 Mary Louise Knutson©Andrea Canter Among the top echelon of a rich pool of Twin Cities’ pianists, Mary Louise Knutson is highly respected for her commitment to composition and teaching as well as her broad range of performance skills. A modern mainstream artist who celebrates melody without being confined by it, Mary Louise was one of five finalists in the first-ever Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Piano Competition, held at Kennedy Center in 2005. On Feb. 28, at 2 p.m., Mary Louise and her acclaimed trio (bassist Chris Bates and drummer Jay Epstein) join forces with special guest, violinist Randy Sabien, for a “Spotlight on Melody” at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, co-presented by the Twin Cities Jazz Society as a “Jazz from J to Z” concert. |
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“Birdland was both a cultural vantage point and a barometer of trends where all the big names in jazz performed.” -- Allan Morrison, Ebony 
On December 15, 1949, a jazz club opened on Broadway in midtown Manhattan, just a few doors away from the hotbed of jazz in the 40s, 52nd Street. Recognizing the significance of Birdland to the survival of modern jazz, the Twin Cities Jazz Society will celebrate the club’s 60th anniversary with its December 20th (2 pm) Jazz From J to Z concert, “Tribute to Birdland,” at the Bloomington Center for the Arts. Birdland’s first headliner was Charlie Parker; J to Z will feature an esteem cast with local ties, singers Debbie Duncan, Lee Engele and Bruce Henry, along with pianist Tanner Taylor, bassist Chris Bates, drummer Jay Epstein, and saxophonist Brandon Wozniak. |
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by Arne Fogel, TCJS Board member
 Lee Engele
...Actually, there wasn’t all that much campaigning, and there was very little intrigue: Lee Engele, well-known Twin Cities performer and member of the TCJS board since September of 2006, assumed the role of President of the Board with the greatest of ease. On the strength of a unanimous vote by the board and nearly two years of solid, responsible service to the TCJS, Ms. Engele promises to be a tremendous asset to the board leadership, and to the Twin Cities jazz community at large.
Lee is the tenth president of the TCJS, and the second to serve while simultaneously maintaining a career as a gigging musician (the other being the late Dave Sletten, president from 1993 - 1995). She succeeds outgoing president Jerry Swanberg, who assumed the presidency in 2004. Swanberg, host of Jazz 88’s “Big Band Scene” and a former musician, has also served TCJS as an MC at countless events, as a prolific writer of articles for this journal, and he has served this board in the positions of Vice President and as Treasurer, previous to his presidency. Jerry’s dedication to the music and his love of Big Band jazz, as well as his ability to be involved in several different aspects of board business - and competently so - is legendary. Jerry was particularly effective in his leadership of the “Jazz from J to Z” concerts. His leadership will be missed, but it's important to note that Jerry will still be writing big band articles for JAZZ NOTES, as well as his Big Band radio show, and he will continue working with big band concerts. Thank you Jerry, from the TCJS Board and it’s members, for a long, meaningful, and effective tenure. |
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The Twin Cities Jazz Society (TCJS) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization, supported by membership donations, dedicated to promoting jazz music, especially live jazz by local musicians! Click on Membership Benefits to see why you should join the Twin Cities Jazz Society! The organization was started in 1979 by Kyle Peterson and several other local jazz enthusiasts (among them Bob Protzman, Ken Green, and Leigh Kamman). TCJS currently has 1000 members, however, your support is needed to continue its active programs. TCJS publishes the monthly newsletter Jazz Notes; produces the Jazz from J to Z concert series; and co-sponsors the Hot Summer Jazz Festival, Northrop Jazz Season, Hopkins Center for the Arts / Jazz at the Center, and the JazzMn Big Band concert season. TCJS also sponsors education programs in area schools and has a scholarship program to help rising young local talent.
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