Our Musicians
Special Musical Events, coming attractions:
Verona High School Jazz Ensembles: Monday,
May 17, 6:30pm
(Musicians listed in order of appearance)
Cliff Frederiksen - Every
other Sunday Brunch
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Cliff
Frederiksen is a nationally known guitarist and singer who has worked with
numerous world-class artists such as Diahann Carroll, Nancy Wilson, Willie
Nelson, Bobbie Gentry, Chuck Berry, and Ike and Tina Turner.
Cliff is mighty versatile - he knows just about every jazz standard ever
written, and can also play great blues and country. |
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Cliff Frederiksen and Friends - Every
Wednesday evening
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As noted above, Cliff
Frederiksen is a nationally known guitarist and singer, with great versatility
and talent.
He knows just about every jazz standard ever
written, and can also play great blues and country.
On Wednesday evenings he's most often joined by
bassist Ken Kuehl, and during the summer months by trumpeter Don
Johnson. |
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Most Wednesday evenings, Cliff is
accompanied by Ken Kuehl on bass.
Ken is a great friend of ours, and just loves playing
along with Cliff.
Known for his many talents in choral music, from
barbershopping to stage performances, he's a multi-talented musician. |
Ken Kuehl |
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Don Johnson |
There are lots of things we love about the coming of
spring and summer, and for us we especially love that it means the
return of Don Johnson from Florida.
He has a beautiful command of the trumpet. His melodic solos are
heartfelt, with subtlety and passion, and he adds just the right soft
notes to accompany other musicians with respect and space. |
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Michael Hanson |
As a teacher and friend to many area musicians,
Cliff is often accompanied by other great musicians who just can't
resist the opportunity to play with him. |
Ginny O'Brien |
Ken Wheaton - Every Thursday Evening
and every other Sunday Brunch
Hanson Family Jazz Band
Every other Friday Night
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| Eric Hanson |
David Hanson |
Melissa Thorson-Hanson |
The Hanson Family Jazz Band has been playing in the Madison area since 1981.
The original band performed at the Hanson's Family Jazz Restaurant and continued
playing after the restaurant closed in 1984. The original band was lead by Gene Hanson and
featured his wife Betty on vocals.
Today, the band features original members (and brothers)
Erik (drums) and David (piano) Hanson, along with David's daughter Melissa Thorson-Hanson on vocals,
singing the songs that her grandmother sang in the band before her passing in 2006.
The Hanson Family Jazz Band tradition continues today with the current band - playing a variety of jazz standards.
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Rand Moore Jazz Quintet
- Every other Friday Night
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Rand
Moore is a great drummer (and owner of
Drums n' Moore), and he's
assembled a great cast of musicians to create this quintet.
They really keep things moving with their innovative takes on familiar jazz
tunes.
Come hear them the first Fridays of each month!
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Harris Lemberg (often with Johnny Widdicombe)
- Tuesday nights and frequent Saturday evenings
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Harris and Johnny make a great jazz duo.
They've got a great repertoire of jazz standards, and Johnny kicks in
on vocals for some of the numbers.
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Harris Lemberg |
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Johnny Widdicombe |
Harris Lemberg's swinging piano style has been
pleasing jazz fans in Madison since he came here in 1967 as a freshman
at the UW. He has played with many of the finest performers in the area
as both a sideman and a band leader.
His CD, Lost In My Own Little World, was nominated for a Madison Area
Music Award as Best Jazz CD of 2007.
See Harris's website at
www.harrissimo.com |
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Johnny Widdicombe, a 2004 graduate of the UW School of Music, studied
bass with Rufus Reid, Charles (Truck) Parham and Richard Davis. He has
performed with the Piper Road Spring Band for 30 years and is a 22-year
member of the Harris Lemberg Trio.
He has performed with his string bass
across the U.S., The Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, Finland and
the Soviet Union at numerous schools, colleges, universities, concert
halls, music festivals and, most especially, saloons. |
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Last year we had a great time with the Verona High
School jazz ensembles under the direction of Paul Heinecke, and they're
back again for a repeat performance.
