A Conversation with Lakecia Benjamin
UW Memorial Union-Play Circle 800 Langdon St., Madison, Wisconsin 53706
Elizabeth Leitzell
Lakecia Benjamin and a sax.
Lakecia Benjamin
Arts + Literature Laboratory and Wisconsin Union Theater have put together another outstanding series of events for the Madison Jazz Festival. The big draw is this weekend at the fest’s traditional Memorial Union home, with music all day on the Terrace June 17-18; ticketed evening shows in Shannon Hall are by saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix (June 17) and 20 Feet From Stardom star Lisa Fischer joining Ranky Tanky (June 18). Still to come before the weekend is Rick Flowers with Amalgam X (6 p.m., June 14, Penn Park); a concert celebrating the release of Jamie Breiwick's second album revisiting the music of Don Cherry (7 p.m., June 15, ALL); and a visit by Chicago-based trumpet player Marques Carroll and his quintet (8 p.m., June 16, Cafe Coda). Find the full schedule below and tickets at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.
media release:
The sounds of jazz will fill performing arts spaces at Memorial Union June 17-18 during the Madison Jazz Festival, which is presented by the Wisconsin Union Theater (WUT) and Arts + Literature Laboratory and runs from June 8-18.
The Madison Jazz Fest will conclude with a featured headliner in Wisconsin Union Theater’s Shannon Hall at Memorial Union on June 17 and a Juneteenth celebration of Black American music on June 18.
Most WUT-hosted Jazz Festival events will take place at the outdoor Memorial Union Terrace, which guests can attend for free on a first-come, first-served basis. Patrons can purchase tickets to two performances occurring in Shannon Hall online, in person at the Memorial Union Box Office, or by phone at (608) 265-2787.
Free events at the Terrace include The Monterey Jazz Festival High School All Stars, Doug Brown and Michelle DuVall, Hanah Jon Taylor Artet, GRAMMY-nominated Kassa Overall, and Richi y La Combi on June 17 and Alise Mosely, Sira Sangare, Nono also known as Norman Davis, Eli Blakely, Lature Carter, R.R. Moore, OneOfMani, Marcus Porter, and Black Power Dance on June 18. Nick Moran and Rob “Rob Dz” Franklin curated the Madison Jazz Festival events taking place at the Terrace.
Ticketed headlining events in Shannon Hall will include saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin at 8 p.m. on June 17 and GRAMMY-winning band Ranky Tanky with GRAMMY-winning vocalist Lisa Fischer at 8 p.m. on June 18.
During inclement weather, events scheduled to take place at the Terrace will move to der Rathskeller in Memorial Union.
Among those in the lineup, emcee, vocalist and drummer Kassa Overall, will perform at the Terrace on June 17 6:30-8 p.m. Overall approaches hip-hop with avant-garde drumming and other musical experimentation and marries hip-hop with elements of jazz and rap. His new album “ANIMALS” debuts on May 26, adding to a portfolio that includes music projects “I THINK I’M GOOD,” “Go Get Ice Cream and Listen to Jazz,” “Shades of Flu” and “Shades of Flu 2.”
“We are excited to celebrate the rich jazz culture we have locally and regionally and to bring in some of the top jazz musicians from the world to Madison,” WUT Director Elizabeth Snodgrass said.
Purchases of Wisconsin Union Theater season events tickets and purchases at Memorial Union, the Memorial Union Terrace, TerraceStore.union.wisc.edu and Union South help the Theater and other areas of the Wisconsin Union provide gathering spaces and events.
On-site dining locations at Memorial Union include the seasonal Brat Stand, seasonal Lakeview Lounge, der Rathskeller, der Stiftskeller, the Daily Scoop, Badger Market, Peet’s Coffee, pasta and pizza restaurant Strada, salad and sandwich shop Carte, and the seasonal BBQ Stand.
The Wisconsin Union Theater-hosted events are part of a series of Madison Jazz Festival events taking place throughout Madison June 8-18, including The Bad Plus with Marc Ribot and Miguel Zenón and Luis Perdomo. Festival attendees have the opportunity to win giveaways throughout the event series, including Festival t-shirts. Those interested in learning more can visit artlitlab.org/programs/
The WUT team has announced its 2023-24 season of stars and stars on the rise, which begins on Sept. 28. The lineup includes jazz, dance, chamber music, an annual celebration of contemporary Black art, and global music. Customers can purchase subscriptions beginning June 1 and single tickets to each performance beginning June 16. Patrons can read details at union.wisc.edu/about/news/wut-
Those interested in learning more about the Madison Jazz Festival can visit union.wisc.edu/madison-jazz-
Find full schedule details at https://artlitlab.org/programs/greater-madison-jazz/madison-jazz-festival
June 8: Dayna Stephens Quartet at Cafe CODA, 7 pm
June 9: Mai Sugimoto Trio at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm
June 9: Michael Hackett Quintet at North Street Cabaret, 8 pm
June 10: "The Musical Legacy of Wayne Shorter" Talk by Dave Stoler at Sequoya Library, 10:30 am
June 10: Wayne Shorter Jam Session feat. Chris Greene at Cafe CODA, 1 pm
June 10: Wayne Shorter Tribute Concert at Cafe CODA, 8 pm
June 11: Janet Planet at Allen Centennial Garden, 5 pm
June 11: The Bad Plus + Marc Ribot at High Noon Saloon, 8 pm
June 12: Golpe Tierra at Warner Park, 6 pm
June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo in Conversation, St. Joseph Church (Good Shepherd Parish), 10:30 am
June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte del Bolero at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm
June 14: DIG JAZZ: Rick Flowers and Amalgam X at Penn Park, 6 pm
June 15: Awake: Volume 2 - the Music of Don Cherry CD Release at Arts + Literature Laboratory, 7 pm
June 16: Marques Carroll Quintet at Cafe CODA, 8 pm
June 17: Jazz all day on the Memorial Union Terrace feat. Kassa Overall, 1-10:30 pm
June 17: A Conversation with Lakecia Benjamin, 3 pm
June 17: Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix at Shannon Hall, 8 pm
June 18: Juneteenth Celebration of Black American Music on the Memorial Union Terrace, 2:30-9:30 pm
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