DUKE ELLINGTON IN WISCONSIN. It’s been over 40 years since Duke Ellington and His Orchestra conducted an awesome week-long residency at UW-Madison. Produced by Emeritus Professor of Music Jim Latimer, and featuring a series of concert performances and master classes, Duke’s residency included the world premiere performance of Duke’s newest extended work, “UWIS Suite,” commissioned especially for the occasion. Now, Isthmus Editor and music aficionado Dean Robbins has produced a short piece about Duke’s career and the “UWIS Suite” for public radio’s “Wisconsin Life” program. You can hear it on the web at http://wilife.tumblr.com/
DAN WALLACH’S JAZZ HISTORY COURSE. Saxophonist, Madison Jazz Jam educator, and Edgewood College Jazz Ensemble Director Dan Wallach conducts his 8-week “Jazz History” course through the UW Continuing Studies program. The class has 6 weekly sessions, on Wednesday evenings, 6:30-7:30 PM, starting on 6/19/13 (skipping 7/3/13) and running through 7/31/13. Registration is required, and tuition is $120. Contact: (608) 265-5629 or music@dcs.wisc.edu<
JAZZ COMMUNITY SURVEY AND STRATEGIC PLAN. Thanks to an overwhelming response to its online survey (272 fans, musicians, and educators responded!) and the interviews conducted by consultant Boris Frank with 33 jazz and performing arts community leaders, the Greater Madison Jazz Consortium held a well-grounded and productive strategic planning retreat on Sunday, 6/2/13. Ideas for several new initiatives to strengthen our local jazz scene emerged from the retreat, and will be the focus of the Consortium’s upcoming grant proposal to the John and Carolyn Peterson Charitable Foundation. Stay tuned for more news about the plan. In the meantime, if you’d like to receive a report on the survey findings and didn’t make the ask when taking the survey, simply send an email request to greatermadisonjazzconsortium@tds.net
