St. Paul

Born Paul Petersen in Minneapolis, MN, the artist later known as St. Paul was encouraged by his mother, who was an accomplished pianist. At 17, Petersen became one of a number of artists to come under the tutelage of Prince, joining the act the Time as keyboardist. In addition to appearing in the film Purple Rain as a member of that act, he also played keyboards on 1984's Ice Cream Castle. The group disbanded not long after that platinum-selling record, but Petersen was tapped by Prince to be a member of a new group, the Family, and changed his stage name to St. Paul. Signed to Prince's fledgling Paisley Park imprint, the act also included ex-Time mates Jellybean Johnson on drums and Jerome Benton on percussion

Jeff Perry / Sonic Dream

Born: March 19, 1964

Minneapolis-based guitarist Jeff Perry has a "personal voice that encompasses the intelligence of jazz with the emotion of the blues and the romanticism of Brazilian music" (Twin Cities Blues News). His Sonic Dream trio has been called "fabulous...one of the Twin Cities' best" by the Dakota Jazz Club know for their "hip retooling" (MN Star Tribune) of pop songs. Perry’s musical travels have found him playing at top Jazz Clubs, Gospel churches, concert halls, music festivals, for the likes of US Senators, Fortune 500 CEOs, and Chicago Mayors. His blend of jazz, soul, reggae and rock creates a cool sound that connects with people from all walks of life.

Nathan Hanson

Born: May 11, 1963

Saxophonist and composer Nathan Hanson makes music that invites listeners to stand outside themselves and the flow of time. His improvisations are “lithe and soaring, engaging in judicious honk 'n' splatter” (New York City Jazz Record).  

In Europe, Hanson has performed at the Atlantique Jazz Festival, Splendor in Amsterdam and the Sons d’Hiver Festival in Paris. In the US he’s played at New York’s Knitting Factory, the Outpost in Albuquerque, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and Chicago’s Elastic.  

With grants from New Music America and the Minnesota State Arts Board Hanson has launched solo projects that explore how space interacts with sound. Whether it’s a cathedral, a tree farm, or a sculpture garden, Hanson investigates how to channel the sound of each performance space. The energy of the audience circulates with the music, silence and breath. The effect leads listeners to become more present to the unfolding of each moment.  

The New Standards

What are The New Standards about? They are about Music, about Town, about Play, about soul, about fun... Started in 2005 as an off-shoot project between Minneapolis based musicians and friends Chan Poling (piano), Steve Roehm (vibes) and John Munson (bass), TNS has grown into a globe-spanning adventure, filling theaters and clubs around the world, spawning several CDs, videos, cartoons, dance/theater projects, and ancillary gewgaws that have charmed and delighted an ever-multiplying legion of faithful fans. The three core members of The New Standards all come from illustrious Twin Cities bands