The Steve Kenny Quintet brings a dynamic set of original compositions that explore Kenny’s signature approach to jazz storytelling—pairing bite-sized musical ideas into thoughtfully constructed suites. Individually, these moments may feel solemn, brash, or exuberant; together, they form rich, cohesive works. The ensemble has been performing this material over the past year to enthusiastic audiences, including sold-out shows at Crooners’ Dunsmore Jazz Room, Berlin, and appearances at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival TPT Stage.

Band Members:

Steve Kenny - Trumpet
Dave Brattain - Saxophones
TBA - Piano
Ted Olsen - Bass
Miguel Hurtado - Drums

Steve Kenny is active in the Minnesota jazz community as a performer, composer, and curator. Kenny is a founding member of the illicit sextet, Group 47, What Would Monk Do?, and his own quartets. Kenny was the curator of a weekly Saturday jazz series at KJ’s Hideaway, and before that the Black Dog Cafe, producing over 400 Saturday Night Jazz shows. His latest recording, "Quartets", includes original compositions played by four separate ensembles of Twin Cities jazz musicians, including a live version of Steve Kenny’s Ghost Suite. In 2019, the national Jazz Journalists Association named Kenny a "Minnesota Jazz Hero" for his work in the jazz community and lifelong devotion to the idiom.

Dave Brattain is a first-call Twin Cities saxophonist who has been playing in major Minnesota jazz ensembles and on major jazz recordings since the late 1980s. He has collaborated with Dave Stanoch, Steve Wagner, The Cedar Avenue Big Band, and his own quartets and quintets. He has been a constant member of Steve Kenny's Quintets and Coltrane tributes, perfectly channeling the sax master and infusing those performances with his own artistry.

Ted Olsen is a double bassist from Minneapolis, MN, with an extensive background as both a performer and composer. His compositions create bright moments, with a penchant for melody and harmonic color, while still allowing for spontaneous interplay. His bass playing teems with rhythmic vitality and an optimistic spirit. Olsen’s music is steeped in jazz, but is not beholden to tradition—it is forward-looking, yet accessible. From over 60 original works penned, Olsen has released two albums of all-original music. His 2017 debut garnered critical praise from the Minnesota Star Tribune: “The sprawling yet cohesive songcraft on Ted Olsen's new album, ‘Joyfire,’ attests to why he won an American Composers Forum award five years ago and followed it up as a finalist for the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Awards in 2015.” Additionally, he self-released an EP called “It’s Easy to Pretend” in 2020. Music from these albums garnered Olsen a 2020 McKnight Artist Fellowship in composition. His latest release, “Violette,” features genre-blurring chamber works performed by a powerhouse ensemble with guests Aby Wolf, John Raymond, and Minnesota Orchestra members. Blending jazz, classical, and songcraft, this emotionally rich music marks the peak of Olsen’s creative surge since winning the McKnight Composers Fellowship, inviting both heart and mind into its expressive world.

Miguel Hurtado played throughout the Twin Cities as a teenager in several youth bands, as well as with South High jazz ensembles. After graduating from the Manhattan School of Music in spring 2010, he returned to the Twin Cities where he quickly became a busy member of the local jazz scene. He has led his own ensembles at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival and performed at the Artists Quarter and Dakota; more recently he has been heard at Jazz Central, the Icehouse, Black Dog, and more. In addition to leading his own bands, he has performed with Jake Baldwin, John Raymond, Jeremy Walker, Javi Santiago, Joe Strachan, Ted Olsen, Will Kjeer, Steve Kenny, and Courageous Endeavors. He is also expanding his musical resume, playing with some local pop and R&B singers, particularly Alicia Steele and vocalist/rapper Toussaint Morrison.