February 14th @ 7 PM - at the history theatre!

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Valentine's Day Concert, February 14, 7pm 

For the Love of…”, a Valentine’s Day concert featuring the Twin Cities’ best female musicians, is presented by History Theatre in partnership with Lori Dokken. The performers will share their musical insights about the things they love, the people they love, and what they believe true love is about. There are many different types of love that we can all appreciate, from the love of nature to the love of a best friend and even the love of a pet!  
 

This eclectic group of stage veterans will perform romantic musical selections Broadway to opera and from folk to pop. Judi Vinar, Ginger Commodore, Rachel Holder, Erin Schwab, Joan Griffith, Maria Jette, Jen Maren, and Ellis Delaney are among the featured artists under the direction of musical director Lori Dokken.
 

Through their experiences and life tales, these women artists not only personify the Latin word valentine, which means “strong,” but they have also been inspired by an independent spirit. “The woman who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The woman who walks alone is likely to find herself in places no one has ever been before,” Albert Einstein once stated.

Come spend an evening with nine powerful, independent performers, each of whom has strong musical ties to our community. This one night only concert will entertain you while we celebrate the real meaning of love. 

We think it’s about time to put a tuxedo-clad group of women on stage and set them free to sing, swing, sass and show the alternative of what Vegas’ lounges in the ’60s could have been like.   This show brings you back to the days of the Rat Pack with Johnny Carson at The Copa Room at TheSands Hotel.   

Featuring Patty Peterson, Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder and Lori Dokken with Jendeen Forberg on drums and Jordan Hedlund on bass.   

Special Guest – James Rocco, The Ordway Center’s past artistic director and vice president of programs for 13 years, will be your host!

"I Am Woman ... Hear Me Roar!" - featuring Lori Dokken, Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson and Rachel Holder with Jay Young, III and David Stanoch.  

We hope that you will join us for an evening celebrating some of the greatest women singers and songwriters ever!   

With Lori Dokken at the piano, Twin Cities’ vocalists Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson and Rachel Holder along with bass player Jay Young and drummer David Stanoch will turn the stage into a celebration of some of the matriarchs of music. Sit back and enjoy the vibrant vocal harmonies these girls put to tunes made famous by such divas as Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Carole King, Tina Turner, Judy Garland, Christina Aguilera and many more. It promises to be a fantastic evening of hearing these women “roar” as only they can!   

"I Am Woman ... Hear Me Roar!

Friday, July 15th - 7:00 PM

Benson Public Schools' Performing Arts Center

1400 Montana Avenue

Benson, MN 56215

Here's the link to purchase tickets -  https://www.vancoevents.com/BFZI

How Spirituals and Gospel Music provided the musical inspiration and foundation for blues, jazz and rock and roll.

Every September at Unity Minneapolis the Music Department presents a month-long focus on a specific musical style, genre, artist or era from our past. Being the Musical Director at Unity places me in the position of selecting what will be featured each year.

I am very excited to join with my friend and collaborator, Ginger Commodore, to assemble this journey through Gospel Music from the Spirituals to contemporary Gospel artists. As challenging as this will be for us to distill into four Sundays, decades and centuries of songs, composers, and artists, we look forward to bringing you a snapshot of the foundational, musical building blocks for the development of some of America’s most renowned contemporary music styles such as blues, jazz and rock and roll.

Musical Guests for this series include: Ginger Commodore, Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder, Julius Collins, T. Mychael Rambo, Jordan Hedlund, Bobby Commodore, Pete Hennig and Dave Berget. 

Patty will be joined by her trio of pals – Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder and Lori Dokken, along with special guests yet TBA. In the business for more than five decades, Patty is as diverse as they come. She is a world-class Jazz/R&B vocalist, a radio show host on KBEM Jazz 88, a mainstay in the jingle and voice-over industry and an inspiring presenter on the national speaking circuit. There is so much that we know about her. Yet with more than 50 years of musical history, this evening promises to be an amazing journey of stories and songs that will move us to tears, cause us to have bursts of spontaneous laughter and surprise us with all that have we yet to learn about this phenomenal woman. 

