by Howard Landsman
Jazz meets visual art on July 18, 2009 as Dave Cooper, arguably Madison’s finest jazz trumpeter, and his quintet headline “Jazz on a Summer’s Evening,” a program of mainstream jazz at Art in the Barn, a restored 1870’s barn on a hilltop overlooking the lovely rolling farmlands of southern Fitchburg, just 5 miles south of the Beltline. Nestled between Verona, Oregon and Paoli, this charming rustic venue has been hosting summertime concerts for years, and offers a natural, arts-infused setting that is a treat for people of all ages.
This mini-festival, sponsored by the Madison Music Collective (MMC). will begin at 6:00 PM with a set by guitarist Cliff Frederiksen’s trio, followed at 7:15 PM by the piano-guitar duo of Paul Hastil and Louka Patenaude, with the Cooper quintet’s set starting at 8:30 PM. As part of MMC’s ongoing effort to bridge the gap between improvising musicians and their audience, each performance will be followed by a question and answer session.
Nestled amongst the lovely rolling farmlands of southern Fitchburg, Art in the Barn provides a delightful spot for Madison Music Collective's "Jazz on a Summer's Evening" on July 18th
Come early for the art fair. Bring food and a blanket or chairs to enjoy a pre-concert picnic on the beautiful picnic grounds, or purchase food from the Dardanelles Restaurant’s on-site food stand. The artist booths and food stand will be set up and ready to go by 4:30 PM.
Tickets will be available at the door, and are priced at $15.00 general admission, with discounts for MMC members ($12.00), students ($10.00) and kids 14 and under (free). Peanuts and ice will be provided at no cost.
Profile of the Performers
Cliff Fredericksen's trio kicks off the Madison Music Collective's "Jazz on a Summer's Evening" on July 18th
Cliff Frederiksen is one of the Madison area’s stellar guitar stylists, whose virtuoso playing is inspired by artists as diverse as Django Reinhardt, B.B. King, Joe Pass and George Benson. Cliff will lead a trio with bassist Guy Fiorenza, and drummer Jack Brand, both from Rockford, Illinois. They will perform a set of jazz standards from the Bop and pre-Bop era that will include Cliff’s mellifluous vocals, as well as his guitar playing.
Guitarist Louka Patenaude first came to the attention of Madison area audiences as a member of the New Breed Quintet. He rose quickly through the ranks to tour with jazz great Ben Sidran and other illustrious local groups such as Natty Nation.
The duo of guitarist Louka Patenaude (left of cow) and pianist Paul Hastil (right) will take the stage (minus cow) at 7:15 PM at the Madison Music Collective's "Jazz on a Summer's Evening" on July 18th
At Art in the Barn, Patenaude will be joined by longtime collaborator Paul Hastil, a pianist who has been a regular on the Madison jazz scene for the past 18 years. Hastil has performed with area notables Doc and Kelly DeHaven, and Gerri DiMaggio, as well as internationally recognized artists such as Archie Shepp, Sheila Jordan, and Richard Davis. Patenaude and Hastil’s duo explorations will run the gamut, from original compositions, to spontaneous improvisations, to a tribute to the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson.
- The Dave Cooper Quintet takes the stage at 8:30 PM to close out the Madison Music Collective’s “Jazz on a Summer’s Evening” on July 18th
Trumpeter David Cooper will lead a quintet that includes saxophonist Tom Gullion, pianist Tim Whalen, bassist Mark Urness, and drummer Ernie Adams. Cooper performs regularly in a jazz setting with the New Breed Quintet, the Tim Whalen Nonet, and vocalist Gerri DiMaggio, and currently holds the third trumpet chair with the Madison Symphony Orchestra. As an educator, Dr. Cooper is professor of trumpet and jazz studies at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. The quintet’s program at Art in the Barn will feature compositions by Cooper, Gullion, and Whalen.
Directions to Art in the Barn
Art in the Barn is located at 5927 Adams Road, about half-way between Fish Hatchery Road and Fitchburg Road and about 5 miles south of the Beltline. With summer road construction on Fish Hatchery, the best route from the north and east is via Seminole Highway. From the Beltline exit, go south for 4 miles to the end of Seminole, turn right onto Whalen Road for 0.4 miles, then left onto Fitchburg Road for 1.1 miles, then left again onto Adams Road for 1 mile.
For More Information: Contact Anne at 835-0454 or visit http://www.artinthebarnwi.org or http://www.mmcmusic.org.
Guitarist Luke Polipnick has left town for Omaha. Luke will be missed for his playing and his organizational energy and skill. Luke was a regular at jam sessions, played in many bands including a long running Wednesday gig at the Dragon Fly Lounge with Glacier ((Ben Willis, Geoff Brady), and one of the founders of experimental jazz presenters Surrounded by Reality. What is happening to Surrounded by Reality now that the final founding figure has left town? Audio for the Arts owner, Steve Gotcher is taking it over. The Isthmus has a nice story about that.
Dave Cooper has not been active in the Madison jazz scene lately. That’s too bad because he is one of the midwest’s best jazz trumpeters and was one of the main draws for the New Breed Quintet for many years. Fortunately, he has a blog that helps fans stay connected. Recently, he profiled his father-in-law, Madison Jazz trumpet legend Doc DeHaven and included an mp3 collage of Doc’s recordings in that post. He also took a recent trip to China and his travelogue about that experience is quite interesting.
Howard Landsman was named the 2012 Isthmus Jazz Personality of the Year. Howard prefers to keep a low profile and consequently isn’t well-known by the Madison jazz public, but everyone within jazz presenting circles says the same thing, “no one deserves it more.” I agree totally. Howard was the FORCE behind the Mary Lou Williams centennial Celebration, raising over $150,000 and organizing an amazingly diverse program of activities that engaged the entire community throughout 2010. Over the last few years he has been instrumental in the resurgence of Madison Music Collective and it’s concert series, and has helped Madison Jazz Jam obtain funding for its all-ages jams. Congratulations, Howard!
As part of the Collective’s ongoing effort to bridge the gap between improvising musicians and their audience, each performance will be followed by a brief question-and-answer session.
