The Five celebrates the role of jazz as a modern American chamber music.  Continuing the spectrum of instrumental acoustic jazz that was spawned by the styles of Art Blakey, the MJQ, early Herbie Hancock and others, The Five focuses on original compositions, many of them by drummer Kenny Horst. 

The “team players” making up The Five are, in alphabetical order, Kenny Horst (drums), Dave Karr (reeds, flute), Steve Kenny (trumpet), Tom Lewis (bass) and Mikkel Romstad (piano).

• The Five "Straight, No Chaser" 4/17/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6QfymmVJS4
• The Five "Milestones" 4/17/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEjlVmJPt7E
• The Five "All Blues" 4/17/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnfMD9zhs7Y

Pianist Tanner Taylor moved to the Twin Cities from Jefferson, Iowa, in 2001, and Minnesota jazz fans’ jaws have been dropping ever since.  Tanner is a young talent who always wows a crowd, whether he’s applying his signature simpatico accompaniment to the work of top vocalists, performing with groups like world beat artists Tickle Fight, backing greats including David “Fathead” Newman and Lew Tabackin, or leading his own trio. Last year Taylor starred in a concert payed tribute to one of his primary muses, the late great Oscar Peterson, it was regarded as one of the highlights of the Twin Cities Jazz Society’s “Jazz from J to Z” concert series.

Check out these videos:

• Tanner Taylor at the 3rd Annual Bobby Peterson Memorial jazz Piano Showcase 2/22/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG63JkVFzSU
• Tanner Taylor Trio 7/22/09 "Some Other Time" www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGDnm2RFNb4
• Tanner Taylor at the 2nd Annual Bobby Peterson Memorial jazz Piano Showcase "Waltz For Debbie" /www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQtDFYm8cN0
  

"Valves meet Slide" is a 2 trombone based quintet led by Brad Bellows and also featuring Dave Graf with Mikkel Romstad on piano, Chris Bates on bass, Mac Santiago on drums.

Valve trombonist and euphoniumist Brad Bellows attended  Berklee School of Music in Boston and has been a professional musician for  over 30 years.He is probably best known as the founder of the Locally Damaging  Winds, the Midwest's preeminent jazz trombone  quartet, which brings together the finest trombone talent in town. Brad has also released a duo CD with guitarist Dean Granros called “Bear's  Delight”.

Dave Graf is of the most versatile and talented trombonists in the Twin Cities, Dave has worked in a wide range of musical settings: Dixieland, straight ahead jazz, salsa and Brazilian music, big bands, pit orchestras and recordings. He  has preformed with Dizzy Gillespie, Slide Hampton, Jack McDuff, the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, and the Woody Herman Orchestra. He has appeared on Prairie Home Companion and with the St. Paul Ragtime Orchestra, Mandala, and the Steve Wright Big Band. Dave had an eleven-year association with the late trumpeter Red Wolfe in his Port of Dixie Jazz Band and Ellington Echo's (now led by  Percy Hughes). Dave also performs with the Latin ensemble Salsa Del Soul.

Check out this video of the Brad Bellows/Dave Graf quintet or this video with Lucia Newell.

An free opening set at 7 p.m. features the Tesfa Combo and an open jam session. The Tesfa Combo features Dejen Tesfagiorgis on Saxophones, Steve Kenny on Trumpet, David Feily on Guitar/Trumpet, Jesse Mueller on Piano, Adam Tucker on Bass, and Aaron Rupar/Scorry Horey on Drums.

Dejen Tesfagiorgis also leads these weekly jam sessions, bring your axe and sit it! www.youtube.com/watch?v=4khzBPcgo24

Sample some 'organic cookin' with the Tuesday Night Band. Hammond B-3 organ lovers have been flocking to the AQ on Tuesday nights for over a decade to get a soulful dose of funky jazz.   The Tuesday Night Band features "Downtown" Bill Brown (Hammond B-3), Billy Franze (guitar), and Kenny Horst (drums) + guests!  Anything can happen - and frequently does.  Check out these videos: "April in Paris" www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqn2eCvvO3A and "Soulful Drums" www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGnLyYYPspE   - then come on down and join the fun. It's nothing but a party every Tuesday night. There's no stopping the groove.

The Artists' Quarter's hottest night opens with the Cory Wong Quartet featuring Zach W. Schmidt on drums, Cory J. Wong on guitar, Andy Schuster on bass and Dan M. Musselman on piano  starting at 7:00 P.M. These young, talented musicians provide the perfect prelude to the AQ's longest standing engagement. Check this video of the Cory Wong Quartet /www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrBd4wMzjGU

Tuesday night drink specials from 11 p.m. until midnight!