Chris Rottmayer (album release)

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Life In Pink Photography

A close-up of Chris Rottmayer.

Chris Rottmayer

If you’re the kind of person who flips through liner notes, you’ll love pianist Chris Rottmayer. He’s the real deal: a composer, pianist and vibraphonist (including many years on the keys at Disney World…yes, really), and now a Madison-based scholar finishing up a doctorate while still swinging hard. His new album out Oct. 17, Playing Favorites, features a swinging trio including Chicago bassist Clark Sommers and Madison drummer Matt Endres joined by vocalist-composer Kelsey Wallner; all will accompany Rottmayer for this album release concert.

media release: Arts + Literature Laboratory welcomes pianist Chris Rottmayer to celebrate the release of his new album, Playing Favorites, on Thursday, October 30, 7:00pm. Advance tickets are $15 for general admsision or $10 for ALL members or students with a valid ID. Advance tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets. General admission at the door is $20 for everyone.

Pianist Chris Rottmayer is at home as a jazz performer, composer, and educator. Chris has released six albums as a leader, including his latest soon to be released album Playing Favorites on Pilars Records. His previous release Being spent many weeks charting on the Roots Music Report and JazzWeek national jazz albums charts. Chris holds a doctorate degree in piano performance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spent twenty years working as a pianist for Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and served for six years in the 440th Army Band in Raleigh, North Carolina. He currently resides in Madison with his wife and two children but was born and raised in the vibrant musical community of Columbus, Ohio.

Playing Favorites is a spontaneous collaboration between Chris and Kelsey Wallner, born from a 2025 festival booking in Madison. Kelsey and Chris have worked together previously in Madison, playing gigs and making music. Kelsey now lives and works in the Denver area, after completing a master’s degree in jazz voice at the University of Northern Colorado. Playing Favorites also shows off Chris and Kelsey’s love of Brazilian music with a few choice songs from Ivan Lins, Tom Jobim, and Dori Caymmi. The bass player and drummer are Clark Sommers and Matt Endres. Clark is a first call bandleader and performer from Chicago, and Matt is the professor of jazz drumset and jazz history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.