The Greater Madison Jazz Consortium’s Spring InDIGenous Concert Series to Launch on May 13th at Madison’s Central Library
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Concerts of fresh original music, in a great listening room, with no cover charge. That’s what music fans will find in the beautiful glass-enclosed third floor space in Madison’s Central Library on three Friday evenings this Spring, as the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium presents its third season of InDIGenous, a series that showcases music composed and performed by Madison’s finest jazz musicians. Here’s the Spring series line-up.
- May 13: Alison Margaret Jazz Quintet. Vocalist Alison Margaret’s band will present newly-composed lyrics to instrumental compositions by iconic local pianist Paul Hastil. Band members include saxophonist Eric Koppa, Mr. Hastil on Fender Rhodes, John Christensen on upright bass, and Michael Brenneis at the drums.
- May 27: Ben Ferris Quintet. Bassist Ben Ferris’ band will present a body of new works inspired by events and experiences in today’s world such as gun violence, information access, ecology, and pollinator protection. Band members include trumpeter Paul Dietrich, saxophonist Nicholas Bartell, pianist Paul Hastil, and drummer Miguel McQuade.
- June 10: The Organic Quintet. This band is dedicated to the soulful, swinging 1960s tradition of the Hammond B3 Organ quintet with music composed mostly by its leader, trumpeter and UW Latin Jazz Ensemble Director Eric Siereveld. Band members include organist Mike Cammilleri, saxophonist Tony Barba, guitarist Dan Flynn, and Keith Lienert at the drums.
Each concert begins at 7:30 PM, and will include two sets of music and a cash bar provided by Forequarter.
ABOUT THE SERIES
Despite a dearth of good-paying performance opportunities in respectful settings, Madison is still home to many outstanding jazz players and composers. However, with pressures from commercial venues to play familiar music and few willing to book ensembles larger than a trio, local jazz composers find few outlets for their original music. Thus it was not surprising that one of the highest-rated ideas at the Consortium’s jazz musician “town hall” meetings was creation of a new original music concert series.
InDIGenous is now entering its third season, with the series alternating between MPL’s Central Branch in Spring and the UW Memorial Union’s Frederic March Play Circle in Fall. The series has presented an eclectic array of styles and formats, with several concerts featuring music from brand new CDs by the featured artists. The series has presented ensembles led by young up-and-coming musicians like trumpeter Paul Dietrich and percussionist Juan Pastor as well as iconic veteran players like pianists Dave Stoler and Jane Reynolds.
“I’ve recorded some of my original works, but rarely get to perform them in Madison,” said Reynolds, who was part of the “Piano Summit” concert that closed the Fall 2015 InDIGenous series. “I was delighted to introduce new works to a large and enthusiastic audience in one of the finest venues in Madison,” she added.
Dave Cooper, Associate Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at UW-Platteville and long-time member of the Madison Symphony Orchestra, noted how InDIGenous “puts the performer in a frame of mind to work at their best.” Of his Fall 2015 InDIGenous concert, Cooper said, “Personally, it made the ‘top ten’ most memorable performances of my life.”
Musicians for the Spring series were selected by the Jazz Consortium’s Nick Moran, an omnipresent and highly-regarded bassist on Greater Madison’s local music scene. Moran reported that, in terms of age and race/ethnicity, the 2015 series drew a more diverse audience than is typical at jazz concerts in our community. Said Moran, “Many told us they were already in the library and heard the music and came up to the 3rd floor to check it out,” noting that most of them stayed and enjoyed the music.
“At Madison Public Library we have a commitment to promote local music, and hosting live events is a component of that. By leveraging our resources to bring live jazz to a diverse audience, we not only provide free access to the arts, but also foster new connections between the creative sector and the broader community,” said Guy Hankel, music librarian and organizer of Yahara Music Library, the library’s online local music service at www.yaharamusic.org.
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