Twin Cities Jazz Festival

The big draw of this year’s Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a surprise — and likely invigorating — pairing of sax star Joshua Redman with hometown heroes the Bad Plus (8:30 p.m. Sat.) But there are plenty of other enticing options at the free stages in St. Paul’s Mears Park and in the bars afterwards — though ya gotta laugh that Dokken at Station 4 is part of this “jazz” event. Along with lots of fine student bands and local favorites, and the annual Jon Weber-hosted jam (9 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Artists’ Quarter, $10), picks-to-click include trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis with a great sextet that includes saxophonists Victor Goines and Mark Gross, (8:30 p.m. Fri., Mears); the lively Araya-Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, featuring two pairs of talented brothers (4 p.m. Sat., Mears); Francisco Mela’s Cuban Safari, starring the drummer from Joe Lovano’s Us Five band (6 p.m. Fri., Mears) and the Twin Cities debut of freewheeling Italian violin virtuoso Luca Ciarla Tom Surowicz THURSDAY: Mears Park Stage: Pippi Ardennia, 6 p.m. FRIDAY: Mears Park Stage: The Twin Cities Seven with Charmin Michelle, 4 p.m.; Francisco Mela Cuban safari, 6 p.m.; Delfeayo Marsalis, 8:30 p.m. 6th Street Stage: Atlantis Quartet, 5 p.m.; Robert Everest Expedition, 7:15 p.m. SATURDAY: Mears Park Stage: Walker West Music Academy, noon; Debbie Duncan, 2 p.m.; Araya Orta Latin Jazz Quartet, 4 p.m.; Luca Ciarla, 6 p.m.; The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman, 8:30 p.m. 6th Street Stage: Story City, 1 p.m.; Phil Hey, 3 p.m.; Marquis Hill, 5 p.m.; Koplant No, 7:15 p.m.