Madison Jazz Calendar

Your Guide to the Local Jazz Scene

Welcome to Madison Jazz Calendar, a listing of live jazz events in Madison, Wisconsin. Go directly to the calendar, or see below for features, notices, and news about jazz in Madison

  • Make Music Madison 2026

    This Sunday, June 21st is Make Music Madison. Free music will be happening all across the city. Here is the schedule filtered to show jazz events. Rennebohm Park has jazz from 4-9pm. To read more about Make Music Madison see their home page.

  • Ignite Jazz Camp “Drop In” Sessions

    Here is a chart showing all the drop in sessions. Each day is also listed individually on the calendar and more information can be found there.

  • Madison JazzFest 2026

    Arts and Lit Lab and The Wisconsin Union Theater recently announced the line-up for this year’s fest. The full lineup is below and individual acts are also listed on the calendar.

    Madison JazzFest 2026 Lineup

  • Brass Jackson

    Mama Digdown’s Brass Band just released their 11th album April 3, 2026. From the liner notes:

    Brass Jackson is a bold and inventive reimagining of ten of the King of Pop’s biggest hits. With grit, soul and swagger, MJ’s iconic hits get turned into undeniable brass jams. We like to think if MJ had been born in Treme, this is the music he would have made.

    Complete liner notes and CD purchases are available at Bandcamp.

  • 2026 Jazz at Five Schedule

  • Jump Into Jazz Piano Camp

    Jazz camps seem to be sprouting in Madison. Park Street Piano has a spring and summer session planned, specific for piano players ages 8-12. Here is the info:

    Relax and play at this camp, where young pianists imagine, create, and groove together! Students will dive into improvisation, swing, blues and more in a fun and creative environment. Class will be tailored to the experience level of the students.

    M-F, March 23-27, 9:30AM – 12PM (spring break) Register

    M-F, June 22-26, 9:30AM – 12PM Register

    Instructor: Zach Studdiford (bio). $185*

    *Please contact us if cost is prohibitive.

    Park Street Piano / 1421 S. Park St., Madison, WI, 53715 www.parkstreetpiano.com / parkstpiano@gmail.com

  • iGnitE jAzz! Summer Camp

    Madison Jazz Society has a new exciting opportunity for people of all ages to grow as jazz musicians. iGnitE jAzz! Summer Camp June 15-19, 2026. 

    Pre-registration is NOW until March 1st.https://www.madisonjazz.com/ignite-jazz/

    If you attended 2025 sessions or would like to see some of the quality programming MJS offered you can visit the archive from 2025 mini camp at My Arts. https://www.madisonjazz.com/ignite-jazz-2025/

    iGintE jAzz! 2025 had middle school and high school students but we also had adults who wanted to grow and learn more about jazz. In one workshop a family attended with 3 generations of musicians: kids, a mom and the grandfather and they learned and played this music together. There were presentations about specific jazz artists and the creative experimentations of jazz in Chicago, as well as, “circle singing” and body percussive movement opportunities, Workshops on playing as a duo, playing Mingus compositions in parts, learning to improvise on various levels of ability and more. 

    This year iGnitE jAzz! format will be more like a day camp with campers signing up for a full week of jazz immersion.

    Each day will include:

    • Warm-ups for the body and on your specific instrument 
    • Opportunity to play in a small group/combo with an appropriate coach 
    • Opportunity to play in a big band or large creative ensemble 
    • Each student will self-select 2 elective classes to pursue for the 5 days of camp
    • All students will have performance and jam opportunities 
    • Daily featured concerts by guest artists and talk back

    This is camp is for all ages, all levels. MJS is hoping to have it hosted at the WYSO building on East Washington Ave. It will run 8:30-5:30 daily. Tuition is $375. MJS are looking for those that have interest to attend. Scholarships are available. Also, if you are interested in offering a scholarship for a student in need, please consider donating toward this cause. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=NS85KRC497SKY

    Pre-registration is NOW until March 1st. https://www.madisonjazz.com/ignite-jazz/

    Please consider attending this camp or sharing this information with someone you know who would like to attend. All instruments or vocalists are welcome Any instrument or voice can play jazz or improvise. All ages are welcome, whether you are 9 or 99 we’d love to have you join us. And all levels of players if you are just beginning to learn about improvisation and new to your instrument or have played you instrument a very long time but are new to jazz you are welcome. If you already play in a band and want a week of growing together or you would like to meet other people to play in a band, this is for you. We will plan ensembles and classes to accommodate those that register. 

  • Peter Dominguez – Bass Salute

    This is UW Professor Peter Dominguez’s solo bass album from 2024. He will be performing a solo recital on Feb 6th at ALL featuring some of the music from this release (see the calendar for details).

    From the liner notes:

    Bass Salute to Richard Davis, Milt Hinton, Lucas Drew, Israel Lopez Cachao, Bob Gladstone, Ron Carter, Ray Brown, Charles Mingus, Roger Ruggeri, Eddie Gomez, Rufus Reid, Buster Williams, the International Society of Bassists, the Richard Davis Foundation, and the Milt Hinton Institute. All these important associations and influences have inspired and guided my journey. This collection of songs honors everyone holding up the bass salute, tuning those half steps spacings & formations, while sitting comfortably in an eternal pocket. Bass Regards, Peter

    Complete liner notes and CD purchases are available at Bandcamp.

  • Johannes Wallmann – Not Tired

    UW Madison’s Johannes Wallmann’s released his twelfth album as a leader or coleader last month.

    The album consists of material developed and workshopped in weekly rehearsals and performances during a semester-long collaboration between Johannes Wallmann and UW colleague Nick Moran. The result as the liner notes say is, ” a contemporary jazz exploration of musical dreamscapes – of places and people, both real and imagined.”

    Johannes Wallmann – piano

    Nick Moran – bass

    Ingrid Jensen – trumpet

    Dayna Stephens – tenor saxophone

    Adam Nussbaum – drums

    Mitchell Shiner – glockenspiel (1), vibraphone (1, 3)

    All compositions by Johannes Wallmann, BMI,
    except “Twelve Thirty-Four Intro” and “Twelve Thirty-Four” by Nick Moran, BMI

    Complete liner notes, downloads, and CD purchases are available at Bandcamp.

  • Cliff Frederiksen

    Cliff was widely considered one of Madison’s greatest musicians and was beloved by many. I cannot locate an obituary, but many are posting on this Facebook page and this Facebook page to lament his passing last week.

    If you aren’t familiar with Cliff, here is a documentary that starts with his upbringing in St Louis, beginnings in music, stories from the road, and how he ended up in Madison. The second part of the video, starting at 23:43, is Cliff playing solo guitar and singing, demonstrating his mastery in many genres.