Come ring in 2024 with the legendary Cornbread Harris and all his friends. There couldn't be a better way to get on the good foot with 2024 than starting if fresh with these wonderful folks so full of love, life and soul!
Doors 8pm.
8:30 Boots and Needles
9:45 The Jazz Outlaws
Cornbread 11 until he wants to stop and he never wants to stop! So let's say bar
Harris was born James Samuel Harris Jr. on April 23, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois. Country music was an early influence, and Hank Williams and Gene Autry are among his early favorites. Harris co-wrote Augie Garcia's "Hi Yo Silver," a 1955 song that was Minnesota's first rock 'n' roll recording. He performed on the record, which he called a one-hit wonder (although Garcia is remembered as the godfather of Minnesota rock 'n' roll because of Augie's antics on stage upstaging Elvis Presley)
His repertoire includes blues and jazz and in his nineties, Harris still plays Minneapolis nightclubs including Palmer's and The Hook and Ladder Theater.
He is the father of Jimmy Jam (James Harris III) who produced records for Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey and Usher.
Boots & Needles combines the talents of Lauren Asheim and Dallas Cornell and features Old and New Country Blues, Traditional, and Rockabilly vibes. You may recognize Lauren from past bands including, The Hula Peppers, Slippery People and Lady Date. She has also trod the boards as an actor and vocalist all over the Twin Cities including the Guthrie Theater, the History Theater, Mixed Precipitation and more. Dallas brings a wealth of musical skills and an eye for design to the duo and has played with The Cornells, The Changeups, and numerous ska and punk outfits back in California. Known as the "human metronome" and a skilled sewing machinist, he is full of surprises. They aim to share their love of all things country and blues, sparkles and dirt, and maybe a few more unexpected pairings along the way…
From St. Paul and other lawless areas outside Minneapolis come Jazz Outlaws. Comprised of GST founding members Tony Watercott on bass and Ram Zimmerman on drums, Jazz Outlaws also include Merriam Park natives Mike Haselman on guitar and Bob DeBoer on trumpet. Inducted into the Iowa R&R Hall of Fame and the Mid-America Music Hall of Fame, Haselman has played guitar, pedal steel, and fiddle in countless bands across the region before finally fording the river to the west at the Marshall-Lake bridge. Zimmerman was exiled to Austin TX more than 20 years ago, where he played with all those bands – all of ‘em. Upon return, he decided to play in one more band if rules were guaranteed to be broken. Watercott and DeBoer never left – not even to Iowa, but carefully planted the seeds for Jazz Outlaws to plunder the riches of Minneapolis. Watercott’s musical journey began well-nigh 40 years ago with Minnesota tri-county trendsetters The Vibes, a trio of outlaw brothers. DeBoer dreamed of the outlaw life while playing with local rockers Chooglin’ and will show up with horn anywhere that fire water or port is offered. No one told them they couldn’t play jazz and now it’s too late.
Cornbread Harris
Boots and Needles
The Jazz Outlaws