Brian Grivna & Dave Karr Quintet

Local saxophone titans Dave Karr and Brian Grivna light up the Dakota stage with a couple of sets of smoking jazz.  Among Twin Cities musicians, multi-reed virtuoso Dave is a true legend. Brian dazzles on clarinet and sax, and he’s had his share of classical experience as well. he was a Young Artist clarinet solist with the Minnesota Orchestra when he 12 years old!

The following is from a feature  about the pair by Andrea Canter in jazzpolice.com -

“A native New Yorker, Dave Karr got hooked on jazz by listening to some of the great jazz legends, including Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. Moving to the Twin Cities in his twenties, Karr has been a fixture on the Twin Cities jazz scene for 50 years, composing and producing music for radio and TV since 1970.   Karr has performed with numerous bands, symphony orchestras, Broadway shows, and recording sessions.   Most often heard on tenor, flute, and clarinet, Karr also breaks out the baritone for his Gerry Mulligan tribute band, Mulligan Stew. Dave is a recent recipient of a McKnight Grant.

By age 15 , Brian Grivna was already subbing on sax for his teacher in area dance bands. Earning a degree in English literature from Dartmouth, his music career took off after graduation, with work in jazz, commercial, and theater music before joining the Buddy Rich band in 1971. After two years, he became a staff woodwind performer for the Guthrie Theatre, leaving after ten years to freelance and teach. He toured Japan and Europe with Minnesota Orchestra under Eiji Oue and Osmo Vänskä; and the West Coast with Bobby McFerrin and the SPCO. Brian continues to work with the SPCO, Minnesota Orchestra, Children’s Theater Company and touring show pit orchestras (clarinet and sax), as well as teaching and playing with his own quartet.

Between Dave and Brian, there’s at least 80 years of great sax, jazz and more. Add in a great rhythm section and you have five reasons to come down.”

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