Aby Wolf w/ Kavyesh Kaviraj, Pete James Johnson, + Laurels String Quartet

Mon, Dec 16

5PM DOORS 7PM SHOW Full Food & Beverage Menu is available for the entire show. If you reserved a table, the table is yours for the night. $17 ADVANCE (+taxes/fees) $24 AT THE DOOR (+taxes) This show is curated by Aby Wolf, as a part of her December Residency. When Aby Wolf was invited to curate December Mondays at Icehouse, Kavyesh Kaviraj and Pete James Johnson were among the first gifted artists to come to mind for a double bill. Unexpectedly, those separate inquiries revealed interest to not only collaborate with Wolf on something new for each potential set, the idea to join forces as a trio and craft a collage of common ground was instantly compelling. To further elevate the experiment, the three will anchor an evening featuring works arranged by Johnson and Kaviraj for Twin Cities' own Laurels String Quartet. This will be a stunning evening; get there. ABOUT ABY WOLF Aby Wolf is a Twin Cities-based vocalist, music maker, and passionate collaborator with an elastic skillset. Whether writing vocal arrangements, fulfilling commissions, or performing in clubs, theaters, and schools from Brainerd to Bratislava to Beijing, Aby brings a palpable element of joy to whatever endeavor she pursues. A lifelong learner with an ever-expanding curiosity, Wolf’s sound is distinguished not by typical markers of genre or instrumentation, but by her impressive range of expression and experimentation. ABOUT KAVYESH KAVIRAJ Having collaborated with some of Minnesota’s most esteemed musicians, Kavyesh Kaviraj has solidified himself as one of the most sought-after composers, arrangers and pianists in the Twin Cities. Taking influences from his birthplace of Oman, his rich Indian heritage, and the place he now calls home, the St. Paul virtuoso utilizes his astounding ability to craft compelling musical narrative, imbuing his life’s essence into each of his acclaimed compositions. For the past seven years, Kavyesh has channelled his most transformative experiences and lessons from his heart to the piano, through the language of Jazz. ABOUT PETE JAMES JOHNSON Pete James Johnson is a drummer, composer and educator in the Twin Cities - most often seen playing jazz and improvised music but is at home in a variety of musical worlds. He has performed with local artists such as the Zacc Harris Group, Bryan Nichols, Javier Santiago, Omar Abdulkarim, Dosh, Michael Cain, Chris Bates’ Red 5, Will Kjeer, Andrew Walesch, Nooky Jones, Adam Meckler, Aaron Hedenstrom, JazzMN Orchestra, Twin Cities Latin Jazz Orchestra, and Adam Bohanan. Additionally Pete has also performed with international artists such as the Bob Mintzer Big Band, Alan Broadbent, Russ Ferrante, Alan Pasqua, Ambrose Akinmusire, and Bob Sheppard. As an educator Pete has taught at The College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University, The University of Minnesota Morris, Hamline University, University of Southern California, and has served as a clinician and guest artist at several Jazz Festivals around the Midwest. Pete’s primary instructors included Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Steely Dan), Ndugu Chancler (Miles Davis, Michael Jackson), Bill platt (Cincinnati Symphony) and National Medal of Arts recipient Morten Lauridson. ABOUT THE LAURELS STRING QUARTET After a chance meeting over a decade ago, The Laurels String Quartet fell into being and quickly became a staple of the Minneapolis music scene. Their enveloping blend and collective instinct for tuning into the emotional frequency of a song has amassed the group, collaborators near and far. Artists like Belle & Sebastian, Father John Misty, Lucius, Jeremy Messersmith, Macklemore, Dan Wilson, Jason Mraz, Rogue Valley, Motion City Soundtrack, The New Standards, Ondara, and Semisonic have sought their company on stage and in the studio. The quartet has appeared on “Late Night with David Letterman”, PBS, The Current, NPR and has performed on stages across the country from the celebrated outdoor festival “Rock The Garden” at The Walker Art Center, to the Barclays Center arena in Brooklyn NY, to the legendary First Avenue in Minneapolis and everything in between.