ICEHOUSE & JAZZ88 PRESENT: THE OUTDOOR COURTYARD JAZZ SERIES
5:30-8:00PM

Icehouse and Jazz88 present The Outdoor Courtyard Jazz series Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 5:30-8:00pm at Icehouse throughout the summer. Join us for a special series highlighting some of the region’s finest musicians performing dinner sets on the Icehouse patio located on vibrant Nicollet Ave in South Minneapolis. Full food and beverage menus available outside featuring American cuisine with a southwest and southern twist and craft cocktails. 

$5 PER PERSON RESERVATION FEE. THIS AMOUNT GOES TO THE ARTISTS!
(SELECT TODAY’S DATE AND CHOOSE A TIME!)

5:30-8PM // TIM SPARKS (guitar) // JOEL SHAPIRA (guitar) // GARY RAYNOR (bass)

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Tim Sparks started picking out tunes by ear on an old Stella flat top during a bout of encephalitis that kept him out of school for a year. He taught himself to play the music he heard around him: traditional country blues and the gospel his grandmother played on piano in a small church in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Sparks' work came to the attention of John Zorn, the saxophonist, composer, and curator of Tzadik Records in New York and thereby led to a new cycle of compositions inspired by traditional Jewish melodies. Neshamah (1999) is a solo effort. Tanz, which garnered Downbeat Magazine's highest praise, five stars, in 2000 and At the Rebbe's Table (2002) include ensemble work. All three releases have been acclaimed by a broad spectrum of critics and listeners alike. Spring of 2003 saw the release of Masada Guitars, featuring interpretations of John Zorn's music by Tim, Bill Frisell, and Marc Ribot. In recent years, Sparks' musical focus has come full circle, returning to the country blues and classic jazz that served as a springboard for his worldwide guitar explorations. He toured with Dolly Parton in 2005 and recorded Roots, Rags and Blues for Truefire/Acoustic Guitar Workshop.