Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen has anchored "What Was Said," his seventh album for ECM Records, in the church music of his native land, working in a trio with his longtime drummer Jarle Vespestad and the remarkable Afghan-German vocalist Simin Tander, who, like her bandmates, is a marvel of precise intonation and stirring restraint. Many of the traditional hymns are translated and sung in the Pashto language of the Afghan region; others are set to Sufi poetry (by Rumi and others) translated into English. As with other dates on the tour, this beautiful collection will be performed in a venerable Norwegian church. (8 p.m. Fri., Mindekirken Lutheran Church, 924 E. 21st St., Mpls, $25. mindekirken.net)
ALSO RECOMMENDED
Jazz saxophonist David Binney balances antic energy and cerebral structures. A catalyst among an impressive cadre of progressive jazz musicians who blossomed in the late 1990s and the aughts, he now fronts a wonderfully innovative and unpredictable quartet that he is bringing to town for the first time, including Jacob Sacks on piano, Eivind Opsvik on bass, and stellar dpercussionist Dan Weiss. (8 p.m. Fri., Walker West, 760 Selby Av., St. Paul, $15.)
Pianist David Hazeltine and tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander are beacons of modern jazz who share a penchant for innovative phrasing that broadens the logic of listeners. Bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Kenny Horst were a first-call rhythm section for national acts coming through the Twin Cities. Kindred spirits and consummate pros, these four will engage in a marvelous mix-and-match over three nights, beginning with duets by Hazeltine and Alexander Monday, followed by the quartet Tuesday, and closing with duets Wednesday by Hazeltine and Peterson in celebration of their new CD. ($20-$50 for 7 p.m. dinner shows, $15-$45 at 9 p.m., Crooner's, 6161 Hwy. 65 NE., Fridley. croonersloungemn.com)
Britt Robson
