If you have heard much live music in Madison, chances are that you have encountered bassist Chris Boeger, 37. His projects include the blues band the Cash Box Kings, the insouciant cover band the Hometown Sweethearts, the avant-jazz combo Sid Frenchman, rockers Lorenzo's Music, singer-songwriter Blake Thomas and the country band the World's Greatest Lovers (a disclosure: I perform with the World's Greatest Lovers). He lives in Middleton with his wife, Jen Karlson, and their son, 16-month-old Will Karlson-Boeger.
Mary Gaines, 42 and Chris Wagoner, 41, are wife and husband, and (this is sweet) they do everything together. Multi-instrumentalists both, they write and perform roots-rock with the Moon Gypsies, jazz with the Stellanovas and 'jazzgrass' with the Bob Westfall band. They also do session work for various clients, and they teach at Spruce Tree Music and Prairie Music Academy.
Tim Whalen, 32, sings and plays keyboards with Madison-based Phat Phunktion, an '8- or 9-' piece funk band that recently toured Japan. He also plays jazz with the Tim Whalen Trio and the Tim Whalen Nonet, and he composes music for various clients. Last year he earned a master's degree from Manhattan School of Music, and he also teaches at Prairie Music Academy.
