Dayna Stephens Quartet

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James Knox

Arts + Literature Laboratory and Wisconsin Union Theater have put together an outstanding series of events for the Madison Jazz Festival. A big draw is two full days of music at the fest’s traditional Memorial Union home on June 17-18, with music all day on the Terrace and ticketed evening shows by saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin & Phoenix and Lisa Fischer with Ranky Tanky. But don't sleep on the many events the prior week-plus, including an amazing twin bill of The Bad Plus and Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog (8 p.m., June 11, High Noon). It all kicks off with a pair of ensembles led by saxophonist-composers: the Dayna Stephens Quartet (7 p.m., June 8, Cafe Coda) and Mai Sugimoto Trio (7 p.m., June 9, ALL). June 10 celebrates the late Wayne Shorter, with a talk by Dave Stoler (10:30 a.m., Sequoya Library), a jam led by Chris Greene (1 p.m., Cafe Coda), and tribute concert (8 p.m., Cafe Coda). Find the full schedule below and tickets at madisonjazzfestivalwi.org.

media release: The Madison Jazz Festival kicks off with a special performance by New York saxophonist Dayna Stephens on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Cafe CODA. Seating is general admission. Advance tickets can be purchased online at https://madjazzfeststephens.bpt.me. Online ticket sales end 2 hours before showtime. Tickets are also available at the door beginning at 6:30pm. Dayna will be joined by Matt Gold (guitar), Devin Drobka (drums) and Nick Moran (bass).

Dayna Stephens is globally recognized as a saxophonist, composer and arranger, and is the first place recipient of the 2019 DownBeat Critics Poll in the category Rising Star—Tenor Saxophone.

Stephens has led a storied career traveling and recording with Kenny Barron, Brad Meldhau, Tom Harrell, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Fred Hersch, and Esperanza Spalding, among many others — as well as leading the iconic Dayna Stephens Quartet. Now in its second iteration, the Quartet, featuring young, inspired musicians, represents a new chapter in jazz, and in Stephens’ career. One that embraces his role as a mentor, carrying on the legacy of the music while evolving it alongside the next generation.

NPR’s Kevin Whitehead says: “Dayna Stephens can cry and rip it up on tenor, but at heart, he’s a streamlined melodic player. His handsome down-the-middle tone is not too heavy or light, though he can lean either way. His sound is sleek, with very light vibrato. And the lines he improvises are uncluttered and well-organized. His horn sings”.

Playing with pureness of intention, Dayna admits he’s always searching to find what’s “singable.” That search often results in live improvisations and written compositions that challenge traditional concepts of harmony, pushing phrasing and sending beautiful melodies in unlikely directions. Dayna’s soulful lines have resonated through the halls of such internationally renowned venues as the Village Vanguard, Blue Note Jazz Club, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Birdland, Yoshi’s, The Blue Whale, Marians Jazzroom in Switzerland, Blue Note Milano, Philharmonie de Paris, Le Duc des Lombards, Red Rocks and San Francisco Jazz Center.

Find full schedule details at https://artlitlab.org/programs/greater-madison-jazz/madison-jazz-festival

June 8: Dayna Stephens Quartet at Cafe CODA

June 9: Mai Sugimoto Trio at Arts + Literature Laboratory

June 9: Michael Hackett Quintet at North Street Cabaret

June 10: "The Musical Legacy of Wayne Shorter" Talk by Dave Stoler at Sequoya Library

June 10: Wayne Shorter Jam Session feat. Chris Greene at Cafe CODA

June 10: Wayne Shorter Tribute Concert at Cafe CODA

June 11: The Bad Plus + Marc Ribot at High Noon Saloon

June 12: Golpe Tierra at Warner Park

June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo in Conversation, Location TBA

June 13: Miguel Zenon & Luis Perdomo: El Arte del Bolero at Arts + Literature Laboratory

June 14: DIG JAZZ: Rick Flowers at Penn Park

June 15: Awake: Volume 2 - the Music of Don Cherry CD Release at Arts + Literature Laboratory

June 16: Marques Carroll Quintet at Cafe CODA

June 17: Jazz all day on the Memorial Union Terrace feat. Kassa Overall

June 17: Lakecia Benjamin at Shannon Hall

June 18: Juneteenth Celebration of Black American Music on the Memorial Union Terrace

June 18: Ranky Tanky with Lisa Fischer at Shannon Hall