Rob Dz and the New Breed: Hip Hop Meets Jazz This Sunday at The Brink

Rob Dz jamming with the New Breed at the 2012 Isthmus Jazz Festival

Experience a unique creative surge this coming Sunday at The Brink Lounge when Madison’s pre-eminent spoken word poet and hip-hop artist, Rob Dz, joins forces with the New Breed jazz quartet’s Paul Hastil, Louka Patenaude, Nick Moran and Michael Brenneis.  Co-produced by Madison Music Collective, Mad Toast Live, and the Improvisational Music Workshop, their concert starts at 3:30 PM and will be followed by an interactive workshop with the audience and performers at 6:00 PM.  Discounted advance sale tickets are available online at http://thebrinklounge.com/December_K3BW.html, with full price tickets available at the door.

Madison’s pre-eminent spoken word poet Rob Dz

Exploring common ground in their respective artistic genres, Rob Dz has been jamming lately with the New Breed on occasional Tuesday nights at The Cardinal and at the Isthmus Jazz Festival, while New Breed pianist Paul Hastil and bassist Nick Moran recently teamed with UW First Wave Hip Hop Ensemble performers at the 2012 Wisconsin Book Festival’s “Passing the Mic” showcase at the Overture Center.Rob combines elements of jazz, R&B, funk and gospel to make a sound unlike any other in music.  He has performed with major national touring and recording artists like Common, The Black Eyed Peas, Nas, Talib Kweli, The Dave Matthews Band, Zion I, Naughty By Nature, and Bone Thugs N Harmony, and many others.  His 2005 release, “Soul Anthems” was named one of the top 25 Madison albums of all time by Isthmus.

A past winner of Madison Area Music Awards as Best Hip Hop Artist, People’s Choice Award and Best Hip Hop Song and Album, Rob Dz has become a leader in the soulful Midwest hip-hop movement.   Like a jazz artist, Rob composes spontaneously using words instead of music, and his latest collaboration with the New Breed will create original material that draws on contemporary characteristics of each genre while allowing generous space for improvisation.

For a taste of what these artists have in store, check out Rob with Madison expatriate Joel Adams’ band at Chicago’s legendary Green Mill. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhk3DAaXvXo&feature=youtu.be

Magnus closing, last New Breed Jam on Thursday

If you haven’t heard, Magnus is closing for good. Originally, they planned to close the end of this year for remodeling and reopen in spring as Velo Bahn, a bicycle-themed restaurant. But that plan was dependent on a rail station being built across the street. When the high speed rail project was axed Magnus decided to close rather than renew their lease and remodel.

For years Magnus was a superb restaurant and one of Madison’s main jazz venues. On Thursday, December 16th, the New Breed will hold it’s last jam there. The night is special because it will be one of the last jazz performances at Magnus, and one of the last times to catch the New Breed Jam session for awhile. After the New Breed lost their gig at the Cabana Room last November they didn’t perform again until summer, and the jam wasn’t restarted until this recent series of four gigs at Magnus.

The New Breed is working on lining up another venue for their jam but nothing is set yet. Let’s hope it won’t take so long this time. Just in case, get down to Magnus Thursday and get there early if you want a seat. And if you’re a jammer and don’t usually stop down until the second set you’re missing out on some very nice music. Last time the first set was all New Breed originals. All very different and enjoyable. See you there.

Madison jazz this week: Dec 1-4

It’s funny how the Madison jazz scene bunches up. This week there’s a lot to choose from. See the last post for information on the Mary Lou Williams concerts this Wednesday and Saturday. Below, I’ve highlighted some of my picks and some of the notices sent in to the site recently (If you have a jazz gig coming up send in your posters and info and I’ll post it on the site). As always, see the Madison Jazz Calendar for a complete listing of jazz events.

Gerri Dimaggio and Paul Hastil Thursday 6-9 pm at the Edgewater. From Gerri, “

The holidays are here, the year is almost over and it’s a great time to take a breath, feel the spirit, and gather with friends.  

Starting this Thursday I will be playing with the beautiful Paul Hastil on grand Piano at the Edgewater Hotel in the Cove Bar overlooking the lake. It’s a lovely spot and the perfect setting to relax and enjoy great Jazz and some favorite holiday tunes.  

We will be there every Thursday in December from 6:30 to 9:00 and would love to see you! 

