The month of June, 2010 marked the debut of an alternate venue for the Nova Jazz Orchestra. It’s the Shorewood Bar & Grill in Fridley, MN. In lieu of playing at O’Gara’s for the rest of the summer, we’ll be playing at the Shorewood in July and August, on the 27th and 24th respectively. See how to get to the Shorewood here. Note that we start playing at 7pm! We’ll play until 10. See you there — we are excited to be playing this new venue.

Coming up next month, the Nova Contemporary Jazz Orchestra will assist in performing an original musical production titled “Dreaming of America.” The work is by one of our talented alto saxophonists, Kari Musil. All information is listed below. Save the date, mark your calendar, and otherwise take note!

• What: Nova Contemporary Jazz Orchestra and Humboldt Band present “Dreaming of America”
• When: Sunday, May 2nd, 3:00pm
• Where: Paul and Sheila Wellstone Neighborhood House • 179 Robie Street East, St. Paul
• Admission: Donations accepted

There will be a reception following featuring artwork by 7th graders, plus food & drink by BC2 Bakery.

Just a reminder: Nova Contemporary Jazz Orchestra’s “Battle of Big Bands” concert with the Acme Jazz Company will be broadcast on Jazz88’s Big Band Scene—soon—on Monday, March 22nd at 7pm. The show will be re-broadcast on Sunday the 28th, also at 7pm.

Then, this Tuesday, March 23, Nova plays its monthly O’ Gara’s gig at 8pm. Join us there!

If you came out to our recent show with Acme Jazz Company at Minnetonka High, thanks for your support. We sincerely hope you enjoyed the music. In the next battle, we hope to work in marshmallow bazookas in some way.

Greetings All,

I am very excited to announce that the Nova Jazz Orchestra has completed its Seventh CD of all Minnesota Jazz. This CD – A Time of Reckoning – features 10 charts with a Minnesota connection. The title track, by Dan Cavanagh (Jazz Studies Prof at Univ. Texas at Arlington) was commissioned especially for the Nova band and is an amazing piece of music. It takes a line of Gregorian Chant and transforms it into a very hot up-tempo swing chart. It must be heard to be believed.

Nova is having a CD Release Party on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2009 at O’Gara’s Bar and Grill on the corner of Snelling and Selby in St. Paul. The event starts at 7 pm with the Frankhouse Septet (they are very cool and definitely worth a listen). The Nova band will begin playing at 8:30 pm and will go until 11 or so. We will play cuts off the CD plus some new material and a few holiday favorites, from our last recording project – An Odd Christmas. Renowned Jazz artists Dave Hagedorn, Vibes and Dave Marden, Flute, are featured on the CD and both will perform with us at the party. Nova CDs will be available at $15/each.

This CD is by far Nova’s most ambitious effort yet. I am very proud of this work and hope you will join us on the 24th.

Cheers,

Mike

On a related note, if your name is Sten Johnson and you play any sort of instrument, don’t forget to talk to us about getting on Nova’s sub list.