You'll be delighted to hear how beautifully these young musicians play
great big band jazz standards. |
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 Smoldering vocals laced among the
jazzy mandolin and guitar; an infectious blend of continental jazz,
swing, gypsy music and melodic vocals ...how DOES one describe the sound
of Harmonious Wail?
Winners of multiple MAMA awards ranging from Best Jazz CD, Best
Ensemble Vocalists of the Year, Favorite Jazz Band, Best World Artist
and Best World Song, to Best Instrumentalist, HARMONIOUS WAIL has caught
numerous listeners by total surprise during its more than 20-year
history.
Of all the venues and stages that these "NPR regulars" have graced, it's the PAC's, festivals and showcase clubs that bring the most enthusiastic audience response!
Drawing from the rich influence of the European gypsy musicians, most notably Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli (creators of the gypsy swing genre), the Wail bursts through the normal boundaries of that genre with it's intoxicating vocals as displayed by Maggie Delaney-Potthoff. The enticing arrangements and sheer joy the Wail brings to every performance is downright addictive! Check out their great website with sample tunes at
www.wail.com.
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Dan Barker and Johnny Widdicombe
Dan Barker |
You'll love Dan's easy jazz
piano style.
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Johnny Widdicombe |
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Jazz standards are
at their best with Stan's distinctive solo piano jazz style. |
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Midtown Jazz brings
a great classic jazz style to all your favorite jazz standards.
They'll get you stomping your feet! |
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Johnny Widdicombe, a 2004 graduate of the UW School of Music, studied
bass with Rufus Reid, Charles (Truck) Parham and Richard Davis. He has
performed with the Piper Road Spring Band for 30 years and is a 22-year
member of the Harris Lemberg Trio.
He has performed with his string bass
across the U.S., The Netherlands, France, England, Scotland, Finland and
the Soviet Union at numerous schools, colleges, universities, concert
halls, music festivals and, most especially, saloons. |
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Blues By 5
- Occasional Monday evenings
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The Blues by 5 band was formed several years ago by a group of Madison area scientists who are jazz enthusiasts. The band’s name originated from its beginnings as a five-man band. The song, Blues by Five, a 60’s trumpet blues number by Red Garland, was a shared favorite among the members and seemed like the perfect band name. As time passed, the band’s number grew to include seven members, but they did not outgrow the jazz music they love to play.
The band’s library includes countless upbeat jazz classics from the 50’s and 60’s such as, Blue Train and One for Daddy-O along with well known 70’s numbers such as Moondance and One More Cup of Coffee. When Blues by 5 starts to play, be prepared for some serious foot-tapping fun. |
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Guitarist and vocalist Tom Waselchuk performed with and led jazz groups (Full Count Jazz Band, Wholly Cats), played folk and blues (Katzenjammers, The Rubato Brothers), western swing and honky tonk (The Dang-Its, Cris Plata & Extra Hot), and even wrote for and performed in musical theatre productions.
But jazz is the thread that has tied his career together |
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Tine Asmundson, an outstanding bassist from Norway, will be playing with Cliff Frederiksen. She has performed and recorded extensively in Europe with her group "Lonely Woman"and most recently recorded a CD with Richard Davis titled "Madison". It was recorded at Audio for the Arts Studio here in Madison and is a superb jazz production.
Plan to join us around 7:00pm on Wednesday September 30 for this great performance. |
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Adam
Dachman
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Adam is a composer / pianist, whose piano solos have been heard on
NBC's Today Show, Access Hollywood, ABC's Good Morning America, numerous cable
TV shows, radio promotions, inspirational programs, and beyond.
He has also just
published his first children's book. And just happens to be a surgeon!
He plays a great mix of jazz standards, pop tunes, and some of his own
compositions.
Find out more about Adam and his work at
his very entertaining website:
www.adamdachman.com.
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