New Mexican mystery novelist Tony Hillerman has been the unofficial cultural ambassador of the Navajo Nation for more than 30 years. His Indian detectives, Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, have introduced thousands of white readers to the rich culture of the tribes of the American Southwest in bestsellers like A Thief of Time and Skinwalkers. … Read more
It took us a long time to realize that this gem of St. Anthony Park moved—across the street—and joined up with a Dunn Brothers. Love the new space: a sunny, pine-paneled cornershop that is more true to its namesake and geographical inspiration than anything we’ve seen west of Oslo. And it’s not just the deli … Read more
Pulitzer-winner Lanford Wilson’s latest play, getting its area premiere in this staging, cloaks itself in the guise of a murder mystery to level a critique at the tendency toward complacency in the face of abuse of power. When the cheese-factory magnate of Dublin, Missouri dies, his bookkeeper Ruth suspects foul play. Her investigation churns up … Read more
This is why we go to the theater—a skilled cast in a marvelous production of a great play. Chekhov’s tale of love, jealousy, the nature of art and theater deserves the title masterpiece, and the Jeune Lune company does its usual imaginative job of interpreting the classic. As the characters weave among the birch trees … Read more
Emily Johnson of Catalyst, repeatedly cited as one of the rising stars of the Twin Cities dance scene, found a good match for her imaginative, Dadaist sensibilities in local post-rock combo Lateduster. The two groups collaborated last July on “Plain Old Andrea With a Gun,” an exploration of hate and miscommunication inspired by the Eskimo … Read more
Opening receptions, 7-9 p.m. April 26 and 1-4 p.m. April 27.A dual exhibit from New Mexican artist Nora Naranjo-Morse, and her onetime student Henry Sosin, potter and gallery proprietor. A Tewa Pueblo Indian whose work has been shown at the White House, Naranjo-Morse is one of those many-splendored artists whose ability to work in many … Read more
Lest ye think worthy art only comes from the art havens of our central cities, Minnesota Watercolor Society’s annual juried show will set you straight. This 20th spring exhibit will be the first one in their spacious new home in Minnetonka. Nosh on a muffin from the attached cafe and immerse yourself in the year’s … Read more
For the artists appearing in this often amazing annual touring show, utility is by no means the enemy of beauty. Clothes, jewelry, lamps and furniture, all the art on display here is functional as well as aesthetic—adhering to a tradition of handmade household art that we too easily forget about in this age of mass … Read more
Over the course of a rich, long career including journeyman dues paid on cruise ships and with Ray Charles’ international touring band, Jim Rotondi’s developed a rich style on trumpet and flugelhorn that launches off from groundwork laid by predecessors such as Freddie Hubbard. After four releases on the Criss Cross jazz label, he moved … Read more
Making the world safe for jazz—that’s a full-time job these days, and no matter how hard a band or a program director or a club owner works to make jazz accessible, well, it’s always going to be a hard sell. Unless you’ve got grooves like Medeski Martin & Wood, who have somehow managed to carve … Read more