To honor the accomplished life and generous heart of this Twin Cities’ treasure, the producers of this event are offering two FREE Concerts in the Dunsmore Room at Crooners on February 19th and 20th. They invite the attendees during that evening or afternoon to consider honoring Patty with a monetary gift to The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation which is an organization that helps to support the staff and caregivers who saved Patty’s life fifteen years ago.

This concert is a gift with our thanks and gratitude to you, our musical supporters. We hope that will join us to experience “The Story of Patty …” and we sincerely thank you for considering making a financial gift that evening or afternoon to our friends in the medical community, who not only saved Patty’s life 15 years ago, but devotedly care for us every day and especially during this pandemic.

Your 100% tax-deductible donation will go directly to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation. The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation is an independent nonprofit research organization that partners with the cardiologists from Minneapolis Heart Institute to lead groundbreaking clinical research and education focused on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart and vascular disease. 

Lori Dokken Presents “Singin' in the Kitchen"

Feat: Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson, Ginger Commodore, Rachel Holder, Joyann Parker and Lori Dokken

“Singin' in the Kitchen” says it all ... that magical place where we share so much together during our lifetimes. That warm haven where we talk about our struggles, our successes, our loves and sometimes our losses - the kitchen holds all of our secrets and stories. 

Judi, Patty, Ginger, Joyann, Rachel and Lori will reach into their bag of personal favorites and offer their collection of remembrances about those snapshots in time when we quietly smile and remember all that really matters in this life. Please join us for an evening of holiday favorites!

I am ecstatic to be back at The Ordway Center of the Performing Arts for I believe the twelfth year ...(?)  This year's production is "Beauty and the Beast" and you will find me once again in The Target Atrium, seated at a very lovely Steinway Concert Grand piano, playing pre show and intermission music.  It is really my favorite job of the year ... I love Christmas and Holiday music ... I can't wait to see lots of 'short people' - some old friends and some new ... and of course I enjoy spending time with the fantastic staff at this treasured St. Paul theater.  

"Beauty and the Beast" - runs from Wednesday, November 30th through Saturday, December 31st.  Evening shows usually have a curtain time of 7:30 and matinees are at 2:00.  

You will find me seated on the bench an hour prior to the start of the show and then I will be playing again during intermission.  I am fairly certain that some of my young friends will sit in and play a little "Jingle Bells" with me ... and we'll see how many renditions end up being posted on YouTube!  

When you come to the show - make sure to stop by and say "hello!"

Please check out The Ordway site to find the exact times for certain dates.

Lori Dokken Presents

Join us for a concert event celebrating some of the greatest women singers and songwriters ever! Music Director and pianist Lori Dokken is joined by three of the finest Twin Cities’ vocalists – Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson and Rachel Holder – and they combine forces to turn the stage into a celebration of some of the monumental matriarchs of music. Every time these great friends take the stage, it promises to be a fantastic evening of hearing these women “roar” as only they can!

Sit back and enjoy the vibrant vocal harmonies these women put to tunes made famous by divas like Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Joni Mitchell, Annie Lennox, Carole King, Barbra Streisand, Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, Judy Garland, Peggy Lee, The Andrews Sisters, Sara Bareilles, Helen Reddy, Gladys Knight, Alicia Keys and several others. Their set list changes with every show so come back and check them out often!

"THREE" ... Presented by Lori Dokken

“Three” is the seismic combination of local Twin Cities’ musicians - Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder and Lori Dokken. These three artists have not only been friends for many years but have also been colleagues in a diverse array of musical groups and productions. 

“Three” brings together a triad of diverse voices that are skilled in multiple styles and genres and the end product is an incredible performance that unites them into a singular sound - rich in color, character, confidence and the sonic seasoning of experience. Three represents so many things … past, present and future … beginning, middle and end … body, mind and soul … Judi, Rachel and Lori. The experience of hearing and seeing them in action is not to be missed!

** A note from Lori – During my shows in January thru April, I will include a new adventure - “Crooners’ Live Sessions.” I am going to let the tape roll for some live recordings and see if we can capture the magic that always transpires between audience and artists. Please come and be a part of it! Who knows the final product will be?

