Sam Stauning Quartet

Overview

The Sam Stauning Quartet is a new small jazz ensemble created and led by tenor saxophonist Sam Stauning. The group consists of some of the best young musicians in the Twin Cities. The group will perform various tunes from jazz standards to newer modern tunes.

About the band:

Sam Stauning is a 17-year-old up and coming tenor saxophonist currently a part of the Dakota Ensemble at MacPhail. He has received mentorship from local legends such as Peter Whitman, Kavyesh Kaviraj, Jack Breen, Kevin Washington, Zacc Harris, Abebi Stafford, Ian Duerr, and Jesse Simon to name a few. Sam has played at Berlin, the Dakota, Twin Cities Jazz Festival, and Minneapolis Institute of Art. He has received the award of Outstanding Soloist at the Eau Claire Jazz Festival.

Callum Schultz is a 17-year-old bassist who has performed alongside saxophone greats Joe Lovano, Kenni Holmen, and JD Allen, and has played at numerous Twin Cities venues such as The Dakota, the Landmark Center, the Governor’s Residence, The Green Room, and Berlin Jazz Club. He is a 2025/26 MN All State musician, and a 2025/26 YoungArts jazz bass award winner.

Ataa, who started playing drums as a toddler under the influence of his father, the renowned Ghanaian percussionist Sowah Mensah, honed his craft under mentorship from local jazz greats like Kevin Washington, Felix James, and Kavyesh Kaviraj. He has since become a fixture in the local music scene, performing both as a leader and sideman.

Xavier Johnson Ryan is an up-and-coming jazz pianist in the Twin Cities area. He has performed at venues including Icehouse, the Green Room, Jazz Central Studios, the Dakota, Berlin, and the Twin Cities Jazz Festival. Johnson Ryan is a longstanding member of Twin Cities band Half Past Midnight and has played with jazz greats Kyle Poole and Joe Lovano among others. He has studied under acclaimed jazz artists Kavyesh Kaviraj, Kevin Washington, Jack Breen, and Solomon Parham.