Aaron Parks Little Big

Friday, June 21, 2019 at 8 PM – 11 PM
The Jazz Estate
2423 N Murray Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211

Aaron Parks Little Big, the new Ropeadope album from the acclaimed pianist, keyboardist and composer, is at once the culmination of his brilliant early career and the long-awaited follow-up to his Blue Note Records debut, Invisible Cinema.

That 2008 release, with its gorgeously melodic writing and improvising and deft use of indie-rock, electronica and hip-hop elements, established Parks as one of the most gifted and original young voices in jazz. “This is the natural successor to that record,” says the New York-based artist, 34. “It’s taking the ideas of that project and doubling down on them—fully committing to that direction.”

Little Big also marks the recorded debut of the intuitive working group that gives the album its title (and which takes its name from a fantastical novel by John Crowley—a favorite book of Parks and, the pianist notes, Wayne Shorter). Parks handled the production duties, with engineering by Daniel Schlett (whose credits include The War on Drugs and Ghostface Killah). The album was mixed by both Schlett and Grizzly Bear bassist/producer Chris Taylor, the latter of whom Parks met in a Seattle big band at the age of 10. “We put a lot of time and care into the way this record sounds, and the result”—simultaneously crystalline and warm, postmodern and natural—“makes me really happy,” Parks adds.

(more…)

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Rempis / Lopez / Packard at The Sugar Maple

Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 8 PM – 10 PM
The Sugar Maple
441 E Lincoln Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207

Dave Rempis (Reeds)
Brandon Lopez (Bass)
Ryan Packard (Percussion)

Show 8 pm / Doors 7:30 $15 (in the back room)

This working trio finds journeyman Chicago saxophonist Dave Rempis alongside two of the brightest talents in a younger generation of improvising musicians. Bassist Brandon Lopez is a musician whose virtuosity knows no bounds, currently one of the most in-demand bassists on the New York jazz and improvised music scene. Percussionist Ryan Packard counters that depth with his own breadth of interests, working in contemporary classical ensembles, indie rock bands, and jazz groups alike around Chicago, not to mention his doubling abilities on electronics. These two together provide a formidable rhythm section that can veer from hard-driving grooves to luscious soundscapes with total ease.

Active since the summer of 2017, the trio made its first studio recording in March of 2018, released in early 2019 on Rempis’ Aerophonic Records imprint. This debut outing is titled The Early Bird Gets, and is perhaps the “jazziest” project any of them are involved with; a result that even the band members found surprising. But after honing their sound through live gigs in 2017 and early 2018, it became apparent that their free-improvised conversation kept returning to a similar destination: a three-way exploration of rhythm and tempo that left them working solidly within the jazz tradition. Not the one fixed into predictable stylistic corners, but the one defined by a spirit of boundless curiosity and exploration. A tradition they stretched back and forth like so much taffy.

The way these three unite into a groove is truly remarkable. Not as something to be closely adhered to, but as something to turn upside down, inside out, and ass backwards, as they expose every last facet of it. At times this means slowing it down, speeding it up, or splitting those two approaches up amongst the band simultaneously. At other times it means jumping to another dimension on the turn of a dime. And while that methodology may feel counterintuitive to the end result, it’s not. This band has a classic approach that has an inherent life and energy to it that dates back to the beginnings of jazz as an art form. It truly swings.

https://www.daverempis.com/rempislopezpackard

Fire! with Mats Gustafsson, Johan Berthling & Andreas Werliin at The Sugar Maple

Monday, March 25, 2019 at 8 PM – 10 PM
The Sugar Maple
441 E Lincoln Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207

Fire! 8 pm / Doors 7:30 $15
Mats Gustafsson (tenor, baritone saxophone, live electronics), Johan Berthling (bass), Andreas Werliin (drums)

Fire! consists of members from The Thing, Tape and Wildbirds & Peacedrums. Fire! formed in 2009 to develop a fresh approach to improvised music drawing on influences from free jazz, psychedelic rock and noise.

Fire! has played and recorded with Jim O’Rourke and Oren Ambarchi.

