10/19 | InDIGenous Jazz Series presents Executive Tea Set + Brennan Connors & Stray Passage @ Wisconsin Union Play Circle Theater

I’d like to start out with some after show thoughts on Brennan Connors & Stray Passage’s recent performance at Cafe CODA…

A big shout out and thank you to Hanah Jon Taylor and Cafe CODA for hosting us last Friday, 10/5 at his newly opened space on Willy Street.  When I first moved to Madison from Indianapolis, I noticed the absence of a true Jazz club.  I had been spoiled by my experiences at The Jazz Kitchen (and a number of other joints) where you knew you could go hear the best local and touring players.  The environment at Cafe CODA brought me that feeling once again.  It’s comfortable, in a prime location, has headroom, plenty of large inspiring photos of Jazz legends, and sounds great.  The space invites you through it’s front lounge, to the bar in the middle, and finally pulls you towards the listening space in the back.  As a patron, you have three options when deciding how close-to or far-from the musical action you want to be.  Congratulations to Hanah (and anyone who helped out) on getting this new space up and running, I hope many successful nights of music come your way!  If you are in Madison and love Jazz, check this place out.

Café CODA is Madison’s premier new jazz space! We are dedicated to the presentation of traditional, contemporary and creative music. Café CODA maintains an arts-centric program of musical performances, workshops and master classes available to residents and patrons of the Madison area.

Additional thanks to Paul S Howell for shooting some nice pics at the club!


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Fri, 10/19 | 7:30pm All Ages, FREE

Wisconsin Union: Play Circle Theater

800 Langdon St, Madison, Wisconsin 53706

INDIGENOUS JAZZ SERIES PRESENTS

EXECUTIVE TEA SET

BRENNAN CONNORS & STRAY PASSAGE

Brought to you by Madison Music Collective, Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, Wisconsin Union Theater.

from inDIGenous:

The inDIGenous Jazz Series is presented by Madison Music Collective, The Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, and the Wisconsin Union Theater. Concerts begin at 7:30 pm and are held in the Memorial Union Play Circle at the Wisconsin Union Theater, 800 Langdon St. Each concert is free, all-ages, and open to the public.

The group Executive Tea Set was formed at a time in history just before it was unfortunate to be associated with the word “tea.” After a short time off from regular performances, the group returns to full force with their inimitable style, humor, and grace. Michael, Mark, and Brad are psyched to welcome newest member Paul Dietrich on trumpet. Paul brings his unique panache, and subtle bluster, spurring the band into unknown universes. Their choice of repertoire combines self-described “difficult music” featuring polyrhythmic, multi-modal reading, metric mystery, and high-flying harmonic modulation with “gut-bucket tunes we can blow on”. Original music of a jazz variety carries the day, penned by the members of the group themselves, with occasional masterworks from one jazz luminary or another.

Paul Dietrich – Trumpet
Mark Siegenthaler – Piano
Bradley Townsend – Bass
Michael Brenneis – Drums

Brennan Connors & Stray Passage is primarily an improvising unit focusing on the outside or experimental aspects of jazz. Each performance is dependent on the mind states of the individual musicians, the physical environment of the performance space, and the intense listening and sonic communication that occurs as they play. Their 2017 release Emergence is available on Bandcamp. The breadth of a performance ranges from focused minimalism to fiery high energy music, all while maintaining a sense of narrative organization and compelling ensemble interplay. Their repertoire includes original compositions, a few old favorites, and raw improvisation.

Brennan Connors – Tenor and Soprano Saxophones
Brian Grimm – Electric Bass and Contra-Cello
Geoff Brady – Drums

The inDIGenous Jazz Series is presented by the Madison Music Collective, the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, and the Wisconsin Union Theater; supported by Dane Arts, the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation, the Madison Arts Commission, Janus Galleries, and the Evjue Foundation; and receives promotional support from WORT-FM and Wisconsin Public Radio.

5/19 | Strollin’ East Johnson Street

Fri, 5/19 |  Free 5:30-11pm

STROLLIN EAST JOHNSON STREET

Presented by Prime Urban Properties

The Greater Madison Jazz Consortium

Free Event Parking provided by our kind neighbors at Christ Presbyterian Church (944 E Gorham St,)

Event Schedule and Acts:
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Macha Tea Co. (823 E Johnson St) 6-9:30pm
6-7:30pm – Lesser Lakes Trio
8-9:30pm – A Night of Poetry and Jazz hosted by Rob Dz and The Joe White Trio featuring Oscar Mireles and Poet Fabu
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Lumen (845 E Johnson St) 7-10pm
7-8pm – Carolynn Schwartz Black with Cliff Frederiksen and John Widdicombe
8:30-10pm The Five Points Jazz Collective
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Good Style Shop (817 E Johnson St) 7:30-11:00pm
7:30pm-9pm – Brennan Connors and Stray Passage
9:30pm-11pm – Left Field Quartet
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Showcase for the NextGen Jazz Musicians at RVM Classics
(852 E Johnson St) 5:30pm-7pm
5:30-6:15pm – Cafe CODA’s Student Jazz Jam Ensemble “Be Natural”
6:30-7:00pm – West High School’s Tribute to Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers


