If you missed the surprise news last week, the former Artists' Quarter space in downtown St. Paul reopened under the name Vieux Carré with a "pop-up" gig featuring the Southside Aces on New Year's Eve — and then it shut down again.

The new jazz club will be run by Lowell Pickett and his team from that other old jazz club, the Dakota. They plan to host a few more sporadic gigs through February but won't fully open until after renovations in the spring. Stay tuned to the Dakota's social media outlets to stay in the loop.

Artists' Quarter owner Kenny Horst also wanted to loop people into the fact that the new venue is not officially a continuation of the AQ, a name that he and his son still own and might use again someday. That said, Horst added, "I wish them well and hope to come down and play." …

The B3 organ trio format that used to be a staple at the AQ has been revived by JT Bates, whose new trio features Kevin Gastonguay on the keys and Zach Harris on guitar. They're playing Jazz Central on Friday (7:30 p.m., 407 Central Av. SE., Mpls.). … Malamanya's return to the Cedar Cultural Center on Friday is intended as a winter warm-up, but Minneapolis' favorite Cuban son band has a much warmer gig on the books next month: The Boquete Jazz & Blues Fest in Panama. Who knows? Maybe Cuba is next. Friday's Cedar show also features Chilean-rooted party band Alma Andina (8 p.m., $10-$12). …

Erik Koskinen, Molly Maher and the Real-Phonic Band will welcome Minnesota-bred "Cold Mountain" soundtrack alum Martha Scanlon to their "Real-Phonic Radio Hour" at the James J. Hill Reference Library next Thursday with Pines banjo picker Michael Rossetto opening (8 p.m., $25, 80 4th St. W., St. Paul). … Fresh off releasing his lush, Van Morrison-esque album "Lolo's Ghost" (also the name of his new band), James Loney will guest on Jason Fladager's FladCast interview and music show at Tuttle's in Hopkins on Friday (9 p.m., free, 107 Shady Oak Rd. S.). …

The old St. Paul Music Club gang is getting back together to throw a tribute to late local music columnist Tom Hallett on Jan. 29 at the Turf Club with Ol' Yeller, St. Dominic's Trio, the Bloodshot, Martin Devaney, Frances Gumm, Stereo Rules (led by Rob Rule) and more. … Charlie Parr heads up a birthday party for local washboard guru Mikkel Beckman at St. Paul's Dubliner Pub on Sunday (5:30-8 p.m., free). …

Members of 12 Rods have been getting together in different incarnations for the past month preparing for their first gig in 10 years at First Ave next Friday, ahead of the Jan. 20 reissue of the band's final album, "Lost Time." "Getting 10 busy guys together to rehearse isn't easy, but we've made it work and are having a blast," keyboardist Ev Olcott reports. Read a story on the pending reunion in Sunday's Variety section.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER