Caravan is the latest release by Madison vocalist Gerri DiMaggio. Released on June 1, 2024, Caravan is a 6 song digital album by Gerri and her longtime working band. It is available for purchase on Bandcamp.
Gerri DiMaggi vocals
Bob Pesselman guitar
Paul Hastil piano
John Mesoloras bass
Rich Larson percussion
Main Content
In These Hills, Beyond
Chad McCullough’s latest release was recorded live over two nights at the North Street Cabaret right here in Madison. Released on Sept 6, 2024, the complete liner notes, and the option to buy a CD or digital album are available on this bandcamp page.
CHAD McCULLOUGH trumpet
BRAM WEIJTERS piano, keyboard
DAVE MILLER guitar
JOHN CHRISTENSEN bass
KOBIE WATKINS drums
Ryan Meisel’s “Jarred”
On December 1, Ryan Meisel is hosting a Coda Vinyl Album release party for his latest release, “Jarred.”
Ryan Meisel grew up in the Milwaukee suburbs, graduated from UW Madison, and is director of bands at New Berlin Eisenhower HS. He maintains a busy performing schedule throughout southern Wisconsin and has put out over 10 albums. From the liner notes:
Jarred “Electric” represents one of the biggest musical risks I have taken on a recording project. Stretching boundaries, I wanted to capture the edginess of 80’s and 90’s rock and heavy metal that I grew up with as a kid. Playing through an FX processor gave me the chance to create fresh sounds that fuse improvised jazz with electronic experimentation. This album features three new compositions on side A and two reworked originals on side B. I’d like to thank my bandmates Jake, Cody and Matt for joining me on this project.
-Ryan Meisel, 2024.
credits
released June 1, 2024
All selections composed and arranged by Ryan Meisel.
Ryan Meisel: Soprano, Tenor, & Baritone Saxophones, EWI, Korg AX3000G Processor.
Cody Steinmann: Guitar
Matt Rodgers: Electric Bass
Jake Polancich: Drums
Chris Mosley’s “Tribunal”
Tribunal was released Sept 6, 2024 and is Chris Mosley’s first record since moving to Madison in 2022. He is having a record release party on October 26th at Cafe Coda.
According to his website, Tribunal is “an instrumental psych-jazz guitar record feat. bassist Damian Erskine and drummer Wayne Salzmann II. Eight compositions built for exploratory improvisation, the album is a tour of colors, textures, stories and lines. A broad jazz guitar sound is joined by the other-worldly vibes of fretless guitar, microtonal(36edo) guitar and a mini Korg synth, floating atop the effortless grooves of Erskine’s 5-string bass and Salzmann’s kit.”
Chris was raised in Austin, attended Berklee College of Music, and lived in Portland. He has been writing, recording, and performing music for over 20 years. Tribunal is his 7th studio album as bandleader.
New Release from John Christensen
“Soft Rock,” John Christensen’s latest recording is now available. Featuring Tony Barba, Matt Gold, Joshua Catania and Neil Hemphill, this record blends elements of jazz and rock.
Below is an excerpt from the Bandcamp site. For the full liner notes see this publicity release from Paradigm Records.
“Christensen’s compositions are a case study on how to write simply enough to work within rock-driven groove vehicles yet incorporate enough intricacy and individualism to allow such vehicles to venture away from over-travelled back-beaten paths.” – DownBeat Magazine
credits
released August 9, 2024
John Christensen – bass
Tony Barba – tenor saxophone
Matt Gold – electric and acoustic guitars, organ, mellotron
Joshua Catania – piano, Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer
Neil Hemphill – drums
All compositions by John Christensen (BMI)
Jazz at Five 2024 Line-up
Jazz at Five has announced it’s lineup for this summer. Details for each week are on the calendar.
Due to construction, the location this year is changed to the South Hamilton side of the Capitol Square. Live music will take place against the backdrop of the Capitol, and food, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages vendors will be on-site.
Madison Jazz Fest 2024
The schedule below just came out and was copied from the Madison Jazz Fest homepage. Details for each event can be found on the calendar. A special treat this year: UW Union headliners are free and outside on the Terrace rather than inside the Union Theater.
Allen Gardens Summer Concerts 2024
Les Thimmig
This is a repost from Facebook. Johannes Wallman is the author.
I just received sad news that my dear colleague and friend Dr. Les Thimmig passed away yesterday. My thoughts are with his family and friends.
For 53 years, Les was an invaluable member of our UW Madison and music communities. I know much will be written about his accomplishments as a composer and performer and his impact on generations of students, but here is a lovely article from 2021 about his work and passion as a Professor of Composition, Jazz Studies and Woodwind Performance.
Jakob Heinemann – Opacity
The Jakob Heinemann quartet performs at Arts and Literature Lab on Saturday, April 13 at 7pm. Opacity is his maiden recording, released in December 2023.
From the liner notes: “Most of the music is through-composed, but the notation is very open, meaning each performance is a little different, and the performers can add their own ideas and sensibilities as they wish. The compositions are at times collaged with field recordings, group improvisation, and foley sounds, creating a wide palette of colors that blend together to create a unique sonic environment.”
Jakob Heinemann – bass, objects, field recordings
Ishmael Ali – cello
Jeff Kimmel – clarinet
Molly Jones – flutes
