Zacc Harris Group

Arts + Literature Laboratory welcomes the Zacc Harris Group on Thursday, October 5 at 7:00pm. Tickets are $20 ($15 for students or ALL members) in advance online, or $25 at the door for everyone.

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Since moving to Minneapolis in 2005, Zacc Harris has gained a reputation as one of the area's top guitarists, being named 2017 Twin Cities Best Jazz Artist by the City Pages. Harris released his most recent record, Small Wonders (2021, Shifting Paradigm Records) to critical acclaim. Small Wonders received a four-star review from Bill Milkowski in Downbeat Magazine, and it made Best Albums of the Year lists at both Downbeat Magazine and All About Jazz.

"Since he first moved to Minnesota from southern Illinois, this remarkably fluid guitarist has positioned himself at the center of the Twin Cities jazz world...Whether playing alongside the McKnight-winning Atlantis Quartet or fronting his own Zacc Harris Group, Harris makes his mark, incorporating lessons from the greats into his own forward-looking style." - City Pages

"Harris makes his own mark on standards with enough new hooks to keep jazz alive." - Minnesota Public Radio News

Zacc Harris

Since moving to Minneapolis in 2005, Zacc Harris has gained a reputation as one of the area's top guitarists, being named 2017 Twin Cities Best Jazz Artist by the City Pages. He performs in a host of creative projects including Atlantis Quartet, winner of the 2015 McKnight Fellowship and named 2011 Best Jazz Artist, as well as the Zacc Harris Group, American Reverie, and Zacc Harris Trio, which has had the longest running weekly jazz gig in Minnesota since 2007.

Harris has toured as leader and sideman throughout the US and UK, including a 2016 run with Zacc Harris Group at London's famed Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. Jazz Improv Magazine says, "Harris delivers a sound that is lucid, clear...providing rich-sounding accompaniment, and well crafted solos," while Cadence Magazine calls some of Harris' work with Atlantis Quartet "worthy of John McLaughlin." MPR News states, "Harris makes his own mark on standards... Read More

Brandon Wozniak

One of Minnesota’s most exciting saxophonists, Brandon Wozniak returned to the twin cities in 2006 after six years in New York City and a six month stint in Shanghai, China. Wozniak studied music at Indiana University with David Baker and privately with Tom Walsh. Brandon performs regularly with Dave King’s (Bad Plus, Happy Apple drummer) Dave King Trucking Company with saxophonist Chris Speed, the Atlantis Quartet (City Pages Best Jazz Artist 2011, Star Tribune Best Jazz Artist 2012), Bryan Nichols Quintet, Chris Bates Red 5, Vector Families, Zacc Harris Group, Lars Larson’s Mancrush plus many other projects. Brandon has also performed with Eric Kamau Gravatt (Weather Report, McCoy Tyner), singer Nellie McKay, toured with the Tommy Dorsey Jazz Orchestra and shared the stage with Francisco Mela (Joe Lovano’s US Five), Steve Davis, David Berkman, Ben Wendel and Dennis Gonzalez. Brandon’s newest collaboration is a band called Acoustic Deathwish with the great... Read More

Bryan Nichols

Bryan Nichols is a pianist, composer, and educator based in Minneapolis. Often found playing jazz and improvised music, but at home in a variety of musical worlds, he leads and composes for his own trio, quintet, and nonet in addition to performing, recording, and touring with forward-thinking artists like Nicole Mitchell, Ron Miles, and Olga Bell, and groups like the Gang Font, Dead Man Winter, and Halloween, Alaska. He has taught jazz piano at MacPhail Center for Music, University of Minnesota – Morris, and University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, while presenting clinics and masterclasses at a variety of colleges and high schools around the midwest.

Bryan was awarded a 2010-11 McKnight Fellowship for Performing Musicians, a prestigious and competitive award given to Minnesota musicians. His work also earned him a 2004 residency from Betty Carter’s Jazz Ahead program at the Kennedy Center, given to outstanding, emerging jazz performer/composers, and a 2009 subito grant from... Read More

Brian Courage

Originally from Long Island, NY, bassist Brian Courage has spent the last decade as an integral part of the creative music scenes in Minneapolis, Brooklyn, and now Chicago, where he currently resides. He has performed alongside an extensive array of nationally acclaimed improvisers, including Greg Ward, Jon Irabagon, Lew Tabackin, David Hazeltine, Jason Stein, Weasel Walter, Michael Lewis, Erik Fratzke, Russ Johnson, JT Bates, and Billy Mintz. Brian is adept at a wide range of styles and has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, renowned vocal quartet The Four Freshmen, the Chicago Tap Theater, and the New York based Americana / blues rock band Hollis Brown, with whom he toured the US and Europe extensively. His most recent creative endeavor is Abhorrent Expanse, a fully improvised metal band. Their debut album "Gateways to Resplendence" has been featured in prominent outlets including Decibel, Metal Injection, Burning Ambulance, and Wire Magazine.

Pete James Johnson

Pete James Johnson is drummer, composer and producer based in the Twin Cities. He regularly performs in the local music scene and sometimes performs with award-winning national artists. When not playing, Pete works from home as a composer and producer writing music and producing local artists.

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Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

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