Gypsy swing jam at Brocach’s

Paul Smith contacted Madison Jazz recently to say….

Hello, I want to introduce myself and my group. We run a weekly gypsy swing jam at Brocach on Monroe, Wednesday Nights, 7:30-closing. No cover. We’ve had a lot of fun, and it’s become a bit of a draw. We encourage instrumentalists who simply want a home to play this music to come on out.

From our start in the corner nook of Zuzu cafe this summer we’ve grown into a substantial jam at Brocach, and a separate performing ensemble whose members came from the jam. Our group is called L’APÉRO GYPSY JAZZ and to give you an idea of what we do and our sound, here is a rough clip from a gig on 2/1 at The Rigby.

Many thanks,

Paul Smith

Off to a flying start!

Reblogged from Madison Jazz Jam:

Today was a terrific start to what we expect will be a long association with The Fountain. Everything about the jam was so good I had a hard time controlling the urge to go nuts with exclamation points. I've done my best; it's just that it was a great jam!

First of all, the house band was smoking! Anders on sax, Nick on bass, Michael on drums....

Read more… 256 more words

I wanted to share this post from our sister site, Madison Jazz Jam. Not only was it a great day at the jam's new location, but I'm convinced The Fountain is going to be THE next Madison jazz hot spot.

Madison Jazz Jam Sunday Sept 16th at The Fountain

Jammers developing their skills at a Madison Jazz Jam session

This Sunday, September 16th is the first Madison Jazz Jam session at its new location, The Fountain, downtown at 122 State Street (back room at the corner of West Dayton and North Carroll – enter from either the State Street or Dayton Street side of the building. ). This session is special for many reasons: it is the second anniversary of Madison Jazz Jam (MJJ), it is the first session at its new larger, central location, and it marks the performance debut of the UW School of Music’s new Jazz Studies Professor, Johannes Wallmann, who’ll be holding down the keyboard chair in the house band.

And now it is easier to keep track of the jam: except for holidays, it will always be at The Fountain from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM the first and third Sunday of every month. Musicians of all ages are invited to jam with the house band, and fans sit back and enjoy live jazz and learning more about it.

MJJ is unique because the first set is geared toward less experienced improvising musicians, and features instructional feedback from one of our fine local jazz educators (this week, it’s saxophonist Anders Svanoe, pinch-hitting for Dan Wallach). As always, the house band is a rotation of Madison’s finest jazz musicians. Anchoring the rhythm section this week is bassist Nick Moran and percussionist Michael Brenneis, both of the New Breed quartet. As my wife Mary said, “It’s going to be a good one!”

For more information see the Madison Jazz Jam website.

Gypsy Jazz jam anyone?

Below is an interesting ad from today’s Craig’s list. Here’s the email address to reply to:
2vhjr-3087261605@comm.craigslist.org <2vhjr-3087261605@comm.craigslist.org>

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This is a call for people either playing or interested in playing manouche style, “gypsy” swing or jazz. Jamming, but facilitated jamming, meaning tunes will be worked on and sent around ahead of time, prior to each jam get together. Some things should be understood ahead of time:

- Location for jams will be in the Vilas Park/zoo neighborhood;

-Jam afternoons/nights will be any variety of: M-W-TH (TH around 7:30) nights; Saturday later afternoons. I will do my best to make a time that works for everyone, but at some point, the time will have to be what it is.

- The space does cost a minimal amount to rent. It isn’t much, but costs will be shared among attending musicians – a likely $3 or so per hour, depending on how many come (cost is divided equally). Players will be expected to pay their share on coming, as I will be paying for the facility ahead of time;

-Hot club, acoustic lineup. Looking in particular for guitarists, violinists, upright bassists, clarinettists (at this time, instrumentalists only, please). Experience level is not important, but helpful. Straight up jazz players encouraged. Those unfamiliar with gypsy jazz harmony and chord voicings, etc., needn’t worry – I am myself not all that experienced, have maybe 35-40 tunes as repertoire (rhythm), and will share all that I have so we can find common ground.

Serious inquiries only, please. Just a call for orphaned players who desire to play in the style, and are willing to put energy (and the necessary, minimal dough) to sustain what I hope will be a sustained and fruitful thing.

Please write with any questions.

Jazz Jams in Madison – an update

This post was originally written February, 2011 and has been updated several times, most recently on September 10, 2012. 

You’re an up and coming Madison jazz musician looking to improve, play in public, meet like-minded folks, possibly get in a band. Or maybe you love to listen to jazz, learn more about it, meet local musicians, and be a part of the Madison jazz scene. If these descriptions fit, you need to check out the local jam sessions.

ln 2010 I was lamenting the lack of jazz jams in Madison, but now you can pick and choose from several distinctly different jams.

No New Breed jam next week

Don’t you wish you didn’t have to work or go to school? What would you do instead? Well, judging by the packed house at the Cardinal last Tuesday many of us would play and listen to jazz.

My schedule only allows me down to the jam about once a month, but I attend regularly enough to say that had to be one of the New Breed’s best attended jams, many new faces and many students.  Promoting the jam via Facebook and having theme nights (last Tuesday it was New Year’s resolution songs) is helping to build a larger following, but something more was going on. The best explanation seems to be many people were off work or school.

It was a great night and a lot of fun. The only downside was the announcement that the Cardinal is closed Tuesday, Jan 3rd for refinishing the wood floors. The New Breed is back the following week.

If you want to jam your next chance is the Madison Jazz Jam, Sunday, January 8th from 4-7 pm at Liliana’s Restaurant. The band is the New Breed’s Nick Moran on bass, Bernie Brink on keys, and the fantastic Rodrigo Villanueva on drums.