Saxophonist Mindi Abair will be playing with Max Weinberg and Bill Champlin tonight and Tuesday at the Dakota. She sat in with them on Friday in Los Angeles and Weinberg's manager convinced the Dakota to bring her here, as well. Abair has worked with everyone from the Backstreet Boys and Josh Groban to Keb Mo and Bobby Lyle. She accompanied several of the finalists this spring on "American Idol."
Cee Lo Green has left Rihanna's tour as opening act. Don't suppose it has anything to do with his homophobic tirade directed at a City Pages' blog review of his performance at Target Center — a dustup that received national attention at Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Us Weekly and other media.
Lyle Lovett brings His Large Band to the Burnsville Performing Arts Center on Aug. 18.... John Hiatt rocks the Guthrie Sept. 19.... Idina Menzel performs Nov. 13 at the O'Shaughnessy.... Gretchen Wilson has been added to the Big & Rich show July 29 at Mystic Lake amphitheater.