New album The Hands was released on Rune Grammofon, January 2018. It is the trio´s sixth album and once again displays a totally uncompromising and intriguing mix of (mostly) heavy, dark and intensely burning music whether one decide on calling it jazz or rock.

Few bands in any genre generate so much raw visceral impact.(AAJ)
…makes Earth sound like Return to Forever. (Jazzwise)
…Mats Gustafsson, whose sax has never sounded more bloodied and bruised than it does here, now has a three-piece unit easily The Thing’s equal in sheer heft and force. (the Quietus)
Ducking clichés in taking a different approach, Fire! could be seen to be freeing up free jazz. (Record Collector)
The Hands is Fire!´s sixth release and it continues to fan the flames of the Scandinavian trio’s explosive soundworld. (BBC Music)

Party Knüllers w/ Jaimie Branch at The Sugar Maple

Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 8 PM – 10 PM
The Sugar Maple
441 E Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53207

Join us for for an evening of music with Party Knüllers w/ Jaimie Branch Show 8 pm / Door 7:30 in the back room

Jaimie Branch – trumpet
Fred Lonberg-Holm – cello & electronics
Stoli L. Sozzleberg – drums & percussion

Described by The Wire as ” . . . mischievous gremlins at play . . . ,” Party Knüllers (Stoli L. Sozzleberg, drums, and Fred Lonberg-Holm, cello and electronics) was formed in 2013. The duo has recorded and performed around the US and Europe both on their own and with a variety of guests including synth wiz Jim Baker.

Jaimie Branch (trumpet) first played with Stoli L. Sozzleberg in 2015 and they immediately felt a connection. One reason they hit it off so quickly may have been their mutual long term friendship and collaborations with Lonberg-Holm. Branch has collaborated with Lonberg-Holm over many years on various projects, including the trio Sherpa, her rock band Free Coffee at the Banks, and his ongoing Lightbox Orchestra. In addition to the Party Knüllers, Stoli L. Sozzleberg and Lonberg-Holm have worked together on the quartet VCDC and a number of odd projects throughout the years including the trio GAP (Gorilla Ass Piano).

Jaimie Branch is a Brooklyn-based trumpeter working in the areas of improvisation and composition. In her practice, Branch is particularly interested in extending and expanding the technical limitations of the trumpet and the musical language of free jazz and improvised music. Before moving to the Red Hook part of Brooklyn in 2015, Branch was an active member in the Chicago creative music scene as a performer. presenter, and recording engineer. In May 2017, she made her debut recording as a leader entitled “Fly or Die” (IARC 011), which has been met with critical acclaim by The New York Times, The Wire, Jazz Times, The Observer and more.

Fred Lonberg-Holm is a cellist/composer currently living in upstate NY. His long history includes extended periods in Chicago where he was active in the free improvisation, experimental, noise, and pop scenes including the Vandermark 5, Wilco, and Peter Brotzmann’s Chicago Tentet as well as in NY where he played in numerous “downtown” projects including Anthony Coleman’s “Self Haters Orchestra” and God is My Co-Pilot”.
Current projects include Ballister (w/ Dave Rempis and Paal Nilssen Love), Survival Unit III (w/Joe McPhee and Michael Zerang) and the Sync (w/ Eve Risser, Mike Reed and Sylvaine Helary).

Stoli L. Sozzleberg is a Norwegian drummer, percussionist and improviser. His main focus is improvised music and that includes groups and projects with John Russell, Steve Beresford, Frode Gjerstad, Paal Nilssen-Love, Fred Lonberg-Holm, John Butcher, Lotte Anker, Joe McPhee, Ryley Walker and many more. He has a BA in Jazz from University of Stavanger (2007) and MA in improvisation from the Norwegian Academy of Music (2011). Stoli L. Sozzleberg tours extensively and he has played at festivals and clubs like All Ears, Blow Out!, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, DOM, End of the road, Fete Quaqua, Jazzaldia San Sebastian, Mopomoso, Okka Fest, Cafe Oto, Constellation and more. When Stoli L. Sozzleberg isn’t touring he spends time teaching drums and also programming and organizing the Blow Out! series and festival as well as Kongsberg Jazzfestival.