Event details via Nick Moran of the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium:

Eight bands. Six hours of continuous live music. Four different venues on Madison’s ultra hip East Johnson Street. And no cover charges. These are the makings “Strollin’ East Johnson Street” presented this year by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium and Prime Urban Properties. Now in its fourth year, this popular “jazz stroll” series features a staggered performance schedule that makes it easy for attendees to stroll from venue to venue and sample many different musical styles.

“Strollin’ East Johnson Street” is the tenth “jazz stroll” produced by the Jazz Consortium in a series that began three years ago at Schenk’s Corners on Madison’s East Side, and it’s been warmly embraced by each of its host communities. Once again, the Consortium’s Nick Moran has booked an intriguing mix of bands showcasing the wide range of instrumental and vocal jazz styles regularly available to Dane County audiences.

Strollin’ East Johnson is made possible by sponsorships from Prime Urban Properties as well as contributions from each host venue, free will contributions from Strollin’ attendees, grants from the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation and Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission and promotional support from Isthmus, WORT-FM, and Wisconsin Public Radio.

7/18 – Strollin’ Park St (Mad) | 7/19 – Lovely Socialite @ The Jazz Estate (Mke)

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Sat, 7/18 | Strollin Park Street (Mad) Jazz Festival

Produced by the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, the season’s second Strollin’ event offers a family-friendly 5 ½ hours of continuous and stylistically-diverse live jazz in the afternoon in and around the Villager Mall at the south end of South Park Street, followed by an “after-party” at north end of the Street, at The Mason Lounge. As always with Strollin’, there’s no cover charge. Here’s the line-up.

One City Early Learning Stage at the Villager Mall (South East Corner of the parking lot, across from McDonald’s): Noon-2:30pm
Madison Music Foundry Student Jazz Ensemble: Noon-12:30pm
Fountain of Life’s Rivers of Madison: 12:45-1:45pm
Black Star Drum Line: 2pm-2:30pm

The Urban League Community Room: 2pm-3:30pm
Rick Flowers Quartet

Madison Police Station- South District (outdoor stage, or the community room if weather is bad): 3:15pm-5:30pm
Mad City Funk 3:15-4:15pm
Golpe Tierra 4:30pm-5:30pm

The Mason Lounge: 7-9:30pm
bpmTrio: 7-8pm
Five Points Jazz Collective: 8:30pm-9:30pm

For more info please visit jazzinmadison.org

Strollin’ South Park Street is made possible by a grant to the Jazz Consortium from the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation, by sponsorships from Prime Urban Properties, One City Early Learning Centers, the South Metropolitan Business Association, Sergenian’s Floor Coverings, Uncle Joe’s Shoes and Sportswear, with additional support from media sponsors WORT-FM and Isthmus and from the Urban League of Greater Madison and Lane’s Bakery.


Sun, 7/19 | 7pm $5 @ The Jazz Estate

Lovely Socialite (pre-order new album!)

Lady Cannon (Mke)

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Lovely Socialite is half-way through the pre-order campaign for our new album, Toxic Consonance!  Help us out by pre-ordering your copy today!!

We’ll be sharing the fantastic stage at The Jazz Estate in Milwaukee with local act, Lady Cannon!


5/23 | Madison’s First “Jazz Crawl” @ Schenk’s Corners

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The Greater Madison Jazz Consortium, WORT, & Isthmus Present:

5/23/14  STROLLIN SCHENK’S CORNERS 

Brennan Connors & Stray Passage (featuring Tim Russell subbing in for Geoff Brady on percussion) will be playing Friday, 5/23 at Thorps Salon for the first ever “Madison Jazz Crawl“!  We’re thrilled to play along side our buddies John Christensen & Devin Drobka as they shape-shift into Lesser Lakes Trio!  The first show that Stray Passage ever played was at Audio For the Arts with John & Devin (then performing with Luke Polipnick as Deconunisms).  This year I have been the house bass player at The Mason Lounge every Tuesday night from 9-12 with the 5 Points Jazz Collective.  Charlie Painter, jazz guitarist & 5-Points band leader, will be performing with his Trio at One Barrel Brewing.  If you’re around for the late sets, don’t forget to swing by Alchemy Cafe to hear saxophonist Tony Barba guest with Paddy Cassidy & El Clan Destino!

Come on out ‘n bop around!  Celebrate Jazz in Madison & the wonderful, unique local establishments found on Schenk’s Corners!

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