Dakota Andersen sings Johnny Hartman
Possessing a rich, velvety baritone and phrasing that invite the listener in, Johnny Hartman has long been an inspiration for local jazz vocalist Dakota Andersen. As such, Andersen and his band are paying tribute to Hartman by breathing new life into songs from his recording career that spanned five decades. Audience members can expect to hear hits from Hartman’s album with John Coltrane (“My One and Only Love”), deep cuts from his later career (“Miss Otis Regrets”), and originals written by Andersen in honor of the late balladeer.
Dakota Andersen is a vocalist, songwriter, arranger, and educator based in Minneapolis. Most recently, he released his debut album of 10 original jazz compositions entitled Switchgrass in the spring of 2026. Switchgrass encompasses a wide range of vocal jazz styles, draws heavily on inspiration from nature, and features a heavy-hitting lineup of Twin Cities musicians – Ben Ehrlich, Dan Carpel, Stephanie Wieseler, Ethan Ostrow, Ernest Bisong, Jackson Peters, and Rachel Bearinger. Dakota is originally from Fairfield, Iowa and holds a bachelor’s degree in choral music education from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree in vocal jazz studies from the University of North Texas.