Branford Marsalis Quartet at the Pabst Theater

Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 7 PM – 10 PM
Pabst Theater
144 E. Wells St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
tickets

An Evening with Branford Marsalis
Thursday, April 11th
Pabst Theater
Doors 7pm // Show 8pm

Son of the legendary Ellis Marsalis.
Brother of Wynton, Delfeayo and Jason Marsalis.
Branford Marsalis is one of the most revered instrumentalists of his time & the leader of one of the finest jazz quartets today. Saxophonist Branford Marsalis… Live at the historic Pabst Theater.
“Marsalis and his Quartet raised the roof of the venue reaching cathartic heights of intensity and a visceral, whole-body endeavour that was profoundly stimulating and deeply fun.” – Ottawa Citizen
Branford Marsalis – saxophones
Joey Calderazzo – piano
Eric Revis – bass
Justin Faulkner – drums

Presale begins Wednesday, 12.05 at noon (code: MARSALIS)
Public on sale begins Friday, 12.07 at noon

Jazz at Lincoln Center presents The Dan Nimmer Trio

Friday, February 1, 2019 at 7:30 PM
Marcus Center For The Performing Arts
929 N Water St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202
(414) 273-7121
info@marcuscenter.org
Tickets

Dan Nimmer was born in 1982 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An old soul in a young body, Mr. Nimmer plays with the spirit, the passion and the soul of someone who has been on the planet much longer. With prodigious technique and an innate sense of swing, his playing often recalls that of his own heroes, specifically Oscar Peterson, Wynton Kelly, Erroll Garner and Art Tatum. As a young man, Mr. Nimmer’s family inherited a piano and he started playing by ear; he was, if you will, “called” by the instrument.He studied classical piano and eventually became interested in jazz. At the same time,he began playing gigs around Milwaukee.

Upon graduation from high school, Mr. Nimmer left Milwaukee to study music at Northern Illinois University. It didn’t take him long to become one of Chicago’s busiest piano players. He was working a lot on the Chicago scene so Mr. Nimmer decided to leave school and make the big move to New York City where he was immediately emerged into the New York scene. (more…)

Peter Bernstein Quartet at The Jazz Estate

Peter Bernstein Quartet
Friday, December 21, 2018 at 8 PM – 11 PM

The Jazz Estate
2423 N Murray Ave
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53211

The Jazz Estate is very excited to welcome the great
Peter Bernstein (New York) on to the stage.

Peter Bernstein Guitar
Mark Davis Piano
Jeff Hamann Bass
David Bayles Drums
Tickets info will be out soon! This will sell out!
Photo by Antonio Porcar Cano
*******
Jazz guitarist Peter Bernstein (b. 1967, New York City) has been a part of the jazz scene in New York and abroad since 1989. During that time he has participated in over 80 recordings and numerous festival, concert and club performances with musicians from all generations. As a leader, Peter has released nine albums and a DVD, Live at Smoke.

He got his first break while attending the New School when he met the legendary guitarist Jim Hall. Hall asked Peter to participate in his Invitational Concert as part of the 1990 JVC Jazz Festival. The event featured such guitarists as John Scofield and Pat Metheny and was release as Live at Town Hall Vol. 2. by Music Masters. Hall noted that Peter “…has paid attention to the past as well as the future. He is the most impressive guitarist I’ve heard. He plays the best of them all for swing, logic, feel and taste.”

Also in 1990, Peter Bernstein was discovered by alto saxophonist Lou Donaldson and took part in the first of four recordings with him. He was a regular member of his group throughout the 1990s. “Some people just have it.” Donaldson said. “…most of the time you have to teach someone what to do, but Peter knows it all.”

Peter has also enjoyed long musical associations with legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb (Cobb’s Mob), as well as organist Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart as a member of their highly acclaimed trio. The New York Times called them “the best organ trio of the last decade”. Together they recorded a dozen of records, all of which display their distinctive sound, whether exploring the depths of jazz standards or playing their original compositions.

From 1995 through 1997, Peter was a member of Joshua Redman’s band and played on Redman’s Freedom in the Groove CD. He played with Diana Krall’s quartet from 1999 through 2001 and with Dr. Lonnie Smith, the legendary organist who made his debut on the George Benson Cookbook albums. He has also recorded five CDs with organist Melvin Rhyne, known for his association with Wes Montgomery. In addition, Peter has appeared in groups led by Nicholas Payton, Sonny Rollins, Lee Konitz, Tom Harrell, and Eric Alexander.

