianist Sam Chandler, and drummer Sten Duginski bring contagious energy and passion to the stage. Come see what there is to discover.”

Sugar On The Roof

Sugar on the Roof blends traditional Americana music from the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s with their own signature sound. Enjoy duetted harmonies that will make you want to two-step, fiddle-driven stringband tunes to stomp your feet to, a well-placed trombone to make it swing, and old country waltzes that will make you cry. See you on the dance floor! 

CSS Jazz Band

Duluth East Jazz Band

Denfeld High School

Esko High School

UMD Combo I

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Jazz At the Depot

 Saturdays from 3-6pm. Admission is just $6. Concessions are available for sale, as well as a full bar. Also available, warm winter soups, chili, sandwiches, and designer hot dogs.
The former Saratoga Jazz Quartet, the same group that performed in Canal Park for many years, lost their home, and has found a new one here in the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. They play a wide variety of traditional jazz and big band numbers with interesting side commentary about the original artists and their times.

Jazz At the Rathskeller

Thursdays From 9-11pm you can hear The Andy Peterson Trio and The Thomas Woytko Trio. They play a mixtures of classic Jazz standards as well modern and original jazz compositions. No cover charge. Must be 21+ to enter. See you in the underground.