The Jazz Is NOW! NOWnet

This performance marks the re-emergence of the local jazz ensemble formerly known as Jazz Is NOW! and the organization (which retains the same name) founded in 2003 by Jeremy Walker at his now-closed St. Paul club, Brilliant Corners. The NOWnet is envisioned as a versatile group dedicated to playing adventurous new compositions by ensemble members, which include some of the brightest lights on the Twin Cities jazz scene. Core members include bandleader Walker on piano, trumpet ace Kelly Rossum, saxophonists Chris Thomson and Scott Fultz, drummer Kevin Washington, and bassists Jeff Bailey and Anthony Cox. The band's size and personnel will shift as necessary, with drummer JT Bates, pianist Bryan Nichols, and several additional horn players in the loop. Before it went on hiatus in 2005, the group was an exciting, high-flying outfit that swung hard and swaggered its way through smart, contemporary jazz pieces, and that promise is likely to continue with the revised band. Compositions by Rossum, Walker, and Fultz will be on the bill for this re-inaugural performance. Meanwhile, Walker's Jazz Is NOW! organization plans to launch an upcoming performance series with local and national musicians.
Thu., March 13, 8 p.m., 2008