Current projects include his recent album, Monk, recorded for the newly reactivated Xanadu label. Together with Doug Weiss and Bill Stewart, he put their own spin on the rich legacy of Thelonious Monk.

Mark Guiliana at The Back Room at Colectivo Coffee

a rare Milwaukee appearance
An Evening with

Mark Guiliana SPACE HEROES

featuring
Chris Morrissey, Jason Rigby, Mike Lewis

Sunday, November 18

The Back Room @ Colectivo

7pm Doors //

8pm Show

“A drummer around whom a cult of admiration has formed” (The New York Times), Mark Guiliana is one of the definitive rhythm makers of the 21st century and a GRAMMY-winner for his foundational work on late pop icon David Bowie’s final album, Blackstar. Influenced in equal measure by jazz giants Tony Williams and Elvin Jones as well as electronic music luminaries Squarepusher and Aphex Twin, Guiliana has developed a singular style possessed of both a jazz master’s dexterous fluidity and the jackhammer beats of drum and bass.

Now, Guiliana is unveiling his latest group, Mark Guiliana SPACE HEROES, featuring the “two horn” front line of saxophonists Jason Rigby and Mike Lewis, and bassist Chris Morrissey.

Reserved Cabaret and G/A Seating available for this special Milwaukee appearance. Tickets $29.50

Visions on the Lake 5

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Lineup:
• 1 – 1:45 p.m. – Wisconsin Conservatory of Music — Jazz Institute Big Band – The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music provides musical experiences to students from age four months to senior, both amateur and professional and has one of the longest running jazz education programs in the country.

• 2 – 3:00 p.m. – Juli Wood – For the past twenty years with four albums as a leader and countless worldwide performances, saxophonist, vocalist and composer Juli Wood has established herself as a solid, swinging, lyrical and entertaining performer.

• 3:15 – 4:15 p.m. – Curt Hanrahan Quartet – Curt Hanrahan is the Artistic Director of the Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra and recently retired as head of jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He has worked with artists such as Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Cab Calloway, the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra, Harry Connick Jr., the Arturo Sandoval Big Band, Manhattan Transfer, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra Jr., and Ray Charles.

• 4:30 – 6:00 p.m. – MKE Visions Collective (Premier Performance) – A group committed to exploring what Jazz can be, presenting a younger generation of creative musicians with old and new connections to Milwaukee. The seven member band focuses on new visions and sophisticated arrangements, full of soul and heartfelt improvisations.

Jazz Visions on the Lake is a free, one-day community event that will showcase local jazz musicians at Henry Maier Festival Park. Created in partnership between Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and Milwaukee Jazz Vision, the afternoon event will give music fans the opportunity to kick back, relax and enjoy the sounds of live jazz along the shores of Lake Michigan. Local food trucks will be present as well as bars featuring MillerCoors and Pepsi products.

Milwaukee Jazz Vision is an organization of business and music industry professionals, musicians, teachers, students and listeners working together with the goal of advancing jazz music in the Greater Metro-Milwaukee area. The event is also supported by Summerfest Foundation, Inc.

Michael Weiss Trio at Blu

Saturday, June 23 | 8pm – 12am
Blu Milwaukee
424 East Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Located on the 23rd floor of the Pfister Hotel
Phone: (414) 298-3196

Pianist Michael Weiss, grand prize winner of the 2000 BMI/Thelonious Monk Institute Composers Competition, has established a formidable reputation working with such names as Johnny Griffin, Art Farmer and Wynton Marsalis. In addition to his demand as a sideman, Weiss’ role as bandleader, recording artist, composer, arranger and educator have earned him accolades from both audiences and critics:

“…one of the most dynamic young pianists in jazz”
Chicago Tribune

“…focuses the intensity of a tune as well as any pianist in mainstream jazz”
New York Times

“…writes with thought-provoking originality”
JazzTimes

“…one of the most dependable pianists on the scene”
The New Yorker