Please join us as we celebrate Earth Day weekend by singing some of our favorite Beatles’ tunes! “It’s been a long cold lonely winter …” and now “Here Comes the Sun!” (As Lizzo says, it’s “about damn time!”) For this concert Lori Dokken has enlisted five of the Twin Cities’ finest female vocalists - Judi Vinar, Connie Evingson, Ginger Commodore, Rachel Holder and Joyann Parker. 

This diverse group of artists promises to deliver in their own unique ways, a wide range of selections from The Beatles’ vast catalogue of songs. 

I can “Imagine” “Strawberry Fields Forever” that line “The Long and Winding Road” “Across the Universe.” “As My Guitar Gently Weeps,” I follow them “Here, There and Everywhere.” “When I’m 64” I will “Act Naturally” and “Help” us “Come Together” because “All You Need is Love!” It feels like a perfect way to spend a warm, spring Sunday afternoon together!

Lori Dokken Presents 

“Our Voices … Our Choices …” - an encore presentation

Please join us for a very exciting acoustic piano and vocal show - featuring some of the Twin Cities’ favorite female vocalists performing some of their favorite songs. 

Pianist and producer, Lori Dokken, will be joined by Judi Vinar, Patty Peterson, Ginger Commodore, Rachel Holder, Connie Evingson and Ellis Delaney. 

This is a cabaret style event that celebrates women and brings attention to the current struggle to ensure that all women have the right to make their own health care decisions.

A portion of the producer’s share of ticket sales will be donated to Planned Parenthood of MN, SD & ND. Audience members will be invited to join in supporting this essential and valued organization. 

Crooners joins in congratulating and celebrating Twin Cities’ Pride and the LGBTQ+ community on the 51st Anniversary of TC Pride with an All-Star Cabaret Show presented by Lori Dokken on June 11th at 4:00 PM.

Joining Lori as the MC/Host will be the AMAZING Erin Schwab along with LGBTQ+ local luminaries and allies such as: Dan Chouinard, Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder, Dennis Spears, Doug Anderson, Gregg Peterson and more to be announced.

This Cabaret Event will be paired with a Go Fund Me opportunity for supporters and guests to donate to The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youth, they offer a toll-free telephone number where confidential assistance is provided by trained counselors. The independent charity watchdog group – CharityWatch - ranks them as one of the top three LGBTQ+ charities in the nation. 

We sincerely hope you will join us for this insanely fun and sometimes incredibly poignant cabaret show.

To donate to The Trevor Project on our Go Fund Me page ... go to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/wkcxx-the-say-gay-all-day-pride-cabaret

1971 – 52 years ago – two of the most influential and renowned albums were released by two of THE greatest female composers of all time – Carole King and Joni Mitchell.  The critical acclaim of Tapestry and Blue has only grown over time and these albums continue to influence songwriters across many genres and inspire young artists around  the globe.

To celebrate these great singer/songwriters, Judi Vinar, Rachel Holder and Lori Dokken (“THREE”) are teaming up with bassist Jay Young and percussionist David Stanoch to present these two classic recordings in their entirety at Crooners Supper Club on Sunday, July 2nd at 4:00 PM on The Main Stage.

If you are like many of us, you have worn out several copies of Carole’s and Joni’s masterpieces.  You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear the entire albums played uninterrupted by this incomparable group of local artists.

Featuring Lori Dokken, Patty Peterson, Rachel Holder, Connie Evingson, Jennifer Grimm, Ginger Commodore and Judi Vinar with Benjamin Kelly on Bass and Nate Babbs on Drums!

It’s a Beatles song fest! 

For this concert event, Lori Dokken (pianist/vocalist/music director) has enlisted SIX of the Twin Cities’ finest female vocalists: Patty Peterson, Rachel Holder, Connie Evingson, Jennifer Grimm, Ginger Commodore and Judi Vinar. This diverse group of artists promises to deliver, in their own unique ways, a wide range of selections from the Beatles’ vast catalogue of songs.  Songs include “Imagine,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Across the Universe,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “When I’m 64,” “Act Naturally,” “Help,” “Come Together” and “All You Need is Love!” If you are a fan of Lori’s I Am Woman or Women on the Moon shows, you need to see this show!