Have a peaceful and joyful holiday season,

Gerri 

  

The New Breed Quintet Jam Session 9-11 pm at Magnus: Madison’s best jazz musicians get together and jam. Last week Tim Whalen and several other great out-of-town musicians participated in one of the best New Breed jams ever. One of the best nights of jazz I’ve heard all year! It’s why I never miss one of these jams, you never know who’s going to show up.

 

Madison College Community Jazz Band 2 pm at Mitby Theater

The band will play these songs: 

Corner Pocket, Freddie Green, Trans. Myles Collins
King Porter Stomp, Jelly Roll Morton, Arr. Fletcher Henderson
Roll ’Em, Mary Lou Williams
You’n Me, Sammy Nestico
Polka Dots and Moonbeams, Jimmy Van Heusen & Johnny Burke, Arr. Bill Holman
The Bird, Charlie Parker, Arr. John LaBarbera
Christmas Medley, Arr. Carl Strommen

SONS of DAUGHTERS Saturday 12/4 at 8 pm

@ Audio for the Arts (South Blair, Madison, WI)
$5 G/A
Doors open at 7 p.m. for a pre-show reception

Patrick Breiner – tenor saxophone
Aaron Darrell – bass
Devin Drobka – drums

From Surrounded by Reality Music : 

 Sons of Daughters

Everybody’s mother is somebody’s daughter, brother. Dig?  This trio of brilliant young improvisers plays incendiary originals and reaches deep into the pantheon of jazz classics in order to deliver telepathy-laced shang-a-lang that transcends its geographical limitations.

This very special show will be recorded live at the Audio for the Arts Studio.  

See you there!

-Brooke, Patrick & Luke

Best bets for this weekend, 11/18 – 11/22

Here are my Madison jazz best bets for the next few days:

New Breed Jam Session – Thursday 9-11:30 pm at Magnus. Jam with some of the best players in Madison.

Madison Jazz Orchestra – Thursday 7:30 – 10:30 pm at the Brink. The best jazz big band in Madison.

El Clan Destino – Friday 5 – 7:3o pm at the Cardinal Bar . Do not miss! This group rarely performs and is fantastic!

Improv Music Workshop – Friday 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Jane Reynolds joins Laurie to focus on Mary Lou Williams songs. The second set keeps the same focus but is a jam session.

Mary Lou Williams Youth Explosion – Monday 7 – 10 pm at the Overture Center. The last event of the year for the Mary Lou Williams Centennial Coordinating Committee is a free concert of music and poetry featuring Madison’s youth.

Details for these events and other Madison jazz events can be found at the Madison Jazz Calendar.

Jazz at Magnus this weekend

by Patrick Breiner

Two exciting events this weekend at Magnus, featuring yours truly on the saxophone and clarinet.

TONIGHT! Thursday, Oct 28
9 pm – Midnight
The return of the New Breed Jam! Bring your ax!
Patrick Breiner – tenor sax
Dave Cooper – trumpet
Paul Hastil – keys
Michael Brenneis – drums
and Nick Moran AND John Christensen on bass
We’re asking $5 for this one, but don’t let that turn you away. Come on down and enjoy the jamz.

Tomorrow! Friday, Oct 29
9 pm – Midnight
Patrick Breiner’s Colloquial Quartet
We’ll be playing Dave Holland’s “Conference of the Birds” record AND we’ll be featuring a whole set of brand new originals written specifically for this band.
Me – tenor, clarinet
Brennan Connors – soprano sax, flute
Geoff Brady – percussion
Nick Moran – bass

Don’t miss EITHER of these shows if you can help it. They’re going to be great.

See you there.

Jazz at Inn on the Park ends

Bad news: Gerri DiMaggio confirms that Friday is the last scheduled date for the Inn on the Park Friday night jazz series.

I wish I knew what the problem was. There always seemed to be a good crowd.  Maybe not enough drinkers – in general, jazz fans do not drink the way rock or blues fans do. That’s why we need more non-drinking jazz venues and why I’ve worked hard to promote an all ages jazz jam at the Washington Hotel Coffee Room.

On the flip side, this Thursday the New Breed is having their first jam session since last November. It starts 9 pm at Magnus. And Wednesday night at 7pm alto sax great Richie Cole, and Five by Design will entertain at the Monona Terrace. Get out and support live jazz!