GARY SCHULTE (Violin) An acknowledged master of improvisation on the solo violin, Gary Schulte is in the vanguard of jazz violinists and performance composers. A veteran of “A Prairie Home Companion”, he’s created and performed with David Byrne, Zeitgeist, Theatre de la Jeune Lune, Ballet of the Dolls, Ancestor Energy, Axis Mundi, Parisota Hot Club, Twin Cities Hot Club, Jan Attridge, Carei Thomas’s Neighborhood, Dance Revels and many others in his career that spans four decades. Schulte is a performance graduate of Indiana University School of Music, where he studied with the world-renowned virtuoso Ruggierro Ricci.
“Jazz violin is still somewhat of a novelty despite the popularity of the music of Stephane Grappelli and the international acclaim of Regina Carter and Mark O’Connor. If there was artistic justice, then Gary Schulte’s name would be mentioned in the same breath.” —JazzPolice
REYNOLD PHILIPSEK (Guitar) A jazz guitarist, singer-songwriter and poet, Reynold Philipsek has released thirty-eight CDs of original compositions exploring pop rock, rock, jazz, and gypsy jazz. Philipsek’s work as a guitarist has been reviewed in Guitar Player, Acoustic Guitar, Vintage Guitar, Billboard and Downbeat, where he received a four star review at the age of 22. Philipsek was chosen as a Guitar Player magazine Jazz Poll nominee for six consecutive years, has been nominated for five Minnesota Music Awards, and has had three songs in the iTunes Top 75 Gypsy Jazz Essentials. He has performed in support of national and international acts such as Connie Evingson, Clint Hoover, The Wolverines Big Band, Glen Helgeson, and Patrick Harison. Philipsek has performed with French Gypsy Jazz master Dorado Schmitt and opened for Leo Kottke at Bayfront Festival Park.
“One of the Twin Cities’ many great acoustic guitar pickers – but maybe its best practitioner of the Django Reinhardt brand of playing. “ —Star Tribune
“Reynold Philipsek has proven himself an original” —Vintage Guitar Magazine
JEFF BRUESKE (Bass) Originally trained as a classical guitarist, Jeff Brueske has distinguished himself on the double bass for over twenty years. He studied with Anthony Cox, Rodney Whitaker, Robert Anderson and the late Dennis Irwin. He has accompanied many jazz notables including Grammy winner Ted Nash, Wessel Anderson, Marcus Printup, Tim Armacost, Ron Miles, Kristen Lee Sargeant, Dennis Spears, Carei Thomas, Connie Evingson, Sophia Shorai, Chris Lomheim, TU Dance, and the Orchestral Hall Atrium Jazz Quartet. For over nine years he performed a weekly duo with pianist/vocalist JoAnn Funk at the historic St. Paul Hotel. In addition to Sidewalk Cafe, Brueske currently freelances in both classical and jazz settings throughout Minnesota.
“Brueske’s bass: rock steady, earthquake-proof, the pylon in the maelstrom. ” – Bebopified
photos: Andrea Canter