The Ronny Loew Band
Soulful Saxophunk
Backed by a powerhouse rhythm section featuring some of the area’s finest musicians, Ronny delivers a high-energy mix of Funk, R&B, and Soul—where the saxophone takes center stage as the lead vocalist.
Our Story
When Ronny Loew returned to the Twin Cities in 1997, he deeply missed the electric energy of Funk Nights, his regular gig at Wally’s Jazz Club in Boston. At Wally’s, each night featured a different house band pushing the boundaries of their genre. Funk Night was a standout — starting with familiar tunes, but transforming completely when it came time for solos. The musicians would dive into spontaneous grooves, creating something entirely new in the moment. No plan. No rehearsal. Just raw, off-the-cuff creativity. With eyes, ears, and hearts wide open, the band and soloist would explore uncharted musical territory — and the audience was right there with them, feeling every beat of the ride.
Determined to bring that same spirit to the Twin Cities, Ronny connected with some of the most talented and in-demand musicians in Minneapolis. He began booking shows, and before long, the Ronny Loew Band had built a loyal following, performing at jazz clubs, festivals, and events across the region.
Just two years later, in 1999, the band played a key role in the inaugural Twin Cities Jazz Festival — opening the event and backing headliner Eric Essix, a renowned guitarist and longtime friend of Ronny’s from their Berklee days. Though the main show was rained out, the impromptu after-party jam at The Red Sea nightclub was recorded live and became an instant hit CD.
In 2002, with the arrival of his second child, Ronny shifted focus to family, and the band went on hiatus.
Now, 28 years after its founding, the Ronny Loew Band is back. With a mix of original members and fresh new talent, the band has reignited its momentum and is once again lighting up stages in Minneapolis and beyond — bringing passion, soul, and high-energy funk jazz to every performance.
Their sound is a high-energy fusion of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and rock — blending original material with dynamic takes on timeless classics. Audiences can also enjoy special tributes to legendary saxophone icons like David Sanborn, Maceo Parker, and Grover Washington Jr.
No two shows are alike — and that’s exactly what keeps fans coming back for more.
Meet The Band
Ronny Loew
Saxophone
Ronny Loew is a dynamic and accomplished saxophonist whose career has spanned more than three decades, captivating audiences across the globe with his soulful sound and vibrant stage presence. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ronny has established himself as a sought-after performer, bandleader, and collaborator in the worlds of jazz, funk, soul, R&B, and rock.
Kevin Anderson
Guitar
Kevin Anderson is a Minneapolis native and accomplished R&B and funk guitarist. He has performed with a range of acclaimed artists, including Grammy Award-winning American R&B/soul singer, keyboardist, and songwriter Michael McDonald; Played and recorded with blue-eyed soul and contemporary Christian Grammy Award winner Bryan Duncan; and Rocketown recording artist Shaun Groves. He has also played, toured, and recorded with Renee Austin—an American soul, R&B, and gospel singer, songwriter, and speaker, who is a six-time Minnesota Music Award winner (including 'Female Vocalist of the Year') and a Blind Pig recording artist. In addition, Kevin was an on-call guitarist to perform with Grammy Award-winning American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer Pharrell Williams. Locally, Kevin was a member of the Minneapolis-based band Dr. Mambo's Combo.
David Anania
Drums
Native New Yorker, and adopted Minneapolitan—is a drummer, singer/songwriter, producer and arranger. A long-time member of Blue Man Group (NY, Berlin), Dave performed with BMG all over the world, including: Moby’s Area II Tour (w/Moby, David Bowie and Bustah Rhymes), The Complex Rock Tour (and multiplatinum-selling DVD), Coachella Music Festival, and The Royal Variety Performance (in front of Queen Elizabeth II). Citing Phil Collins, Michael Bland, Manu Katché, and David Garibaldi as main influences, David’s varied career has already spanned over 3 decades. With artists such as Blue Man Group and blues-rocker Shannon Curfman (Kid Rock), David has performed on multiple high-profile TV shows, both in the US (“The Tonight Show w/Jay Leno“, “Good Morning America“, “Rosie O’Donnell“, “CBS This Morning“) and in Europe (“Royal Variety Performance“, “Wetten dass..?“, “TV Total“, “Schlag den Raab“, and “The Voice of Germany“). David has composed music in many styles for himself and other artists, including Jaimi Faulkner (“It Ain’t Easy“ 2015 on V2 records) Jessica Gall (“You’ll Feel“ and “World to Me“, 2016) and Nnenna Yvonne (“Believe in Me“, 2015 on Shanachie Records). Since 2012, David has been active as a soundtrack composer for documentary films (“Return to Pearl“, “Yellow Ribbon“, “They Fought for Freedom“ by Snap 180 Media), as well as composing the music for his own film projects. 2018 marked a milestone in his career, when he released his first solo CD entitled, “Reinvent the Feel“—a 9-song debut, deeply influenced by progressive rock, power-pop, and funk. The recordings feature world-class musicians who have performed/recorded with international heavyweights such as: The Jonas Brothers, Mandy Moore, Jonny Lang, Prince, and Cory Wong. In 2022, David parted ways with Blue Man Group after 22 years, and settled back in his adopted hometown of Minneapolis, taking on the role of US Sales Manager for GEWA Digital Drums. In 2024 that role expanded to include the legacy brand of Gretsch Drums as well as Schlagwerk Percussion. In January 2025, David transitioned from his role in sales to become the Director of Artist Relations for Gretsch Drums, GEWA Digital Drums, and Schlagwerk Percussion (North America). Besides being a Gretsch Artist himself, David is extremely honored and excited to take on his new role, supporting a legendary artist roster that is as remarkable as the instruments they endorse. David Anania plays Gretsch Drums, Paiste Cymbals, Vic Firth sticks, and Remo drumheads. facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anania.music Instagram: @ananiagram_official
Brian Ziemniak
Keyboards
You can catch Brian Ziemniak performing almost any style of music, consistently crossing musical boundaries while being true to the style and himself. He currently leads his own group, BZ3 Organ Trio - releasing their debut recording in the spring of 2023. Brian has recently toured with popular Dutch saxophonist Candy Dulfer, The Blues Brothers, and visited two continents with star-studded funk group fDeluxe. He performs locally with a number of bands and a wide range of artists, including the legendary Dr. Mambo’s Combo, acclaimed R&B vocalist Fred Steele, Tina & The B-Sides, Yohannes Tona Band, as well as leading progressive rock supergroup Those Medley Kids.
Tony Axtell
Bass
Multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, as well as composer, arranger, engineer and producer. Tony's skills can be heard on many genres of recordings over the past few decades. Tony's live musical career over the years includes performing with many artists including Mark Murphy, Wynton Marsalis, Prince Rogers Nelson, Ronny Loew, Ricky Peterson, Donny Osmond, Bobby Lyle and David Sanborn. Listen to Tony's Music - http://tonyaxtell.bandcamp.com