Legendary jazz-funk fusion band The Headhunters have a gig tonight at the Dakota.
The Headhunters were formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973.
They played a 50-year anniversary show this past summer with both Herbie Hancock and multi-reedist Bennie Maupin at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Maupin is not touring with The Headhunters, though original members percussionist Bill Summers and drummer Mike Clark continue with this touring band.
Maupin, by the way, lost everything including his home this month in the Eaton Fire and there is a GoFundMe to assist him and his family. Help him out here.
The Headhunters actually performed on four Hancock LPs (Head Hunters, Thrust, Flood and Man-Child) before putting out their own, 1975’s Survival of the Fittest, which Hancock co-produced and remains one of the funkiest LPs ever released.
The band has put out 7 LPS, including the latest, The Stunt Man, which was released in October.
Also tonight, up in Duluth, is Feeding Leroy’s Sonja Martin performing with Jim Hill at Northern Waters Smokehaus in its relatively new digs in Dewitt-Seitz building, starting at 5:30 p.m.
On Wednesday, Jake and Owen Mahon of Saltydog, as well as bassist Peter Whiteman of Buffalo Galaxy also perform at Northern Water Smokehaus starting at 5 p.m.
On Friday, Minnesota’s original Dead cover band Jones Gang and WE Collective present Dancin’ in the Dead of Winter at The Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis. Wookiefoot’s keyboardist/trumpeter and vocalist Marcus Schmid will sit in as special guest.
On Saturday, long-time Grateful Dead cover band Terrapin Flyer hits the Turf Club.
Duluth’s Saltydog has a pair of shows up in the Arrowhead, the first at Boathouse Brewpub in Ely on Friday and the second at Up Yonder in Grand Marais on Saturday.
THE DOSE: A Psychedelic Comedy Experience has a pair of shows (at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.) at Sisyphus Brewing Saturday.
Also Saturday is The Last Waltz featuring Big Pink with Belfast Cowboys at the Fitzgerald Theater, an annual show commerating The Band’s Thanksgiving 1976 performance at The Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco. Garth Hudson, the last remaining member of The Band, died this week.
Lastly, the last of four Charlie Parr residency shows at The Turf Club is Sunday.
As always, see what live music shows are on my radar, as well as finding information and ticket links for all the above shows, on my Minnesota live music calendar, which is updated weekly.